THE WRITING ON THE WALL

By Tim Sullivan

 

Our everyday conversations are peppered with phrases that we probably wouldn't be so quick to use if we stopped to think about what we were saying. For example, when our favorite football team loses a big game (like mine did last weekend), we might say, "I guess it just wasn't in the cards." But do we realize we are referring to Tarot cards, a tool of spiritualists? When a outcome – especially a bad one – looks unavoidable, we might say, "I can see the writing on the wall." But do we know the biblical story behind this phrase?

The fourth chapter of the book of Daniel is unique in that it is authored by a Gentile, the emperor Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. But before we investigate his testimony, let us recall what transpires in the three chapters that open this remarkable book.

Chapter 1: In the midst of Nebuchadnezzar's campaign against Judah, the young princes Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were taken into Babylon. They were renamed Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their captors soon realized that these young men excelled in understanding spiritual matters.

Chapter 2: Nebuchadnezzar had a strange dream that was lost to him upon awakening. The king's spiritual counselors could not tell him his forgotten dream, but God revealed both the dream and its interpretation to Daniel. The king rewarded Daniel with honor and a high position in his government.

Chapter 3: Nebuchadnezzar erected a towering image in Babylon and ordered all his citizens to bow down and worship it or die in a fiery furnace. When it became known that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were disobeying this command, they were bound and thrown into the fire. But Nebuchadnezzar looked into the flames and saw these three men and a fourth "like the Son of God" walking around alive. When the three emerged from the fire unharmed, the emperor decreed that anyone who spoke against "the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego" would be put to death.

This brings us to CHAPTER FOUR, and the king's own testimony of his fall and restoration under the mighty hand of the Most High God. He begins with praise as jubilant as anything we read in the Psalms:

(Because this sermon contains lengthy Bible passages, I have included recordings by the masterful narrator, Alexander Scourby).

Daniel 4:1-3
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 
2 I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. 
3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. 

All seemed well in his life. Then one night he had a troubling dream. Once again, he brought the matter to his spiritual counsellors. Once again, they could not help him.

4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace: 
5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
6 Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. 
7 Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.

Like many polytheists, Nebuchadnezzar considered Daniel's God to be only one of many "holy gods" – worthy of respect, but not complete devotion. But he remembered that Daniel had given him great help before, and so he called on him again.

8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying, 
9 O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.

This time, he was able to recall his dream to Daniel. It began with an image of a prospering and formidable tree:

10 Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. 
11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: 
12 The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

But as the dream continued, it became apparent that this great tree symbolized a great man, and this man would face a great humiliation to the end that he understood that there was one God who reigned supreme in heaven and on earth.

13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;
14 He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: 
15 Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:
16 Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. 
17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

The king was confident that Daniel could do what the magicians could not.

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. 

The interpretation of this dream came to Daniel in a revelation so stunning that even the king was worried for him. This dream, Daniel reported, foretold events that would cause the king's enemies to rejoice:

19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. 

The great tree – and the man it symbolized – was Nebuchadnezzar himself:

20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 
21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: 
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. 

The king's mind and behavior would be brought down to the level of a wild animal until his pride was replaced with humility before God.

23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;
24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.

Daniel showed true compassion toward the king, and directed him to a change in behavior that might lead to a more peaceful outcome.

27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.

Twelve months passed, enough time for the king's trepidation to subside. On a day that started out like any other, the king strolled through his halls congratulating himself for his great accomplishments:

28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. 
29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. 
30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?

By the decree of the most high God, the king spiraled into madness.

31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 
32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

As promised, Nebuchadnezzar was restored to health and position. His pride, however, was replaced with reverence and godly fear.

34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Ecclesiastes 8:4 says "Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?" This is true of any absolute monarch within the boundaries of his kingdom. And what are the boundaries of our God, the King of kings? Who has the wisdom and foresight needed to rightfully challenge him? We can scarcely see as far as the nose in front of our face!

36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. 
37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

Nebuchadnezzar ruled over Babylon in the time of its greatest glory. The kingdom of Judah was just one of the many kingdoms he brought under his thumb. But he learned in a most dramatic fashion that he was nothing compared to God. His grandson did not pay attention to this important lesson.

 

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Presented 4 November 2018 in French Settlement, Louisiana