He Did What Now? Crazy dreams and cattle feed…

Well, would you look at us? We made it through another week! Proud of you, kid!

This week, we’re jumping back into the book of Daniel. Now, I know it’s been a good bit since we’ve talked about this story, so if you need a refresher on the last we heard of Daniel, King Chad, and the Judahite Boyz, you can click here!

Buckle in! Because this week’s post is going to drive at least one of us mad-cow crazy…

We’re coming right off the heels of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego surviving the fiery furnace. King Chad is so in awe of God that he literally decrees that anyone who says anything offensive about God will be torn limb from limb and will have their home turned into a heaping pile of garbage (Daniel 3:29).

King Chad doesn’t skip a beat in proclaiming the wonders and miracles of God. He want to tell everybody and their mama - of every nation, language, and people - about how God’s kingdom is eternal and how he reigns through all generations (Daniel 4:1-3).

But remember Chaddy’s nagging dreams? Yeah, forget counting sheep, because this guy can’t keep from having dreams. The worst part is that no matter how vivid they are, he can;t understand them. King Chad goes from “flourishing’ to frightened, alarmed by the visions and images he was seeing while asleep (Daniel 4:4-5). Being king and all, Chad issues a decree that all of the wise men (keep in mind that wise men weren’t all men of God) are to be brought to him in order to tell him the meaning of his own dreams. Every medium, Chaldean, magician, and diviner has no business trying to interpret this dream, and none of them can give him an answer - much less a straight one (Daniel 4:6-7).

Finally Daniel (aka Belteshazzar) arrives on the scene. King Chad recognizes that Daniel quite literally has a different air and spirit about him. What’s interesting though, is that although just a few verses before King Chad is praising the God of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel, he is SUPER quick to fall back into referencing his old gods. He returns to calling Daniel “Belteshazzar” after one of his “lowercase-g” gods and a magician. But still, with the faith that no mystery can puzzle Daniel, the king reveals his dream (Daniel 4:8-10).

In his dream, King Chad sees a super tall and large tree rooted in the middle of the earth. The tree was so large that it brushed the top of the sky and was visible around the world. The leaves were beautiful, and there was enough fruit on the tree to feed all people and creatures. Animals took shelter under it, birds took refuge in it, and everyone and everything was fed from it (Daniel 4:11-12).

In the dream, a holy watcher (a class of angels) comes down from heaven and gives a loud message: “Cut down this tree and watch as all of the animals scurry from it. But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, with a band of bronze and iron around it. Let him be drenched in dew from the sky, and let him share the plants of the earth with the animals. Let him become like Beauty and the Beast - let his mind be transformed from that of a human to that of an animal for seven periods of time. This word is a decree from the watchers, and it is a command of the holy ones. This is so all living things will know the Most High is the ruler of human kingdoms. He gives these kingdoms to anyone He chooses, and He places the lowliest of people over them” (Daniel 4:13-17).

King Chad reiterates that no one can accomplish the task of interpreting his dream except Belteshazzar/Daniel (Daniel 4:18).

Daniel is stunned for a moment, not able to talk about the thoughts bouncing around in his head. King Chad is like, “Yeah man, I know. Don’t let the dreams freak you out that much - I’m the one having them.” Daniel responds, “Bro, I hope this dream is about those who hate you, or that it’s about your enemies! That big tree you saw? So strong, so fruitful, so beautiful? Yeah, dude, that was you. You have become great and strong, and your dominion extends to the end of the earth” (Daniel 4:19-22).

“But the watcher?” Daniel continues, “That says for the tree to be cut? To let the roots remain but wrap the tree in bands of iron and bronze? That says let him eat like a wild animal for seven periods??? King Chad, that was about you. You’ll be driven away from all people to live like a wild animal.You’ll feed on the grass like cattle and be drenched by the sky for seven periods of time, until you acknowledge that God is the Most High ruler above all human kingdoms. Remember how the stump and the roots remained? Your kingdom will be restored as soon as you acknowledge that heaven rules” (Daniel 4:23-26).

Daniel ends with telling the king that he hopes he’s given his majesty good advice… (Daniel, buddy, I doubt the king is going to be thrilled). He tells King Chad to separate himself from his sins by doing what is right - by showing mercy to the needy. Perhaps then, the king will receive an extension of prosperity (Daniel 4:27).

What happens next? Well, all of it. Everything Daniel described happens to King Chad. A year after the interpretation is made, King Chad is walking around the roof of the royal palace exclaiming, “Yo! Is this not the greatest city and fortress ever? Is this not Babylon that I have built to be a royal residence for my vast power and for my majestic glory?” (Daniel 4:28-30).

While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice booms down from heaven: “King Nebby-Chadnezzar, you will be driven from all people because the kingdom has left you. You’ll live like the wild animals and feed on grass like the cattle for seven periods of time… until you realize that God is supreme ruler over all” (Daniel 4:31-32).

In that very instant, the message over Nebby-Chad was fulfilled. He was driven away from all people, and ate grass in the fields like a cow. His body was drenched by the dew of the sky. His hair “grew long like eagle feathers” and his nails long like bird claws (Daniel 4:33).

At the end of those seven periods, King Neb looked up to heaven, and his sanity was restored. He then praises the Most High, just as he did in the beginning of this chapter of our story. King Chad realizes (finally!) that no one can block the hand of God, considering that his dominion reigns supreme over all (Daniel 4:34-35).

As his sanity is restored, so is King Chad’s kingdom and reign. All his advisors and nobles seek him out, and he goes from pasture to throne lickedy-split. Even more greatness is established in and through him. King Chad praises, exalts, and honors the God of the heavens, knowing that he can humble anyone anytime… even if it means turning them into a mad cow (Daniel 4:36-37).

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Woah! Talk about a king going mad… Wonder how his advisors, nobles, and citizens really felt about bringing in a king that hadn’t shaved, showered, or eaten anything other than grass for a while? Wonder if they had any beef with him? (Ba-dum-tsss).

Join us next week for another dive into the book of Daniel! And keep an eye out for Ep. 1 of the He Did What Now? Podcast towards the end of August!