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Daniel interpreting the dream.

THE STORY

OF

Daniel the Prophet

BY

STEPHEN N. HASKELL

"But go thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy
lot at the end of the days." Dan. 12 : 13.

BIBLE TRAINING SCHOOL
South Lancaster, Mass.
1908.

Entered according to Act of Congress in the year igo8, by
STEPHEfV M HASKELL,
In the office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, £>. C.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

PRESS OF
SOUTH LANCASTER PRINTING CO.,
SOUTH LANCASTER, MASS.

AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

The world is flooded with fictitious reading of all grades. The
unreal is presented in the most fascinating style? while too often the
living truths taken from God's Word are presented in a heavy, somber
style. The Bible is the most interesting of all books. It is adapted to
every mind. In the Story of Daniel the Prophet, a few of the
interesting facts in regard to God's dealings with His people have been
gathered into a simple narrative.
The book is the result of much prayerful study. It. is sent forth
with an earnest prayer, that in the hands of the parents it may be the
means of making the study of the Bible in the family a blessing to
young and old ; and that the teacher in the schoolroom may see pre
cious rays of light flashing from its pages, pointing both teacher and
pupil to the Great Divine Teacher.
God grant that as it falls into the hands of the careless and unbe
lieving, they may be influenced to read, and as they read, may behold
the beauty of our God, and be led to worship toward His holy temple.
We trust that while its simplicity will attract many who might not
be inclined to read a deep argumentative treatise, the most studious will
find food for thought, and thus become better acquainted with the char
acter of our Heavenly Father. Those who wish to enter into a more
comprehensive study, will find that the marginal references open up'
many veins of precious ore in the deep mines of God's Word.
We earnestly pray that even the skeptic may not cast it aside ; but
that he may give it a careful reading, and while tracing the fulfilled
prophecy in the history of the world, learn to prize the Word of God.
3

4 AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
Throughout the entire book the special providence of God over
those who are faithful to Him is brought out in clear contrast to the fate
of those who ignore His guiding hand. The truth is the same, whether
in the( history of nations or individuals.
As the Story of Daniel the Prophet goes forth on its mission
of love for the Great Master, may it prove a blessing to all classes,
young and old, rich and poor, learned and unlearned.
S. N. H.

CONTENTS,

PAGE.

Introduction, ... . . . . 7
I. — Daniel and His Fellows Tested, . . 15
II. — A Controversy Between Truth and Error, . 31
III. — True Freedom in Worship, .... 43
IV. — The Most High Ruleth, . . • • 57
V. — The Last Years of the Babylonian Kingdom, 69
VI.- — The Handwriting on the Wall, . . 78
VII. — Daniel in the Lions' Den, . . , . 88
VIII. — The Seventh Chapter of Daniel, . . . 101
IX. — The Eighth Chapter of Daniel, . . . 119
X. — The History of the Jews, . . . . .136
XI. — The Sanctuary, . . . . . . . 154
XII. — Introduction to the Last Vision, . . . 176
XIII. — The History of the Decrees, . . . . 184
XIV. — The History of Greece, ..... 203
XV. — The Fourth Kingdom, . . . . 227
XVI. — The Mystery of Iniquity, .... 248
XVII. — The Work of the Mystery of Iniquity, . . 267
XVIII. — The Closing Scene,  284
Outline Study, ......-•• 3°3
Questions for Study, . . . . ¦ • • • 312
Index of Marginal References,  35 l
5

FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS.

Daniel Interpreting the Dream, .... Frontispiece.
PAGE.
Hebrew Mother Teaching Her Children, .... 20
> The Two Tables, ........ 26
The Image, ........ -39
" He Looked Intently into the Fiery Furnace," . . 50
The Handwriting on the Wall, ...... 82
" Is Thy God . . . Able to Deliver Thee from the Lions ? " 98
The Four Beasts, . . . . . . . . 102
The Two Laws,  '. .112
The Ram and the Goat,  123
Diagram of the 2,300 Days,  !47
The Three Temples, . . . . . . . . jeg
The Fourth Commandment, . . . . . . .170
Proclamation of Haman's Decree, ..... iq8
Priests Watching Grecian Games, . . . . .217
Mohammedan Call to Prayer,  279
Modern Inventions,  2gg
Sanctuary Diagram,  30^

INTRODUCTION.

The prophecies of the Bible are like rare diamonds lying hidden
in the solitude of the mine. . The practiced eye of the prospector
discovers the gems, and intuitively reads their value ; and the skillful
hand of the lapidary brings out their many-faced beauties in all
their sparkling glory. Every facet shines like the sun. One can
not exhaust a diamond ; neither can one exhaust the prophecies.
New facets remain to be polished, to add their brilliant reflection
to the whole. In the prophecies as many features appear as there
are different temperaments that men -bring to their study.
The prophecy of Daniel is no exception. This book has lessons
for all classes. Because the magnitude of the field of his vision is
unlimited in extent, it may be studied from points of view which
no man can number. The historian feasts upon his records. The
chronologist delights in calculating his periods. The lover of the
Messiah rejoices in the contemplation of the times and events that
led to His first advent, and demonstrated His Messiahship. And the
friend of God traces with pleasure the providential movements by
which the course of events has been controlled, and men been put
up, and cast down, just according as they have- been instruments
in God's hand to carry out His beneficent designs and purposes.
There are lessons in these respects for those who take an
interest in such themes; but above, and greater than all, are the
lessons to be drawn from Daniel's character, — his integrity, his

8 INTRODUCTION.
devotion to duty, and his steadfastness in adhering to true princi
ples, in the face of the greatest apparent danger, and in opposition
to the dictates of worldly policy. These principles glow with
undimmed luster through all his career, and have encouraged, com
forted, and strengthened the servants of God in all ages.
Much has been written on the book of Daniel, and much more
might be written, as long as principles of divine truth, and noble
examples of adherence to them, form interesting and profitable themes
of study. In the present work, lessons from this latter source have
been especially drawn out. These will be found wonderful subjects
for study, and many remarkable thoughts are presented on these
points in the following pages. These are lessons which can be laid
to heart with the most satisfactory and lasting profit. One who
desires to master the philosophy of an acceptable Christian life, and
the means and methods by which a close connection with God may
be maintained, can find no more competent text-book than is furnished
in the record of the experiences of the prophet Daniel. Do you
wish to acquire a vivid sense of God's care for His people, and His
constant remembrance of them, and the easy means He makes use
of to accomplish His ends, you will find the subject fully exploited
in the prophecy of Daniel.
Example is a powerful factor in the promotion of the Christian
life. "Be ye followers of me," says Paul, "even as I also am of
Christ." i Cor. 11:1. He exhorts Timothy to be an "example of
the believers." i Tim. 4:12. What higher standard can be raised
to attain unto, than is shown in Daniel's relation to God? for it is
said of him that he was a "man greatly beloved." Such was the
emphatic testimony borne from God by the angel Gabriel to Daniel
coming as he did immediately from the court of heaven and the
presence of God.
The occasion on which these words were first spoken, shows

INTRODUCTION. 9
what relation the man thus addressed maintained to God, and God
to him. It was when the prophet, burdened with anxiety in regard
to a previous vision which he had not understood, appealed to God
for help. He had been seeking the Lord, by earnest prayer, to
learn the meaning of it. An angel had been strictly enjoined to
make Daniel understand all the matter. And now when the angel
came to complete his mission, and make the prophet understand
the vision, which he had been prevented by Daniel's illness from
doing in its completeness in his previous interview (Dan. 8 : 27), he
says : " O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and under
standing. At the beginning of thy supplication the commandment
came forth, and I am come to show thee ; for thou art greatly
beloved; therefore understand the matter and consider the vision."
Dan. 9:22, 23. The angel asserts that one reason, perhaps the
leading reason, why he had now come to give him skill and under
standing, was that he was a man "greatly beloved."
Think of the circumstances of this case. God was imparting
truth to make known to the world what was to come thereafter.
He was making use of one of His servants for this purpose. The
process was temporarily interrupted. But Daniel had fixed his heart
on understanding all that God had to reveal ; and he lifted up his
petition to the only source from which help could come. Now mark
the answer borne from the throne of the universe, by the hand of a
mighty angel : "At the beginning of thy supplication, the command
ment came forth'' The commandment referred to, was the command
ment, or instruction, to Gabriel, to go down to the earth, to this
servant of the Lord, and clear up all doubts and uncertainty in his
mind in regard to the truth on which he was perplexed.
Will anyone now raise the query, Does the Lord hear prayer ? Is
He attentive to the wants of His people ? In view of this narrative
how can we harbor the least vestige of doubt? No sooner does

10 INTRODUCTION.
Daniel's prayer begin to ascend to the throne than instruction comes
forth from God to Gabriel, to go down to the earth and complete
his mission to the prophet. With alacrity he obeys. And the
prophet says of him, "Being caused to fly swiftly :" From the
beginning of Daniel's prayer, as recorded in Daniel 9, to that point
in the prayer when Gabriel appeared upon the scene (verse 20), could
not have been over three minutes and a half, at the ordinary rate
of speech. In this brief space of time the prophet's prayer ascended
to heaven, it was heard, decision made, and the answer came. There
is no loitering in heaven. The first faint whisper of want by the
child of God, is instantly lodged upon the throne. The command to
answer is given, and the return messenger is at once by the side
of the prophet, with the response of comfort and joy. No earthly
"rapid transit" can equal this. What a glimpse does this give us
into the inner courts of the heavenly world! What a view of the
divine telegraphy there employed, and waiting at the court's com
mand I What assurance, encouragement, and comfort must these
great facts impart to every true and trusting servant in the vineyard
of the Lord !
In this story of Daniel, not only is one such incident given, but
a whole series of them is woven together in this tapestry of truth.
They begin with Daniel as prime minister in the court of the king
dom of Babylon — Babylon, the city of renown, clothed with such
magnificence that inspiration has seen fit to describe it as the head
of gold on the world's great representative image. Daniel 2. The
Lord by the prophet has called Babylon " the glory of kingdoms the
beauty of the Chaldees' excellency." Isa. 13:19. In that city there
were beauty, glory, and excellency combined in most striking and
prolific forms.

INTRODUCTION. il
Imagine a space (we must imagine it ; for no such spot existed
before, and has not existed since) ; — imagine this space containing two
hundred and twenty-five square miles, situated in a fertile plain,
wrought up by expert cultivation to the suberb production of orna
mental trees and shrubs, fragrant flowers, and substantial fruits, till
the whole became a veritable paradise, as the garden of the Lord;
imagine this space laid out in a perfect square, watered by the mag
nificent Euphrates, and surrounded by a wall eighty-seven feet thick
and three hundred and fifty feet high, fifteen miles in length on each
side, and the great square of the whole area of the city, subdivided
into lesser squares by twenty-five streets running from each side of
the city, parallel with the opposite walls, and at right angles with each
other, and adorned with palaces, porticoes, columns, colonnades, tow-
ers, monuments, and hanging gardens, arrayed with everything that
art could embellish or money and labor produce, to make a spot pleas
ant to the sight and touch and every bodily sense.
Such was Babylon, glowing in the light of the Syrian sun, and
fanned by the blandest zephyrs that ever blew, when Daniel entered
to serve the long period of seventy years in captivity. But he was
a captive only to political power. He served the Lord, and was spir
itually free. From this point through all the personal experience
of the prophet, and on through the scenes opened to his mind by the
spirit of prophecy, the divine narrative runs. These, scenes and expe
riences are woven together in this book into one connected whole, and
•the spiritual and practical lessons to be drawn from them are hung
like banners of light all along the way.
No one can rise from the study of the prophecies without the
conviction being deeply graven upon his heart 1fhat the end of the
Christian course well repays all the toil and effort of the heavenly
journey* The words of the hymn. well voice this sentiment: —

12 INTRODUCTION.
"Then let us hope; 'tis not in vain ;
Though moistened by our grief, the soil;
The harvest brings us joy for pain;
The rest repays the weary toil.
For they shall reap who sow in tears,
Rich gladness through eternal years."
After his long service and all his trying cares, the word to Daniel
was, " Thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days."
The outcome of the Christian service of the disciples in the latter
days is expressed in a similar strain by the apostle John in the Rev
elation : " Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from hence
forth : yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors ;
and their works do follow them." Rev. 14:13. To Daniel, "Go
thou thy way till the end be : for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy
lot at the end of the days." To John : " Surely I come quickly ;"
and "my reward is with me, to give every man according as his
work shall be." Rev. 22:20, 21. Rest follows the labor; and the
end will come. Then follows the remainder of the promise: "Thou
shalt. stand in thy lot." The rest is undisturbed, and the lot is sure.
What is the lot in which Daniel and all of like character are at
last to stand ? Who can describe it ? for who can conceive of it ? It
must embrace the condition and all the circumstances of the people
of God, when gloriously redeemed. And in reference to this, Paul
utters the following living words : " Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man, the things that God hath
prepared for them that love Him." 1 Cor. 2:9. That is, the boldest
flight of the imagination, the most intense conception of the unseen
glories of the heavenly world, have never formed, and can not form,
in the human mind any tangible idea of what God has prepared and
has in store for His people. "But God," the apostle continues, "hath

INTRODUCTION. 13
revealed them unto us by His Spirit." Yes, the Spirit has revealed
these things to those who are filled with that Spirit, and have re
ceived the Holy Ghost.
We are happy to give, by way of introduction, this word of
commendation to this book, which has new phases for every earnest
and spiritually minded reader ; and which never grows old.
U. S.
Battle Creek, Mich., April, igoi.

A WORD TO THE READER

It has been with much prayer, and a deep sense of, the importance
of the subject, that these pages have been prepared. We are living.
in the closing scenes of this world's history. The Lord's own testi
mony, in the closing words of the book of Daniel, " Go thou thy way
till the end be : for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of
the days," should arrest- the attention of all who are interested in pre
paring for the coming of Christ. Then the manner in which the Sav
iour Himself makes mention of the prophecies of Daniel should not be
lightly passed by. He says, " When ye therefore shall see the abomina
tion of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy
place, (whoso readeth, let him understand)!' Daniel the prophet is the
only one in the Bible to whom the Lord addressed, through the angel
Gabriel, the words, " Thou art greatly beloved." Such words to any
living mortal in the flesh are worthy of consideration by the devout.
We invite a careful perusal of the contents of this work, with the
prayer that the Lord will impress minds by His Holy Spirit. The book
is not designed to arouse controversy or awaken discussion upon theo
ries, but to tell the truth as it is in Jesus Christ. From the beginning
to the end we have tried to tell the story of the prophet and his writ
ings in a brief, simple style, to create a religious interest in the things
of God. To the Bible student we have suggested thoughts, both in the
story and by the side references, that will encourage study in the
home and in .the school. Yours in the blessed hope,
S. N. H.
14

'ORYOF

DANIEL

CHAPTER I.

DANIEL AND HIS FELLOWS TESTED.

Although Daniel lived twenty-five hundred
years ago, he is a latter-day prophet. His char
acter should be studied, for its development
reveals the secret of God's preparation of those
who will welcome Christ at His appearing. His
prophecies should be understood, for in them is
the key which unlocks history to the end of
time. The Saviour himself bore witness to this.
When the disciples asked, "What shall be the
sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the
world?" He said, "When ye therefore shall see
the abomination of desolation spoken of by

Then said he, Knowest thou
wherefore I come unto thee ?
Dan. 10:20.
Now I am come to make thee un
derstand what shall befall thy peo
ple in the latter days : for yet the
vision is for many days. Dan. 10: 14.
Understand, O son of man : for
at the time of the end shall be the
vision. Dan. 8 : 16, 17.
Behold, I will make thee know
what shall be in the last end of the
indignation : for at the time ap
pointed the end shall be. Dan. 8 : 19.
Matt. 24 :3, 15.
Luke 21 :2o.

Note. — In the margin are many passages of scriptures that will direct the mind of the
reader to those portions of the Bible which give light upon the story of Daniel the prophet.
In the texts quoted, marks of ellipsis are omitted ; and frequently several verses are cited in
the reference, though only one or more are printed in full. 15

i6

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Consider what I say ; and the
Lord give thee understanding in
all things. 2 Tim. 2 : 7.
1 Cor. 10:15.
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the
words, and seal the book, even to
the time of the end : many shall
run to and fro, and knowledge
shall be increased. Dan. 12 : 4.

He said, Go thy way, Daniel :
for the words are closed up and
sealed till the time of the end.
Many shall be purified, and made
white, and tried; but the wicked
shall do wickedly ; and none of the
wicked shall understand : but the
wise shall understand. But go thy
way till the end be : for thou shalt
rest, and stand in thy lot at the end
of the days. Dan. 12 :o., 10, 13.

Dan. 8 : 26.
1 John 2 : 27.
Rev. 2 : 2g.

1. In the third year of the reign
of Jehoiakim king of Judah came
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
2. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim
king of Judah into his hand, with
part of the vessels of the house of
God: which he carried into the
land of Shinar to the house of his
god; and he brought the vessels
into the treasure house of his god.
Dan. 7 : 1, 2,

Lam. 4 : 12.
2 Kings 23 : 36.
2 Kings 24 : 5.
2 Chron. 36 : 5-7.

Daniel the prophet . . . whoso readeth, let him
understand!' In this we have the divine per
mission to read and understand the prophecies
of Daniel. These prophecies are intended, there
fore, to warn a people of the coming of Christ.
True, it was once a sealed book, for the
prophet was told to shut up the words, and
seal the book " to the time of the end," "for at
the time of the end shall be the vision." And
again, " The words are closed up and sealed till
the time of the end." But the time of the end
has come. It began in 1 798, and though " none
of the wicked shall understand," yet "-the wise
shall understand'.' With the book of Daniel in
hand, and a heart open to hear the voice of God,
man may come in touch with the Father of
light. " He that hath an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit saith.".
Daniel begins the book with the simple state
ment that in the third year of the reign of
Jehoiakim, king of Judah, 607 b. c, Nebuchad
nezzar, the king of Babylon, came unto Jerusa
lem and besieged it ; that in the siege, Jehoiakim
was given by the Lord into the hands of Nebu
chadnezzar, but allowed to remain on the throne
in Jerusalem, yet Nebuchadnezzar carried with
him to Babylon, as tribute, a part of the vessels
of the house of God, and, as hostages, some of
the members of the royal household.
This act, with similar ones which followed in
swift succession, was but the culmination of
events which began years before. In order to
appreciate this climax, it is essential that we
study the causes which led to it. Since the
captivity of Judah is an object lesson to people
of the last generation, it is doubly necessary

DANIEL AND HIS FELLOWS TESTED.

17

that we trace the relationship between certain when the Most High divided to
causes and results the nations their inheritance> wheD
he separated the sons of Adam, he
God had an object in calling the Jewish na- set the bounds of the people ac-
.. . . .. . r , . cording to the number' of the chil-
tion to separate themselves from other nations dren of Israel. Deut. 32:8.

They came
to hear of the mighty God
that could heal the sick ; but
he showed them only earthly treasure.

of the world. It was that his people might Acts 13 : 47. 48.
stand before the world as light-bearers. Asa isa. 42:6, 7.
beacon set on a hill, Israel was to send beams of isa. 49 =°-
light to the world. The plan of education made 1 Sam. 10 : 5-12 ;

:23, 14.

i8

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Also in the third year of his
reign he sent to his princes, even to
Ben-hail, and to Obadiah, and to
Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and
to Michaiah, to teach in the cities
of Judah. And with them he sent
Levites, even Shemaiah, and Ne-
thaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel,
and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan,
and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and
Levites : and with them Elishama
and Jehoram, priests. And they
taught in Judah, and had the book
of the law of the Lord with them,
and went about throughout all the
cities of Judah, and taught the
people. 2 Chron. 17 :7-i2.
My people are destroyed for lack
of knowledge: because thou hast
rejected knowledge, I will also re
ject thee, that thou shalt be no
priest to me : seeing thou hast for
gotten the law of thy God, I will
also forget thy children. Hosea 4:6-10.
Isa. 5 : 13-
In those days was Hezekiah sick
unto death. And Isaiah the prophet
said unto him, Thus saith the Lord,
Set thine house in order : for thou
shalt die. Then Hezekiah prayed
and wept sore. Then came the
word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying,
Go, and say to Hezekiah, I have
heard thy prayer : behold, I will
add unto thy days fifteen years.
Isa. 38:1-5-
2 Kings 20: 1-6.
At that time Merodach-baladan,
king of Babylon, sent letters and a
present to Hezekiah : for he had
heard that he had been sick. And
Hezekiah was glad of them, and
showed them the house of his pre
cious things : there was nothing in
all his dominion, that Hezekiah
showed them not. Isa. 39 : i, 2.
Behold, the days come, that all
that is in thine house, shall be car
ried to Babylon : and thy sons shall
be eunuchs in the palace of the king
of Babylon. Isa. 39 : 6, 7.
3 Chron. 32 ; 24-26,

known to Israel through her prophets was the
means of keeping that light burning. When
this God-given plan was neglected, the light, as
a candle deprived of the life-giving oxygen,
burned dim. Then it was that- the nation was
pressed upon all sides by the foe. There is a
Hebrew maxim which says that "Jerusalem was
destroyed because the education of her children
was neglected." The prophecies of Daniel and
the connected history prove the truth of this
maxim. It may be added that the Jews were
restored to Jerusalem as the result of the proper
education of a few Hebrew boys.
Just about one hundred years before the days
of Daniel, Hezekiah was king of Judah. After
a reign of thirteen years, he was on his death
bed, but he pleaded with God to lengthen his
life. This was done, and fifteen years were
added. On the king's recovery he was visited
by ambassadors from Babylon, to whom he
showed all his treasures. They came to hear
of the mighty God, that could heal the sick:
but he showed them only earthly treasure. He
lost the opportunity to give them of the treasure
of heaven. Then came a message from God by
the hand of the prophet Isaiah, saying, "Be
hold, the days shall come, that all that is in
thine house . . . shall be carried into Babylon ;
nothing shall be left." He was also at the same
time told that his descendants should be eunuchs
in the palace of the king of Babylon.
Here was portrayed the future captivity of
the Hebrew race. The prophecy was placed on
record, and repeated again and again by Jewish
mothers as they taught their children. " Must
my son be a captive in the court of a heathen

DANIEL AND HIS FELLOWS TESTED.

19

king? Then let me so train him that he will be
true to the God of his fathers." There were
other mothers who lightly let pass the thought,
and the history of their sons' lives is recorded
for our instruction.
Three years after his life had been saved, a
son was born to Hezekiah. Notwithstanding
the recent prophecy, Hezekiah and his wife,
Hephzibah, failed to teach the young Manasseh
in the way of truth. He was but twelve years
of age when he came to the throne, but if he
had been trained in the fear of God, he would
not have chosen the worship of the heathen.
The youthful Christ at the same age settled
not only His own destiny, but the destiny of the
universe. When twelve years of age, standing
by the temple in Jerusalem, His future work
opened before Him, and He accepted His ap
pointed mission. Why? Because Mary, His
mother, had taught Him that heart service to
God was His highest pleasure. Manasseh de
cided in favor of the heathen deities ; did evil
in the sight of God; and "for the sins of
Manasseh " came the captivity of Judah.
At the age of twelve years, Christ made a
decision which saved the world ; at the same
age Manasseh chose a course which brought ruin
to the nation. In the training of your child
are you Hephzibah or Mary?
The long reign of Manasseh passed, and the
prophecy sent to Hezekiah was not yet fulfilled.
Men began to wonder if it ever would come to
pass. " Since the fathers fell asleep," said they,
"all things continue as they were."
It was in the days of Josiah, the grandson
of Manasseh, that Jeremiah prophesied. Through

For precept must be upon pre
cept, precept upon precept ; line
upon line, line upon line ; here a
little, and there a little. Isa. 28 : 10,
O that thou hadst hearkened to
my commandments ! then had thy
peace been as a river, and thy right
eousness as the waves of the sea.
Isa. 48 : 1 1
Manasseh was twelve years old
when he began to reign, and
reigned fifty and five years in Jeru
salem. And his mother's name was
Hephzi-bah. And he did that which
was evil in the sight of the Lord,
after the abominations of the
heathen, whom the Lord cast out
before the children of Israel.
2 Kings 21 : 1-3.
Even a child is known by his
doings, whether his work be pure,
and whether it be right. Prov. 20 : 11.
When he was twelve years
old, they went up to Jerusalem
after the custom of the feast. And
he said unto them, How is it that ye
sought me ? wist ye not that I must
be about my Father's business?
And Jesus increased in wisdom and
stature, and in favor with God and
man. Luke 2 : 42, 49, 52.
2 Chron. 33 :i-io.
The rod and reproof give wis
dom : but a child left to himself
bringeth his mother to shame.
Correct thy son, and he shall give
thee rest ; yea, he shall give delight
unto thy soul. Prov. 29 : 15-17.
Gen. 18 : 19.
2 Peter 3:3,4.
Jer. 1 :2, 3.
Surely as a wife treacherously
departeth from her husband, so
have ye dealt treacherously with
me, O house of Israel, saith the
Lord. Jer. 3 : 20.
Deut. 28:49-52.

20

STORY OF DANIEL, THE PROPHET.

Lo, I will bring a nation upon
you from afar, O house of Israel,
saith the Lord : it is a mighty na
tion, it is an ancient nation, a na
tion whose language thou knowest
not, neither understandest what
they say. Jer. 5:15.

The king commanded all the peo
ple, saying, Keep the passover unto
the Lord your God, as it is written
in the book of this covenant.
Surely there was not holden such a
passover from the days of fhe
judges that judged Israel, nor in
all the days of the kings of Israel,
nor of the kings of Judah. More
over the workers with familiar
spirits, and the wizards, and the
images, and the idols, and all the
abominations that were spied in the
land of Judah and in Jerusalem,
did Josiah put away. And Hke
unto him was there no king before
him, that turned to the Lord with
all his heart, and with all bis soul,
and with all his might. 2 Kings 23 : 21.25.

1 Chron. 3:15,16.
2 Chron. 36 : 1-10.
2 Kings 23 : 30-34.

Jehoahaz was twenty and three
years old when he began to reign ;
and he reigned three months in
Jerusalem. And his mother's name
was Hamutal. And he did that
which was evil in the sight of the
Lord. Jehoiakim was twenty and
five years old when he began to
reign ; and he reigned eleven years
in Jerusalem. And his mother's

this prophet, God pleaded with Jerusalem to
return to Him. " Lo, I will bring a nation upon
you from afar, O house of Israel, saith the
Lord : it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient
nation, a nation whose language thou knowest
not." Thus was Babylon described, and Jeru
salem's impending doom portrayed.
Josiah was spared the sight of the complete
destruction of Jerusalem because of the reforms
which he attempted. In his days there was
kept by Judah, and by Israel also, the greatest
Passover feast in the history of the nation. " Be
cause thine heart was tender and thou hast hum
bled thyself before the Lord, . . . behold I will
gather thee unto thy fathers . . . and thine
eves shall not see all the evil which I will bring
upon this place." In a peculiar way God gave
Josiah an opportunity to avert the impending
calamity. It was not yet too late to change
the course of events. This opportunity was
through the gifts of his sons. Josiah had three
sons and one grandson, who were in turn seated
on the throne at Jerusalem. Each, because of
wrong training in youth, refused to take God
at His word, and failing, hastened the final
overthrow. The three sons were Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and
Zedekiah. The grandson was Jehoiachin, who
preceded his uncle, Zedekiah. The fate of each
is a solemn warning to people living at the end
of time. He who might have been the light
of heathen nations was swallowed up by Egyp
tian darkness. Jehoiakim, the second, who,
properly trained, would have been so charged
with the power of God that the heathen king
would either have united his forces with the

Hebrew mother teaching her children.

DANIEL AND HIS FELLOWS TESTED.

21

king of Judah, or, opposing, would have been
smitten as by a thunder-bolt, failing, paid tribute
to Babylon. His capital was entered. Treas
ures from the house of God were ruthlessly torn
from their place and dedicated to heathen wor
ship. Youth — bright, promising youth — were
taken from the royal family to serve the king of
Babylon. Jehoiakim beheld this, but was pow
erless to interfere. His life was gone ; he was
not connected with the throne of God. His
mother and his father made a fatal mistake, for
they did not give him the training which God
had commanded them to give. Neither did he
profit by these mistakes, but educated his son in
courtly manners and in the philosophy of the
world ; and as a result his son Jehoiachin lan
guished nearly thirty-seven years in a prison in
Babylon. This was another lamp without the oil ;
another soul without the heavenly food ; another
son improperly trained to add to the disgrace "
of Judah. " Jerusalem was destroyed, because
the education of her children was neglected."
Zedekiah, the third son of Josiah, had still an
opportunity to save Jerusalem. Part of the
treasures of this city were already in Babylon.
Daniel and his companions had been in the court
seventeen or eighteen years when Jerteiiah came
to Zedekiah with the words : " If thou wilt
assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's
princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city
shall not be burned with fire. . . . Obey, I be
seech thee, the voice of the Lord which I speak
unto thee : so it shall be well unto thee, and thy
soul shall live." In this time of peril, how did
Zedekiah act ? Did he deliver himself unto the
Babylonians ? God had commanded it ; the city

name was Zebudah. And he did
that which was evil in the sight of
the Lord. 2 Kings 23 ."31-37.

Surely at the commandment 01
the Lord came this upon Judah, to
remove them out of his sight, for
the sins of Manasseh, according to
all that he did ; and also for the in
nocent blood that he shed.
2 Kings 24 : 1-4.

Jehoiachin was eighteen years
old when he began to reign, and
he did that which was evil in the
sight of the Lord. 2 Kings 24 : 8, 9, 17.

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
came against the city, and his ser
vants did besiege it. And he car
ried out thence all the treasures of
the house of the Lord, and the
treasures of the king's house, and
he carried away all Jerusalem, and
all the princes, and all the mighty
men of valor. 2 Kings 24 : 10-16.

Evil-merodach king of Babylon
in the year that he began to reign
did lift up the head of Jehoiachin
king of Judah out of prison: and
he spake kindly to him, and set his
throne above the throne of the
kings that were with him in Baby
lon; and changed his prison gar
ments: and he did eat bread con
tinually before him all the, days of
his life. 2 Kings 25 : 27.30.

2 Kings 24 : 17-20.

22

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Zedekiah the king said unto Jere
miah, I am afraid of the Jews that
are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they
deliver me into their hand, and
they mock me. Jer. 38 : 17-28.
What time I am afraid I will trust
in thee. Psa. 56:3.
Hear therefore, O Israel, and ob
serve to do it; that it may be well
with thee, and that we may increase
mightily, as the Lord God of thy
fathers hath promised thee, in the
land that floweth with milk and
honey. Hear, O Israel: The Lord
our God is one Lord :• and thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with
all thine heart, and with all thy
soul and with all thy might. And
these w6rds, which I command thee
this day, shall be in thine heart:
and thou shalt teach them dili
gently unto thy children, and shalt
talk of them when thou sittest in
thine house, and when thou walkest
by the way, and when thou liest
down, and when thou risest up.
And thou shalt bind them for a
sign upon thine hand, and they
shall be as frontlets between thine
eyes. And thou shall write them
upon the posts of thy house, and
on thy gates. Deut. 6 : 3-9, 20,
When I call to remembrance the
unfeigned faith that is in thee,
which dwelt first in thy grand
mother Lois, and thy mother
Eunice ; and I am persuaded that
in thee also. 2 Tim. 1:5.
Do not drink wine nor strong
drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee,
and that ye may put difference be
tween holy and unholy, and that
ye may teach the children of Israel
all the statutes which the Lord
hath spoken. Lev. 10:9-11.
Prov. 23 : 19-22.
Deut. 21 : 20, 21.
Then sang Moses and the chil
dren of Israel this song unto the
Lord, and spake, saying, I will
sing unto the Lord, for he hath

would have been saved by it; his own soul
would have been saved. Zedekiah pleaded a
most human excuse, saying, "I am afraid."
In these three sons is revealed the weakness,
the cowardice, the wickedness, and the final ruin
of those trained for the service of the world
and not for the service of God.
Living at the same time and in the same city
with the princes already named, were others
which the Scripture mentions by name. These
were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
children of Judah, of the royal family — relatives
of Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah.
At the first siege of Jerusalem, 607 b. c,
Daniel was not over eighteen years of age ;
about the age of the prince Zedekiah, who after
ward ruled in Jerusalem. Daniel had a godly
mother who knew of the prophecy concerning
the destruction of their city. She repeated to
her son the words of God, that some day He
brew children must stand in the heathen court
at Babylon. Carefully did this mother teach
her son to read the parchment scrolls of the
prophets. The history of Israel was studied;
the story of Nadab and Abihu was told and
retold. The effect of strong drink was im
pressed upon the mind. The laws of his own
being were studied. He knew that excess in
eating and drinking would so dull the mind that
the voice of God could not be heard.
The songs which these Hebrew children sang
told the story of God's dealings with His people.
It was in this manner that the image of God
was engraven on their hearts. This education
was not gained in the schools of the time, for
they had departed from the plan of God ; but

DANIEL AND HIS FELLOWS TESTED.

23

i

Is|td if .fte Beghmiqg

.1 as^b

s

fc'&ot \ * ^

holy mothers, living close to the everlasting
Father, led their children by precept and exam
ple, by word and song, to form characters that
would stand the test.
It was the age when most of the young men
in the capital of Judah were wild and reckless.
They were excusing themselves because of their
youth. But God chose from their midst certain
ones whom He could trust in a foreign land.
Daniel and his three companions were snatched
from the shelter of home, and with others were
placed under the charge of Ashpenaz, master
of the eunuchs in Babylon.
Now can be seen the results of the home
training. Pure food, clean thoughts, and physi
cal exercise placed them on the list of "chil
dren in whom was no blemish, but well-favored."
But what of their intellectual ability ? They had
not been educated in the schools of Jerusalem,
much less in those of Babylon. Was there not
great danger that they lacked in the sciences or
the essential branches ? On examination, these
four passed as " skillful in all wisdom, and cun
ning in knowledge, and understanding science,"

triumphed gloriously : the horse and
his rider hath he thrown into the
sea. The Lord is my strength and
song, and he has become my salva
tion : he is my God, and I will pre
pare him a habitation ; my father's
God, and I will exalt him. The
Lord is a man of war : the Lord is
his name. Ex. 15 : 1-21..
Judges 5 : 1-31.
Ps. 137 : 1-4.
1 Sam. 2 : 1-10.
Psalm 105.
1 John 2 : 13, 14;
2 Kings 5: 2-4.
The father of the righteous shall
greatly rejoice : and he that beget-
teth a wise child shall have joy of
him. Thy father and thy mother
shall be glad, and she that bare
thee shall rejoice. Prov. 23 : 24, 25.
3. And the king spake unto Ash
penaz the master of his eunuchs,
that he should bring certain ofthe
children of Israel, and of the
king's seed, and of the princes ;
4. Children in whom was no
blemish, but well favored, and
skilful in all wisdom, and cunning
in knowledge, and understanding
science, and such as had ability in
them to stand in the king's palace,
and whom they might teach the
learning and the tongue of the
Chaldeans.

24

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

5. And the king appointed them
a daily provision of the king's
meat, and of the wine which he
drank; so nourishing them three
years, that at the end thereof they
might stand before the king.
6. Now among these were of the
children of Judah, Daniel, Hana-
niah, Mishael, and Azariah: Dan. 1.-3-6.

tax fJaniel
purposed in
M$ Keari that
lie xuouH not
defile IthnselC
milt the portion
of the kings meat
nor tutm ike
untie rah-tch
He drank- tian>i:S

Prov. 23 : 1-3.
7. Unto whom the prince of the
eunuchs gave names : for he gave
unto Daniel the name of Belles-
hazzar; and to Hananiah, ofSha-
drach; and to Mishael, of t/le-
shach; and to Azariah, of Abed -
nego, 8. But Daniel purposed in his
heart that he would not defile him
self with the portion of the king's
meat, nor with the wine which he
drank : therefore he requested of
the prince of the eunuchs that he
might not defile himself.

and able to learn a difficult foreign language.
God had fulfilled His promise in these children
of the home school.
The crucial moment came when "the king
appointed them a daily provision of the king's
meat and of the wine which he drank." Daniel
had unbounded confidence in- the principles of
temperance, not alone because he knew them
to be scientifically true, but because they
were God-given, and, in his case, had
been put into practice. His edu
cation had a Biblical foundation,
and he knew that it was in har
mony with true science. It was
a life and death question ; but
the principles were divine, and
he would obey, walk by faith,
and leave the results with his
Maker. "Daniel purposed in
his heart that he would not de
file himself with the portion of the
king's meat, nor with the wine
which he drank." The language
of the prince of the eunuchs shows
that there were other Hebrew
youth who were selected, who did
not make this request: "fpr," said the prince
ofthe eunuchs, "why should he [the king] see
your faces worse liking than the children which
are ot your sort?"
Daniel and his companions, after considering
their dangerous and difficult position, took this
matter to the Lord in prayer, and decided to be
true to principle. Much was involved in this
decision. If they sat at the king's table, they
would partake of food which had been conse-

DANIEL AND HIS FELLOWS TESTED.

25

crated to idols ; and the Hebrew children would
thus dishonor God, and ruin their own charac
ters by removing the safeguard of temperance,
and allowing themselves to be influenced by cor
rupt associations. Even at the cost of appearing
singular, they decided not to sit at the table of
the king. They might have reasoned that at the
king's command they were compelled to partake
of the food at the royal table which had been
dedicated to an idol. But they determined not
to implicate themselves with heathenism, and
not to dishonor the principles of their national
religion and their God. Surrounded by perils,
after having made a most determined effort to
resist temptation, they must trust the results
with God.
With .true courage and Christian courtesy,
Daniel said to the officers who had charge over
them : " Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten
days ; and let them give us pulse to eat, and
water to drink. Then let our countenances be
looked upon before thee, and the countenances
of the children that eat the portion of the king's
meat ; and as thou seest, deal with thy servants."
It was no experiment with them ; for they fore
saw the result.
The officer hesitated. He feared that the rigid
abstinence they proposed would have an unfavor
able effect upon their personal appearance, and
that, in consequence, they would lose favor with
the king. The Hebrew children explained to
the officer the effect of food upon the body ;
that overeating and the use of rich foods be
numbs the sensibilities, unfitting mind and body
for hard, stern labor. They urged most ear
nestly that they be allowed the simple diet, and

9. Now Qod had brought Daniel
into favor and tender love with
the prince of the eunuchs. Dan. 1:7-9.
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is
raging : and whosoever is deceived
thereby is not wise. Prov. 20 : 1.
10. And the prince of the
eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear
my lord the king, who hath ap
pointed your meat and your drink :
for why should he see your faces
worse liking than the children
which are of your sort ? then shall
ye rnake me endanger my head to
the king.
11. Then said Daniel to Melzar,
whom the prince of the eunuchs
had set over Daniel ', Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah, Dan. 1 :10, 11.
Commit thy way unto the Lord :
trust also in him ; and he shall
bring it to pass. Ps. 37 : 5, 6.
Who hath woe ? who hath sorrow?
who hath contentions ? who hath
babbling ? who hath wounds with
out cause ? who hath redness of
eyes ? They that tarry long at the
wine : they that go to seek mixed
wine. Prov. 23 :20-32.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it
is not for kings to drink wine ; nor
for princes strong drink : lest they
drink and forget the law, and per
vert the judgment of any of the
afflicted. Prov. 31:4, 5.
Isa. 5 : 11.
My son, keep thy father's com
mandment, and forsake not the law
of thy mother. When thou goest,
it shall lead thee ; when thou sleep-
est, it shall keep thee ; and when
thou awakest, it shall talk with
thee. Prov. 6 : 20-23.
12. Prove thy servants, I be
seech thee, tendays; and let them
give us pulse to eat, and water to
drink. 13. Then let our countenances be
looked upon before thee, and the
countenance of the children that

26

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

eat of the portion of the king's
meat : and as thou seest, deal with
thy servants.
14. So he consented to them in
this matter, and proved them ten
days. Dan. 1 : 12-14.
Hear, O my son, and receive my
sayings ; and the years of thy life
shall be many. Prov. 4 : 10-12.
The wrath of a king is as mes
sengers of death. Prov. 16 : 14.
Corn shall make the young men
cheerful. Zech. 9:17.

Wherefore do ye spend money
for that which is not bread? and
your labor for that which satisfieth
not? hearken diligently unto me,
and eat ye that which is good, and
let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Isa. 55 : 2.

IB. And at the end of ten days
their countenances appeared fairer
and fatter in flesh than alt the
children which did eat the portion
of the king's meat. '
16. Thus Melzar took away the
portion of their meat, and the
wine that they should drink ; and
gave them pulse. Dan. 1:15,16.
Ps. 42:11.
Isa. 58:8.
Beloved, I wish above all things
that thou mayest prosper and be in
health, even as thy soul prospereth.
3 John 1 : 2.
Dan. 10:3.
Though Noah, Daniel, and Job
were in it, as I live, saith the Lord
God, they shall deliver neither son
nor daughter : they shall but de
liver their own souls by their right.
eousness. Eze. 14:20.
Eze. 14 : 14-20.

begged that they be given a ten-days' trial, that
they might demonstrate by their own physical
appearance at the end of that time the advan
tages of plain, nutritious food. The request was
granted : for they had obtained favor with God
and with men. It was an act of faith ; there
was no feeling of envy toward those who were
eating of the king's meat. The minds of the
four were filled with thoughts of love and peace,
and they actually grew during those ten days.
God approved of their course ; for, " at the
end of ten days, their countenances appeared
fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children
which did eat the portion of the king's meat."
The clear sparkle of the eye, the ruddy, healthy
glow of the countenance, bespoke physical sound
ness and moral purity. The Hebrew captives
were thereafter allowed to have their chosen
food. The pulse and water which they then desired
was not always the exclusive diet of Daniel,
for on another occasion in -his later life he said:
" I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh
nor wine in my mouth." But when entering
upon the king's course of study and becoming
connected with the royal court, he and his breth
ren voluntarily chose this simple, nourishing
food. Likewise, when brought face to face
with any difficult problem, or when desiring
especially to know the mind of God, the record
speaks of Daniel's abstinence from flesh food,
wine, and food which tempt the appetite.
The character of Daniel is referred to by
Ezekiel, who was a contemporaneous prophet, as
representing those who will live just before the
second coming of Christ. People will be called

The two tables.

DANIEL AND HIS FELLOWS TESTED.

27

to pass through experiences which require the
keenest spiritual eyesight ; therefore God asks
them to give up all things which will in any way
check the flow of the Holy Spirit through the
mind. Herein lies the reason for strict adher
ence to the principles of health reform. Daniel
and his companions gained the victory on the
point of appetite. This was the avenue, and
the only one, through which Satan was permit
ted to tempt Adam ; and, had Adam proved
true in the garden of Eden, and not eaten of
the forbidden fruit, sin and suffering would
never have been known. Appetite was the open
door through which came all the results of sin,
which, for six thousand years, have been so
manifest in the human family.
As Christ entered upon the work of His min
istry, He began where Adam fell. The first
temptation in the wilderness was on the point
of appetite. Here the Saviour bridged the gulf
which sin had made. He redeemed the whole
family of Adam, and wrought out a victory for
the benefit of all who are thus tempted. In the
last days God will prove His people as He proved
Daniel. A voluntary self-control of appetite
lies at the foundation of every reform.
It means much to be true to God. It em
braces health reform. It means that the diet
must be simple ; it calls for the exercise of tem
perance in all things. Too great a variety of
food taken at the same meal is highly injurious ;
and yet, how often this is forgotten. Mind and
body are to be preserved in the best condi
tion of health. Only those who have been
trained in the fear and knowledge of God, and
who arc true to principle, are fitted tb bear re-

Take heed to yourselves, lest at
any time your hearts be overcharged
with surfeiting, and drunkenness,
and cares of this life, and that day
come upon you unawares. Luke 21 134,
Behold this was the iniquity of
thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of
bread, and abundance of idleness
was in her and in her daughters,
neither did she strengthen the hand
of the poor and needy. Eze. 16 : 49.
The Lord God commanded the
man, saying, Of every tree of the
garden thou mayest freely eat : but
of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil, thou shalt not eat of
it : for in the day that thou eatest
thereof thou shalt surely die.
Gen. 2 : 16, 17.
Gen. 3 : 17.
Then was Jesus led up of the
Spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted of the devil. And when he
had fasted forty days and forty
nights, he was afterward an hun
gered. And when the tempter came
to him, he said, If thou be the Son
of God, command that these stones
be made bread. But he answered
and said, It is written, Man shall
not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceedeth out of
the mouth of God. Matt. 4 : 1-4.
Prov. 16 : 32.
Every man that striveth for the
mastery is temperate in all things.
1 Cor. 9 -.2$.
Variety of food at one meal in
Bible times:
Gen. 18 : 5-8.
Gen. 19 13.
Gen. 25 134.
Ruth 2 : 14.
1 Sam. 30: 11, 12.
1 Kings 17 : 13-16.
1 Kings 19 :5, 6.
2 Kings 4 : 42-44,
Matt. 14 : 18-29.
John 21:9, 12.

