another god that is able to deliver like this one.”—Dan. 3:28, 29.

22. (a) Show how the basic issue is the same today as in Daniel’s day. (b) Since tests come upon most of God’s servants, what is the wise course of action?

²² Like these men, Jehovah’s witnesses today cannot compromise. In some countries they must preach the Kingdom good news underground. In others they meet secretly in order to be strengthened for the work ahead. Though they are law-abiding Christians, when faced squarely with an issue involving integrity to Jehovah, they cannot bow to the whim or dictates of nationalistic rulers. The very same issue is facing Jehovah’s people today as in Daniel’s time: ‘Whom do you worship?’ Sooner or later such tests will come upon most of God’s servants, and those who have resolutely made their decision beforehand may be expected to prove faithful. Better it is to make that decision now than to put it off until one is faced with some test. How timely the record of these faithful men of old! How encouraging for faithful servants of God today to see the outcome that Jehovah God gave to those who refused to worship other gods!

PROPHETIC TREE DREAM

23. What dream did Nebuchadnezzar have more than eight years before he died, and what did Daniel say in interpretation?

²³ One night more than eight years before Nebuchadnezzar died he had a frightening dream. When all the magic-practicing priests of Babylon failed to give him the interpretation, Daniel was called in to the imperial presence, and the mighty world ruler said to him: “Tell me the visions of my dream that I have beheld and its interpretation.” (Dan. 4:9) The dream was of an immense tree that an angel from heaven commanded to be chopped down. Its stump was banded with iron and copper and had to stay that way among the grass of the field until “seven times” passed over it. The angel in the dream had said: “Let its heart be changed from that of mankind, and let the heart of a beast be given to it, and let seven times pass over it.” But what was the meaning of this dream? Would its interpretation prove to be equally frightening to King Nebuchadnezzar? Listen to Daniel’s words: “The tree that you beheld, . . . it is you, O king.”—Dan. 4:10-22.

24, 25. (a) What was to happen to Nebuchadnezzar, and why? (b) On what occasion was the tree dream fulfilled upon him, and how?

²⁴ Imagine how this must have heightened Nebuchadnezzar’s interest as he listened attentively to Daniel’s explanation that followed. Daniel revealed that he was to be driven from his throne into the field to eat grass like bulls. But, like that double-banded tree stump, his kingdom was to be held for him until he had spent “seven times” in such a degraded state. Only then would he come to his senses and be obliged to confess that the Most High God rules supreme and gives the kingdom of mankind to whom He wants to give it. One year later the dream was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar while he was walking upon his royal palace looking out over the magnificent city and one of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World,” the hanging gardens of Babylon. How exalted he felt as he viewed all this glory! Boastfully he spoke: “Is not this Babylon the Great, that I myself have built for the royal house with the strength of my might and for the dignity of my majesty?”—Dan. 4:29, 30.

²⁵ Nebuchadnezzar had no sooner spoken those words than a voice from heaven announced that the tree dream would be fulfilled upon him now! At that very moment he was seized with madness and went out into the field to eat grass like a bull and stayed there for seven years. At the end of that period his understanding came back to him, and he now rendered praise to the Most High God rather than appropriating it to himself. That dream and its direct fulfillment upon Nebuchadnezzar were prophetic, reaching right down to the twentieth century.

26. (a) With the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E. what transfer of domination took place? (b) What was pictured by the tree and by the banded stump?

²⁶ When Nebuchadnezzar destroyed God’s typical kingdom of Israel, a transfer of domination to the victorious Gentile world power took place. Gentile governments were now to rule the earth without any interference from the kingdom of Jehovah God even in a typical way, until “seven times” had passed. The tree, which pictured world domination by God’s kingdom, was banded and its stump left in the ground. This symbolized that the One who originally held world domination would not forever let go of it. The banding of the stump gave assurance that the tree was not dead and that its rootstock was destined to sprout again.

27. (a) What was symbolized by Nebuchadnezzar’s insane conduct? (b) What do the Scriptures show the length of seven prophetic times to be, reaching into what time period?

²⁷ Prophetically, during the “seven times” of Gentile rule, God’s kingdom would remain low, like that tree stump. Nebuchadnezzar’s insane bestial conduct during the period when the seven literal times passed over him pictured how the Gentile rulers would conduct themselves in a bestial manner during the time of their world dominance. The Scriptures show the length of the “seven times” of Gentile rule to have been a period of 2,520 years, stretching forward from 607 B.C.E. to 1914 C.E., yes, right into our twentieth century!

28. What took place at the end of the seven symbolic times, and why does Jehovah permit the nations to continue yet for a little while?

²⁸ In 1914 God removed the bands around the symbolic tree, and he has raised up the Lord Jesus Christ and clothed him with world domination. God’s kingdom now rules! It is only by Jehovah’s long-suffering that the Gentile powers remain, for he could have wiped the nations out in the years immediately following the reestablishment of his kingdom. Whether they recognize it or not the Gentile nations rule today only by God’s toleration. Jehovah permits their continuance for a few years more so that sheeplike persons from all nations may come out of this system of things before its Armageddon end.

Crushing All Nations in Our Day by God’s Kingdom

“In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. . . . It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.”—Dan. 2:44.

1. Concerning what did God notify King Nebuchadnezzar, and by what means?

JEHOVAH notified Nebuchadnezzar in the second year of his reign as world ruler, or in 606-605 B.C.E., that he would begin the march of world powers, which would run for 2,520 years from the fall