DANIEL SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 4.10

Gleanings from the Book of Daniel:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

DANIEL

Chapter Four

                           The Second Dream of Nebuchadnezzar:

The Tree Dream

(Humbling Nebuchadnezzar)

 

 

Introduction

Nearing the autumn of his life, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was resting one day in his home while contemplating all his accomplishments.  No doubt, he recalled:

1. His victorious conquests

2. His mass accumulation of wealth

3. His immense construction projects

4. His wondrous hanging gardens

5. His lengthy reign of peace

 

And, once again, he had an alarming dream. Unlike his statue dream of Daniel 2, this time Nebuchadnezzar remembered his dream. Naturally, Daniel was summoned after all the wise men and soothsayers of the Empire failed to give their interpretation.

 

Verses 10 through 16 contain the substance of his dream. The dream almost fully explains itself. As mentioned before, Nebuchadnezzar then presents a recorded account of his dream to Daniel.

 

Visions and Dreams

Visions and dreams are one method employed by God by which prophetic revelations were given to prophets and men concerning future events.

 

 

Nebuchadnezzar speaking…

(Verse 10)

 

“These were the visions of my head while on my bed: I was looking, and behold, A tree in the midst of the earth, And its height was great.

 

Whilst Nebuchadnezzar was awake, he received a revelation from the agency of visions. In them, he saw mental pictures of a great towering tree.  

 

Tree Symbolism

Trees in Scripture are often used for symbolic purposes. They may typify several things:

1. Trees may represent man (cf. Psalm 1:1-3)

a.  Ezekiel refers to Pharaoh as a tree (cf. Ezekiel 31:1-9)

 

2. Trees may represent a nation (cf. Matthew 24:30-35)

a.  Ezekiel refers to the Assyrians as a tree (cf. Ezek. 31:3)

 

3. Trees may represent a king and his kingdom (cf. Daniel 4)

a.  Amos refers to an Amorite ruler as a tree (Amos 2:9)

 

4. Trees may represent Christendom (cf. Matthew 13:31-32)

5. Trees may represent Israel (cf. Romans 11:16-24)

6. Trees may represent Gentiles (cf. Romans 11:16-24)

 

7. Trees may represent royalty in the ancient Near East (cf. Ezekiel 31:3-14)

 

Moving forward, this tree will consequently embody Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom of Babylon.

 

 

(Verse 11)

 

The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth.

 

The Tree’s Characteristics

Regarding the tree in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, four features are notated in this passage:

1. The tree was growing

2. The tree was mighty strong

3. The tree reached the height of heaven

4. The tree was visible to the entire earth

 

Therefore, the tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. (NIV)

 

 

(Verse 12)

 

The leaves thereof were fair (beautiful), and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

 

The Tree’s Significance

Additionally, representative of Babylon, the tree was advantageous in many ways:

1. The tree was pleasant, or beautiful to the eyes

2. The tree bore much fruit

a.  The implication,  there were many types of fruit

 

3. The tree provided sufficient food

4. The tree provided shelter for animals

5. The tree branches were home to birds

 

6. The tree provided food for every living creature

a.  Birds and beasts are also likely symbolic of many types of people who benefited from Nebuchadnezzar’s rule

 

Hence, the world was nourished by the tree’s generous food supply.

 

 

(Verse 13)

 

I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven.

 

Furthermore, as Nebuchadnezzar was lying upon his bed, he suddenly envisioned a supernatural being descending from heaven. In trying to describe what he saw, the King designated it a watcher or holy one.

 

Now, some want to put this in the context of polytheism. No doubt Nebuchadnezzar is trying to describe something he has never seen. From his pagan perspective, he labeled what he visualized as a watcher or holy one coming down from the sky.

 

Behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven

A Watcher

A watcher is defined in Strong’s Concordance (ʻîyr, 5894) as a vigilant angel. An observer, watchful one, messenger, or guardian is also a synonymous substitute.  

 

Biblically, watchers are an order of God’s holy ones who administer and oversee the affairs of men. They are ministers or agents of God. God enables them to bring about His will and execute judgment for the correction of evil.

Among many occasions:

1. God used one to pronounce judgment by slaying the firstborn in Egypt (cf. Exodus 2:23)

 

2. God used one to produce the judgment of pestilence during the days of King David (cf. 2 Samuel 24:16)

 

From The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, “The watchers are a well-known class of supernatural being in a wide range of the intertestamental literature, especially the books of Enoch, as well as in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Though the term is often used in that literature in reference to fallen angels, it is not limited to that group.”

 

David writes of these ministers:

Psalm 103:20 - Bless the LORD, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His Word.

