Scripture Reading: Daniel 4:7-13, 26-29 (TLV)

7“These are the visions in my head while I was on my bed: I looked, and behold, there was a tree in the midst of the earth. Its height was enormous.

8The tree grew large and became strong and its top reached to heaven; it was visible to the ends of the earth.

9Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Beneath it the beasts of the field found shade and birds of the sky lived in its branches, and from it all creatures were fed.

10“I was watching the visions in my mind while on my bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven.

11He called loudly, saying: ‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Let beasts flee from under it, and birds from its branches.

12Yet leave a stump with its roots in the earth, in fetters of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be damp with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the animals in the grass of the earth.

13Let his mind be altered from that of a man and let an animal’s mind be given to him and let seven periods of time pass over him.

26At the end of twelve months, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,

27the king exclaimed, “Is this not the great Babylon that I have built as the royal residence by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”

28The words were still in the king’s mouth when a voice fell from heaven. “King Nebuchadnezzar, it has been decreed to you that your kingdom has been removed from you!

29You will be driven away from men and you will live with the beasts of the field. You will feed on grass like an ox and seven periods of time will pass over you until you come to know that the Most High is sovereign over the realm of mankind and gives it to whomever He wishes.”