旧约 - 但以理书(Daniel)第4章

Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me.
How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:
I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.
Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.
Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my God, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying,
O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
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.
The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:
The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;
He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:
Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, 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:
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.
This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.
This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.
The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth;
Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation:
It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; 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 wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;
This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling 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 seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.
Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
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 kingdom is departed from thee.
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 most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
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 hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.
And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
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 excellent majesty was added unto me.
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.
但以理书第四章   第 4 章 

  但 4:2-3> 口里承认,心里相信,内外一致的信仰原则,衡量你也衡量我…… 

  4:2-3 尽管尼布甲尼撒赞美但以理的神,他仍未完全相信和顺服这位神( 4:8 )。如今许多人参加教会,说属灵的话,但他们并不真正信服和遵从神。口头上的表白不等于实际上的拥有。你对神的顺服是否与信仰相称? 

  但 4:17> 总觉得,神主宰一切的信念与现代民主的精神有所冲突…… 

  4:17 对于生活在自由和自治社会中的人来说,神至高无上的权威是很难理解的。祂高于所有领导者,制约着世上所有政府、商界和宗教领袖的权力。虽然我们似乎可以随心所欲,其实神仍掌握着我们。 

  但 4:19> 但以理这话是真心还是假意?是阿谀?同情?…… 

  4:19 但以理因尼布甲尼撒的梦而惊讶,婉转地对他说,愿这梦在他的敌人而不是王的身上应验。尼布甲尼撒毁灭了犹大国,但以理为何还为这个暴君的命运如此忧伤呢?因为他已经饶恕了尼布甲尼撒,因此神才使用他。我们常常会因受到他人的冤屈而耿耿于怀,甚至这人受苦,我们却幸灾乐祸。原谅意味着不记旧仇。你能爱那些曾经伤害过你的人吗?你愿服事那些曾错待过你的人吗?求神帮助你去宽恕、忘记和爱。神会通过你来改变那人的生命。 

  但 4:23-36> 身居高位就自以为了不起?我位不高当然不会──真的不会? 

  4:23-36 虽然人们普遍认为尼布甲尼撒是一位非凡的,甚至是神圣的国王,神却揭示出他是一个普通人。他将要发疯,有好一段时期(七期)变得像牲畜一样。神使尼布甲尼撒蒙受耻辱,以证明全能的神才是万国之君,而非尼布甲尼撒。一个人无论如何有权势,以自我为中心的傲慢都将使神远离他的生命。自傲也许是你将要面对的最危险诱惑之一。切不可因你的成就而忘记神。 

  尼布甲尼撒 

  但 4:27-33> 神对人总是有一分宽容,有时人却会滥用这宽容;我…… 

  4:27-33 但以理劝谏尼布甲尼撒改善治国的方式。神则给尼布甲尼撒十二个月的期限,以观其效。不幸的是,这傲慢君王的心并无悔改,而使梦境变成了事实。 

  但 4:34> 圣经对于历代人物的得失,总会毫不掩饰的记述下来,而官方记录却…… 

  4:34 历代帝王总是极力避免在有关他们的纪念物上,和官方记录中提及他们的弱点和失败。从有关尼布甲尼撒的历史文献中,我们可推断出在其 43 年的王朝中,有一段时间他并不在位,而圣经则描述了他的骄横和所受的惩罚。 

  但 4:36> 在尼布甲尼撒的身上,我会否看到我在信仰路上的影子? 

  4:36 尼布甲尼撒对神的朝圣是但以理书的主题之一。他认识到,是神将其梦中的奥秘显明给但以理( 2:47 )。他赞颂神挽救了三个希伯来人( 3:28-29 )。尽管尼布甲尼撒认同神的存在和所行的奇迹,他仍不肯承认神是他的主宰( 4:30 )。仅仅承认神的存在和那些奇妙的神迹并不会使神改变我们,除非我们接受他作生命的主宰。──《灵修版圣经注释》