To all of my friends around this planet,
King Nebuchadnezzar had the wild dream about a giant tree that had enough fruit to feed all people, all of the animals underneath it, and all of the birds. Then the directions from heaven were given, to cut the tree down to a stump, leaving the roots secure. Then a metal band was to be strapped around it, and the dew to cover it 7 times, and it would be with the wild animals.
Daniel was stunned. I'm sure he was reluctant to tell the king the meaning of this dream! I would be! But Daniel knew God wanted him to reveal it to Nebuchadnezzar, and he did. The king fully trusted Daniel, as he had witnessed Daniel's integrity, given him by God.
Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon became the showplace of the ancient world, the "Superpower" of that time. People would travel to see Babylon's hanging gardens, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. The walls of Babylon were so thick that two teams of horses could ride side by side on top.
It was a year from the time that Daniel shared the interpretation of the dream to the king, Nebuchadnezzar was prancing around the palace, admiring himself, and his "greatness." Daniel 4:28-33 tells what happened, "All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later, he was walking around the royal palace in Babylon. The king thought, “Look how great Babylon is! I built the royal palace by my own impressive power and for my glorious honor.” Before the words came out of his mouth, a voice said from heaven, “King Nebuchadnezzar, listen to this: The kingdom has been taken from you. You will be forced away from people and live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like cattle. And seven time periods will pass until you realize that the Most High has power over human kingdoms and that he gives them to whomever he wishes. ”Just then the prediction about Nebuchadnezzar came true. He was forced away from people and ate grass like cattle. Dew from the sky made his body wet until his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails grew as long as birds’ claws."
This is one of the most bizarre stories I have ever read! The king of a superpower lowered to grazing with the animals! He was this way for 7 years, until God restored his reasoning, and he was restored back to his kingly duties! Can you imagine what this guy looked like at the end of 7 years? He walked into the palace this way, before he was cleaned up...Talk about humbling! Imagine what his children went through. They had to endure seeing their father suffer like an animal. But what a clean party there must have been when he was restored to the throne, and this time it was to honor the God of heaven, the Creator!
King Nebuchadnezzar could have avoided all of this if he would have repented and acknowledged that God had given him success, and that God owned everything that had been granted to him.
Now we get to how this story speaks to you and I. The reason Nebuchadnezzar wrote about his experience was because he wanted people to know how foolish pride and self righteousness are, and how they can be lethal against eternal life, if not repented of, and destroy happiness in this life. He also wanted to introduce people to the True Creator God Almighty, who rules in the heavens and guides all of the affairs of earth. He was excited about the God Who restores! Nebuchadnezzar was never the same after his experience grazing! I fully believe he will be in heaven because he was humbled, and accepted God Almighty as His God!
I don't know where you are at in your life right now. Maybe Satan has tempted you to look at your accomplishments, the things you own, the good things you have done, worldly honor, money, your looks, your charity or philanthropic work. Maybe you come from an influential family. Maybe you try to take the credit for things someone else does well. Maybe you ignore those in need. Maybe you have trouble saying, "I'm sorry." Maybe you have trouble forgiving. This all stems from selfish pride.
On the flip side, maybe you feel like such a rotten mess, that you have almost given up hope on yourself. I'm sure Nebuchadnezzar must have felt that way while living with the wild animals. You may be riddled with guilt, and are suffering the consequences of foolish choices, as we all do at times.
You may feel like the future looks dark and hopeless, but I'm here to tell you God is THE GOD WHO RESTORES! He is waiting for you to ask Him for help! You may be even doubting that God exists, (I was there at one point in my life), but that doesn't change the fact that He does, and that He loves you very much! He wants to put the pieces of your life back together. He wants the future to look bright, and for your family to be happy! He not only wants you to know Him, He wants a relationship with you. He loves you so much He GAVE His only Son to come to this dark planet to save you. Jesus wants to give you His perfect character so you can stand justified before God! Please give Him your heart, so He can restore peace and joy and life in you.
Jesus is our brother, and came to restore a connection between you and His Father, who is now yours! He doesn't look at the mess that you are, but instead sees your potential through His Son Jesus. God restores!
Daniel 4:34-37, "At the end of the seven years, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my mind came back to me. I thanked the Most High, and I praised and honored the one who lives forever, because His power lasts forever and His kingdom lasts from one generation to the next. Everyone who lives on earth is nothing compared to Him. He does whatever He wishes with the army of heaven and with those who live on earth. There is no one who can oppose Him or ask Him, “What are you doing?”