 

In Nebuchadnezzar’s description, however, the watcher-holy one is only a single being, on account of all the verbs regarding it is singular. Its three features include (1) vigilant watchfulness, (2) holiness, and (3) being from Heaven. 

 

 

(Verse 14)

 

He (the watcher) cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches.

 

The Disposal

Not only does Nebuchadnezzar see the watcher, but he is also privy to hear the angel speak. Presumably with authority from God, like a king’s herald, the messenger issued several loud commands to his associates. They incorporated:

1. To hew down the tree

2. To cut off the tree’s branches

3. To shake off the tree’s leaves

4. To scatter the tree’s fruit

5. To remove the beasts from under the tree

6. To clear the birds from the tree’s branches

As a result, the tree was to be cut and expelled from all the glory and beauty it once held.

 

 

(Verse 15)

 

Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots 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 in the grass of the earth.

 

The Retentions

Interestingly, not the entire tree was to be destroyed. The angelic messenger dictated divergent objects be retained essentially as such:

1. The tree stump and its roots remain in the ground

One ancient custom was to secure a cut tree by leaving its roots in the ground. This procedure would give hope for its restoration. Directly after, specific instructions were given regarding the trunk…

 

2. The tree be banded with iron and bronze

Bands of iron are indicative of two things;

a.  The judgment of God

b.  The protection of God

 

By banding a tree, it would be preserved so its growth is restored. In addition, this practice spared the trunk not to split by the sun. Thus, moisture and deterioration would be eliminated.  

 

3. The tree was to be left in the young tender grass

Contrast tender grass to bands of iron and brass.

 

4. The tree was to be watered by the dew of heaven

Recall, Nebuchadnezzar is telling his dream. In unearthed Babylonian texts, the dew of heaven was akin to coming down from the stars. In turn, dew was considered a healing agent. Nevertheless, the stump needed to be kept moist often translated be drenched.

 

And let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth

The Verdict

Take note of the pronoun “him.” At this point a transition takes place and the symbolic tree now denotes a man. He will live on the ground with and like the animals of the field. Later in the text, it is Nebuchadnezzar who will be living like an animal for seven years.

 

 

Continuing…

(Verse 16)

Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

 

In addition to living like an animal in the fields, three added circumstances took place:

1. His heart was changed from a man’s heart

A heart in Scripture refers to at least three states in the cognitive process:

a.  The determination of actions

b.  The choice of the will

c.  The pattern of behavior

Consequently, the man’s heart will be removed supernaturally.

 

2. An animal’s heart replaced his heart

The metaphor of the tree now changes to a man, who is represented as an animal. He has the heart (translated mind) of a wild beast of the field. In other words, the decree was that he will become mentally ill.

 

3. His condition lasted for 7 periods of time

Seven times is an indefinite term. There are a few possibilities as to its meaning:

1. Time is marked by an indeterminate period

2. Time is marked by phases of the moon

3. Time is marked by days

4. Time is marked by months

5. Time is marked by years

 

Most likely, time is specified by years. In Daniel 7, he uses the terminology as time, times and the dividing of time (v. 25). Its usage there is 7 years. Some pretexts for seven years occur in Genesis:

1. Jacob  served 7 years for Rachel (cf. Genesis 29:20)

2. Joseph foretold 7 years of plenty in Egypt (cf. Gen. 41:47)

3. Joseph foretold 7 years of famine in Egypt (Genesis 41:54)

So germane to this passage, seven years is a more suitable timespan. Verses 15 and 16 conclude the telling of the dream by Nebuchadnezzar.

 

 

(Verse 17)

 

This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

 

The Purpose Proclaimed

As a matter of the watcher’s decree, the point of the king’s dream is to show the Most High God ordains the basest inept men of society and make them rulers over an entire kingdom. In addition, God shows His sovereignty over the affairs of men and gives dominion to whomsoever He chooses. In the process, He is teaching Nebuchadnezzar a lesson in humility, i.e., there is a King far greater and more powerful than he.

 

Review

Three essentials of the Most High God are recalled:

1. He ruleth in the kingdom of men (cf. Psalm 2:4-6)

2. He giveth to whomsoever He wills (cf. Romans 13:1)

3. He setteth up over it the basest of men (cf. Psalm 113:4-8)

The message applies to all humankind.

 

The next study will show the honor of God is at stake, for Daniel will reveal the interpretation of The Tree Dream.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1. What was the King’s condition before his second dream?

2. What does Nebuchadnezzar’s dream represent?

3. What is the description of the tree?

4. What is a watcher?

5. What were the watcher’s orders?

6. What happens to the tree stump?

7. What is the purpose of The Tree Dream?

 

 

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