Daniel 4:27 Commentary and Bible Study

Many understand Daniel to be urging the king to repent in order to avert the judgment altogether, but as E J Young says, there is nothing in the text to support this. Yes, repentance leads to the averting of judgment, but here it is too late for that. Daniel treats the prophecy given to the king through the dream as unavoidable – it will certainly come, for it is according to ‘the decree of the most High’. Nevertheless he sincerely counsels the king to repent of his iniquities, his evil practices, in order that there may be a delay before it comes and a lengthening of the period of tranquillity. Daniel adds application; he hasn’t been asked for this. He gives counsel to the king; it is pretty hard stuff. ‘Wherefore, O king,’ – this is the hardest part – ‘let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness.’ The original is better translated ‘by justice’. It is perfectly legitimate to translate it ‘by righteousness’, but in this particular place it slightly misleads us. The complaint Daniel is making to the king is with regard to his appalling administration of justice, not so much his personal conduct. It is likely that this is particularly against the Hebrews, against the Jews. In other words, the king, as the chief magistrate in the land; the way he directs justice is not just. It is heavily biased. If you are a Jew, you always come off worse. If you are poor, always the landowners and the rich win; always the friends of the emperor, who have his ear; things are done to the advantage of the chief magistrate, the emperor, the king. He should be setting a standard of fairness. Daniel isn't going to preach to him. It's not what God requires of him. He isn't going to tell him the gospel. He isn't going to talk about how to be saved. Daniel's task – evidently given to him by God – is to tell the king that the only hope for him to delay this warning, this period of madness, is to implement proper justice throughout the empire, and to stop his capricious and unjust ways. Here indeed is courage: to say such a thing to such an arbitrary and tyrannical monarch, a man who could be so uncontrolled in the use of his power. He says it with the utmost deference – ‘let my counsel be acceptable unto thee’ – but with great boldness. When we are obliged to say difficult thing to the great ones of this world, they will take note of the courage and directness with which we speak to them. This is far more likely to have effect than a cringing and sycophantic demeanour. They are used to being surrounded by flatterers, and they note someone who is different. Certainly God restrained the king from hurting his servant, but Daniel’s straightforwardness and courage served him well. He was obviously finding this very difficult and Nebuchadnezzar could see that. He remained respectful, and yet he said hard things, and this gave the king the impression that he genuinely cared for his welfare; that was rare. Break off all your schemes and sins, and start to rule righteously as you are not doing. But the king didn't change his ways at all. He didn't seek any further instruction from Daniel. He didn't do anything about the justice system. He was too proud. He carried on just as he was.