Exalted to the pinnacle of worldly honor, and
acknowledged even by Inspiration as "a king of kings"
(Ezekiel 26:7). Nebuchadnezzar nevertheless at times had
ascribed to the favor of Jehovah the glory of his kingdom and
the splendor of his reign. Such had been the case after his
dream of the great image. His mind had been profoundly
influenced by this vision and by the thought that the
Babylonian Empire, universal though it was, was finally to fall,
and other kingdoms were to bear sway, until at last all earthly
powers were to be superseded by a kingdom set up by the
God of heaven, which kingdom was never to be destroyed.
Nebuchadnezzar's noble conception of God's purpose
concerning the nations was lost sight of later in his experience;
yet when his proud spirit was humbled before the
multitude on the plain of Dura, he once more had acknowledged
that God's kingdom is "an everlasting kingdom, and
His dominion is from generation to generation." An idolater
by birth and training, and at the head of an idolatrous people,
he had nevertheless an innate sense of justice and right, and
God was able to use him as an instrument for the punishment
of the rebellious and for the fulfillment of the divine purpose.
"The terrible of the nations" (Ezekiel 28:7), it was given
Nebuchadnezzar, after years of patient and wearing labor,
to conquer Tyre; Egypt also fell a prey to his victorious
armies; and as he added nation after nation to the
Babylonian realm, he added more and more to his fame as the
greatest ruler of the age.
It is not surprising that the successful monarch, so
ambitious and so proud-spirited, should be tempted to turn
aside from the path of humility, which alone leads to true
greatness. In the intervals between his wars of conquest
he gave much thought to the strengthening and beautifying
of his capital, until at length the city of Babylon became
the chief glory of his kingdom, "the golden city," "the
praise of the whole earth." His passion as a builder, and
his signal success in making Babylon one of the wonders
of the world, ministered to his pride, until he was in grave
danger of spoiling his record as a wise ruler whom God
could continue to use as an instrument for the carrying
out of the divine purpose.
In mercy God gave the king another dream, to warn
him of his peril and of the snare that had been laid for
his ruin. In a vision of the night, Nebuchadnezzar saw a
great tree growing in the midst of the earth, its top towering
to the heavens and its branches stretching to the ends
of the earth. Flocks and herds from the mountains and
hills enjoyed shelter beneath its shadow, and the birds of
the air built their nests in its boughs. "The leaves thereof
were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat
for all: . . . and all flesh was fed of it."
As the king gazed upon the lofty tree, he beheld "a
Watcher," even "an Holy One," who approached the tree
and in a loud voice cried:
"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: 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: 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. 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."
Greatly troubled by the dream, which was evidently a
prediction of adversity, the king repeated it to "the magicians,
the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers;" but
although the dream was very explicit, none of the wise men
could interpret it.
Once more in this idolatrous nation, testimony was to
be borne to the fact that only those who love and fear God
can understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.
The king in his perplexity sent for his servant Daniel, a
man esteemed for his integrity and constancy and for his
unrivaled wisdom.
When Daniel, in response to the royal summons, stood
in the king's presence, Nebuchadnezzar said, "O Belteshazzar,
master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit
of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell
me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the
interpretation thereof." After relating the dream, Nebuchadnezzar
said: "O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof,
forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able
to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art
able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee."
To Daniel the meaning of the dream was plain, and its
significance startled him. He "was astonied for one hour,
and his thoughts troubled him." Seeing Daniel's hesitation
and distress, the king expressed sympathy for his servant.
"Belteshazzar," he said, "let not the dream, or the interpretation
thereof, trouble thee."
"My lord," Daniel answered, "the dream be to them that
hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies."
The prophet realized that upon him God had laid the
solemn duty of revealing to Nebuchadnezzar the judgment
that was about to fall upon him because of his pride and
arrogance. Daniel must interpret the dream in language
the king could understand; and although its dreadful import
had made him hesitate in dumb amazement, yet he must
state the truth, whatever the consequences to himself.
Then Daniel made known the mandate of the Almighty.
"The tree that thou sawest," he said, "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 beast 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."
Having faithfully interpreted the dream, Daniel urged
the proud monarch to repent and turn to God, that by rightdoing
he might avert the threatened calamity. "O king,"
the prophet pleaded, "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 a time the impression of the warning and the counsel
of the prophet was strong upon Nebuchadnezzar; but the
heart that is not transformed by the grace of God soon
loses the impressions of the Holy Spirit. Self-indulgence
and ambition had not yet been eradicated from the king's
heart, and later on these traits reappeared. Notwithstanding
the instruction so graciously given him, and the warnings
of past experience, Nebuchadnezzar again allowed himself
to be controlled by a spirit of jealousy against the kingdoms
that were to follow. His rule, which heretofore had been
to a great degree just and merciful, became oppressive.
Hardening his heart, he used his God-given talents for self-glorification,
exalting himself above the God who had given him
life and power.
For months the judgment of God lingered. But instead
of being led to repentance by this forbearance, the king
indulged his pride until he lost confidence in the interpretation
of the dream, and jested at his former fears.
A year from the time he had received the warning,
Nebuchadnezzar, walking in his palace and thinking with pride
of his power as a ruler and of his success as a builder,
exclaimed, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for
the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and
for the honor of my majesty?"
While the proud boast was yet on the king's lips, a voice
from heaven announced that God's appointed time of judgment
had come. Upon his ears fell the mandate of Jehovah:
"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."
In a moment the reason that God had given him was
taken away; the judgment that the king thought perfect,
the wisdom on which he prided himself, was removed,
and the once mighty ruler was a maniac. His hand could
no longer sway the scepter. The messages of warning had
been unheeded; now, stripped of the power his Creator
had given him, and driven from men, Nebuchadnezzar "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."
For seven years Nebuchadnezzar was an astonishment
to all his subjects; for seven years he was humbled before
all the world. Then his reason was restored and, looking
up in humility to the God of heaven, he recognized the
divine hand in his chastisement. In a public proclamation
he acknowledged his guilt and the great mercy of God in
his restoration. "At the end of the days," he said, "I
Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine
understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most
High, and I praised and honored Him that liveth forever,
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 honor and brightness
returned unto me; and my counselors and my lords sought
unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent
majesty was added unto me."
The once proud monarch had become a humble child
of God; the tyrannical, overbearing ruler, a wise and
compassionate king. He who had defied and blasphemed the
God of heaven, now acknowledged the power of the Most
High and earnestly sought to promote the fear of Jehovah
and the happiness of his subjects. Under the rebuke of
Him who is King of kings and Lord of lords, Nebuchadnezzar
had learned at last the lesson which all rulers need
to learn--that true greatness consists in true goodness. He
acknowledged Jehovah as the living God, saying, "I Nebuchadnezzar
praise and extol and honor the King of heaven,
all whose works are truth, and His ways judgment: and
those that walk in pride He is able to abase."
God's purpose that the greatest kingdom in the world
should show forth His praise was now fulfilled. This public
proclamation, in which Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged the
mercy and goodness and authority of God, was the last act
of his life recorded in sacred history.