DANIEL 4
King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! 2 It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.3 How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. 6 So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. 8 At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream, saying, 9 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. 10 The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 11 The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it. – Daniel 4:1-12
DANIEL 4 NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S SECOND DREAM
In this account, we witness how Nebuchadnezzar was impressed with God and seemingly appears like praising him at the start of this chapter. It looks like the Holy Spirit was working in his heart when he declared in verse 3 how great God was and his kingdom was everlasting. The bible says that no one can confess God’s greatness unless the Holy Spirit prods them to.
When the king had his second bothersome dream, he called for Daniel whom he renamed Belteshazzar, after his god and gave the title of chief of the magicians. Doesn’t that sound like an insult to God? He was impressed by God when his first dream was revealed by Daniel, but not enough to believe him. His heart stayed hardened.
REFLECTION
- What is the difference between just being amazed by God and having true faith?
