Daniel 4:32, commentary and pictures

The decree meant Nebuchadnezzar would be driven from human society to live with the beasts and feed like cattle until seven literal years had passed over him. The kingdom and blessings given him were removed with his reason and intellect, leaving the mighty ruler helpless and showing what man becomes when God takes away the gift that lifts him above the beasts. The humiliation would last until he learned that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He will, for success and every power of mind and means come from God and not for human glory. It came after a plainly interpreted dream with counsel to break off sin, twelve months of trial, and then his boast over great Babylon, when a voice from heaven declared the kingdom departed and the sentence fell the same hour, yet at the end of the days he lifted his eyes to heaven, his understanding returned, and his honor and kingdom were restored with added majesty. His life stands as a warning that God is able to abase all who walk in pride and trust in self, wisdom, or human strength, and that rulers and all men today who exalt self will be humbled until God alone is exalted.

Dream, Warning, and Fulfillment

Daniel 4:32 belongs to a further dream God gave Nebuchadnezzar after earlier light had been lost. God had first shown him Babylon as the head of gold, but flattery led him to exalt himself and set up a golden image for worship. The three Hebrew captives refused to worship, Jesus was with them in the fiery furnace, and the king was convinced their God was the living God when he saw the form of the Fourth. Because he did not continue to walk in the light he lost that holy impression, and God gave him the further dream recorded in the fourth chapter of Daniel.

The dream's great tree represented his greatness and prosperity, with nations gathered under his sovereignty and his kingdom established among loyal subjects. The dream came with plain interpretation and with counsel to break off sins by righteousness and iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. After that counsel he was given twelve months of trial in which his actions were weighed in the balances of the sanctuary in heaven.

At the end of the twelve months, while walking in the palace of Babylon, he boasted, Is not this great Babylon that I have built by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty. God read his heart and heard his inner whisperings of self-gratulation in that boast over great Babylon. While the word was still in his mouth, a voice from heaven declared that the kingdom was departed from him.

The sentence took effect at once, the same hour he was driven from men. It was literally fulfilled in most humiliating punishment because he treated the warning as commonplace and neglected God's warnings and Daniel's appeal to change his course. Uneradicated self-indulgence and inordinate ambition broke out in words of vanity, and his sin of pride in placing himself where God should be met its retribution.

At the end of the days he lifted his eyes to heaven, and his understanding and reason returned. He blessed and praised the Most High whose dominion is everlasting and who does according to His will in heaven and earth. His honor and kingdom were restored with excellent majesty added, and he became a humble, obedient, and compassionate ruler praising the King of heaven whose works are truth and who is able to abase those who walk in pride.

Nature of the Punishment

The sentence meant literal expulsion from human company to a dwelling among the beasts of the field, where the king would be made to eat grass as oxen do. It fell at once while he was boasting of Babylon as built by his own power for his own honor, because persistent self-indulgence and inordinate ambition had broken out in vanity and the warning had been treated as commonplace. The humiliation was appointed to continue until he recognized that the Most High rules in human kingdoms and gives them to whomever He wills.

The seven times passing over him were seven literal years of beast-like humiliation, living and eating like an animal. For those seven years he lived among the wild beasts of the field, dethroned of reason and driven from men. His kingdom was taken from him, the blessings God had bestowed were removed, and his reason and intellect were taken away, leaving the mighty ruler humbled and helpless. The talent of wisdom was withdrawn from one who went on in his own strength, to humble him until he would acknowledge that God is able to create and to destroy.

His body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hairs grew like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws. He ate the food beasts eat and acted as they do, an astonishment to all his subjects. Reason is God's precious gift to elevate man above the beasts, given to be used to understand his situation and to glorify God. When God removes it nothing is left but the instinct of a beast of the field, and the king's state stands to show what a man becomes without that endowment.

God gives reason and expects men to use it under His control and not to live like dumb beasts. All powers, money, brilliant intellect, and natural endowments are lent in trust by the Maker and do not elevate man in themselves, for man is only mortal with no independent wisdom, power, or spiritual life of his own. When men use ability to exalt self, boast of capabilities, forget God's honor, and act as though wisdom were gotten independently of God, He can in a moment remove the gift of reason and degrade them to the level of the beasts, as happened to Nebuchadnezzar. Reason was never given to lead man to suppose he can climb higher than the Source from which that reason flows, and true excellence is shown not by boasting but by Christlikeness, meekness and lowliness, usefulness and love.

