Our Faith Affects Other People

 Daniel had demonstrated his faith by following God’s command not to eat certain foods.  As a result god had blessed him with special knowledge and abilities.  Daniel 4 describes the effect of that faith on Nebuchadnezzar in his own words.  Daniel 4:1-3 describes his reasons for writing this chapter.  “1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.  I thought it good to show the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.  How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.” Nebuchadnezzar then describes how he came to consult Daniel about his vision or dream and describing it to him. 

 

Daniel knew immediately what the dreams meant.  He also knew that people tend to get angry when their behavior is questioned and Nebuchadnezzar was a proud man.  By telling what God had said, Daniel knew he was placing his life at risk.  Various Jewish kings had had prophets killed or imprisoned for telling them they were doing wrong without concern for either the law or their history, and Nebuchadnezzar had no such constraints.  Trusting God to work things out, Daniel explained the meaning anyway, in Daniel 4:19-27.  “Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him.

 

The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee.

 

Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.  The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

 

And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.  And whereas they commanded 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.

 

Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.”

 

For about a year, Nebuchadnezzar was pretty careful about what he said, but after a while he forgot about the prophecy, as he explains in Daniel 4:28-30.  “All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.  At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.  The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?  While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.   And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.  The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

 

Everything happened Nebuchadnezzar exactly as Daniel had prophesied, with God reminding him of the prophecy.  Babylonian records indicate this took place about twenty five years after Nebuchadnezzar became king.  Finally, after seven years, Nebuchadnezzar recognized God’s power, and recovered, as he describes in Daniel 4:34-37.  “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 honoured him that liveth for ever, 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 honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors 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 honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.”

 

Because of his faith, God used Daniel to warn Nebuchadnezzar, and as a result he left the old Babylonian beliefs and began to worship God.