A Kingly Conversion
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Daniel
The Book of the
Prophet Daniel
“… some stopped the
mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire!” Hebrews 11:33, 34
Chapter 4:19-37 A Kingly Conversion
19. Then
Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts
alarmed him. The king answered and said, "Belteshazzar, let not the dream
or the interpretation alarm you." Belteshazzar answered and said, "My
lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your
enemies!
20. The tree you saw, which grew and became
strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the
whole earth,
21.
whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for
all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the
birds of the heavens lived—
22. it
is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and
reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.
23. And
because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying,
'Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the
earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field,
and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the
beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,'
24. this
is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come
upon my lord the king,
25.
that you shall be driven from among men,
and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to
eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven
periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the
kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.
26.
And as it was commanded to leave the
stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from
the time that you know that Heaven rules.
27. Therefore, O king, let my counsel be
acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your
iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a
lengthening of your prosperity."
God’s providential ways are unique and not
according to the patterns of men. He sent Daniel as His ambassador to Babylon
and to King Nebuchadnezzar, as a captive, supernaturally equipped with wisdom
and a gift for interpreting spiritual messages. The enemy tried desperately to
thwart the Lord’s purpose and neutralize His elected vessel in this godless
society.
We have seen how the devil attempted to compromise
his testimony by placing him under a pagan education, and even wanted to
compromise his eating habits. For most of the time up to this point, he managed
to keep this most useful servant for the king, potentially, ignored in the
background. The chief of the eunuchs changed his name, Daniel, “judgment of
God” to Belteshazzar, “the prince or treasure of Bel or Baal”, and thereby
marred his godly identity.
The sovereign God, however, had a most faithful
man prepared and nothing would stand in His way. He is not just a step above
the other pagan officials, but “ten
times better” (1:20). In the proper time, Daniel is brought out of the
shadows to stand before the emperor. In verse 19, we learn that Nebuchadnezzar
has not forgotten his original name, which in itself is a personal testimony
and particularly relative to the message that he now brings to the king. The
king is ripe for God’s judgment.
That which God has prepared for Nebuchadnezzar is
very severe, but no more than what is absolutely necessary. We have already
seen his hardness of heart in the first chapters. When we learn the depravity
and extreme arrogance of the human heart, particularly evident in one, who has
savored such power, we should not be surprised at the level of judgment dealt
to him. Even hell is too good for a fallen, mutinous human race. That must be
the doctrinal position of every true Christian and, if we understand that, we
will see wonderful mercy in what He has in store for this king.
A prophet is only a prophet of God, if his heart
is intricately involved with his message. He must have compassion for his
hearers or readers. Only in this way can he properly lay God’s word before them
and cause it to penetrate deeply. Isaiah called these prophesies oracles, meaning burdens, which weighed upon the bearer. Daniel’s feelings for his
emperor are very touching: He was “dismayed for a while, and
his thoughts alarmed him.” When
Nebuchadnezzar urged and encouraged him to relay the message, Daniel exclaims,
"My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation
for your enemies!” There are reasons that Jesus taught us to love our enemies
and in this paragraph we are learning of one reason, as we look at the captive,
loving his captor.
You, Daniel interprets, are this beautiful,
fruitful tree. Its height has “grown and become strong”, reaching to the
heavens and influencing the entire world. Daniel turns to the message of the
“watcher” and we see that this angelic messenger is declaring a decree from the
Most High. God Himself has declared judgment against the emperor. The prophet
quotes the message almost verbatim, emphasizing the significance of each
detail.
Insanity, he tells the king, will drive you and
separate you even from the lowest of human companionship. It will make you like
an animal, living in the open country, unprotected from the morning dew, eating
grass like an ox. Seven full cycles of time means that his condition will
remain for seven years. Everything in the prophecy is literal.
One of the signs that distinguish a convicting
warning of the Holy Spirit from a condemning temptation of Satan is that the
Spirit of God leaves light at the end of the tunnel. In fact, Daniel offers the
king an immediate remedy: “Break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and
your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a
lengthening of your prosperity."
The king is not yet ready to receive the Good News
of repentance and faith. Remember this, if you intend to be a God-called
evangelist (And evangelism is something that every Christian is called to do.).
We encounter the same spiritual condition in the person on the street in the 21st
Century. The natural man by himself,
can never respond positively to the gospel… he cannot. It is not just difficult for him; it is impossible! Please
learn this!
The Apostle Paul makes that crystal clear in his
letter to the Romans (3:10-18). Why is this fact so often ignored? Why have we
forgotten the ways of Scripture, of Christ, Paul, the reformers, John Wesley,
George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Finney, C. H. Spurgeon, Martyn
Lloyd-Jones, and every other God-taught evangelist?
Paul continues to teach that God gave the law to
define sin and give the sinner conviction of his own sin. He learns that “all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God” (3:23). The commandments show that sin is sinful beyond
measure (7:13). The law, under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit
(Jn.16:8; Ac.24:25), must do its work first to prepare the heart to receive the
gospel. Therefore, Jesus said, “All the
Prophets and the Law prophesied until John” (Mt.11:13). John was the
forerunner: the gospel must have a
forerunner.