God's Sovereign Rule Revealed

The humiliation was to last until he knew that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomsoever He will. His pride in his kingdom was followed by loss of reason and a life among the beasts, for the great tree had represented his greatness and prosperity, with nations gathered under his sovereignty and his kingdom established among loyal subjects. He was driven from human society to live and eat like a beast, made to eat grass as oxen for seven times, which are seven literal years. The sentence took effect at once, the same hour, after he proudly claimed Babylon's greatness as his own achievement and while the boast was still in his mouth, because he had ignored God's warnings and let uneradicated self-indulgence and inordinate ambition break out in words of vanity.

The verse reveals God as Lord over all His creatures and all His works, supreme with an everlasting kingdom. Success in work comes because God gives it, not for human glory but for God's glory, and anyone seeking to steal a ray of light from His glory will be punished for presumption. All powers, money, brilliant intellect, and natural endowments are given by God the Maker and must not be used for self-glorification, for they do not elevate man in His sight when claimed for self. Nebuchadnezzar placed a high estimate on human ability and did not consider God his source of strength, boasting of great Babylon built by the might of his power and for the honor of his majesty after warning in the dream of the tree hewn down and after counsel to break off sins by righteousness and iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. He treated the warning as commonplace and was tested for twelve months while his actions were weighed in the balances of the sanctuary in heaven, until while the boast was still in his mouth the kingdom departed, he was driven to dwell with the beasts, and the Lord removed his ability from him.

Human capabilities belong to God, lent in trust, and are no ground for self-exaltation. Man is only mortal with no independent wisdom, power, or spiritual life of his own, and when he acts as though wisdom and power were gotten independently of God, God can in a moment remove reason and degrade him to the level of the beasts, as happened to Nebuchadnezzar. No man has been given absolute authority and power over God's heritage, since the Most High rules and gives authority to whomsoever He will. Boasting invites Nebuchadnezzar's judgment, while true excellence is shown not by boasting but by Christlikeness, meekness and lowliness, usefulness and love.

God can so humble kings, nobles, and rulers for His glory that they acknowledge a power above themselves and use the tongue to praise Him. He takes away mind and wisdom from the self-exalting, removes blessings bestowed, leaves the mighty ruler humbled and helpless and even insane, and brings the proud low to teach utter weakness and need of divine aid until God alone is exalted. When a man is lifted up by his own ability and trusts in human strength, or glories in wisdom or talents or anything but Christ and Him crucified, punishment surely follows wherever pride is indulged. At the end of the days Nebuchadnezzar lifted his eyes to heaven, his understanding and reason returned, he blessed the Most High whose dominion is everlasting and who does according to His will in heaven and earth, his honor and kingdom were restored with excellent majesty added, and he praised the King of heaven whose works are truth and who is able to abase those who walk in pride.

Rulers and kingdoms remain under God's authority, for He is able to create and to destroy. Refusing to honor Him brings humiliation and the penalty of transgression, while obedience would have brought the benefits of the light given. Nebuchadnezzar received warning yet went on in his own strength and trusted in his own strength, so God took the talent of wisdom from him and drove him from men to humble him until he would see and acknowledge the living God as ruler. The judgment was a test to bring humbling of heart and confession of sin.

The Watcher guards the interests of all men and has every individual before Him. He reads the heart, notes every thought and every plan and imagination, hears secret whisperings of self-gratulation, and nothing can be hid from Him. He read Nebuchadnezzar's heart and heard his inner boast over great Babylon, and while the word was still in the king's mouth a voice from heaven declared the kingdom departed, and the thing was fulfilled the same hour with reason taken and degradation following pride that placed self where God should be. The same Watcher still testifies to every transaction, including every business transaction, knowing works exactly as they are and tracing every injustice to saint or sinner without mistake in the books. He is present in secret and open councils reading and measuring men, which warns those who take a measuring line to measure character and climb upon the judgment seat to pass sentence on others; unless they humble their hearts before Him those bearing responsibilities will make grievous mistakes, for the Lord chastises His people not merely to separate sin from the sinner but by His own light to reveal the sin that led the soul away from God and would ruin it unless corrected.

