Dream of a Tree

In this fourth chapter of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar has another dream that Daniel must interpret. 

King Nebuchadnezzar,

To the nations and peoples of every language, who live in all the earth:

May you prosper greatly!

² It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.

³ How great are his signs,
    how mighty his wonders! 
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
    his dominion endures from generation to generation.

⁴ I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous.⁵ I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. ⁶ So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. ⁷ When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers^[b] and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. ⁸ Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream. (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)

⁹ 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. ¹⁰ These are the visions I saw while lying in bed:I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. ¹¹ The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. ¹² Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.
¹³ “In the visions I saw while lying in bed, I looked, and there before me was a holy one, a messenger,^[c] coming down from heaven. ¹⁴ 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. ¹⁵ 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. ¹⁶ Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind of an animal, till seven times^[d] pass by for him.
¹⁷ “‘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 all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.’
¹⁸ “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.”


The first portion of this chapter details the dream that Nebuchadnezzar has. The chapter begins with Nebuchadnezzar speaking, he is basically telling his story. He begins with a salutation to all people and he is telling them that the story he is about to tell is about the wonder of God.
In the beginning of his story it is all about "I". Nebuchadnezzar was in bed and had a disturbing dream. He called his magicians, astrologers, diviners, etc to interpret it, but they could not. Finally Daniel came to the King, the King remembering that Daniel's God had helped him to interpret the last dream implores him to interpret this new dream. In the King's dream three was a huge tree in the middle of the land. The tree could be seen from the farthest part of the earth. It was beautiful and its fruit fed everyone. Animals sheltered under the tree and birds lived in its branches.  Then an angel came down from heaven and ordered the tree to be cut down, the branches trimmed off and its fruit scattered. The animals and birds fled from the tree. Then the stump of the tree was bound in iron and bronze. The angel decreed that the tree would live among the animals and plants and have the mind of an animal for seven years. The angel announces that this is being done so that all people would know that God is sovereign over all.

Daniel Interprets the Dream
¹⁹ 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! ²⁰ The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, ²¹ with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds —²² Your Majesty, you 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.
²³ “Your Majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, 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 with the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.’
²⁴ “This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: ²⁵ You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox 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 all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. ²⁶ 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. ²⁷ Therefore, Your Majesty, 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 was terrified when he heard the dream. He told Nebuchadnezzar that he wished that the dream referred to the King's enemies. Daniel then begins to interpret the dream. The tree represents Nebuchadnezzar. The King was great and strong and his dominion reached over all the known world at that time. The angel was a messenger from God and he had a decree against Nebuchadnezzar. Because Nebuchadnezzar was so arrogant and did not acknowledge that God was sovereign, but instead arrogantly attributed his greatness to himself, God was going to humble him. He would be driven out of his kingdom to live among the animals of the field. He would have the mind of an animal and he would live like that for seven years. The stump that remains is a promise that his kingdom would be restored after seven years, once Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges the God of Heaven. Daniel implores the King to immediately renounce his sins and wickedness  so that maybe the dream would not have to come true. 

The Dream Is Fulfilled

²⁸ All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹ Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, ³⁰ he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”
³¹ Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. ³² You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”
³³ Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

³⁴ At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.

His dominion is an eternal dominion;
    his kingdom endures from generation to generation. 
³⁵ All the peoples of the earth
    are regarded as nothing. 
He does as he pleases 
    with the powers of heaven
    and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand 
    or say to him: “What have you done?”

³⁶ At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. ³⁷ Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Nebuchadnezzar did not take Daniel's advice. About a year later as he was walking on the roof of the palace, he arrogantly praises himself for the beautiful palace that he had built by his own power and for his glory. As soon as he spoke those words, a voice from heaven announces the decree against him. All that he dreamed would come true. He was driven away from his palace and lived among the animals for seven years. After that time he finally acknowledges God's majesty and glory. He has been humbled and realizes that all that he had was given to him by the hand of God. Once Nebuchadnezzar repents, his kingdom is returned to him. 
The basic theme of this chapter is Nebuchadnezzar's arrogance to God's punishment to Nebuchadnezzar's restoration once he repents. In telling his story, Nebuchadnezzar is sending a warning to all peoples about what happens when you deny the one true God. It is a warning and also it is his testimony.