The Bible Story Part 196

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MEN PRAYING ON A HOUSETOP

From a photograph taken by Prof. D. G. Lyon and used by his kind permission

In the East the time and posture of prayers by the faithful are strictly prescribed. In Daniel's day the form was a part of a duty to be performed, and was as important as the words, but Jesus taught us to regard the thought and att.i.tude of the soul rather than the posture of the body [End ill.u.s.tration]

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Then the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Then the herald cried aloud, "To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and wors.h.i.+p the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: and whoso falleth not down and wors.h.i.+peth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."

Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down and wors.h.i.+ped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and brought accusation against the Jews. They answered and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, "O king, live for ever. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and wors.h.i.+p the golden image: and whoso falleth not down and {194} wors.h.i.+peth, shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom thou hast appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy G.o.ds, nor wors.h.i.+p the golden image which thou hast set up."

Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king.

Nebuchadnezzar answered and said unto them, "Is it of purpose, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that ye serve not my G.o.d, nor wors.h.i.+p the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye are ready when ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, to fall down and wors.h.i.+p the image which I have made, well: but if ye wors.h.i.+p not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that G.o.d that shall deliver you out of my hands?"

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our G.o.d whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if he does not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy G.o.ds, nor wors.h.i.+p the golden image which thou hast set up."

Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and his face hardened against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: {195} therefore he spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than was usual to heat it. And he commanded certain mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them in to the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in all their garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste: he spoke and said unto his counselors, "Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?"

They answered and said unto the king, "True, O king." He answered and said, "Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the aspect of the fourth is like a son of the G.o.ds."

Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace: he spoke and said, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the Most High G.o.d, come forth, and come hither."

Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth out of the midst of the fire. And the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, and the king's counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power upon their bodies, nor was the hair of their head {196} singed, neither were their garments burned, nor had the smell of fire come on them.

Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said, "Blessed be the G.o.d of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and have yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor wors.h.i.+p any G.o.d, except their own G.o.d. Therefore I make a decree that every people, nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the G.o.d of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other G.o.d that is able to deliver in this way."

Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.

_How Daniel Interpreted Another Dream of King Nebuchadnezzar_.

"Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; peace be multiplied unto you. It hath seemed good unto me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High G.o.d hath wrought toward me. How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

"I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flouris.h.i.+ng in my palace. I saw a dream which made me afraid; and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. Therefore made I a decree to bring {197} in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. Then came in the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, and in whom is the spirit of the holy G.o.ds: and I told the dream before him, saying, 'O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy G.o.ds is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. Thus were the visions of my head upon my bed: I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth. The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the birds of the heaven dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a holy messenger came down from heaven. He cried aloud, and said thus. Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the birds from its branches.

Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bra.s.s, in the tender gra.s.s of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the beasts in the gra.s.s of the earth: let its {198} heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto it; and let seven times pa.s.s over it. The sentence is by the decree of the holy messenger: that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the lowest of men. This dream I King Nebuchadnezzar have seen: and thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation; but thou art able, for the spirit of the holy G.o.ds is in thee.'"

Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was perplexed for a while, and his thoughts troubled him. The king answered and said, "Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation, trouble thee."

Belteshazzar answered and said, "My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine adversaries. The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was food for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the birds of the heaven had their habitation: it is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

And whereas the king saw a holy messenger coming down from heaven, and saying, 'Hew down the tree, and destroy it; nevertheless leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with {199} a band of iron and bra.s.s, in the tender gra.s.s of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let its portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pa.s.s over it'; this is the interpretation, O king, and it is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king: that thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and thou shalt be made to eat gra.s.s as oxen, and shalt be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pa.s.s over thee; till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if there may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity."

All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he was walking in the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke and said, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?"

While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, "O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: the kingdom is departed from thee. And thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; thou shalt be made to eat gra.s.s as oxen, and seven times shall pa.s.s over thee; until {200} thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will."

The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat gra.s.s as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hair was grown like eagle's feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

"And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation: and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, 'What doest thou?' At the same time mine understanding returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned unto me; and my counselors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase."

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_How Daniel Read the Writing on the Wall at Belshazzar's Feast_.

Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords, and the women of his palace, might drink therein. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of G.o.d which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, and the women of his palace, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the G.o.ds of gold, and of silver, of bra.s.s, of iron, of wood, and of stone. In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled him; he trembled, and his knees smote together. The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom."

Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation. Then was King Belshazzar greatly troubled, {202} and his countenance was changed, and his lords were perplexed. Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: the queen spoke and said, "O king, live for ever; let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: there is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy G.o.ds; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the G.o.ds, was found in him: and the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made him master of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and showing of dark sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation."

Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Art thou that Daniel, who art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Judah? I have heard of thee, that the spirit of the G.o.ds is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. And now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not show the interpretation of the thing. But I have heard of thee, that thou canst give interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom."

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DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN By Vernet [End ill.u.s.tration]

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Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Keep thy gifts to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; nevertheless I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. O thou king, the Most High G.o.d gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty: and because of the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he raised up, and whom he would he put down. But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: and he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild a.s.ses; he was fed with gra.s.s like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven: until he knew that the Most High G.o.d ruleth in the kingdom of men, and that he setteth up over it whomsoever he will.

"And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; but hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou and thy lords, and the women of thy palace, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the G.o.ds of silver, and gold, of bra.s.s, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the G.o.d in whose hand thy breath is, and {206} whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: therefore the part of the hand was sent by G.o.d, and this inscription was written. And this is the inscription which was written:--

_Mene, Mene, Tekel, Apharsin_

"This is the interpretation of the thing:--

_Mene_, G.o.d hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought it to an end.

_Tekel_, Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

_Peres_, Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."

Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. In that night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

_How Daniel Was Cast into the Lions' Den_.

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty satraps, which should be throughout the whole kingdom; and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give account unto them, and that the king should have no loss. Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. Then the presidents and {207} the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel in regard to the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. Then said these men, "We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his G.o.d."

Then these presidents and satraps a.s.sembled together to the king, and said thus unto him: "King Darius, live for ever. All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong decree, that whosoever shall ask a pet.i.tion of any G.o.d or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not."

Wherefore King Darius signed the writing and the decree. And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem); and he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his G.o.d, as he did before. Then these men a.s.sembled together, and found Daniel making pet.i.tion and supplication before his G.o.d. Then they came near, and spoke before the king concerning the king's decree; "Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall make pet.i.tion unto any G.o.d or man within thirty days, save unto thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?"

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