The Greatest Top Tree and 7 Periods
“I, King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! 2 It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. 3 How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.” -Daniel chapter 4
The Dream of “Highest Top Tree”
I had another dream, and this dream made me afraid again. This time I remembered the dream but did not know its meaning, so I asked the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers to come in and tell me the interpretation of the dream, but they could not. At last Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar, came. I said:
9 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. 10 The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 11 The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it”.
13 “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. 14 He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him. 17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men’”.
I asked Daniel to “tell me its interpretation, since none of the wise men of my kingdom is able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, because a spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Belteshazzar(Daniel) answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies! 20 The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, 21 whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived.
22 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. 23 And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him’”.
24 this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, 25 that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom(highest dominion) of men and gives it to whom he will. 26 And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity”.
All this came upon “to me” King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months “I” was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and said “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against “to me”. “I” was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and “my” body was wet with the dew of heaven till “my” hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and “my” nails were like birds’ claws.
34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever,
for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;
35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
and he does according to his will among the host of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and none can stay his hand
or say to him, “What have you done?”
36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
Dream Interpretation
The above is the dream of Nebuchadnezzar. It has two interpretations. Daniel explained the first fulfillment, which applied to King Nebuchadnezzar himself. The tree represents the “highest dominion”, meaning that Nebuchadnezzar held the “highest dominion” over the whole world at that time. The tree was chopped down, and seven periods of time passed over it, so that he lost the highest dominion for seven years. After that, the tree grew again, and King Nebuchadnezzar regained his kingdom and the “highest dominion”.
Daniel explained the first fulfillment of this dream but did not explain the second fulfillment. The tree is the representative of the highest dominion of the Most High (God’s Kingdom — Jerusalem). Jerusalem holds the “highest dominion”. How do we know that? Let us explain the second fulfillment. It is about “the tree”, the “highest dominion”, “the beast”, and the “seven periods”…
The Highest Dominion
Nebuchadnezzar explained that God holds the “highest dominion” over the whole world. He said, “to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it (the highest dominion) to whom He will and sets over it the lowliest of men”. After the seven periods will be the End Day. Jehovah God will give the “highest dominion” — God’s Kingdom — to the lowliest of men (the 144,000 saints).
Jesus also used the great tree to symbolize the “highest dominion” of the Heavenly Kingdom. In Matthew 13:31-32 Jesus said:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
The Tree – Jerusalem
There are 3 stages of the tree : Before the tree was chopped down; then passing the 7 periods; and after that, the tree will grow again. The tree symbolic the “Jerusalem“.
(1) Before the 7 periods, “Jerusalem” had the temple with priests, which was the representative of the Most High holding the “highest dominion“, for Jehovah God gave the highest dominion to the Jerusalem;
(2) After that, the tree(Jerusalem) was chopped down and its portion was with the beasts for seven periods. That means the “highest dominion” had left Jerusalem;
(3) When the 7 periods have passed, the tree will grow again. The “highest dominion” will be given back to (New) Jerusalem ; the temple with priests ; the Heavenly Israel ; the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Tree – Before cropped down
For the Israelite nation, Jehovah God made a covenant with them. This covenant is they would be the holy nation, the kingdom of priests.
Exodus 19:5,6 Jehovah God says,
“5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;
6 and you shall be to me a “kingdom of priests” and a “holy nation“”.
This covenant that God made with the Israelites was called the “Old Testament”. The priests served God in the temple in Jerusalem. The priests offered sacrifices to Jehovah God and asked for the forgiveness of the sins of the whole nation, so that the Israelite nation would be holy. All other nations could know the only true God YHWH (Jehovah), and learn His laws through the priests. They would receive food (spiritual food of God’s word) through this tree (Jerusalem). So this covenant is about the holy kingdom of priests (Jerusalem).
The Tree – Cropped down
When was the tree chopped down?
In 607 BCE this tree started to be “chopped down”, leaving only “the stump of its roots”. This tree (Israel, the temple of Jerusalem) was chopped down by the Babylonian Empire. Since then the ark in the temple of God disappeared, the dominion of Israel ended, and there was no king of Israel afterward. That means the dominion of Jerusalem was stopped. Although the tree had been chopped down, the “beasts and birds” could still continue eating the remaining fruit. Until AD 70 the Roman Empire “lopped off the tree’s branches, stripped off its leaves and scattered its fruit”, and Jerusalem and the sanctuary were totally destroyed in AD 70. This represents that the tree was totally destroyed.
