THE REVELATION OF DANIEL

The Revelation of Daniel Chapter 4

NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S PERSONAL TESTIMONY

A Testimony to the One Who Fears God and a Witness Against Those Who Don’t

There are similarities of man’s condition described here in Nebuchadnezzar’s life to those of another great King, Solomon. When Ecclesiastes is read along with Chapter 4 of Daniel, there is one constant; that of man’s darkened heart and mind and temporal physical condition. Solomon’s exploratory wisdom, along with all his many amazing prideful accomplishments was confronted with the inevitable: his pending and inescapable death. And eventually through much hardship brought him to pen these words. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man, For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” [Ecclesiastes 12:13-14]

The conclusion, no matter what is attained in this world, is but vanity wrought in ignorance, and in itself worthless in that all men, in the end, sooner or later, suffer the same fate; death. “There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely riches kept from the owners thereof to their hurt….as he came forth of his mother’s womb naked shall he return to go as he came.…” [Ecclesiastes l5:13-15]

Nebuchadnezzar vainly assesses all his mighty accomplishments; but without the abiding vantage point of the wisdom of Solomon. And so what does he naturally see through those eyes? The ambitious pride of the carnal man’s heart; that place flooded with the false blinding light of natural reasoning. Oh and how great that darkness when that light is received and the true light unperceived or neglected. [Matthew 6:23]

And after judgment and coming to his enlightened senses, he gives grand testimony to all nations, their people, and their kings: “And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:

And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none — can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?”At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honor and brightness returned unto me; and my counselors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.” [Daniel 4:34-37]

We might of thought that the warnings of Daniel would have deterred his pride and mended his ways. But there is nothing more insidious, deceitful and treacherous than the indigenous weeds of the flesh. And no more fertile soil than the love of riches and power to cost us ruling in the Kingdom. So is the testimony of our Lord to the rich young ruler and his servant James to those who would intend to be rich. And Daniel’s words failed, as did the warnings of Moses to Israel. And neither did the words of Jude or Peter or John avail to the Church body.

What Gentile man had more right to be proud than Nebuchadnezzar? Look at his accomplishments. They were yet greater than any man, but this is no excuse. It just speaks to the depravity of man’s heart. The truth discovered is that all things come from God. It is He who gives by the power of His Will.

Pride steals away the Truth, of which humility is witness. Satan is father of this prideful fallen nature and carnal man is his son. Lucifer was not only the father of lies, but the first insane, which is the loss of the ability for Godly perception. The carnal man must come to the perception of his own insanity as Nebuchadnezzar did.

Man is currently living in this depraved World in like manner of a “beast”. (In comparison to that of the Kingdom of God.) And once perceived, it is and should be the daily reminder and sure example of the fallen condition.

The Word of God is the declaration of what sanity is. And this darkened World’s experiences, loss or gain, its trials, tribulations, afflictions, tests, admonitions, lessons and conclusions answer to the light of His declarations.

What was Nebuchadnezzar’s natural reasonings and darkened condition but a microcosm of the diseased infested condition of this World as a consequence of the corrupting god of this World. “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground….Thou hast defiled thy palaces by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee…and never shalt thou be any more.” [Ezekiel 28:17-19]

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down….” like a serpent you shall eat the dust of this earth for a season… and then after that season in which we find ourselves now “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God:…I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” [Isaiah 14:12-15] Psalm 82 is particularly applicable to the thought being put forth. (Please read and understand that verses 6 & 7 is addressed to angels.)

Is not this “casting to the ground” a censuring of Lucifer to the Earth’s realm? A beastly condition to which he was the first assigned, for the abasing of his pride, from which now he will never recover? Is not this typical in the Word of God? Is this not the warning command of God for man to come to his senses? And like the pride-filled heart of their father; is not the refusal to come to their senses then due the same condemnation?

