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1 Nebuchadnezzar Dreams Again Daniel 4 In verse 4 Nebuchadnezzar was at ease in his house and prospering in his palace and he [5] saw a dream that made him afraid… [6] So he made a decree that all the wise men… might make known to him the interpretation... [7] …but they could not… [8] At last Daniel came… — and he told him the dream… [10]…he saw … a tree… its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 2 Chop It Down [13] … and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. [14] … and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree … [15] But leave the stump of its roots… [16] Let his mind be changed from a man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him. 3 The Purpose Of The Decree [17] The sentence is by the decree of the watchers… to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’ 4 The Interpretation [19] Then Daniel,… was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him… [20] The tree you saw,…—[22] it is you, O king, … [24] this is the interpretation: 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. 5 Daniel’s Counsel: Break Off Your Sins

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Nebuchadnezzar Dreams Again Daniel 4

In verse 4 Nebuchadnezzar was at ease in his house and prospering in his palace and he [5] saw a dream that made him afraid… [6] So he made a decree that all the wise men… might make known to him the interpretation... [7] …but they could not… [8] At last Daniel came… —and he told him the dream… [10]…he saw … a tree… its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth.

2 Chop It Down

[13] … and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. [14] … and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree … [15] But leave the stump of its roots… [16] Let his mind be changed from a man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him.

3 The Purpose Of The Decree

[17] The sentence is by the decree of the watchers… to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’

4 The Interpretation

[19] Then Daniel,… was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him… [20] The tree you saw,…—[22] it is you, O king, … [24] this is the interpretation: 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.

5 Daniel’s Counsel: Break Off Your Sins

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[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.” Notice that Daniel did the same three things Jesus said the Holy Spirit would do: convince the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.

6 Politicians Are Not Exempt

Paul preached the same to King Felix. “He reasoned of righteousness, self control, and the coming judgment” (Acts 24:25). Would you agree that any gospel that omits repentance from sin a false gospel? Would you agree that any gospel that exempts rulers from repentance is an incomplete gospel? Did Daniel and Paul quit preaching the Gospel and start preaching politics just because they preached it to the government? The Gospel is not just for individuals; it’s for governments, too. Governments are made up of individuals.

7 God said,

Chop Down The Tree God humbled him by taking away his reason completely. He

became insane. His hair grew long like feathers and his nails like claws. He ended up eating grass like an ox. What happened was that he became what is called “epistemologically consistent.” The “leaven” of his underlying presuppositions filled the whole lump of his experience. When men make themselves gods they have to operate inconsistently with their underlying presuppositions in order to operate in God’s creation. If their underlying presupposition is based on predatory beastliness, they have to act like humans in order to survive. But he got so proud he actually became epistemologically consistent. He quit acting partially like a human and started acting consistently as a beast. God had seen him as a beast all along. Daniel 7 reveals that.

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8 Darwinism teaches our children that man is an animal. In time, men who believe that will become so hardened in their hearts that they will become epistemologically consistent and act like animals. This has already begun in Western civilization. They now defend the murder of children and gay marriage as if it were a good thing. Well, it is true that it’s okay for animals; and if we are animals, why not act like? Eventually they will be so consistent that they will have no morals whatsoever. It will be Huxley’s “Brave New World.”

9 Nebuchadnezzar’s Pilgrim Progress

In the first four chapters of Daniel we see Nebuchadnezzar’s progress toward conversion. In chapter one he saw that Hebrew wisdom is ten times better than pagan wisdom. In chapter two he began to honor the word of God. In chapter three he honored God’s Law as the law of the land. And in chapter four he honored God Himself. He progressed from honoring God’s people, to honoring God’s word as the revealer of secrets, to honoring God’s Law, to honoring God Himself.

10 In chapter one

The King Inquired Of the Hebrews Daniel and his three friends and none were found like them. [20] And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians…(Daniel 1:19-20). This is the first step toward God. Hebrew wisdom, Judeo/Christian culture is ten times better than humanist wisdom. But so far, he was still a pagan humanist. In chapter two he progressed a step closer to the truth.

11 In Chapter Two

The King Honored God’s Prophet He honored Daniel when Daniel interpreted his dream. [46] He “fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and and said, “Truly, your God is

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God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.”[2:47]

But for him it was still Daniel’s God, not His. He was still only a friend of the Gospel. Honoring God’s prophets is like honoring the Bible but still not being converted.

