Daniel - The King Who Lost His Mind (notes)

Daniel - The King Who Lost His Mind

This Is The Personal testimony of the king of Babylon and how God completely destroyed his mind, restored his mind and saved his kingdom.

His Letter sounds like one of the letters in the New Testament from one of the apostles of the church of Jesus Christ.

Daniel 4:1-7

1 NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE king, to all people, nations, and languages that dwell on all the earth: May peace be multiplied to you! 2 It seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed toward me. 3 How great are His signs! And how mighty His wonders! His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation. 4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house and prospering in my palace. 5 I had a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts and imaginations and the visions of my head as I was lying upon my bed troubled and agitated me. 6 Therefore I made a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me the interpretation of it.

Dreams

• In the ancient world had great significance especially to the rulers of the nations. Example of Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon.
• When the king had the dream it had great meaning but because God was speaking it troubled him even more.
• Are still a means of divine communication today.

Daniel 4

• The king acknowledges the power of the Holy Spirit upon Daniel in giving him the ability to know and interpret dreams.
• Daniel listens to the dream. A great tree in the midst of the earth.

Daniel 4:8-10

8 But at last Daniel came in before me--he who was named Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God - and I told the dream before him, saying, 9 O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you and no secret mystery is a burden or troubles you, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen and the interpretation of it. 10 The visions of my head [as I lay] on my bed were these: I saw, and behold, [there was] a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great.

How Daniel Impacted The Nations He Was A Part Of:

1. He never compromised with evil.
2. He was a man who believed God.
3. He was not afraid to stand up for what he believed in.
4. He was a man of intense prayer.

Daniel 4:11-12

11 The tree grew and was strong and its height reached to the heavens, and the sight of it reached to the end of the whole earth. 12 Its leaves were fair and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The living creatures of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches; and all flesh was fed from it.

• Daniel gives the meaning. This vast tree with great influence, great prosperity but also where the birds of air dwell in its branches is a type of the occultic (demonic teachings and influence through the religious system of Babylon).

Daniel 4:13

13 I saw in the visions of my head [as I lay] on my bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from Heaven. Daniel sees a watcher, could have been an angel who watches over the affairs of the kingdoms of the earth.

Daniel 4

• Daniel sees a stump with deep roots. This shows the tree would be cut down (the king) would loose his mind, but not loose his kingdom.

15 Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the midst of the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of the heavens, and let him share the lot of the living creatures in the grass of the earth.

16 Let his nature and understanding be changed from a man's and let a beast's nature and understanding be given him, and let seven times [or years] pass over him.

• Daniel sees that the king’s total transformation from a great leader to an insane, almost animalistic creature. A court session is held by the Heavenly Sanhedrin that the world may know the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and can give power to the lowliest of men if God chooses.

The Interpretation (Daniel 4)

20 The tree that you saw, which grew [great] and was strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which was visible to all the earth, 21 Whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, on which was food for all, under which the living creatures of the field dwelt, and on whose branches the birds of the sky had their nests -- 22 It is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; your greatness has increased and it reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.

• Daniel sees the tree as being the king and his great empire.

23 And whereas the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, Cut the tree down and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field; and let him be wet with the dew of the heavens, and let his portion be with the living creatures of the field until seven times [or years] pass over him--

• Daniel sees a holy one come down from Heaven and say to cut the tree down but leave a stump with roots.

24 This is the interpretation, O king: It is the decree of the Most High [God] which has come upon my lord the king:

• Daniel gives the revelation that God is the one who makes decrees and has the final say about the reign of any king, any man over any kingdom.

Meaning

Daniel sees that the king’s total transformation from a great leaders to an insane, almost animalistic creature. A court session is held by the Heavenly Sanhedrin that the world may know the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and can give power to the lowliest of men if God chooses.

Daniel 4

17 This sentence is by the decree of the [heavenly] watchers and the decision is by the word of the holy ones, to the intent that the living may know that the Most High [God] rules the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever He will and sets over it the humblest and lowliest of men.18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. And you, O Belteshazzar [Daniel], declare now its interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you.

The Meaning

• Daniel sees the tree as being the king and his great empire.
• Daniel sees a holy one come down from heaven and say to cut the tree down but leave a stump with roots.
• Daniel gives the revelation that God is the one who makes decrees and has the final say about the reign of any king, any man over any kingdom.
• Daniel gives the interpretation that the king would be driven from among men and will live as a homeless person for seven years until he recognizes the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever He will.
• Daniel (God speaking through the prophet) gives the king a way out of what will happen. Break off your sins and show the reality of your repentance by righteousness and liberate yourself from your iniquities by showing mercy and kindness to the poor and oppressed and your error will be covered by God’s mercy & forgiveness.

Application

• Daniel and the king wait a whole year before he sees the fulfillment of the dream or the pronouncement of the verdict.
• Daniel gives seven years of the torment of the king in one verse v. 33.

God’s Mercy

Daniel says what happens when the seven years of insanity is up for the king. He lifts his eyes to Heaven and God returns his understanding and the right use of his mind. The king blessed the Most High God and praised and honored and glorified Him who lives forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His Kingdom endures from generation to generation. What revelation God gives the king! God completely restores the king, his mind, his kingdom, his honor but with still more greatness than before.