Daniel 4:18
This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.
This dream is another dream God gave Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4 after he lost the holy impression made when he saw the deliverance of the three Hebrews, saw the form of the Fourth in the fiery furnace, and acknowledged their God as the living God, because he did not continue to walk in the light. By communicating with the king again even after he followed his own inventions in self-exaltation, God greatly honored him.
The dream is of a lofty tree planted in the earth, whose shelter is enjoyed by flocks and herds from the mountains and hills and whose branches hold the nests of the birds of the air. The tree represents Nebuchadnezzar's greatness and prosperity, with nations gathered under his sovereignty and his kingdom firmly established in the hearts of his loyal subjects. The dream profoundly impressed Nebuchadnezzar with the truth that Babylon would fall, succeeding kingdoms would rule, and God's everlasting kingdom would ultimately replace all earthly powers.
The verse belongs to the account of his divinely imposed humiliation and restoration, whose lessons Belshazzar knew but later neglected. All the wise men of the kingdom were not able to make known the interpretation, so Nebuchadnezzar asked Belteshazzar, or Daniel, to declare it because the spirit of the holy gods is in him. No secret troubles Daniel, so he is able to explain what the wise men cannot. Nebuchadnezzar turned to Daniel because Daniel was known for integrity, constancy, and wisdom. Understanding of the dream comes by divine insight rather than the skill of the court's wise men, bearing witness that those who love and fear God can understand the mysteries of heaven's kingdom.
Nebuchadnezzar's life and the light God gave him warn against trusting in oneself and one's own wisdom or relying on human strength. His case stands as a distinct warning that bringing human principles into God's vineyard will not be sustained or favored by the Lord. Nebuchadnezzar later disregarded the light God gave him, losing the benefits obedience could have brought, showing that neglecting and failing to practice God's instruction brings judgment.