Daniel 4:1-6

CHAPTER FOUR

I. DESPOT'S DISGRACEDaniel 4:1-37

a. EMPEROR'S EPHEMERAL EXCURSION AND EDICT

TEXT: Daniel 4:1-6

1

Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you.

2

It hath seemed good unto me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God hath wrought toward me.

3

How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his domain is from generation to generation.

4

I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace.

5

I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

6

Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.

QUERIES

a.

Is it possible that Nebuchadnezzar would make such a humiliating confession?

b.

Was Nebuchadnezzar now converted to the God of Israel?

c.

Why did the king's dream make him afraid?

PARAPHRASE

This is the proclamation of Nebuchadnezzar the king which he sent to the whole worldto people of every nation and language that dwelt in all the earthMay your peace be multiplied. I consider it necessary and proper at this time to publicly announce to you the great and marvelous signs and wonders which the Most High God has done toward me, They were incrediblethe miraculous dreams and experiencessurely demonstrating that his kingdom is everlasting and his dominion is over all of mankind forever. I, the great emperor, Nebuchadnezzar, was dwelling in luxury, contentment, safely and secure in my great palace, when one night I had a dream that terrified me and caused me great agitation of soul, So I called in all the wise men of Babylon and ordered that they tell me the meaning of my dream.

COMMENT

Daniel 4:1-2 NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE KING, UNTO ALL THE PEOPLES. There are many who would deny the historicity of this chapter. Their arguments revolve around two points (a) alleged lack of historical confirmation in records outside the Bible; (b) alleged intrinsic improbability. The critics say (1) other O. T. historical books do not mention the insanity of Nebuchadnezzar (2) there is no record of this event among heathen writers of antiquity (3) Josephus had no information except the O.T. when he wrote of this event (4) Origen and Jerome could find no historical grounds for this event (5) If these things had happened, Nebuchadnezzar would have made sure they were recorded permanently so how come they are absent from Babylonian records? (6) If the record of the event was lost how was the event ever known, recovered and recorded by Daniel?

Let us consider these alleged discrepancies in order: (1) There are thousands of events of, not only Nebuchadnezzar's life, but hundreds of other important persons concerned with Israel which are not recorded in the historical books of the O.T. None of the books of the O.T. pretend to be complete in every detail even of the history of Israel. An argument from the silence of other O.T. books is no argument at all against the record of Daniel; (2) for that matter, the argument from the silence of profane historians is no argument against the record of Danielonly if there were profane records stating that such an event never happened would there be an argument against Daniel. But, as a matter of fact, there are two historians of antiquity who mention certain events in the life of Nebuchadnezzar which support the historicity of Daniel's record: Berosus and Abydenus. Berosus was a Chaldean, and a priest in the temple of Belus, during the days of Alexander the Great. Abydenus (268 B.C.) was a pupil of Berosus. Berosus wrote three books relative to the history of the Chaldeans, of which only some fragments are preserved in Josephus and Eusebius. Both these writers derived their knowledge from the traditions of the Chaldeans, and both should be regarded as good authorities. Berosus mentions Nabolassar, king of Babylon and of the Chaldeans. He then mentions the expedition of his son, Nabuchodonosor (Nebuchadnezzar), against the Egyptians; the capture of Jerusalem; the burning of the temple; and the captivity of the Jews. After these and other statements about the conquests of Nebuchadnezzar and the magnificence of his capital, Berosus gives the following narrative:

Nabuchodonosor, after he had begun to build the forementioned wall, fell sick and departed this life when he had reigned forty-three years, whereupon his son, Evil-Merodach, obtained the kingdom.

This quotation may be found in Josephus vs. Apion. It confirms the account of Daniel: (1) in referring to some sickness in the case of Nebuchadnezzar that was unusual which probably preceded, for a considerable time, his death, and, (2) this statement of Berosus accords, in respect to time, remarkably with that in Daniel inasmuch as both accounts agree that the sickness occurred after he had built Babylon, and towards the close of his reign.

The other quotation, that of Abydenus, is found in the works of Eusebius:

After these things (Nebuchadnezzar's conquests) as it is said by the Chaldeans, having ascended his palace, he was seized by some god, and speaking aloud, he said: -I Nebuchadnezzar, O Babylonians, foretell your future calamity, which neither Belus, my ancestor, nor queen Beltis, can persuade the destinies to avert. A Persian mule will come, employing your own divinites as his auxiliaries; and he will impose servitude upon you. His coadjutor will be the Mede, who is the boast of the Assyrians. Would that, before he places my citizens in such a condition, some Charybdis or gulf might swallow him up with utter destruction! Or that, turned in a different direction, he might roam in the desert (where are neither cities, nor footsteps of man, but wild beasts find pasturage, and the birds wander), being there hemmed in by rooks and ravines! May it be my lot to attain to a better end, before such things come into his mind!-' Having uttered this prediction, he forthwith disappeared.

