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CUT DOWN (10)

by Stephen Whitney

Scripture: Daniel 4:4-18
This content is part of a series.


Title: Cut Down (10)
Author: Stephen Whitney
Text: Daniel 4:4-18

When Saddam Hussein was captured in December 2003 during the Second war with Iraq, he was put int a 9-by-12 cell with a glass window in the door. He was given one and a half hours in the morning and again in the evening to go outside and spend time in a garden within the walls of the prison.

There this once most powerful man tends to a tree, putting small stones around the base to decorate it and making sure it has enough water to survive the heat of Iraq's summer time temperatures. When his hour and a half are over Saddam goes back to his cell.

Once he had dominion over all of Iraq, but now he is stripped of all the riches and power he once had. All he had left is a little time each day to cultivate a garden that isn't even his. It is ironic that he now tends a tree because during his 24-year reign from 1979 to 2003 he had cut down thousands of palm trees in Iraq.

1. In the Bible a tree was used is a symbol for a county or nation. Jeremiah 11:16 The Lord once called you (Israel) a green olive tree, beautiful with good fruit.

2. Trees we also used to represent leaders with great power.

Ezekiel 17:24 All the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord; I bring low the high tree and make high the low tree.

God humbles the proud so they acknowledge his is God.

TROUBLEING DREAM :4-9

Dream :4-5

At ease . . . prospering - this was when he had completed building the city of Babylon (:30). It was the greatest city in the ancient world. It had two walls that surrounded the city for protection. The outer wall was wide enough for two chariots to pass one another on the top. The walls were 56 miles long with 250 defensive towers. It included three palaces and 17 temples.

He was now completely content and self-satisfied with all that he had been able to accomplish. As a result of what he had done, he was not afraid of anything or worried about anything.

At th ...

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