Barefoot Servant
Post 72
All chronology has by its very nature 'wiggle room' because our knowledge of the past is imperfect or incomplete and there is nothing here to apologize for. But one thing for certain our chronology has no 'big wiggles' or'gaps' as the chronology accepted by apostates has. So when you have plugged the 'gaps' then you can live with the 'wiggle' as scholar in his wisdom does. He is happy with the 'wiggle' or the 'woggle'.
Your gap or gaps is proved by the missing 'twenty years' during the reign of Nebuchadnezzer for starters and that is just the beginning because of the failure to recognize the seventy years of servitude-exile-desolation of the Jews during the period of Babylonian domination.
You have presented nothing to prove your assertion that 538 BCE is the date for the Return. This year does not accommodate the historical reality from the time of Cyrus' Decree until the seventh month in the year of the Return. Neither does it account for the reign of Darius whereupon in Daniel 9:1, Daniel refers to a 'first year of Darius'. So, 538 BCE must be exempted because it lacks historical substance whereas 537 BCE accommodates all of the data.
Daniel 4 is about God's Kingdom and right to rule over mankind which means sovereignty and Nebuchadnezzer confessed to this simple fact after the end of seven years of abasement. The dream has several features that prove that it has a far greater significance becaus ethat kingdom was yet to be a reality in men's affairs awaiting the arrival of Jesus Christ to be installed by God as Ruler of that Kingdom for this is proved by the prophecy in Daniel 4:17.,
Your argument about God always ruling simply negates or buries the reality of a coming Kingdom that was prophesied to occur and really is utter nonsense. Too silly for words. You should study the subject of the kingdom more closely. If your argument is so then what is the Gospel which means good news of a furture or coming kingdom at some point in time.
The tree dream in Daniel 4 requires and demands interpretaion for that is the reason why Nebuchadnezzer sought out Daniel to do just that interpret and as God and so it is today that this dream demands an interpretation during the 'time of the end'- Daniel 12:4.
Yes we are entitled to our interpretation and so are you so perhaps we must agree to disagree.
scholar JW