In Daniel chapter four, we see Neb's mind at work again. Well, it was quite active when he was asleep at least, because when he was awake, he definitely wasn't thinking on his feet. You see, he had another dream; one that terrified him. He wanted to know what it meant, so what did he do? He commanded all the wise men of Babylon to come before him to interpret the dream. (At least this time he didn't make them tell HIM the dream...he just wanted to know what it meant.) What's that about history repeating itself? Yep, you guessed it, none of the magicians, enchanters, and astrologers could fulfill this task. However, into the presence of the king walks Daniel...aka Belteshazzar...and things started to change.
Time to stop, think, and apply. At this point, I just scratch my head at Neb. Why would he not just call in Daniel from the get-go? Daniel's God had proven Himself when no other god or magician could, yet that's not where Neb turned. Instead, he turned to what was comfortable. He turned to his old stand-by. How many times am I just like Neb? I turn to my friends for advice instead of God. Yet even worse, I turn to the comfort of sin. Not because I want to outright sin, but because it's easier than doing what is right. Sure, it's easy to point fingers at Neb and his lack of faith, but I'm just like him sometimes.
Then I noticed one more tidbit of information in verse eight that I don't remember learning before. Neb had given Daniel the name of Belteshazzar. OK, yea, I knew that, but what I didn't know was the insult Daniel had to bear with his new name. Belteshazzar was the name of Neb's god. So Daniel, who devoted himself to living for the one true God, had to go around bearing the name of a false god. When Neb named Daniel, maybe he did it as a compliment because he was so impressed with Daniel. From what I can tell, the Scriptures don't say. Regardless, it makes me think about times in my life that I've been called names because of my stand for Christ. I can remember getting picked on as a kid because my family went to church and didn't go out partying. I can remember times even as an adult in the workplace when people talked behind my back and called me some choice names, all because I didn't compromise. Unlike me, Daniel was in captivity. He couldn't walk away from the situation like I could. Yet, he maintained his testimony.
Back to the dream. OK, in reality, it was a nightmare, and I think there was a reason Neb was fearful. Daniel was even afraid to tell Neb the interpretation until Neb set his mind at ease in verse nineteen. Basically, the dream was a curse. Verse twenty-five says "You" (Neb) "will be driven away from the people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men." Daniel then made a bold move. He begged Neb to take his advice, to turn from his sin, and to start doing what was right.
Everyone needs a Daniel in their life. Someone who will have the nerve to say what's right before God, even if it means it won't be received. Daniel boldly told Neb, the king mind you, what he needed to do. Of course, at that point, Neb didn't take the advice. But a seed was planted for future actions. Am I being a Daniel in the lives of my friends? When I see them falling away or living in sin or not seeking the Lord in their life, do I care enough about them to speak up? Am I planting seeds? More to apply.
Chapter four ends with the dream being fulfilled and Neb finally learning. You see, at the root of all his problems was pride. He was too proud to say his gods were no match for Daniel's God. He was too proud to say he didn't have control of things. Twelve months after the dream, Neb's pride was peaking and he looked over his kingdom and said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" Verse thirty-one says the words were still on his lips when a voice from heaven declared that dream was about to come true. It was immediately fulfilled.
King Neb now was driven away from people, ate grass like cattle, his body was drenched with dew, his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle, and his nails like the claw of a bird. He went from riches to rags, literally. How often am I just like Neb? I take glory in MY accomplishments. Look what I've done... When the reality is that I am nothing without God and what He has allowed me to do. Thankfully, my God is a God of second chances, and that's what He gave Neb, too. Neb was humiliated in every way. He was living with the animals and had lost his mind and control of the kingdom. But verse thirty-four says Neb raised his eyes toward heaven, his sanity was restored, and he praised the Most High God. His honor and glory were also restored, his advisers and nobles sought him out, and he regained the throne. He humbled himself in the site of the Lord, and the Lord lifted him up.
The chapter ends with Neb's personal testimony. "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."
I find so many practical spiritual lessons throughout this chapter. In my last blog about Daniel, I said, "Will Neb ever learn?" Well, I think he learned. I hope I learn, too. God, let me have the boldness of Daniel to stand for spiritual things, let me always acknowledge You as King, the author of all things, and help me, God, to never take credit for my accomplishments. I am nothing, I have nothing, apart from You.
---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com