Power & Control - Part III

by Tim Knappenberger

WORLD LEADER HEARD BAYING AT THE MOON

KING OF BABYLON OR KING OF THE BEASTS?

NEBUCHADNEZZAR FLEES CAPITOL WITH FLEAS

One can only wonder how the royal court and Nebuchadnezzar’s advisors handled the whole affair and kept the kingdom running. A bowl of dog chow at the back door of the palace? A diamond studded flea collar?

Bad as this vision was to have, "badder" still is Daniel’s job of telling the king just what it meant. Remember, when Daniel is uttering his interpretation, the king is still very much in his right mind with all of his absolute power. Daniel fearfully asks for a "time out" to consider just how he will tell Nebuchadnezzar. The king senses the news is not good and comfortingly instructs Daniel to "spill the beans." Nebuchadnezzar is then essentially told that his kingdom is really His kingdom and that he will live and act like a wild beast until he acknowledges such.

When describing what you do for a living, do you talk about your job? Is it your house you live in, or your kids you’re raising, or your money you’re investing? Is it your life you’re living? Again, the illusion we come to believe is that all of this is really, truly ours. In our minds, we’re not stewards, we’re owners, yea even creators. This is when our concepts of control and order become dangerously idolatrous. Just as dangerous as they did for Nebuchadnezzar. Yet, to God’s credit, He gave Nebuchadnezzar an opportunity to avoid the whole mess. A year long opportunity. An opportunity Nebuchadnezzar sadly squandered away.

See: Power and Control - part IV Monday July 7

Power & Control I

Power & Control II

I said, "Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and no mystery is too difficult for you. Here is my dream; interpret it for me. These are the visions I saw while lying in my bed: I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, and the birds of the air lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed. "In the visions I saw while lying in my bed, I looked, and there before me was a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven. He called in a loud voice: `Cut down the tree and trim off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches. But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze, remain in the ground, in the grass of the field. "`Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times pass by for him. "`The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.' "This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you." 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."

Daniel 4:9-27