June 29 Daily Devotional

Daniel 4

Nebuchadnezzar the king had another dream. He saw a tree in the midst of the earth, which was very high, large, and thick; the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth. The beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the heaven dwelt in the branches thereof. And behold, a holy watcher came down from heaven and cried aloud, “Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves and scatter the fruit; let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches. Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. Let his heart be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. This is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy one.”

All the wise men of Babylon could not interpret this dream, then Daniel came. He said, “It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong … thy dominion reacheth to the end of the earth … They shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven … till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree; roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquility.”

All this came upon king Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months after this he was walking in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon; and he spoke and said, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built … by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty.” While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “The kingdom is departed from thee.” The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: he was driven from men, and he did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hair was grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. At the end of the days Nebuchadnezzar lifted up his eyes to heaven, and his understanding returned to him, and he blessed the Most High.