Daniel 4:13-17
13 “In the visions I saw while lying in my bed, I looked, and there before me was a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven.
14 He called in a loud voice: ‘Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by him. 17 “The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.’
18 This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
In this passage from the Book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar relates a strange dream to Daniel (called Belteshazzar while in Babylon). Daniel has already proven himself to be an able dream interpreter for the king in chapter 2, and so Nebuchadnezzar calls on him again.
Nebuchadnezzar doesn’t give much weight to the concept of Israel’s God at this time; he has his own gods, after all, and thinks more of his own kingly might. But he does at least recognize that Daniel is blessed with some sort of divine power to interpret these dream images. Unfortunately, this time the dream images of a humbled tree, sent directly from God, will not prove quite as favorable (verses 19-27), and Nebuchadnezzar will have to face their truth in only a year’s time (verses 28-34).
Sometimes we give God as little consideration as King Nebuchadnezzar did before his second dream was fulfilled. Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in concepts of our own earthly strength (physical, emotional, financial, etc.) that we forget Who has the real power. But God demonstrates in His treatment of the Babylonian king that He is not afraid to correct us when we are in the wrong!