Daniel 4:24 Commentary and Bible Study

The decree of God is that these things must happen. Nebuchadnezzar’s pride has gone too far not to be punished. He has lifted himself up in the sight of all men, and so in the sight of all men he must be brought down to the level of a beast. Daniel knows the decree cannot be averted, and Nebuchadnezzar also is going to find out that God is sovereign over all the affairs of men – over nations and peoples, and over individuals within those nations.Does God reveal to men what he is going to do in the future? Only on rare occasions, and yet the future is always sure and fixed. The fact that the future is revealed to man’s intelligence does nothing to make it any less certain. Man cannot effectively interfere with God’s purposes whether he knows them or not. In fact, if he tries, he only succeeds in helping to bring about the fulfilment (2 Kings 7:2, 17; 1 Samuel 28:19; 31:3-6), and even when he is unaware of it, he assists God’s plan (John 12:16).Your own officials will have to remove you from circulation and put you where none can see you, because they are ashamed on your behalf and to protect you from public derision. You will undergo a period of madness, and you must be put away so that you can get through this period of madness. It will be a kindness to you to protect you and hide you, but also it will protect the dignity of Babylon. He would eat grass, not because of the officials were cruel and fed him with it, but because of the nature of the illness.And yet, according to the purposes of God, there was hope at the end of all this. In terms of the analogy, there was life in the root of the tree, so that the kingdom will be restored. While the king is in this state the kingdom will not be usurped, but held in store for him. Daniel and others will rule, and Daniel will ensure that the kingdom is reserved for the king following his recovery. Daniel witnessed all these marvellous events, and worshipped the God who had such control over all events. If the Lord could do these things so easily, then surely there was a reason why Israel was being held in captivity, and he who never forgets his people would restore them also at the right time.