Daniel 4 comes to us in the form of a letter written by Nebuchadnezzar himself, recounting a royal dream and its interpretation of impending madness and restoration that came to pass.
Nebuchadnezzar's dream was of a great tree at the center of the earth. Visible to the ends of the earth, a great many animals and birds found food and shelter from the tree. Judgment came upon it, however, when a "holy watcher" descended from heaven and pronounced its doom. It was to be cut down and destroyed, leaving only its stump in the ground. Then the message changes from that of a tree to that concerning a person: "Let him be bathed with the dew of heaven, and let his lot be with the animals of the field in the grass of the earth. Let his mind be changed from that of a human, and let the mind of an animal be given to him. And let seven times pass over him" (vs. 15 and 16).
The king called in his advisors and wise men to interpret the dream. None could do it, however, except Daniel. Daniel was at first afraid to share the interpretation with Nebuchadnezzar, because it was bad news. When the king prevailed upon Daniel to disclose the dream's meaning, Daniel explained that Nebuchadnezzar was represented by the tree. He was to be cut down and lose his mind for a time (actually "seven times") before being restored.
About a year later, the dream came true. In a flash of utter pride and vanity, Nebuchadnezzar looks over the mighty city of Babylon and pats himself on the back, saying, "Is this not magnificent Babylon, which I have built as a royal capital by my mighty power and for my glorious majesty?” (vs. 30). Immediately, he was driven away from human society until he might learn that God is the one who is sovereign over the kingdoms of the earth. Nebuchadnezzar "ate grass like oxen, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails became like birds’ claws" (vs. 33). While Bible scholars differ on exactly what affliction Nebuchadnezzar suffered from, it seems like to be some kind of mental illness. (I always picture Howard Hughes here.)
However, after seven "times" (commonly but not definitively understood to signify years), Nebuchadnezzar's mind returned when he looked up to heaven and realized that God was truly the one in charge of his destiny. He was restored over his kingdom and moved to write this letter to his subjects testifying to the power and goodness of God.
The warning of what happened to Nebuchadnezzar seems clear: Beware the pitfalls of pride!
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