“The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.” Daniel 4:17-18
Nebuchadnezzar is asleep but the vision God sent fills his heart with anxiety. The last few words he hears enhances his apprehension. The vision is over but the king is shaken. Does this last part of his dream resonate with the king? Does he grasp that was sent by God to tell him about his standing before God . If it is, he knows it is serious.
The sentence is by the decree of the watchers The word sentence can be translated command or report. Nebuchadnezzar is clearly told this vision is from God? It is a decree brought to him by the angelic watchers God placed over Babylon. (The concept of the angelic
watcher is consistent with the responsibility of certain angels to watch over the affairs of nations.) This fact enhances the king’s anxiety.
A message sent to him by one who has carefully watched how the he has honored God in managing his kingdom must terrify him. Just judgement terrifies the guilty.
The decision by the word of the holy ones A decision has been made. The terms of the sentence are established and final.
To the end that the living may know God tells the purpose behind the vision– it is what God, the absolute holy One, wants King Nebuchadnezzar, and us, to learn. God wants him to know who He is. The word “know” means to understand, learn or recognize. It is beyond the mere knowledge of a fact – it is a personal understanding of the truth of the majesty of God. The concept of knowing God is found through- out the Old and New Testament. It is reason Christ became man, to reveal God so that we may know Him.
As you read your Bible mark every time you come across “know”. You will soon find how pervasive it is and why it is one of the major drivers behind the great Commission given by Christ to His church.
That the Most High rules the kingdom of men This is the lesson God has for all of us. Apart from the truth incorporated in the salvation message, this is the most important truth we can learn in life. In fact, for unbelievers, it is a lesson they must begin to understand before salvation can occur for it is the reason men humble themselves before a holy God – He is holy, He is sovereign. That is the key to understanding why our pride is so offensive to God.
Gives it to whom he will This is a subtle personal message to King Nebuchadnezzar. Yes he is a great king, the mightiest in the world. He has many accomplishments. But before he takes credit and prides himself, he he needs to understand two truths. The first truth is God gave his position to him. God could have chosen any man in the world to be king of Babylon but He placed Nebuchadnezzar in that role.
Sets over it the lowliest of men. The second truth is that God does not require talent to carry out His will. In fact He often works through the lowliest of men. What we know is God desires willingness, humility and faithfulness. Nebuchadnezzar is proud and arrogant and that is a barrier to knowing and worshiping God.
What can we learn? The whole concept of salvation is to know God. We come to know Him as our Savior when we see the horror of our sin in comparison to the purity of His holiness. This causes us to tremble when we know what we justly deserve.
After we know God in salvation, we deepen our knowledge of Him as we become like Him. We read God’s word, trust him, obey His commandments and He builds his character in us. This is called sanctification – becoming like Christ – the goal of our time on earth. John tells us the pinnacle of that growth is to, you guessed it, know God. Believers will spend all of eternity learning of the greatness of God who saved us. Nebuchadnezzar received a personal message from God for one reason – he needs to know the living and true God in a personal way. It is a message God sends to all of us – “that I may know Him”.