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10 January, 2018

Search The Scriptures —Study 5 — Daniel 4

Study 5 From the Book of Daniel is: Daniel 4

The theme of this chapter is pride. It takes the form of a decree by Nebuchadnezzar announcing the strange psychical affliction he has undergone, through which he has learnt the all-important lesson that
‘the Most High rules the kingdom of men, and gives it to whom he will’ (verse 25).  It can be compared with Is. 14:8-17 and Ezk. 1-10, passages which in their turn look back to the basic sin of humanity (Gn. 3).

       1-     How effective was the king’s experience in bringing him to humility? Contrast his attitude to God and confession of Him in this chapter with his previous utterances in 2:47; 3:29. How would you define the change?
      2-     What are the main themes of Daniel’s teaching in this situation? With verse 27, cf. Mi. 6:8.
Notes
      1-     Verse 13. ‘A watcher, a holy one’: i.e., an angelic figure who acted with the authority of God.
      2-     Verse 33. The mental derangement, known as zoanthropy, lasted for a set period described as ‘seven times’ (verse 16). This could mean ‘seven years’ or simply ‘a substantial period of time’.  In the apocryphal ‘Prayer of Nabonidus’, found a Qumran, it is recorded that King Nabonidus, a successor of Nebuchadnezzar, spent seven years of his reign in isolation at Teima because of some strange illness. So this chapter is not without parallel in ancient traditions.


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