28

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

77. As for these four children,
God gave them knowledge and skill
in all learning and wisdom: and
Daniel had understanding in all
oi si ons and dreams, Dan* 7 :17.
My son, if thou wilt receive my
words, and. bide my commandments
with thee : yea, if thou criest after
knowledge, and liftest ap thy voice
for understanding ; if thou seekest
her as silver, and searcbest for ber
as for bid treasures ; then shalt thoa
understand the fear of the Lord,
and find the knowledge of God.
Prov. 2 : 1-5.

sponsibilities in the closing work of the gospeL
Daniel and his companions passed through a
strange school .in which to become fitted for
lives of sobriety, industry, and faithfulness. Sur
rounded with courtly grandeur, hypocrisy, and
paganism, they exercised self-denial, and sought
to acquit themselves so creditably that the
Israelites, their down-trodden people, might be
honored, and that God's name might be glorified.
These children had the Lord as their educator.

Bat ye have an miction from the
Holy One, and ye know all things-
Bat the anointing which ye have
received of him abideth in you, and
ye need not that any man teach
yoa: bat as the same anointing
teacfaeth yoa of all dungs, and is
fc-uth, and is no lie, and even as it
bath taught yoa, ye shall abide in
loin. 1 John 2 : 20, 27.

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of
truth, is come, be will guide yoa
into all truth : for he . shall not
speak of himself; bat whatsoever
be shall hear, that shall he speak :
and he will jIott yoa things to
come. John 16 : 13.

very man that ^trivefft far
trie mastery is temperate
in all tkmqtiL
0 ICor9:25
They were connected with the Fountainhead of
wisdom, by the golden channel, the Holy Spirit.
They kept continually a living connection with
God, walking with Him as did Enoch. They
were determined to gain a true education ; and,
in consequence of their copartnership with the
divine nature, they became in every sense com
plete men in Christ Jesus. While diligently
applying themselves to gain a knowledge of the
languages and sciences, they also received light
direct from Heaven's throne, and read God's
mysteries for future ages.
When at the end of three years, King Nebu
chadnezzar tested the ability and acquirements
of the royal princes whom he had been educating
from other nations, none were found equal to the
Hebrew youth, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and

DANIEL AND HIS FELLOWS TESTED.

29

Azariah. They surpassed their associates ten
fold in their keen apprehension, their choice and
correct language, and their extensive and varied
knowledge. The vigor and strength of their
mental powers were unimpaired. Hence they
stood before the king. " And in all matters of
wisdom and understanding, that the king in
quired of them, he found them ten times better
than all the magicians and astrologers that were
in all his realm."
These youth respected their own manhood,
and their intrusted talents had not been en
feebled or perverted by indulgence of appetite.
The good they wished to accomplish was ever
in mind. They were faithful in the little things.
God honored them ; for they honored Him. God
always honors adherence to principle. Among
all the most promising youth gathered from the
lands subdued by Nebuchadnezzar, the Hebrew
captives stood unrivaled. Their regard for na
ture's laws and the God of nature was revealed
in the erect form, the elastic step, the fair coun
tenance, the untainted breath, the undimmed
senses. It was not by chance that they attained
to their marvelous wisdom. " The fear of the
Lord is the beginning of wisdom." The foun
dation of the highest education is religious prin
ciple. Faith had been developed in childhood ;
and when these youth had to act for "themselves,
they depended upon God for strength and effi
ciency in their labors, and they were richly
rewarded. Where are the parents who to-day are teach
ing their children to control appetite, and to
look to God as the Source of all wisdom ? Our
youth are daily meeting allurements to gratify

18. Now at the end of the days
that the king had said he should
bring them In, then the prince of
the eunuchs brought them In be
fore Nebuchadnezzar.
19. And the king communed with
them; and among them all was
found none like Daniel, Hananlah,
Mishael , and Azariah : therefore
stood they before the king.
20. And In all matters of wis
dom and understanding, that the
king Inquired of them, he found
them ten times better than all the
magicians and astrologers that
were In all his realm. Dan. 1 : 18-20.

Understanding is a wellspring of
life unto him that hath it.
Prov. 16 : 22.

1 Sam. 2 : 30.

When wisdom entereth into thine
heart, and knowledge is pleasant
unto thy soul ; discretion shall pre
serve thee, understanding shall keep
thee : to deliver thee from the way
of the evil man, from the man that
speaketh froward things. Prov. 2 : 10-12.

Prov. 13 : 15.
Luke 16 : 10.

The fear of the Lord is the be
ginning of wisdom : a good under
standing have all they that do his
commandments : his praise endur
eth forever. Ps. 111 : 10.

And unto man he said, Behold,
the fear of the Lord, that is wis-
dom ; and to depart from evil is un
derstanding. , Job 28 : 28.

3°

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Thou through thy commandments
hast made me wiser than mine ene
mies : for they are ever with me.
I havcmore understanding than all
my teachers : for thy testimonies
are my meditation. Ps. 119:98-101.

Let us hear the conclusion of the
whole matter : Fear God, and keep
his commandments : for this is the
whole duty of man. Eccl. 12 : 13.

Train up a child in the way he
should go : and when he is old, he
will not depart from it. Prov. 22 : 6.

They that understand among the
people shall instruct many.
Dan. 11 :33.

Seest thou a man diligent in his
business? he shall stand before
kings ; he shall not stand before
mean men . Prov. 22 : 29.

But sanctify the Lord God in your
hearts : and be ready always to give
an answer to every man that ask
eth you a reason of the hope that is
in you, with meekness and fear.
1 Peter 3 : 15.

21. And Daniel continued even
unto the first year of King Cyrus.
Dan. 7:21.

That saith of Cyrus, He is my
shepherd, and shall perform all my
pleasure : even saying to Jerusa
lem, Thou shalt be built; and to
the temple, Thy foundation shall
be laid. . Isa. 44 : 28.

Isa. 45 : 1, 2.

appetite. Every form of indulgence is made
easy and inviting, especially in our large cities.
Those who steadfastly refuse to defile them
selves will be rewarded as was Daniel. The
youth of today may bear a weighty testimony in
favor of true temperance.
These principles, cherished, would fit young
men who are rooted and grounded in the Scrip
tures, to enter worldly universities, and while
taking a course of study, disseminate the truths
of the gospel, and at the end of their course,
come forth unsullied. There were consecrated
youth among the Waldenses who entered worldly
universities, and, while gaining their education,
scattered the seeds of the Reformation. The
papal authorities could not, by the most careful
inquiries, find out who had introduced the so-
called heresy ; and yet the work had been
accomplished, bearing fruit in the conversion of
many who became leaders in the cause of Pro
testantism. Were these principles practiced,
more young persons could be trusted as mis
sionaries in responsible positions and in institu
tions of learning. Many will yet be called to
stand before judges and kings. How are the
children being educated ?
The last words of the first chapter of Daniel
are truly significant: "Daniel continued even
unto the first year of King Cyrus." In other
words, Daniel lived all the days of the Babylon
ian captivity, — over seventy years, — and had the
pleasure of meeting that Cyrus whose name the
prophet Isaiah had mentioned nearly two hun
dred years before he issued his wonderful de
cree for the deliverance of God's people.

CHAPTER II.

A CONTROVERSY BETWEEN TRUTH AND ERROR.

" In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar,
Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams." It is thus
that we are introduced to the monarch of the
greatest of earthly kingdoms in his own home.
In chapter one, Nebuchadnezzar is referred to
as the one who besieged Jerusalem ; in chapter
two he is spoken of as the ruler of every nation
on earth. The kingdom which Nebuchadnezzar
brought to the height of its glory can be traced
in Bible history to its foundation. The history
of Babylon is the story of the great controversy
between Christ and Satan, begun in heaven, con
tinued on earth, and which will end only when
the stone cut out from the mountain without
hands shall fill the whole earth.
Satan's accusation against God is that the
Father is unjust. " But give me a fair chance,''
argued Lucifer, "and I can establish a king
dom on earth which will excel in glory the king
dom of God in heaven." He was granted the
privilege of making a trial. The plains of Shinar
were chosen ; the people whom God told to fill
the whole earth were gathered into a city. Baby-

1. And in the second year of the
reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuch
adnezzar dreamed dreams, where
with his spirit was troubled, and
his sleep brake from him. Dan. 2 .- 1.

Dan. i : i.
Dan. 2 : 37, 38.
Jer. 27:6-11. •
And Cush begat Nimrod : he be
gan to be a mighty one in the earth.
He was a mighty hunter before the
Lord : wherefore it is said, Even
as Nimrod, the mighty hunter be
fore the Lord. And the beginning
of his kingdom was Babylon, and
Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in
the land of Shinar.
Gen. 10 : 8-10 [margin].
Gen. 11:9.
Isa. 14 : 12-14.

They said, Go to, let us build us
a city and a tower, whose top may
reach unto heaven ; and let us make
us a name, lest we be scattered
abroad upon the face of the whole
earth. Therefore is the name of it
called Babel. Gen. n : 1-9.
31

32

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Behold the land of the Chal
deans ; this people was not, till the
Assyrian founded it for them that
dwell in the wilderness: they set up
the towers thereof, they raised up
the palaces thereof : and he brought
it to ruin. Isa. 23:13.
Jer. 50:38.
Now there was a day when the
sons of God came to present them
selves before the Lord, and Satan
came also among them. And the
Lord said unto Satan, Whence

comest thou ? Then Satan answered
the Lord, and said, From going to
and fro in the earth, and from walk
ing up and down in it. Job 1 : 6, 7.
Job 2:1,2.
2 Chron. 18: 18.
The Lord said unto him, Where
with ? And he said, I will go forth,
and I will be a lying spirit in the
mouth of all his prophets.
1 Kings 22 : 18-23.
Rev. 22 : 1, 2.
He who smote the people in
wrath with a continual stroke, he
that ruled the nations in anger, is
persecuted, and none hindereth.
Isa. 14:3-7.

Ion grew, and its mighty walls, three hundred
and fifty feet in height and eighty-seven feet
thick, with the massive gates of brass, were de
signed to imitate the strength of the city of God.
At the time of the founding of* Babylon, Satan
was still meeting with the council of the rep'rer
sentatives of worlds, which was held at the gates
of heaven. It was his design to counterfeit the
plans of God. The earthly city was patterned
after the heavenly. The Euphrates flowed
through it as did the river of God
through Paradise. The government was
an absolute monarchy ; a man occupied
the throne, and as it grew, every knee of
earth was caused to bow Jo its king. No
power was tolerated above that of the
monarch. Tyranny took the place of love.
This is always true when man is exalted
above God. It was to such a kingdom
that Nebuchadnezzar fell heir, and the
beauty and power, of the kingdom were
increased by him in every possible way,
until it was spoken of by the Lord as " Baby
lon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the
Chaldees' excellency."
Not only the power, but the wisdom also, of
Nebuchadnezzar was exceedingly great. The
king favored education, and during his reign
Babylon was the educational center of the world.
Every art and science was taught in the schools
of Babylon. The wisdom of the ancients was
made known to the students who sat at the
feet of her magicians and wise men. They rev
eled in the study of astronomy and the higher
mathematics. There were linguists who could
teach the language of every nation.

A CONTROVERSY BETWEEN TRUTH AND ERROR. 33

The king himself was highly educated, for it
was he who examined the students on the com
pletion of their course. Babylon was proud
of her educational system ; she trusted to
it for salvation, but it was the cause
of her ruin. "Thy wisdom and thy knowl
edge, it hath caused thee to turn away."
God Himself speaks, saying : " Hath not God
made foolish the wisdom of this world?" In
the Babylonian court this was exemplified. Nebu
chadnezzar and his counselors, — the wise men,
astrologers, and soothsayers, — on one side, rep
resented the education of the world. Daniel, a
youth, not over twenty-one years of age, a He
brew and a slave, was chosen by God to con
found the wisdom of the mighty.
The Scriptures give the story in language that
can be readily understood. But why did God
give Nebuchadnezzar a dream ? How could the
God of heaven reveal truth to this heathen king ?
Doubtless He could not during his waking mo
ments ; but Nebuchadnezzar had contemplated
the glory of his kingdom, and fell asleep with a
longing desire to know its future. He knew
that life was short. Soon he must die ; what
would the future be? It was God's opportunity,
and while those eyes were closed to earthly
things ; while self was lost — dead, as it were —
the future history of the world was spread before
Nebuchadnezzar. On awaking, he found no
language to express his thoughts. He who was
acquainted with the world's wisdom knew not
the language of heaven. This he had never
been taught. He tried to think what he had
seen, but as his eyes again rested on the glory
about him, the vision faded away. Earthly

Behold I am against thee, O de
stroying mountain, saith the Lord,
which destroyeth all the earth : and
I will stretch out mine hand upon
thee, and roll thee" down from the
rocks, and will make thee a burnt
mountain. Jer. 51 :2s. .
Isa. 13 : 19.
Thy wisdom and thy knowledge,
it hath perverted thee ; and thou
hast said in thine heart, I am, and
none else beside me. Isa. 47 : 10.
In all matters of wisdom and un
derstanding, that tlie king inquired
of them, he found them ten times
better than all the magicians and
astrologers that were in all his
realm. Dan. 1 : 17-20.
Thou art wearied in the multi
tude of thy counsels. Let now the
astrologers, the stargazers, the
monthly prognosticators, stand up,
and save thee from these things
that shall come upon thee. They
shall not deliver themselves from
the power of; the flame . •
Isa. 47 : 13, 14.
Where is the wise? where is the
scribe ? where is the disputer of this
world? hath not God made foolish
the wisdom of this world? For
after that in the wisdom of God the
world by wisdom knew not God, it
pleased God by the foolishness of
preaching to save them that believe.
But we preach Christ crucified, unto
the Jews a stumbling-block, and
unto the Greeks foolishness ; But
unto tliem which are called, both
Jews and Greeks, Christ the power
of God, and the wisdom of God.
Because the foolishness of God is
wiser than men ; and the weakness
of God is stronger than men.
1 Cor. 1 : 19-25.
Yea ; have ye never read, Out of
the mouth of babes and sucklings
thou hast perfected praise? Matt. 21 :i6.

34

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

2. Then the king commanded to
call the magicians, and the astrol
ogers, and the sorcerers, and the
Chaldeans, for to show the king
his dreams. So they came and
stood before the king.
3. And the king said unto them,
I have dreamed a dream, and my
spirit was troubled to know the
dream. 4. Then spake the Chaldeans to
the king in Syriack, 0 king, Hue
forever: tell thy servants the
dream, and we will show the in
terpretation. Dan. 2:2-4.
For what is your life ? It is even
a vapor, that appeareth for a little
time, and then vanisheth away.
James 4 : 14.
Why dost thou strive against
him ? for he giveth not account of
any of his matters. For God speak
eth once, yea twice, yet man per-
ceiveth it not. In a dream, in a
vision of the night, when deep
sleep falleth upon men, in slumber-
ings upon the bed ; then he open
eth the ears of men, and sealeth
their instruction, that he may with
draw man from his purpose, and
hide pride from man. Job 33 : 13-17.
O the depth of the riches both of
the wisdom and knowledge of God 1
how unsearchable are his judg
ments, and his ways past finding
out I Rom. 11 :33.
5. The king answered and said
to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone
from me: If ye will not make
known unto me the dream, with
the interpretation thereof, ye shall
be cut in pieces, and your houses
shall be made a dunghill.
6. But if ye show the dream,
and the interpretation thereof, ye
shall receive of me gifts and re
wards and great honor : therefore
show me the dream, and the inter
pretation thereof.
7. They answered ayain and
said. Let the king tell his servants
the dream, and we will show the
Interpretation of It.

things drew a veil over the things of God, and
while he knew he had seen something, he knew
not what it was.
The king demanded an interpretation, but the
wisest men of the kingdom answered : " There
is not a man upon the earth that can show the
king's matter. . . . There is none other that can
show it before the king, except the gods, whose
dwelling is not with flesh." That the pretended
knowledge of the wise men of Babylon might be
exposed, the Lord had in His providence given
Nebuchadnezzar this dream, and then allowed
him to forget the details, while causing him to
retain a vivid impression of the vision. The
king was angered because the wise men re
quested him to. tell them the dream, saying,
" I know of certainty that ye would gain the time,
because ye see the thing has gone from me."
That is, they would be able to agree on some
interpretation if the king could tell the dream.
The king then threatened that if they failed to
tell the dream, they should all be destroyed. The
wise men urged that the requirement was most
unreasonable; but the more they argued, the
more furious the king became, and in his anger
he finally " commanded to destroy all the wise
men of Babylon."
This decree was made in the second year of
Nebuchadnezzar's reign. He had ruled two
years conjointly with his father, Nabopolassar,
and two years alone ; so Daniel and his fellows
were serving their first year as wise men in
the court of Babylon, having finished their three-
years' course in the schools. They were there
fore sought out by Arioch, the king's captain,
to be slain. Daniel asked : " Why is the decree

A CONTROVERSY BETWEEN TRUTH AND ERROR. 35

so hasty from the king?" Then Arioch made
the thing known to Daniel. Daniel alone had
the courage to venture into the presence of the
king, at the peril of his life, to beg that he might
be granted time to show the dream and the in
terpretation. The request was granted.
"There are in the providence of God
particular periods when we must arise in re
sponse to the call of God."
The supreme moment had
come to Daniel. For this
very moment God had been
giving him a preparation.
From his birth every de
tail of his life had been
pointing forward to this
time, although he knew it
not. His early education
was such that at this mo
ment when death stared
him in the face, he could
look up to God and claim
H i s promise. Although
Daniel when examined by
Nebuchadnezzar had been
accounted ten times
wiser than his fellow
students, he had not
yet been classed with

8. The king answered and said, I
know of certainty that ye would
gain the time, because ye see the
thing is gone from me,
9. But If ye will not make known
unto me the dream, there Is but
one decree for you : for ye have
prepared lying and corrupt words
to speak before me, till the time
be changed : therefore tell me the
dream, and I shall know that ye
can show me the Interpretation

thereof.

Dan. 2:6-9.

as

the astrologers and wise
men of Chaldea. Probably his youth and inex
perience delayed such recognition. But God
chooses the weak things of earth to confound
the mighty, because the foolishness of God is
wiser than men.
Four Hebrew youth bowed in prayer, and that

Pour Hebrew Youth Bowed In Prayer.

But the natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God : for
they are foolishness unto him : nei
ther can he know them, because
they are spiritually discerned. But
he that is spiritual judgeth all
things, yet he himself is judged of
no man. i Cor. 2 : 14, 15.

36

STORY OF DANIEL, THE PROPHET.

10. The Chaldeans answered be
fore the king, and said, There is
not a man upon the earth that can
show the king's matter : therefore
there is no king, lord, nor ruler,
that asked such things at any
magician, or astrologer, or Chal
dean, 11, And it is a rare thing that
the king requireth, and there Is
none other that can show it before
the king, except the gods, whose
dwelling is not with flesh.
12. For this cause the king was
angry and very furious, and com
manded to destroy all the wise
men of Baby/on.
13. And the decree went forth
that the wise men should be slain;
and they sought Daniel and his
fellows to be slain.
14. Then Daniel answered with
counsel and wisdom to Arioch the
captain of the king's guard, which
was gone forth to slay the wise
men of Babylon :
75. He answered and said to
Arioch the king's captain, Why Is
the decree so hasty from the king?
Then Arioch made the thing known
to Daniel.
76. Then Daniel went in and de
sired of the king that he would
give him time, and that he would
show the king the Interpretation.
Dan. 2:10-16.
Be not afraid of sudden fear, nei
ther of the desolation of the wicked
when it cometh. For the Lord
shall be thy confidence. Prov. 3 :2s, 26.
17. Then Daniel went to his
house, and made the thing known
to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
his companions ;
18. That they would desire mer
cies of the God of heaver concern
ing this secret; that Daniel and
his fellows should not perish with
the rest of the wise men of Baby
lon. Dan. 2 : 17, 18.
Let no man despise thy youth ;
but be thou an example of the be
lievers, in word, in conversation, in
charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
1 Tim. 4 : 12.

night "was the secret revealed unto Daniel."
How could God talk with Daniel ? — Because the
Spirit of the Lord is with them that fear Him.
Daniel's education had acquainted him with the
voice of God. He was in the habit of seeing
eternal things with the eye of faith. God showed
Daniel the same things which He had revealed
to Nebuchadnezzar, but which were hidden from
him by the glamour of worldliness.
The song of praise which rose from the lips
of Daniel when the vision came, shows how self-
forgetful he was, and how close his neart was
knit to the heart of God.
The schools of Babylon developed pride, love
of pleasure, haughtiness, and self-esteem. They
fostered an aristocracy, and cultivated the spirit
of oppression and slavery. Contrast with this
the native simplicity, the courtesy, gentleness,
and self-forgetfulness of the child of God as he
enters the court and is introduced by Arioch.
Years before this, when Egypt was the edu
cational center of the world, God taught Egyp
tian senators by the mouth of Joseph, a boy no
older than Daniel. When Babylon had outgrown
the counsels of Heaven, another Hebrew meets
the men of the schools. " Can not the wise men
show the secret unto the king ? "
Before Daniel was the king in his glory;
around him stood the very teachers with whom
he had studied three years. At this time were
exemplified the words of the psalmist : " I have
more understanding than all my teachers ,- for
Thy testimonies are my meditation. I under
stand more than the ancients, because I keep
Thy precepts."
Nebuchadnezzar was careworn from loss of

A CONTROVERSY BETWEEN TRUTH AND ERROR. 37

Ghe're is
jod ittheavi
that revealethA

sleep, and in great anxiety because the dream
troubled him ; but Daniel was calm, conscious
of his connection with God, the King of kings.
Daniel now had opportunity to exalt his own
wisdom, but he chose rather to give all the glory
to God. He plainly told the king that it
was beyond the power of man to reveal the
dream or give the interpretation ; " but there is
a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and
maketh known
to the king
N e buchadnez-
zar what shall
be in the latter
days." The
king's mind
was directed to
God alone.
In one night
God revealed
the history of
over twenty-
five hun dred
years, and what
the human historian requires volumes to ex
plain .is given in fifteen verses. The Scrip
tures explain themselves, and in divine records
every word is well chosen and put in the proper
setting. In the image revealed to Nebuchadnezzar, the
glory of the Babylonian kingdom is recognized
by the Lord, and represented by the head of
gold. But while giving due credit to the pres
ent state of things, the spirit of prophecy with
equal candor points out to the self-exalted king
the weakness of the institutions in which he has

ILjsecrets. and
'maTceth. hnoum
;gio fhe Tuna.

ruhat shall be
in the latter
days.
Dan.2:28

19. Then was the secret revealed
unto Daniel in a night vision.
Then Daniel blessed the Sod of
heaven. 20. Daniel answered and said,
Blessed be the name of Qod for
ever and ever : for wisdom and
might are his :
21. And he changeth the times
and the seasons : he removeth
kings, and setteth up kings: he
giveth wisdom unto the wise, and
knowledge to them that know un
derstanding :
22. He revealeth the deep and
secret things : he knoweth what is
In the darkness, and the light
dwelleth with him.
23. I thank thee, and praise.
thee, 0 thou Qod of my fathers*
who hast given me wisdom and
might, and hast made known
unto me now what we desired of
thee : for thou hast now made.
known unto us the king's matter.
• Dan. 2 : 19-23.
The secret of the Lord is with
them that fear him : and he will
show them his covenant. Ps. 25 :«-i4.
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye right
eous : for praise is comely for the
upright. Ps. 33 : 1.
24. Therefore Daniel went In
unto Arioch, whom the king had
ordained to destroy the wise men
of Babylon : he went and said thus
unto him : Destroy not the wise
men of Babylon : bring me in be
fore the king, and I will show unto
the king the Interpretation.
25. Then Arioch brought in Dan
iel before the king In haste, and
said thus unto him, I haoe found
a man of the captioes of Judah,
that will make known unto the
king the Interpretation. Dan, 2. -24. 25.
26. The king answered and said
to Daniel, whose name was Bel-
teshazzar, Art thou able to make
known unto me the dream which I
haoe seen, and the interpretation
thereof? 27. Daniel answered In the pres
ence of the king, and said, The se
cret whioh the king hath demanded

38

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

can not the wise men, the astrolo
gers, the magicians, the soothsay
ers, show unto the king ;
28. But there is a God in heaven
that revealeth secrets, and mak
eth known to the king Nebuchad
nezzar what shall be in the latter
days. Thy dream, and the visions
of thy head upon thy bed, are
these; 29. As for thee, 0 king, thy
thoughts came into thy mind upon
thy bed what should come to pass
hereafter : and he that revealeth
secrets maketh known to thee what
shall come to pass.
80. But as for me, this secret Is
not reoealed to me for any wisdom
that I haoe more than any lioing,
but for their sakes that shall make
known the interpretation to the
king, and that thou mightest know
the thoughts of thy heart.
31. Th-.n, 0 king, sawest, and
behold a great Image. This great
image, whose brightness was ex
cellent, stood before thee, and the
form thereof was terrible.
82. This image's head was of
fine gold, his breast and his arms
of siloer, his belly and his thighs
of brass.
S3. His legs of iron, his feet
part of iron and part of clay.
34. Thou sawest tilt that a stone
was cut out without hands, which
smote the image upon his feet that
were of iron and clay, and brake
them to pieces.
36. Then was the iron, the clay,
the brass, the silver, and the gold,
broken to pieces together, and be
came like the chaff of the summer
threshing-floors; and the wind
carried them away, that no place
was found for them : and the stone
that smote ihe image became a
great mountain and filled the
Whole earth.
36. This is the dream ; and we
will tell the interpretation thereof
before the king.
37. Thou, 0 king, art a king of
kings : for the God of heaven hath
given thee a kingdom, power and
strength, and glory.

placed his trust, and the inability of the Baby
lonian learning to save from impending de
struction. "Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin
daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground ; there
is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans ; for
thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.
Take the millstones and grind meal." From be
ing master of all, Babylon must become the
most humble servant. Because these people had
disregarded the God of heaven, and had said,
"None seeth me," evil would come from un
known sources, and Babylon should be cut off.
She would make a desperate effort to save her
self by turning to her educators and wise men.
"Let now the astrologers, the star-gazers, the
monthly prognosticators, stand up and save thee
from these things. . . . Behold, they shall be
as stubble." When the trial came, there was
nothing in all the realms of Babylon that could
save it.
"The strength of nations and of individuals is
not found in the opportunities and facilities that
appear to make them invincible ; it is not found
in their boasted greatness. That which alone
can make them great or strong is the power and
purpose of God. They themselves, by their
attitude toward His purpose, decide their own
destiny." Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom lasted only until
the reign of his grandson, when the second or
inferior nation represented by the breast and
arms of silver came upon the stage of action.
Medo-Persia took the place of Babylon ; Grecia
followed the Medo-Persian kingdom, while
Rome, the fourth kingdom, was to be broken

The" image.

A CONTROVERSY BETWEEN TRUTH AND ERROR. 39

into ten parts, which were to remain until the
end of time. In the days of these kings the
God of heaven would set up a kingdom which
would never be destroyed nor conquered by any
other people; it would break in pieces and
consume all former kingdoms, and stand forever.
The image was a comprehensive outline of the
world's history. The "glory of kingdoms"
formed the head of gold, all following king
doms deteriorated from Babylon as shown by
the grade of metals forming the image. First
gold, then silver, brass, and iron. In the latter
part of the world's history, a marked change
was revealed by the iron being mixed with miry
clay. There were to be no more universal king
doms ruled by men ; when the power of the
fourth kingdom was broken, it was to remain
divided until the end. In place of one kingdom
there would be several.
The clay mixed with iron also denoted the
union of church and state. This combination is
pecuhar to the latter part of the world's history,
to the feet and toes of the image.
Religion was the basis of government in the
heathen nations ; there could be no separation of
the church and the state. When apostate Chris
tianity united with the state, each remained in a
sense distinct as the miry clay is separate from
iron. The union continues until the stone smites
the image upon the feet. The very fact that
the " stone was cut out of the mountain without
hands," shows that the last kingdoms on earth
will not be overthrown by any earthly power,
but that the God of heaven will bring upon
them final destruction by giving them to the
burning flames.

38. And wheresoeoer the chil
dren of men dwell, the beasts of
the field and the fowls of the
heaven hath he given into thine
hand, and hath made thee ruler
over them all. Thou art this head
of gold.
39. And after thee shall arise
another kingdom inferior to thee,
and another third kingdom of
brass, which shall bear rule over
all the earth.
40. And the fourth kingdom
shall be strong as iron : forasmuch
as iron breaketh in pieces and sub-
dueth alt things : and as iron that
breaketh all these, shall it break
in pieces and bruise.
41. And whereas thou sawest
the feet and toes, part of potters'
clay, and part of iron, the king
dom shall be divided; but there
shall be In It of the strength of
the Iron, forasmuch as thou saw
est the iron mixed with miry clay.
42. And as the toes of the feet
were part of iron, and part of
clay, so the kingdom shall be partly
strong, and partly broken.
43. And whereas thou sawest
iron mixed with miry clay, they
shalt mingle themseloes with the
seed of men : but they shall not
cleave one to another, even as iron
is not mixed with clay.
44. And in the days of these
kings shall the God of heaven set
up a kingdom, which shall never
be destroyed: and the kingdom
shall not be left to other people,
but it shall break in pieces and
consume all these kingdoms, and
it shall stand forever.
45. Forasmuch as thou sawest
that the stone was cut out of the
mountain without hands, and that
it brake in pieces the iron, the
brass, the clay, the silver, and the
gold; the great God hath made
known to the king what shalt come
to pass hereafter : and the dream
is certain, and the interpretation
thereof sure.
46. Then the king Nebuchadnez
zar fell upon his face, and wor
shiped Daniel, and ., commanded

40

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

that they should offer an oblation
and sweet odors unto him.
47. The king answered unto
Daniel, and said, of a truth it is,
that your God is a God of gods,
and a Lord of kings, and a revealer
of secrets, seeing thou couldest
reveal this secret.
48. Then the king made Daniel a
great man, and gave him many
great gifts, and made him ruler
over the whole province of Baby
lon, and chief of the governors
over all the wise men of Babylon.
49. Then Daniel requested of the
king, and he set Shadrach, Mes-
hach, and Abed-nego, over the af
fairs of the province of Babylon :
but Daniel sat in the gate of the
king. Dan. 2:26-49.

The Gentiles shall come to thy
light and kings to the brightness of
thy rising. ¦ Isa. 6o : 3-5.

Deut. 28 : 12, 13.

Deut. 15:6.

My people are destroyed for lack
of knowledge. Hosea 4:6.

Isa. 5 : 13.

Prov. 2 : 10, n.

But as truly as I live, all the
earth shall be filled with the glory
of the Lord. Num. 14 : 21.

Hab. 2 : 14.

The king listened to every sentence Daniel
uttered when telUng the dream, and recognized
it as the vision which had troubled him. When
Daniel gave the interpretation, he was certain
that he could accept it as a true .prophecy from
the God of heaven. The vision had deeplyaf-
fected the king, and when the meaning was
given, he fell upon his face before Daniel in
wonder and humility, and said, " Of a truth it
is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord
of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou
couldest reveal this secret."
The youth of twenty-one was made ruler over
all the provinces of Babylon, and chief governor
over all the wise men of the kingdom. Daniel's
companions were also given high positions in
the government. It should be remembered that
this dream as recorded in the second chapter of
Daniel was given to Nebuchadnezzar in the sec
ond year of his sole reign. It was still during
the lifetime of Jehoiakim, king of Judah.
It was in the providence of God that His people
should carry the light of truth to all the heathen
nations. What they failed to do in the time of
peace, they must do in time of trouble. Babylon
was the ruling power of the world ; it was the
educational center. The Jews Were compara
tively a small people ; they lost the power of God
by neglecting the education of their children;
they failed to let their light shine. From their
midst God took a few who were trained in the
fear of the Lord, placed them in the heathen
court, brought them into favor with the ruler
of the world, so making Himself known to the
heathen king . He did even more : He revealed
Himself to the king, and used these children

A CONTROVERSY BETWEEN TRUTH AND ERROR. 41

of His to prove that the wisdom of God excelled
the wisdom^ of the Chaldeans. Having exalted
true education, He put Daniel and his compan
ions at the head of that vast empire that the
knowledge of the God of heaven might go to
the ends of the earth.
Having acknowledged the God of Daniel,
Nebuchadnezzar was in a position to save Jeru
salem instead of destroying it. It was because
of these experiences
that God could

Thus saith the Lord, Let not the
wise man glory in his wisdom, nei
ther let the mighty man glory in
his might, let not the rich man
glory in his riches : but let him that
glorieth, glory in this, that he un-
derstandeth and knoweth me, that
I am the Lord which exercise lov
ingkindness, judgment, and right
eousness, in the earth : for in these
things I delight, saith the Lord.
Jer. 9:23, 24.
All nations shall serve him, and
his son, and his son's son, until the
very time of his land come: and
then many nations and great kings
shall serve themselves of him.
Jer. 27:7.

anij are called, but
(eta are cfto^e

send word by His prophet a few years later that,
should Zedekiah, king of Judah, deliver himself
to the king of Babylon, Jerusalem would not be
burned, and the world would receive the light
of the gospel.
The history of the city of Babylon is put on
record because it is God's object lesson to the
world to-day. The book of Revelation, which
is the complement of the book of Daniel, fre
quently uses the name Babylon, applying it to
the modern churches. The relation of the Jews
to the Babylon of Nebuchadnezzar is the same
as that sustained by the remnant church, the true
Israel, to the churches which, having known the
truth, have rejected it. .
The sins of ancient Babylon will be repeated
to-day. Her educational system is the one now

Then said Jeremiah unto Zede-
kiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God
of hosts, the God of Israel ; If thou
wilt assuredly go forth unto the
king of Babylon's princes, then thy
soul shall live, and this city shall
not be burned with fire ; and thou
shalt live, and thine house: but if
thou wilt not go forth to the king
of Babylon's princes, then shall
this city be given into the hand of
the Chaldeans, and they shall bum
it with fire, and thou shalt not es
cape out of their hand. Jer. 38:17, 18.
Babylon is fallen, is fallen ; and
all the graven images of her gods
he hath broken unto the ground.
Isa. 21:9.
There followed another angel,
saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen,
that great city, because she made
all nations drink of the wine of the
wrath of her fornication. Rev. 14 : 8.

42

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Babylon hath been a golden cup
in the Lord's hand, that made all
the earth drunken : the nations have
drunken of her wine ; therefore the
nations are mad. Jer. 51:7.
Rev. 17 '.4.
That thou shalt take up this
proverb against the king of Baby
lon, and say, How hath the oppres
sor ceased ! the exactress of gold
ceased ! Isa. 14 : 4, margin.
Saying, Alas, alas that great
city, that was clothed in fine linen,
and purple, and scarlet, and decked
with gold and precious stones, and
pearls ! For in one hour so great
riches is come to naught. Rev. 18 : 16, 17.
Gen. 12 : 1.
Joshua 24 12, 3.
Deut. 6:6,7.
Ps. 105 t22.
Rev. 18 : 1-4.
For thou art an holy people unto
the Lord thy God, and the Lord
hath chosen thee to be a peculiar
people unto himself, above all the
nations that are upon the earth.
Thou shalt not eat any abominable
thing. Deut. 14 : 1-3.
Lev. 11 :44.
1 Pet. 2 :g.
Keep therefore and do them ; for
this is your wisdom and your un
derstanding in the sight of the
nations which shall hear all these
statutes, and say, Surely this great
nation is a wise and understanding
people. For what nation is there
so great, who hath God so nigh
unto them, as the Lord our God is
in all things, that we call upon him
for? Deut. 4:5-8.
For many are called, but few are
chosen. Matt. 22 : 14.

generally accepted ; her government, with its ex
cessive taxes, its exaltation of the rich and the
oppression of the poor, its pride, arrogance, love
of display, its choice of the artificial in place of
the natural, and the exaltation of the God of
science instead of the God of heaven, is the one
toward which the world of to-day is hastening.
As God called Abraham out of the idolatry
of Chaldea, and made him the father of the
Hebrew nation ; as he delivered to that people
a form of government that would exalt God ; as
he gave them commandment so to teach their
children that the Jewish nation might become
the teacher of nations and might be an
everlasting kingdom, so to-day H e calls
forth a people from modern Babylon. He
has entrusted to them principles of healthful
living which will make them mentally and
physically a wonder to the world. He has
given them educational principles, which, if
followed, will make them the teachers of the
world, and finally bring them into the kingdom
of God. And to them He has delivered the
principles of true government, which recognize
the equal rights of all men, and which in the
church organization bind all together — -one
body in Christ Jesus.
Only a few — four out of thousands — were
true to these principles in the days of Daniel.
How will it be to-day ?

CHAPTER III.

TRUE FREEDOM IN WORSHIP.

" Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image
of gold." According to Usher's chronology, it
had been twenty-three years since the dream as
recorded in the second chapter of Daniel had
been given to this same Nebuchadnezzar. As a
result of the experience at that time, Daniel
was made counselor, sitting in the gate of
the king, and Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego were appointed rulers in the prov
ince of Babylon. Many opportunities had
presented themselves to these men of God,
and they had kept the . knowledge of their
God before the people of Babylon. Jerusa
lem had in the meantime been destroyed. The
Jews, as a nation, were scattered throughout the
kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar ; their king, Jehoia
chin, languished in one of the prisons of Baby
lon. It was a time of sorrow and mourning for
the chosen people of God. Could it be that they
were forgotten by Him who smote Egypt, and
led the hosts across the Red Sea ? As far as
human eyes could see, it was true.

1. Nebuchadnezzar the king
made an image of gold, whose
height was threescore cubits, and
the breadth thereof six cubits ; he
set it up in the plain of Dura, in
the province of Babylon.
2. Then Nebuchadnezzar the
king sent to gather together the
princes, the governors, and the
captains, the judges, the treas
urers, the counsellors, the sheriffs,
and all the rulers of the provinces,
to come to the dedication of the
image which Nebuchadnezzar the
king had set up.
3. Then the princes, the govern
ors, and captains, the judges, the
treasurers, the counsellors, 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.
4. Then an herald cried aloud.
To you it is commanded, 0 people,
nations, and languages,
6. That at what time ye hear
the sound of the cornet, flute,
harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer,
and all kinds of music, ye fall
down and worship the golden im
age that Nebuchadnezzar the king
hath set up ;
43

44

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

6. And whoso falleth not down
and worshipeth shalt the same
hour be cast into the midst of a
burning fiery furnace. Dan. 3 : 1-8.

Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy
strength, and with all thy mind ;
and thy neighbor as thyself. Luke io : 27.

No man can serve two masters :
for either he will hate the one,
and love the other ; or else he will
hold to the one, and despise the
other. Ye can not serve God and
mammon. Matt. 6 : 24.

For whosoever exalteth himself,
shall be abased. Luke 14 : 1 1 .

Let every soul be subject unto
the higher powers. For there is
no power but of God ; the powers
that be, are ordained of God.
Rom. 13 : 1.

7. Therefore, at that time, when
all the people heard the sound of
the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut,
psaltery, and all kinds of music,
alt the people, the nations, and
the languages, fell down and wor
shiped the golden image that Neb
uchadnezzar the king had set up.
Dan. 3:7.

Ps. 33 : 13-15.

For whatsoever things were writ
ten aforetime were written for our
learning. Rom. 15 : 4.

Put them in mind to be subject
to principalities and powers, to
obey magistrates, to be ready to
every good work. Titus 3 : 1 .

-Nebuchadnezzar had been humbled when
Daniel interpreted his dream ; he had then
worshiped God ; but as the years passed, he lost
the spirit which characterized true worship, and
while in the mind acknowledging the God of
the Jews, in his heart he was pagan still. He
made an image of gold, patterning it as closely
as possible after the image revealed to him in
his dream, at the same time gratifying his own
pride, for the entire figure was gold. There was
no trace of the other kingdoms which were rep
resented by the silver, the brass, the iron, and the
clay in the dream. It stood on the plain of
Dura, rising at least one hundred feet above the
surrounding country, and visible for miles in
every direction.
The decree was issued by Nebuchadnezzar,
calling to the capitol the governors and rulers
of provinces from all over the world. He, the
ruler of kingdoms, thus showed his authority.
It was a great occasion, and subject kings and
governors dared not disobey the mandates of
this universal king.
Heaven was watching with intense interest,
for this was the occasion when the highest
worldly authority was to meet the government
of God.
Babylon was not only the greatest and most
powerful government in the days of Nebuchad
nezzar, but it was a symbol of earthly govern
ments of all time ; and for that reason we have
the record as given in the third chapter of Daniel.
As a king, he had a perfect right to call. his
subjects together. As subjects, it was the duty
of those who were called, to obey.
When that great company had gathered

TRUE FREEDOM IN WORSHIP.

45

around the image on the broad plain, the voice
of the herald was heard: "At what time ye
hear the sound ... of all kinds of music, ye
fall down and worship the golden image . . .
Whoso falleth not down and wor-
shipeth shall the same hour
be cast into the midst of a
burning fiery furnace,"
" God is a spirit
and they that
worship Him
Cy7?~v must wor-
_/T"tts>T ship
ireitt.the Lard fbtever:
Except far in the

IS

Him in
spirit." But
of spiritual wor
ship, paganism
entirely ignorant
there be some form, some ' j^,Ot*Xt
image before which they can rJ^llOV&Il
bow, there can be, to them, no
worship. It was wholly in ac
cordance with the religion, the educa
tion, and the government of Babylon, for $tlT

xs ever-

Thou shalt not make unto thee
any graven image, or any likeness
of anything that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth be
neath, or that is in the water under
the earth : thou shalt not bow
down thyself to them, nor serve
them : for I the Lord thy God am
a jealous God, visiting the iniquity
of the fathers upon the children
unto the third and fourth genera
tion of them that hate me.
Ex. 20 :4~s.
John 4 : 24.
The Lord commanded me at
that time to teach you statutes
and judgments, that ye might do
them in the land whither ye go
over to possess it. Take ye there
fore good heed unto yourselves ;
for ye saw no manner of similitude
on the day that the Lord spake
unto you in Horeb out of the midst
of the fire ; lest ye corrupt your
selves, and make you a graven
image, the similitude of any fig
ure, the likeness of male or
female, the likeness of any
beast that is on the earth,
the likeness of any
winged fowl that
flieth in the air,
the likeness
of any
thing that

the king to erect an image such as he did.
It was wholly in harmony with the custom —
educational, religious, and civil — for the people
in general to respect a command to worship such
an image.
While it was in harmony with worldly gov
ernment, it was not, however, according to the
principles of the heavenly government. Hence
it is that again, in the person of the Babylonian
king, Satan is challenging the government of God.
When Lucifer and his angels refused to bow
before the throne of God, the Father did not

jsa:26;4.

creep eth on the
ground, the
likeness of any
fish that is in the waters beneath
the earth: and list thou lift up thine
eyes unto heaven, and when thou
seest the sun, and the moon, and the
stars, even all the host of heaven,
shouldest b e driven to worship
them, and serve them, which the
Lord thy God hath divided unto all
nations under the whole heaven.
Deut. 4 : 14-19.

