I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.
It is Nebuchadnezzar's public declaration that it was right to make known the signs and wonders the Most High had worked for him, giving God the credit for what He had done toward him and spreading the knowledge of the true God. It opens his account of another dream God gave him after he had seen the deliverance of the three Hebrews and the presence of the Fourth in the furnace, had acknowledged the miracle, and then had lost its holy impression, a dream of a lofty tree sheltering beasts and birds that pictured his greatness, prosperity, and firmly established kingdom. It stands in contrast to his self-exaltation, for God humbled him by taking away the wisdom and mind He had given, warning against trusting in self and human wisdom or making human strength a support. His published report of conversion and miraculous restoration gave light that Belshazzar knew yet ignored, showing that refusing the lessons God gives forfeits the good of obedience and brings judgment, even as the same self-exalting, domineering principles God will not sustain are forbidden in sanitarium and medical missionary work. Those signs and wonders are works of God's power to glorify His name, the same power that strengthened sanitarium work to change hearts and send witnesses home, and that moved the mightiest king to acknowledge God's everlasting dominion, proving proud rulers can still be brought to honor Him and calling workers to reach in faith for the high ones of the world today.
Context and Royal Testimony
The verse opens the record in the fourth chapter of Daniel of a dream in which a lofty tree planted in the earth gave shelter to flocks and herds from the mountains and hills and to birds of the air building their nests in its branches. The tree set forth greatness and prosperity, with nations gathered under sovereign rule and a kingdom firmly established in the hearts of loyal subjects.
It begins the account of another dream God gave to Nebuchadnezzar after he had acknowledged the miracle of deliverance from the fiery furnace but had lost the holy impression because he did not continue to walk in the light. That earlier light had come when he saw the deliverance of the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace and saw the form of the Fourth with them. He had then been convinced that their God was the living God and had acknowledged the wonderful miracle that had been wrought.
In the verse he acknowledges that God had acted toward him and gives God credit for the signs and wonders. This reflected what he had learned after the dream of the great image, when he recognized that his kingdom's splendor came from Jehovah and that earthly kingdoms would fall until God established an everlasting kingdom.
The verse is his public proclamation of the signs and wonders God had done for him. By that royal proclamation knowledge of the true God was spread throughout the world.
Humbling Pride and Warning
The public acknowledgment of the signs and wonders done for him stands in direct contrast to Nebuchadnezzar's exaltation of himself. God humbled him by taking away the wisdom and mind that God Himself had given him. Those in positions of responsibility must therefore recognize God's work, humble themselves, and not seek supremacy. The record of his life to which this testimony belongs warns against trusting in oneself and one's own wisdom or making human strength one's support.
His case warns against bringing into sanitarium and medical missionary work principles that God will not sustain or favor. Such principles include carrying on the work by human wisdom instead of as God requires. They include investigating and criticizing and condemning other sanitariums unless they meet one's own ideas, and requiring everyone to understand and carry out one's own mind. They include discouraging those striving to begin a small and imperfect work, and exalting and magnifying self. They include exercising unauthorized authority and power over God's heritage, and revealing a spirit of supremacy in making laws and pledges for the future.
The testimony introduces his report of conversion and miraculous restoration. That experience provided light and was known to Belshazzar. Belshazzar ignored the lessons it should have taught him about God and obedience. Failing to receive and practice the lessons God gives brings judgment and forfeits the benefits obedience could bring.
God's Power Today
The signs and wonders are works of divine power done to bring glory to God's own name. That same power was present in the sanitarium, where heavenly agencies strengthened the work and God acted upon both body and soul. Many who came left with changed hearts and new hearts, carrying within themselves the evidence of His goodness. They became lights in their homes and told others what God had done for them and testified to His goodness.
Nebuchadnezzar himself published his testimony to all peoples, nations, and languages after God humbled him again. The mightiest king on earth was moved upon by God's power until he acknowledged God as King over all kings and as the Most High whose dominion is everlasting and whose kingdom endures from generation to generation. He counted it good to make known the signs and wonders the high God had accomplished for him, exclaiming how great are those signs and how mighty are those wonders. He then recounted how God had humbled his pride and closed by praising and honoring the King of heaven. This proves that God can bring even proud rulers to acknowledge Him, so workers in the large cities are to reach out in faith for the high ones of the world, even ruling powers, expecting God to be honored and glorified today.