And its stump was bound with a band of “iron” and “bronze”. What does this mean? What do the iron and bronze represent? Daniel chapter 2 tells us that bronze and iron are the materials of the third kingdom and the fourth kingdom of the statue. We discussed this in the previous article “Dream of the Statue”. That means the tree was bound mainly by “the third” material (Greek Empire) and “the fourth” material. In history the sanctuary was “trampled” by Antiochus IV in 167 BC—the king of the Greek Empire (bronze)—and in AD 70 by Rome (iron). This would last until “the End of the Age”.
” 4 For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods. 5 Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek YHWH their God, and David their king[Jesus], and they shall come in fear to YHWH and to his goodness in the latter days.” – Hosea 3:4,5
The Tree – Grow again
When those “7 periods” ended, the stump will grow again become a (new) tree (New) Jerusalem, it will be the Greatest Top Tree. The Highest Dominion will be given back to [New] Jerusalem. Micah 4:1,8 says,
1 It shall come to pass in the latter days
that the mountain of the house of YHWH[New Jerusalem]
shall be established as the highest of the mountains[the Highest Dominion],
and it shall be lifted up above the hills;
and peoples shall flow to it,
8 And you, O tower of the flock[Saints],
hill of the daughter of Zion,
to you shall it come,
the former dominion shall come,
kingship for the daughter of Jerusalem.
“the former [highest] dominion” was lost and given to beasts “7 periods“. But now God judges the Beasts, and gives the highest dominion back to heavenly Jerusalem. Also Jesus made a covenant(New Testament) with his apostles and disciples[Saints]. The highest dominion will be given back to the saints; they will become the Kingdom of God and the New Jerusalem.
Luke 22:29.30 “and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel”.
Rev. 15:5 says the “temple in heaven was opened”.
Rev. 21:10,22 says “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. 22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.”
So the new covenant is about the Holy Nation, the Kingdom of Priests – the New Jerusalem.
What does the “mind” mean?
What does it mean that “his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him”?
What does “Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth” mean?
What do the “seven periods” mean?
The “Mind” – The highest Dominion
What does the “mind” mean? The “mind” means “the highest dominion”. YHWH God the Most High can change the “highest dominion”(change the mind), “gives it to whom he will”.
What does it mean that “his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him”?
Change “Mind” – Change “highest Dominion”
First of all, the tree means the Jerusalem with the “highest dominion”. When the tree was cut down, the “highest dominion” was driven out (Daniel 4:25), “the kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven”(Daniel 4:31,32). This means the “highest dominion” left the tree(Jerusalem). But the “highest dominion” did not disappear or stop, it only left the tree (it was driven out). Where did the “highest dominion” go?
Daniel 4:16 “Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him”. So the “Mind” – the “highest dominion” was changed from man to the beast. This means the “highest dominion” was transferred to the beast. How long?
It will last 7 periods. After 7 periods, the “Mind” – “highest dominion” will be given back(returned) to the tree(New Jerusalem). Then all livings “may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men”(Daniel 4:17).
The Beast got the highest Dominion
Then what does the “beast” mean? Actually, the Babylonian Empire was the first beast that was given the “highest dominion.” When Israel was destroyed (in 607 BC) by Babylon, the “highest dominion” — the “mind” — was changed and left Jerusalem, and was given to the beast.
Why can we say this prophecy was fulfilled this way? Because Daniel 7:3,4 says, “And four great beasts came up out of the sea… 4 The first(Babylon) was like a lion… and the “mind” of a man was given to it“. (Let his “mind” be changed from a man’s)
It matches with Daniel 4:16 “Let his “mind” be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him”.
The “highest dominion” was transferred to the beast. So a man’s “mind” means the “highest dominion” of goodness, kindness… But a beast’s “mind” means the “highest dominion” of cruel, rough…
Daniel also proved that the “highest dominion” was given to the first beast Babylon Empire. Daniel 2:37,38 “You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, 38 and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold”.
