At first Daniel, who had been
renamed Belteshazzar in Babylon, was upset. The thoughts that came swarming
into his mind terrified him. "Belteshazzar," the king said,
"stay calm. Don't let the dream and its interpretation scare you." "My
master," said Belteshazzar, "I wish this dream were about your enemies
and its interpretation for your foes. The tree you saw that grew so large and
sturdy with its top touching the sky, visible from the four corners of the
world; the tree with the luxuriant foliage and abundant fruit, enough for
everyone; the tree under which animals took cover and in which birds built
nests—you, O king, are that tree. You have grown great and strong. Your royal
majesty reaches sky-high, and your sovereign rule stretches to the four corners
of the world. But the part about the holy angel descending from heaven and
proclaiming, 'Chop down the tree, destroy it, but leave stump and roots in the
ground belted with a strap of iron and bronze in the grassy meadow; let him be
soaked with heaven's dew and take his meals with the grazing animals for seven
seasons'—this, O king, also refers to you. It means that the High God has
sentenced my master the king: You will be driven away from human company and
live with the wild animals. You will graze on grass like an ox. You will be
soaked in heaven's dew. This will go on for seven seasons, and you will learn
that the High God rules over human kingdoms and that he arranges all kingdom
affairs. The part about the tree stump and roots being left means that your
kingdom will still be there for you after you learn that it is heaven that runs
things. So, king, take my advice: Make a clean break with your sins and start
living for others. Quit your wicked life and look after the needs of the
down-and-out. Then you will continue to have a good life."
If someone were to compare you to a plant, what
plant would that be? Here Nebuchadnezzar is like an enormous fruit tree—so big
people from far away can see it, animals make their home under it and in it,
and it provides an abundance of fruit for people to eat. Are you like a fruit
tree—banana, cherry, apricot or apple? Or are you like one of those ornamental
fruit trees that have pretty blossoms in the spring, but the fruit is small and
worthless? How about some other plant, like a giant sunflower providing seeds
that will feed lots of people, birds or squirrels? Would you be like a cactus,
or perhaps a blueberry or raspberry plant that will provide wonderful tasty
fruit, or a garden plant like summer squash or tomatoes? Are you tangy or sweet;
do you have thorns, flowers or fruit? Whatever the plant would be, there are
qualities that would reflect your character, like Nebuchadnezzar being great
and strong and ruling a large area of the world.
Daniel interpreted that although things were
going well for the King, now, that was going to change. The dream warned the
King that he would go insane and live with wild animals for a while. If he would
repent from his prideful ways—quit his wicked life—like Daniel said,
Nebuchadnezzar’s prosperity could continue. Has anyone ever told you to “quit
your wicked ways”? Do you even consider that some of the things you do or the
ways you treat others are “wicked”? Take
a look at your life and evaluate it for yourself. Or ask God for help, Psalm
139:23-24, Search me, O God, and know my
heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way
in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. (NASB)
Lord Jesus—I acknowledge
that You are the sovereign God over the kingdoms of men. You are my God and my
King—today and always. Show me if I have any wicked ways in me and cleanse my
heart.
© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
Scripture from The Message, except where noted.
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