What the Lord God of heaven could justly do to sinful, rebellious men who boastfully assert independence of Him is cut off their favors, take away reasoning powers of which they have made poor use, and appoint their portion with the beasts of the field as He did to Nebuchadnezzar. That He does not despise men even in sinfulness and deformity of character, and does not deal this judgment to the impenitent, proves He is patient, longsuffering, and full of goodness, mercy, and truth. Yet people may wrongly presume on His goodness, patience, mercy, and forbearance. Nebuchadnezzar's greatness and position as ruler of the greatest earthly kingdom could not gain acceptance with God, and his power was taken from him in a moment.

Lesson to Belshazzar and Beyond

The dream containing this sentence taught that Babylon itself would fall and that all earthly kingdoms would ultimately be replaced by God's everlasting kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar's banishment from men and his restoration were a divine lesson in humility, given after he was brought low for pride until he acknowledged the power and mercy of the God of Israel. Belshazzar knew about that experience and had great light and opportunity from it to know the works and power of the living God and to do His will. Daniel recalled the fall to reprove Belshazzar for his own crimes, yet Belshazzar failed to heed it. He disregarded those facts as if they had never occurred and went on repeating the sins of his grandfather, even daring the crimes that had brought God's judgments on Nebuchadnezzar.

He was condemned not alone for doing wickedly but for not availing himself of opportunities and capabilities to be right. God will not condemn in judgment for honestly believing a lie or conscientiously cherishing error, but for neglecting opportunities to learn truth and to know God's works and do His will. Babylon passed away because the kings who succeeded Nebuchadnezzar failed to profit by his experience, and in prosperity forgot God and ascribed her honor and glory to human achievement. The judgment on Nebuchadnezzar had been a test to bring humbling of heart and confession of sin after he went on in his own strength despite warning, until God took wisdom from him to teach him that the God of Israel is able to create and to destroy. So today when men forget God and refuse to obey His law they are humiliated and tested by God, and if they do not humble their hearts and confess their sins they receive the penalty of transgression.

Nebuchadnezzar's striving to glorify self illustrates the same selfish planning for the uplifting of self that men will make and carry out to the close of time. That planning will continue with increasing intensity as part of the fierce and terrible combat of wrong against right by lawless transgressors in rebellion against God.

Warning Against Pride Today

Punishment surely follows wherever pride is indulged, for all who walk in pride God is able to abase by stern discipline and humiliation. Whoever glories in wisdom or talents or ability or human strength, and whoever trusts in human strength and is lifted up by own ability, will be brought down and taught utter weakness and need of divine aid, learning that the Lord alone is to be exalted and that success comes because God gives it for His glory and not for human glory. Anyone who seeks to steal a ray of light from God's glory will be punished for presumption, and when a people boast in own wisdom and exalt self, when a church becomes proud and boastful, and when those in charge of any institution become presumptuous and take to themselves credit for success and glory in wisdom and efficiency, they will certainly be brought low. As surely as the sun shines by day, pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall, and Nebuchadnezzar's being driven from human society to live among the beasts with reason taken away and blessings removed warns that indulged pride and confidence in human ability lead to downfall until God alone is exalted.

The life of Nebuchadnezzar is presented as a warning not to trust in self and own wisdom, not to trust in human wisdom or make human strength one's support, and not to make flesh one's arm. Cherishing the thoughts and feelings he cherished brings danger of passing through a trying experience like his, for after earlier light was lost God gave him a further dream. Those who have received God's work are warned by his being humbled and left to his own way not to become high-minded, and the danger is applied to exalting self and losing sight of the faith entrusted to the saints and to using influence to manipulate matters to suit own plans and lead away from the strait and narrow path God has cast up, where prosperity ceases because God will not be guide.

