God speaks to us through the Bible, but before the Bible was written, He often spoke to people through dreams. Here is the story of a great king who was puzzled by his dream.
The king’s name was Nebuchadnezzar. He told his dream to all the astrologers, magicians and soothsayers in his kingdom, but nobody could explain it. Then Daniel came, the man filled with the wisdom of God.
The king said, “I saw in my dream a huge tree, tall, strong and spreading. It had beautiful leaves and fruit, and in its shade were all kinds of animals finding food and rest. Its branches were alive with birds eating and nesting.
“But, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven and ordered the tree to be chopped down, cut off its branches, shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Let the beasts get away from under it and the birds fly away from its branches.
“Leave the stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and brass in the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew of heaven and let the man graze with the beasts of the earth. Let his heart be changed from a man’s heart, and give him a beast’s heart for seven years.
“This decision is by the decree of the watchers, and this sentence is by the word of the holy ones. This is so the living may know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of men and gives it to anyone He chooses.”
Then the king said to Daniel, “I saw this dream and nobody was able to explain it. I’m sure you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Daniel’s answer was silence. He didn’t say a word for a whole hour. Not because he did not know, but because the meaning of the dream was so troubling that he just hated to tell it to the king.
Then the king said, “Don’t let the dream or its meaning trouble you.”
Daniel answered, “Let the dream be to those who hate you, and the meaning to your enemies!
“You saw that great tree. Its height, leaves, fruit, animals and birds—that’s you and your kingdom, O King! You are strong and mighty, and your dominion reaches to the end of the earth. But you saw what happened next. The tree was chopped down, and you’ll be left with the beasts of the field, night and day. This means they will drive you away from people, and you’ll be in the field, eating grass, like the oxen, for seven years ... until you know that the Most High rules.
“Now,” added Daniel, “I have some advice for you. Stop sinning by doing right and showing mercy to the poor. Maybe you will be left longer to rule in peace.”
The king remembered the warning for a whole year, but his heart hadn’t changed. After a year, he began boasting in the royal palace about his great city and all his power and glory.
Before we tell you what happened next, we want to remind you not to do the same thing. Have you won prizes and medals? Do you live in a beautiful house and have great dinners and fancy clothes? Do you boast about these things? Take warning! Thank God for your blessings, and use them for Jesus! It was God who made you. It is Jesus, the Son of God, who died for you. You cannot be the center of your own life and get away with it!
While the king was speaking, a voice came from heaven: “To you it is spoken. The kingdom is departed from you.” Yes, and the whole dream came true. He was driven from among men and ate grass like oxen. His body was wet with dew, till his hair grew like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. It was seven years until he learned that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men.
King Nebuchadnezzar finally learned, and his kingdom was given back to him after seven years. But it was only an earthly kingdom, and the great king is dead. We have a Saviour who saves forever. The price was His own life given on Calvary for sinners. Will you accept Him as your Saviour? If you turn away from Him, you do not face just seven years of punishment for your sins; you face forever in hell.
You may read this story in Daniel, chapter 4.
ML-08/24/2014