[:en]SCRIPTURE: DANIEL 4
“How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation” *Daniel 4:3)
“All the peoples of the earth are regraded as nothing. He does as he please with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” (Daniel 4:35)
“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble” (Daniel 4:37)
NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM OF A TREE (vs. 10-18)
Nebuchadnezzar had a second dream. He dreamed of a large and strong tree with beautiful leaves and abundant fruits that sheltered the beast of the fields and the birds of the air. Then a messenger came and ordered the tree to be cut off, its branches trimmed off, its leaves stripped off and its fruit scatter. But let its stump and roots bound with iron and bronze to remain in the ground. Then let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth and let his mind be changed from that of a man to an animal.
DANIEL INTERPRETS THE DREAM (vs. 19-27)
You, O king are the tree. Your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky and your dominion extend to distant parts of the earth. The messenger is a holy one, coming down from heaven. He issue this decree that you will be drawn away from people and live the wild animals for 7 years until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes. However, when you acknowledge that Heaven rules, your kingdom will be restored to you. Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is rights, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed, then your prosperity will continue.
THE DREAM IS FULFILLED (vs. 28-37)
What had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. God gave him a year’s opportunity to repent but he continued in his sins. So, he was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. At the end of 7 years when God had humbled him, his sanity was restored. He praised the Most High and gave glory to God in heaven.
LESSON:
It is the Sovereign God who gives us the position in our lives. We should not be proud. Instead, we should humble ourselves and repent of our sins because all honor and splendor came from the Lord. Let us learn to exalt Him and glorify His name.[:]