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Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

Nebuchadnezzars dream is in the fourth chapter of the book of Daniel;

-- Click To Expand/Collapse Bible Verses -- Dan ch4:v1-5
Dan 4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
Dan 4:2 I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.
Dan 4:3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
Dan 4:4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:
Dan 4:5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. (KJV)

We may pick up the chapter on the basis of Nebuchadnezzar's desire to glorify God in building the image in the plain of chapter 3. The signs and works shown to the king by God were the impetus for the king to make the idol in order to worship Him. We immediately see the king state "I thought it good to show..." which shows the setting up of the idol in the place of God in a manner made physical rather than spiritual. All people were called to worshhip the image, yet here we see "all peoples, nations and languages" again, though this time the king states this is not a strict commandment but one of peace, in that the king in this lettter admits his failure to worship the most high God accordingly.

The king relates a dream he had which was received from God, who had most certainly replied having already showed might and glory to Nebuchadnezzar, to the effect that the king will be admonished. God is not amused at an idol (certainly lifeless) being the recipient of the king's praises.

-- Click To Expand/Collapse Bible Verses -- Dan ch4:v6-9
Dan 4:6 Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.
Dan 4:7 Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
Dan 4:8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,
Dan 4:9 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. (KJV)

Again we see the four earthy elements of the four groups of wise men, then Daniel in whom is the spirit of "the holy gods" whom we may liken to the static subgroup of GF(8). There is also a trio of "secrets", "visions or dreams" and "interpretation". We may consider these to be the one unity element, (as they are all the same when found interpreted by Daniel) i.e. unity outside of the static group was not interpreted by the four groups of wise men.

-- Click To Expand/Collapse Bible Verses -- Dan ch4:v10-17
Dan 4:10 Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.
Dan 4:11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
Dan 4:12 The leaves thereof were fair, 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.
Dan 4:13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;
Dan 4:14 He 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:
Dan 4:15 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:
Dan 4:16 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.
Dan 4:17 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. (KJV)

The tree dream is the reply from God, Babylon had grown "high" and we may assume this dream concerns the pride of Nebuchadnezzar in attempting to build the idol (and his kingdom) up to the height of the most high God, "reaching unto heaven", and above all others in the earth. The kingdom may indeed be wealthy and prosperous (leaves fair and fruit much) So that all those put to work or sitting at ease (beasts of the field and fowls sat in the branches) may be without care for their safety. Yet,.. things are not truly so, or are not the work of the king.

An angel replies to the king from heaven that the kings pride had lifted (in raising the work of mens hands at his command) up to the height of God's throne, and the king would be cast down ("cut down") and his kingdom put back down to the earth, (hewn to the ground) and its prosperity greatly reduced (shaking off the leaves and scattering the fruit) so that the people of babylon (beasts and fowls) would not be so safe and as over all other nations. (See Daniels exclamation on interpreting the dream!)

Babylon is however not destroyed though greatly reduced (the stump is left to continue and bound with iron to encourage newer growth from the roots without the stump rotting.) The tree, as both the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar's pride and the king himself is judged to live not as king, but as a beast - (for God made man an animal and the king is a man, and not God.) The heptad of times is an answer to the blasphemy of the king in setting up a seven cycle over a non-existent octal and claiming the idol to be truly the recipient of the praise rightly due God.

The static triple over the dream is reavealed to be from "the watchers", "the holy ones" and "most high" (c.f. seals 5, 6 and 7 from revelation) and is delivered to the king to declare to the living that God rules in the kingdom of men and gives the ability to rule under Him to the basest of men - that the king is to be put in His place for His pride.


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