Sat..’s Devo - Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

Read: Daniel 4:1-37; 2 Peter 1:1-21; Psalm 119:97-112; Proverbs 28:17-18 Nebuchadnezzar proclaimed this great message to the people of all the things the Most High God had done for him and all the signs and wonders he had been blessed to see. He said this with arrogance exalting himself as the recipient of God’s signs because of his greatness. He was about to be humbled. While Nebuchadnezzar was enjoying the comfort of his palace and all his wealth, he had a most disturbing dream. He called in all his magicians, enchanters, astrologers and fortune-tellers…except Daniel. Had he forgotten about Daniel? No, God wanted to show Nebuchadnezzar that his best was far inferior to God’s best. Finally, he did send for Daniel, when he didn’t approve of the interpretations of his wise men. Nebuchadnezzar admitted that he knew that Daniel got his wisdom from another source than his magicians. Daniel had the spirit of the holy gods in him. This time Nebuchadnezzar told Daniel what the dream was. He dreamed of a large tree in the middle of the earth. It grew very tall and strong and had fresh green leaves and was loaded with fruit. Wild animals lived in its shade and birds nested in its branches. All the world was fed from this tree. Then a messenger from heaven came down and said to cut down the tree, lop off the branches, shake off the leaves and scatter the fruit; chase the wild animals from its shade and the birds from the branches, but leave the stump and the roots and bind them with a band of iron and bronze and surround them with tender grass. He was to live with the wild animals for seven years and have the mind of a wild animal. Then everyone would know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and he gives them to who He chooses. Daniel was wroth when he heard the dream because he knew exactly what it meant. In Daniel 2:37 God had said that He had made Nebuchadnezzar the ruler over all the inhabited world. He was the great tree. In that same verse it said that God had put even the wild animals and birds under Nebuchadnezzar’s control, and now they would be scattered. The leaves and the fruit stood for the prosperity and wealth of his kingdom. God had given him all of that glory. But now he would be cut down and live among the wild animals for seven years. The stump was a sign that his kingdom would be restored to him. A year went by and as Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the roof of his palace surveying his city that HE had made to display HIS majestic splendor, a voice came down from heaven. It said that he was no longer the ruler of this kingdom he thought was his. The dream was about to manifest and when the time set was over he would know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses. When the seven years were over, and he returned to himself and praised and glorified and honored the King of heaven. He said, “All his acts are just and true and he is able to humble the proud.” What a picture of how God moves in the lives of those who refuse to listen to him. God is so loving that he would go to such extreme measures to get Nebuchadnezzar’s attention. His desire is that none of us perish but all come to the saving knowledge of who he is. Peter reminds us that God has given us everything we need to live a godly life. We received this power when we became Christians. Peter gives us a progression of this transformation. We start with faith. With our faith we are given a generous provision of moral excellence. As we begin to walk in that, we gain knowledge which will lead to self-control. This self-control will lead to patient endurance which will grow into godliness. Then we will have God’s heart and be able to love everyone. The more we allow the Holy Spirit to do that in our lives, the more affective we will be in our witness to the world. Lord, that is our goal, to grow into brotherly love and let you perfect us through our tests and trials. We love you and honor you with our lives.