When His Reason Returned

The Story

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had a disturbing dream about a huge, beautiful tree that reached the sky, until a heavenly messenger ordered it chopped down, leaving only a stump bound with iron and bronze.

Daniel explained the dream, and it wasn’t good news. The tree was the king. Because of his pride, he would be driven from people and live like an animal until he acknowledged that “the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men.” Daniel urged him to turn from his sins and show mercy to the poor.

A year passed. One day, Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the roof of his palace, looking out over the city. “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built… by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?”

While the words were still in his mouth, a voice came from heaven. That very hour, he lost his mind. He was driven from people and ate grass like an ox. His hair grew like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.

At the end of that time, Nebuchadnezzar looked up to heaven, and his sanity returned. And the first thing he did was praise God. His kingdom was restored to him, and he wrote: “Those that walk in pride he is able to abase.”

Reflection