God permits a self-exalting ruler who exalts own judgment and follows own mind as if alone used by God to go so far that his course counteracts the influence God gave, leaving him to his own way as only a man who cannot succeed without the Lord. Such a one becoming exacting, dictatorial, and overbearing to bring others under control brings the sure result of losing the influence God gave, because greatness in God's sight differs greatly from greatness in men's sight and requires giving up worldly greatness and being true to eternal principles of righteousness. A ruler who exalts own judgment will be humbled and lose power until he recognizes that God rules over human kingdoms and gives them to whom He wills, and refusal to heed warning and resist correction ends in loss of reason and illustrates the ruin that follows rejecting the Lord's word.

To act the Nebuchadnezzar is to exalt and magnify self, to stand requiring everyone to understand and carry out one's own mind, to investigate and criticize and condemn work that does not meet one's ideas, to make oneself the controlling power in God's work, and to sway the work in a way God cannot endorse or put His signature upon. No man has been given absolute authority and power over God's heritage, for the Most High rules and gives authority to whomsoever He will, and man is not God and is not sufficient for these things but the Lord alone must be ruler. This means all talents and powers He has given are to be exercised for Him after His own order and plan, with ways and planning cleansed and purified to be God's ways, and with willingness to leave the molding of the work in other hands instead of holding control.

This includes taking too much power and authority to one's own word, framing agreements with restrictions and demanding that others attach their names and submit to those terms, refusing to cooperate with the sanitariums unless they comply, harassing workers with drawbacks and bringing discouragement upon those starting medical missionary work in simplicity with few facilities, and revealing a spirit of supremacy in making laws and pledges for the future. It includes magnifying self to large proportions and exalting the work one has created as the all and in all work for the time, discrediting God's ordained ministry while treating own enterprise as indispensable to God's cause, and carrying on sanitarium and medical-missionary work by human wisdom instead of God's order. Men connected with God's work who manifest a selfish, masterly spirit in dealing with others are to learn fear and trembling and become less self-sufficient, for God is a living God who will tolerate no confederacy and will break up unholy unions, because every man is under His control and His laws must be respected.

The warning is applied to the danger of disregarding divine counsel and pursuing ambitious plans such as concentrating the work in Battle Creek instead of establishing it in many places, devising plans to build an unfinished tower without God in the devising, and exalting medical missionary work from the hand to the body out of its place. A man placed by God as a steward can become a power if he does not become like Nebuchadnezzar, but if he becomes proud and feels himself a man of power and demerits the ministry and exalts own work, God will surely leave him where Nebuchadnezzar was left in humbled and helpless position. While a man heeds reproof and respects God's counsels and keeps the eye single to His glory, God holds the power of rivalry in obedience to His will, but when he adds responsibilities and takes up a work God never gave him and seeks own name and glory, God no longer restrains worldly enterprise and embarrassment and leaves him with things he created that he cannot sustain and without the sweet spirit that truth and righteousness imparts.

Such self-exaltation in wilful obstinacy, like Pharaoh in exalting own ways and judgment as supreme, puts a man under Satan's jurisdiction to be led blindfold until spirit and methods conform little by little to the arch-deceiver until the whole mind is under the spell. The serpent keeps its eye fixed to charm a man so that he has no power to go from the snare, and pride can leave a person spiritually blind through resisting heaven's warnings and heaven-sent messages. Presumptuous ambition and high opinion of own plans and wisdom call for humbling the soul before God's Word and humbling the heart before God, for a consuming desire for wealth and self-exaltation can lead a person to forsake God and gather darkness around the heart that only such humbling can break.

The same will surely be fulfilled upon those who have had great light but pursue their own course irrespective of warnings and reproofs and sustain one another to do what God warned against, for God will uproot them and bring their ambitious projects to confusion and remove ability as He removed Nebuchadnezzar's ability. By the mandate of heaven men with a selfish, masterly spirit may be placed in circumstances similar to Nebuchadnezzar and in a moment of time be deprived of health or reason. Yet if they repent and humble their hearts before God and make Him their trust there is pardon and peace and acceptance and another trial and proving. Eternal interest depends on that change of heart, so that planning no longer follows one man's devising but gives all others a chance to accomplish the work by the wisdom given them individually of God.