In the first fulfillment, the tree with the “highest dominion” means the king Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 4:22 says, “it(the tree) is you, O king… and your dominion(highest dominion) to the ends of the earth”.
In the second and the true fulfillment, the tree symbolizes the Jerusalem. The highest dominion left Jerusalem and was given to Babylon Empire. It was the first beast that got the “highest dominion.”
Stump – Saints
What does it mean when it says, “Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth”?
The destroyed tree (Jerusalem) was told to “leave the stump of its roots in the earth” and “let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.” This means that the stump (the saints of Jerusalem) and the beasts would live together and pass through the seven periods.
Isaiah 6:13
“And though a tenth remain in it,
it will be burned again,
like a terebinth or an oak,
whose stump remains
when it(Jerusalem) is felled.”
The “holy seed“(saints) is its “stump“.
Tramp the Stump
“The stump stay in the grass of the earth”, what does it mean?
Grass is the lowliest thing, and all living creatures trample on it. That means the stump will be trampled.
Luke 21:24 “…and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled”.
What does it mean “Let him be wet with the dew of heaven”?
Maybe it means the heaven weeps for him(the destroyed Jerusalem).
Luke 19:41 “And when he(Jesus) drew near and saw the city(Jerusalem), he wept over it”.
Seven Periods
What are the “seven periods”?
It means the 7 periods of “the stump and the beasts”.
Seven Periods of the Stump
What are the seven periods of the stump?
The period of the stump is divided into two halves, making a total of seven periods: 3.5 periods and “a time, times, and half a time”.
From BC607 to AD70 is the first 3.5 periods, symbolized by Jesus 3.5-year witnessing ministry. Jesus is the holy seed of the stump.
From AD 70 to the End Day is another “three and a half” periods, symbolized by the seven churches and the two witnesses in Revelation chapters 2, 3, and 11. The two witnesses refer to the two churches (the two lampstands) in their witnessing period. They are also the holy seed of the stump (New Jerusalem).
Please read <Seven Churches and Seven Stars> and <Two Witnesses>.
Seven Periods of the Beasts
What are the seven periods of the beasts?
If we read Daniel chapter 2 and 7, we will know
the 1st period is the Empire of Babylon,
the 2nd period is the Persians Empire,
the 3rd period is the Greek Empire.
The 4th period is Roman Empire
and AD70 is marked as the half of 7 periods(3.5 periods). Please read <Dream of Statue>.
AD 70 is also the beginning of the “1,260 days” and “a time, times, and half a time” of the stump (the period of the seven churches). This 3.5-period period parallels the final “3.5” of the “Seventy Weeks” prophecy. The Roman Empire lasted a long time, just like the long legs in the Dream of the Statue.
After the end of the Roman Empire came the 5th period — the British Empire.
After that, the beast “rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon”(Revelation 13:11), this beast(US) is the 6th period.
The 7th Period – EU and US
The (7th) last period and the final beast is “ten horns“.
“And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for “one hour”, together with the beast. (together with US)”(Revelation 17:12).
So the 7th period (the last period) is “ten horns“. They will receive the royal power at the end time together with the Beast, the US [the little horn].
What is the 7th period of the beast? The last (7th) period is the “ten kings” — the EU(European Union). They will be the last period (“one hour“). The EU is the “ten toes” partly strong and partly brittle. They want to intermarry (form a Union), “but will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay”.
41 And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. – Daniel 2:41-43
At the End of 7 periods of the Beasts, Daniel 2:44 says: “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms(beasts) and bring them to an end, and it(God’s kingdom) shall stand forever”.
7 the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.
11 “I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking.
And as I looked, the beast(ten horns beast) was killed,
and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire.
26 But the court shall sit in judgment,
and his(ten horns beast) dominion shall be taken away,
to be consumed and destroyed to the end.”. – Daniel 7:10,11,26
Please read <Four Great beasts>, <The Beast 666> and <Ten horns and the Beast>.
The Tree – New Jerusalem
At the end of the 7 periods of the stump, Daniel 4:17 says “The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men“.
Daniel 7:13,14, 27
13 …and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man(Jesus),
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.