It is Nebuchadnezzar's public declaration that it was right to make known the signs and wonders the Most High had worked for him, giving God the credit for what He had done toward him and spreading the knowledge of the true God. It opens his account of another dream God gave him after he had seen the deliverance of the three Hebrews and the presence of the Fourth in the furnace, had acknowledged the miracle, and then had lost its holy impression, a dream of a lofty tree sheltering beasts and birds that pictured his greatness, prosperity, and firmly established kingdom. It stands in contrast to his self-exaltation, for God humbled him by taking away the wisdom and mind He had given, warning against trusting in self and human wisdom or making human strength a support. His published report of conversion and miraculous restoration gave light that Belshazzar knew yet ignored, showing that refusing the lessons God gives forfeits the good of obedience and brings judgment, even as the same self-exalting, domineering principles God will not sustain are forbidden in sanitarium and medical missionary work. Those signs and wonders are works of God's power to glorify His name, the same power that strengthened sanitarium work to change hearts and send witnesses home, and that moved the mightiest king to acknowledge God's everlasting dominion, proving proud rulers can still be brought to honor Him and calling workers to reach in faith for the high ones of the world today.
Context and Royal Testimony
The verse opens the record in the fourth chapter of Daniel of a dream in which a lofty tree planted in the earth gave shelter to flocks and herds from the mountains and hills and to birds of the air building their nests in its branches. The tree set forth greatness and prosperity, with nations gathered under sovereign rule and a kingdom firmly established in the hearts of loyal subjects.
It begins the account of another dream God gave to Nebuchadnezzar after he had acknowledged the miracle of deliverance from the fiery furnace but had lost the holy impression because he did not continue to walk in the light. That earlier light had come when he saw the deliverance of the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace and saw the form of the Fourth with them. He had then been convinced that their God was the living God and had acknowledged the wonderful miracle that had been wrought.
In the verse he acknowledges that God had acted toward him and gives God credit for the signs and wonders. This reflected what he had learned after the dream of the great image, when he recognized that his kingdom's splendor came from Jehovah and that earthly kingdoms would fall until God established an everlasting kingdom.
The verse is his public proclamation of the signs and wonders God had done for him. By that royal proclamation knowledge of the true God was spread throughout the world.
Humbling Pride and Warning
The public acknowledgment of the signs and wonders done for him stands in direct contrast to Nebuchadnezzar's exaltation of himself. God humbled him by taking away the wisdom and mind that God Himself had given him. Those in positions of responsibility must therefore recognize God's work, humble themselves, and not seek supremacy. The record of his life to which this testimony belongs warns against trusting in oneself and one's own wisdom or making human strength one's support.
His case warns against bringing into sanitarium and medical missionary work principles that God will not sustain or favor. Such principles include carrying on the work by human wisdom instead of as God requires. They include investigating and criticizing and condemning other sanitariums unless they meet one's own ideas, and requiring everyone to understand and carry out one's own mind. They include discouraging those striving to begin a small and imperfect work, and exalting and magnifying self. They include exercising unauthorized authority and power over God's heritage, and revealing a spirit of supremacy in making laws and pledges for the future.
The testimony introduces his report of conversion and miraculous restoration. That experience provided light and was known to Belshazzar. Belshazzar ignored the lessons it should have taught him about God and obedience. Failing to receive and practice the lessons God gives brings judgment and forfeits the benefits obedience could bring.
God's Power Today
The signs and wonders are works of divine power done to bring glory to God's own name. That same power was present in the sanitarium, where heavenly agencies strengthened the work and God acted upon both body and soul. Many who came left with changed hearts and new hearts, carrying within themselves the evidence of His goodness. They became lights in their homes and told others what God had done for them and testified to His goodness.
Nebuchadnezzar himself published his testimony to all peoples, nations, and languages after God humbled him again. The mightiest king on earth was moved upon by God's power until he acknowledged God as King over all kings and as the Most High whose dominion is everlasting and whose kingdom endures from generation to generation. He counted it good to make known the signs and wonders the high God had accomplished for him, exclaiming how great are those signs and how mighty are those wonders. He then recounted how God had humbled his pride and closed by praising and honoring the King of heaven. This proves that God can bring even proud rulers to acknowledge Him, so workers in the large cities are to reach out in faith for the high ones of the world, even ruling powers, expecting God to be honored and glorified today.