Xanthe Hancox 

I looked, and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. 11 The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.  Daniel 4:10-12 

In the fourth chapter of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream of a great tree cut down to size (Daniel 4:13-17). Daniel interprets the dream, explaining that Nebuchadnezzar himself is the tree. The king will lose his mind and be driven from the kingdom unless he repents (Daniel 4:19-27). 

King Nebuchadnezzar was one of the most powerful monarchs the world has ever seen. He reigned for more than forty years and when he died in 561 BC, the city of Babylon was the symbol of glory and world domination. But like so many people, he was deceived by perishable things of this world. He had turned from God and become exceedingly proud. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream told of a massive tree. The order was given “Cut down the tree and trim off its branches!” (4:13-14). The message was clear – in a moment the vast wealth and success of the king would be gone. Everything that Nebuchadnezzar possessed would instantly perish! All in which he placed trust and value would vanish! In 538 BC, less than a quarter of a century after Nebuchadnezzar died, the great city of Babylon fell to Cyrus, King of Persia. 

Jesus reaffirms the danger of trusting in wealth when he tells the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12: 13-21). He warns the crowd that “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Often we are so engrossed in the affairs of this world that we forget how temporary it really is. We invest our time and talents so heavily in the perishable things and neglect Jesus, the source of permanent joy and everlasting life. 

Prayer: It’s so easy to get caught up in the perishable things of this world, Lord, Forgive me for the times when I’ve become proud, trusting in my own wealth and ability to get me through. Amen.