46

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

His own iniquities shall take the
wicked himself, and he shall be
holden with the cords of his sins.
Prov. 5 .'22.
Rom. 6 :23,
For the love of Christ constrain-
eth us ; because we thus judge,
that if one died for all, then were
all dead. 2 Cor. 5 : 14.

Choose you this day whom ye
will serve. Joshua 24 : 15.

The Spirit and the bride say,
Come. And let him that heareth
say, Come. And let him that is
athirst come. And whosoever will,
let him take the water of life
freely. Rev. 22 117.

8. Wherefore at that time cer
tain Chaldeans came near, and
accused the Jews,
9. They spake and said to the
king Nebuchadnezzar, 0 king, live
forever. 10. Thou, 0 king, hast made a
decree, that every man that shall
hear the sound of the cornet, flute,
harp, saokbut, psaltery, and dul
cimer, and ail kinds of music,
shall fall down and worship the
golden image :
71. And whoso falleth not down
and worshipeth, that he should be
cast into the midst of a burning
fiery furnace.
12. There are certain Jews whom
thou hast set over the affairs of
the province of Babylon, Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abed-nego : these
men, 0 king, have not regarded
thee : they serve not thy gods, nor
worship the golden image which
thou hast set up. Dan. 3:8-12.

The Lord standeth "up to plead,
and standeth to judge the people.
Isa. 3 : 13.

then destroy them. They were permitted to
live until death should come as a result of the
course they .pursued. The Babylonian king,
however, threatened utter destruction to all who
refused to worship his golden image. The mo
tive power in the heavenly government is love ;
human power, when exercised, becomes tyranny.
All tyranny is a repetition of the Babylonian
principles. We sometimes call it papal ; it is
likewise Babylonian. When the civil power en
forces worship of any sort, be that worship true
or false in itself, to obey is idolatry. The com
mand must be backed by some form of punish
ment, — a fiery furnace, — and the conscience of
man is no longer free. From a civil standpoint,
such legislation is tyranny ; looked at from a
religious point of view, it is persecution.
The vast throng fell prostrate before the
image, but Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego
remained erect. Then it was that certain Chal
deans, teachers in the realm, jealous of the posi
tion and power of these Hebrews, having waited
for a chance to accuse them, said to the king,
"There are certain Jews whom thou hast set
over the affairs of the province of Babylon,
. . . these men have not regarded thee."
Can it be, thought the king, that when the
image is made after the pattern of the one
shown me by the God of the Jews, those
men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, have
failed to worship at my command ? Can it be
possible that when I have elevated those men,
who were only slaves, to high positions in the
government, they disregard my laws? The
thought rankled in the heart of the king. Self-
exaltation brooks no opposition, and the men

TRUE FREEDOM IN WORSHIP.

47

were called forthwith into the presence of Nebu
chadnezzar. Can it be true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego, after all that has been done for you,
that ye do not serve my gods nor worship the
image which I have set up? The reason for

Settle it therefore in your hearts
not to meditate before what ye
shall answer : for I will give you
a mouth and wisdom, which all
your adversaries shall not be able
to gainsay nor resist. Luke 21 : 14, 15.
For their redeemer is mighty;
he shall plead their cause

with thee.

making the image was
doubtless explained, and
another opportunity of
fered them in which they
might redeem the past
offense. But if it was
wilful disregard of au
thority, the law of the
land should be enforced.
The furnace was pointed
to by the king as awaiting traitors and rebels.
What a test of the fidelity of these three
companions of Daniel ! They realized that they
were in the presence of not only the richest mon
arch of earth, and that disobedience meant
death, and before the assembled multitudes on

Shadrach,
Meshach, and
Abed-nego, remained erect.
nego. Then they brought these
men before the king.
14. Nebuchadnezzar spake and
said unto them, Is it true, 0 Sha
drach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do
not ye serve my gods, nor worship
the golden image which I have
set up ?
15. Now if ye be ready that ai

48

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

what time ye hear the sound of the
cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psal
tery, and dulcimer, and alt kinds
of music, ye fall down and wor
ship the image which I have made;
well : but if ye worship not, ye
shalt be cast the same hour into
the midst of a burning fiery fur-
naae; and who is that God that
shall deliver you out of my hands ?
16. Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego, answered and said to
the king, 0 Nebuchadnezzar, we
are not careful to answer thee in
this matter.
17. If it be so, our Qod whom
we serve is able to deliver us from
the burning fiery furnace, and he
will deliver us out of thine hand,
0 king. Dan. 3:13-17.
Isa. 43 : io.
Matt, io :32.
Matt. 16:26.
2 Chron. 20 :20.
18. But if not, be it known unto
thee, 0 king, that we will not serve
thy gods, nor worship the go/den
image which thou hast set up.
19. Then was Nebuchadnezzar
full of fury, and the form of his
visage was changed against Sha
drach, Meshach, and Abed-nego:
therefore he spake, and com
manded that they should heat the
furnace one seven times more than
it was wont to be heated.
20. And he commanded the most
mighty men that were in his army
to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego, and to cast them into
the burning fiery furnace.
21. Then these men were bound
in their coats, their hosen, and
their hats, and their other gar
ments, and were cast into the
midst of the burning fiery fur
nace. 22. Therefore because the king's
commandment was urgent, andthe
furnace exceeding hot, the flame
of the fire slew those men that
took up Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego. Dan. 3 : 18-22.

the plain of Dura, but they were a spectacle to
God, to angels, and to the inhabitants of other
worlds. The whole universe was watching with
inexpressible interest to see what these men
would do. The controversy was not between
man and Satan, but between Christ and Satan,
and eternal principles were at stake. Men were
actors in the contest. They could stand as wit
nesses either for Christ or for Satan in this time
of decision. Would they allow an unsanctified
emotion to have possession of their lives, and
compromise their faith ? What could a religion
be worth which admitted of compromise ? What
can any religion be worth if it does not teach
loyalty to the God of heaven ? What is there
of any real value in the world, especially when
on the very borders of eternity, unless it be
God's acknowledgment of us as His children ?
These Hebrew youth had learned from the
history of God's dealings with the Israelites in
times past, that disobedience brought only dis
honor, disaster, and ruin ; and that the fear of
the Lord was not only the beginning of wisdom,
but the basis of all true prosperity. They there
fore calmly and respectfully told the king that
they would not worship his golden image, and
that they had faith that their God was -able to
protect them.
The king was angry. His proud spirit could
not tolerate this refusal to obey his decree. He
ordered that the furnace be heated seven times
hotter than usual, and that the most mighty
men of his army bind these three Hebrews and
throw them into the fire. This was done, but
God in this act began to vindicate His faithful
children. The furnace was so exceedingly hot

TRUE FREEDOM IN WORSHIP.

49

that the mighty men who cast the Hebrews into
the fire were themselves destroyed by the in
tense heat.
God suffered not envy and hatred to prevail
against His children. How often have the ene
mies of God united their strength and wisdom
to destroy the character and influence of a few
humble, trusting persons ! But nothing can
prevail against those who are strong in the
Lord. The promise is, "The wrath of man
shall praise Thee."
God preserved His servants in the midst of the
flames, and the attempt to force them into idola
try resulted in bringing the knowledge of the
true God before the assemblage of princes and
rulers of the vast kingdofn of Babylon. " This
is the victory that overcometh the world, even
our faith. " All things are possible to those who
believe. " What things soever ye desire, when
ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye
shall have them." God may not always work
deliverance in the way that we think best, but
He who sees everything' from the beginning,
knows what will bring honor and praise to His
name. Suddenly the king became pale with terror.
He looked intently into the midst of the fiery
furnace, and turned to those near him with the
words, " Did we not cast three men bound into
the midst of the fire?" They answered, "True,
O king." The king then said, -'Lo, I see four
men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and
they have no hurt ; and the form of the fourth
is like the Son of God."
How did the king recognize the form of the
Son of God ? Evidently by the teachings of the

Who art thou that judgest an
other man's servant? to his own
master he standeth or falleth : yea,
he shall be holden up : for God is
able to make him stand. Rom. 14 : 4.*
For a just man falleth seven
times, and riseth up again ; but
the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Prov. 24 : 16.

Though he fall, he shall not be
utterly cast down : for the Lord
upholdeth him with his hand.
Ps. 37:24.
Ps. 76 : 10.
23. And these three men, Sha
drach, Meshach, and Abed-nego,
fell down bound into the midst of
the burning fiery furnace. Dan. 3:23.
When thou passest through the
waters, I will be with thee ; and
through the rivers, they shall not
overflow thee : when thou walkest
through the fire, thou shalt not be
burned ; neither shall the flame
kindle upon thee. Isa. 43 : 2.
1 John 5 -.4.
Mark 11 : 24.
24. Then Nebuchadnezzar the
king was astonied, and rose up in
haste, and spake, and said unto his
counsellors, Did not we cast three
men bound into the midst of the
fire? They answered and said
unto the king, True, 0 king.
25. He answered and said, Lo, I
see four men loose, walking in the
midst of the fire, and they have no
hurt; and the form of the fourth
is like the Son of God.
Dan. 3 : 24, 26.
Ps. 18 : 48.
Ye are our epistle written in our
hearts, known and read of all men :
forasmuch as ye are manifestly de-

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

dared to be the epistle of Christ
ministered by us, written not with
ink, but with the Spirit of the liv
ing God ; not in tables of stone,
but in fleshy tables of the heart.
2 Cor. 3:2, 3.
Now then we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God did be
seech you by us : we pray you in
Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to
God. 2 Cor. 5 : 20.
Out of the abundance of the
heart the mouth speaketh. A good
man out of the good treasure of the
heart bringeth forth good things.
Matt. 12 134, 35.
The angel of the Lord encamp-
eth round about them that fear
him, and delivereth them. Ps. 34:7.
He that loveth pureness of heart,
for the grace of his lips the king
shall be his friend. Prov. 22 : 11.
Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven. Matt. 5 : 16.

26. Then Nebuchadnezzar came
near to the mouth of the burning
fiery furnace, and spake, and said,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-
nego, ye servants of the most high
God, come forth,, and come hither.
Then Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abed-nego, came forth of the
midst of the fire.
27. And the princes, governors,
and captains, and the king's coun
sellors, being gathered together,
saw these men, upon whose bodies

Jews in the court of Babylon and in remem
brance of his vision. Daniel and his( compan
ions had ever sought to bring before the king,
the princes, and the wise men of Babylon, a
knowledge of the true God. These Hebrews,
holding high positions in the government, had
been associated with the king ; and as they were
not ashamed of their God, they had honored and
given glory to the Lord whenever opportunity
afforded. The king had heard from their lips
descriptions of the glorious Being whom they
served ; and it was from this instruction that he
was able to recognize the fourth person in the
fire as the Son of God. The king also under
stood the ministry of angels, and now believed
that angels had interfered in behalf of these
faithful men who would yield their bodies to
punishment rather than consent with their minds
to serve or worship any God but their own.
These men were true missionaries. They held
honored positions in the government, and at the
same time let the light of the gospel shine
through their lives. This miracle was one of
the results of their godly lives.
With bitter remorse and feelings of humility,
the king approached the furnace and exclaimed,
"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye serv
ants of the most high God, come forth, and
come hither." They did so, and all the hosts
on the plain of Dura were witnesses to the fact
that not even the smell of fire was upon their
garments, and not a hair of their head had been
singed. God had triumphed through the con
stancy of his faithful servants. The magnify
cent image was forgotten by the people in their
wonder, and solemnity pervaded the assembly.

" He looked intently into the fiery furnace.'

TRUE FREEDOM IN WORSHIP.

5i

What the Jews as a nation had failed to
do in proclaiming the truth to the nations of
the world, God accomplished under the most try
ing circumstances, with only three men. The
story of the miraculous deliverance was told to
the ends of the earth. The principles of relig
ious liberty and freedom of conscience were
known. The history of the Jews was passed from
mouth to mouth as those unacquainted with the
three Hebrews asked who they were and how
they came into Babylon. The Sabbath was pro
claimed. The story of Jewish education was
made known. The glory of Babylon was for
the time forgotten as the splendor of the heav
enly kingdom and the principles of God's gov
ernment became the absorbing theme. . Without
doubt some men dated their conversion from
that day, and forces were, set m operation which
paved the way for the return of the Jews a few
years later.
Again the heathen monarch is brought to
acknowledge the power of i:he King of heaven.
When Daniel interpreted the dream, worldly
wisdom and the learning of the Babylonian
schools fell before the simple gospel teaching as
carried out by faithful mothers in Israel. When
the three Hebrews were saved from the heat of
the furnace, the principles of God's government
— true Protestantism, as it would be called to
day — were proclaimed before the nations of the
earth. It was only a partial appreciation of these
principles which Nebuchadnezzar at first gained;
nevertheless it led to the decree that throughout
the whole dominion, wherever a Jew might be
living, no man should speak against the God of

the fire had no power, nor was an
hair of their head singed, neither
were their coats changed, nor the
smell of fire had passed on them.
28. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake,
and said, Blessed be the Qod 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 yielded their
bodies, that they might not serve
nor worship any god, except their
own Qod. Dan. 3 .- 26-28.

^ut bew.e all these, they shall
i> .heir hai-ds on you, and perse
cute you, delivering you up to the
synagogues, and into prisons, being
brought before kings and rulers for
my name's sake. And it shall turn
to you for a testimony. Luke 21 : 12, 13.

They shall speak of the glory of
thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;
to make known to the sons of men
his mighty acts, and the glorious
majesty of his kingdom. Thy king
dom is an everlasting kingdom, and
thy dominion endureth throughout
all generations. The Lord uphold-
eth all that fall, and raiseth up all
those that be bowed down.
Ps. 145 : n-14.

Having your conversation honest
among the Gentiles : that, whereas
they speak against you as evildoers,

52

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

they may by your good works,
which they shall behold, glorify
God in the day of visitation. i Pet. 2 : t2.
Prov. 2 1 : i .

29. Therefore I make a decree,
That every people, nation and lan
guage, which speak any thing
amiss against the Qod of Sha
drach, Meshach, and Abed-nego,
shalt be cut in pieces, and their
houses shall be made a dunghill :
because there is no other Qod that
can deliver after this sort.
Dan, 3:29.

Jer. j7-:S-ro.

Jer. 38:3.

Jer. 3S : 14-23.

Jer. 38 : 14-17.

Have faith in God. Verily I say
unto you, Whosoever shall say unto
this mountain, Be thou taken up
and cast into the sea ; and shall not
doubt in his heart, but shall believe
that what he saith cometh to pass ;
he shall have it. Mark n : 22-24.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. This gave
freedom to every believer to worship unmolested.
Satan, in attempting to destroy the Hebrews,
had overstepped the bounds, and in place of the
death of three, life was granted to thousands.
Usher's chronology gives the date of the
issuing of this decree as twenty-six years after
Daniel was carried captive to Babylon ; but it is
very probable that the exact date was the time
the prophet Jeremiah told Zedekiah, king of
Judah, if he would deliver himself into the hands
of the king of Babylon's princes, Jerusalem
would not be destroyed. Only a short time be
fore the same prophet had come to Zedekiah,
saying, " Thus saith the Lord ; Deceive not
yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely
depart from us ; for they shall not depart, for
though ye had smitten the whole army of the
Chaldeans that fight against you, and there re
mained but wounded men among them, yet
should they rise up every man in his tent, and
burn this city with fire. "
No doubt it seemed strange to Zedekiah that
the same prophet a little later, should come to
him again saying, "Thus saith the Lord, the
God of hosts, the God of Israel, ' If thou wilt
assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's
princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city
shall not be burned with fire ; and thou shalt
live and thine house. "
Zedekiah walked by sight and not by faith,
and for lack of faith to believe God, he lost
everything. His sight beheld only the Baby
lonian army and the Jews, and he feared to
obey. Faith would have led him to obey
the command of God, irrespective of any

TRUE FREEDOM IN WORSHIP.

53

obstacles that sight may have presented.
God never commands us to perform impossi
bilities ; He always with the command prepares
the way, if we by faith will go forward and
obey. If Zedekiah had only known that a de
cree had been issued in Babylon forbidding any
one to even speak a word against the God of
the Hebrews, he would, no doubt, have quickly
obeyed. God had made every provision to spare Jeru
salem, the city of His choice, and the temple
where His visible presence had abode for so
many years. But Heaven's plans were frus
trated by the doubting heart of the one whom
God had trusted with the oversight of His work
in the earth. In vain did the prophet of the Lord
plead, "Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the
Lord which I speak unto thee." But Zedekiah's
eyes were blinded by earthly things, he meas
ured the message from God by his own mind.
He saw only seeming contradiction in the mes
sage, which, if believed, carried the glad tidings
of victory. If Zedekiah had gone forth to the
Chaldeans no one would have dared lay hands
upon him, but like many others he lost the op
portunity of a life time by fearing to trust
God. Notwithstanding the fact that the Lord's
prophet told him plainly that if he failed to obey
he would cause Jerusalem to be burned with fire,
still he was afraid to obey the word of the Lord.
Zedekiah was a stranger to the faith that en
abled Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to enter
the fiery furnace rather than dishonor their Lord.
The trial on the plains of Dura was the crown
ing act in the lives of the three Hebrews. We
are told that they were advanced to higher posi-

Be still and know that I am God :
I will be exalted among the heathen,
I will be exalted in the earth.
Ps. 46: 10.

Dan. 3 : 29-30,

And there I will meet with thee,
aud I will commune with thee from
above the mercy seat, from between
the two cherubims which are upon
the ark of the testimony, of all
things which I will give thee in
commandment unto the children of
Israel. Ex. 25 : 22.
Jer. 38 : 20.
Trust ye in the Lord forever ; for
in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting
strength. Isa. 26 : 4.

Jer. 39 : 5-20.

When a man's ways please the
Lord, he maketh even his enemies
to be at peace with him. Prov. 16 : 7.
We can do nothing against the
truth, but for the truth. 2 Cor. 13:8.
Jer. 38 : 23.
I say, Have they not.heard? Yes,
verily, their sound went into all the
earth, and their words unto the ends
of the world. Rom. 10 : 18.
Ps 19:3,4-

30. Then the king promoted
Shadrach Meshach, and Abed-
nego, in the province of Babylon.
Dan. 3 : 30.

54

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Trust in the Lord, and do good :
so shalt thou dwell in the land, and
verily thou shalt be fed. Ps. 37:3.
Show thy marvelous lovingkind
ness, O thou that savest by thy
right hand them which put their
trust in thee from them that rise up
against them. Ps. 17 : 7.
Mark 6 :5i, 52.
The eyes of the Lord run to and
fro throughout the whole earth, to
show himself strong in the behalf

of them whose heart is perfect to
ward him. Herein thou hast done
foolishly: therefore from hence
forth thou shalt have wars.
2 Chron. 16 : 9.
Jer. 32 : 19.
Isa. 59: 1.
The eyes of the Lord are upon
the righteous, and his ears are open
unto their cry. Ps. 34 : 15.
I will make a man more precious
than fine gold : even a man than
the golden wedge of Ophir. Isa. 13 : 12.
James 5 : 17.
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to
do, do it with thy might. Eccl. 9 : 10.
Whatsoever things were written
aforetime were written for our learn
ing. Rom. 15 -.4.
Thus saith the high and lofty
One that inhabiteth eternity, whose
name is Holy ; I dwell in the high
and holy place, with him also that
is of a contrite and humble spirit,

tions in the province of Babylon, but we hear
nothing further of them. In the testing time
they did not know that the Lord would deliver
them from the furnace, but they had faith to be
lieve that He had power to do it if it were His
will to do so. In such times it takes more faith
to trust that God will bring about His purposes
in His own way than it does to believe in our
own way. It is the absence of this faith and
trust in critical times, which brings ¦ perplexity,
distress, fear, and surmising of evil. God is ever
ready to do great things for His people when
they put their trust in Him'. " Godliness
with contentment is great gain."
Seldom are we placed in the same circum-
%" stances twice. Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Dan
iel, and others were sorely tried, even unto
death, yet each test came in a different way.
Every individual has an experience pecuhar to
his own character and circumstances. God has
a work to accomplish in the life of each individ
ual. Every act, however small, has its place
in our life experience. God is more than willing
to guide us in the right way. He has not
closed the windows of heaven to prayer, but
his ears are ever open to the cries of His chil
dren, and His eye watches every movement of
Satan to counteract His work.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were men
of like passions with ourselves. Their lives are
given to show what man may become even in
this life, if he will make God his strength and
wisely improve the opportunities within his
reach. Among the captives of the king who
had similar advantages, only Daniel and his three
companions bent all their energies to seek wis-

TRUE FREEDOM IN WORSHIP.

55

dom and knowledge from God as revealed in His
Word and works. Although they afterward
held high positions of trust, they were neither
proud nor self-sufficient. They had a living con
nection with God, loving, fearing, and obeying
Him. They allowed their light to shine in un-
dimn^ed luster, while occupying positions of re
sponsibility. Amid all the temptations and fasci
nations of the court, they stood firm as a rock
in adherence to principle.
A direct compliance with Bible requirements,
and a faith in God, will bring strength to both
the will and the body. The fruit of the Spirit
is not only love, joy, and peace, but temperance
also. If these youth had compromised with the
heathen officers at first, and yielded to the pres
sure of the occasion by eating and drinking
according to the custom of the Babylonians,
contrary to God's requirements, that one wrong
step would undoubtedly have led to others, until
their consciences would have been seared, and
they would have been turned into wrong paths.
Faithfulness in this one point prepared them to
withstand greater temptation, until finally they
stood firm in this crucial test on the plain of
Dura. The third chapter of Daniel may be studied
with profit in connection with the message re
ferred to in the thirteenth chapter of Revelation.
The principles are the same in both. All the
world was called to worship the image set up in
the province of Babylon ; refusing, they would
suffer death. ' In Revelation there is brought to
view an image to the beast, — governments on
earth which will frame laws contrary to the re
quirements of God. Life and power will be

to revive the spirit of the humble,
and to revive the spirit of the con
trite ones. Isa. 57 :is.
My son, attend to my words ; in
cline thine ear unto my sayings. Let
them not depart from thine eyes;
keep them in the midst of thine
heart. For they are life unto those
that find them, and Tiealth to all
their flesh. Prov. 4 : 20-22.
Be not wise in thine own eyes :
fear the Lord and depart from evil.
It shall be health to thy navel, and
marrow to thy bones. Prov. 3 : 7, 8.
Gal. 6:22, 23.
Prov. 23 :2o, 21.
1 Tim. 4 : 2.
And shall begin to eat and drink
with the drunken ; the lord of that
servant shall come in a day when
he looketh not for him, and in an
hour that he is not aware of, and
shall cut him asunder, and appoint
him his portion with the hypocrites.
Matt. 24 149-51.
And the third angel followed
them, saying with a loud voice, If
any man worship the beast and his
image, and receive his mark in his
forehead, or in his hand. Rev. 14 : 9.

And deceiveth them that dwell
on the earth by the means of those
miracles which he had power to do
in the sight of the beast ; saying to
them that dwell on the earth, that
they should make an image to the
beast, which had the wound by a
sword, and did live. And he had
power to give life unto the image
of the beast, that the image of the
beast should both speak and cause
that as many as would not worship
the image of the beast snould be
killed. And he causeth all, both
small and great, rich and poor, free

56

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

and bond, to receive a mark in their
right hand, or in their foreheads ;
and that no man might buy or sell,
save he that had the mark, or the
name of the beast, or the number
of his name. Rev. 13 : 14-17.
Yea, he shall be holden up; for
God is able to make him stand.
Rom. 14 : 4.
Choosing rather to suffer afflic
tion with the people of God, than
to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a
season ; esteeming the reproach of
Christ greater riches than the treas
ures in Egypt : for he had respect
unto the recompense of the reward.
For he endured as seeing him who
is invisible. Heb. 11 : 25-27.
Train up a child, in the way he
should go : and when he is old, he
will not depart from it. Prov. 22 : 6.
There shall be a time of trouble,
such as never was since there was
a. nation even to that same time :
and at that time thy people shall be
delivered, every one that shall be
found written in the book. Dan. 12 : 1.

given to this image, and it shall both speak and
decree that as many as will not worship it shall
be put to death. All, small and great, rich and
poor, free and bond, will be required to receive
a mark in the right hand or in the forehead.
Men will be disfranchised for not worshiping this
image ; for no one will be allowed to buy or sell
who has not the mark, or the name of the beast,
or the number of his name.
Who will be able to stand the test when this
decree to worship the image to the beast is en
forced ? Who will choose rather to " suffer af
fliction with the people of God than to enjoy
the pleasures of sin for a season " ? What chil
dren are now being trained and educated in
these principles of integrity to God ? From what
homes will come the Daniels and Meshachs?
This will be the final test brought upon the
servants of God. The scenes portrayed in the
third chapter of Daniel are but a miniature rep
resentation of those trials into whioh the people
of God are coming as the end approaches.

CHAPTER IV.

THE MOST HIGH RULETH.

The fourth . chapter of Daniel is, in some re
spects, the most wonderful chapter in the Bible.
It is a public document written by Nebuchad
nezzar, king of Babylon, after his humiliation
by the God of heaven. It was sent " unto all
people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all
the earth." It therefore comes to us with as
much freshness and vitality as though it were
issued to the generation in which we live. The
object was, says Nebuchadnezzar, "to show the
signs and wonders that the high God hath
wrought toward me." Contemplating what had
been done, he exclaimed in language similar to
that of the apostle Paul, " How great are His
signs ! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and His dominion is from generation to genera
tion." Nebuchadnezzar's reign had been one long
scene of warfare. He was a man of war. This
characteristic was so prominent in the life of the
great king that prophecy calls him "the terrible

1. Nebuchadnezzar the king,
unto all people, nations, and lan
guages, that dwell in all the earth;
Peace be multiplied unto you.
2. I thought it good to show the
signs and wonders that the high
Qod hath wrought toward me.
3. How great are his signal and
how mighty are his wonders I his
kingdom is an everlasting king
dom, and his dominion is from
generation to generation. Dan. 4 ; 1-3.

Now all these things happened
unto them for ensamples : and they
are written for our admonition,
upon whom the ends of the world
are«come. i Cor. io : n.
Dan. 2 : 44, 45.
2 Peter 1 : 11.

Eze. 30 : 10, iz.
57

58

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Jer. 50 : 23.
Eze. 31 : 12.
Eze. 30:25.

It came to pass in the seven and
twentieth year, in the first month,
in the first day of the month, the
word of the Lord came unto me,
saying, Son of man, Nebuchadnez
zar king of Babylon caused his
army to serve a great service against
Tyrus : yet had he no wages, nor his
army. Therefore thus saith the
Lord God ; Behold, I will give the
land of Egypt unto Nebuchadnez
zar king of Babylon ; and he shall
take her multitude, and take her
spoil, and take her prey ; and it
shall be the wages for his army.
Eze. 29 : 17-21.
Eze. 30 : 9-11.

The word of the Lord came unto
me, saying, Son of man, speak unto
Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his
multitude ; Whom art thou like in
thy greatness? Behold, tlie Assyr
ian was a cedar in Lebanon with
fair branches, and with a shadow
ing shroud, and of an high stature ;
and his top was among the thick
boughs. Eze. 31 : 1-8.

of the nations," and the " hammer of the whole
earth." He had met foes on every side and
had been successful, because God had put His
"sword into the hand of the king of Babylon,"
and had made use of this monarch to punish
other nations which had refused the light of
truth. To illustrate : For thirteen years the city
of Tyre resisted every effort made by Nebuchad
nezzar. Finally he was successful, but gained
no spoils, for Tyre, captured on the seacoast, re
moved to an island. Although Nebuchadnezzar
knew it not, he was fulfilling prophecy in the
destruction of Tyre. The Lord rewarded him
for this work by sending word to him through
the prophet Ezekiel that he could have the spoil
of Egypt as wages for his army while destroy
ing Tyre, for Egypt as well as Tyre had rejected
the knowledge of the true God. Then Nebu
chadnezzar turned his arms against Egypt, and
that nation, which years before had held Israel
in bondage, now became a slave to the Babylo
nian power.
The prophet Ezekiel, one of the Hebrew cap
tives, was given a view of the capture of Egypt
by Nebuchadnezzar, and was told to send the
testimony to Pharaoh, king of Egypt. In this
prophecy Egypt is represented as a mighty tree
towering above all the trees of the earth. Even
the trees of Eden envied the splendor of this
tree. All the fowls of heaven nested in its
boughs; the hosts of earth dwelt beneath its
branches. But this tree of Egypt was lifted up
because of its greatness, and God sent Babylon
to hew it to the ground. The crash of its fall
shook the earth.
This prophecy must have been known to

THE MOST HIGH RULETH.

59

Nebuchadnezzar, if not before, at least after his
victory over Egypt, for it was familiar to the
Jews, and there were Jews in the Babylonian
court. This throws light on the fourth chapter
of Daniel.
Having conquered the world, Nebuchadnezzar
was at rest in his house, when one night he
dreamed a dream. Success had followed him
wherever he turned. At his feet bowed the
representatives of all nations. Into his coffers
flowed the wealth of the east and the west, the
north and the south. About him was clustered
the wit and learning of the age. Libraries were
at his command, and art flourished. Why
should not king Nebuchadnezzar flourish in his
kingdom ? But he had dreamed a dream which
troubled him, and he called upon his wise men
for an interpretation. They listened, but
strange to say, could give no explanation.
God always permitted the wise men of the
earth to have the first trial. When these wise
men failed, Daniel was called.
Daniel's name had been changed when he
first entered the Babylonian court, and to the
king and his associates he was known as Belte-
shazzar, a son of the heathen god Bel, but
Daniel himself always retained his own Hebrew
name. Years before this, however, the God of
Daniel had said, " Bel boweth and Nebo stoopeth;
. . . they could not deliver the burden, but
themselves are gone into captivity." Daniel
again had an opportunity of proving the wisdom
of his God and the weakness of Babylonian
deities. The dream, as repeated by the king in Daniel's
hearing, is wonderful to contemplate. The tree

4. I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest
In mine house, and flourishing In
my palace :
5. I saw a dream which made
me afraid, and the thoughts upon
my bed and the visions of my head
troubled me.
6. Therefore made I a decree to
bring in ait the wise men of Baby
lon before me, that they might
make known unto me the Interpre
tation of the dream.
7. Then came in the magicians,
the astrologers, the Chaldeans,
and the soothsayers: and I told
the dream before them; but they
did not make known unto me the
interpretation thereof.
8. But at the last Daniel came
in before me, whose name was
Belteshazzar, according to the
name of my god, and in whom is
the spirit of the holy gods : and
before him I told the dream, say
ing. Dan. 4 : 4-8.
The wise men are ashamed, they
are dismayed and taken : lo, they
have rejected the word of the Lord ;
and what wisdom is i ? them ?
Jer. 8 : g.

9. 0 Belteshazzar, master of the
magicians, because I know that
the spirit of the holy gods is in
thee, and. no secret troubleth thee,
tetl me the visions of my dream
that I have seen, and the interpre
tation thereof. Dan. 4 : 9.

Bel boweth down, Nebo stoop
eth ; their idols were upon the
beasts, and upon the cattle : your
carriages were heavy laden ; they
are a burden to the weary beast.
They stoop, they bow down to
gether; they could not deliver the
burden, but themselves are gone
into captivity. Isa. 46 : 1, 2.

They were no gods, but the work
of men's hands, wood and stone.
Isa. 37 : 19.

6o

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

10. Thus were the visions of
mine head in my bed ; I saw, and
behold a tree in the midst of the
earth, and the height thereof was
great. 11. The tree grew, and was
strong, and the height thereof
reached unto heaven, and the
sight thereof to the end "of all
the earth :
12. The leaoesthereof were fair,
and the fruit thereof much, and
in it was meat for all : the beasts
of the field had shadow under it,
and the fowls of the heaven dwelt
in the boughs thereof, and alt
flesh was fed of it.
pan. 4 : 10-12.

This wisdom descendeth notfrom
above, but is earthly, sensual, dev
ilish. James 3 : 15.

I have seen the wicked in great
power, and spreading himself like a
green tree that groweth in his own
soil. Ps. 37 : 35 [margin].

Boast not against the branches.
But if thou boast, thou bearest not
the root, but the root thee.
Rom. 11 : 18.

Are they not all ministering spir
its, sent forth to minister for them
who shall be heirs of salvation. H~b. 1 -.14.

was a familiar object and a striking symbol.
The most magnificent specimens that the world
afforded had been transplanted into the Babylo
nian gardens. The story of Eden and its trees
had been handed down by tradition, and the
people knew of the tree of life, and also of the .
tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The
tree seen in the dream was planted in the
midst of the earth, and as he watched, the
king saw it grow until the top reached heaven,
and its boughs stretched to the ends of the
earth. Strange that this tree, which grew to
ward heaven in spite of everything, which was
watered by the dews of heaven and fed by
God's own sunshine, knew only of the earth
and earthly kingdoms !
As it had been with the Egyptian tree, so with
this: fowls rested in the branches and beasts
dwelt in its shadow. The king in his dream
saw only the upper part of the tree, the branches,
leaves, and fruit, but the roots of any tree are
as numerous and widespread as its branches;
hence this mighty tree, whose top reached
heaven, and whose branches spread forth to the
ends of the earth, was supported by roots which,
though hidden, ran through all the earth. Deep-
rooted, it was drawing nourishment from hidden
springs. In fact, the fair leaves and abundant
fruit were dependent upon the condition of the
roots. As Nebuchadnezzar gazed upon the tree, he
saw a "watcher, even an holy one," — a messen
ger from heaven, whose appearance was similar
to the One who walked in the midst of the fiery
furnace with the Hebrew children. At the
command of this divine messenger, the tree was

THE MOST HIGH RULETH.

61

hewn down, the stump alone re
maining. Hewing down the
tree did not kill the stump
nor the roots. The life re
mained, and it was ready to
send forth new shoots more
numerous than before.
It is doubtful whether
man ever received a mes
sage freighted with greater
importance than

" Hew down the
tree, and cut off his branches,
shake off his leaves and scatter his fruit."
__ __. -~ ' this one given to Nebuchadnezzar.
In his former dream he was shown the
shortness of his kingdom and given proof

For there is hope of a tree, if it
be cut down, that it will sprout
again, and that the tender branch
thereof will not cease. Though the
root thereof wax old in the earth,
and the stock thereof die in the
ground ; Yet through the scent of
water it will bud, and bring forth
boughs like a plant. Job. 14 : 7-9.

13. I saw in the visions of my
head upon my bed, and, behold, a
watcher and an holy one came
down from heaven;
14. He cried aloud, and said
thus, Hew down the tree, and cut
off his branches, shake off his
leaves, and scatter his fruit ; let
the beasts get away from under
it, and the fowls from his
branches: 15. Nevertheless leave the stump
of his roots in the earth, even
with a band of iron and brass, in
the tender grass of the Held ; and
let it be wet with the dew of
heaven, and let his portion be
with the beasts in the grass of
the earth ;
16. Let his heart be changed
from man's, and let a beast's heart
be given unto him ; and let seven
times pass over him.
17. This matter is by the decree
of the watchers, and the demand
by the word of the holy ones : to
the intent that the living may
know that the most High ruleth in
the kingdom of men, and giveth it
to whomsoever he will, and set
teth up over it the basest of men.
18. This dream I king Nebuchad
nezzar have seen. Now thou, 0
Belteshazzar, declare the inter
pretation thereof, 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
gods is in thee. Dan. 4 ; 13-18.

62

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

As for man, his days are as
grass : as a flower of the field, so
he flourisheth. For the wind pass
eth over it, and it is gone : and the
place thereof shall know it no more.
Ps. 103 : 15-J6.

The Lord hath prepared his
throne in the heavens ; and h is
kingdom ruleth over all. Ps. 113 rig.

19. Then Daniel, whose name
was Belteshazzar, was astonied
for one hour, and his thoughts
troubled him. The king spake and
said, Belteshazzar, let not the
dream, or the Interpretation
thereof, trouble thee. Belteshaz
zar answered and said, My lord,
the dream be to them that hate
thee, and the interpretation
thereof to thine enemies
20. The tree that thou sawest
which grew, and was strong,
whose height reached unto the
heavens, and the sight thereof to
alt the earth ;
21. Whose leaves were fair, and
the fruit thereof much, and in it
was meat for all; under which the
beasts of the field dwelt, and upon
whose branches the fowls of the
heaven had their habitation ;
22. It is thou, 0 king, that art
grown and become strong j for thy
greatness is grown, and reacheth
unto heaven, and thy dominion to
the end of the earth.
23. And whereas the king saw
a watcher and an holy one coming
down from heaven and saying,
Hew the tree down, and destroy it ;
yet leave the stump of the roots
thereof in the earth, even with
a band of iron and brass, in the
tender grass of the field; and let
it be wet with the dew of heaven,
and let his portion be with the
beasts of the field, till seven times
pass over him. Dan. 4 : 19-23.

of the decline of the empire. Had he lived
in harmony with what was then revealed to
him, the experience about to come would
have been avoided. The parting words of the
angel as he left Nebuchadnezzar were, "This
matter is by the decree of the watchers . . .
to the intent that the living may know that the
Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and
giveth it to whomsoever He will." More than
that, " He setteth up over it the basest of
men." Because a man holds a position, it
does not signify that he is better than others.
When Daniel realized the true significance of
the dream, and foresaw the humiliation of the
king of Babylon, "his thoughts troubled him."
•He was- encouraged by the king not to be
troubled, but to give the true interpretation.
He did so, plainly telling the king that the tree
seen in the vision was emblematic of Nebuchad
nezzar himself, and his dominion. f.' 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."
Great as was Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom, it had
grown from a small beginning. Gradually the
principles upon which it was founded — princi
ples much older than the king, for they origi
nated with Lucifer, and were a perversion of
heavenly truths — had taken root. In govern
ment it was the most rigid monarchy; the king
held the lives of his subjects in his hands.
Slaves bowed before him in abject subjugation;
exorbitant taxes were forced from subject prov
inces ; crowned heads were laid t low and men
enslaved that the king of Babylon might revel
in the wealth of the world. The seeds of that

THE MOST HIGH RULETH.

63

form of government were sown wherever Baby
lon established her power, and as she sowed, so
she, as well as others, have reaped. When Baby
lon fell, the principles by which she had con
trolled others were in turn applied to her. Wher
ever there is tyranny in government in any
nation of the earth to-day, it is an offshoot of
that root which filled the earth, the stump of
which was allowed to remain until the end
of time.
Wherever Babylon laid her hand in conquest,
the principles of her religion were implanted.
The vilest forms of worship were practiced in
that kingdom with all its outward glory. The
heart was rotten. The mystery of iniquity held
full sway, hidden by the outward glitter of gold.
The mysteries of Greece in a later day were
but a repetition of the Babylonian mysteries.
From the golden cup which she held in her
hand, and which was a familiar symbol in Baby
lonian secret societies, she made all nations
drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Nations and peoples to-day, unconscious of
their origin, are perpetuating Babylonian reli
gious customs when they celebrate Christmas
with feasting, lighted candles, holly, and mistle
toe. It is in commemoration of Babylonian
heathen gods that they eat eggs on Easter; and
even the wild capers of Hallowe'en repeat the
mysteries of Babylon. The root was not de
stroyed ; her religious principles have sprung up
afresh in every generation and borne fruit in
every country.
The influence of Babylon in educational lines
was no less marked than her influence in govern
ment and religion, and the educational root of

Shout against her round about:
she hath given her hand : her foun
dations are fallen, her walls are
thrown down : for it is the ven-
geance of the Lord : take vengeance
upon her: as she hath done, do
unto her. Call together the arch
ers against Babylon : all ye that
bend the bow, camp against it round
about ; let none thereof escape :
recompense her according to her
work: according to all she hath
done, do unto her ; for she hath
been proud against the Lord,
against the Holy One of Israel.
Jer. 50 : 15, 16, 29.

Gal. 6 : 7.

They have sown the wind, and
they shall reap the whirlwind. Hosea 8 -.-j.

I will punish the world for their
evil, and the wicked for their in
iquity ; and I will cause the arro-
gancy of the proud to cease, and
will lay low the haughtiness of the
terrible. Isa. 13 : 11.

Jer. 51 :n.

All nations have drunk of the
wine of the wrath of her fornica
tion, and the kings of the earth
have committed fornication with
her, and the merchants of the earth
are waxed rich through the abun
dance of her delicacies. Rev. 18:3.

But now, after that ye have known
God, or rather are known of God,
how turn ye again to the weak and
beggarly elements, whereunto ye
desire again to be in bondage ? Ye
observe days, and months, and
times, and years. I am afraid of
you, lest I have bestowed upon
you labor in vain. Gal. 4:9-11.

64

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

The thing that hath been, it is
that which shall be ; and that which
is done is that which shall be done ,
and there is no new thing under the
sun. Is there any thing whereof it
may be said, See, this is new? it
hath been already of old time,
which was before us. Eccl. i :q, io.
That which, hath been is now;
and that which is to be hath already
been; and God requireth that which
is past. Eccl. 3 : 15.

' Leave the stump of bis roots in the earth, even
with a band of iron and brass.' '

Dan. 1 :zo.
Dan. 2 127, 19.
Dan. 3 : 18.
Dan. 4 :6-9-
Dan. 5:8, 13, 14.
All that is in the world, the lust
of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life, is not of the
Father, but is of the world.
: John 2 : 16.
We would have healed Babylon,
but she is not healed : forsake her,
and let us go every one into his
own country: for her judgment
reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted
up even to the skies. Jer. 51:9.
Gen. 2 : 17.

the tree was as vigorous as the others. We are
in the habit of tracing the educational system of
the world to Greece or Egypt ; its principles are
older than Greece. They belong to Babylon.
The prominence given this phase of Babylonian
life by the Spirit of God in the book of Daniel,
and the fact that the leading educators and educa
tional institutions of the world were brought in
direct contact with the more simple principles of
true education every time the He
brews met the Chaldeans and wise
men, shows the place which educa
tion occupies both in the' false
kingdoms of which Babylon is a
type, and in the true, which the
Hebrew government represented.
The co-called ' " higher education "
of to-day, which exalts the science
of the world above the science of
salvation; which sends forth stu
dents bearing worldly credentials, but not rec
ognized in the books of heaven, students who
love display, who are filled with pride, selfish
ness, and self-esteem, — this education is a
plant which has sprung from that broad root
which supported the tree representing the
Babylonian dominion.
Seeds of truth had been planted in Babylon.
The Holy Watcher sought constantly for the
growth of a tree which would bring life. All
nations were gathered under the influence of
Babylon in hopes that they might there be fed
with fruit which would prove to be the bread of
life ; but instead, it was a mixture of good and
evil, which poisoned the consumer.
The leaves of the tree were fair to look upon,

THE MOST HIGH RULETH.

65

and might have been for the healing of the na
tions ; but the very odor they exhaled, intoxi
cated and led to excess. So with the plant
which has sprung from those hidden roots. It
may be fair to look upon, its fruit may be so
sweet that the eater can not be persuaded that
it is not truth, but the wisdom of God will stand
long after that of the world has been destroyed.
We should watch and guard against the evils
which spring from the Babylonian root.
Aside from the general application to the en
tire kingdom, a part of the dream pictures the
experience of Nebuchadnezzar personally. Be
cause of his pride of heart, he would lose his
reason, forsake the abodes of men, find his home
with the beasts of the field, and remain in this
condition for seven years — until he had learned
"that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of
m^n, and giveth it to whomsoever he will."
Daniel exhorted the king, "Let my counsel be
acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by
righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing
mercy to the poor." There was yet time for
repentance, and had the king heeded this coun
sel, it would have saved him from the great hu
miliation which came upon him. But when
men's hearts are set, the message to change,
though given by an angel from heaven, remains
unheeded. Consequently, " all this came upon
the king Nebuchadnezzar."
A year of probation was granted the king after
this solemn warning had been given. At the
end of this time the king, in his royal pal
ace, thinking of his kingdom with pride and
satisfaction, exclaimed, "Is not this great Baby
lon, that /" have built for the house of the king-

There is hope of a tree, if it be
cut down, that it will sprout again,
and that the tender branch thereof
will not cease.. Though the root
thereof wax old in the earth, and
the stock thereof die in the ground ;
yet through the scent of water it
will bud, and bring forth boughs
like a plant. Job 14 17-9,
2 Cor. 11:3.
24. This is the interpretation,
0 king, and this is the decree of
the most High, which has come
upon my lord the king :
25. That they shall drive thee
from men, and thy dwelling shall
be with the beasts of the field, and
they shall make thee to eat grass
as oxen, and they shall wet thee
with the dew of heaven, and seven
times shall pass over thee, till
thou know that the most High
ruleth in the kingdom of men,
and giveth it to whomsoever he
will. 28. And whereas they com
manded to leave the stump of the
tree roots; thy kingdom shall be
sure unto thee, after that thou
shalt haoe known that the heavens
do rule. Dan. 4 : 24-26.
* Dan. n : 13 [margin],
Isa. 1 : 16-20.
Isa. 58 : 7-1 1.
Matt. 23 :ia.
Luke 16 131.
Every man of the house of Israel
that setteth up his idols in his heart,
and putteth the stumblingblock of
his iniquity before his face, and
cometh to the prophet : I the Lord
will answer him that cometh
according to the multitude of his
idols ; and I will set my face against
that man, and will make him a sign
and a proverb. Eze. 14 :4-S.
27. Wherefore, 0 king, let my
counsel be acceptable unto thee,
and break off thy sins by right
eousness, and thine iniquities by
shouting mercy to the poor ; if it *
may be a lengthening of thy tran
quillity.