The prevenient grace of God breaks, molds and
softens the hard heart of the sinner. Invariably, he must see his proud
attitude against God and humbly surrender, trusting only in the Lord. Daniel
would have him repent now and he gives him the opportunity, but
Nebuchadnezzar’s breaking will take seven years… not a day more or less. He
must first learn “that heaven rules”. The old trunk will be cut down, stripped
of its branches and leaves, and all his old confidences will flee from him. The
old tree is left to rot, but new life
springs from the roots. This is the gospel and the Spirit of God, the
Spirit of Hope, makes it known through Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar!
28. All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar.
29.
At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of
Babylon,
30.
and the king answered and said, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have
built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my
majesty?"
31.
While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven,
"O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from
you,
32.
and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the
beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven
periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules
the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will."
33.
Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from
among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven
till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds'
claws.
34.
At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my
reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him
who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom
endures from generation to generation;
35. all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and
he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the
inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, "What
have you done?"
36.
At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my
majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and
I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to
me.
37.
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all
his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is
able to humble.
“All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar.” One
of the proofs that God has given us, concerning the veracity of the Bible and
of its divine authorship, is the fulfillment of prophecy. Jesus said, “I am telling you this now, before it takes
place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he” (Jn.13:19).
In this chapter, it only took 12 months for the word to come to pass, but we
have hundreds of prophecies concerning the Messiah, given many centuries
before, that literally were fulfilled. Prophecies are becoming realities right
up to this 21st Century and many more will come to pass in the
future… perhaps a very near future. We await them!
The
unregenerate man sheds divine truth like the proverbial water off a duck’s
back. Nebuchadnezzar has let truth fade and disappear repeatedly, but the Lord
is in the truth and, regardless how men handle it, it will unfailingly hold its
position: “Let God be true though every
one were a liar” (Ro.3:4). We don’t know, whether or not he did anything at
all with Daniel’s plea for him to repent, but in verse 29 and 30, it is very
clear that he is not a repentant man and is obsessed with pride.
Jesus
said, “Truly (Amen), I say to you, unless you turn (repent
or convert) and become like children,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt.18:3). He is speaking in
terms of the humility of children (18:4). Humility is a necessary condition of
the heart before anyone can be saved. No one can truly repent, unless he is
first humbled. God will not tolerate pride, therefore seven years of insanity
have been decreed, in order to deal with the emperor’s arrogance. All his
former contact with the Lord and His people have not changed his heart, but now
we will see a marked difference.
“While
the words were still in his mouth” judgment fell and the prophetic word that he
heard one year previously is repeated. Nebuchadnezzar has reached a point,
which is not humanly discernible, but marks a time, when the cup of divine
wrath fills to the brim and sentence is immediately carried out. He lost his
reason and became insane and like the demoniacs in Gadarene, he left human
companionship and behaved as an animal. Seven years of judgment were applied to
his life; seven years speaks of God’s perfection and God’s righteousness is
perfect. He will fulfill His righteous judgment in the case of every
unrepentant sinner. Another description is added; “his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his
nails were like birds' claws”.
He finally came to the end of himself, or better
yet, as Luke states concerning the prodigal, “he came to himself” (Lk.15:17). The prodigal was as irrational as
the king and, let it be understood, that everyone, who walks in pride and
self-will is in the same spiritual condition as the king and the prodigal. The
only people, who are in their right mind are those, who surrender to their
Creator and find their place at the foot of Christ’s cross.
The moment that someone humbly lifts his eyes to
heaven is the moment that their reason returns to them. They begin to think
righteously and start to bless, praise and honor the eternal God. The insane
returns to govern, the leper begins to live among society, and the
demon-possessed comes home to his loved ones.
Oh,
people, God is good! He has good news for the repentant heart and heaven’s
courts ring with praise, when one of earth’s inhabitants turns back to His
Creator. The Lord lovingly “will restore
the years that the swarming locust has eaten” (Joel 2:25). Trust is
restored with former acquaintances and “still more greatness was added to me,”
said the emperor. How positively wonderful is the statement that the restored
emperor makes: They “sought me.” A human resolution or self-effort cannot make
this happen; only spiritual rebirth will convince and restore confidence to the
disillusioned or betrayed government official, the business associate or the
family member. It is new life that Christ gives and He gives it abundantly. “The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and
he adds no sorrow with it” (Pr.10:22).
How
rich and powerful is the grace of God! What a mighty conversion it is, when a
man, sitting in the seat of the antichrist, is reconciled to God! (I had better
state immediately, the Scripture makes it clear that the final antichrist will
not be reconciled.) I believe we will meet Nebuchadnezzar in heaven and he will
still be telling the old, old story that we all love so well. He humbly told it
to his generation and left a written record to be handed down to ours.
Let’s
read it once more: “Now I,
Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his
works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able
to humble.” Amen, Brother Nebuchadnezzar!
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