但四34~35 ……祂的权柄是永远的权柄，祂的国存到万代。……祂照自己的意旨行事；无人能拦住祂的手……。

　　　　37　 现在我……赞美、高举、尊敬天上的王，因为祂一切的作为全是真的，祂的道路是公平的，因为祂能使那行动骄傲的降为卑。

　　神在祂的经纶里管理宇宙，为要成就祂的定旨，就是基督应该在万有中居首位。……神若没有一班子民，就无法使基督成为居首位的。

　　我们蒙神拣选作祂的子民，为叫基督居首位，我们乃是在神属天的掌权之下。……在神属天的掌权下，万有都互相效力，叫我们得益处（罗八28）。……我们〔个人〕的宇宙包括我们自己、我们的家庭以及召会。在我们的宇宙中，每一天都发生许多事，目的乃是要使基督居首位。我们需要看见这事，并顺服神属天的掌权（但以理书生命读经，九○至九一页）。

　　Dan. 4:34-35 …His dominion is an eternal dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation;…He does according to His will…; and there is no one who can resist His hand…

　　37 Now I…praise and exalt and honor the King of the heavens, because all His works are truth and His ways justice, and because He is able to abase those who walk in pride.

　　In His economy God administrates the universe in order to fulfill His purpose. His purpose is to give Christ the preeminence in all things…Apart from God’s having a people, there is no way for Christ to be made preeminent.

　　As those who have been chosen by God to be His people for Christ’s preeminence, we are under God’s heavenly rule…Under God’s heavenly rule, everything is working together for our good (Rom. 8:28)…Our [personal] universe includes ourselves, our families, and the church. In our universe many things happen day by day for the purpose of making Christ preeminent. We need to realize this and be submissive to God’s heavenly rule. (Life-study of Daniel, p. 79)

　　地是在属天行政的管治之下。诸天是为我们掌权，基督也是为着我们的。不仅如此，我们是在神为着基督的属天掌权之下。属天掌权的目的，是要完成神的选民，使基督得以居首位，就是使祂成为首先的—中心，并成为一切—普及。……因着诸天在掌权，所以基督在我们一切的情况中，都与我们同在。我们病了，……我们在风暴中，祂〔都〕与我们同在。

　　在〔但以理四〕章里，尼布甲尼撒继续行事高傲，神就使他降为卑。神暴露他，给他看见自己不是君子，乃是走兽。……

　　尼布甲尼撒在梦中看见一棵树，高大坚固，叶子华美，果子甚多，可作食物。这棵树表征尼布甲尼撒自己（20~22）。……在但以理〔对二十三节〕的讲解里，他解释说，……至高的神下命令，把尼布甲尼撒赶出离开人类，与野地的兽同住；他必吃草如牛，失去理性七个时期之久，直到他知道至高者才是人国的掌权者（24~25）。二十六节接着说，“守望者既吩咐存留树根的不，等你知道诸天掌权，以后你的国必定归你。”

　　但以理劝告尼布甲尼撒之后〔27〕，神给他十二个月的时间悔改。然而，他没有悔改，也没有改变。一天，当王在巴比伦王宫顶上行走的时候，他看着这大城骄傲地说，“这大巴比伦不是我用自己权能的力量建为王家，要显我威严的荣耀么？”（30）……当王的话在王口中尚未说完，有声音从天降下，说，“尼布甲尼撒王啊，有话对你说，你的国位离开你了。”（31）神要教导他认识自己一无所是，并且认识那大能的神乃是一切；祂是人国的掌权者，要将人的国赐与谁，就赐与谁。

　　按照尼布甲尼撒的性情和所是，他不是人，乃是兽。因这缘故，他的心变得不是人心，有一个兽心给了他（16）。……从那时起，他就吃草如牛，身被天露沾湿，直到头发长长好像鹰毛，指甲长长如同鸟爪（33）。

　　尼布甲尼撒在四章末了的赞美，指明他的确学了功课，降卑自己并认识神。在三章他立了一个金像，因为他非常骄傲。接着，四章就教导他一个很大的功课。虽然他行事像君子，事实上他乃是走兽（但以理书生命读经，九一、四○至四四页）。

　　参读：但以理书生命读经，第六篇。

　　The earth is under the rule of a heavenly administration. The heavens rule for us, and Christ is for us. Furthermore, we are under God’s heavenly rule for Christ. The purpose of the heavenly ruling is to complete God’s elect so that Christ may be preeminent, that He may be the first—the centrality— and everything—the universality. Because the heavens rule, Christ is with us in all our situations. When we are sick,…when we are in turmoil, He is with us.

　　In [Daniel 4] Nebuchadnezzar, who continued to walk in pride, was abased by God. God exposed him and showed him that he was not a gentleman but a beast.

　　In his dream Nebuchadnezzar saw a great, strong, tall tree, beautiful in foliage, rich in fruit, and good for food. This tree signified Nebuchadnezzar himself (vv. 20-22). In his interpretation [of verse 23] Daniel explained…that the Most High had decreed that Nebuchadnezzar would be driven out from among mankind, dwell with the beasts of the field, be made to eat grass as bulls do, and lose his reasoning for a period of seven times, until he came to know that the Most High is the Ruler over the kingdom of men (vv. 24-25). Verse 26 goes on to say, “In that it was commanded that the stump of roots of the tree be left, your kingdom will be assured to you after you have come to know that the heavens do rule.”

　　After Daniel exhorted Nebuchadnezzar [v. 27], God gave him twelve months to repent. However, there was no repentance and no change. One day while the king was walking upon the roof of the royal palace in Babylon, he looked at the great city and was filled with pride, saying, “Is this not Babylon the great, which I have built up as a royal house by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” (v. 30). While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice came down from heaven, saying, “To you it is spoken, King Nebuchadnezzar: The kingdom has passed on from you” (v. 31). God would teach him to know that he was nothing and the mighty God, the Ruler over the kingdom of men, the One who gives the kingdom of men to whomever He wills, is everything.

　　According to his nature and his being, Nebuchadnezzar was not a man but a beast. For this reason his heart was changed from that of a man’s, and a beast’s heart was given to him (v. 16)…In that very hour he began to eat grass as bulls do, his body became wet with the dew, his hair grew like eagles’ feathers, and his nails became like birds’ claws (v. 33).

　　As indicated by his praise at the end of chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar surely had learned the lesson to be abased and know God. In chapter 3 he set up a golden image because he was very proud. Chapter 4 follows to teach him a great lesson. Although he acted like a gentleman, he was a beast. (Life-study of Daniel, pp. 79-80, 35-39)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Daniel, msg. 6