66

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

28. All this came upon the king
Nebuchadnezzar. Dan. 4:27,28.
I will ascend above the heights
of the clouds : I will be like the
most High. Isa. 14 : 13. J4-
29. At the end of twelve months
he walked in the palace of the
kingdom of Babylon.
30. The king spake, and said, is
not this great Babylon, that I have
built for the house of the kingdom
by the might of mg power, and for
the honor of my majesty ?
31. While the word was in the
king's mouth, there fell a voice
from heaven, saying, 0 king Nebu
chadnezzar, to thee It is spoken;
The kingdom is departed from thee.
32. And they shall drive thee
from men, and thy dwelling shall
be with the beasts of the field :
they shall make thee to eat grass
as oxen, and seven times shall
pass over thee, until thou know
that the most High ruleth in the
kingdom of men, and giveth it to
whomsoever he will. Dan, 4:29-32.
Ps. 37 : 35, 36.
Whom the Lord loveth he chast
eneth, and scourgeth every son
whom he receiveth.' Heb. 12 : 4-11.
Blessed is the man whom thou
chastenest, O Lord, and teachest
him out of thy law ; that thou may
est give him rest from the days of
adversity, until the pit be digged
for the wicked. Ps. 94 : 12, 13.
33. The same hour was the thing
fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar :
and he was driven from men, and
did eat grass as oxen, and his
body was wet with the dew of
heaven, till his hairs were grown
like eagles' feathers, and his nails
like birds' claws. Dan. 4:33.

dom by the might of my power, and for the
honor of my majesty ?" He was repeating the
thoughts, almost the exact words, of Satan,
when he thought to exalt his throne above God.
When proud thoughts were entertained, and
these words were uttered, the sentence was pro
nounced which blasted the tree, and degraded
the monarch whom the tree symbolized. It was
God who had given the king his reason and
ability to establish a kingdom like this. The
same God could take away the judgment and
wisdom upon which the king prided himself.
And God did so. It is the mind which elevates
man above the beast. When the power of the
mind is removed, man sinks to the lowest level.
Nebuchadnezzar became as the beasts. David
says, " I have seen the wicked in great power,
and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not : yea, I
sought him, but he could not be found."
When God can not save men in prosperity, he
brings upon them adversity. If in all this they
reject God, then they bring upon themselves de
struction. Let the results be as they may, God
is clear from all censure. This is illustrated by
Nebuchadnezzar's case. The proud and power
ful monarch no longer swayed the scepter. He
became a maniac, and for seven years he was
found with cattle, the companion of beasts, feed
ing as they fed. His reason dethroned, he was
no longer regarded even as a man. The man
date had gone forth, " Hew down the tree, and
cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and
scatter his fruit."
It is necessary in the cause of God and in
the world, that men bear responsibility. But

THE MOST HIGH RULETH.

" Is not this great Babylon that I have
\ built for the house of the kingdom by the might
of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?"

when men are lifted up in pride ^nd
depend upon worldly wisdom, God can no lon
ger sustain them, and they fall. Nations and
individuals alike have this experience. Even
the professed Church of Christ, when it
departs from the humility of the Mas
ter, loses its power, and will certainly
be brought low. The people who glory
in wealth, or intellect, or knowledge, or in
anything save Jesus Christ, will be brought to
confusion. In Christ alone "are hid all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Every
brilliant thought, every intellectual idea, which
in any way brings greatness, originates with our
Lord. It is God who is dealing with humanity.
He rules.
It should be remembered that in all of His
dealings with the king Nebuchadnezzar, God was
working for the salvation of the ruler and those
affected by his influence. God allowed him to

I am the Lord : that is my name :
and my glory will I not give to an
other, neither my praise to graven
images. Isa. 42 : 8.
Humble yourselves therefore un
der the mighty hand of God, that
he may exalt you in due time.
1 Peter 5 : 6.
Base things of the world, and
things which are despised, hath God
chosen, yea, and things which are
not, to bring to naught things that
are : that no flesh should glory in
his presence. But of him are ye in
Christ Jesus, who of God is made
unto us wisdom, and righteousness,
and sanctification, and redemption.
1 Cor. 1 : 28-30.
Col. 2:3.
34. At the end of the days I
Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine
eyes unto heaven, and mine under
standing returned unto me, and I
blessed the most High, and I
praised and honored him that
liveth forever, whose dominion
is an everlasting dominion, and
his kingdom is from generation
to generation :

63

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

35. 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?
36. At the same time my reason
returned unto me; and for the
glory of my kingdom, mine honor
and brightness returned unto me ;
and my counsellors and my lords
sought unto me; and I was estab
lished in my kingdom, and excel
lent majesty was added unto me.
37. Now I Nebuchadnezzar
praise and extol and honor the
King of heaven, all whose works
are truth, and his ways judg
ment; and those that walk in
pride he is able to abase.
Dan. 4:34-37.

suffer seven years of deplorable degradation, and
then removed His chastening hand. After pass
ing through this terrible humiliation, he was
brought to see his own weakness ; he confessed
his guilt, and acknowledged the God of heaven.
He sent to all the world the description of this
experience as recorded in the fourth chapter of
Daniel. He had learned that those who walk in
pride, God is able to abase. In comparison with
God and His universe, the inhabitants of the
earth sink into insignificance, and are reputed as
nothing. " 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 ? "

THE LAST YEARS OF THE BABYLONIAN KINGDOM.

The history of the Babylonian nation reveals
to one who searches for hidden principles, all
that is necessary in order to understand the re
lation of earthly governments to God, the deal
ings of God with all the nations of the earth,
and the attitude which men should assume to
ward God and toward earthly governments.
These four principles can be learned from a
study of the history of Babylon as recorded in
the book of Daniel, and by the prophets who
wrote concerning this kingdom. This is true,
because in Babylon is seen in some respects the
most complete development of the plans of Sa
tan. Here were counterfeited the principles of
the heavenly kingdom, and so much of the true
metal was mingled with the alloy that an un
usual strength was developed. In other words,
the kingdom of Babylon was built and developed
in accordance with laws which were in them
selves divine; but since the greatest evil lies
near to and is a perversion of the greatest* good,

When the Most High divided to
the nations their inheritance, when
he separated the sons of Adam, he
set the bounds of the people ac
cording to the number of the chil
dren of Israel. Deut. 32 :8.

P3.75=4-7-
Acts 17 : 26, 27.
Matt. 22 : 18-22.

Let every soul be subject onto
the higher powers. For there is
no power but of God : the powers
that be are ordained of God.
Rom. 13 : 1-7.
1 Sam. 2 : 9.
z Sam. 14 :6.
In every nation he that feareth
him, and worketh righteousness, is
accepted with him. Acts 10 : 34, 35.
Upon her forehead was a name
written, MYSTERY, BABYLON
THE GREAT, THE MOTHER
OF HARLOTS AND ABOMI
NATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rev. 17:5.

69

70

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Hab. i :s-i3.
Isa. io: 1-16,
Ps. 33 = I5-I7-
Behold, all souls are mine ; as
the soul of the father, so also the
soul of the son is mine : the soul
that sinneth, it shall die. Eze. 18 14.
The wages of sin is death ; but the
gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6'. 23.
Dan. 4 : 17.
Yet had he no wages, nor his
army, for Tyrus, for the service
that he had served against it :
therefore thus saith the Lord God ;
Behold, I will give the land of
Egypt unto Nebuchadnezzar king
of Babylon; and' he shall take her
multitude, and take her spoil, and
take her prey ; and it shall be the
wages for his army. I have given
him the land of Egypt for his labor
wherewith he served against it,
because they wrought for me, saith
the Lord God. Eze. 29 : 18-20.
In whose hand is the soul of
every living thing, and the breath
of all mankind. Job 12 : 10.
What could have been done more
to my vineyard, that I have not
done in it ? wherefore , when I
looked that it should bring forth
grapes, brought it forth wild
grapes? Isa. 5 14.
Isa, 14 : 4-6.
We would have healed Babylon,
but she is not healed. 'Jer. 51 ;9.
Jer. 18:7, 8.
Eze. 11 : 14-16.
Isa. 13 : 1-15.
Amos 3 : 7.
Ihe secret of the Lord is with
them that fear him ; and he will
show them his covenant. Ps. 25 : 14.

so the perversion of the principles of the govern
ment of heaven made the strongest of earthly
kingdoms. Built so that it was difficult for
beings who were watching the progress of events
to detect error, God, who never deals arbitrarily
with men or angels, not even with Satan himself,
allowed the Babylonian kingdom to run its natu
ral course, that the world might have an object-
lesson, and know forever after that truth brings
life, but that the least perversion of truth, no
matter how slight, brings death.
In order to vindicate Himself before the uni
verse, God bestowed all manner of blessings
upon this earthly kingdom which Satan boast-
ingly claimed as his own. Wisdom was given
to the people of Babylon, the Holy Watcher
protected the king on his throne, and God gave
power to the ruler in battle, making him a con
queror. It was God who caused the tree to
reach unto heaven, and gave strength and
beauty to its branches. Everything by way of
warning and entreaty was used by Infinite Wis
dom to cause the Babylonians to see the differ
ence between the true" and the false, and lead
them to choose the true. It is one of the most
forcible commentaries in earth's history on the
care of God for all, even the veriest sinner.
Had Babylon taken the proffered help, she
would, in spite of all the power of Satan as
prince of this world, have linked her throne
with the throne of God, and would have been
an everlasting kingdom. How easily might the
history of the world have been changed !
People living in these last days, whether they
be Christians or not, need not remain ignorant
concerning their duty toward the civil govern-

LAST YEARS OF THE BABYLONIAN KINGDOM. 71

ment. Nations can not plead ignorance concern
ing their duty toward Christians, toward other
nations, nor toward God, for the prophecies of
Daniel explain it all. It is a book for rulers as
well as for the common people. Babylon is an
object-lesson to the nations which are in exist
ence to-day. Her growth was according to the
laws of the growth of nations ; her failures de
scribe the failures which are made to-day, and
her destruction is a description of the end of all
earthly kingdoms.
Nations have a time of probation, as do indi
viduals. A record is kept of national events,
and when the cup of iniquity is full, destruction
comes, and another power, more vigorous, be
cause less corrupt, takes its place. "The Most
High ruleth in the kingdom of men," whether
He is recognized or not, and things which, to
human eyes, appear to have happened by chance,
are directly under the control of the Holy
Watcher. The study of the book of Daniel demands,
therefore, that we take time to trace the history
of Babylon as a nation.
A period of about twenty-five years intervenes
between the close of the fourth and the opening
of the fifth chapter. The reign of Nebuchad
nezzar closed shortly after the restoration of
his reason, as related in the fourth chapter.
From a worldly point of view, his had
been a long and prosperous reign, and
at its close there were no signs of weak
ening in the empire. Nebuchadnezzar had
a son of age to fill the place of his
father. No one questioned his right to the
throne, and while they mourned the death of

Now all these things happened
unto them for ensamples : and they
are written for our admonition,
upon whom the ends of the world
are come. i Cor. io : ii.
Eccl. 1 :a.
Jer. 51 :63, 64.
Rev. 18 :2i.
The Lord said, Because the cry
of Sodom and Gomorrah is great,
and because their sin is very griev
ous ; I will go down now, and see
whether they have done altogether
according to the cry of it, which
is come unto me; and if not, I will
know. Gen. 18 : 20, 21.
Up, get you out of this place ;
for the Lord will destroy this city.
Gen. '1 j : 14.
Dan. 10: 20.
Thou art my battle ax and weap
ons of war: for with thee will I
break in pieces the nations, and
with thee will I destroy kingdoms ;
and with thee will I break in pieces
the horse and his rider ; and with
thee will I break in pieces the char-
ot and his rider. Jer. 5! : 20-23.
Dan. 4 :36, 37.
Jer. 28 : 14.
It shall come to pass, that the
nation and kingdom which will not
serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the
king of Babylon, and will not put
their neck under the yoke of the
king of Babylon, that nation will I
punish, saith the Lord, with the
sword, and with the famine, and
with the pestilence, until I have
consumed thein by his hand.
Jer. 27 : 5-8.
Dan. 2 :47.
Dan. 3 : 28.
Dan. 4:37.
Jer. 30:11-14.
Jer. 44 : 3°'
Before I was afflicted I went
astray : but now have I kept thy
word. Ps. 119 167,

72

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Though he were a Son, yet
learned he obedience by the things
which he suffered. Heb. 5 :8.

It is good for me that I have been
afflicted ; that I might learn thy
statutes. Ps. 119:71.
It is the land of graven images,
and they are mad upon their idols.
Jer. 50 : 38.
Ephraim is joined to idols : let
him alone. Hosea 4 : 17.

Jehoiachin in prison.
It came to pass in the seven and
thirtieth year of the captivity of
Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the
twelfth month, on the seven and
twentieth day of the month, that
Ev^l-merodach king of Babylon in
the year that he began to reign did
lift up the head of Jehoiachin king
of Judah out of prison ; and he
spake kindly to him, and set his
throne above the throne of the
kings that were with him in Baby
lon ; and changed his prison gar
ments : and he did eat bread con
tinually before him all the days ot
his life. And his allowance was a
¦continual allowance given him of
the king, a daily rate for every day]
ali the days of his life.
2 Kings 25 : 27-30.
Blessed are the merciful: for they
shall obtain mercy. Matt. 5 : 7.

Nebuchadnezzar, apparently the subjects had
much reason to rejoice over the succession of the
son. In the eyes of Heaven this history was a
checkered one. There had been periods when a
desire to know the right and rule justly were
written opposite the name of the king. But
these were followed by still longer periods when
the voice of the Divine One was altogether
unheeded. There was a record of wonder
ful providences, rich blessings, and bitter
trials, all having one object, — to turn the
iminds of the world to the only Source
of life and power. If Heaven ever
grows weary watching the struggles of
nations, what must have been the bur
den as they saw this kingdom repeat
edly choose the course which was lead
ing to inevitable ruin?
Evil-merodach, the son of Nebu
chadnezzar, is mentioned but twice in
the Scriptures, and in each case ref
erence is made to one act of his hfe. It
seems strange that such a father should be
followed by a son of whom so little is recorded,
but it is gratifying to notice that when the
silence is broken, it is to relate a deed of kind
ness. In the first year of his reign he took from
prison Jehoiachin, the former king of Jerusalem,
a man now fifty years of age, who had lan
guished in bonds since a boy of eighteen. The
Jewish ex-ruler was given clothing and a king's
provisions, and exalted above other kings in
Babylon all the remainder of his days.
Evil-merodach had been raised in the Babylo
nian court, and had known of the Jews and their
history from his youth up. It would not be an

LAST YEARS OF THE BABYLONIAN KINGDOM. 73

impossible thing that Daniel, made chief of the
Chaldean wise men by Nebuchadnezzar, had
been the instructor of the prince. While details
are omitted, true it is that for some reason the
destruction of Babylon was delayed beyond the
reign of Evil-merodach. His brief reign of two
years was followed by an unsettled period, a most
dangerous experience in a monarchy.
Finally Nabonadius
the son-in-law of Nebu
chadnezzar,

Jehoiachin at the king's table.
was seated on the throne, and about the year
541 he associated with him his son Beishaz
zar. The two reigned conjointly until the de
struction of the kingdom in 538 b. c. This
youth, the grandson of the great Nebuchadnez
zar, soon proved himself to be headstrong, way
ward, cruel, and dissolute.
Daniel was no longer retained in the court.
The time of his dismissal is not stated, but in
the third year of Belshazzar's reign, he was liv
ing at Shushan, the capital of Elam, some dis
tance east of Babylon, and it was at that place
that he saw the vision which the eighth chapter
of the book of Daniel relates.

Then the king made Daniel a
great man, and gave him many
great gifts, and made him ruler
over the whole province of Baby
lon, and chief of the governors over
all the wise men of Babylon. Dan. 2 : 48.

Blessed is he that considereth the
poor : the Lord will deliver him in
time of trouble. Tlte Lord will
preserve him, and keep him alive ;
and he shall be blessed upon the
earth : and thou wilt not deliver
him unto the will of his enemies.
The Lord will strengthen him upon
the bed of languishing : thou wilt
make all his bed in his sickness.
I said, Lord, be merciful unto me,
heal my soul ; for I have sinned
against thee. But thou, O Lord, be
merciful unto me, and raise me up,
that I may requite them. By this I
know that thou favorest me, be
cause mine enemy doth not triumph
over me. Ps. 41 : i-n.

All nations shall serve him, and
his son, and his son's son, until the
very time of his land come : and
then many nations and great kings
shall serve themselves of him.
Jer. 27:7-

Beishazzar, whiles he tasted the
wine, commanded to bring the
golden and silver vessels which his
grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had
taken. Dan. 5 : 2 [margin].

Dan. 5 : 1.
Jer. 51 160-64.

In the third year of the reign of
king Beishazzar a vision appeared
unto me, even unto me Daniel,
after that which appeared unto me
at the first. Dan. 8:1.

74

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Flee out of the midst of Babylon,
and deliver every man his soul :
be not cut off in her iniquity ; for
this is the time of the Lord's ven
geance ; he will render unto her a
recompense. Jer. 51 :6.

After this I beheld, and, lo, a
great multitude, which no man
could number, of all nations, and
kindreds, and people, and tongues,
stood before the throne, and before
the Lamb, clothed with white
robes, and palms in their hands.
Rev. 7 : 9.

Rev. 18:4.
Ex. 1:8.
Lam. 4 :6, 18, ig.
Jer. 29 : 4-7.
Jer. 25 : 11, 12.
Jer. 29 : 10.
2 Chron. 36 : 21.

Moreover also I gave them my
sabbaths, to be a sign between me
and them, that they might know
that I am the Lord that sanctify
them. And hallow my sabbaths ;
and they shall be a sign between
me and you, that ye may know that
1 am the Lord your God.
Eze. 20 : 12, 16, 20.
Her people fell into the hand of
the enemy, and none did help her:
the adversaries saw her, and did
mock at her sabbaths. Lam. 1 : 7.
The ways of Zion do mourn, be
cause none come to the solemn
feasts : all her gates are desolate :
her priests sigh, her virgins are
afflictedj and she is in bitterness.
Her princes are become like harts
that find no pasture, and they are
gone without strength before the
pursuer. Lam. 1 : 2-6.

Ps. 137 : 1-6.
Jer. 50 ; 17.

During the reign of Nabonadius and Beishaz
zar, events of the greatest importance occurred.
To the Jews who accepted the words of the
prophets whom God sent, rising up early and
sending, the downfall of the kingdom in the
near future was well known. In spite of their
own oppression, there was a world to be warned,
and as the host of the redeemed gather about
the throne of God, made up, as it will be, of
representatives of every nation, kindred, tongue,
and people, there will be some souls from ancient
Babylon, who, having heard the proclamation of
the message, separated from her sins, and were
saved. As the knowledge of God was lost by the rul
ing monarchs, and God-fearing men were no
longer among the counselors, the oppression of
the Jews became almost unbearable.
On going into Babylon, they had been in
structed by the Lord to build houses and plant
vineyards, to marry and increase in numbers,
and to pray for the peace and prosperity of
Babylon, for their captivity would last seventy
years. The people of God had the observance
of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment to
preserve their peculiarity and keep them from
mingling with the heathen. The time came
when the Babylonians, who were sun-worshipers,
mocked the Jews because of the Sabbath. They
were forbidden to celebrate their feasts ; priests
and rulers were degraded and persecuted. The
Babylonians often demanded songs from the
Jews. " They that wasted us required of us mirth,
saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion;" but
their hearts were mournful. " Israel is a scat
tered sheep," wrote Jeremiah; "the lions have

LAST YEARS OF THE BABYLONIAN KINGDOM. 75

driven him away ; . . . Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon hath broken his bones." The Babylo
nians boasted that it was no sin to oppress the
Jews, reasoning that God had placed the He
brews in bondage because of their sins.
It is little wonder that the yoke was hard to
bear and that the king was unrelenting. It was
a time of trouble, a foretaste of the great time
of trouble through which the people of God
will pass before the second coming of the Sa
viour. Both periods are called by the same
name, — the time of Jacob's trouble, — by the
prophet Jeremiah. Under these trying circum
stances the Jews were obliged to preach the
gospel which they once had the opportunity to
give with power from Jerusalem.
Groaning beneath oppression, they taught
of the coming Messiah, the deliverer ; they
taught righteousness by faith, and the everlast
ing gospel, the hour of God's judgment, the
fall of Babylon, and the destruction of those
upon whom was found the mark of the Babylo
nian worship, The spirit of prophecy, as be
longing to the Jews, was known to the Babylo
nians throughout the period of captivity.
Daniel, in the presence of the king, had
more than once received divine enlightenment.
Ezekiel was sending messages broadcast from
the Lord, and Jeremiah had received word from
God with the command to make it known to all
the nations round about. There was no hiding
the fact that' tlie God of the Jews had prophets
among His people. It was in this way that not
only the Jews, but Moab, Edom, Tyre ami
Sidon, Amnion, Egypt, Arabia, and even Media
and Persia knew that the fall of Babylon was

Their adversaries said, Wo of
fend not, because thoy have sinned
against tho Lord, tho habitation of
Justice, even the Lord, the hope of
thoir fathers. Jer. 50 ; 7.
Dan. o, : 16.
Jor. 3 :%.
Thus sallli the Lord ; We have
heard a voice of trembling, of fear,
and not of peace. • Auk ye now, and
seo whether si man doth travail with
child? wherefore do 1 see every
man with his hands on Ills loins, as
a woman in travail, and all faces
are turned into paleness ? Alas I
for that day Is great, so that none
Is like It : it is even the time of
Jacob's trouble ; but he shall bo
Baved out of It. Jer. 30 : 3-9.
Their Redeemer is strong ; the
Lord of hosts is his nnme : ho shall
thoroughly plead their cause.
Jer. 50:33,34.
Behold, the days come, saith tho
Lord, that 1 will raise unto David
n righteous Branch, and a King
shall reign and prosper, and shall
execute judgment and justice in
tlie earth. . . . This Is his name
whereby he shall be called, THE
LORD OUR RIGHTEOUS
NESS. Jer. 23:5,6.
He shall destroy the sinners
thereof out of it. Kvery one tlmt
is found shall be thrust through ;
and every one tluit is joined unto
them shall fall by llie sword.
Isa. 13 : (>-j2,

Then I spake

unto them of the

captivity

all the

things

that the

Lord had

showed

me.

Eze. 11

:34,2s.

Isa. 21 :

•)-

Jer. 51 :
s. <¦. 35.
47.
n.m. a :
30.
ll.m. 4:
H,
Dan. 7
1.
K/e. 27
: 1, a.
K/e. Jo
:3,3.
l'./.e, 35
¦¦', 3-
Jer. 35
15-33.
Isa. 44:
jS.-
1 8.1. 45
i, a.
Isa. 14 :
'3-
76

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Go up, O Elam : besiege, O Me
dia ; all the sighing thereof have I
made to cease. Isa. 21:2.

Jer. 51 : 11, 28.

Moab hath been at ease from his
youth, and he hath settled on his
lees, and hath not been emptied
from vessel to vessel, neither hath
he gone into captivity : therefore
his taste remained in him, and his
scent is not changed. Therefore,
behold, the days come, saith the
Lord, that I will send him wan
derers, that shall cause him to
wander, and shall empty his ves
sels, and break their bottles.
Jer. 48:11, 12.

2 King 5 : 2-4.
Dan. 2 : 49.

"The gates were closed and the seige began. '»
decreed. Many of these nations, and
the Persians among the number, knew
just what kingdom would be used to
W destroy Babylon, and the name of the
man whom God had chosen to accom
plish the overthrow.
Such are the messages which God sent, and
thus it was that He made use of His people.
Those whom He could not use when granted
peace and prosperity and a city of their own, He
used when slaves under the iron heel of Baby
lon. Babylon was like a city on the edge of a
volcanic crater, but she believed it not. In the
year 539 B. c, the combined forces of the
Medes and Persians started toward Baby
lon. The news reached the city that the
enemy was on the march. Then it was that the
message came to flee from the city and be as
goats upon the mountainside. Jews who heeded
the word of the Lord, then withdrew from Baby
lon. But the Persian army did not come. His
tory says that Cyrus was stopped by the death
of a sacred white horse, which was drowned in
crossing a river. Cyrus set his men to digging

LAST YEARS OF THE BABYLONIAN KINGDOM. 77

channels for the river, spending one year in this
way. Prophecy says, "The walls of Babylon
shall fall. My people, go ye out of the midst
of her, and deliver ye every man his soul. . . .
And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the
rumor that shall be heard in the land ; a rumor
shall both come one year, and after that in an
other year, shall come a rumor, and violence in
the land, ruler against ruler."
1 And so it was ; one spring the rumor came,
but the army failed to appear. The careless and
unbelieving scoffed, but to the believing this was
the opportune time. The next spring the rumor
came again, but there was no time then to sell
or prepare to leave, for the army came also, and
the Babylonian and Medo-Persian forces met in
open battle. The Babylonians were defeated,
and retired within the fortifications of the city.
The gates were closed and the siege began.
Those who were now in Babylon must live or
die with the Babylonians, except God stay the
hand of the destroyer.
The climax was reached by the greatest of
earthly governments. All heaven was alive with
anxiety. Only man was asleep to his impending
destruction.

Lest your heart faint, and ye fear
for the rumor that shall be heard
in the land ; a rumor shall both
come one year, and after that in an
other year shall come a rumor, and
violence in the land, ruler against
ruler. Jer. 51:46.
At the noise of the taking of
Babylon the earth is moved, and
the cry is heard among the nations.
Jer. 50 : 46.
I will render unto Babylon and
to all the inhabitants of Chaldea
all their evil which they have done
in Zion in your sight, saith the
Lord. Jer, 51 : 24.
Knowing this first, that there
shall come in the last days scoffers,
walking after their own lusts.
2 Peter 3 13.
The king of Babylon hath heard
the report of them, and his hands
waxed feeble : anguish took hold
of him, and pangs as of a woman
in travail. Jer. 50 : 43.
The land shall tremble and sor
row : for every purpose of the Lord
shall be performed against Babylon,
to make the land of Babylon a des
olation without an inhabitant. Jer. 51 : 29.
Thou earnest them away as with
a flood ; they are as a sleep : in the
morning they are like grass which
groweth up. Ps. 90 : 5.

CHAPTER VI.

THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.
CHAPTER 5.

1. Beishazzar the king made a
great feast to a thousand of his
lords, and drank wine before the
thousand. 2. Beishazzar, whiles he tasted
the wine, commanded to bring the
golden and silver vessels which his
father Nebuchadnezzar had taken
out of the temple which was in Je
rusalem; that the king, and his
princes, his wives, and his concu
bines, might drink therein.
3. Then they brought the go/den
vessels that were taken out of the
temple ofthe house of Qod which
was at Jerusalem; and the king,
and his princes, his wives, and his
concubines, drank in them.
4. They drank wine, and praised
the gods of gold, and of silver, of
brass, of iron, of wood,, and of
stone. Dan. 5:1-4.
All the vessels of gold and of sil
ver were five thousand and four hun
dred. Ezra i : n.
78

It was the last night of a nation's existence,
but the people knew it not. Some slept in un
conscious, peace ; some reveled and whirled away
in thoughtless dance. In the dens of Babylon,
men steeped in vice continued their wild orgies ;
in the palace halls Beishazzar feasted with a
thousand of his lords. Music resounded through
the brilliantly lighted rooms. The nobles lounged
about the tables sumptuously spread. Court
women and concubines of the king entered those
halls. It was a feast of Bacchus, and they drank
to the health of the king on his throne. He
ordered that the sacred vessels be brought from
the temple to show that no being, human or
divine, could raise a hand against him, the king
of Babylon. The golden cup filled with wine
was raised and the blessing of Bel invoked, but

THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.

79

it never reached the lips of the half-intoxicated
king. His hand was stayed. Those vessels had
been moulded by hands divinely skilled, and af
ter heavenly models. Angels had watched them
as they were taken from the temple at Jerusa
lem and carried to Babylon. Messengers di
vinely appointed had guarded them, and their
very presence in the heathen temple was a wit
ness of the God of the Jews. Some day the
silence would be broken. The desecration of
His temple would not always remain unpunished.
That time came when the king lifted the gob
let filled with sparkling wine. His hand grew
stiff, for on the opposite wall, over against the
lights, was a bloodless hand, writing words of
an unknown language. The winecup fell to the
floor; the king's countenance grew pale; he
trembled violently, and his knees smote together
until the gorgeous girdle of his loins loosened
and fell aside. The loud laughter ceased, and
the music died away. Terror-stricken, a thou
sand guests looked from the face of the king
to the writing on the wall.
The Chaldean astrologers and soothsayer's
were called, but the writing was meaningless
to them. They who taught all earthly lan
guages failed to recognize the language of
heaven. The four strange characters remained
as at first seen, emblazoned in letters of fire
on the wall.
For days the siege of Babylon had been on.
The gates were closed and her walls were con
sidered impregnable, while within the city were
provisions for twenty years. But however
strong she might seem, God had said, " Though
BaDylon should mount up to heaven, and though

A thousand chargers of silver.
Ezra 1:9.
And look that thou make them af
ter their pattern, which thou wast
caused to see in the mount.
Ex. 25 : 40 [margin].
Ex. 31:2-7.
Ex. 25 19, 40.

The voice of them that flee and
escape out of the land of Babylon,
to declare in Zion the vengeance of
the Lord our God, the vengeance of
his temple. Jer. 50 128.
Jer. 50 : 24-28.
Jer. 51 : n.
5. In the same hour came forth
fingers of a man's hand, and wrote
over against the candlestick upon
the plaister of the wall of the
king's palace; and the king saw
the part of the hand that wrote.
6. Then the king's countenance
was changed, and his thoughts
troubled him, so that the joints of
his loins were loosed, and his knees
smote one against another. Dan. 5:6, 6.
Isa. 21 : 3-5.
7. The king cried aloud to bring
In the astrologers, the Chaldeans,
and the soothsayers. Andthe king
spake, and said to the wise men of
Babylon, Whosoeoer shall read this
writing, and show me the interpre
tation thereof, shall be clothed
with scarlet, and have a chain of
gold about his neck, and shall be
third ruler in the kingdom.
8. Then came in all the king's
wise men: but they could not read
the writing, nor make known to the
king the interpretation thereof.
9. Then was king Beishazzar
greatly troubled, and his counte
nance was changed in him, and his
lords were astonied. Dan. 5:7-9.
Isa. 45 : 1-3.
Jer. 51 : 53.

8o

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Except the Lord build the house,
they labor in vain that build it : ex
cept the Lord keep the city, the
watchman waketh but in vain.
Ps. 127 : 1.
Behold, I will shake mine hand
upon them, and they shall be a spoil
to their servants : and ye shall know
that the Lord of hosts hath sent me.
Zech. 2 :q.
Lift not up your horn on high :
speak not with a stiff neck. For
promotion cometh neither from the
east, nor from the west, nor from
the south. But God is the judge :
he putteth down one, and setteth
up another. Ps. 75 : 4-7.
We are made a spectacle unto the
world, and to angels, and to men.
1 Cor. 4 : 9.
Gen. 7 : 7-9,
The Lord hath opened his ar
mory, and hath brought forth the
weapons of his indignation : for this
is the work of the Lord God of hosts
in the land of the Chaldeans. Jer. 50:25.'
Jer. 51:25.
Isa. 13 : 1-5.

Isa. 45 : '-4-
Isa. 43 : 1-3.
Set ye up a standard in the land,
blow the trumpet among the na
tions, prepare the nations against
her, . . . prepare against her
the nations with the kings of the
Medes, the captains thereof, and all
the rulers thereof, and all the land
of his dominion. Jer. 51 : 27, 28.
That saith to the deep, Be dry,
and I will dry up thy rivers. Isa. 44 : 27.
A drought is upon her waters ;
and they shall be dried up.
Jer. 50 : 38.
10. Now the queen by reason of
the words of the king and his lords
came Into the banquet house : and
the queen spake and said, 0 king,
Hoe forever: let not thy thoughts
trouble thee, nor let thy counte
nance be changed:

she should fortify the height of her strength.
yet from me shall spoilers come unto her."
The strongest strongholds which man can
build are crushed like a dying leaf when the
hand of God is laid upon them. But this was
a lesson which the rulers of Babylon had not
yet learned. The father of iniquity, who was
urging these rulers forward into deeper sin, had
not yet owned the weakness of his cause.
Heaven and unfallen worlds watched the prog
ress of affairs in this great city, for it was the
battle-ground of the two mighty forces of good
and evil. Christ and Satan here contended.
Angels, unseen by human eyes, as when they
gathered the animals into the ark before the flood,
had mustered forces against Babylon. God was
using men who knew Him not as God, but who
were true to principle and wished to do right.
To Cyrus, the leader of the Persian army, which
was now outside the city walls, God had said
that He held his hand to make him strong. Be
fore you " I will loose the loins of kings." I
will open those two-leaved gates, and the gates
shall not be shut ; " I will go before thee and
make the crooked places straight : I will break
in pieces the gates of brass and cut in sunder
the bars of iron."
While Beishazzar and his lords drank and
feasted, the army of Cyrus was lowering* the
waters in the bed of the Euphrates, preparatory
to entering the city.
As the Chaldeans were unable to read the
writing on the wall, the king's terror increased.
He knew that this was a rebuke of his sacrile
gious feast, and yet he could not learn the exact
meaning. Then the queen-mother remembered

THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.

81

Daniel, who had "the spirit of, the holy gods,"
and who had been made master of the wise men
in the days of Nebuchadnezzar as the result of
interpreting the king's dream.
Daniel, the prophet of God, was called to the
banquet room. As he came before Beishazzar,
the monarch promised to make him third ruler
in the kingdom if he would interpret the writ
ing. The prophet, with the quiet dignity of a
servant of the most high God, stood before
the gorgeous, terror-stricken throng that bore
evidence of intemperate feasting and wicked
revelry. In Israel, children were named under the in
spiration of the Spirit of God, and the name
was an expression of character. When God
changed a name, as in the case of Abraham,
Jacob, or Peter, it was because of a change of
character in the individual. True to the name
given him by his mother, Daniel — God's judge
— again appears to vindicate the truth. Nebu
chadnezzar had called him Belteshazzar, in
honor of the Babylonian god Bel, but to the
last this Hebrew, who knew the Lord, remained
true to his God-given name, as shown in the
twelfth verse of this chapter. He did not speak
with flattering words, as the professedly wise
men of the kingdom had done, but he spoke the
truth of God. It was a moment of intensity,
for there was but a single hour in which to
make known the future. Daniel was now an
old man, but he sternly disclaimed all desire for
rewards or honor, and proceeded to review the
history of Nebuchadnezzar, and the Lord's deal
ings with that ruler, — his dominion and glory,
his punishment for pride of heart, and his sub-
6

11. There is a man In thy king
dom, in whom is the spirit of the
holy gods; and in the days of thy
father light and understanding
and wisdom, like the wisdom of
the gods, was found in him; whom
the king Nebuchadnezzar thy
father, the king, I say, thy father,
made master of the magicians,
astrologers, Chaldeans, and sooth
sayers; 12. Forasmuch as an excellent
spirit, and knowledge, and under
standing, interpreting of dreams,
and showing of hard 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.
13. Then was Daniel brought in
before the king. And the king
spake and said unto Daniel, Art
thou that Daniel, which art of the
children of the captivity of Judah,
whom the king my father brought
out of Jewry? Dan. 6 : 10-13.
Gen. 17 : 5.
Gen. 32 :28.
John 1 : 42.
Acts 4:36.
14. I have even heard of thee,
that the spirit of the gods is in
thee, and that light and under
standing and excellent wisdom is
found in thee.
15. And now the wise men, the
astrologers, 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 inter
pretation of the thing:
16. And I have heard of thee,
that thou canst make interpreta
tions, and dissolve doubts: now if
thou canst read the writing, and
make known to me the interpreta
tion thereof, thou shalt be clothed
with scarlet, and have a chain of
gold about thy neck, and shalt be
the third ruler in the kingdom.
17. Then Daniel answered and
said before the king, Let thy gifts
be to thyself, and give thy rewards
to another ; yet I will read the
writing unto the king, and make
known to him the interpretation.

82

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

18. 0 thou king, the most high
God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy
father a kingdom, and majesty,
and glory, and honor:
19. And for the majesty that he
gave him, all people, nations, and
languages, trembled and feared be
fore him: whom he would he slew;
and whom he would he kept alive;
and whom he would he set up; and
whom he would he put down.
2X But when his heart was
lifted up, and his mind hardened
in pride, he was deposed from his
kingly throne, and they took his
glory from him :
21. And he was driven from the
sons of men; and his heart was
made like the beasts, and his
dwelling was with the wild asses:
they fed him with yrass like oxen,
and his body was wet with the dew
of heaven; till he knew that the
most high God ruled in the king
dom of men, and that he appoint-
eth over it whomsoever he will.
Dan. 5:14-21.
For in him we live, and move,
and have our being. Acts 17 : 28.
22. And thou his son, 0 Beishaz
zar, hast not humbled thine heart,
though thou knewest all this;
23. 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, thy wives, and thy
concubines, have drunk wine in
them; and thou hast praised the
gods of silver, and gold, of brass,
iron, wood, and stone, which see
not, nor hear, nor know: and the
God in whose hand thy breath is,
and whose are all thy ways, hast
thou not glorified. Dan. 6:22,23.
Job 31:6.
24. Then was the part of the
hand sent from him; and this
writing was written. Dan. 6 ; 24.
Ps. 62:9.
1 Sam. 2 : 3.
25. And this is the writing that
was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL,
UPHARSIN.

sequent acknowledgment of the mercy and
power of the God who created the heavens
and the earth. He rebuked Beishazzar for his
departure from true principles, and for his great
wickedness and pride.
" And thou, his son, O Beishazzar, hast not
humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all
this ; but hast lifted up thyself against the Lord
of heaven ; . . and the God in whose hand
thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast
thou not glorified." Straightforward and strong
were the words of Daniel. Beishazzar had trod
den on sacred ground ; ' he had laid unholy hands
on holy things ; he had severed the ties which
bind heaven and earth together ; and there was
no way for that life-giving Spirit of God to reach
him or his followers. Day 'by day his breath
had been given him, a symbol of the spiritual
breath, but he praised and thanked the gods of
wood and stone. His every motion had been
by virtue of the power of the God of heaven,
but he had prostituted that power to an unholy
cause. " Then was the part of the hand sent
from Him ; and this writing was written."
What he could not see written in his own breath
and muscles, what he could not read in his own
heart-beats, God wrote in mystic characters on
the palace wall, over, against the candlestick.
The people waited with bated breath as Dan
iel turned to the writing on the wall, and read
the message traced by the angel hand. The
hand had been withdrawn, but four terrible
words remained. The prophet announced their
meaning to be : " Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin:
. . . God hath numbered thy kingdom, and fin
ished it: . . . thou art weighed in the balances,

The handwriting on the wall.

THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.

83

and art found wanting: . . . thy kingdom is
divided, and given to the Medes and Persians."
In dealing with men God always uses a lan
guage which appeals forcibly to their under
standing. This is illustrated in the handwriting
on the wall. It is a common belief among idol
aters that the gods weigh deeds in balances, and
that if the good deeds outweigh the evil, the
individual enters into his reward ; if the oppo
site result is obtained, punishment follows. The
language, therefore, was familiar to King Bei
shazzar. "God hath numbered thy kingdom;
. . . thou art weighed in the balances, and art
found wanting." To the magicians who stood
within hearing, as Daniel gave the interpreta
tion, the words came with peculiar force because
of their familiarity with religious customs.
To the one who knows God, the attitude of
the Lord toward the sinner is very different,
and still the symbol of the weights and balances
is applicable. That this subject might be under
stood, God had sent an explanation by the
prophet Ezekiel. When a man sins and dies
without repentance, he is cut off from God, be
cause his iniquities separate between him and
God, and he cannot be saved. If a man loves
Christ and accepts Him and His righteousness,
Christ's character is written opposite the name
of that man in the books of heaven, and so long
as a love of the truth is cherished, the man
hides in Christ and is known by the character
of Christ. God deals with men in the present.
We may have been the worst of sinners, but if
to-day we are hidden in Christ, heaven takes
into account only our present position.
So it was that God dealt with the nations,

28. This is the interpretation of
the thing: MENE; God hath num
bered thy kingdom, and finished it.
Dan. 6:26,26.
Prov. 6:2, 11.

27. TEKEL ; Thou art weighed in
the balances, and art found want
ing- Dan. 6 : 27.
Say unto them, As I live, saith
the Lord God, I have no pleasure in
the death of the wicked ; but that
the wicked tum from his way and
live : turn ye, tum ye from your evil
ways ; for why will ye die, O house
of Israel? . . . When I shall
say to the righteous, that he shall
surely live ; if he trust to his own
righteousness, and commit iniquity,
all his righteousness shall not be re
membered ; but for his iniquity that
he hath committed, he shall die for
it. Again, when I say unto the
wicked, Thou shalt surely die ; if he
turn from his sin, and do that which
is lawful and right ; . . . none
of his sins that he hath committed
shall be mentioned unto him : he
hath done that which is lawful and
right ; he shall surely live.
Eze. 33 : 10-16.
They received not the love of the
truth, that they might be saved.
2 Thess. 2 : 10.
Wherefore I say unto thee, Her
sins, which are many, are forgiven ;
for she loved much : but to whom
little is forgiven, the same loveth
little. Luke 7 147.
Where sin abounded, grace did
much more abound. Rom. 5 : 20.
: John 1 : 9,
I acknowledged my sin unto thee,
and mine iniquity have I not hid.
I said, I will confess my transgres
sions unto the Lord ; and thou for-
gavest the iniquity of my sin. Se
lah. Ps. 32 : 5.
He that covereth his sins shall
not prosper : but whoso confesseth
and forsaketh them shall have
mercy. Prov. 28 : 13.

84

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

At what instant I shall speak con
cerning a nation, and concerning a
kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull
down, and to destroy it ; if that na
tion, against whom I have pro
nounced, turn from their evil, I will
repent of the evil that I thought to
do unto them. And at what instant
I shall speak concerning a nation,
and concerning a kingdom, to build
and to plant it ; if it do evil in my
sight, that it obey not my voice,
then I will repent of the good,
wherewith I said I would benefit
them. Jer. 18 : 7, 10.

Zech. 4:11, 12.

28. PERES; Thy kingdom Is di
vided, and given to the Medes and
Persians. 29. Then commanded Beishaz
zar, and they clothed Daniel with
scarlet, and put a chain of gold
about his neck, and made a proc
lamation concerning him, that he
should be the third ruler in the
kingdom. Dan. 6 1 28, 29.

