Interpretation and Fufillment of the Tree Dream...

Here goes Nebby proving once again, that he was all about idolatry…”Belteshazzar (Daniel’s Babylonian name—named after their chief god Bel), that was the dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now tell me what it means, for none of the wise men of my kingdom can do so. But you can tell me because the spirit of the holy gods is in you” Daniel 4:18


The meaning of the dream was… well bad, it was really bad, and Daniel was stunned. How in the world was he going to break this awful news to the king? But wait, you may ask why Daniel would even give a hoot about the fate of this king. After all, he was the one responsible for the destruction of Daniel’s home and nation. The answer is forgiveness. Daniel forgave the king, and so God was able to use him.

When we’ve been wronged by someone, it’s sometimes sooo hard to forgive and forget. God forbid… but we may even be glad when that person suffers. But that’s the flesh talking! True forgiveness means putting the past behind us. Didn’t Paul say, “But I focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” When we sincerely desire to forgive, all we need to do is go to God and ask Him to help us forgive, forget, and love. You never know…God may use you in an extraordinary way in that person’s life! Can I get an Amen?



“Belteshazzar replied, ‘I wish the events foreshadowed in this dream would happen to your enemies, my lord, and not to you! The tree you saw was growing very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see. It had fresh green leaves and was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nestled in its branches. That tree, Your Majesty, is you. For you have grown strong and great; your greatness reaches up to heaven, and your rule to the ends of the earth.

Then you saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it. But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze and surrounded by tender grass. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven. Let him live with the animals of the field for seven periods of time.’

This is what the dream means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has declared will happen to my lord the king. You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone He chooses. But the stump and roots of the tree were left in the ground. This means that you will receive your kingdom back again when you have learned that heaven rules.

King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.’ Daniel 4: 19-27

We read how Daniel pleaded with the king to change his ways. God even gave him 12 months to do it. But unfortunately nothing happened…there was no repentance in the king’s heart, and so the dream was fulfilled. We pick up on verse 29:

“Twelve months later he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon. As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon. By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.” FYI: Every time I read what King Nebby says here, I get flashbacks of how I kind of said the same thing...Being very successful in my career, I remember being in my first apartment looking all around at the “stuff” I had accumulated (beautiful furniture, nice clothes, etc…), and saying, “I’ve done great, and really made a name for myself. I’ve worked hard, and I deserve the good life.” Notice the "I've," "Myself," and "I." Kind of eerie, isn’t it?

“While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven. ‘Oh King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone He chooses.’
That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws.” Daniel 4: 29-33