Wherein (Lucifer’s) Nebuchadnezzar’s sin was the ungrateful un-god-ing of The Supreme Being, the fit retribution is the (de-god-ing) dehumanizing unto a “beast’s” heart, and thereby justly abased and THAT which is typical of the fallen carnal nature of man. (And let it be understood that as we are conscious of who we are in the beastly state; so it was that Nebuchadnezzar was conscious that he was Nebuchadnezzar during the whole course of his abasement. And satan is acutely and defiantly conscious that he is Lucifer.) “And at the end of the days when in due season, Nebuchadnezzar was confronted with the merciful Word of God. “ I, Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven…” and humbly received the Grace (Divine influence) and was brought to his senses. This is typical of the rebirth of the spirit. [John 3:3-21] Then he joyfully repented and glorified God his Creator and the King of heaven. The savage warrior now wishes that “peace be multiplied” unto all men. It was then that he was restored to his rightful appointed glory in his kingdom, His counselors and lords, waiting, answers to the future attending Angels of God. His intended honor and brightness now return unto him. [Daniel 4:34-37]

The whole then answers to Adam’s sin. The full/complete judgment is represented in “7” times, which equals 7 thousand years. We read about the merciful promise of God to “….leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.” [Daniel 4:26 with Matthew 6:9-13 with Revelation 14 & 19 & 20:4-6] It is into the fullness of the light of this His Word we are called, into this mysterious Kingdom of heavens. [Matthew 13:11, Hebrews 3:1, 11:12-16 Revelation 19:1-10]

The Book of Daniel now proceeds without further mention of Nebuchadnezzar. His final words from his restored throne turns into a pulpit for us. That after such a long and deep debilitation, the great confirming story of God’s intent for man’s conversion in loving humility comes forth to the whole world. And with the complete restoration calling which is typical of that restoration and ascension unto the Son of Man’s Throne. (Who also was abased, and that not to earth only, but to Hades as well, only in complete awareness and whole-hearted willingness. Philippians 2:6-11) Christ’s Bride and joint heir is with Him. [Read Genesis 1:26,28 with Revelation 20:4-6]

So it is, the story of Nebuchadnezzar and his successors is the sure prophetic picture of contrasting fates. The one, having experienced the tragedy of pride, repents and declares God’s eternal sovereign right. And the other “knowing….”, yet does not. [Daniel 5:22]

The object for our remarks on the Book of Daniel is mainly that it tells of the future fate of the Jews, Gentile nations, and Christians. It tells of those things which have occurred and those things that yet remain, which are further amplified in the Book of Revelation. As well as exhortations on how to live this life. The example of God’s Sovereignty is set out here in Nebuchadnezzar. (And throughout history even unto today, set out in His Word, and seen by those who have eyes to see and hearts to bow before Him.) This can easily accessed and be seen by leaders of nations, accomplished leaders, the great, the rich, the poor, the Jew, the Gentile and unto every one of us who are Christians.

Belshazzar had known these things, but yet he was unmindful and blasphemously proud. He was weighed in the balance and found wanting and the “kingdom” was rent from his hand that hour. Blindness falls upon all who willfully stare at the glitter of the World.

He, and all who have followed, including us, have heard the record. What is set before us as example, let us as Christians learn well. That is, we each shall be weighed in the balance whether we are worthy to rule with Christ in His Coming eternal Kingdom without end. And if we be hewn down, even unto death itself, if we were sufficiently humbled, the word shall be “….excellent greatness was added unto me.” For the Word declares that “he that humbleth himself (under the mighty hand of God) shall be exhalted.” As the Christian with Christ’s Kingdom in mind, puts aside selfish ambition and the greedy commerce of this World, and breaks off sin by works of righteousness, and iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor. [Daniel 4:27 with Matthew 5:3]

Another observation is that in scripture the tree often is representative of man, or a nation of men. “Out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to sight, and good for food” [Genesis 2:9] This is typical in Scripture as the ideal picture of a man as to his development. First the development of his character, after which he would produce good fruit. Selflessness is the designed picture of example.

A tree should not be just useful, (for shade, rest, food, all that being the utilitarian tree of Nebuchadnezzar represented the fruit he bore of which others could partake as long as they bowed to his wishes and commands) but pleasant and good was the Mind that designed a tree and made the association with a godly man. Every tree bears fruit (Matthew 12:33) but God is the Judge of the fruit.

