May the mumbling commence!
Ill news makes a bad partnership. Ill news makes an even worse a servant master relationship – particularly when the servant must bring bad news to his master. Yeah, Daniel was singing that type of blues when King Nebuchadnezzar called him forth to interpret another dream. This time, Daniel did not need to hear the dream from the Lord; this time, Nebuchadnezzar told him the dream. The dream meant ill news for the king. Read Daniel’s interpretation from Daniel 4:19-27 –
Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you."
Belteshazzar answered, "My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries! The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds of the air – you, O king, are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.
You, O king, saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live like the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.'
This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes. The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue."
Talk about a time for thinking of strategy and word choice! Daniel knew that the dream bore bad news for Nebuchadnezzar. The king was to be struck down by the Lord for wickedness in his heart. The dream also gave reason for hope when the king would acknowledge the Most High God. Prosperity would continue if sins were renounced and wickedness was left behind. Daniel was bold enough to give positive advice to the king: “Be kind to the oppressed.”
The Scriptures does not record how Nebuchadnezzar reacted to Daniel’s interpretation. We do know, however, that the dream had no influence over the life of Nebuchadnezzar – at least not a lasting one. The dream was eventually fulfilled – a year later. Perhaps, the king was laughing off the warning of the Lord a year later. Nebuchadnezzar perhaps thought, “I have changed nothing in my life; and yet, nothing ill has happened to me.”
Like Nebuchadnezzar, we may feel like we’ve gotten away with something. Not so fast! It is the patience of the Lord. God is waiting for us to correct our ways. Our Great Creator desires for us to choose life. Even with God’s patience, sooner or later, our evil ways will bear the bad fruit. The consequences of our actions will catch up with us.
Heed God’s word! Be kind to the vulnerable and oppressed. Choose life!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
No comments:
Post a Comment