A sword is upon the Chaldeans,
saith the Lord, and upon the inhab
itants of Babylon, and upon her
princes, and upon her wise men. A
sword is upon the liars ; and they
shall dote : a - sword is upon her
mighty men ; and they shall be dis
mayed. A sword is upon their
horses, and upon their chariots, and
and upon all tlie mingled people
that are in the midst of her ; at the
noise of the taking of Babylon the
earth is moved, and the cry is heard
among the nations. Jer. 50:35-46.

and this answers the question why Nebuchad
nezzar might one day be in favor with God and
the next day be in condemnation; why Zede-
kiah's course of action was condemned once,
and then again he was told that it lay in his
power to save Jerusalem.
God gave the Babylonian monarchs, and
through them the entire kingdom, an abun
dance of time to accept Him. He waited long.
The Holy Watcher hovered long near the center
of earthly governments; every blessing which
Heaven could bestow was given to woo the
kingdom to the side of right. But at last the
slender cord which connected earth with heaven
snapped ; there was no channel for the flow of
the Holy Spirit ; death and death only could
result. That there might be no misunderstand
ing, the last word read, "Thy kingdom is di
vided, and given to the Medes and Persians."
Scarcely had the scarlet robe been placed on
Daniel and the golden chain hung about his
neck, when the shouts of the invading army
rang through the palace.
In the midst of their feasting and rioting,
none had noticed that the waters in the Euphra
tes were steadily diminishing. The besieging
army of Cyrus, which had long been held at
bay by the massive walls, was eagerly watching
the river. The river had been turned from its
course, and as soon as the water had sufficiently
subsided to allow the men a passage in the bed
of the river, they entered from opposite sides
of the city. In their reckless feeling of secu
rity, the Babylonians had left open the gates in
the walls which lined the river-banks inside the
city. So the Persians, once in the river-bed,

THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.

85

The enemy made

^px.^

easily entered the city through the open gates.
Soon one post was running to "meet an
other, and one messenger to meet another,"
to show the king of Babylon that his city is
taken at one end." But the news was received
too late to save the king. God had numbered
and finished his kingdom.
a rush for the pal
ace. The pen of
Inspiration d e- ^M
scribes the over-
throw of the
kingdom more
vividly than any
human historian.
Of those guests
at the banquet of
Beishazzar it is
said, " I will mak
them drunken, that
they may rejoice,
and sleep a perpet
ual sleep, and not awake. ... I will bring
them down like lambs to the slaughter." Then
as if the eye of the prophet failed to separate
Satan from the kingdom which he had so long
controlled, he exclaims, "How is Sheshach
taken 1 and how is the praise of the whole
earth surprised! How is Babylon become an
astonishment among the nations ! " Fire raged
through the streets, and as the people realized
that destruction was upon them, their cry
reached heaven. It was a hand-to-hand fight
with fire and sword until men grew weary and
gave up the struggle.
"In that night was Beishazzar slain," and the

mitl
before _
e/aitdmafie
ie crooked
ace£ straight,
Isa. 45:2.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the
God of Israel : The daughter of
Babylon is like a threshingfloor, it
is time to thresh her : yet a little
while, and the time of her harvest
shall come. Jer. 51 :33.
God giveth to a man that is good
in liis sight wisdom, and knowledge,
and joy : but to the sinner he giveth
travail, to gather and to heap up,
that he may give to him that is good
before God. Eccl. 2 : 26.

I Though Babylon should
I m o u n t up to heaven, and
I though she should fortify the
I height of her strength, yet
I from me shall spoilers come
I unto her, saith the Lord. A
sound of a cry cometh from
Babylon, and great destruc
tion from the land of the
Chaldeans. . . . Thus saith
the Lord of hosts ; The broad
walls of Babylon shall be ut
terly broken, and her high gates
shall be burned with fire ; and the
people shall labor in vain, and the
folk in the fire, and they shall be
weary. Jer. 5' ' 53_sS«

Isa. 51:57-
I will bring them down like lambs
to the" slaughter, like rams with he
goats. Jer. 51:40.
Jer. 51 : 41.
[ have laid a snare for thee, and
thou art also taken, O Babylon, and
thou wast not aware : thou art found,
and also caught, because thou hast
striven against the Lord. Jer. so : 24.

30. In that night was Beishaz
zar the king of the Chaldeans
stain.

86

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

31. And Darius the Median took
the kingdom, being about three
score and two years old.
Dan. 6:30,31.

Whoso walketh uprightly shall
be saved : but he that is perverse in
his ways shall fall at once.
Prov; 28 : 18.

Lord, thou wilt ordain p;ace for
ns : for thou also hast wrought all
our works in us. Isa. 26:12.
Isa. 45:1-3.
That saith of Cyrus, He is my
shepherd, and shall perform all my
pleasure : even saying to Jerusalem,
Thou shalt be built : and to the tem
ple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
Isa. 44 : 28.

Dan. 9
Jer. 49
Isa. 21

I will dry up thy rivers. Isa. 44 127.
Isa. 45 ti, 2.
Jer. 50:38.
Jer. 51 :36.

The Lord God of heaven . . .
hath charged me to build him an
house at Jerusalem. Ezra 1 : 1-5.

kingdom was given to Darius, the aged king of
the Medes. Thus came to an end one of the
proudest monarchies that has ever been upon
the earth. When an individual or a nation fills
up the cup of iniquity and passes the limit of
God's mercy, it is quickly humbled in the dust.
The question naturally arises, Why did not
the conquering army destroy Daniel, who was
the third ruler in the kingdom, at this critical
moment ? The answer is simple and natural.
When the kingdom was taken and Beishazzar
slain, Nabonadius, the first ruler, at the head of
an army, was surrounded by the enemy in an
other part of the kingdom. This left Daniel
sole ruler in Babylon. He, knowing that over
one hundred years before, Isaiah had prophesied
that Cyrus should take the kingdom, was ready
to welcome him whom God had said should
build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem.
There is also good reason to believe that
Daniel and Cyrus were not strangers. When
excluded from the council of Beishazzar, Daniel
had spent a portion of his time at Shushan, the
capital of Elam. Elam had revolted from
Babylon, in fulfillment of the prophecy of
Jeremiah. Daniel may have formed an acquaintance with
Cyrus, and showed to him, as the high priest
did to Alexander on a certain occasion, the
prophecy that pertained to himself, and also re
vealed to him the way God had said he should
enter Babylon. It is evident from the wording
of the decree given in the first chapter of Ezra,
that Cyrus was familiar with these prophecies.
God gives continual opportunities for His
people to prepare the way for blessings to come

THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.

37

to them, when they are walking in the light.
God is never taken by surprise, but His Word
is a lamp to the feet and a guide to the life.
This illustrates the importance of God's peo
ple "knowing the time" in which they live
from the light of prophecy. There is a Witness
in every scene of sacrilegious mirth, and the re
cording angel writes, " Thou art weighed in the
balances, and art found wanting." This same
Witness is with us wherever we are. Although
we may feel that we have liberty to follow the
promptings of the natural heart, and indulge in
lightness and trifling, yet an account must be
rendered for these things. As we sow, so shall
we reap.
Nations to-day are repeating the history of
the last years of the kingdom of Babylon.
Medo-Persia was the instrument in the Lord's
hands to punish Babylon. The next great over
throw of governments will usher in the king
dom of our Lord. For the final battle, nations
are now mustering their forces. The cry has
gone forth, " Flee out of the midst of Babylon,
and deliver every man his soul ; be not cut off
in her iniquity; for this is the time of the
Lord's vengeance."

Ps. 119: 105.
Rom. 13 : 11.

There is nothing hid, which shall
not be manifested ; neither was any
tiling kept secret, but that it should
come abroad. Mark 4 : 22.

Ps. 139 : 1-16.
I say unto you, That every idle
word that men shall speak, they
shall give an account thereof in the
day of judgment. For by thy words
thou shalt be justified, and by thy
words thou shalt be condemned.
Matt. 12 : 36, 37.

Who raised up the righteous man
from the east, called him to his foot,
gave tlie nations before him, and
made him rule over kings ? he gave
them as the dust to his sword, and
as driven stubble to his bow. He
pursued them, and passed safely.
Isa. 41 : 1-5.

Jer. 51 :6.
Rev. i£:4.

CHAPTER VII.

DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN.
CHAPTER 6.
Darius the Median took the king- The first five chapters of the book of Daniel
dom, being about threescore and . . ,. . . . r.i i ¦ i r -i-i i ,
two years old. Dan. 5:3,. relate the history of the kingdom of Babylon.
With the close of the fifth chapter, the govern
ment is transferred to the Medes, of whom
Darius, known in history as Darius the Mede,
a man of sixty-two years, is king. With him
is associated Cyrus, the Persian, the leader of
the army, and heir to the throne. The time
arise another kingdom inferior to represented by the golden head of the image
thee. Dan. 2:32-39. , , , ,
has passed, and a baser metal represents the
rising power. The Medes were not, however,
a new or unknown power, for they are men
tioned in chronology as descendants of Japheth,
and as early as the eighth century b. c, when
88

This image's head was of fine
gold, his breast and his arms of sil
ver. . . . And after thee shall

Gen. 10:2.
1 Chron. 1:5.
2 Kings 18: 11.

DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN

89

Israel was taken captive by the Assyrians, they
were scattered through the cities of the Medes.
This had brought the Medes into contact with
the Jews two centuries before the fall of Baby
lon. To their knowledge of the God of the
Jews may be attributed the purity of their wor
ship, for while they were heathens, they had
never fallen into the gross forms of idolatry
which were practiced by most of the nations of
Western Asia.
The habits of both the Medes and the Per
sians, but more particularly of the Persians,
brought them in close touch with nature, and
in their worship they took the elements, — fire,
earth, water, and air — as the highest manifesta
tions of the Deity. They therefore sought a
hill country, and kept a perpetual fire burning.
They believed in the struggle between good and
evil as represented by light and darkness, and
doubtless the words of Isaiah, which are ad
dressed to Cyrus, had this belief in mind, for
the Lord says, " I form the light and create
darkness : I make peace, and create evil ; I the
Lord do all these things " In these words He
places Himself above the gods of the Persians,
and explains why He called Cyrus to his strange
work. The Persians at the time of the overthrow
of Babylon were physically strong and rugged,
due in great measure to the simplicity of their
habits and their temperance in eating. Such
were the conditions which made it possible for
the Medes and Persians to be the rod in the
Lord's hand for the punishment of Babylon.
The organization of the kingdom as effected by
the Babylonian monarchs is given in the first

In the ninth year of Hoshea the
king of Assyria took Samaria, and
carried Israel away into Assyria,
and placed them in Halah and in
Habor by the river of Gozan, and
in the cities of the Medes. 2 Kings 17 :6.

Isa. 43 n-13.
Who changed the truth of God
into a lie, and worshiped and served
tlie creature more than the Creator,
who is blessed forever. Amen.
Rom. 1 : 19, 20, 25.

The people still sacrificed and
burnt incense in the high places.
2 Kings 12 13.
Ye shall utterly destroy all the
places, wherein the nations which
ye shall possess served their gods,
upon the high mountains, and upon
the hills, and uuder every green tree.
Deut. 12:2.
Isa. 45 '.7.
Lo, I will raise and cause to come
up against Babylon an assembly of
great nations from the north coun-
try: and they shall set themselves
in array against her ; from thence
she shall be taken : their arrows
shall be as of a mighty expert man ;
none shall return in vain. Jer. 50:9.
Make bright the arrows ; gather
the shields : the Lord hath raised
up the spirit of the kings of the
Medes. Jer. 51: 11.
Lift ye up a banner upon the high
mountain, exalt the voice unto them,
shake the hand, that they may go
into the gates of tlie nobles. I have
commanded my sanctified ones, I
have also called my mighty ones for
mine anger, even them that rejoice
in my highness. Isa. 13 : 1-5.

90

STORY OF DANIEL T1IK PROPHET.

In multitude of counsellors there
is s.ifety. Prov. 24 :6.
Prov. 15 : 22.

In the multitude of people is the
king's honor : but in the want of
people is tlie destruction of the
prince. Prov. 14 : 28.

1. It pleased Darius to set over
the kingdom a hundred and twenty
princes, which should be over the
whole kingdom.
2. And over these three presi
dents ; of whom Daniel was first 1
that the princes might give ac
counts unto them, and the king
should have no damage.
3. Then this Daniel was pre
ferred above the presidents and
princes, because an excellent
spirit was In him; and the king
thought to set him over the whole
realm. Dan. 6 : 1-3.
He brought me forth also into a
large place ; he delivered me, be
cause he delighted in me. The
Lord rewarded me according to my
righteousness ; according to the
cleanness of my hands hath he rec
ompensed me. Ps. 18 : 19, 2n.
When a man's ways please the
Lord, he maketh even his enemies
to be at peace with him. Prov. 16: 7.
I was at Shushan in the palace,
which is in the province of Elam.
Dan. 8:2.
The king's favor is toward a wise
servant. Prov. 14:35.
A man of understanding is of an
excellent spirit. Prov. 17 : 27.
Seest thou a man diligent in his
business? he shall stand before
kings; he shall not stand before
mean men. Prov. 21 : 29.

verse of the sixth chapter, for Darius immedi
ately placed one hundred and twenty princes over
the one hundred and twenty provinces. This
change in the administration of the government
of the provinces is highly important, since the
strength of the ruling monarch is in proportion
to the sympathy and co-operation of the subject
princes. It was impossible to maintain a rep
resentative government where there were con
quered provinces, and peace depended much
upon the strength of the central organization.
Over the one hundred and twenty princes were
the three presidents, of whom Daniel was the
first. It was not after the order of the world that
Daniel, belonging to a race held in bondage,
should at once be given one of the highest
positions in the newly organized government.
It will appear still more unusual when it is
remembered that Daniel had been made third
ruler of the Babylonian kingdom under Bei
shazzar. Reference to the first and second
verses of the eighth chapter of Daniel shows
that Daniel was not a stranger to the new gov
ernment, for before the death of Beishazzar,
he had lived at Shushan, in the province of
Elam. To the fact of acquaintanceship it may
be added that the excellent spirit and unsur
passed business ability of Daniel brought him
into prominence.
Here is recorded the case of a man who was
a devout follower of God, one whose honesty,
accuracy, and skill in every particular were a
wonder to the world. It is a powerful witness
to the duties and privileges of every Christian
business man. He was a noble statesman, an

DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN.

9i

example for all office-holders, but not a politi
cian. He fulfilled his duties under the Medes
just as faithfully as under the Babylonians. He
served the God of heaven, and not a man-made
party. A business man. does not necessarily
have to be a sharp, policy man, but may be in
structed by God at every step. When prime
minister of Babylon, Daniel, as a prophet of
God, was receiving the light of heavenly in
spiration. The usual type of statesman, —
worldly, ambitious, scheming, — is compared in
the Scriptures to the grass of the field, and
to the fading flower. The Lord is pleased to
have men of intelligence in His work if they
remain true to Him. Through the grace of
Christ, man may preserve the integrity of his
character when surrounded by adverse circum
stances. Daniel made God his strength, and
was not forsaken in his time of greatest need.
The very position which he occupied put
Daniel to the severest test. As chairman or
chief of the presidents over the princes, Daniel
was obliged to deal with all the under-rulers
of the empire. One by one they were required
to render an account to him. This was that
the king might receive no damage. The king,
then, was in danger; not in danger of losing
his life, but these officials were scheming politi
cians who, were robbing the government in
every possible way. If they had taxes to
gather, they turned a large per cent, to their
own account. There was bribery, cheating,
wire pulling, and buying of positions in the
Babylonian government, as there is in the
world to-day. Dishonesty was found everywhere.
Inspiration does not describe the iniquity in

Blessed is the man that walketh
not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the
Lord : and in his law doth he medi

tate day and night. And he shall
be like a tree planted by tlie rivers
of water, that bringeth forth his fruit
in his season : his leaf also shall not
wither ; and whatsoever he doeth
shall prosper. Ps. 1 : 1-3.
Whatsoever ye do in word or
deed, do all in the name of the
Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God
and the Father by him. Col. 3 :i7.

Prov. 23 : 17-19.
Not slothful in business ; fervent
in spirit ; serving the Lord.
Rom. 12 : 1 1.
But now ye rejoice in your boast-
ings ; all such rejoicing is evil.
James 4 : 11-16.

92

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

These things I have spoken unto
you, that in me ye might have peace.
In the world ye shall have tribula
tion : but be of good cheer ; I have
overcome the world. John 16 :33.
For man also knoweth not his
time : as the fishes that are taken in
an evil net, and as the birds that are
caught in a snare ; so are the sons of
men snared in an evil time, when it
falleth suddenly upon them.
Eccl. 9 : 12,
Over these three presidents ; of
whom Daniel was first : that the
princes might give accounts unto
them, and the king should have no
damage. Dan. 6 : 2.
The king by judgment established
the land : but he that receiveth gifts
overthroweth it. Prov. 29 '.4.
Thou shalt not wrest judgment :
thou shalt not respect persons,
neither take a gift : for a gift doth
blind the eyes of the wise, and per
vert the words of the righteous.
Deut. 16 : 19.
The good man is perished out of
the earth : and there is none upright
among men : they all lie in wait for
blood ; they hunt every man his
brother with a net. That they may
do evil with both hands earnestly,
the prince asketh, and the judge
asketh for a reward ; and the great
man, he uttereth his mischievous
desire : so they wrap it up. The
best of them is as a brier : the most
upright is sharper than a thorn
hedge : the day of thy watchman
and thy visitation cometh ; now
shall be their perplexity. Micah 7 : 2-4.
Is there anything whereof it may
be said, See, this is new? it hath
been already of old time, which was
before us. Eccl.- 1 : 10.
Thy princes are rebellious, and
companions of thieves : every one
loveth gifts, and followeth after re
wards : they judge not the fatherless,
neither doth the cause of the widow
come unto them. Isa. 1 123.
Micah 3 : ir,
1 Sam. 8 : 1-5,

detail, but it does say, "The godly is perished
out of the earth ; . . . they hunt every man
his brother with a net. That they may do evil
with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh,
and the judge asketh for a reward ; and the
great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire ;
so they wrap it up." The princes and men in
power not only work mischievously, but they
work with "both hands earnestly." If details-
are wanted, study the governments of to-day.
They are the off-shoots from that same root
of Babylon, and by studying the iniquity of
to-day, we can know the sins against which
Daniel had tp stand. Even in the best rjf
earthly governments, hundreds of thousands of
dollars are used annually in an unlawful man
ner. When $3,500 is paid for a single vote,
and the individual returns the money because
he has an offer of $3,700 from the other party ;
when the mayor of a city can afford to spend
three or four times his salary to obtain an office,
it must be known that money comes from some
unlawful source.
Roman history, with its stories of trusts,
monopolies, and corporations, its bribery in the
senate and outside the senate, is the history of
Babylon, for Rome was one of the governments
which were built upon Babylonian principles.
French history during the period of the Revo
lution repeats the story. The history of Eng
land, the continental countries, and the United
States to-day repeat the same story. So in cur
rent history may be read in detail what had
to be met by the prime minister in the city of
Babylon. The sixth chapter of Daniel is left
on record to show how a man of God, when

DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN.

93

elevated to such a position, can remain uncon-
taminated. It shows that attitude which any
man of God must assume toward popular vice
and corruption, and more than that, it shows
what treatment a man who is true to principle
must expect to receive from the hands of those
who are corrupt.
Because Daniel did guard the king's inter
ests, Darius was about to set him over the
whole realm. But the honesty of one man is
like a thorn in the flesh of the unjust, and in
their political meetings the princes and presi
dents sought to destroy the . man who made
accurate reports, and who was faultless in his
dealings. " Render unto Caesar the things that
are Caesar's," is a principle of divine govern
ment, and from this principle Daniel could not
be swerved.
One can imagine the language of the princes
as they discussed the matter. Every scheme
they had tried had been checked, and yet it
was generally acknowledged that it would be
useless to bring a complaint concerning the
work of Daniel. There was but one possible
way to condemn him, ahd that must be concern
ing his religion. Even on that point they dared
not make open accusation, but must accomplish
their end without revealing their object. Their
contemptible, under-handed method of proced
ure brought them in conflict with the God of
Daniel, not with Daniel as an individual.
With manifest respect for the king, and with
words which flattered him, a committee of the
princes waited upon Darius. The first words
they spoke revealed that there was a plan on
foot, for they said, "All the presidents of the

From the least of them even unto
the greatest of them every one is
given to covetousness. Jer. 6 : 13.
There is a sore evil which I have
seen under the sun, namely, riches
kept for the owners thereof to their
hurt. Eccl. 5:13.
So I returned, and considered all
the oppressions that are done under
the sun : and behold the tears of
such as were oppressed, and they
had no comforter ; and on the side
of their oppressors there was power:
but they had no comforter. Eccl. 4:1.
James 5 : 1-5.
Eccl. 1 :g, 10, 15.
Isa. 8 19-12.
Jer. 10 -.2, 3.
Enter not into the path of the
wicked, and go not in the way of
evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it,
turn from it, and pass away.
Prov. 4: 14, 15.
The wicked plotteth against the
just, and gnasheth upon him with
his teeth. Ps. 37:12.
Prov. 22 : 4.
They hate him that rebuketh in
the gate, and they abhor him that
speaketh uprightly. Amos 5 : 10, 12.
4. Then the presidents and
princes sought to find occasion
against Daniel concerning 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.
Dan. 6 : 4.
5. Then said these men, We shall
not find any occasion against this
Daniel, except we find it against
him concerning ihe law of his God.
Dan. 8:5.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts ; Af
ter the glory hath he sent me unto
the nations which spoiled you : for
he that toucheth you toucheth the
apple of his eye. Zech. 2 : 8.
6. Then these . presidents and
princes assembled together to the
king, and said thus unto him, King
Darius, live forever.

94

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

7. All the presidents of the
kingdom, the governors, and the
princes, the counsellors, and the
captains, have consulted together
to establish a royal statute, and
to make afirm decree, that whoso
ever shall ask a petition of any
God or man for thirty days, save
of thee, 0 king, he shall be cast
into the den of lions.
8. Now, 0 king, establish the de
cree, and sign the writing, that it
be not changed, according to the
taw of the Medes and Persians,
which altereth not.
Prov. 24 : 5.
9. Wherefore king Darius signed
the writing and the decree. Dan. 0 : 6-9.
The Lord's portion is his people ;
Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
Deut. 32 j g.
I girded thee, though, thou hast
not known me. Isa. 45 : 5.
Even to your old age I am he ;
and even to hoar hairs will I carry
you : I have made, and I will bear ;
even I will carry, and will deliver
you. Isa. 4(3 f. 4.
Job 5 : 26.

Mark the perfect man, and be
hold the upright : for the end of
that man is peace. Ps. 37 '.37.
The law of his God is in his
heart ; none of his steps shall slide,
Ps. 37:31.
They are life unto those that find
them, and health to all their flesh.
Prbv. 4 : 22.

10. Now when Daniel knew that
the writing was signed, he went
into his house; and, his windows
being open in his chamber toward
Jerusalem,, he kneeled upon his
knees three times a day, and
prayed, and gave thanks before
his God, as he did afore time.
Dan. 6 : id.

kingdom, the governors," and other officers
had consulted together, when in truth they
had held secret meetings, and the chief of
the presidents was kept in ignorance of the
matter. The king placed great confidence in his prime
minister, and anything purporting to have his
approval was accepted without further investi
gation. The form of a decree was presented
to the king. It exalted Darius above all earthly
monarchs, and attempted to place him above
God. King Darius placed his seal upon the
document, making it a law of the land, that for
thirty days no man should bow down or worship
or ask any petition, save of the king.
The heart of God was drawn toward Baby
lon. Heaven was bound very close to earth, not
withstanding the iniquity, for God's chosen
people were there, and the time of their de
liverance drew near. While the Medes and the
Persians knew about God, they did not know
Him. An actual experience was needed, and
God would manifest His power through that
same faithful servant who had witnessed for
Him sixty-eight years.
Daniel was true, noble, and generous. He
was anxious to be at peace with all men, but
would not permit any power to turn him aside
from the path of duty. He was willing to obey
those who had rule over him; but kings and
decrees could not make- him swerve from his
allegiance to the King of kings. He realized
that compliance with Bible requirements was a
blessing to both soul and body.
Daniel was aware of the purpose of his ene
mies to destroy his influence and his life ; he

DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN.

95

knew of the decree, but it made no difference As for me, i wm can upon God :
in his daily life. He did nothing unusual to ^Z^ZT^Z
provoke wrath, but in a straight-forward manner l p™?- and "y aloud : and he sha11
performed his accustomed duties, and three
times a day, at his usual times for prayer, he
went into his room,
and with his win
dows open toward
Jerusalem, ear-

2 Chron. 6 : 36-39.

Kins Darius placed his seal
upon the' document, making
it a law of the land, that for
thirty days no man should
bow down or worship or ask
any petition, save of the
king.

96

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

On the Sabbath we went out of
the city by a river side, where prayer
was w&nt to be made ; and we sat
down, and spake unto the women
which resorted thither. Acts 16: 13.
I am crucified with Christ : never
theless I live ; yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me : and the life which I
now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved
me, and gave himself for me.
Gal. 2 : 20.
1 Cor. 2 : 14.
It came to pass in those days,
that he went out into a mountain to
pray, and continued all night in
prayer to God. Luke 6 : 12.

When he had sent the multitudes
away, he went up into a mountain
apart to pray : and when the even
ing was come, he was there alone.
Matt. 14 123,
>
That he would grant you, accord
ing to the riches of his glory, to be
strengthened with might by his
Spirit in the inner man ; that Christ
may dwell in your hearts by faith ;
that ye, being rooted and grounded
in love, may be able to compre
hend with all saints what is the
breadth, and length, and depth, and
height ; and to know the love of
Christ, which passeth knowledge,
that ye might be filled with all the
fullness of God. Eph. 3 : 16-19.
Job 37 : 19.
There hath no temptation taken
you but such as is common to man :
but God is faithful, who will not
suffer you to be tempted above that
ye are able ; but will with the temp
tation also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear it.
1 Cor. io* 13.
1
Be filled with the Spirit. Eph. 5 : 18.
Eph. 2 ' 22,

nestly pleaded with the God of heaven to give
him strength to be faithful.
Daniel had a special, meeting-place, and an
appointed hour when he met the Lord, and
these appointments were kept. There is a
beauty in the thought of the soul connection
between Daniel and Heaven. His spiritual life
was an actual thing, a life which he lived as real
and true as the physical life. The only life
which his enemies knew or could comprehend
was the physical life. To sever the intercourse
with God would be as painful to Daniel as to
deprive him of natural life ; and as Christ with
drew to the mountains after days of soul-har
rowing labor in order to be refilled with that life
which He constantly imparted to the hungering
multitudes, so Daniel sought God in prayer. It
was only by these frequent times of spirit fill
ing, as it were, that he had strength to meet
the nervous strain of his official duties. When
the outward pressure was greatest, then he had
the greatest need of being filled, that the equi
librium might be maintained. Fifteen pounds
to every square inch of surface on the body is
the pressure under which we live physically.
Why does it not crush us ? Because the pres
sure is equal on all sides, and thus we are un
conscious of it. It is but a type of the spirit
ual life. He who balances the clouds will so
balance outward pressure with inward power, if
we but let Him, that we never need be dis
turbed. If trials are" great, open the soul to
Heaven, and equalize the pressure by being
filled from above.
Daniel did not and could not deny his Saviour
by concealing himself in some corner of his

DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN.

97

room to pray. He knelt by the open window,
toward Jerusalem. He did not pray in his
heart, silently, he prayed aloud, as had been his
custom before the decree was issued. Noble
and true is the one who has God ruling in his
heart. Underhanded and mean are the actions
of those who yield to the influence F7"
of Satan. All that is noble in
man is lost forever when such
a leader is chosen. Satan was
in the councils of those officials
a s they plotted
against Daniel,
and after the de
cree was signed,
they set spies
to catch him.
They saw h i m
kneel in his usual
place of prayer ;
three times each
day they heard his
voice raised in ear
nest supplication. It was
enough; the accusation was
made against "that Daniel
which is of the children of
the captivity of Judah."
For the first time the de
sign of the counselors flashed
across the mind of Darius. /
A decree signed by the king's
seal was unalterable in the king
dom of the Medes and Persians,
yet the king spent the entire day
pleading with those high in au-

11. Then these men assembled,
and found Daniel praying and ma
king supplication before his Qod.
12. Then they came near, and
spake before the king concerning
the king's decree : Hast thou not
signed a decree, that every man
that shall ask a petition of any
God or man within thirty days.

To sever the intercourse with Qod would be
as painful to Daniel as to deprive
' him ol natural life.

98

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

save of thee, 0 king, shall be cast
into the den of lions ? The king
answered and said, The thing is
true, according to the law of the
Medes and Persians, which alter-
eth not.
13. Then answered they and said
before the king, That Daniel, which
is of the children of the captivity
of Judah, regardeth not thee, 0
king, nor the decree that thou hast
signed, but maketh his petition
three times a day. Dan. 8 : 11-13,

Prov. 6 : 17-19.
Prov. 1 : 11.
Jer. 5 : 26.
14. Then the king, when he heard
these words, was sore displeased
with himself, and set his heart on
Daniel to deliver him : and he la
bored till the going down of the
sun to deliver him.
15. Then these men assembled
unto the king, and said unto the
king, Know, 0 king, that the law of
the Medes and Persians is, That no
decree nor statute which the king
establisheth may be changed.
Dan. 6 : 14, 15.
16. Then the king commanded,
and they brought Daniel, and cast
him into the den of lions. Now the
king spake and said unto Daniel,
Thy God whom thou seroest con
tinually, he will deliver thee.
17. And a stone was brought,
and laid upon the mouth ofthe den;
andthe king sealed it with his own
signet, and with the signet of his
lords; that the purpose might not
be changed concerning Daniel.
Dan. 6; 16, 17.
Ps. 57 : 1-5.
Matt. 27 :6i-66.
Acts 2 : 24.

Daniel at this time was about
eighty-five years of age.

thority, and searching for some way of es
cape; but with Satanic smiles those princes
met every argument with the words, "Know,
O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians
is, That no decree or statute which the king
establisheth may be changed."
When the hands of men are tied, when there
is no power on earth to help, then is God's op
portunity. And Daniel's prayer still ascended :
"It is time for Thee, Lord, to work. Keep me
in perfect harmony with Thee." While his
own heart was in sympathy with Heaven, there'
was no power on earth that could deprive him
of his life, if God desired him to live.
Daniel and Darius met at the mouth of the
lions' den, but there was not another fnan in the
realm so fitted to go inside as this same Daniel.
Pressing the hand of his esteemed minister,
Darius said, "Thy God whom thou servest con
tinually, He will deliver thee." Daniel passed
into the midst of the wild beasts of the forest,
and a stone was brought and - laid upon the
mouth of the den. Probably some feared that
friends and sympathizers of Daniel might come
to the rescue, so the seal of the king was placed
upon the stone, that the purpose might not be
changed. Satan exulted as he did years later when he
saw the Son of God in the sepulcher, with a
stone before the door, and the stone sealed with
the Roman seal. But there was no more power
to hold Daniel in the den of lions than to keep
Christ in the grave. The- angel came, not
to the stone, but into the den, and one of
the most precious times for Daniel was when
he sat in the center of the cave, and those lions

«"\!" mm- am

-

? : -

3s^«p

N/&v

'Is thy God . . . able to deliver thee from the lions?"
DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN

99

couched at his feet or fondly licked his hands.
There was a time when the lion and the lamb
played together, and man was given dominion
over the beasts of the earth. It was only after
sin entered, and man took the life of the beasts,
that they in turn sought to destroy man. Har
mony with God will finally restore man to his
God-given place as king over the beasts. Dan
iel's heart was beating with the heart of God,
and when he entered the den, the beasts were
at peace with him. The unity of feeling is
shown in the fact that an angel was visible,
and Daniel talked face to face with the heavenly
visitor. But the king's heart was sad, and he spent the
night in fasting and prayer. Hastening to the
den in the early hours of the morning, he called:
" O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy
God, whom thou servest continually, able to
deliver thee from the lions ? " And from the
recesses of the den came the words of cheer,
"My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut
the lions' mouths."
"He is not here, but risen." "Why seek ye
the living among the dead? " said the angel, as
the women came to the sepulcher of Christ.
So no manner of hurt was found upon Daniel,
the representative of Christ, "because he be
lieved in his God;" because innocency was
found in him.
When Daniel's accusers were cast into the
lions' den, they were crushed and devoured at
once. Again the nations of the world saw the
power of Israel's God to preserve His faithful
people. Darius had his belief in God confirmed ;
and Cvrus had received a lesson he could not

Mark i : 13.
Gen. 1 128.
Gen. 2 : igj 20.
, At destruction and famine thou
shalt laugh : neither shalt thou be
afraid of tlie beasts of the earth.
For thou shalt be in league with the
stones of the field : and the beasts
of the field shall be at peace with
thee. Job 5 : 22-27.
In that day will I make a cove-
nant for them with the beasts of the
field, and with the fowls of heaven,
and with the creeping things of the
ground. Hos. 2 : 18.
The angel of the Lord encamp-
eth round about them that fear him,
and delivereth them. Ps. 34 : 7.
18. Then the king went to his
palace, and passed the night fast
ing : neither were instruments of
music brought before him : and his
sleep went from him.
19. Then the king arose very
early in the morning, and went in
haste unto the den of lions.
20. And when he came to the
den, he cried with a lamentable
voice unto Daniel: and the king
spake and said to Daniel, 0 Daniel,
servant of the living God, is thy
God, whom thou seroest contin
ually, able to deliver thee from
the tions?
21. Then said Daniel unto the
king, 0 king, live forever.
22. My God hath sent his angel,
and hath shut the lions' mouths,
that they have not hurt me: foras
much as before him innocency was
found in me ; and also before thee,
0 king, have I done no hurt.
23. Then was the king exceeding
glad for him, and commanded that
they should take Daniel up out of
the den. So Daniel was taken up
out of the den, and no manner of
hurt was found upon him, because
he believed in his God.
24. And the king commanded,
and they brought those men which
had accused Daniel, and they cast
them into the den of lions, them,

IOO

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

their children, and their wives;
and the tions had the mastery of
them, and brake ail their bones in
pieces or ever they came at the
bottom of the den. Dan. 6 . 18-24.
Blessed is the man that endureth
temptation : for when he is tried, he
shall receive the crown of life, which
the Lord hath promised to them
that love him. Jas. i : 12.
26. Then king Darius wrote unto
all people, nations, and languages,
that dwell in all the earth ; Peace
be multiplied unto you.
26. I make a decree, That in ev
ery dominion of my kingdom men
tremble and fear before the God of
Daniel: for he is the living God,
and steadfast foreoer, and his
kingdom that which shall not be
destroyed, and his dominion shall
be even unto the end.
27. He delivereth and rescueth,
and he worketh signs and wonders
in heaven and in earth, who hath
delivered Daniel from the power of
the lions.
28. So this Daniel prospered in
the reign of Darius, and in the
reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Dan. 6:25-28.

Evil men and seducers shall wax
worse and worse, deceiving, and
being deceived. 2 Tim. 3 : 13.
I will ransom them from the
power of the grave ; I will redeem
them from death : O death, I will
be thy plagues ; O grave, I will be
thy destruction. Hos. 13 : 14.

Isa. 26 : 19.
John 10 :io.

soon forget. It was a fresh token to the Israel
ites that God was in their midst to bless them.
To Daniel came the voice of God promising
patience and strength to perform his duties as
a servant of God. Greater light came to Dan
iel, for it was after this experience that a large
portion of the prophecies were given to him.
Darius published to "all people, nations, and
languages, that dwell in all the earth," "that
in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble
and fear before the God of Daniel." Thus God
not only honored Daniel by a most miraculous
deliverance, but his integrity was the means of
publishing the truth throughout the world.
From this time Daniel prospered — during the
reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus, who
issued the wonderful decree for the deliverance
of the Jews. •
If sick at heart because of the seeming
prosperity of the wicked and the increase of
wickedness among men in high places, learn
their fate from the sixth chapter of Daniel.
If oppressed because of adherence to the
Word of God, remember that Daniel repre
sents all such, and what was done for him will
be done for all whom Heaven favors to-day.
Though death claim the body, the promise of
God is a speedy resurrection ; and whether in
death, in prison, or in a den of lions, Satan has
no power over Christ. "I am come that ye
might have life, and that ye might have it more
abundantly."

CHAPTER VIII.

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

THE JUDGMENT SCENE.

The first half of the book of Daniel deals
with questions pertaining particularly .to the
kingdom of Babylon as it existed in the days
of the prophet. The last six chapters are de
voted entirely to the history of the world as a
whole, and in visions given at various times, the
prophet is shown the great events until the end
of time. Looking into the future, he sees, as
it were, the mountain peaks' lighted with the
glory' of God, and these striking features are
noted with unerring accuracy to serve as guide-
posts, not to the Jews only, but to all people,
that they may understand the times in which
they live, and know what is about to come on
the earth.
To the student of prophecy, the seventh chap
ter of Daniel is a most important record. By
a continuous chain of events, the prophet gives

Babylon, the glory of kingdoms,
the beauty of the Chaldees' excel
lency. Isa. 13 : 19.
Surely the Lord God will do
nothing, but he revealeth his secret
unto his servants the prophets. Amos 3 : 7,

I will show thee that which is
noted in the scripture of truth.
Dan. 10 : 21,

Counsel is mine, and sound wis
dom : I am understanding ; I have
strength. By me kings reign, and
princes decree justice. By me
princes rule, and nobles, even all
the judges of the earth. Prov. 8 : 14-16.

When ye therefore shall see the
abomination of desolation, spoken
of by 'Daniel the prophet, stand in
the holy place (whoso readeth, let
him understand). Matt. 24 : 15.

102

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

There is a God in heaven that re
vealeth secrets, and maketh known
to the king Nebuchadnezzar what
shall be in the latter days. i
Dan. 2 : 28.

Dan. 2 :3i-35.
Dan. 7 19-14.

.God shall judge the righteous and
the wicked : for there is a time there
for every purpose and for every
work. Eccl. 3 : 17.

The secret things belong unto the
Lord our God : but those things
which are revealed belong unto us
and to our children forever, that we
may do all the words of this law.
Deut. 29 : 29.

T. In the first year of Beishazzar
king of Ba'jylon Daniel had a dream
and visions of his head upon his
bed : then he wrote the dream, and
told the sum of the matters. Dan. 7 : 1.

Righteousness keepeth him that
is upright in the way : but wicked
ness overthroweth the sinner.
Prov. 13 :6.

Look that thou make them after
their pattern, which thou wast
caused to see .
Ex. 25 : 40 [margin].
Till Moses had done speaking
with them, he put a vail on his face.
Ex. 34:29-33.
It is written, Eye hath not seen,
nor ear heard, neither have entered
into the heart of man, the things

the history from the days of Babylon to the
great investigative judgment, which is the cen
tral theme of the chapter.
The fact that God could open the future to
a heathen king was remarkable. To Nebu
chadnezzar the future of earthly governments
only was shown, because he himself was earthly,
and was incapable of grasping higher things ;
but to Daniel God opened scenes in heaven.
Although the prophet was shown the history
of nations, the angel of revelation touched
briefly on those subjects, but lingered on the
soul-thrilling description of the investigative
j udgment. The seventh chapter of Daniel reveals the
future of God's people, not only of the Hebrew
nation, but the true, the spiritual Israel. This
vision was given to Daniel in the first year of
the reign of Beishazzar, about 540 b. c. The
mere giving of this view bears the strongest
testimony to the results of Daniel's education
when a youth, to his steadfastness of purpose,
and his growth in spiritual things. At the age
of eighty-five, after sixty-seven years of court
life, with all its allurements, and the natural
tendency of human nature to sink to a purely
physical existence, his eye of faith was so un-
dimmed that at the bidding of Michael, Gabriel
could carry Daniel into heaven itself, there to
behold the Father and the Son in the final work
of the sanctuary above. Moses once saw these
things from the top of Mount Horeb when the
tabernacle was to be built, and so great was
the glory that he had to veil his face before
common people could behold him. Daniel's
heart was with God, hence things which eye

The four beasts.

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

103

hath not seen nor ear heard, could be revealed
to him by the Spirit.
God said by the prophet Hosea, "I have
spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied
visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of
the prophets." The kingdoms which have ruled
the world were represented before Daniel as
beasts of prey, which arose when the "four
winds of the heaven strove upon the great
sea." Winds arc, in prophecy, a symbol of war
and strife. The after-scenes of war and revo
lution, by which kingdoms come into power, are
represented in the seventh chapter of Daniel
by the four winds of heaven which strove
upon the great sea. Sea or waters denote
"people, and multitudes, and nations, and
tongues." The beasts referred to represent
kings or kingdoms.
Four great beasts came up from the sea ; that
is, they arose into prominence from the midst
of the multitudes of earth. In other words,
there was war among the nations, and four king
doms arose, diverse from one another. Babylon,
the first of these kingdoms, was represented to
Nebuchadnezzar as the golden head of the great
image. To Daniel the same power appeared as
a lion, having eagles' wings. The strength of
the monarch of the forest, to which is added
the swiftness of the king of birds, is taken to
represent the kingdom of which the city of
Babylon was the capital. Over fifty years be
fore, Jeremiah had spoken of the Babylonian
power as a lion.
Before Babylon was known as an independent
kingdom,! while it was still a subject province of
Assyria, Habakkuk, a prophet of Israel, had

which God hath prep.nv.! for them
that love him. Jlut God hath re
vealed tlium unto us by his Spirit:
for the Spirit searcheth nil things,
yea, the deep things of God.
1 Cor. 2 !9, 10.
Hosea 12 : 10.

2, Daniel spake and said, I saw
In my vision by night, and, behold,
the four winds of the heajen strove
upon the great sea. Dan. 7 : 2.
I scattered them with a whirlwind
among all the nations whom they
knew not. Zech. 7 : 14.
Jer. 25 :32,33.
Isa. 8:7.
He saith unto me, The waters
which thou sawest, are peoples, and
multitudes, and nations, and
tongues. Rev. 17:15.

Dan. 7 : 17, 23.

3. And four great beasts came
up from the sea, diverse one from
another. Dan. 7 : 3.

Thou art this head of gold.
Dan. 2 : 38.
Dan. 2:32, 38.
4. The first was like a lion, and
had eagle's wings. I beheld till
the wings thereof were plucked,
and it wa3 lifted up from the
earth, and made stand upon the
feet as a man, and a man's heart
was given to it. Dan. 7 : 4.

Behold the land of the Chaldeans;
this people was not, till the Assyr
ian founded it for them that dwell
in the wilderness ; they set up the
towers thereof, they raised up the
palaces thereof. Isa. 23 : 13.
Hab. 1 : 6-10.

104

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

I was wroth with my people, I
have polluted mine inheritance, and
given them into thine hand : thou
didst show them no mercy ; upon
the ancient hast thou very heavily
laid thy yoke. Isa. 47 :6.
What time she lifted up herself
on high, she scorneth the horse
and his rider. Job 39 : 18.
Thou hast trusted in thy wicked
ness : thou hast said, None seeth
me. Thy wisdom and thy knowl
edge, it hath perverted thee: and
thou hast said in thine heart, I am,
and none else beside me. Isa. 47 : 10.
Thy terribleness hath deceived
thee, and the pride of thine heart,
O thou that dwellest in the clefts of
the rock, that holdest the height of
the hill : though thou shouldest
make thy nest as high as the eagle,
I will bring thee down from thence,
saith the Lord. Jer. 49 : 16.
The mighty men of Babylon have
forborn to fight, they have re
mained in their holds : their might
hath failed ; they became as women:
they have burned her dwelling-
places ; her bars are broken. Jer. 51 :3o.
Jer. 17:9.

These two things shall come to
thee in a moment in one day, the
loss of children, and widowhood ;
they shall come upon thee in their
perfection for the multitude of thy
sorceries, and for the great abun
dance of thine enchantments. Isa. 47 :q.

Hab. 1 : 11.
Dan. 5 : 1-4.

