Lift Your Eyes to Heaven

When king Nebuchadnezzar was troubled by a dream he had, the Hebrew Daniel was summoned to give the interpretation because the Spirit of the living God was in him.  In the dream a great and fruitful tree was cut down and all the beasts and birds which ate of its fruit were scattered.  The king recounted  what he heard in Daniel 4:15-17, "Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts On the grass of the earth. ¹⁶ Let his heart be changed from that of a man, let him be given the heart of a beast, and let seven times pass over him. ¹⁷ 'This decision is by the decree of the watchers, and the sentence by the word of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.'"

After an hour passed, God revealed to Daniel the interpretation of the dream, and it troubled him.  The tree represented king Nebuchadnezzar, and it was he who would be removed from ruling for seven years.  But as the stump was left in the ground, so the king would be in seven years restored to his throne after he learned the Most High rules over all men.  Daniel urged the king in Daniel 4:27, "Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity."  What God had said would certainly come to pass, yet Daniel urged Nebuchadnezzar to humble himself before God and to cast away his sins and show mercy to the poor.  As months passed, the sobering reality of the message from God drifted from memory.

It was a year later when king Nebuchadnezzar strutted proudly in his palace built "by the might of my power and for the honour of his majesty" when the word of the LORD spoken through Daniel came to pass.  Daniel 4:31-32 reads, "While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! ³² And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."  The purpose of Nebuchadnezzar's reason and throne departing from him was repeated again:  to know the Most High rules and gives power to rule over those He chooses, and that Nebuchadnezzar was NOT most high.  For 7 years Nebuchadnezzar lived as a senseless, unkempt beast, a shocking physical depiction of the spiritual folly he displayed as he paraded proudly through his palace in Babylon in royal attire.

Daniel 4:34-35 shows the 7 years of divine exile accomplished God's good purposes in the words of Nebuchadnezzar: "And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honoured Him who lives forever: for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. ³⁵ All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, "What have You done?"  The truth expressed by the dream and Daniel was finally understood by Nebuchadnezzar.  It is no surprise that lifting his eyes to heaven preceded Nebuchadnezzar's understanding returning to him since it is a gift of God.  He used his understanding to praise and honour God instead of himself and his kingdom which he also received by God's grace.

I find it fascinating and a bit tragic God-fearing people can be more entranced with the interpretation of dreams than to praise and honour God who gives understanding to all who look to Him.  The dream of Nebuchadnezzar revealed what Daniel already knew because he knew God.  Nebuchadnezzar grew in understanding of God by having his kingdom and reason stripped from him for a season, for in the end he lifted his eyes to God in heaven.  Seeking interpretations of dreams for divine guidance when God has already given us His word and wisdom is just as silly as Nebuchadnezzar taking pride in his kingdom as if it was his own doing.  Micah 6:8 reminds us, "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"  Sounds a lot like the advice Daniel gave to king Nebuchadnezzar.

I have one question to ask:  did the correct interpretation enable Nebuchadnezzar to learn the lesson or heed the advice given him?  Obviously not.  The understanding and ability to accomplish God's purposes come from Him alone, and we gain this by lifting our eyes to heaven in faith--not trying to interpret dreams.  Can God speak through dreams?  Sure, but what is the chaff to the wheat?  The only way we can discern the truth is according to God's wisdom revealed in His Word, so lift your eyes to God in humble praise and adoration as Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar did.