27 And the kingdom and the dominion
and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High;
his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,
and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
So God’s kingdom is formed of 2 halves, half is Jesus(the Lamb) and half is the 144,000 saints(the Bride – New Jerusalem).
Revelation 14:1
Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
Isaiah 6:13
“…it will be burned again,
like a terebinth or an oak,
whose stump remains
when it(Jerusalem) is felled.”
The “holy seed” is its stump.
Isaiah 11:1
“There shall come forth a shoot(New Jerusalem) from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.”
Daniel 4:12 says this greatest top tree: “Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all”. It will grow again and reach to heaven, it symbolizes to the New Jerusalem, and its’ fruit is food for all.
Revelation 22:2 “through the middle of the street of the city(New Jerusalem); also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations”.
Also, the Lord Jesus is the King of kings of the New Jerusalem — not only King of kings (King of the 144,000 kings) but also Lord of lords (Lord of the 144,000 lords). Amen.
Please read <The Mystery of Kingdom of God>, <144000 and a great multitude>, <Woman and Dragon>, <Judgment has come>, <King of kings>, <Reign a thousand years> and <New Jerusalem>.
How long are the seven Periods
There is an interesting question: We know that the “7 periods” started from 607 BCE, but how long are the 7 periods?
Do they represent 7 × 360 days = 2,520 days? 7 years? 2,520 years? Or are they simply 7 periods?
Surely, it will not be 7 years or 2,520 years; it should be 7 periods. Why can we say that?
Matthew 24:36 says “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only”.
Here is a math problem for you to calculate: starting date is 607 BCE + “7 periods” = “the End Day” (an unknown date). If “the End Day” is an unknown date, that means the “7 periods” must not be a real 2,520 (days or years). Otherwise, you could calculate 607 BCE + 2,520 (days or years) = the date of the “End Day”, and then you would know the answer.
But Jesus said no one knows the End Day, so 7 really means “7 periods”, not 7 years or 2,520 years. Let’s look more closely at what Daniel said about the 7 periods…
A hint comes from Daniel 12:7, “…for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished”. When did “a time, times, and half a time” start?
Daniel 12:11 says, “from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up (in AD70)”
Matthew 24:15,16 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains”.
So “a time, times, and half a time” is counted from AD 70, and Revelation chapter 12 says this period is a symbolic “1,260 days” period. Now we are standing at the final stage of this “3.5” period. After the “three and a half” symbolic times (periods), the great tree will grow again, which means God’s kingdom will arrive. Please read the article <Seventy Sevens> about the 1,260 days.
Therefore, the period from AD 70 to the End Day (when Jerusalem was destroyed, the regular burnt offering was taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate was set up) is “a time, times, and half a time” — a total of three and a half times (3.5 periods). Going backward from AD 70 to 607 BC is another three and a half times (3.5 periods). The total is 7 periods.
Prayer
Let’s Prayer
Our Heavenly Father, may Your name be hallowed and may Your kingdom come. We have been waiting for Your kingdom to come for a long time. Although this great tree, Jerusalem, has been chopped down, it will grow again after the end of the seven periods. We need to learn more truth. Please, Lord Jesus, send the Holy Spirit to help us and direct us to know the truth of the seven periods, and let all living beings know that our Heavenly Father is the Most High and rules the kingdom of men.
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
21 He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;
22 he reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with him.
23 To you, O God of my fathers,
I give thanks and praise,
worship and glory to you. Amen.
Thank You, Heavenly Father Jehovah God, Lord Jesus, and Holy Spirit, for directing us to know the meaning of the seven periods and the periods of the beasts. You have opened the sealed mystery of the great top tree to us.
Truly, YHWH God is the God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for You have revealed this mystery to us. We have faith in You and in Your Son Jesus Christ, and we have faith in Your words and Your prophets. For You are the Most High, we fall down to honor and worship You. Amen.
Thank You, Father and Jesus, for saving Your people and giving us real hope and the real food — the eternal food. May Your name be hallowed, and may Your kingdom (New Jerusalem) come. Amen.
How great are God’s signs,
how mighty of your wonders!
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures from generation to generation.
Amen.
Prayer is also in Jesus’s name. Amen.
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