Looks into the life of King Nebuchadnezzar and what he contributed through writing to the bible. We take a look at his dream about the tree and how turning our eyes to heaven shows us the power of the God of the Now. Goes with the Rob Bell Video entitled "Trees"

1. Living Between the Trees

2. Alpha and the Omega

3. The Tree In The Middle
• The Book of Daniel
• Who is it written by?
• Who was Daniel?
• King Nebuchadnezzar
• Conquered Israel
• Destroyed Jerusalem
• Exiled the People of God
• Kidnapped Daniel
• Serving Babylonian Empire

4. Kingdom In The Middle
The ancient version of the Middle East

5. Nebuchadnezzar Wrote Daniel 4!
King Nebuchadnezzar,
To the peoples, nations and men
of every language, who live in all the world:
May you prosper greatly!
It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and
wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
How great are his signs,
how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
his dominion endures from generation to generation.
I, Nebuchadnezzar...

6. But Why?
To Share Wisdom With Us

7. In a Name: King Nebuchadnezzar
His Name Means:
“Oh god Nabu,
preserve and defend
my firstborn son”
Who is Nabu?
The Babylonian god of
Wisdom and the Written Word
Daniel is a prophetic writer
Neby likes him for that reason

8. The Spirit of the Living God
“I know that the spirit of the
holy gods is in you, and no
mystery is too difficult for you”
– Daniel 4:18 –
Daniel had the Holy God of
Israel residing inside of him

9. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
I was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous.
I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was lying in my bed,
the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me.
I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the
land. Its height was enormous. The tree grew large and strong and
its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth.
Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food
for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, the birds of
the air lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.

10. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
In the visions I saw while lying in my bed,
I looked, and there before me was a messenger,
a holy one, coming down from heaven. He called in a loud voice:
“Cut down the tree and trim off its branches;
strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.
Let the animals flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
But let the stump and its roots, bound with iron and bronze,
remain in the ground, in the grass of the field.”

11. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live
with the animals among the plants of the earth. Let his mind
be changed from that of a man and let him be given the mind
of an animal, till seven times pass by for him.
The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones
declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most
High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to
anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.
Daniel 4:4-5, 13-17

12. Daniel’s Interpretation
This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree the
Most High has issued against my lord the king:
You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild
animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the
dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you
acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the
kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.
Daniel 4:24-25

13. Daniel’s Interpretation
The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots
means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you
acknowledge that Heaven rules. Therefore, O king, be pleased
to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right,
and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be
that then your prosperity will continue.
Daniel 4:26-27

14. Neby’s Dream In Other Words
What happens to Neby when
he becomes arrogant enough
to think he has all the answers
What happens when he
believes that he is the reason
for Babylon’s success

15. Neby Becomes Arrogant
The words were still on his lips
when a voice came from heaven,
“This is what is decreed
for you, King Nebuchadnezzar:
Your royal authority has been
taken from you. “
– Daniel 4:31 –

16. Neby Becomes Arrogant
You will be driven away from people
and will live with wild animals.
You will eat grass like cattle.
Seven times will pass by for you until
you acknowledge that the Most HIgh
is sovereign over the kingdoms of men
and gives them to anyone he wishes”
– Daniel 4:32 –

17. The Dream Is Fulfilled...
Immediately what had been
said about Nebuchadnezzar
was fulfilled.
He was driven away from people
and ate grass like cattle.
His body was drenched
with the dew of heaven until his
hair grew like feathers of an eagle
and his nails like the claws of a bird
– Daniel 4:33 –

18. “At the end of that time,
I, Nebuchadnezzar,
raised my eyes toward heaven,
and my sanity was restored.
Then I praised the Most High;
I honored and glorified him
who lives forever...”
– Daniel 4:34 –
...brings Repentance & Redemption

19. At the same time that my
sanity was restored, my
honor and splendor were
returned to me for the glory
of my kingdom. My advisers
and nobles sought me out,
and I was restored to my
throne and became even
greater than before.
– Daniel 4:36 –
...brings Honor and Splendor

20. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar,
praise and exalt and glorify
the King of heaven, because
everything he does is right
and all his ways are just. And
those who walk in pride he is
able to humble.
– Daniel 4:37 –
...brings Power through Humility

21. “We live between the trees
in a world drenched in God.”
-Rob Bell
“...Let him be drenched with
the dew of heaven, and let him
live with the animals among the
plants of the earth.”
-God to Neby in his dream
(in Daniel 4:15)
We are drenched in God

22. Live in the NOW!
Daniel is given the gift
of this interpretation
because it was needed
“for such a time as this.”
He was AVAILABLE
and WILLING for God to
work through him in the
HERE and NOW.

23. Live in the NOW!
King Nebuchadnezzar
could have chosen to
live as God commanded
He chose to take credit
for what God had given
God instantly took
action reveal his glory
back to him

24. If God decided he wanted to communicate with
the King of Babylon, who overthrew, destroyed,
raped, pillaged, and exiled the people of God...
...He may actually be interested in talking to YOU!

25. “The past is history,
the future a mystery,
but today is a gift...
that is why it is called the present.”
from the great philosopher Master Oogway
Kung Fu Panda

26. God Is Now