Daniel 4 - The King Received A Warning - RSV

1. This Chapter was Written by Someone Other than Daniel.

Daniel 4:1-3 King Nebuchadnez'zar to all peoples, nations, and ________________, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be __________________ to you! [2] It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has wrought toward me. [3] How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an ___________________ kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

Who is the author of this chapter of Daniel? _______________________

2. Nebuchadnezzar Has Another Dream.

Daniel 4:4-6 I, Nebuchadnez'zar, was at ease in my house and __________________ in my palace. [5] I had a dream which made me afraid; as I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. [6] Therefore I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be ____________ before me, that they might make known to me the _________________________ of the dream.

Daniel 4:7-9 Then the magicians, the __________________, the Chalde'ans, and the astrologers came in; and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. [8] At last Daniel came in before me--he who was named Belteshaz'zar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods--and I told him the dream, __________, [9] "O Belteshaz'zar, chief of the magicians, ____________ I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no ____________ is ________________ for you, here is the dream which I saw; tell me its interpretation.

Daniel 4:10-12 The ____________ of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth; and its height was great. [11] The tree grew and became strong, and its top ____________ to heaven, and it was ____________ to the end of the whole earth. [12] Its leaves were fair and its fruit ______________, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the air dwelt in its ______________, and all flesh was fed from it.

Daniel 4:13-17 "I saw in the ____________ of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a ____________, a holy one, came down from heaven. [14] He cried aloud and said thus, 'Hew down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its leaves and ____________ its fruit; let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. [15] But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven; let his lot be with the beasts in the grass of the earth; [16] let his mind be ____________ from a man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him; and let seven times pass over him. [17] The ______________ is by the __________ of the ____________s, the ______________ by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the __________ may know that the Most High rules the ____________ of men, and gives it to whom he will, and sets over it the ______________ of men.'

Daniel 4:18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnez'zar, saw. And you, O Belteshaz'zar, declare the interpretation, because all the wise men of my ____________ are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you."

3. Daniel Didn't Enjoy Telling Nebuchadnezzar the Meaning of This Dream.

Daniel 4:19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshaz'zar, was ______________ for a moment, and his ______________ alarmed him. The king said, "Belteshaz'zar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you." Belteshaz'zar ______________, "My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies!

Daniel 4:20-23 The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top ____________ to heaven, and it was ____________ to the end of the whole earth; [21] whose leaves were fair and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all; under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose ______________ the birds of the air dwelt-- [22] it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your ________________ has grown and ____________ to heaven, and your ______________ to the ends of the earth. [23] And ____________ the king saw a ____________, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Hew down the tree and ____________ it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field; and let him be wet with the dew of heaven; and let his lot be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him';

Daniel 4:24-26 This is the _________________________, O king: It is a __________ of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, [25] that you shall be __________ from among men, and your ______________ shall be with the beasts of the field; you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men, and gives it to whom he will. [26] And as it was ________________ to leave the _________ of the _________ of the tree, your kingdom shall be sure for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules.

Daniel 4:27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you; break off your sins by practicing _______________________, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your _____________________."

It seems Nebuchadnezzar forgot God's warning concerning his pride. And it was his pride that made it easy for him to forget.

4. Twelve Months Later.

Daniel 4:28-30 All this came upon King Nebuchadnez'zar. [29] At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, [30] and the king said, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal ________________ and for the glory of my ____________?"

Daniel 4:31-32 While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, "O King Nebuchadnez'zar, to you it is __________: The kingdom has departed from you, [32] and you shall be __________ from among men, and your ______________ shall be with the beasts of the field; and you shall be made to eat grass like an ox; and seven times shall pass over you, until you have ____________ that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will."

Daniel 4:33 ___________________ the word was ________________ upon Nebuchadnez'zar. He was driven from among men, and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws.

Daniel 4:34-35 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnez'zar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason ______________ to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives for ever; for his dominion is an ___________________ dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; [35] all the inhabitants of the earth are ________________ as ____________; and he does according to his will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, "What doest thou?"

Daniel 4:36-37 At the same time my reason returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and ______________ returned to me. My __________________ and my lords sought me, and I was ___________________ in my kingdom, and still more ________________ was added to me. [37] Now I, Nebuchadnez'zar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to abase.

What do you think Nebuchadnezzar learned from his experience of living with the wild beasts? _______________________________________________

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