The points of agreement between Abydenus and Daniel in the matter of the Babylonian's insanity or sickness are amazing: (1) The sickness or seizure occurred after Nebuchadnezzar's conquests and sometime before his death; (2) In both Daniel and Abydenus, the king is on the top of his palace; (3) The king was seized by some divinity, (and it is worthy of note that Abydenus does not ascribe the seizure to either an idol or to any god worshipped by the Chaldeans, but to God simply, as to a God that was not known); (4) in the language which Neb. is reported by Abydenus to have used respecting the return of the Persian king after his conquest, there is a remarkable resemblance to what is said in Daniel. How did such a prediction concerning Cyrus come to be attributed to Nebuchadnezzar?the only reasonable conclusion is that this tradition has its origin from certain factual events involving Nebuchadnezzar's insanitythus Daniel's account and that of Abydenus both have their origin in a factual event. There are things in both the statements of Berosus and Abydenus which cannot be accounted for except on the assumption of the truth of such an occurrence as that which is stated in the historical record of Daniel.

Daniel 4:3 HOW GREAT ARE HIS SIGNS!. The destructive critics claim this edict is historically absurd because it makes Nebuchadnezzar appear to be too familiar with Biblical phraseology, (cf. Psalms 145:13). However, with the impact of Daniel's extensive influence as third in the kingdom it is neither absurd or incredible that the Babylonian king's vocabulary in addressing Daniel's God would have such familiar phrases in it. Furthermore, it is altogether possible that Nebuchadnezzar requested the direct assistance of Daniel in phrasing this edict. Still further, excerpts from the Babylonian psalms and other literature often remind one of Biblical psalms.

This edict sheds interesting light, as Young puts it, upon the open, magnanimous character of the great king. One thing is evident as the character of Nebuchadnezzar unfolds itself in Daniel's narrative, this pagan king is not nearly so biased and prejudiced and close-minded as many unbelievers today who have less reason to be so. Nebuchadnezzar was shaken by his experience! He was impressed as he had never been before! If he, the mightiest monarch who had ever ruled to that time, could be rendered so totally impotent and incompetent then the only noble or honest thing to do was to admit it. Perhaps the element of fear was also a strong motivation for Nebuchadnezzar's doxology.
One thing the king had to admit, no human king thus far was so mighty that he could prolong his own reign if Daniel's God willed it otherwise. And it was very apparent that the rule of Daniel's God was everlasting and omnipotent. The history of the world since the days of Nebuchadnezzar confirms this great fact! All earthly rulers die; all authority lodged in the hands of earthly monarchs is soon withdrawn; and not one of them can insure that his authority will extend even to the next generation.

Daniel 4:4-6. I SAW A DREAM WHICH MADE ME AFRAID. The mighty king was at rest which indicates more precisely that he was feeling secure and completely free from apprehension. His wars were over; his kingdom was tranquil and prosperous beyond his fondest dreams. He had built a magnificent city; gathered about him the wealth and the luxuries of the world and now he was preparing to while away the remainder of his life enjoying it all.

The word translated afraid is even stronger than terrified. He was literally petrified with fear. Although he did not at first understand the dream, he was well enough versed in signs and portents to understand that the falling of so mighty a tree signified some mighty overthrow. And even afterward he reflected upon the dream as he lay in his bed, his consternation increased. The weird and exaggerated visions of the dream kept flashing before his mind'S-eye as he thought about its meaning.
The veryfirst thing that morning when he arose the king sent with all haste an official decree that all the wisemen and seers of the nation's capita] should be summoned to the palace to interpret his dream for him.

QUIZ

1.

What is the answer -to the attack upon the historicity of chapter 4 by critics who point to the silence of the other O.T. books and profane history about Nebuchadnezzar's insanity?

2.

What is a probable explanation to the biblical phraseology of Nebuchadnezzar's edict concerning the greatness and everlastingness of God?

3.

What does at rest indicate concerning the king's circumstances before his dream?

4.

Why would this mighty monarch be afraid?

5.

Why did the king call for his wise-men?