NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S CHASTISEMENT.
By Editor
In our last issue we noted the failure of the "wise men" of Babylon to interpret the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar, recorded in Dan. 4:10-17. This was their second failure. Some time before, they had failed in the matter of the dream of the great image, described in the second chapter of Daniel. In that instance the king had required that they tell the dream and then interpret it. But they confessed their inability to do this, and Daniel was called. Through a vision from God, he was enabled both to tell and interpret the dream. In this second instance the king told his dream to the "wise men," but even then they could not interpret it. So Daniel was called again, when the king told him the dream and asked for an interpretation. Nebuchadnezzar said:— "Thus were the visions of my head upon my bed; I saw, and, behold, a tree in the midst of the earth; and the height thereof was great. The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth. The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all: and the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the heavens dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed from it. I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven. He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter the fruit; let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches. Nevertheless leave the stump of its 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. The sentence 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 lowest of men." Dan. 4:10-17. Daniel was astonished at the dream, and "his thoughts troubled him." He understood it, and, knowing that it boded great humiliation for his master, he was loathe to reveal the secret. Nebuchadnezzar had been very considerate of Daniel, and Daniel was sad of heart as he contemplated the king's severe chastisement. So he remained silent for an hour, until the king bade him speak. Nebuchadnezzar did not doubt that Daniel understood the dream, and suspected that he was hesitating to make known its import. So the king reassured Daniel by saying, "Let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee." Daniel replied in a way that manifested his deep sympathy for his master, saying, "My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies." Then he proceeded to reveal the meaning of the dream. King Nebuchadnezzar himself was the great tree which grew so strong and high, and whose branches extended over all the earth. Said Daniel:— "This is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king; that thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen, and shalt be wet 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 roots of the tree; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule." Verses 24-26. The point of it all was that the Lord would teach Nebuchadnezzar that "the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will." This had been the purpose of the former dream, but the king had not fully learned the lesson. So, in order to impress the lesson without the king's being obliged to undergo the terrible ordeal indicated by the dream, Daniel tendered some inspired counsel. He said, "Wherefore, O king, 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 tranquility" [margin, "healing of thine error"]. Verse 27. A universal truth is touched in this counsel to show mercy to the poor, as evidently it struck a prominent flaw in proud Nebuchadnezzar's character and administration. As governments grow strong, they grow wealthy, and there is always the tendency to concentrate wealth on the part of those who are shrewd enough, and sufficiently unprincipled, to gain favor of the powers that be. A wealthy government always betokens a wealthy, favored class, and a poor, general populace. The richer the government, the poorer the common people. "Showing mercy to the poor" would have materially equalized the wealth of Babylon, and this is the reason why Nebuchadnezzar could not see his way clear to heed the prophet's counsel. He continued in his wonted way, aggrandizing his wonderful capital by the oppression of the country at large. But "the Word of the Lord endureth forever," and Nebuchadnezzar could not escape its sure prediction. He was given another year's probation, and then the crash came. "At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spake, and said, 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 word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee is it spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee." Dan. 4:29-31. Nebuchadnezzar was suddenly bereft of his reason; "he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagle's feathers, and his nails like birds' claws." But at the end of the appointed time of his chastisement, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and that moment his reason was restored. Like the prodigal son, he "came to himself;" he accepted the chastisement he had received as a blessing (See Heb. 12:6-11), and "praised and honored Him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation." At last he had learned the lesson, which God had been so long and so patiently teaching him, that "the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will." Hence the noble testimony that he gives in verses 1-3 of the chapter under consideration, as also in the closing verses. Nebuchadnezzar was now a "new creature" (2 Cor. 5:17); the once proud heart was now humbled, and subdued, and ready to recognize the rulership of the God of heaven. The Most High God, who had given him his kingdom, and had held it for him during the period of his derangement, now restored it to him, and "excellent majesty" was added to him. "Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face."