It is the land of graven images,
and they are mad upon their idols.
Jer. 50 : 38.

been given a view of its work which shows the
force of the symbol of a lion with eagles' wings.
Speaking to Israel, he tells them of a work so
wonderful that they will not believe it when
told. " Lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter
and hasty nation, which shall march through
the breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling
places that are not theirs. They are terrible
and dreadful. . . . Their horses also are swifter
than the leopards, and are more fierce than the
evening wolves. . . . They shall- fly as the eagle
that hasteth to eat. They shall come all for
violence; . . . they shall gather the captivity
as the sand. And they shall scoff at the kings,
and the princes shall be a scorn unto them ;
they shall deride every stronghold."
This is Babylon as Habakkuk saw it. While
Daniel watched the same kingdom in his vision,
the noble lion with its wings, denoting power
and rapidity of conquest, had been lifted up
from the earth into an unnatural position, and
made to stand upon its feet as a man, and a
man's heart was given to it. Man's heart with
out Christ is simply sin. The wings were shorn,
and then Babylon was represented as it existed
at the time of the vision, bereft of its strength,
abandoned by God, with Beishazzar standing at
the head of the government.
The prophet Habakkuk gives the reason for
this sudden weakening of the mighty power of
Babylon. He says, "Then shall his mind
change, and he shall pass over, and offend, im
puting his power unto his god" The history
of the kingdom as given in previous chapters
shows how and when this was done. Babylon
committed the unpardonable sin by imputing

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

105

the power and Spirit of God to the gods of
the heathen. In this act the lion was shorn of
its strength, the wings were plucked, and a
man's heart was given to it. A few years after
,this vision, in the year 538 b. a, Daniel was a
witness to the complete overthrow of the king
dom. The Medo-Persian kingdom was bloodthirsty
and cruel in its nature, and is represented by a
bear. Darius was a Mede ; and Cyrus, the lead
ing general, a Persian. Darius the Mede took
the Babylonian kingdom, and ruled for a short
time. Cyrus the Persian was the leading spirit
in the government after Darius had passed
away. The bear, as well as the other beasts
which followed the Hon, represented kingdoms
yet in the future at the time Daniel saw the
vision. The bear of the seventh chapter of
Daniel symbolizes the same power as the ram
of the eighth chapter which the angel there
tells the prophet represented the Medo-Persian
empire. The history of this empire, given in
the eleventh chapter of the book of Daniel, and
the study of that chapter together with the
thirteenth and twenty-first chapters of Isaiah
and the book of Esther, will reveal the bear
like character of the nation which arose and
devoured much flesh. The history of the sec
ond great kingdom covers the years from 538
to 331 b. c.
After the Medo-Persian kingdom arose and
fell, there came forth another kingdom of an
entirely different nature from that represented
by the bean In the explanation of the vision
of the eighth chapter of Daniel, the angel
plainly states that the nation following Media

They clothed Daniel with scar
let, and put a chain of gold about
his neck, and made a proclamation
concerning him, that he should be
the third ruler in the kingdom. In
that night was Beishazzar the king
of the Chaldeans slain. Ahd Da
rius the Median took the kingdom,
being about threescore and two
years old. Dan. 5 : 29-31.
Behold, I will stir up the Medes
against them, which shall not re
gard silver ; and as for gold, they
shall not delight in it. Their bows
also shall dash the young men to
pieces ; and they shall have no pity
on the fruit of the womb ; their eye
shall not spare children. Isa. 13 : 17, 18.
5. And behold another beast, a
second, like to a bear, and it raised
up itself on one side, and it had
three ribs in the mouth of it be
tween the teeth of it: and they
said thus unto it, Arise, devour
much flesh. Dan. 7:5.

The ram which -thou sawest hav
ing two horns are the kings of Me
dia and Persia. . Dan. 8 : 20.

The letters were sent by posts
into all the king's provinces, to de
stroy, to kill, and to cause to perish,
all Jews, both young and old, little
children and women, in one day,
even upon the thirteenth day of the
twelfth month, which is the month
of Adar, and to take the spoil of
them for a prey. Esther 3 : 13.

A grievous vision is declared unto
me ; the treacherous dealer dealeth
treacherously, and the spoiler spoil-
eth. Go up, O Elam : besiege, O
Media. Isa. 21:2.

io6

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

6. After this I tehetd, and lo an
other, tike a leopard, which had
upon the back of it four wings of
a fowl ; the beast had also four
heads ; and dominion was given to
it. Dan. 7:6.

When he shall stand up, his king
dom shall be broken, and shall be
divided toward the four winds of
heaven ; and not to his posterity,
nor according to his dominion which
he ruled : for his kingdom shall be
plucked up, even for others beside
those. Dan. n : 2-4.

The rough goat is the king of
Grecia : and the great horn that is
between his eyes is the first king.
Now that being broken, whereas
four stood up for it, four kingdoms
shall stand up out of the nation,
but not in his power. Dan. 8 :2i, 22.

Everyone that asketh receiveth ;
and he that seeketh findeth ; and to
him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Luke 11 : 10.

7. After this I saw in the night
visions, and behold, a fourth beast,
dreadful and terrible, and strong
exceedingly; and it had great iron
teeth : it devoured and brake in
pieces, and stamped the residue
with the feet of it : and it was di
verse from all the beasts that were
before it; and it had ten horns.
8. I considered the horns, and,
behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom
there were three of the first horns
plucked up by the roots; and, be
hold in this horn were eyes like the
eyes of man, and a mouth speaking
great things, Dan. 7 ; 7, 8.

and Persia is Grecia. The Grecian kingdom,
which followed Media and Persia, is compared
to the sprightliness of a leopard in its natu
ral state. This not being sufficient to repre
sent the rapidity of the conquests of Alexan
der, the first king, the leopard had on its back
four wings of a fowl. It also had four heads,
which symbolized the division of Alexander's
empire after his death, when four of his gen
erals took his kingdom and dominion was given
to them. Alexander's power is represented by
the goat with the notable horn, which stamped
all beneath its feet, as described in the eighth
chapter of Daniel.
The history of the first three kingdoms is but
lightly touched upon in this chapter, but when
the fourth beast, "dreadful and terrible, and
strong exceedingly," appeared, Daniel "would
know the truth," and the angel explained that
power minutely.
The three preceding powers were symbolized
by three of the mightiest beasts of the earth,
but when the fourth beast was considered, there
was no animal with a character to represent its
terrible nature ; so a beast without name having
iron teeth, brass nails, and ten horns, was pre
sented to the prophet.
The angel said to Daniel, "As concerning
the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion
taken away; -yet their lives were prolonged."
Each one, before being destroyed, was merged
into the succeeding one, and its characteristic
principles are represented in succession until
the end of time. This is clearly shown in the
second chapter of Daniel, where the gold, silver,
brass, iron, and clay are broken to pieces to-

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

107

gether and blown away like the chaff, when all
earthly nations are destroyed. The same truth
was represented in the fourth chapter, when the
tree representing Babylon was cut down, but
the roots remained in the ground. The roots
represented the foundation principles upon which
Babylon was built, and they have remained
in the earth ever since. When Medo-Persia
fell, she left her principles of government, edu
cation, and religion still alive, transmitting them
to her posterity, the nations of earth. Greece
did likewise, and with each succeeding empire
those foundation principles, so clearly portrayed
in Babylon, which were placed there by the
prince of the power of the air, instead of ap
pearing in a weakened state, sprang into life
with renewed vigor. So it was that when the
fourth kingdom appeared, those same princi
ples of government, which were the counterfeit
of heaven's underlying principles, were so strong
that no natural beast could symbolize even
pagan Rome.
Rome in religion renewed all the religious
errors of Babylon, and in education she perpet
uated the errors of Greece, while in cruelty she
followed in the footsteps of Media and Persia
But as the prophet watched, things still more
wonderful appeared. The fourth beast, repre
senting Rome, which succeeded Greece in
161 b. c, had ten horns, which, said
the angel, " are ten kings that shall
arise." This fourth beast is identical with
the legs of iron in the image shown to Nebu
chadnezzar, and the ten horns correspond to the
mixture of iron and clay in the feet of that
image. Each of the preceding kingdoms had

Hew the tree down, and destroy
it ; yet leave the stump of the roots
thereof in the earth. Dan. 4 : 23. *
Rom. n : 18.
9. I beheld till the thrones were
cast down, and the Ancient of days
did sit, whose garment was white
as snow, and the hair of his head
like the pure wool : his throne was
like the fiery flame, and his wheels
as burning fire. Dan. 7 : 9.
A little leaven leaveneth the
whole lump. Gal. 5 :g.
There is hope of a tree, if it be
cut down, that it will sprout again,
and that the tender branch thereof
will not cease. Though the root
thereof wax old in the earth, and the
stock thereof die in the ground : yet
through the scent of water it will
bud, and bring forth boughs like
a plant. Job 14 : 7-9.
10. A fiery stream issued and
came forth from before him : thou
sand thousands ministered unto
him, and ten thousand times ten
. thousand stood before hi/n : the
judgment was set, and the books
were opened.
11. I beheld then because ofthe
voice ofthe great words which the
horn spake : I beheld even tilt the
beast was slain, and his body de
stroyed, and given to the burning
flame. 12. As concerning the rest of the
beasts, they had their dominion
taken away : yet their lives were
prolonged for a season and time.
13. I saw in the night visions,
and, behold, one like the Son of
man came with the clouds of
heaven, and came to the Ancient
of days, and they brought him near
before him. Dan. 7 : 10-13.
Dan. 2 : 40-42.
14. And there was given him
dominion, and glory, and a king
dom, that alt people, nations, and
languages, should serve him : his
dominion is an everlasting domin
ion, which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom that which shall
not be destroyed. Dan. 7 : 14.
Rev. 8:7-13.
Luke 2 : 1-4.

io8

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

15. I Daniel was grieved in my
spirit in the midst of my body, and
the visions of my head troubled me.
16. I came near unto one of them
that stood by, and asked him the
truth of alt this. So he told me,
and made me know the interpreta
tion of the things.
17. These great beasts, which
are four, are four kings, which
shall arise out of the earth.
18. But the saints of the most
High shalt take the kingdom, and
possess the kingdom forever, even
forever and ever.
19. Then I would know the truth
of the fourth beast, which was di
verse from all the others, exceed
ing dreadful, whose teeth were of
iron, and his nails of brass : which
devoured, break in pieces, and
stamped the residue with his feet.
20. And of the ten horns that
were in his head, and ofthe other
which came up, and before whom
three felt; even of that horn that
had eyes, and a mouth that spake
very great things, whose look was
more stout than his fellows.
21. I beheld, and the same horn
made war with the saints, and
prevailed against them;
22. Until the Ancient of days
came, and judgment was given to
the saints of the most High ; and
the time came that the saints pos
sessed the kingdom.
23. Thus he said, The fourth
beast shall be the fourth kingdom
upon earth, which shalt be diverse
from all kingdoms, and shalt devour
the whole earth, and shall tread it
down, and break it in pieces.
Dan. 7 : 16-23.
There were certain Greeks among
them that came up to worship at the
feast : the same came, therefore, to
Philip, which was of Bethsaida of
Galilee, and desired him, saying,
Sir, we would see Jesus.
John 12 :2o, 21.
Acts 4 : 26, 27.
Pilate said unto them, Ye have a
watch : go your way, make it as sure
as ye can. So 'they went and made
the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone,
and setting a watch. Matt. 27:62-66.

fallen into the hands of some strong general
who took the rule, but with Rome the case was
different. The details of this history are given
in the eighth chapter of Revelation under the
symbol of the seven trumpets. Barbarian
hordes from the north of Europe and Asia
swept over the Roman empire between the
years 351 and 483 A. d., crushing the govern
ment into ten parts. The ten kingdoms which
arose as the result of the breaking up of the
old Roman kingdom are : the Huns, the Ostro
goths, the Visigoths, the Franks, the Vandals,
the Heruli, the Burgundians, the Suevi, the
Anglo-Saxons, and the Lombards. The con
nection between these and the nations of mod
ern Europe, can readily be traced in the names,
as France, England, Lombardy, Burgundy, etc.
There was a time when the Roman empire
had a most w;onderful opportunity to accept the
true God. Rome was the universal kingdom
during the life of Christ. To Babylon God sent
His people, the Jews, to scatter the truths of
His kingdom, and lead men to repentance. The
Medes and the Persians received the gospel
from this same people, and representatives from
Greece went to Jerusalem, into the very temple,
in touch with the priests, in order that there
might be no excuse for their refusing Christ.
But to the Roman kingdom heaven itself was
poured out in the person of the Saviour, and it
was Rome that nailed Him to the cross. It was
a Roman seal on His tomb, and a Roman guard
at His grave. The early church suffered
persecution at the hands of this same power.
Judgment came on Rome when these bar
barians overran the empire with fire and sword,

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

109

and the kingdom was divided into ten parts. 24. And the ten horns out of this
But Roman history did not end with the ^ZZ^'ZiTe Zl
division. Daniel watched, "and, behold, there them' """ he sha" be <"»«"« from
„„,  ,, , ,. , , , , the first, and he shall subdue three
came up among them another little horn, before
which there were three of the first horns
plucked up by the roots." A new power,
one outside the empire, is here represented by
the little horn. The three divisions which were

He leadeth princes away spoiled,
and overthroweth the mighty.

kings.

Dan. 7:24.

mm

He shall speak great
words aoainst the most Hioh,
' mOf/ 'and shall tocar out the saints
of the most High, and think to
change times and laws : and
they shall be given into hi$,
hand until a time and
; times and the dividing
o£ time.

w

Dan 7:25

plucked up were the Heruli in 493, the Vandals
in 534, and the Ostrogoths in 538 a. d. Jus
tinian, the emperor, whose seat was at Constan
tinople, working through his general Belisarius,
was the power that overthrew the three king
doms represented by the three horns, and the
reason for their overthrow was their adherence
to Arianism in opposition to the orthodox Cath
olic faith. The details of the overthrow, and
the religious controversy which was the root of
the trouble, are fully given by Gibbon in the
" Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," by

26. And he shall speak great
words against the most High, and
shalt wear out the saints of the
most High, and think to change
times and laws: and they shall be
given into his hand until a time
and times and the dividing of time.
26. But the judgment shall sit,
and they shall take away his do
minion, to consume and to destroy
it unto the end. Dan. 7 : 25, 28.

no

STORY OK DANIEL THE PROPHET.

The great God that formed all
things both l'jwardeth the fool, and
rewai'deth transgressors. Prov. 26 : 10,

I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet
colored beast, full of names of blas
phemy, having seven heads and ten
horns. Rev. 17 :3.
I saw the woman drunken with
the blood of the saints, and with the
blood of the martyrs of Jesus : and
when I saw her, I wondered with
great admiration. Rev. 17 : 6.

Through his policy also he shall
cause craft to prosper in his hand :
and he shall magnify himself in his
heart, and by peace shall destroy
many : he shall also stand up
against the Prince of princes ; but
he shall be broken without hand,
Dan. K : 23-

Acts 28 : 16, 30.
Your obedience is come abroad
unto all men. Rom. 16 : nj.
Your faith is spoken of through
out the whole world, Rom. 1 :8.

The mystery of Iniquity doth al
ready work : only he who now let
teth will let, until he be taken out
of the way. 2 Thess. 2 : 7.

Mosheim in his church history, and by others.
The little horn which gained power by pluck
ing up three horns, was diverse from all the
others. It had eyes " like the eyes of a man,
and a mouth speaking great things ;" his look
also was more stout than his fellows.
Rome was dropping into ruin ; her cities had
been sacked, her government broken. As from
the decaying log of the marsh the mushroom
springs up in a night, gaining its life from the
decay, so there arose in the Roman empire a
power which was nourished by this national de
cay. This power was the little horn known as
the papacy.
It is written that Babylon, the mother of har
lots, fell because of imputing her power unto
the gods of the heathen. Pagan Rome fell
because she presumed to hold authority over
the person of Christ and His followers. Then
arose the little horn, and it " made war with the
saints, and prevailed against them." "He shall
speak great words against the Most High, and
shall wear out the saints of the Most I ligh, and
think to change times and laws."
Rome in the days of Christ was the center of
the world. Paul and others preached the gospel
in that city. A church was organized there
and for years this church of Rome ranked with
the churches of Jerusalem, Constantinople, and
others. Gradually but surely, worldliness took
the place of the Spirit of Christ, and Roman
bishops became exalted. The mystery of in
iquity of which Paul wrote in his letter to the
Thessalonians, was at work in Rome. At the
time of tlie division of the empire the bishops
were greedy for civil power, and in the time of

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

in

national distress the church grasped the reins
of government ; the little horn had received
power. This was in a. d. 538, when the last of
the three horns was plucked up, and the decree
made by Justinian in 533, recognizing the
bishop of Rome as head over all the churches,
went into effect. (See Gibbon, chapter 41.)
Paganism on the throne had been cruel enough,
but when those pagan principles which had
lived since the days of Babylon took the name
and outward form of Christianity, the power
which bore sway was still more cruel. Not
only would the little horn speak stout words
against the Most High, but it would "presume
to change the appointed times and the law/'
(Spurrell's trans.)
Unholy hands had been laid in years past
upon the temple of God and the consecrated
vessels in the temple, and upon God's people,
but the little horn laid hands upon the very law
of God, attempting to change the Sabbath of
the fourth commandment. The little horn had
all the power of Babylon. In government it
was an absolute monarchy, holding authority
over all the thrones of Europe. Kings rose and
fell at the dictates of Rome. From a religious
viewpoint, it was the ruling power, dictating to
the consciences of men, bringing them before
its tribunal and peering into their very
thoughts. The rack and the inquisition
were its instruments, and no man escaped
the scrutiny of the man's eyes in the little
•horn. The means by which this power was
maintained was its system of education, which
kept Europe in darkness for over one thousand
years.

He increaseth the nations, and
destroyeth them : he enlargeth tlie
nations, and straitenetH them again.
Job 12 : 23.

The husband is the head of. the
wife, even as Christ is the head uf
the church, and he is the saviour of
the body. Eph. 5 123.
Thou shalt have no other gods
before me. Ex< 20 : 3.
Then shall be great tribulation,
such as was not since the beginning
of the world to this time, no, nor
ever shall be. And except those
days should be shortened, there
should no flesh be saved : but for
the elects' sake those days shall be
shortened. Matt. 24 : 21, 22.

Therefore he brought upon them
the king of the Chaldees, who slew
their young men with the sword in
the house of their sanctuary. And
all the vessels of the house of God,
great and small, and the treasures
of the house of the Lord, and the
treasures of the king, and of his
princes ; all these he brought to
Babylon, And they burnt the house
of God, and brake down the wall of
Jerusalem, and burnt all the pal
aces thereof with fire, and destroyed
all the goodly vessels thereof,
2 Chron, 36 : 17-19.

As a roaring lion, and a ranging
bear ; so is a wicked ruler over the
poor people. Prov. 2S : 15.
There shall be false teachers
among you, who privily shall bring
in damnable heresies. 2 Peter 2 : 1-3.
2 Thess. 2 15-7.

112

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

The same horn made war with the
saints, and prevailed against them ;
until the Ancient of days came, and
judgment was given to the saints of
the most High ; and the time came
that the saints possessed the king
dom. Daii. 7 : 21, 22.
Rev. ii :2, 3.
Eze. 4 :6.

3 1-2 years-1260 days.
42 months- 1260 days. *
1 prophetic day- 1 literal year.
1260 prophetic days-1260 literal
years.

I beheld till the thrones were cast
down j and the Ancient of days did
sit, whose garment was white as
snow, and the hair of his head like
the pure wool : his throne was like
the fiery flame, and his wheels as
burning fire. A fiery stream issued
and came forth from before him :
thousand thousands ministered unto
him, aud ten thousand times ten
thousand stood before him : the
judgment was set, and the books
were opened. Dan. 7 :g, 10.

Christ is not entered into the holy
places made with hands, which are
the figures of the true ; but into
heaven itself, now to appear in the
presence of God for us. Heb. 9 : 24.

It was therefore necessary that
the patterns of things in the heavens
should be purified with these ; but
the heavenly things themselves with
better sacrifices than these. Heb. 9 : 23,

This*was a long-lived kingdom. "They [the
saints, the times, and the law] would be given
into his hands for a time and times and the di
viding of time." [The reader is referred to
Dan. 11:13, margin; also Dan. 12:7, and to
Rev. 12:6; 13:5, and Num. 14:34 for differ
ent expressions giving the same time and refer
ring to the same power.] This time — three and
one-half years, or forty-two months, or twelve
hundred and sixty days, as it is variously desig
nated — began in 538, when three horns were
plucked up to make way for the establishment
of this one power, the little horn. It continued
until 1798, when its dominion was taken away.
Its power, however, is not yet destroyed.
Daniel in his vision was shown not only
earthly kingdoms and powers, but after listen
ing to the voice of the little horn, which spake
great words against the Most High, his atten
tion was called to scenes in the heavenly
court which would transpire simultaneously with
the fulfillment of the prophecy concerning the
nations of the earth.
It was during the time when the fourth beast
had dominion and power that the Saviour was
crucified. He was the Lamb slain in the outer
court, and on His ascension He entered the holy
place of the heavenly sanctuary. There He was
seen by John as described in the fourth and
fifth chapters of Revelation. But this work in
the holy place was only a part of the Saviour's
ministry for mankind. The time came when
He must perform in heaven that service of
which the day of atonement in the earthly
sanctuary was the type. Spurrell renders the
ninth verse : " I beheld until the thrones were

sgfeg...
fshe Caw of Bod

4^ Ghou sVialt have no other i^ods
bctorr. tne.

T5hou sholtnotmokeunto thee
miyi o,raven ramqe. or anu likeness
of ahuthinp that is in heaven above,
ar that i* m tlie earth bi.mcatli.or
that is in the mater under the
earth; thou shalt not bow doum
thyself io them. nor serve them;
tat l the Iiord thy Sod am a jealous
God. visiting, ihe iniauitv? ofthe
fathers upon the children unto the
thirel and fourth generation of
them th.it hate me, and showing
mercij unto thousands of the'ra
thai' love mca'ndkcrp tay com
mandments. Ghou. shalt not take fhe name
ofthe hord thy Qod in vain-.for the
hord uiill not "lioLd htm quiltless
that taketh his name in vain.
'Remembci- the Sabbath day to
Itecp ithoh], <i.\ days shalt thou
labor. and do nil thu luork-.bul tot
seventh dau is the S&bharh of fhe
hord thy Clod: in it thou shall not
do any work. thou.nor thy son.nor
thu daughter, thu maivservant.
nor thg "inaid-servnnt.nor thu
cattle, nor thu stranoer thai Ts
U'ifhin thu patesifeir in six daus
-the hord made hcavi'n and earth.
the n'n.iwd all that in them is,
and rested the seventh da.u;a-hcre-
fore. the tiord blessed the'Sabbath
daq,and hallowed it.

Honor thu father and thu
mother, thai Vhu dau? may be long
j upon the land uliicli the Lord thy

^,

fW

Qod qiveth thee.

T->hc £atn as €hanocd c^
by the Papacy
1 am the liord thu Bod : thou
shalt not have sti*anoe gods be
fore me. Ghou shalf not take the name
of the hord thv Bod in vain.

¦Remember that thou keep hohr
the -Sabbath dau.

Honor thu father and thy
mother.

T?hou shalt not hill-
:^ «'"*) Ghou shall not eommit adulterr
^~ 'sjJ^ >-» Ghou shalt not steal.
| ¦ ' ' ¦ JS
Ghou shall not" bear false unt-
i ness against thu neighbor.
¦ghou shaU not covet tin)
neighbor's house, thou shalt "not
covet thy neighbor's utfi-fe, nor
his mati-servant.nor his maid
servant, nor his o*.nor His
ass, nor- ami thine) that- is .-.
thu. neighbor's, j ?>£$%¦

Chou shalt not Kilt.

Ghou shah not commit adultery.
Ghou shalt not steak
3EE
Ghou shaU not bear false «Btt~ j
ness against thu neighbor. IX
Ghou shalt not covet thu neigh- j
bor's wife.
Ghou shalt not covet thy
"ghbetr's goods.

-f^f--::',:

¦5r$£>

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

"3

pitched [Revised Version, placed], when the An
cient of days was enthroned [or did sit] in
judgment. His raiment was white as snow, the
hair of His head like pure wool, His throne was
flames of fire, His rolling wheels the ardent
flame." Here within the holy of holies is the abiding
place of the King of kings, God the Father,
where thousands and tens of thousands of an
gels minister before Him. This, the throne of
God, is the center of all creation ; about it re
volve the solar systems throughout the whole
extent of space. Worlds circle about their suns,
and suns with their attendant planets in turn
circle about the throne of God. It is the wheel
within a wheel which Ezekiel describes. Daniel
said, "A fiery stream issued and came forth
from before Him," for there all is life, a living,
constantly moving throne.
God's power pervades space in every direc
tion. Like beams of light, there radiates from
Him a force^ which holds worlds in their orbits.
The power man calls gravity is but a portion of
the drawing power of God. It holds the orbs
of heaven in their places, it balances the clouds,
weighs the mountains, and measures the waters
of the sea. The same power notes the fall of
every leaf on earth, the death of the tiniest
sparrow, and the pulse beats of every man.
From Him comes all life: "in Him we live
and move and have our being."
The Son was one with the Father, and it was
from this glory that He stepped when He of
fered Himself at the foundation of the world.
He was the Lamb slain, and »the heart of God
was broken in that offering. Every time the

O that one might plead for a man
with God, as a man pleadeth for his
neighbor I Job 16 :n.

Thou that dwellest between the
cherubims, shine forth. Ps. S3 : i .

The Lord hath prepared his
throne in the heavens ; and his king
dom ruleth over all. Bless the
Lord, ye his angels, that excel in
strength, that do his command
ments, hearkening unto the voice
of his word. Ps. 103 : 19-21,

Their appearance and their work
was as it were a wheel in the middle
of a wheel. Eze. 1 : 16.

His brightness was as the light :
he had bright beams out of his side,
and there was the hiding of his
power. Hab. 3 :4 [margin].
He is before all things, and in
him all things hold together.
Col. 1 : 17, R. V. [margin].

Dost thou know the balancings
of the clouds, the wondrous works
of him which is perfect in knowl
edge? Job 37: 16.
Job 28 : 24-27.
Isa. 40 : 12-17.
Matt. 10 : 20.
Acts 17 :28.
Matt. 5 : 14.

And now, O Father, glorify thou
me with thine own self with the
glory which I had with thee before
the world was. John 17 : 5.
Lamb slain from the foundation
of the world. Rev. 13 : 8,

H4

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should
not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3 : 16.

Ps. 57 :i7-
Isa. 49 : 16.
One shall say unto him, What are
these wounds in thine hands ? Then
he shall answer, Those with which
I was wounded in the house of my
"friends. Zech. 13 :6.
Eph. 3 : 9, 10.

There was given him dominion,
and glory, and a kingdom, that all
people, nations, and languages
should serve him : his dominion is
an everlasting dominion, which shall
not pass away, and his kingdom that
which shall not be destroyed. Dan. 7 : 14.

Eze. 28 : 14.
. Job 37 : 19-23.

Then the moon shall be con
founded, and the sun ashamed,
when the Lord of hosts shall reign
in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem,
and before his ancients gloriously.
Isa. 24 = 23.

Behold, I have set before thee an
open door, and no man can shut it.
Rev. 3:8.

I saw in the night visions, and,
behold, one like the Son of man
came with the clouds of heaven,
and came to the Ancient of days,
and they brought him near before
him. Dan. 7 : 13.

knife was plunged into a victim at the altar of
the earthly sanctuary, the flowing blood touched
afresh the heart of the eternal Father. Every
time a broken-hearted man or woman approaches
the throne in penitence, the Father's heart is
touched. "The broken and the contrite heart
Thou wilt not despise, O God." Never, never,
throughout all eternity, will that Son resume
His former condition. What He assumed for
fallen man He will retain forever. He is a
man still in the heavenly court, touched by
every human woe. The universe beheld' the
gift, and bowed in adoration. The temple is
filled with the glory. There seraphirti and
cherubim with their shining glory, as guard
ians, stretch their wings above His throne, veil
their faces in adoration, and bow before Him.
" Oh, instruct us what we shall say of Him ;
we can not do justice because of our ignorance.
... If a man venture to speak, surely he shall
be overwhelmed.
" We can not even now gaze upon the light
of the sun when it shineth forth in the heavens ;
and the wind passing along hath cleared the
sky. But what splendor from the holy of holies
shall appear!' With God is insufferable maj
esty I The Almighty ! we can not comprehend
Him!"- — Spurrell's Translation.
The door into the holy of holies was opened
in 1 844, and " behold, one like the Son of Man
came with the clouds of heaven, and came to
the Ancient of days, and they brought Him
near before Him."
No words could be framed that would give a
-more vivid view of the opening of the judgment
which occurred at the time of 'the announce-

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

n;

ment, "The hour of His judgment is -come."
In the seventh chapter of Daniel is the only
description found in the Bible of the judgment
scene announced by the first angel of the four
teenth chapter of Revelation. The message
itself is the only announcement . in the Bible
that the time had arrived ; and the fourteenth
verse of the eighth chapter of Daniel is the only
prophetic period given in the Bible which
marks -the time of the beginning of God's
judgment. That period is the twenty-three
hundred days, or literal years, which began in
the year 457 b. c, with the decree to build and
restore Jerusalem, and expired in 1844, a. d.
It was at this latter date that the first angel
of the fourteenth chapter of Revelation pro
claimed the hour of God's judgment. The
message went to all lands, ahd the , islands of
the sea heard it.
When God had taken His position over His
law in the most holy place in the heavenly
sanctuary, then Christ came in to plead before
Him for His people. This coming could not have
been when He ascended up on high ; for then
He ascended to the Father, and the judgment
was in the future. It can not refer to His second
coming to this earth ; for then He comes from
the Father. It was His coming before the
Father when He took His position in the judg
ment at the end of the twenty-three hundred
days. He came before the Father surrounded
by the clouds of heaven ; that is, with thousands
of angels who, .as ministering spirits, have
watched the lives of men, recording their every
word and deed and thought. Characters have
been formed, and whether they are good or bad.

And I saw another angel fly in
the midst of heaven, having the
everlasting gospel to preach unto
them that dwell on the earth, and
to every nation, and kindred, an. I
tongue, and people,. saying with a
loud voice, Fear God, and give
glory to him ; for the hour of his
judgment is come : and worship him
that made heaven, and earth, and
the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Rev. 14 :6, 7.

Unto two thousand and three
hundred days ; then shall the sanc
tuary be cleansed. Dan. S : 14.

I said in mine heart, God shall
judge the righteous and the wicked :
for there is a time there for every
purpose and for every work.
Eccl. 3 : 17.

Righteousness and judgment are
the establishment of his throne.
Ps. <)S 12 [margin].

He reasoned of righteousness,
temperance, and judgment to
come. Acts 24 : 24.

He that overcometh, the same
shall be clothed in white raiment ;
and I will not blot out his name out
of the book of life, but I will con
fess his name before my father, and
before his angels. Rev. 3 : 5,

Who maketh his angels spirits :
his ministers a flaming fire. -
Ps. 104 : 4,
Are they not all ministering spir
its, sent forth to minister for them
who shall be heirs of salvation ?
Heb. 1 114. j
Ps. 34:7-

n6

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

The books were opened : and an- they have been mirrored in the books of heaven.
other book was opened, which is the T,T1 ,-,. . . . r .-, -,-, , . , , ,
book of life- and the dead were When chnst came before the Father, the books
judged out of those things which were opened and the cases of the dead began to
were written in the books, according m
to their works. Rev. 20.12. be investigated. The deeds may have been com-
Therefore judge nothing before mitted in the light of day, or in the darkness
the time, until the Lord come, who ... . .. 1 .c
both will bring to light the hidden of night, yet they are all open and manifest
things of darkness, and will make kefore Him with whom we have to do. Heav-
manifest the counsels of the hearts :
and then shall every man have enly intelligences have witnessed each sin,
praise of o. 1 Cor. 4:3. an£j nav£ f^bfyjiy recorded the same. Sin
Thine iniquity is marked before . . . r r . . .,. 1
me, saith the Lord God. may be concealed from friends, relatives, and
jer. 2: 22. our most intimate associates. None but the
,_ guilty actors may have the least
knowledge of wrong deeds,
Hut these things are all
[laid bare before the an-
gels and the inhabi
tants of other worlds.
The darkest of all
dark nights, the deep
est-laid plot of i n d i-
viduals or nations, can
not hide even one
[thought from the heav-
e n 1 y intelligences.
God has a faithful
record of every
ufZZZZrSZZS crooked dealin& of eveT ™ and ™just pmc-
things are naked and opened unto tice. If the inward heart is full of hypocrisy
the eyes of him with whom we have , J »
to do. Heb. 4:. 3. an outward appearance of uprightness can not
Yea, the darkness liideth not from deceive Him.
thee. Ps. 139:7-12. Ai.
counting one by one, to find out As one b^ one these names are read, the
the account. Eccl. 7:27. Saviour holds up His hands, still bearing the
The blood of jesus Christ his imprints of the nails of Calvary and cries
Son cleanseth us from all sin. * "",<UJI auu Lllrai
• John 1:7. «My blood, Father, my blood, my blood."
There was a rainbow round about Aboye His thrQne fa ^ rainbo me d
the throne, in sight like unto an em- ' J ctl1^
eraid. Rev.4:3. justice mingle there. God's heart is touched by

"The dead were judged out of those things which were writ
ten in the books, according to their works."

THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

117

the pleadings of His Son, and pardon is written
opposite the name. Then through the arches
of heaven, a shout of triumph resounds. The
angels cast their crowns before the throne, cry
ing, "Holy, holy, holy!"
For over sixty years the work of the investi
gative judgment has been in progress. It is
fast drawing to a close. Before it closes, it
will settle the case of every living man and
woman. Day by day we are making the record
which will determine our future for weal or
woe. How solemn the thought that words
once uttered, actions once performed, can never
be changed. The atoning blood of Christ is
offered to-day. "To-day if ye will hear His
voice, harden not your hearts."
The life of the fourth beast, especially of the
little horn, was prolonged beyond the time of the
investigative judgment. Even after the thrones
were set and the work in the holy of holies was
begun, the great words of the little horn at
tracted the attention of the prophet. The great
est word ever spoken against God was the de
cree of infallibility issued by the ecumenical
council in 1870. This was the attempt to seat
a man on the throne beside the Son of God.
While Christ stood as a slain Lamb before the
Father, pleading for the salvation of the world,
poor, frail man was exalting his throne above
the stars of God.
Babylon fell because she imputed her power
unto the gods. Of the fourth beast Daniel
says, "I beheld till the beast was slain, and his
body destroyed, and given to the burning
flame." Thus at the end, instead of being
conquered by some other power arising on

If we confess our sins, he is faith
ful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unright
eousness, j John 1 :g.

He that is unjust, let him be un
just still : and he which is filthy, let
him be filthy still : and he that is
righteous, let him be righteous still:
and he that is holy, let him be holy
still. Rev. 22:11.
My witness is in heaven, and my
record is on high. Job 16 : 19.
But I say unto you, That every
idle word that men shall speak, they
shall give account thereof in the day
of judgment. For by thy words
thou shalt be justified, and by thy
words thou shalt be condemned.
Matt. 12 : 36, 37.
Heb. 3:7,8.

I beheld then because of the voice
of the great words which the horn
spake : 1 beheld even till the beast
was slain, and his body destroyed,
and given to the burning flame.
Dan. 7: zi.
2 Thess. 2 : 4.

Wherefore he is able also to save
them to the uttermost that come'
unto God by him, seeing he ever
liveth to make intercession for them.
Heb. 7:25.
He shall offend, imputing this his
power unto his god. Hab. 1:11.
Dan. 7:11.

The beast was taken, and with
him the false prophet that wrought
miracles before him, with which he
deceived them that had received the

lit

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

mark of the beast,- and them that
worshiped his image. These both
were cast alive into a lake of fire
burning with brimstone. Rev. 19 : 20.
Thou sawest till that a stone was
cut out which was not in hands :
which smote the image upon his feet
that were of iron and clay, and
brake them in pieces.
Dan. 2 : 34 [margin].

27. And the kingdom and domin
ion, andthe greatness of the king
dom under the whole heaven, shall
be given to the people of the saints
of the most High, whose kingdom
is an everlasting kingdom, and all
dominions shall seroe and obey him.
Dan. 7 : 27.

Rev. 20 : 4, 6.
For this purpose the Son of God
was manifested, that he might de
stroy the works of the devil.
: John 3 : 8.
That through death he might de
stroy him that had the power of
death, that is, the devil. Heb. 2 : 14.

There shall be no more curse : but
the throne of God and of the Lamb
shall be in it ; and his servants shall
serve him. Rev. 22 :3.

28. Hitherto is the end of the
matter. As for me Daniel, my
cogitations much troubled me, and
my countenance changed in me :
but I kept the matter in my heart.
Dan. 7 : 23.

earth, this power goes into the lake of fire.
The other beasts which represent kingdoms,
had ' their dominion taken away, yet their lives
were prolonged for a time and a season ; that is,
each was merged into the succeeding kingdom.
But not so with the fourth kingdom; its de
struction will be complete.
The fifth kingdom, which is the heavenly, the
kingdom of God, is not in human hands. God
Himself will establish it under the whole
heaven, and it will exist forever and ever. " The
kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of
the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be
given to the people of the saints of the Most
High." Those who are accounted worthy in
the investigative judgment will come forth in
the first resurrection, or will be translated with
out seeing death, and will reign with Christ for
ever and ever. Sin, with all who have clung to
it, will be forever destroyed. The pride and
arrogance of Babylon of old, her iniquity of
every form which has been repeated by all the
nations of the earth, together with the insti
gator of all evil, will at last be blotted out.
The end of the controversy is reached. The
triumph of truth is witnessed by all created
beings. The scar which sin has made is gone
forever. The discord which for six thousand
years has marred the universe, is forgotten.
The music of the spheres is taken up anew,
and man- reigns with his Creator. "Hither
to is the end of the matter." What wonder
that the vision troubled Daniel, and that his
countenance changed! The matchless love of
Christ, who can understand?

CHAPTER IX.

THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

A period of two years had passed since the
vision recorded in the seventh chapter of Daniel.
The prophet's 'mind had dwelt often upon the
scenes which his eye then beheld, and the sub
ject of the judgment had been pondered again
and again. He kept the matter in his heart, he
himself says, for in the days of Daniel, as at
the present time, only the few could compre
hend and appreciate spiritual topics. Many
changes of a material nature had taken place
during those two years. Wickedness had in
creased in the kingdom of Babylon, and no rev
erence whatever was shown for God or His
people. This saddened the heart of Daniel.

1. In the third year of the reign
of king Beishazzar a vision ap
peared unto me, even unto me
Daniel, after that which appeared
unto meat the first. Dan. 8:1.

As for me Daniel, my cogitations
much troubled me, and my counte
nance changed in me : but 1 kept
the matter in my heart. Dan. 7 : 28.

The natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God : for
they are foolishness unto him : nei
ther can he know them, because
they are spiritually -discerned. 1 Cor. 2 ; 14.

119

120

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

2. And I saw in a vision; and it
came to pass, when I saw, that I
was at Shushan In the palace,
which is in the province of Elam ;
and 1 saw in a vision, and I was by
the river of Ulai. Dan. 8 : 2.

It shall come to pass in the latter
days, that I will bring again the
captivity of Elam, saith the Lord.
Jer. 49 : 39.

Behold, I will stir up the Medes
against them, which shall not regard
silver; and as for gold, they shall
not delight in it. Isa. 13 : 17.

A grievous vision is declared unto
me ; the treacherous dealer dealeth
treacherously, and the spoiler spoil-
eth. Go up, O Elam : besiege, O
Media : all the sighing thereof have
I made to cease. Isa. 21 : 1-3-

3. Then I lifted up mine eyes,
and saw, and, behold, there stood
before the rioer a ram which had
two horns : and the two horns were
high ; but one was higher than the
other, and the higher came.up last.
Dan. 8:3.
Eehold, another beast, a second,
like to a bear, and it raised up itself
on one side, and it had three ribs in
the mouth of it between the teeth of
it : and they said thus unto it, Arise,
devour much flesh. Dan. 7. : 5.

Thus saith the Lord to his
anointed, to Cyrus, whose right
hand I have holden, to subdue na-
tioi.s before him. Isa. 45 : 1-5.

He who for years had been the chief counselor
in the empire, now no longer dwelt in the
capital, but had his residence in the palace at
Shushan. Shushan was the capital of Elam,
which was formerly a subject province of the
kingdom of Babylon, but as that empire began
to weaken, and the strength of Cyrus, the Per
sian general, was recognized, Elam, under Abra-
dates, the viceroy or prince, had revolted from
Babylon, and joined the forces of the Persians.
Years before this, the prophet Isaiah had said
that Elam and Media would join forces in the
conquest of Babylon. As Daniel lived in the
palace of Shushan, he saw the way opening for
the fulfillment of this prophecy. If Babylon
was not already undergoing a siege at the hands
of Cyrus and Darius, her downfall was so immi
nent that in this vision the history of nations
begins with the rising kingdom of the Medes
and Persians.
Daniel was transported to the river Ulai, by
the side of which stood a ram having two horns,
one higher than the other, and the higher came
up last. In his previous vision the second king
dom had been represented by a bear which
raised itself on one side and had three ribs in
its mouth. Both symbols apply to the double
nature of the kingdom of the Medes and Per
sians, but the uneven horns of the ram give a
more specific description ; for while the Median
kingdom was the older of the two, the Persian
excelled it in strength, and its position in his
tory must be attributed to the line of Persian
kings which began with Cyrus the Great. The
definiteness with which this symbol is inter
preted is an illustration of the fact that the

THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

121

Scriptures are their own best commentaries.
Said the angel, "The ram which thou sawest
having two horns are the kings of Media and
Persia." As the ram pushed westward, northward, and
southward, and no beast could stand before it,
so the Medo-Persian empire extended its domin
ion in these directions. At the fall of Babylon
one hundred and twenty provinces recognized
the authority of Cyrus and Darius. These were
held in subjection, and others added, so that in the
time of the Ahasuerus of Esther, the kingdom
controlled one hundred and twenty-seven prov
inces, extending from India on the east to the
Mediterranean on the west, and from the Cas
pian Sea to Ethiopia. It was then called a glo
rious kingdom, and the monarch was spoken of
as "his excellent majesty." The same facts are
made prominent in the eleventh chapter of Dan
iel, where Xerxes, the ' fourth from Cyrus, stirs
up all the Eastern nations to war with Greece :
" He did according to his will, and became
great." Nevertheless, the greatness of the second
kingdom did not insure length of life, and the
prophet was shown a he goat coming from the
west, and, as Spurrell's translation gives it,
"rushing over the face of the whole earth, with
out touching the ground." The goat had a
notable horn between his eyes. In the inter
pretation the angel said, "The rough goat is
the king [or kingdom] of Grecia, and the great
horn ... is the first king." The kingdom of
Greece was described in the previous vision
( Dan. 7:6), but at the time now under con
sideration, the details of its rise are given.

The ram which thou sawest hav
ing two horns are the kings of Me
dia and Persia. Dan. S : 20.
4. I saw the ram pushing west
ward, and northward, and south
ward; so that no beasts might
stand before him, neither was
there any that could deliver out of
his handj but he did according to
his wilt, and became great. Dan. 8 : 4.
Dan. 6 : 1.

Now it came to pass in the days
of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus
which reigned, from India even
unto Ethiopia, over an hundred
and seven and twenty provinces).
Esther 1:1.

When he showed the riches of his
glorious kingdom and the honor of
his excellent majesty many days,
even an hundred and four score
days. Esther 1 '.4.

A mighty king shall stand up,
that shall rule with great dominion,
and do according to his will.
Dan. 11:3,

5. And as I was considering, be
hold, an he goat came from the
west on the face of the whole
earth, and touched not the ground :
and the goat had' a notable horn
between his eyes.
6. And he came to the ram that
had two horns, which I had seen
standing before the river, and ran
unto him in the fury of his power.
Dan. 8 : 5, 6.

The rough goat is the king of
Grecia : and the great horn that is
between his eyes is the first king.
Dan. 8:21.

