This is part 5 of my critical look at the book of Daniel. The introductory post is here:
http://www.progressiveu.org/144926-skeptical-bible-study-daniel-is-a-forgery-introduction
I detail the problems in Chapter 1 here:
http://www.progressiveu.org/115341-daniel-is-a-forgery-chapter-1-daniel-and-friends-in-nebuchadrezzars-court
Chapter 2 here:
http://www.progressiveu.org/131001-skeptical-bible-study-daniel-and-nebuchadrezzars-first-vision
Chapter 3 here:
http://www.progressiveu.org/114050-skeptical-bible-study-shadrach-meschach-and-abednigo-in-the-fiery-furnace
This post will detail the problems in Chapter 4. Chapter 4 is a short chapter. It deals with a vision that Nebuchadrezzar supposedly had, that Daniel interpreted and subsequently came true. Interestingly, the bible portrays this chapter as being written by Nebuchadrezzar himself and not by Daniel.
4.1 Summary of Chapter 4
Chapter 4 is presented as being written by Nebuchadrezzar. He has a second dream that disturbs him. None can interpret it so he calls on Daniel. Daniel listens to the dream and becomes distressed. Nebuchadrezzar says for him to not worry, he can take whatever it is. Daniel tells Nebuchadrezzar that he is about to go crazy. He will be driven from men, will live with beasts, eat grass like oxen, and be made wet by the dew. Once he comes to realize that God is the master (a period of seven “times” [most likely seven years]) he will return to normal and the kingdom will return into his hands. Sure enough this happens. About a year later, Nebuchadrezzar was admiring the beauty of Babylon and praising his own efforts in bringing it about when suddenly he is driven out, has to live with the animals, eats grass, and is made wet by the dew. In the end, Nebuchadrezzar “praise[s] and extol[s] and honour[s] the King of Heaven, whose works are truth and his ways judgment: and those who walk in pride he is able to debase.”
4.2 Analysis
The problem here is that even though good records exist from his reign, there is no record of Nebuchadrezzar going crazy. The extreme bible-believer says this is because kings would hide such embarrassments. But this makes no sense. The account in the book of Daniel is from the point of view of Nebuchadrezzar himself. If it is true, then obviously he wanted people to know about it. Why then is it not recorded elsewhere?
Furthermore, given that Nebuchadrezzar had already supposedly seen and believed that God could control the outcome of future events, save people from a fiery furnace, and drive him crazy for his sin of pride, why didn’t Nebuchadrezzar become a believer? That seems like pretty good evidence of His existence to me. In any case, it is a lot more than I have asked for to become a believer.
Nabonidus, the last Babylonian king, did have a reputation of acting erratically. Some scholars think that stories concerning his behavior and not that of Nebuchadrezzar are the ultimate source for this story, but that just begs the question of how the book of Daniel, inspired by an omnipotent and omniscient God could make that mistake
In the next installment I will deal with Chapter 5. Here, Nebuchadrezzar's "son", Belshazzar, sees the writing on the wall. This is a much more substantive chapter. Unfortunately for the extreme bible believer it is filled with mistakes.
Until then,
Regards,
Darwins Beagle