Just then my mind came back to me. My royal honor and glory were also given back to me. My advisers and nobles wanted to meet with me again. I was given back my kingdom and made extraordinarily great. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, will praise, honor, and give glory to the King of Heaven. Everything He does is true, His ways are right, and He can humiliate those who act arrogantly." Nebuchadnezzar's days of crying, guilt and regret stopped, and God turned His crying into joy!
I imagine Daniel showing this scripture in Isaiah 61:3, "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified."
Daniel 5 will be our next study, and I'm excited to get into it!
God's best 2 U, Joy J
King Nebuchadnezzar had the wild dream about a giant tree that had enough fruit to feed all people, all of the animals underneath it, and all of the birds. Then the directions from heaven were given, to cut the tree down to a stump, leaving the roots secure. Then a metal band was to be strapped around it, and the dew to cover it 7 times, and it would be with the wild animals. Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon became the showplace of the ancient world, the "Superpower" of that time. People would travel to see Babylon's hanging gardens, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. The walls of Babylon were so thick that two teams of horses could ride side by side on top.
This is one of the most bizarre stories I have ever read! The king of a superpower lowered to grazing with the animals! He was this way for 7 years, until God restored his reasoning, and he was restored back to his kingly duties! Can you imagine what this guy looked like at the end of 7 years? He walked into the palace this way, before he was cleaned up...Talk about humbling! Imagine what his children went through. They had to endure seeing their father suffer like an animal. But what a clean party there must have been when he was restored to the throne, and this time it was to honor the God of heaven, the Creator!
King Nebuchadnezzar could have avoided all of this if he would have repented and acknowledged that God had given him success, and that God owned everything that had been granted to him.
Now we get to how this story speaks to you and I. The reason Nebuchadnezzar wrote about his experience was because he wanted people to know how foolish pride and self righteousness are, and how they can be lethal against eternal life, if not repented of, and destroy happiness in this life. He also wanted to introduce people to the True Creator God Almighty, who rules in the heavens and guides all of the affairs of earth. He was excited about the God Who restores! Nebuchadnezzar was never the same after his experience grazing! I fully believe he will be in heaven because he was humbled, and accepted God Almighty as His God!
I don't know where you are at in your life right now. Maybe Satan has tempted you to look at your accomplishments, the things you own, the good things you have done, worldly honor, money, your looks, your charity or philanthropic work. Maybe you come from an influential family. Maybe you try to take the credit for things someone else does well. Maybe you ignore those in need. Maybe you have trouble saying, "I'm sorry." Maybe you have trouble forgiving. This all stems from selfish pride.
On the flip side, maybe you feel like such a rotten mess, that you have almost given up hope on yourself. I'm sure Nebuchadnezzar must have felt that way while living with the wild animals. You may be riddled with guilt, and are suffering the consequences of foolish choices, as we all do at times.
You may feel like the future looks dark and hopeless, but I'm here to tell you God is THE GOD WHO RESTORES! He is waiting for you to ask Him for help! You may be even doubting that God exists, (I was there at one point in my life), but that doesn't change the fact that He does, and that He loves you very much! He wants to put the pieces of your life back together. He wants the future to look bright, and for your family to be happy! He not only wants you to know Him, He wants a relationship with you. He loves you so much He GAVE His only Son to come to this dark planet to save you. Jesus wants to give you His perfect character so you can stand justified before God! Please give Him your heart, so He can restore peace and joy and life in you.
Jesus is our brother, and came to restore a connection between you and His Father, who is now yours! He doesn't look at the mess that you are, but instead sees your potential through His Son Jesus. God restores!
Daniel 4:34-37, "At the end of the seven years, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my mind came back to me. I thanked the Most High, and I praised and honored the one who lives forever, because His power lasts forever and His kingdom lasts from one generation to the next. Everyone who lives on earth is nothing compared to Him. He does whatever He wishes with the army of heaven and with those who live on earth. There is no one who can oppose Him or ask Him, “What are you doing?”
Just then my mind came back to me. My royal honor and glory were also given back to me. My advisers and nobles wanted to meet with me again. I was given back my kingdom and made extraordinarily great. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, will praise, honor, and give glory to the King of Heaven. Everything He does is true, His ways are right, and He can humiliate those who act arrogantly." Nebuchadnezzar's days of crying, guilt and regret stopped, and God turned His crying into joy!
I imagine Daniel showing this scripture in Isaiah 61:3, "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified."
Daniel 5 will be our next study, and I'm excited to get into it!
God's best 2 U, Joy J
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