Memory verse: “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.” Daniel 4:37.

The Babylonian Empire grew rapidly, and Nebuchadnezzar was the greatest ruler there ever was in this world. Unfortunately, he forgot the things he had learned about the true God. He forgot that he was such a great ruler only because the God of heaven had given him his position and power. Through the experience of seeing the three Hebrews walk around in the fire, as a consequence of not worshiping his golden image, he had been humbled. Because of this he declared that no one was to worship any god, except the God of heaven. Here, in Daniel four, some time has gone by, and Nebuchadnezzar has forgotten the God of heaven. How easy it is to backslide! This lesson shows how important it is to remember to worship the God of heaven. Take time to read the whole chapter.

1. In chapter four, we see that Nebuchadnezzar had another dream. This time, he remembers the dream, though none of the magicians or astrologers can interpret the dream for him. So he calls on Daniel. (See verse 8.) Let us look at what Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream as he recounted it to Daniel—Daniel 4:10: “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 ____________, and the height thereof ______________ unto ____________, 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 ____________ under it, and the __________ of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.” This was some tree!

2. What happened to the tree? Daniel 4:13, 14 says: “I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a __________ and an holy one came down from _______________. He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, _______________ _____________ his ____________, and ___________ his _______________ let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:”

3. What was to be left of the tree? Daniel 4:15 says: “Nevertheless leave the _______of his __________ in the earth, even with a ______ of ________ and __________ 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:”

4. The king says, in verse 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.” Who is this talking about? Who is this man? We will see how Daniel interprets the rest of the dream. This dream really troubled Daniel (verse 19). It was hard for him to tell the king the interpretation for it was to the good of his enemies. The king told him: Don’t let the dream trouble you. Go ahead and tell me what the dream means.

5. What did the tree represent? Read Daniel 4:20, 21, and fill in verse 22. “It is _____________, O ____________, that art grown and become strong: for thy ______________ is grown, and _____________ unto ____________, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.” So we see the great tree represented King Nebuchadnezzar, a great ruler of the earth, the kingdom of gold.

6. The holy watcher from heaven had said what was to happen to the tree. Daniel 4:23 (first part). “And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, __________ the tree __________, and ____________ it;” The tree is Nebuchadnezzar. What was to happen to him? We will see soon what was to be left of the tree. Verse 23 (last part): “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 ________ with the _________ of heaven, and let his ____________ be with the __________ of the field, till ____________ _______________ pass over him.”

7. Daniel now tells the king, in Daniel 4:25, what this verse means. “That they shall ___________ __________ from men, and thy ___________ 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 ___________ ____________ shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most high ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.” What would happen to the king? Seven years was the king to live with the beast of the fields and eat grass.

8. Why did all this happen to King Nebuchadnezzar? It is important for us to know, so we don’t call for God’s displeasure on us. Go back and read Daniel 4:17 (last part): “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the ___________ may know that the most high ruleth in the kingdom of men, and _________ it to _____________ he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” The king was in charge, but only as long as God could use him. God sets up kingdoms, and, when they do not serve him, He takes them down. We need to pray for our leaders. God can take them down when it is time for them to be replaced. Now let’s look at the last part of Daniel 4:25. “Till thou ________ that the most _________ ____________ in the kingdom of men and giveth it to ___________ he will.” This earth is not left to itself; there is a God in charge.

9. What about the stump of the tree root? Why was it left? Daniel 4:26, “And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy ____________ shall be ____________ unto ___________, after that thou shalt have known that the __________ do ________.” Once the seven years were over, the king’s reason returned to him. Then he knew the King of heaven was to be the only God to worship. He would be restored to His kingdom.

10. In Daniel 4:27, he was told things he should do. “Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and _________ _________ thy _________ by ____________, and thine ____________ by __________ ___________ to the __________; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.” God said do this and you may live longer. The king needed to make some changes in his life. He was to worship the true God, and then he would be restored to his kingdom. Verse 28 tells us that all this did come upon King Nebuchadnezzar.

11. How long after the dream was it before this took place? Daniel 4:29 says: “at the end of ___________ ____________ he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.”

12. What he said showed that he had not learned from the dream to humble himself before God who had given him power and wealth and rulership. Everything he had came from God. It was God who gave him the mind and strength to get where he was. What word did he use that showed he had not learned what God wanted him to know? Daniel 4:30 “The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon that ___ have _________ for the house of the kingdom by the might of ___________ ___________, and for the honour of my majesty?” He took all the credit to himself. This is self-worship and it leaves God out altogether. “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me” Phillippians. 4:13. Without Christ, we can do nothing. All life comes from him. So let’s not look at how great we are.

13. What happened when the king spoke? Daniel 4:31 says: “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 ____________ is ___________ from ____________.” At this point he was driven out into the fields with the beasts.

14. He would live with the beasts until he could learn what? Daniel 4:32: “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 ______________ ____________ ____________ in the _________ of ___________ and giveth it to whomsoever he will.”

15. What change took place in Nebuchadnezzar while out in the fields? Daniel 4:33 says: “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 _________ were _________ like eagles’ ______________, and his nails like ____________.”

16. What did Nebuchadnezzar say after the time was fulfilled? Daniel 4:34: “And at the end of the days, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and ________ ___________ the _________ ___________, and I _____________ and ___________ ____________ that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:”

17. What happened next? Daniel 4:36 says: “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 ________ __________ was added unto __________.”

18. Does Nebuchadnezzar have words for us today? Daniel 4:37 says: “Now I Nebuchadnezzar ________ and _________ and ___________ the King of heaven all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.” I want to learn the lesson well, so I won’t have as many tests and trials to go through.