Daniel 4:22
It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
The towering tree in Nebuchadnezzar's dream was Nebuchadnezzar himself, grown and become strong in power and majesty. His greatness reaching to heaven pictured how far his power had extended, and his dominion to the end of the earth meant his rule had become a universal empire honored as a kingdom of kings sheltering the nations under his sovereignty. Daniel spoke this application directly to the self-exalted king as the second warning before the tree would be cut down, telling faithful truth without flattery or seeking favor though it foretold adversity. That greatness had come through God's favor, yet his pride in it showed trust in himself rather than God, and for that pride judgment was about to fall in the loss of his reason to live among beasts for seven years. The warning carries vital importance for all connected with God's work, for a Watcher takes cognizance of human works and especially of those entrusted with sacred truth, confronting the danger of self-trust, self-glorification, and making human strength a support, with far greater accountability upon those on whom the ends of the world are come.
Tree Identifies the King
The lofty, great, strong tree in the last dream given by God to Nebuchadnezzar is Nebuchadnezzar himself, grown and become strong, with greatness reaching to heaven and dominion to the ends of the earth. His greatness grown to reach heaven pictures the extent of his greatness and power, and his dominion to the end of the earth means his rule extended across the earth as a universal empire in which he was honored as a king of kings with a firmly established kingdom among loyal subjects. The sheltering of flocks, herds, and birds by the tree represents the nations gathered under his sovereignty.
The verse gives Daniel's direct application of the dream to the king as part of the interpretation, the second warning given to him, stated before the tree is cut down and his power is taken from him. Daniel spoke this identification plainly to the self-exalted king as faithful truth without flattery, misinterpretation, or seeking favor. It was evidently a prediction of adversity that troubled the king and that none of his wise men would interpret, showing how truth is to be spoken to those who stand in the high places of the earth.
This other dream came after Nebuchadnezzar lost the holy impression made by the deliverance in the fiery furnace because he did not continue to walk in the light. God had greatly honored him by communicating the future in the dream of the great image and by revealing Himself in the furnace. Instead he cherished prideful, self-exalting thoughts, trusted his own wisdom, and set God aside.
Pride, Judgment, and Warning
His greatness and dominion had grown far and wide through God's favor, yet his pride in his power and majesty showed trust in himself rather than in God. His greatness reaching to heaven expresses both his extraordinary power and the pride for which judgment was about to fall upon him. That pride led to the humbling judgment foretold in the chapter, when he would lose his reason and live among the beasts for seven years.
His rule was not permanent, for the vision of the great image had shown that Babylon would fall and that earthly kingdoms would give way to God's everlasting kingdom. He was humbled by God, then converted and miraculously restored. His experience was a lesson from God which Belshazzar had witnessed but failed to remember, and disregarding that light brought Belshazzar calamity and judgment.
The verse carries lessons of vital importance to all connected with the work of God, showing the working of the great I AM to change even the heart of a heathen king. It shows that a Watcher takes cognizance of all human works, and in a special sense of those who represent God by receiving sacred truth and revealing it to the world. It confronts the danger of self-trust and self-glorification, of trusting oneself or one's own wisdom, and of making human strength one's support. Workers entrusted with God's instrumentalities and responsibilities, upon whom the ends of the world are come, are far more accountable than the king of Babylon, because his course is laid out for warning and instruction.
It warns against acting like Nebuchadnezzar by exalting and magnifying self even in a good action. It warns against exercising authority and power over God's heritage that God has not given, and against requiring everyone to understand and carry out one's own mind. It warns against revealing a spirit of supremacy in making laws and pledges for the future in God's service, including investigating, criticizing, and condemning sanitarium and medical missionary work that does not meet one's ideas and discouraging workers striving to accomplish something in their own borders.