12 [48] Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

God had promised Abraham, “your descendants shall possess the gate

of their enemies” (Gen 22:17). The gate of the ancient cities was the seat of

their governments. This was fulfilled with Joseph, with David, and now with

Daniel. This is the destiny of Abraham’s children. God considers human

governments our enemies that believers are destined to possess. 13

Chapter Three The King Honored God’s Law As The Civil Law

When he saw how God delivered the Hebrew children from the fiery furnace he made [29] “a decree: Any nation …that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb...” (Daniel 3:29-30 ESV) This is what the law should be. This is the law that went forth from Zion and executed Servetus in Geneva. Was it wrong to execute Sevetus for blasphemy? Was it wrong for Elijah, under the king’s authority to execute 900 false prophets? Was it wrong for Samuel to hack Agag to pieces? Was it wrong for Josiah to sacrifice the priests of the high places and burn their bones on their illegal altars? “Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart…” (2 Kings 23:25 ESV).

13 In Chapter Four He was finally converted.

He Honored God Himself This is what happens when right reason is restored: [34] At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason

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returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him…”

This is the first time he did this. In chapter 1 he honored believers. In chapter 2 he honored the word of God by the prophet and in chapter 3 decreed that blasphemers be executed. But now, with his reason restored he honors God himself.

15 Time Can Heal

Five times the Book of Daniel uses the expression, “the appointed time.” God is outside of time, but He uses time. In this case He used 7 periods of time to restore the king’s reason. The king says in verse 36, “At the same time my reason returned 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” (Daniel 4:34-37 ESV).

16 Could This Be How History Will End?

Since God said that Nebuchadnezzar was the title head of the nations, could this be a prophecy of what the rest of the “body” of the nations will do? Since this happened to the head, does it mean the same will happen to the body? Could it mean the nations will first go mad by becoming epistemologically consistent until seven periods of time burn the madness out and cause their reason to return? Will the rulers of nations some day acknowledge that the Most High rules over them? Scripture seems to say so. “Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; All

nations shall serve Him” (Psalm 72:11 NKJV).

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Nebuchadnezzar’s

Nightmare

The MessagePastor Ron Smith

Daniel 4:5

He saw…a tree…its top reached to

heaven, and it was visible to the end

of the whole earth.

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Chop It Down4:13

Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and

let a beast’s mind be given to him; and let

seven periods of time pass over him.

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The Purpose of the Decree4:17

That the living may know that the Most High

rules the kingdom of men.

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The Interpretation4:19-26

You shall be made to eat grass like an ox and

seven periods of time shall pass over you, till

you know that the Most High rules the

kingdom of men.

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Daniel’s Counsel: Break Off Your Sins

4:27

Jesus said the Holy Spirit would convince the

world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.

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Politicians Are Not Exempt

The Gospel is not just for individuals; it’s for

governments, too.

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Chop Down the Tree

He quit acting partially like a human and started

acting consistently with his underlying

presupposition, like a beast.

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Darwinism

If we are animals, why not act like it?

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Nebuchadnezzar’s Progress Toward

Conversion

1. He honored God’s people (Chapter one)

2. He honored God’s word (Chapter two)

3. He honored God’s Law (Chapter three)

4. He honored God Himself (Chapter four)

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In Chapter One:

The King Inquired of the Hebrews

But so far, he was still a pagan humanist.

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In Chapter Two:

The King Honored God’s Prophet

Honoring God’s prophets is like honoring the

Bible but still not being converted.

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He Made Daniel a Ruler2:48

God had promised Abraham, “your descendants

shall possess the gate of their enemies” (Genesis

22:17).

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In Chapter Three:The King Honored God’s Law

as the Civil Law3:29

“a decree: Any nation…that speaks anything

against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and

Abednego shall be torn limb from limb….”

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In Chapter Four:The King Was Finally Converted. He

honored God himself.

4:34

My reason returned to me, and I blessed the

Most High, and praised and honored him…

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Time Can Heal

God uses time.

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Could This Be How History Will End?

“Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; all

nations shall serve Him” (Psalm 72:11 NKJV).

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Nebuchadnezzar’s

Nightmare

The MessagePastor Ron Smith

Daniel 4:5

He saw…a tree…its top reached to

heaven, and it was visible to the end

of the whole earth.