122

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Now will I show thee the truth.
Behold, there shall stand up yet
- three kings in Persia ; and the
fourth shall be far richer than they
all: and by his strength through his
riches he shall stir up all against
the realm of Grecia. Dan. n : 2.
The noise of a whip, and the noise
of the rattling of the wheels, and of
the pransing horses, and of the
jumping chariots. The horseman
lifteth up both the bright sword and
the glittering spear : and there is a
multitude of slain, and a great num
ber of carcases. Nahum 3: 2, 3.
Put not your trust in princes.
Ps. 146 : 3.
Isa. 17 : 12, 13.

7. And I saw him come close unto
the ram, and he was moved with
choler against him, and smote the
ram, and brake his two horns : and
there was ne power In the ram to
stand before him, but he cast htm
down to the ground, and stamped
upon him: and there was none that
could deliver the ram out of his
hand. Dan. 8:7.

Reprobate silver shall men call
them, because the Lord hath re
jected them. Jer. 6 : 30.
The iniquity of the Amorites is
not yet full. Gen. 15 : 16.
He did very abominably in fol
lowing idols, ... as did the
Amorites, whom the Lord cast out
before the children of Israel.
1 Kings 21 : 26.
Now will I return to fight with
the prince of Persia ! and when I
am gone forth, lo, the prince of
Grecia shall come. . . . There
is none that holdeth with me in
these things, but Michael your
prince. Dan. 10 : 20, 21.

The eleventh chapter states that the fourth
kingdom after Cyrus should stir up the nations
against Greece. This was done when Xerxes
crossed the Hellespont with a large army in
480 b. c. His army is said by Herodotus to
have numbered over a million and a half. It
was a gathering of nations, and so vast was the
army that seven days were required to pass
from Asia to Greek soil. But "in spite of all
preparations, the Persian army was defeated at
Thermopylae, at Salamis, and at Platsea, and
Xerxes, discouraged and disheartened, gave
over the attempt to invade Greece. Prophecy
had foretold that when Medo-Persia and Greece
should contend, Greece would be the aggressive
power. Later, the he goat, Greece, came toward the
ram, Medo-Persia, " and rushed upon him in the
heat of his strength. And I saw him coming
up close to the ram, and he was exceedingly
embittered against him, and smote the ram, and
brake his two horns, so that there was no
strength in the ram to stand before him, for he
threw him down to the ground, and trampled on
him ; neither could any one deliver the ram
from his grasp." — Spurrell.
No historian has ever given a more graphic
account of the contest between the Greeks
under Alexander the Great and the Persians
under Darius. That kingdom which before had
shown such wonderful strength, crumbled and
fell, and there was none to help. She had
passed her probation and filled the cup of her
iniquity. Michael, the Lord of heaven, had
stood at the right hand of the Persian monarch
on the throne to persuade him, and yet he had

obo

THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

123

resisted the divine influence, and that kingdom
which had been a rod in the hand of God to
overthrow Babylon in its wickedness, repeated
her sins, and in turn met the same fate. Al
though the Persians restored the Jews to Jeru
salem, that could not save them. It is only as
nations or individuals continue in a love of the
truth, only as they partake constantly of the
leaves -of the tree of life, that their existence
is prolonged.
The ram and the goat met on a river. The
first successful battle fought by the Grecians
against the Medes was on the banks of the
Granicus, a stream of Asia Minor. This was
in the year 334 b. c. Already the victory of
Greece was recorded in the books of heaven.
The battle at Granicus was soon followed by
the defeat of the Medo-Persian forces at the
pass of Issus, and the third and overwhelming
defeat was on the plains of Arbela, 331 b. c.
None could deliver the sinking cause of the
Medo-Persian empire from the hands of the
victorious Alexander.
Alexander stands without a rival for the ra
pidity of his conquests. He was but a young
man of twenty when, by the death of his father,
Philip of Macedon, he fell heir to a small do
minion. He united the Greek states, placed
himself at the head of affairs, and led her arm
ies in a series of wonderful victories. In the
space of a few short years he was the recog
nized master of the world. He who rose to the
highest position the world could offer, fell
equally as suddenly. He had conquered king
doms, but was not master of his own passions.
His love of praise led him to have himself pro-

A'-o I in the first year of Darius
the Mede, even I, stood to confirm
and to strengthen him. Dan. 1 1 : i.

Thou art my battle-ax and weap
ons of war : for with thee will I
break in pieces the nations. Jer. 51 : 20,
Deut. 30: 15, 20.
Prov. 3 : 13, 18.

He came to the ram that had two
horns, which I had seen standing
before the river, and ran nnto him
in the fury of Ins power. Dan. 8:6.

Known nnto God are all hut
works from the beginning of the
world. Acts 15 : 18.
He leadeth counsellors away
spoiled, and maketh the judges
fools. He looseth the bond of
kings, and girdeth then* loins with
a girdle. He leadeth princes away
spoiled, and overthroweth the
mighty. Job 12 : 17-19.

After this I beheld, and lo an
other, like a leopard, which had
upon the back of it four wings of a
fowL Dan. 7 : 6.

In prosperity the destroyer shall
come upon him. Job 15:21.

When he was strong, the great
horn was broken. Dan. 8:8.

He poureth contempt upon
princes, and weakeneth the strength
of the mighty. Job 12 :2i.

124

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Ps. 107 : 40.
He thatis slow to anger is better
than the mighty : and he that ruleth
his spirit than he that taketh a city.
Prov. 16 : 32.

Dan.

4:17.

Ps. 75:6, 7.
The Lord maketh poor, and mak
eth rich ; he bringeth low, and
lif teth up. 1 Sam. 2 : 7.
1 Sam. 2 :g.
Lord, it is nothing with thee to
help, whether with many, or with
them that have no power.
2 Chron. 14 : 11.
1 Sam. 14 : 6.

Ps. 33 : 16-18.
For I will not trust in my bow,
neither shall my sword save me.
Ps. 44 :6.
Some trust in chariots, and some
in horses : but we will remember
the name of the Lord our God,
Ps. 20 : 7.

Job 12:23-25.
Isa. 26 : 15.
Isa. 9 : 3.
The Most High ruleth in the
kingdom of men, and giveth it to
whomsoever he will, and setteth up
over it the basest of men.
Dan. 4 : 17-25. ,
Dan. 2 :2i.
Dan. 5 : 21.
8. Therefore the he goat waxed
very great : and when he was
strong, the great horn was broken ;
and for it came up four notable
ones toward the four winds of
heaven, , Dan. 8:8.

Dan. it -.4.

claimed Son of Jupiter-Ammon in Egypt, and
his love of drink caused his death at the age of
thirty-two years, after a universal reign of only
two years. Such was the fate of one who feared
neither God nor man. " The Most High ruleth
in the kingdom of men."
"Promotion cometh neither from the east,
nor from the west, nor from the south, but God
is judge. He putteth down one and setteth up
another." " By strength shall no man prevail." There
is no restraint of the Lord to save by many or
by few.
" There is no king saved by the multitude of
an host : a mighty man is not delivered by much
strength. A horse is a vain thing for safety :
neither shall he deliver any by his great
strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon
them that fear Him, upon them that hope in
His mercy; to deliver their souls from death,
and to keep them alive in famine."
Truly the Lord " increaseth the nations, and
destroyeth them ; He enlargeth the nations, and
straighteneth them again. He taketh away the
heart of the people of the earth, and causeth
them to wander in a wilderness where there is
no way. They grope in the dark without light,
and He maketh them to stagger like a drunken
man." " When he was strong, the great horn was
broken, and for it came up four notable ones
toward the four winds of heaven." Alexander
left no heir capable of ruling the kingdom, and
in less than twenty years of strife, his four lead
ing generals succeeded in dividing the empire
among themselves.

THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

12s

Ptolemy took Egypt and the southern terri
tory ; Seleucus took Syria and the eastern divi
sion ; Lysimachus took Asia Minor and territory
to the north; while Cassander took possession
of Greece, the western division. These four
men had not the power of Alexander. The
prophetic history of these four divisions is given
in the eleventh chapter of Daniel.
In the division under consideration, the
prophet sees a little horn coming
forth from one of thesa
divisions. Here
brought to view the
power symbolized by
the fourth beast of
the seventh chapter of
Daniel. In his first
vision the fourth beast
was so terrible and had
such a strange ap
pearance that Daniel
asked for a clearer
explanation of its work.
In his second vision the little horn is not
named, but its work as a kingdom is still
further portrayed. One feels while read
ing both the vision and the interpreta
tion of the little horn, that he is coming
into the presence of a power greater and

Now that being broken, whereas,
four stood up for it, four kingdoms
shall stand up out of the nation,
but not in his power. Dan. 8:22.
9. And out of one of them came
forth a little horn, which waxed
exceeding great, toward the south,
and toward the east, and toward
the pleasant land.
10. And it waxed great, even to
the host of heaven, and it cast
down some of the host and of the
stars to the ground, and stamped
r upon them. Dan. 8:9, 10.

Out of one of them came forth a little horn
which waxed exceeding great."

Then I would know the truth of
the fourth beast, which was diverse
from all the others, exceeding
dreadful, whose teeth were of iron,
and his nails of brass ; which de-
more terrible than any which had hitherto ex- VOured, brake in pieces, and
The accumulated forces of the evil of s^^d the residue with his feet'

isted.

past ages is concentrated in this rising power,
which waxed exceeding great. It was in truth
the masterpiece from Satan's workshop. Four
thousand years of trial had not passed in vain.
As heaven was about to be emptied in the gift

Dan. 7 : 19.
Visiting the iniquity of the fa
thers upon the children, and upon
the children's children, unto the
third and to the fourth generation.
Ex. 34:7.
2 Thess. 2 : 4.
John 3 : 16.

126

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

O full of all subtilty and all mis
chief, thou enemy of all righteous
ness, wilt thou not cease to pervert
the right ways of the. Lord ?
Acts 13 : 10.
His power shill be 'mighty, but
not by his own power : and he shall
destroy wonderfully, and shall pros
per, and practice, and shall ^pstroy
the mighty and the holy people.
Dan. 8 : 24.
John 3 : 7 [margin].
The dragon gave him his power,
and his seat and great authority. Rev. 13 -.2.

Wherein in time past ye walked
according to the course of this
world, according to the prince of
the power of the air, the spirit that
now worketh in the children of
disobedience. Eph. 2 : 2.
Which devoured, brake in pieces,
and stamped the residue with his
feet. Dan. 7 : 19.

In the latter time of their king
dom, when the transgressors are
come to the full, a king of fierce
countenance, and understanding
dark sentences, shall stand up.
And his power shall be mighty, but
not by his own power : and he shall
destroy wonderfully, and shall
prosper, and practice, and shall de
stroy the mighty and the holy peo
ple. And through his policy also
he shall cause craft to prosper in
his hand ; and he shall magnify
himself in his heart, and by peace
shall destroy many : he shall also
stand up against the Prince of
princes ; and he shall be broken
without hand. Dan. 8 : 23-25.

11. Yea, he magnified himself
even to the prince Of the host, and
by him the dally sacrifice was

of the Saviour, so all the fiendishness of the
lower world was brought into play to counteract
the love of God arid destroy the effect of the
sacrifice. There is a world of meaning in the
words of the angel.
Said Gabriel, " His power shall be mighty,
but not by his own power." No merely human
power could do what this kingdom did. As
light and love and power come from above to
those whose eyes are directed heavenward, so a
power from beneath takes possession of indi
viduals and nations which resist the love of
God. This kingdom "waxed exceeding great,
toward the south, and toward the east, and to
ward the pleasant land." Rome extended her
territory around the Mediterranean ; there was
no place where her arms were not victorious.
Some of the greatest battles which history re
cords were fought by the Roman armies. The
pen of Inspiration says, " He [the little horn]
shall destroy wonderfully." Cities which dared
resist the power of Rome were blotted out of
existence. In describing the government, the
angel said, " He shall prosper and practice,"
and "through his policy also he shall cause
craft to prosper in his hand."
But aside from the strong central government
which was built up by Rome; which brought
every other nation to her feet, and made slaves
of the noblest of races ; which was robbing
men of God-given rights, and violating every
principle of equity and justice, — aside from all
this, the great arrogance of Rome was displayed
when the nation magnified itself against the
host (church) of heaven. "Yea, he magnified
himself even against [mar.] the Prince of the

THE. EIGHTH CHAPTER OF. DANIEL.

127

host." " He shall also stand up against the
Prince of princes."
God's people are precious in His sight, and he
who touches them touches the apple of His eye,
Rome first deprived the Jews of the right to
worship, grinding that nation beneath the heel
of oppression. Then Christ came, when the
oppression was the most severe, that Rome
might see God in human flesh. He came to
identify Himself with that downtrodden people,
and to show to men that God is always on the
side of the oppressed and enslaved. He came
to illustrate the workings of the Spirit in the
human heart, and to prove that it is possible to
have a heaven within, although outward circum?
stances are to the contrary.
But Rome crucified Him whom Heaven sent.
The dragon was wroth, and made war with the
seed of the woman — Christ — who had been
promised when sin entered the world. This
was paganism in its greatest strength. It was
in its dying throes, but even in the agony of
death it smote the truth.
What Satan could- not accomplish through
open opposition, . he sought to accomplish by
policy and strategy. Silently, stealthily, the prin
ciples of evil crept into the church of Christ,
which had grown up in spite of the pagan oppo
sition. The humility of the Son of God at first
characterized the body of Christians, and therein
lay the power of the early church. Christian
mothers gathered their children about them as
the Jewish mothers had done in the days of
their prosperity. From infancy the truths of
God's Word were implanted in their hearts ;
sacred songs were on their lips; the Word "of

taken away, and the. place of his
sanctuary was cast down. Dan. 8.-11.
He that toucheth you toucheth
the apple of his eye. Zech. 2 : 8.
The Lord's portion is his people :
Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
He found him in a desert land, and
in the waste howling wilderness ;
he led him about, he instructed
him, lie kept him as the apple of
his eye, Deut. 32 :9-ia.

These things I have spoken unto
you, that in me ye might have
peace. In the world ye shall have
tribulation : but be of gopd cheer ;
I have overcome tlie world. John 16:33.
Acts 3 : 13-16.
Acts 4 : 26, 27.
Acts 7 : 52.
The dragon was wroth with the
woman, and went to make war with
the remnant of her seed, which keep
the commandments of God, and
have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Rev. 12 : 17.
Gen. 3 : 15.
Rev. 12 :g, 12.
Through his policy also he shall
cause craft to prosper in his hand ;
and by peace shall destroy many.
Dan. 8:25.
Matt. 7 : 15.
Also of your own selves shall
men arise, sjwaking perverse things,
to draw away disciples after them.
Acts 20 : 30.
Zech. 3 :6, 7.

From a child thou hast known
the Holy Scriptures,- which are able
to make, thee wise unto salvation
through faith which is in Christ
Jesus. . 1 2 Tim. 3 : 15,

128

' STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

2 Tim. r : 5.
Acts 15:20, 28,29.
Acts 21 :25. •
Rev. 2 : 14.
If any man see thee which hast
knowledge sit at meat in the idol's
temple, shall not the conscience of
him which is weak be emboldened
to eat those things which are of
fered to idols : and through thy
knowledge shall the weak brother
perish, for whom Christ died ? But
when ye sin so against the breth
ren, and wound their weak con
science, ye sin against Christ.
1 Cor. 8:9-13.
1 Cor. 10 : 19, 20.
Rom. j : 8.
Col. 1:6.
Gen. 3 : 1.
Eph. 4 : 14.
Rom. 16: 17, 18.
1 Cor. 1 : 1 1
Phil. 1:15, 16.
Titus 3 : 9.
Mark 10:35-37.
Isa. 8 :i2.
James 5 : 1-6.

12. And an host was given him
against the daily sacrifice by rea
son of transgression, and it cast
down the truth to the ground;
and it practiced and prospered. Dan. 8 : 12.

I know this, that after my depart
ing shall grievous wolves enter in
among you, rot sparing the flock.
Acts 20 : 29, 30.
2 Thess. 2 :4~7.

God was the text-book from which all lessons
were learned. Parents dared not allow their
children to remain in the pagan schools, for the
very atmosphere breathed of the heathen wor
ship ; the air was heavy with the odor of sacri
fices to idols. They dared not sit at the table
with those with whom they had once been fa
miliar, for the food had been consecrated to
idols. In the most careful way the rising gen
eration was educated, and Christianity took the
place of paganism.
But Satan could not see his power overthrown
without making a desperate struggle, and by
stealth he insinuated his principles into the new
church. Wrangles, disputes, theological con
troversies drove out the spirit of life. Self-
exaltation put men in power ; the equal rights
of all fell before the rising power of a hier
archy. The principle of trusts and ¦ monopo
lies, of unions and leagues, which had always
characterized pagan society, twined its tendrils
about the new organization of Christians, and
choked its life. Paganism — the "daily" of
Dan. 8:12 — was taken away, it is true, and
Rome became nominally a Christian empire.
Her emperor professed the name of Christ, and
carried before his army the banner of the cross.
Decrees were issued causing men to worship
according to the dictates of Rome. Then it
was that man — the emperor — and the empire
attempted to exalt themselves above the God of
heaven. The principles of Lucifer himself had
crowded out the truth of Christ, and, as was
shown to Daniel, the truth, was cast down to
the ground.
To John this transfer from paganism to the

THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL

129

papacy is represented as a transfer of power
from the dragon to the beast. Rev. 13:7. The
eleventh and twelfth verses of the eighth chap
ter of Daniel are parallel with the twenty-first
and twenty-fifth verses of the seventh chapter,
where the little horn makes war with the saints,
and speaks great words against the Most High,
attempting to change His times and law.
Twice Daniel had been shown the twofold his
tory of Rome : first as a pagan power, when it
was more cruel than any pagan government be
fore it ; and later as a professedly Christian
power, when its cruelty far surpassed all the
workings of paganism.
The prophet was heart-sick as he beheld these
scenes and the deep sufferings of the people of
God. He was unable to grasp the idea of the
time when these events should occur, and
thought that his own people, perhaps the very
ones who were at that time in bondage to Baby
lon, would be called to suffer these things. The
investigative judgment had been revealed to
him, when the cases of men would be tried
and the oppressor condemned. The end also
of this oppressive power he had been shown
was the lake of fire, when Roman authority
should be broken without hands. In Nebu
chadnezzar's dream the end would come when
the stone cut out without hands should smite
the image and finally fill the whole earth. As
these scenes passed like a panorama before the
eye of the prophet, angels also watched, for they
are interested in all that affects God's people on
earth. The universe has waited now six thousand
years for the final issue between truth and
9

Yea, he magnified himself even to
the prince of the host. ... It cast
down the truth to the ground ; and
it practiced and prospered. Dan. 8 : 11. 12.

I beheld, and the same horn made
war with the saints, and prevailed
agamst them. Dan. 7 :2i.

Dan. 7 : 25.
Dan. 7 : 7, 8.
Dan. 8 : 23-23.

O Lord, hear ; O Lord, forgive ;
O Lord, hearken and do ; defer not,
for thine own sake, O my God : for
thy city and thy people are called
by thy name. Dan. g : 19.

The judgment was set, and the
books were opened. Dan. 7 : 9, 10.
1 Peter 4 : 17.
I beheld even till the beast was
slain, and his body destroyed, and
given to the burning dame. Dan. 7:11.
Thou sawest till that a stone was
cut out, which was not in hands,
which smote the image upon his
feet that' were of iron and clay, and
brake them to pieces.
Dan 2 : 34 [margin].
The stone that smote the image
became a great mountain, and filled
the whole earth. Dan. 2 : 35.
Which things the angels desire
to look into. 1 Peter 1 : 12.
13. Then I heard one saint speak
ing, and another saint said unto
that certain saint which spake,

13°

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

How long shalt be ihe vision con
cerning the daily sacrifice, and the
transgression of desolation, to give
both the sanctuary and the host to
be trodden under foot ?
14. And he said unto me, Unto
two thousand and three hundred
days : then shall the sanctuary be
cleansed. 15. And it came to pass, when I,
even / Daniel, had seen the vision,
and sought for the meaning, then,
behold, there stood before me as
the appearance of a man.
16. And I heard a man's voice
between the banks of Ulai, which
called, and said, Gabriel, make
this man to understand the vision.
17. So he came near where I
stood: and when he came, I was

error. It is not strange that angelic hosts
wonder when the struggle will end, and when
the song of songs can be taken up by the choir
of heaven. These times are hidden with the
Father, but man may understand some of the
secrets of the Almighty. The interest Heaven
manifests in these scenes of earth is shown by
the thirteenth verse. One angel called to Ga
briel, asking, " How long shall be the vision
concerning the daily sacrifice [pagan Rome], and
the transgression of desolation [the papacy], to
give both the sanctuary csfc^l- iSs
and the host to

H,

andtKree hundret
I then #ball the ^anttuanj
be cleansed
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afraid, and fell upon my face : but
he said unto me, Understand, 0
son of man : for at the time ofthe
end shall be the vision.
18. Now as he was speaking with
me, I was in a deep sleep on my
face toward the ground: but he
touched me, and set me upright.
19. And he said, Behold, I will
make thee know what shall be in
the last end of the indignation :
for at the time appointed the end
shall be.
20. The ram which thou sawest
having two horns are the kings of
Media and Persia.
21. And the rough goat Is the
king of Breda: and the great horn

Darr.8:i4»

be trodden under foot ? "
And Gabriel answered,
" Unto two thousand and three hundred days ;
then shall the sanctuary be cleansed."
Daniel longed for an understanding of what
he had seen, and the close connection between
human longing and Christ's heart is shown '
here ; for Christ, appearing as a man, stood
before the prophet, and to Gabriel He said,
"Make this man to understand the vision."
Gabriel drew near, and before his exceeding
brightness Daniel fell upon the ground with
his face to the earth. Then, as if to lift the
strain from the mind of him who carried Israel

THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

131

on his heart, he said, " Understand, O son of
man : for at the time of the end shall be the
vision. ... I will make thee know what shall
be in the last end of the indignation ; for at the
time appointed the end shall be. "
Gabriel took up the history of the kingdoms
one by one, and when he came to the two thou
sand three hundred days, he said, " The vision
of the evening and the morning [Dan. 8:14,
margin, same as the two thousand three hun
dred days ] which was told is true. Wherefore
shut thou up the vision ; for it shall be for
many days." Daniel fainted, for the crucifixion
of the Saviour had just been revealed to him,
and the view was more than he could endure.
Further explanation was delayed until a later
vision. The events which would take place dur
ing that period are noted in the following chap
ter of the book of Daniel.
In addition to the truth taught by the proph
ecy itself, there are connected with the eighth
chapter of Daniel some underlying principles of
wonderful beauty.
The spirit of prophecy is a gift to be coveted.
God never leaves Himself without some repre
sentatives on earth, and among His people cer
tain ones are prophets. The study of Daniel's
life reveals the character which makes it pos
sible for man to understand the language of
God. A clean, pure soul is necessary. Gabriel
is the angel of prophecy, the messenger who
bears the light of truth to men. To the father
of John the Baptist he said, "I am Gabriel,
that stand in the presence of God." To Dan
iel he said, " There is none that holdeth with
me in these things, but Michael your Prince" —

that Is between his eyes Is the
first king.
22. Now that being broken,
whereas four stood up for it, four
kingdoms shall stand up out of
the nation, butmot in his power.
23. And in the latter time of
their kingdom, when the trans
gressors are oome to the full, a
king of fierce countenance, and
understanding dark sentences,
shall stand up.
24. And his power shall be
mighty, but not by his own power:
and he shall destroy wonderfully,
and shall prosper, and practice,
and shall destroy the mighty and
the holy people.
25. And through his policy also
he shall cause craft to prosper In
his hand; and he shall magnify
himself In his heart, and by peace
shall destroy many: he shall also
stand up against the Prince of
princes; but he shall be broken
without hand.
26. And the vision of the evening
and the morning which was told is
true : wherefore shut thou up the
vision ; for it shall be for many
days. 27. And I Daniel fainted, and
was sick certain days ; afterward
I rose up, and did the king's busi
ness; and I was astonished at the
vision, but none understood it.
Dan. 8 : 13-27.
Follow after charity, and desire
spiritual gifts, but rather that ye
may prophesy. i Cor. 14:1.
1 Cor. 12 128, 29.
He gave some, apostles ; and
some, prophets ; and some, evange
lists ; and some, pastors and
teachers. Eph. 4:11.
Blessed are the pure in heart :
for they shall see God. Matt. 5 : 8.
I am Gabriel, that stand 'in the
presence of God ; and am sent to
speak^nto thee, and to show thee
these glad tidings. Luke 1 : 19.
There is none that holdeth with
me in these things, but Michael
your prince. Dan. 10:21.

132

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Isa. 14 : 12-14.
Luke 1 : 26, 27.
Luke 2 : 13, 14.

There shall come a Star out of
Jacob. Num. 24 : 17.
When they had heard the king,
they departed ; and, lo, the star,
which they saw in the east, went
before them, till it came and stood
over where the young child was.
Matt. 2 : g.
Then the devil leaveth him, and,
behold, angels came and ministered
unto him. Matt. 4:11.
There appeared an angel unto
him from heaven, strengthening
him. Luke 22 : 43.
For fear of him the keepers did
shake, and became as dead men.
Matt. 28:4.
Matt. 28:2.
Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which
was crucified : he is risen ; he is not
here : behold the place where they
laid him. Mark 16 : 6.
Why seek ye the living among
the dead? Luke 24 : 5.
Acts 1 :9~ii.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates ;
even lift them up, ye everlasting
doors ; and the King of glory shall
come in. Who is this King of glory ?
The Lord of hosts, he is the King of
glory Selah. Psa. 24 : 9, 10.
Dan.4o:2i.Rev. 19 : 10.
Rev. 22 : 9.

For there are three that bear
record in heaven, the Father^ the
Word, and the Holy Ghost : and
these three are one. 1 John 5:7.

Christ Himself. Gabriel is, then, the personal
attendant of the Son of God, holding the posi
tion as light bearer which Satan occupied before
his fall. It was Gabriel who announced the
birth of the Saviour to Mary in Nazareth. It
was he who led the angel choir on the plains of
Bethlehem ; he with others, as the star, guided
the wise men to the Babe of Bethlehem.
It was Gabriel who brought strength to the
Saviour at the close of the forty days' conflict
in the wilderness of temptation, and he who
lifted the prostrate form of the Son of Man in
Gethsemane, and pillowed that aching head, wet
with bloody sweat, upon his own bosom. Before
Gabriel, the Roman guard fell Uke dead men,
and his voice shook the earth as the Saviour
came from the tomb. Taking his seat on the
empty sepulcher, he met the disciples and the
women, and bade them seek their Lord among
the living.
The Saviour ascended to heaven, leaving His
disciples alone, but not alone, for "behold, two
men stood by them in white apparel." While
heaven rang with songs of welcome to the re
turning Son of God, two angels stood on earth
to comfort the lonely ones. One of these was
Gabriel, Christ's attendant angel. Of all the
angels of heaven none have been more closely
connected with man than has Gabriel. Yet to
John, who fell before him to worship, he said,
" See thou do it not ; for I am thy fellow-serv
ant." Gabriel was only an angel, upheld by the
same Power that sustained John, and he would
not for one moment allow John to be deceived
by thinking he was a part of the great Trinity
of heaven, and worthy of the worship of man-

THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

133

kind. He assured John that he
was only one of the hosts of
" ministering spirits sent forth to
minister for them who should be
heirs of salvation," by saying, " I
am thy fellow-servant." So
bound up in the affairs of man
is this mighty angel that he
counts himself one with us. This

"The angel answered
and said unto the women. Fear not ye : for I know
that ye seek Jesus."

Why should we tremble to convey
The Christian to the tomb ?
There once the flesh of Jesus lay,
And left a long perfume.
The graves of all His saints He blest,
And softened every bed ;
Where should the dying members rest,
But with their dying Head?
Thence He arose, ascending high,
And showed our feet the way :
Up to the Lord we all shall fly
At the great rising day.
— Isaac Watts.

134

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ,
which God gave unto him, to show
unto his servants things which must
shortly come to pass ; and he sent
and signified it by his angel unto
his servant John. Rev. x : i.

John 8 : 44.
Deut. 13 11-3.
There shall arise false Christs,
and false prophets, and shall show
great signs and wonders ; insomuch
that, if it were possible, they shall
deceive the very elect. Matt. 24 : 24.
Acts j6 : 16,
Acts 13 : 6-10.
Rev. 16 : 16-18.

No marvel ; for Satan himself is
transformed into an angel of light.
2 Cor. 11 : 14.

2 Chron. 20 : 20.
Num. 12 : 6.

I saw in a vision, and I was by
the river of Ulai. Dan. 8 : 2.
I saw him come close unto the
ram and break his two horns : and
there was no power in the ram to
stand before him, but he cast him
down to the ground, and stamped
upon him : and there was none that
could deliver the ram out of his
hand. Dan. 8:7.
Then I Daniel looked, and, be
hold, there stood other two, the
one on this side of the bank of the
river, and the other on that side of
the bank of the river. And one1
said to the man clothed in linen,
which was upon the waters of the
river, How long shall it be to the
end of these wonders ?
Dan. 12: 5, 6.

is the one whom Christ has used to convey
the light of future events to men upon earth.
To every prophet, from Moses to John, the
same angel came, and to the remnant church
it is still Gabriel who reveals truth through
the person of the prophet.
Before his fall, Lucifer was the light bearer.
Since that time he has used his power in bearing
darkness to the sons of men. There always
have been, and will be to the end of time, false
prophets and seers. Men who might be used
by God, were their hearts given to Him, often
yield themselves to the influence of the counter
feit power. Herein lies the explanation of spirit
manifestations. So great will be this power that
before the end Satan himself, personifying an
angel of light, will appear on the earth, deceiv
ing, if possible, the very elect. The safety of
God's people will lie in heeding the voice of
Gabriel as he speaks through some chosen in
strument. Christ speaks through Gabriel to
His prophet.
Daniel, though living in the palace of Shu
shan, was carried by the angel to the river Ulai.
On the banks of the river he witnessed the con
test between the ram and the goat — between
the Medo-Persian empire and the Greeks. Ulai
represents the river of time, which has its
source in eternity. Time with which we have
to deal is but an infinitely small fraction of
eternity, as a drop in the bucket, as the stream
to the ocean. But on the banks of this river
all nations are located; there they rise and
there they fall. Christ presides over the waters,
and His voice was heard from between the
banks of the river calling to Gabriel, "Make

THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.

135

this man to understand the vision." Nation
may contend with nation on its banks, but the
" Holy Watcher " is ever near. This river con
tains the water of life for all who will drink, but
all nations have built river walls exceeding the
height of those of Babylon, to keep men away
from the water, and to break the influence of
Him who calls from between the banks.

Dan. 8 : 16.
He shall drink of the brook in
the way : therefore shall he lift up
the head. Ps. 110:7.

Your iniquities have separated
between you and your God, and
your sins have hid his face from
you, that he will not hear. Isa. 59:3.

CHAPTER X.

THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.

CHAPTER 9.

The vision of the evening and
the morning which was told is true.
Dan. 8:26.

TEKEL ; Thou art weighed in
the balances, andartfoundwanting.
PERES . Thy kingdom is divided,
and given to the Medes and Per-
sians. Dan. 5 27, 28.

136

A few months only elapsed between the
vision of the eighth chapter and the events
which the first part of the ninth chapter re
cords. The parting words of Gabriel had
been that the things seen concerning the
two thousand three hundred days were
true. Daniel was unable to hear the ex
planation at this time; and while he went about
the king's business, he thought often upon the
vision. In the meantime he had been called
from Shushan into Babylon, into the king's
court, to interpret the strange writing on the
wall. The fate of the nation had been read, and

THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.

1.37

the words had scarcely died away before the
slaughter of the Babylonians began. That same
night Beishazzar was slain, and the king of the
Medes was proclaimed monarch of the world.
By Darius, Daniel had been made chief presi
dent, and occupied a position in Babylon next to
Cyrus, the associate of Darius the king.
During the turmoil and bustle of all the
change in affairs, while Daniel's hands were
filled with court duties and business cares,
he yet had time for prayer and study.
Prophecy had foretold that Cyrus would re
store to the Jews their freedom; the time of
their deliverance drew near, and Daniel searched
carefully for an understanding of the time. The
prophecies of Jeremiah were the only ones which
told plainly the length of the captivity. Doubt
less the mind of Daniel was perplexed over the
two thousand three hundred days, of which, Ga
briel had spoken, for to the Hebrews the temple
in Jerusalem was God's sanctuary, and the
cleansing, to them, meant the removal of unholy
hands from Mount Zion.
Twice in the book of Jeremiah the length of
the captivity is stated. " These nations shall
serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And
it shall come to pass, when the seventy years
are accomplished, that I will punish the king of
Babylon." Again the prophet had said, " After
seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will
visit you, and perform my good word toward
you, in causing you to return to this place."
Babylon had fallen, and Jerusalem had been
desolate nearly seventy years. A crisis was
near for God's people, and Daniel sought by
prayer and fasting to understand the matter.

In that night was Bels'iazztr the
king of the Chaldeans slain. And
Darius tne Median took the king
dom, being about threescore and
two years old. Dan. 5:30, 31.
Over these three presidents : of
whom Daniel was first : that the
princes might give accounts unto
them, and the king should have no
damage. Dan. 6 12.
1. In the first year of Darius the
son of Ahasuerus, ofthe seed of
the Medes, which was made king
ooer the realm of the Chaldeans;
2. In the first year of his reign
I Daniel understood by books the
number of the years, wherof the
word of the Lord came to Jere
miah the prophet, that he would
accomplish seventy years in the
desolations of Jerusalem. Dan. 9 : 1, 2.
Thus saith the Lord, That after
seventy years be accomplished at
Babylon I will visit you, and per
form my good word toward you, in
causing you to return to this place.
Jer. 29 : 10.
Jer. 25 : 11, 12.
2 Chron. 36 :2i.
3. And I set my face unto the
Lord Qod, to seek by prayer and
supplications, with fasting, and
sackcloth, and ashes.
4. And I prayed unto the Lord
my Qod, and made my confession,
and said, 0 Lord, the great and
dreadful Qod, keeping the cove
nant and mercy to them that love
him, and to them that keep his
commandments ;
6. We have sinned, and have
committed iniquity, and have done
wickedly, and have rebelled, even
by departing from thy precepts
and from thy judgments:
8. Neither have we hearkened
unto thy servants the prophets,
which spake in thy name to our
kings, our princes, and our fathers,
and to all the people of the land.
7. 0 Lord, righteousness belong
eth unto thee, but unto us con
fusion of faoes, as at this day;
to the men of Judah, and to tne
Inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto

138

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

all Israel, that are near, and that
are far off, through all the coun
tries whither thou hast driven
them, because of their trespass
that they have trespassed against
thee. 8. 0 Lord, to us belongeth con
fusion of face, to our kings, to our
princes, and to our fathers be
cause we have sinned against
thee. 9. To the Lord our Qod belong
mercies and forgiveness, though
we haoe rebelled against him.
Dan. 9:3-9.
Ezra 8 : 21-23.
Neh. 2 : 19.
10. Neither have we obeyed the
voice of the Lord our God, to walk
in his laws, which he set before us
by his servants the prophets.
Gen. ig : 12-16.
11. Yea, all Israel have trans
gressed thy law, even by departing,
that they might not obey thy
voice; therefore the curse is
poured upon us, and the oath that
is written in the law of Moses the
servant of God, because we haoe
sinned against him.
Zech. 7 :n.
12. And he hath confirmed his
words, which he spake against us,
and against our judges that
judged us, by bringing upon us a
great evil: for under the whole
heaven hath not been done as hath
been done upon Jerusalem.
13. As it is written in the law of
Moses, alt this evil is come upon
us: yet made we not our prayer
before the Lord our God, that we
might turn from our Iniquities,
and understand thy truth.
14. Therefore hath the Lord
watched upon the evil, and
brought it upon us : for the Lord
our Qod Is righteous in all his
works which he doeth: for we
obeyed not his voice.
16. And now, 0 Lord our God,
that hast brought thy people forth
out of the land of Egypt with
a mighty hand, and hast gotten
thee renown, as at this day; we
have sinned, we have done
wickedly.

This is one of the instances in the Scriptures
when a prayer is recorded. This one is given
as an example of the fervent, effectual prayer
of a righteous man, which availeth mu"ch. Dan
iel realized that sin had darkened the vision of
many of God's professed people. Some who
were in Babylon were careless and indifferent
concerning the truths of God. Many had got
ten them homes, and rested secure in the assur
ance that, when the captivity began, they were
told to buy land and build homes. Some were
content with present surroundings, and dreaded
the difficulties which must attend the journey to
Jerusalem, which was in the hands of hostile
tribes, and where there were no pleasant homes.
Jerusalem should be built, they agreed, but
others should do it, not they.
A love of Babylon was strong in the hearts
of many. Seventy years after the decree of
Cyrus had given all the Jews liberty to re
turn to Palestine, there were still thousands
of them in Babylon. In fact, but a small per
cent, of the Jews ever returned. The youth,
who had been educated in the city, had, many of
them, like the daughters of Lot in Sodom, par
taken so largely of its customs, that they lin
gered among the heathen, though angels bade
them hurry out. The spirit of prophecy was
passed by with a few remarks, or fell upon ears
entirely deaf ; although in bondage, present con
ditions were preferable to freedom with the ef
fort necessary to obtain it. Daniel knew of this
condition, and he confessed the sins of the peo
ple before God. He identified himself with his
people. His is one of the most wonderful
prayers on record.

THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.

139

This man, whom heaven called " greatly be
loved," in whom no fault could be found, even
by his bitterest enemies, placed himself beneath
the load of sin which . was oppressing Israel.
Bowed before God, he met the Father with the
words, " We have sinned, and committed iniquity,
and have done wickedly, and haye rebelled;"
" neither have we hearkened unto Thy servants
the prophets." "O Lord, righteousness belong
eth unto Thee, but unto us confusion of face, to
our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers,
because we have sinned;" "we have rebelled
against Him ; neither have we obeyed ; " " the
curse is poured up6n us;" "all this evil is come
upon us, yet made we not our prayer before
the Lord our God, that we might turn from our
iniquities ; " " we obeyed not His voice ; " " we
have sinned, we have done wickedly;" "be
cause for our sins and for the iniquities of our
fathers," "behold our desolations;" "we do
not present our supplications before Thee for
our righteousnesses."
Before the Father we have One, even Christ,
who " hath borne our griefs and carried our sor
rows," "who His own self bare our sins jn His
own body." Daniel was a representative of
Christ, and he had lived so close to God, and
knew Him so intimately, that the spirit which
distinguished Christ from all others was mani
fested in Daniel also. He was a true shepherd
in Israel, and his prayer is a rebuke to all self-
righteousness ; a cutting rebuke to those who
say by word or act, " I am more holy than thou."
"O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord,
hearken and do ; defer not for Thine own sake,
O my God, for Thy city and Thy people are

16. 0 Lord, according to all thy
righteousness, I beseech thee, let
thine anger and thy fury be
turned away from thy city Jeru
salem, thy holy mountain : because
for our sins, and for the iniquities
of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy
people are become a reproach to
all that are about us.
17. Now therefore. 0 our Qod,
hear the prayer of thy seroant,
and his supplications, and cause
thy face to shine upon thy sanctu
ary that is desolate, for the Lord's
sake. 18. 0 my Qod, Incline thine ear
and hear; open thine eyes, and
behold our desolations, and the
city which is called by thy name :
for we do not present our suppli
cations before thee for our right
eousnesses, but for thy great mer
cies. Dan. 9 : 10-18.

Isa. 53 .4.
1 Peter 2 : 24.

2 Cor. 3 : 18.
2 Cor. 5 : 20.

Isa. 60:2.
John 10:11-17.

Isa. 65:5.
19. 0 Lord, hear ; 0 Lord forgive;
0 Lord, hearken and do; defer not,
for thine own sake, 0 my Hod:
for thy city and thy people are
called by thy name. Dan. 9: IS.

140

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

A broken and a contrite heart, O
God, thou wilt not despise. Ps. 51:17.
Acquaint now thyself with him,
and be at peace : thereby good shall
come unto thee. Job 22 : 2 1 .
20. And whiles I was speaking,
and praying, and confessing my
sin and the sin of my people Israel,
and presenting my supplication
before the Lord my God for the
holy mountain of my God ,

called by Thy name." Such was the entreaty
of a burdened heart. Such were the words
with which Daniel approached his God. He
was acquainted with the Father, and knew that
his words reached the throne of heaven. Faith
and prayer are the two arms which mortal man
may entwine around the neck of Infinite Love.
Christ stooped to listen, and bade Gabriel speed
earthward. We let go of the
arm of the Lord too soon in
our prayers. We should
press our petitions higher
and still higher. God
sometimes tests the
strength of our desires by
delaying an immediate an
swer. H"Yea, whiles I was
speaking in prayer, even
the man Gabriel, whom I
had seen in the vision at
the beginning, being
caused to fly swiftly,
touched me about the
time of the evening obla
tion." The very thing for
which Daniel had
asked, was first men
tioned as Gabriel laid
his hands upon the
prophet. " O Daniel, I am now come forth to
give thee skill and understanding. At the be-
the beginning, being caused to fiy ginning of thy supplication the word ["mare-inl
swiftly, touched me about the time a x 1 1 t L fc> j
ofthe evening oblation. came forth, and I am come to show thee."
Heaven was more interested than man could be

" O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill
and understanding."

21. Yea, whiles I was speaking
In prayer, even the man Gabriel,
whom I had seen in the vision at

Dan. 9:20, 21.

THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.

141

in the very thing for which Daniel prayed, and
as soon as the channel was open, the Spirit
flowed in. In the spiritual as in the natural
world, a vacuum is abhorred. As the air rushes
into a vessel when a liquid is poured out, so the
Holy Spirit fills the heart when it is emptied of
self. If there was more room made for Christ
in our hearts, the pentecostal experience would
often be repeated.
God has many favorites among the sons of
men. Indeed, every man is a special favorite,
and highly honored by the King of heaven, but
there are very few to whom angels have spoken
the word, "Thou art greatly beloved." The
marginal reading of the twenty-third verse gives
the Hebrew rendering as " a man of desires."
That man whose desires are heavenward, who
longs for spiritual food as the hart panteth
after the water brook, is greatly beloved of God,
for God is in search of such to fulfill His will
on earth. To such Gabriel can speak.
Beginning with the twenty-fourth verse the
angel explains the period of time, the two thou
sand three hundred days of Daniel 8:14.
There are no preliminaries. Gabriel knows
the thoughts of the prophet, and hence he
says, "Seventy weeks are determined [or cut
off] upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to
finish the transgression, and to make an end of
sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and
to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal
up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the
most holy." The entire future history of the
Jews as a nation is contained in this one verse.
No other history ever crowded so much into so
few words. Here is given the exact date for

22. And he informed me, and
talked with me, and said, 0 Dan
iel, I am now come forth to give
thee skill and understanding.
23. At the beginning of thy sup
plications the commandment came
forth; and I am come to show thee;
for thou art greatly beloved:
therefore understand the matter,
and consider the vision.
Dan. 9:22,23.
Behold, I stand at the door, and
knock : if any man hear my voice,
and open the door, I will come in
to him, and will sup with him, and
he with me. Rev. 3 :2o.
Them that honor me I will honor.
1 Sam, 2 :3o.
Because he hath set his love upon
me, therefore will I deliver him :
I will set him on high, because he
hath known my name. Ps. gr : 14.
Thou art a man of desires, there
fore understand the matter, and
consider the vision.Dan. 9:23 [margin].
I have esteemed the words of his
mouth more than my necessary
food. Job 23 : 12.
As the hart panteth after the
water brooks, so panteth my soul
after thee, O God. Ps. 42 : 1.
The Lord said unto Satan, Hast
thou considered my servant Job,
that there is none like him in the
earth, a perfect and an upright man,
one that feareth God, and eschew-
ethevil? Job. 1:8.
24. Seventy weeks are deter
mined upon thy people and upon
thy holy city, to finish the trans
gression, and to make an end of
sins, and to make reconciliation
for iniquity, and to bring in ever
lasting righteousness, and to seal
up the vision and prophecy, and to
anoint the most holy. Dan. 9:24.
Thou shalt take the anointing oil,
and anoint the tabernacle, and all
that is therein, and shalt hallow it,
and it shall be holy. Ex. 40 : 9.
Mark 1 : 15.

