Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Anger
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Analytical
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Openness
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Conscientiousness
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Recap:
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, & Azariah have been taken into captivity after Judah was given into the hands of Jehoiakim.
() During this very short period, all 4 of these young men have received favor and promotion; but it hasn’t come without severe trials.
We’re now in chapter 4 where Nebuchadnezzar has had a second dream.
Daniel outperforms the witchcraft team of Nebuchadnezzar both times.
Now, we see a major turn in Nebuchadnezzar’s life and kingship about to take a dramatic turn.
V.19
Here goes Daniel interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
- Nebuchadnezzar switches to the third person for the sake of crafting his story.
Daniel now takes the dominant role in the narrative.
Nebuchadnezzar switches to the third person for the sake of crafting his story.
Daniel now takes the dominant role in the narrative.
(Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016).
Faithlife Study Bible ().
Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press._
-Scripture says that Daniel was astonished…not because of the difficulties of understanding it, but he knew that this dream could potentially disrupt the entire kingdom, including he and his friends.
-Probably not an actual hour, or 60 minutes.
That word there in the Aramaic is sha`ah which means “a brief time, moment”.
Similar to us saying in modern english, “I’ll be there in a couple minutes”.
Everyone has some type of idea that that could mean 2 or 3 minutes or even longer.
-Nebuchadnezzar then looked at Daniel and said, “Let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee”.
It’s almost as if, after seeing Daniel in distress that Nebuchadnezzar realized that this wasn’t a good thing so he immediately tries to console Daniel.
But in all reality, it was him that needed the consoling.
Another facet of this consoling, undoubtedly, Nebuchadnezzar wanted to hear what Daniel was seeing.
So, he wanted Daniel to know that he could speak freely unto him.
-Finally, Daniel drops the bomb shell.
The dream was representative of those that hated Nebuchadnezzar.
- Daniel, after much heart-searching, warns the king that the fate of the tree is a picture of his own future.
Nebuchadnezzar’s pride stands between himself and God, and he will be humbled for ‘seven times’; which means 7 years.
(Knowles, A. (2001).
The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., p. 346).
Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.)
Daniel, after much heart-searching, warns the king that the fate of the tree is a picture of his own future.
Nebuchadnezzar’s pride stands between himself and God, and he will be humbled for ‘seven times’
Knowles, A. (2001).
The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., p. 346).
Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
V.20-21
Verse 20 represents the 5th prophecy in the book of Daniel, so far.
The prophecy is Daniel foretelling what the dream means.
-It’s height reference could be an accumulation of his pride.
The JFB says this about v.20 & 21...
The tree is the king.
The branches, the princes.
The leaves, the soldiers.
The fruits, the revenues.
The shadow, the protection afforded to dependent states.
The FSB says this about 21:
Meets the needs of the subjects of his empire and beyond.
This sufficiency contributed to his pride.
One thing is for certain, that we must take note of.
Pride is a stench in the nostrils of God and He will go to great lengths to remedy that problem from our lives.
If a king and all of his authority wasn’t exempt, who are we?
Humble yourself or God will!
(See also: ; ; ; )
V.22
Daniel speaks pretty pointed, yet with respect to the king by trying to soften the blow.
He starts the interpretation out with the great things about the king.
He takes the “good news first” approach.
-King, this dream is about you.
You’re world renown.
Daniel lists 3 things specifically in v.22 about Nebuchadnezzar’s tree dream:
Thy greatness is grown
It reacheth to Heaven
Thy dominion is to the end of the earth
(Je 27:6–8).
To the Caspian, Euxine, and Atlantic seas.
V.23
Let’s break down what happened in this verse:
1.
The king saw a watcher, a holy one from Heaven [an angel]
The holy one said “hew (cut) the tree down and destroy it” [Heaven sent the message to cut down Nebuchadnezzar]
Leave the stump and the roots in the ground [leave a remnant of it in the ground]
Put a band of iron and brass around it [As discussed in the notes on Daniel 4a; theologians are split on this.]
Let it lay in the tender grass of the field [Let the tree lay in the field, presumably to rot]
Let it be wet with the dew of Heaven [It will be exposed to the elements]
Let his portion be with the beasts of the fields (the ESV says “let him live with the wild animals”)
Till 7 times pass over him [7 years of time]
V.24
Simply put from Daniel, this is the interpretation.
-This is the decree of the Most High.
-Inserting the deity of His God being higher than the earthly kingship of Nebuchadnezzar.
V.25-28
Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about a great tree in the earth.
-It had fair leaves, much fruit for everyone, beasts resting under it & birds nesting in it.
-But “watchers”-Heavenly agents/angels-hewed it down, leaving only a stump.
-Daniel interprets the dream.
God’s judgement would fall upon Nebuchadnezzar.
-The goal?
To convert him from his evil ways.
It’s always God’s will to convert us from evil.
He’s not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
()
V.29-30
To quickly reflect back on v.27.
Daniel gave Nebuchadnezzar a 3 fold word of advice.
(be open to my counsel, stop sinning, show mercy to the poor) Let’s see if Nebuchadnezzar took heed to Godly counsel.
So, a year has passed.
V.29 says he walked into the palace.
This was his domain, probably his ‘safe place’.
His comfort zone.
-Then, he begins to elaborate and ‘puffs up’ himself.
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