24 “…this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 25 They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses. 26 And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity.”
4:24
this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king:
Jeremiah shows the subsequent downfall of Nebuchadnezzar (Je 4:16,17). He abused his authority by usurping glory to himself.
4:25
They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.
God will drive Nebuchadnezzar from his people. He will live like an animal for seven years. At 7:25, Daniel uses “times” for years. This is the mental condition known as zoanthropy – where a person thinks himself an animal.
4:26
And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules.
Nebuchadnezzar would continue in a state of insanity until he understood that God is sovereign over all the kingdoms of the earth. God will not uproot his kingdom but leave a stump, a vestige of his kingdom.
4:27
Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity
Daniel boldly exhorts the king toward certain ends. God’s discipline upon Nebuchadnezzar was because of his pride. This is a sin that God hates.
Je 9:23-24, “Thus says the Lord:
‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
24 But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,’ says the Lord.”
Tranquility is a result of peace with God. We can learn this lesson by the hard route or the easy way. Our colossal pride gets in the way of God’s work in our lives. God may have to break that ego.
PRINCIPLE:
Tranquility is a result of humility.
APPLICATION:
After God neutralized Nebuchadnezzar’s pride, his volition was open to God. God, at times, tears down our pride so that He can deal with us on a true level.