Nebuchadnezzar’s heart, being corrupt, produced fruit but it was commercial and covetous. (“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded.” Luke 17 See also Revelation 18 for what is in view.) Thus the exhortation to the king, “….break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor….” [Daniel 4:27] “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.” [Matthew 12:33]

The stump represents judgment or pruning, but the core root system does not change but remains. Repentance with humility represents new branches which now will bear a different fruit if maintained by diligent watchfulness and prayer with faithful works of righteousness. But whenever the new branches are neglected, the leaven of the old stump will then corrupt the branches and fruit again. For it is naturally tied to the soil of the earth (“cursed is the ground”) and will return quickly to its cursed nature. Unless it’s properly watched over by the drawing upon the resurrected “…newness of life…” [Romans 6:4] The newness of life does not leaven the old, but the old leavens the new. The newness of life must not try to co-exist with the old, it must crucify/cut off the old to grow pleasant to the sight and produce good fruit.

The stump represents the kingdom of man/the nature of man without God as its source. Even if it repents, it will never continue to produce pleasant and good fruit unless it maintains its source. This is true regardless if it is Jewish or Gentile or Christian nation. The cutting off of Israel, as well as 4 Gentile empires and numerous kingdoms attest to the point. It will take the utter complete destruction of the corrupted tree in order to establish the 5^th Empire (Which is Christ’s Kingdom, as we will explore in the remainder of the Book of Daniel, Lord permitting).

The mustard seed is representative of that 5^th empire in principle. A small humble seed, in its beginnings, sown by the Son of man and John the Baptist. A “new nation”(Ephesians 2) on the earth but rooted in Heaven.

Its Trunk and Roots are holy. [Romans 11:16] Its branches carefully chosen, its character pleasant to sight, and its fruit “good for food.” It is representative of the Tree of Life. Its meat is the manna from Heaven, the bread of life, unleavened in character. Sown on the earth with its roots in Heaven. The devil being determined to destroy it, but with every destructive blow of the sword, new branches would shoot forth.

But the warning from the parables is clear and growing pleasingly unto the Lord and producing the good fruit of its character. “…the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” He who first by persecution tries to destroy it, now sows the tares in the sending of the corrupting birds. These are those same defiling birds that roosted in the tree of Nebuchadnezzar, which now roost in the inordinate tree that grew Worldwide through the corrupting doctrines of demons.

The leaven of the next parable describes again that same corrupting force. It being “hid” secretively in the pure Meal/Word of the Gospel “ ….till the whole was leavened.” This then prophetically is the sure fate of the earth-bound “Church”. The result of ignoring the exhortations of the Apostles, the regenerate congregating with the unregenerate in harmonious accord. NO casting out of the leaven in fear that the whole lump may become corrupted. No crucifying the flesh, for the flesh is welcome. Mystery Babylon the great and its fowl harlots settled into the humble mustard seed plant. It inordinately abandons its holy character and becomes the great tree of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. And to be fully realized under that end time anti-type; the beastly king and his confederated 10 kings. [Revelation 17&18] The culmination of the Gentile tree is the Empire of the Anti-Christ. Whereas the picture of the tree of Nebuchadnezzar did not cover the entire world, here it reaches its Zenith. “ …..and all the world wondered after the beast.” [Revelation 13:3]

The “tree’s” fruit; both the good and corrupted fruit, (like the wheat and tares), as instructed by the Lord, are left to continue together until the Harvest. [Matthew 13 with Revelation 14] At which time the grains/fruits will be separated, leaving only the corrupted on the earth. The fullness of the Gentiles caught up into the storage house of the Lord. The time of the Gentiles now speedily comes to its conclusion: That is the descending pulverizing rock, the Holy One, the watchers, the Bride come down from the heavens, and strikes the fatal blow to the base of that monstrous tree. The beastly empire then ground to chaff and eternally carried away by the wind. [Daniel 2:35,4:13,23 with Revelation 4:6-8, and chapter 19] No longer will there be a stump. No longer will justice and judgment be trusted to men’s earthly kingdoms.

Nebuchadnezzar’s one year to repent speaks of the corrupting influence upon those who do not know Him and those that do. There remains a path to mercy but the season is growing close to a close. [Revelation 2:21]