142

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Then Paul and Barnabas Waxed
bold, and said, It was necessary
that the word of God should first
have been spoken to you : but see
ing ye put it from you, and judge
yourselves unworthy of everlasting
life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Acts 13 : 46.
The time is come that judgment
must begin at the house of God ;
and if it first begin at us, what shall
the end be of them that obey not
the gospel of God ? 1 Peter 4 : 17.

I have not spoken in secret, in a
dark place of the earth ; I said not
unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me
in vain : I the Lord speak right
eousness, I declare things that are
right. Isa. 45 : 19.

26. Know therefore and under
stand, that from the going forth
of the commandment to restore
and to build Jerusalem unto the
Messiah the Prince shall be seven
weeks, and threescore and two
weeks: the street shall be built
again, and the wail even in troub
lous times.
26. And after three score and
two weeks shall Messiah be cut
off, but not for himself: and the
people of the prince that shall
come shall destroy the city and the
sanctuary; and the end thereof
shall be with a flood, and unto the
end of the war desolations are
determined. Dan. 9 :2S, 26,
Heb. 2 : 3.

Search the scriptures : for in them
ye think ye have eternal life : and
they are they which testify of me.
Johns: 39-

the beginning of the work of Christ ; the time
allotted Israel as a nation for repentance, the
time when type would meet antitype in all sacri
ficial offerings ; the period when probation
would end for the Hebrew race, and everlast
ing righteousness would be preached to the
world at large. In this interview with Gabriel
only that part of the two thousand three hun
dred days which applied to the Hebrew nation
was mentioned. To Daniel had already been
revealed the history of the nations of the world ;
the two thousand three hundred days has to do
more especially with God's people, independ
ently of national governments.
The period of seventy weeks, or four hundred
and ninety days [70 x 7 — 490], of prophetic
time, covers a period of four hundred and ninety
years, during which Jewish history as such
would continue. This four hundred and
ninety years did not begin at once, for
the angel said they should begin to reckon
from the going forth of the command
ment to restore, and build Jerusalem. The
period of seventy weeks of Jewish history is
thus divided by the angel: Seven weeks for
building the walls and streets of Jerusalem;
threescore and two (62) weeks till the work of
the Messiah ; and one week, which would cover
the period of His ministry and the time follow
ing, until the gospel should go forth to the Gen
tiles. This last week is devoted to the confir
mation of the covenant.
For an understanding of the first division, the
seven weeks or forty-nine years, we have the
history as recorded in Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai,
and Zechariah. God raised up Cyrus and placed

THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.

143

him on the throne, that he might restore the
Jews to their native city. Long before the
Babylonish captivity began, the prophet Isaiah
(44: 28) wrote of Cyrus, "He is My shepherd,
and shall perform all My pleasure ; even saying
to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the
temple, thy foundation shall be laid."
In the first chapter of the book of Ezra is
recorded the decree of Cyrus. The fulfillment
by Cyrus of the prophecy of Isaiah is striking :
" In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia
. . . the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus,
the king of Persia, that he made a proclamation
throughout all his kingdom, and put it in writ
ing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia,
The Lord God of heaven . . . hath charged
me to build him a house at Jerusalem."
Then it was that every Jew in Babylon was
at liberty to return to Palestine. If necessary,
the expenses of going would be borne by the
government of Cyrus. There was ample pro
vision for all the poor and the sick. Such a
decree had never before been issued. Israel
should have arisen en masse, taking with them
all those of other nationalities, who, having heard
the gospel, were willing to cast in their lot with
the people of God. The land should have rung
with shouts of praise and with the songs of the
ransomed. The exodus from Babylon should
have been a mighty witness to the nations of
the earth of the power of the God of Israel.,
The exodus from Egypt, and the wonders
attending the crossing of the Red Sea and
the Jordan, and the feeding of the thou
sands in the wilderness, would have dwin
dled into insignificance had Israel taken ad-

That saith of Cyrus, He is my
shepherd, and shall perform all my
pleasure : even saying to Jerusa
lem, Thou shalt be built ; and to
the temple, Thy foundation shall
be laid. Isa. 44 : 28.
2 Chron. 36 : 23.
I have raised him up in righteous
ness, and I will direct all his ways :
he shall build my city, and he shall
let go my captives, not for price or
reward, saith the Lord of hosts.
Isa. 45 : 13.
Who is there among you of all
his people? his God be with him,
and let him go up to Jerusalem,
which is in Judah, and build the
house of the Lord God of Israel,
(he is the God,) which is in Jerusa
lem. Ezra 1 : 3.

They shall bring all your breth
ren for an offering unto the Lord
out of all nations upon horses, and
in chariots, and in litters, and upon
mules, and upon swift beasts, to my
holy mountain Jerusalem. Isa. 66 : 20,

Shake thyself from the dust ;
arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem :
loose thyself from the bands of thy
neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
Isa. 52 : 2.

Therefore, behold, the days come,
saith the Lord, that" it shall no
more be said, The Lord liveth, that
brought up the children of Israel
out of the land of Egypt ; But,
The Lord liveth, that brought
up the children of Israel from the
land of the north, and from all
the lands whither he had driven
them ; and I will bring them again
into their land that I gave unto
their fathers. Jer. 16 : 14, 15.

144

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

The whole congregation together
was forty and two thousand three
hundred and threescore. Ezra 2 : 64-67

The prince of the kingdom of
Persia withstood me one and twenty
days ; but, lo, Michael, one of the
chief princes, came to help me ;
and I remained there with the
kings of Persia. Dan. 10 : 13.
Ezra 1 :7~n.
When the builders laid the foun
dation of the temple of the Lord,
they set the priests in their apparel
with trumpets and the Levites the
sons of Asaph with cymbals, to
praise the Lord, after the ordi
nance of David king of Israel.
And they sang together by course in
praising and giving thanks unto the
Lord : because he is good, for his
mercy endureth forever toward
Israel. And all the people shouted
with a great shout, when they
praised the Lord, because the foun
dation of the house of the Lord was
laid. Ezra 3 : 10, 11.
Then ceased the work of the
house of God which is at Jerusa
lem. So it ceased unto the second
year of the reign of Darius king of
Persia. Ezra 4 : 24.
Ezra 5:1,2.
Haggai, 1st and 2d chapters.
Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell
in your ceiled houses, and this
house lie waste? Haggai 1 =4.
Consider now from this day and
upward, from the four and twen
tieth day of the ninth month, even
from the day that the foundation of
the Lord's temple was laid, con
sider it. Is the seed yet in the
bam ? yea, as yet tlie vine and the
fig tree, and the pomegranate, and
the olive tree, hath not brought
forth : from this day will I bless
you. Haggai 2 : 18, 19,
Ezra 5 n-17.

vantage of the way which God had prepared.
What was the result of the decree ? Daniel
watched with anxiety the preparations which
were made to depart, and at the end of the first
year scarcely fifty thousand had journeyed from
Babylon to Jerusalem.
Cyrus was discouraged and disgusted because
of the feeble response, and relapsed into indif
ference. Later the angel of God with Michael's
help pleaded with him for three weeks in order
to touch his heart again.
The vessels taken from the temple to Baby
lon by Nebuchadnezzar were returned to the
leaders of the Jews, who carried them back to
Jerusalem. In the second year of their coming
into Palestine, the work of restoring the temple
was begun. The site of Solomon's temple,
which had been burned by Nebuchadnezzar, was
hidden by rubbish, the accumulation of nearly
seventy years. The work of restoration was
soon stopped by the Samaritans living in the
country, and further progress was impossible
until the issuing of a second decree by Darius,
king of Persia, in 520 b. c. Work on the house
of God stopped for fifteen years. Then the
prophets Haggai and Zechariah rebuked the peo
ple for their inactivity.
It would seem that the Jews while professing
to be God's people, yet built their own houses,
and delayed work on the temple, because there
was no direct command from the king to pro
ceed. But God wanted them to go forward, ex
ercising faith, and when, in response to the word
of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, they did go
to work, the Lord stirred up the heart of the
Persian king to help them. This will be fur-

THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.

'45

Now this Is tlie copy of the letter
that the king Artaxerxes gave unto
Ezra tlie priest, the scribe, even a
scribe of the words of the com
mandments of the Lord, and of his
statutes to Israel. ... I make
a decree, that all they of the people
of Israel, and of his priests and

ther seen in chapter twelve. Men of the world,
enemies of the Jews, openly complained to the
king, but this, instead of hindering the work,
occasioned a searching of the royal records, which
revealed the decree of Cyrus. Then Darius,
instead of rebuking the Jews, issued a
decree that the work should
ward, and further commanded
work of building be hi
money from the royal
treasury. Jerusalem was sub
ject to the Persian
government until the
days of Ezra in the
reign of Artaxerxes.
In the seventh year
of the reign of that
king, 457 b. c, was
issued the third de
cree concerning the
rebuilding of Jerusa
lem. This decree (i)
permitted all Jews
who so desired to re
turn to J erusalem ;
(2) it allowed the ta
king of a free-will
o ff e r i n g from a 1 1
Babylon for the cause
at Jerusalem ; (3) it
1 • j r The Jewish Leaders receiving the Sacred vessels.
proclaimed perfect
freedom to follow the commands of God in
all the territory west of the Jordan ; (4) it re
lieved all Levites and ministers from paying
toll or tribute; (5) it directed that the walls
IO

Levites, in my realm, which are
minded of their own frci-will to e,°
up to Jerusalem, go wilh thee. . . .
And to carry the silver and gold,
which the king and his counsellors
have freely offered unto the tlod of

146

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Israel, whose habitation is in Jeru
salem, and all the silver and gold
that thou canst find in all the prov
ince of Babylon, with the freewill
offering of the people, and of the
priests, offering willingly for the
house of their God which is in
Jerusalem : that thou mayest buy
speedily with this money bullocks,
rams, lambs, with their meat offer
ings and their drink offerings, and
offer them upon the altar of the
house of your God which is in
Jerusalem. And whatsoever shall
seem good to thee, and to thy breth
ren, to do with the rest of the silver
and the gold, that do after the will
of your God. The vessels also
that are given thee for the service
of the house of thy God, those
deliver thou before the God of Jeru
salem. And whatsoever more shall
be needful for the house of thy
God, which thou shalt have occasion
to bestow, bestow it out of the
king's treasure house. And I, even
I Artaxerxes the king, do make a
decree to all the treasurers which
are beyond the river, that whatso
ever Ezra the priest, the scribe of
the law of the God of heaven, shall
require of you, it be done speedily.
. . . Whatsoever is commanded by
the God of heaven, let it be dili
gently done for the house of the
God of heaven : for why should
there be wrath against the realm of
tlie king and his sons? Also we
certify you, that touching any of
the priests and Levites, singers,
porters, Nethinims, or ministers of
this house of God, it shall not be
lawful to impose toll, tribute, or
custom, upon them. And thou,
Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God,
that is in thy hand, set magistrates
and judges, which may judge all the
people that are beyond the river, all
such as know the laws of thy God ;
and teach ye them that know them
not. And whosoever will not do
the law of thy God, and the law of
the king, let judgment be executed
speedily upon him, whether it be
unto death, or to banishment, or to
confiscation of goods, or to im
prisonment. Ezra 7 : 11-26.

of Jerusalem be rebuilt ; (6) it arranged for
the appointment of magistrates and judges in
Palestine from among the Jews themselves,
thus organizing a government of the people,
a thing wholly foreign to the policy of an
Oriental monarchy.
This was in the year 457 b. c, and is the
time from which the period of seventy weeks
should be reckoned, according to the words of
Gabriel to Daniel. That it required the three
decrees to constitute the commandment of Dan.
9:25, is evident from the words of Inspiration
in Ezra 6: 14: "They builded, and finished it,
. . . according to the commandment of Cyrus,
and Darius, and Artaxerxes, king of Persia."
The three decrees are thus connected.
The "troublous times," during which the
building should be carried forward are described
by the prophet Nehemiah. Full thirteen long
weary years after the decree of Artaxerxes
was issued, Nehemiah, who was a cupbearer
for the king in Babylon, was mourning over the
troubles in Jerusalem, and in answer to his peti
tion he was permitted to go up to the city in
behalf of the work. Under the direction of
Nehemiah the people worked on the wall of
Jerusalem with weapons fastened to their sides.
" They which builded on the wall, and they that
bare burdens, with those that laded, every one
with one of his hands wrought in the work,
and with the other hand held a weapon. . . .
So we labored in the work ; and half of them
held the spears from the rising of the morning
till the stars appeared."
Nehemiah in these times of trouble was a
wonderful leader for Israel. His lessons to the

V PQ
eo

CD

E
u

79 yrs.
Decree

2300 days or years. Dan. 8 : 14.

o

70 weeks » 490 years

7wks

49 yrs

62 wks

<

lw

70
_7
490

434 yrs

7
_7 49

<

1310

Judgment

yrs

62
__7
434

49
484 483

483 456^
or 27 A.D.

27
_7 34

2300 490
1810

1810 34
1844

The twenty-three hundred days of Dan. S : 14 locates four important events in the history of God's work for His
people. The line of prophecy opened with the " going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem,"
Dan. 0:25: E/.ra 7 : 11-20. It required seventy-nine years for the execution of this command. It was first executed by
Cyrus in iillti n. c, Kzra 1 : 1-4. Several years later -Darius re-issued tlie decree. Kzra li : 1-12. The decree given
by Artaxerxes in 457 B. c. completed the commandment. Ezra 0 : 14. The decree went into effect near the middle of
the year, which would make the exact date 457^ If. c. Kzra 7 : il
The second great event located by this line of prophecy was the anointing of Jesus, which was in connection with
His baptism in the spring of 27 A. r>., and marked the end of the 00th wegk.
The third event was the crucifixion of Christ which took place in the midst of the 70th week. The fourth important
event was the investigative judgment which opened in 1844 at the close of the two thousand three hundred days.

THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.

147

people on the taking of usury, wages, and rent
should be followed by Christians to-day: The
rebuilding of Jerusalem in troublous times is a
fit symbol of carrying the gospel to all nations
in the last days. Israel brought this trouble
upon herself by her sins and lack of faith ; and
what she should have done by way of warning
the world in peace and quietude, had to be done
in great distress. Furthermore, it will be no
ticed that a few years of rest always found sin
and iniquity abounding in Israel. The nation
was scarcely from under the hands of Babylon
till the people held their own brethren as slaves
because of debt. A proclamation of freedom
must come from within their own borders before
*
there could be peace and help from without.
When it should come from within, God's Word
pledged the support of even their enemies.
These principles are true in the body of Chris
tians to-day. The spread of the gospel will be
an easy work, and it will be as the voice of a
mighty angel enlightening the world, when
God's people proclaim liberty among themselves.
" From the going forth of the commandment
to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Mes
siah the Prince shall be seven weeks and three
score and two weeks " ( 7 -]- 62 == 69 weeks, or
483 prophetic days, or literal years). Messiah,
in the Hebrew, and Christ, in the Greek, are
the same as "anointed" in English. God
anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy
Ghost. This anointing took place at the
time of His baptism. The sixty-nine weeks,
four hundred and eighty-three years,

or

reached to the baptism of Christ by John
in the River Jordan.

I pray you, let us leave off this
usury. Restore, I pray you, to
them, even this day, their lands,
their vineyards, their oiiveyards,
and their houses, also the hundredth
part of the money, and of the com,
the wine, and the oil, that ye exact
of them. Neh. 5 : 1-13.

Neh. 5 : 14, 15.
Neh. 9 128.
Some'of our daughters are brought
unto bondage already : neither is it
in our power to redeem them ; for
other men have our lands and
vineyards. Neh. 5 : 5-8.
Zech. 9 : 9-1 1.
Haggai 2 : 15-19.
If the Son therefore shall make
you free, ye shall be free indeed.
John 8 : 36.
Ye shall know the truth, and the
truth shall make you free. John 8:32.
After these things I saw another
angel come down from heaven,
having great power : and the earth
was lightened with his glory.
Rev. 18 : 1.
Dan. 9 125.
We have found the Messias,
which is, being interpreted, the
anointed. John 1 : 41 [margin].

How God anointed Jesus of Naz
areth with the Holy Ghost and with
power : who went about doing
good, and healing all that were
oppressed of the devil ; for God
was with him. Acts 10 138.

Luke 3 :2i, 22.
Straightway coming up out of the
water, he saw the heavens opened,
and the Spirit like a dove descend
ing upon him. Mark 1 : 10.

148

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

The kingdom is the Lord's : and
he is the governor among the na
tions. Fsa. 22 :28.

But John forbade him, saying, I
have need to be baptized of thee,
and comest thou to me? And Je
sus answering said unto him, Suffer
it to be so now : for thus it becom-
eth us to fulfil all righteousness.Matt. 3 : 14, 15.

It came to pass in those days,
that there went out a decree from
Csesar Augustus, that all the world
should be taxed. (And this taxing
was first made when Cyrenius was
governor of Syria.) Luke 2 : 1, .*.

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah,
though thou be Uttle among the
thousands of Judah, yet out of thee
shall he come forth unto me that is
to be ruler in Israel : whose goings
forth have been from of old, from
everlasting. Micah 5:2.

Mal. 3 : 1.
Mal. 4 : 5, 6.

Luke 3 : 1-3.
Matt. 3 -5, 13.
John 1:31-34.
Matt. 3 : 17.

From the decree of Artaxerxes, four hun
dred and fifty-seven years reach into the year
1 a. D., in the present dispensation. But
twenty-six years remained of the sixty-nine
weeks (483 — 457 ==26), which terminated
with the baptism of Christ. Twenty-six years
added to the year 1 a. d. bring us to 27
A. d., in the fall of which year Christ was
baptized. (See Mark 1:10, margin; Luke
3:21-23, margin).
For years the Jewish nation had had the
promise of a Deliverer. The close of the sixty-
nine weeks found the Jews under the con
trol of the fourth kingdom, the dreadful
and terrible beast which Daniel had be-
fore described. The desire of every Jew
ish woman who was true to her God was
to be the mother of the Saviour. Whenever
a babe was presented to the Lord, it was with
the hope that he might be the accepted One.
The birthplace of the Messiah had been fore
told. Malachi had prophesied concerning John,
the forerunner of the Saviour, and for six
months the voice of this witness had been
heard throughout the land of Israel. The time
of the preaching of John is established by six
historical facts. (See Luke 3:1,2). Israel
and Judah flocked to the banks of the Jor
dan, and among them came Jesus of Nazareth.
John recognized Him by a sign from heaven;
and as He came out of the water, the heav
ens opened, and he saw the heavenly dove
resting on His head, and heard the voice pro
claiming Him the Son of God.
The sixty-nine weeks had closed. Those who
were at that time studying the prophecies of

THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.

149

Daniel were looking for the Messiah, and be
lieved the words of John when he said, " Behold
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin
of the world." Christ also said, "The time is
fulfilled," referring to the period of sixty-nine
weeks of Daniel. But the nation as a whole
was blind. " He came unto His own, and His
own received Him not." They might have
known. The book of Daniel was for them to
study. The same book, together with the book
of Revelation, proclaims the hour of God's
judgment, and His second coming, but men will
be taken unawares because they heed not the
prophecies. As the baptism of Christ was one sign given
by Gabriel by which the Jews might have known
the Messiah, so His death was a second token.
One week — seven years — remained of the al
lotted time for the Jewish nation. During one
half of that time — three and one-half years —
the Son of God walked among the' people. The
sick were healed ; he comforted the broken
hearted, and preached the gospel to the poor.
High and low, rich and poor, alike came within
the circle of His influence.
" In the midst of the week," said the angel to
Daniel, " He shall cause the sacrifice and the
oblation to cease," At the time of the passover
feast, in the spring of 3 1 A. c, three and one-
half years after His baptism, Christ was cruci
fied by the very people He had tried to save.
As His life went out, the inner veil of the tem-
v*e was rent from the top to the bottom. The
mercy rfcat, seen only by the high priest once
each year, was laid open to the gaze of the mul
titudes. The knife fell from the hand of the

Again the next day after John
stood, and two of his disciples :
and looking upon Jesus as he
walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb
of God I And the two disciples
heard lum speak, and they followed
Jesus. John i : 35-37.
Mark 1:15.
Luke 19 : 41-45,

John 1 : 11.
Matt. 24 : 15.
Dan. 7 19, 10.
Dan. 8 : 14.
Rev. 1 '.7.
Rev. 14:6-12.
Luke 21 : 35.

After threescore and two weeks
shall Messiah be cut off, but not
for himself: . . . in the midst of
the week he shall cause the sacri
fice and the oblation to cease.
Dan. 9 : 26, 27.

He hath sent me to heal the
brokenhearted, to preach deliver
ance to the captives, and recover
ing of sight to the blind, to set at
liberty them that are bruised.
Luke 4 : 18, 19.

27. And he shall confirm the
covenant with many for one week :
and In the midst of the week he
shall cause the sacrifice and the
oblatlon to cease, and for the
overspreading of abominations he
shall make It desolate, even until
the consummation, and that deter
mined shall be poured upon ihe
desolate. Dan. 9:27.

ISO

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Behold, your house is left unto
you desolate. Matt. 23 : 38.
For the law having a shadow of
good things to come, and not the
very image of the things. Heb. 10 : 1.
Which are a shadow of things to
come : but the body is of Christ.
Col. 2 : 17.
And that repentance and remis
sion of sins should be preached in
bis name among all nations, begin
ning at Jerusalem.
Luke 23 : 47.

Stoning of Stephen.
rlow shall we escape, if we neg
lect so great salvation : which at
tne first began to be spoken by the
Lord, and was confirmed unto us
by them that heard him? Heb. 2:3.
The people of the prince that
shall come shall destroy the city
and the sanctuary, . . . and unto
the end of the war desolations are
determined. Dan. 9 : 26.

priest, and the sacrificial lamb escaped. God
had withdrawn His presence from the temple..
The Lamb of God Himself had been slain, and
sacrifice and oblation were forever done away.
Those ceremonies which had shadowed forth
the death of the Saviour,
ceased at the cross.
This was in the midst
of the last week of the
prophetic seventy weeks.
Mercy still lingered
over the Jewish people;
there was yet a little time
in which to repent. What
was not accomplished in
the person of Christ, God,
sending His Holy Spirit, sought
to accomplish through His disciples.
Humble fishermen imbued with the
power of God taught the people concern
ing a crucified and risen Saviour. In
one day three thousand accepted the
message. When many believed, the
enmity of Satan was again aroused.
In 34 a. d., Stephen was stoned,
and as the result' of the severe
persecution which followed, the
believers were driven from Jerusalem
and "went everywhere preaching the word."
Israel had withdrawn from God, and His spirit
could no longer protect them. In less than
forty years the city was captured by the army
of Titus, the. temple was burned, and the Jews
were scattered to the ends of the earth, there
to remain until the consummation of all things
at the time determined.

THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.

151

There can be no question as to the accuracy
of the date 457 b. c, as the beginning of the
seventy weeks, for it is established by four
events : the decree of Artaxerxes ; the baptism
of Christ ; the crucifixion ; and the spread of
the gospel among the Gentiles. History estab
lishes the date 457 b. c. as the seventh year of
Artaxerxes by more than twenty eclipses. The
four hundred and ninety years can be reckoned
backward from the New Testament history,
or forward from the decree to restore and
build Jerusalem.
The angel has given the events during the
firgLfour hundred and ninety years of thp twn
thousand three hundred days of Dan. 8m 4.
Eighteen.

hundred
2300 — 490— 1810

and ten years remains.
The four hundred and
ninety years , ended in the year 34 a. p. Tq
this add eighteen hundred anrl tpn y^i-g) and
we have~ithe year 1844 a. d. Daniel had been
shown the events which would mark this year.
It was the investigative judgment, and the
giving of the message of the first angel of
the fourteenth chapter of Revelation.
This message was given within the memory
of many who are still living, and is known as
the advent message. About twenty years be
fore the expiration of the prophetic period of
the two thousand three hundred days, the atten
tion of some men were called to the study of
the prophecies. Foremost among these students
was William Miller, who became thoroughly con
vinced that the prophetic period of Dan. 8: 14
would close in 1844. The expression "unto
two thousand and three hundred days then shall
the sanctuary be cleansed," was interpreted to

Ezra 7 : 11-26.
Mark 1 : 10 [margin].
Acts 8 : 1-4,

God said, Let there be lights in
the firmament of the heaven to
divide the day from the night ; and
let them be for signs. Gen. 1 : 14.

Thou shalt bear the iniquity of
the house of Judah forty days : I
have appointed thee each day for a
year. Eze. 4:6.
After the number of the days in
which ye searched the land, even
forty days, each day for a year,
shall ye bear your iniquities, even
forty years. Num. 14:34.
Dan. 8 : 14.

Fear God, and give glory to him;
for the hour of his judgment is
come : and worship him that made
heaven, and earth, and the sea, and
the fountains of waters. Rev. 14 : 6, 7.

Knowing this first, that no proph
ecy of the scripture is of any private
interpretation. 2 Peter 1 : 20.

Thy words were found, and I did
eat them ; and thy word was unto
me the joy and rejoicing of mine
heart. Jer. 15 : 16,

I saw another mighty angel come
down from heaven, clothed with a
cloud : and a rainbow was upon his
head, and his face was as it were
the sun, and his feet as pillars of

152

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

fire : and he had in his hand a little
book open : and he set his right
foot upon the sea, and his left foot
on the earth. Rev. io : i, 2.
Rev. 14 : 6, 7.

I went unto the angel, and said
unto him, Give me the little book.
And he said unto me, Take it, and
eat it up ; and it shall make thy
belly bitter, but it shall be in thy
mouth sweet as honey. Rev. 10:9.

Heb. 10 132-36.
The temple of God was opened in
heaven, and there was seen in his
temple the ark of his testament.
Rev. 11 : 19.

There are priests that offer gifts
according to the law : who serve
unto the example and shadow of
heavenly things, as Moses was ad
monished of God when he was
about to make the tabernacle : for,
See, saith he, that thou make all
things according to the pattern
showed to thee in the mount.
Heb. 8 : 1-5.

Dan. 7 . g, 10.
Behold, I come quickly : and my
reward is with me, to give every
man according as his work shall be.
Rev. 22 : 12.

Dan. 11 : 1-45.

mean that at the end of that stated period the
earth would be destroyed by fire at the second
coming of Christ. Consequently between 1833
and 1844 the personal coming of the Saviour
was preached throughout the world. Men were
warned according to the wording of the first
angel's message of the fourteenth chapter of
Revelation, that the judgment was at hand, and
thousands prepared to meet the Lord.
When the year 1844 passed, and Christ did
not appear, many lost faith in the prophecies ;
but others, knowing that the word of God
abideth sure, were led to search more diligently
for the events which did take place at the close
of the prophetic period. Further study cor
roborated the truth of the interpretation of the
time, and revealed also the light on the sanct
uary question.
For the first time men saw that the " sanct
uary'' spoken of in Daniel's vision referred to
the work in heaven rather than upon earth.
An investigation of the typical service instituted
in the wilderness revealed the work of cleansing
the sanctuary on the day of atonement. It
was seen that the work of the high priest
in the earthly tabernacle was but a figure
of the service upon which Christ, the great
High Priest, entered in 1844. At that time
He entered into the presence of the Ancient
of Days, as seen in the vision of the seventh
chapter of Daniel, and began the work of the
investigative judgment in the heavenly sanct
uary, at the end of which work He will ap
pear in the clouds of heaven. William Miller
and others who preached the second advent
in 1844 were mistaken in the event, but not

THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.

153

in the reckoning of the prophetic time of
Dan. 8:14.
The events which took place between 34 a. d.
and 1844 a. d. are described in the next vision,
which was given to Daniel, four or five years
later than the vision of the ninth chapter.
Since Gabriel explained with such care and
minuteness the history of the Jews, and as a
nation they were without excuse in the rejection
of the Son of God, we may expect that this same
angel of prophecy will set the waymarks high
and clear, that men in the last days may know
the time of Christ's appearing in judgment, and
of His second coming in the clouds of heaven.
Let us watch and be ready.

All men shall fear, and shall de
clare the work of God ; for they
shall wisely consider of his doing.
Psa. 64 : 9,

And that, knowing the time, that
now it is high time to awake out of
sleep ; for now is our salvation
nearer than when we believed.
The night is far spent, the day is
at hand : let us therefore cast off
the works of darkness, and let us
put on the armor of light.
Rom. 13 : 11, 12.

CHAPTER XI.

THE SANCTUARY.

He hath looked down from the
height of his sanctuary; from
heaven did the Lord behold the
earth. Ps. 102 : 19.
The Lord is in his holy temple,
the Lord's throne is in heaven. Ps. 11 :4.
I beheld till the thrones were
cast down, and the Ancient of days
did sit: thousand thousands min
istered unto him, and ten thousand
times ten thousand stood before
him. Dan. 7:9, 10 R. V.
The temple of God was opened
in heaven. Rev. 11 : 19.
Look that thou make them after
their pattern, which thou wast
caused to see in the mount.
Ex. 25 : 40 [margin], 154

Since a misunderstanding of the sanctuary
question led to the disappointment in 1844, it
seems proper to devote one chapter to the con
sideration of this all-important subject.
Three sanctuaries, or temples, are brought to
view in the Bible. The first is the heavenly
sanctuary, where God reigns upon His throne,
surrounded by ten thousand times ten thousands
of angels. This temple was opened to the won
dering gaze of the lonely seer on the Isle of
Patmos, and also to Moses on Mount Sinai.
The second, or earthly, sanctuary was a minia
ture model of the heavenly one, in which the
priests served unto the example and shadow of

THE SANCTUARY.

155

the service in the heavenly temple. For more
than fourteen hundred years, God designed that
tlie service should be in the shadowy sanctuary.
The time came when those following the
shadow reached the substance.
Two clays before the crucifixion, Christ slowly
and regretfully left the temple for the last time.
The priests and rulers were struck with terror
as they heard 11 is mournful words: "Behold,
your house is left unto you desolate." The
beautiful structure remained until a. d. 70, but
il had ceased to be the temple of God. The
Father showed by an unmistakable sign that the
glory had departed. When the words, "It is
finished," were pronounced by the Sufferer upon
the cross, the veil of the temple was rent from
the top to the bottom by unseen hands. Terror
and confusion prevailed. The knife raised to
slay the sacrifice fell from the nerveless hand of
the priest, and the lamb escaped.
Henceforth the sinner need no longer wait
for a priest to offer his sacrifice. The great
Sacrifice had been made. Every child of Adam
could accept 1 1 is atoning blood. The way into
the heavenly temple was now made manifest.
The heavenly had taken the place of the earthly
sanctuary. Hereafter man's faith was to enter
within the veil, where Christ officiated.
The third temple brought to view in the
Bible is the temple of the human body. The
Jews had lost sight of the fact that their bodies
were to be the temples of the Spirit of God ;
and when the Saviour said, " Destroy this tem
ple, and in three clays I will raise it up," they
thought only of the massive structure of mar
ble and stone, and replied that it had taken

Who serve unto the example and
shadow of heavenly things, as
Moses wns admonished of (hid when
lie was about to make the taberna
cle 1 hir, See, sallh ho, Hint thou
make all things according to the
pattern showed lo theo in tho
mount. lleb. 8:3-5.
Heb. 9:8, 9, 11, i\, _•.(.
Ye know that after two days is
the feast of the passover, and tlie
Son of man is betrayed to be cru-
cilieil. Matt, lb 12,

Behold, your house is left unto
you desolate. Matt, 23 : 38,

Behold, the veil of the temple
was rent in twain from the top to
the bottom. iM.ni 27:51.
For there is one God, and on«
mediator between Ond and men,
tho man Christ Jesus. 1 Tim. 2:5,6,
The blood of Jesus Christ his
Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1 John 1 : 7,

The way Into the holiest of all
was not yet made manifest, while
as the first tabernacle was yet
standing. Heb. 9:8,9.

Heb. 9 : 24.
lleb. 6 : 19, ao.

What? know ye not that your
body Is the temple of the Holy
Ghost which is in you ? •
I Cor. 6 : 19, 20.
Jesus answered and said unto
thein, De.strnv this temple, and in
throe days 1 will raise it up. Then
said the Jews, Kmty and six years
wns this temple In building, and
wilt thou rear it up In three days?
But he spake of the temple of his
body. John 2:19-21.

156

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
thou that leadest Joseph Hke a
flock : thou that dwellest between
the cherubims, shine forth. Ps. So: i.

God hath made man upright.
Eccl. 7 : 29.

Rom. 6:6-8.

AU that dwell upon the earth
shall worship him, whose names
are not written in the book of life
of the Lamb slain from the founda
tion of the world. Rev. 13 : 8.
I am crucified with Christ : never
theless I live : yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me : and the life which I
now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved
me, and gave himself for me.
Gal. 2 : 20.

I will put enmity between thee
and the woman, and between thy
seed and her seed : it shall bruise
thy head, and thou shalt bruise his
heel. Gen. 3 : 15.

To him that overcometh will I
give to eat of the tree of life, which
is in the midst of the paradise of
God. Rev. 2:7.

He . showed me a pure river of
water of life, clear as crystal, pro
ceeding out of the throne of God
and of the Lamb. In the midst of
the street of it, and on either side
of the river, was there the tree of
life, which bare twelve manner of
fruits, and yielded her fruit every
month : and the leaves of the tree
were for the healing of the nations.
Rev. 22 : 1, *.

forty-six years to build the temple, not perceiv
ing that " He spake of the temple of His body."
Glorious rays of light shine from the heavenly
sanctuary upon those who study the typical
work in the earthly sanctuary. These rays,
when gathered into the temple of the body,
reflect the character of our great High Priest
in the heavenly courts.
In the beginning the body of man was created
to be a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit ; but
Satan gained possession, and man partook of an
evil nature. Before the body can again become
a temple for the Spirit of God, the evil nature
must die. Christ offered His life for the sinner ;
before the foundation of the world He was
counted as a " Lamb slain."
That man in his fallen condition might com
prehend this gift, and understand the work of
redemption, the sinner that longed to crucify
"the old man," the evil nature, was directed to
bring an innocent animal, and take its life, as
an object lesson of the Lamb of God, and also
to illustrate the fact that the evil nature of the
sinner must die, in order that the Holy Spirit
may dwell within.
Before the gates of the garden of Eden, Adam
and his family presented their offerings. Their
clear minds grasped by faith the promise of the
Redeemer, who would again open to them the
joys of the garden. Adam by faith looked for
ward to the time when the Saviour would lead
him once more to the Tree of Life, and bid
him pluck and eat of its life-giving fruit. As
he took the life of the innocent lamb, and saw
by faith the "one sinless Man" suffering death
for him, his heart went out in love and gratitude

The three temples.

THE SANCTUARY.

157

to God for His wonderful love, and for a time
he forgot the terrible sorrow that weighed upon
his soul. Every falling leaf, while it taught the
death of Christ, was also a constant reminder to
him that sin had brought death into the hitherto
perfect earth.
While men lived near God, the altars were
lighted by fire from heaven. But this perfect
worship was marred. Cain's mind became so
blinded by sin that he failed to grasp the infinite
sacrifice. Satan convinced him that God was an
austere judge, demanding service. The love and
sacrifice of the Saviour was overlooked. Cain
and Abel each brought an offering to the gate
of the garden ; but the desires of the two hearts
were greatly different. Abel brought a lamb,
and as he took its life, his faith laid hold of the
Lamb of God. The lamb was laid upon the
altar, and fire flashed from the shining sword
of the cherubim guarding the way to the Tree
of Life, and the sacrifice was consumed.
Cain brought an offering of fruits. There was
nothing in his offering that typified the dying
Lamb of Calvary. No innocent life was taken
in exchange for his forfeited life. He waited
for the fire to consume it, but there was noth
ing to call forth the fire from the heavenly '
Watcher. There was no sweet love, no longing
for deliverance from the thralldom of sin and
death. Cain and Abel are types of all worshipers
from that time to the present. The followers
of Cain multiplied ceremonies, and made
offerings to the sun and various other ob
jects. In it they overlooked the all-important-
principle that self must die, and that Christ

Eze. 47 : 12.
Zech. 14 : 8.

There came a fire out from before
the Lord, and consumed upon the
altar the burnt offering and the
fat: which when all the people
saw, they shouted, and fell on
their faces. Lev. 9 : 24.
Then the fire of the Lord fell,
and consumed the burnt sacrifice.
1 Kings 18 :38.
Judges 6:21.
In process of time it came to
pass, that Cain brought of the fruit
of the ground an offering unto the
Lord. And Abel, he also brought
of the firstlings of the flock and of
the fat thereof. And the Lord had
respect unto Abel and to his offer
ing. Gen. 4:3,4.
Heb. 11:4.
He placed at the east of the gar
den of Eden cherubims, and a
flaming sword which turned every
way, to keep the way of the tree of
life. Gen. 3 : 24.
But unto Cain and to his offering
he had not respect. And Cain was
very wroth, and his countenance
fell. Gen. 4 :$.

For the life of the flesh is in the
blood : and I have given it to you
upon the altar to make an atone
ment for your souls : for it is the
blood that maketh an atonement
for the soul. Lev. 17:11.

Now all these things happened
unto them for ensamples : and they
are written for our admonition, upon
whom the ends of the world are
come. 1 Cor. 10 : 11.

158

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

He removed from thence unto a
mountain on the east of Bethel,
and pitched his' tent : and there he
builded an altar unto the Lord.
Gen. 12 :8.

Let us arise and go up to Bethel ;
and I will make there an altar unto
God. Gen. 35 :3.
Behold a ladder set up on the
earth, and the top of it reached to
heaven : and behold the angels of
God ascending and descending on
it. And, behold, the Lord stood
above it. Gen. 28 : 10-13.
Now Israel loved Joseph more
than all his children, and he made
him a coat of many colors. Gen. 37:3.
They took Joseph's coat, and
killed a kid of the goats, and dipped
the coat in the blood. Gen. 37:31.

How then can I do this great
wickedness, and sin against God?
He hearkened not unto her.
Gen. 39 ;g.

Let them make me a sanctuary ;
that I may dwell among them. Ac
cording to all that I show thee,
after the pattern of the tabernacle,
and the pattern of all the instru
ments thereof, even so shall ye
make it. Ex. 25 : 8. 9.

The glory of the Lord abode
upon Mount Sinai, and the cloud
covered it six days : and the seventh
day he called unto Moses out of the
midst of the cloud. And the sight
of the glory of the Lord was like
devouring fire on the top of the
mount in the eyes of the children

must live in the temple of the human body.
Anciently each family erected its own altars.
The father was priest of the household, and was
succeeded by the eldest son. At times sin sepa
rated the eldest from the family, and character,
instead of age, decided who should act as priest.
Jacob knew the character of the one great
High Priest ; and as he lay with his head upon
the stone in Bethel, and watched the angels as
cending and descending upon that glorious lad
der, he also saw the Lord above it. He beheld
His glorious vestments, and in imitation of those
garments he made Joseph a " coat of many
colors." The other sons of Jacob could not
comprehend these beautiful truths. Even the
coat was an object of hatred to them. When
the brothers sold Joseph, they dipped the coat
in blood, and its beauty was marred. The fu
ture revealed that Jacob had read aright the
character of Joseph, for in the midst of Egyp
tian darkness he reflected the light of heaven.
He was a temple for the indwelling of the Spirit
of God.
When Israel came out of Egypt, their minds
were so beclouded by sin that they no longer
saw the promised Saviour in the simple offer
ings. God then said : " Let them make me a
sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." Six
days were spent by Moses on the mountain side
in deep searching of heart ; then the thick cloud
of glory covering Mount Sinai broke forth like
devouring fire in the eyes of all Israel, and
Moses was ushered into the presence of Deity.
Before his wondering gaze was spread out the
beauties of the heavenly sanctuary. Forty days
the Lord communed with him, giving minute

THE SANCTUARY.

159

directions in regard to building a shadow of that
heavenly structure upon the earth. In the
midst of the idolatry of Egypt, Israel had lost
the spiritual truth that the body is the dwell
ing place for the Holy Spirit. Neither could
they form any conception of the work done in
heaven for sinful man.
To reach man in his fallen condition, God di
rected the building of the earthly tabernacle,
that humanity might become acquainted with
the nature of the work in the heavenly sanctu
ary. In this building, men divinely appointed
were to perform in the sight of the people a
shadow of the work that would be done in the
heavenly sanctuary by the Saviour of mankind,
when He should officiate as our High Priest.
The whole Jewish economy was a compacted
prophecy of the gospel. Every act of the
priest in the shadowy service, as he went in
and out, was a prophecy of the Saviour's work
when He entered heaven as our High Priest.
"It was the gospel in figures," the Lord's object
lesson or kindergarten for the "children" of
Israel. They had become children in under
standing, and in order to reach them God
taught the gospel in a way that the senses
could grasp.
Man finally became so depraved that he failed
to see light flashing from the Levitical laws and
sacrificial offerings, and when the Antitype of
all their offerings came, they rejected Him.
Let us in imagination go back to the wilder
ness tabernacle, and see if we can discern the
glorious gospel of Christ shining from the Jew
ish economy. A man enters the outer court
with a lamb, which he brings to the door of the

of Israel. And Moses went into
the midst of the cloud, and gat him
up into the mount : and Moses was
in the mount forty days and forty
nights. Ex. 24 : 16-18.
But the natural man receiveth
not the things of the Spirit of God :
for they are foolishness unto him :
neither can he know them, be
cause they are spiritually discerned,
1 Cor. 2 : 14.
Which was a figure for the time
then present, in which were offered
both gifts and sacrifices. Heb. 9 :g.
For Aaron's sons thou shalt make
coats, and thou shalt make for
them girdles, and bonnets ^halt
thou make for them, for glory and
for beauty. And thou shalt put
them upon Aaron thy brother, and
his sons with him ; and shalt anoint
them, aud consecrate them, and
sanctify them, that they may minis
ter unto me in the priest's office.
Ex. 28 : 40, 41.
The scripture, forseeing that God
would justify the heathen through
faith, preached before the gospel
unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall
all nations be blessed. Gal. 3:8.
Do not think that I will accuse
you to the Father : there is one
that accuseth you, even Moses, in
whom ye trust. For had ye be
lieved Moses, ye would have be
lieved me : for he wrote of me.
But if ye believe not his writings,
how shall ye believe my words ?
John 5 : 45-47-
The governor answered and said
unto them, Whether of the twain
will ye that I release unto you?
They said, Barabbas. Pilate saith
unto them, What shall I do then
with Jesus which is called Christ?
They all say unto him, Let him be
crucified. Matt. 27 : 21, 22.
Lev. 4 : 27-35.
Speak unto the children of Israel.
When a man or woman shall com
mit any sin, . . . then they shall
confess their sin, which they have
done. Num. 5 :6, 7.

i6o

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

It came to pass, as she continued
praying before the Lord, that Eli
marked her mouth. Now Hannah,
she spake in her heart : only her
lips moved, but her voice was not
heard : therefore Eli thought she
had been drunken. i Sam. i : 12, 13.
The priest that is anointed shall
take of the bullock's blood, and
bring it to the tabernacle of the
congregation. Lev. 4 : 5.

After the second veil, the taber
nacle which is called the Holiest
of all ; which had the golden cen
ser, and the ark of the covenant
overlaid round about with gold,
wherein was the golden pot that
had manna, and Aaron's rod that
budded, and the tables of the cove
nant ; and over it the cherubims of
glory shadowing the mercy-seat ; of
which we can not now speak par
ticularly. Heb. 9 : 1-6.
Ex. 29 -.42, 43.

Bake twelve cakes j and thou
shalt set them in two rows, six on
a row, upon the pure table before
the Lord, and thou shalt put pure
frankincense upon each row.
Lev. 24:5-7.
Cause the lamp to burn always.
Ex. 27 :2o, 21.
Thou shall overlay the boards
with gold. Ex. 26:29.
Ex. 26:31, 32.

Aaron shall burn thereon sweet
incense every morning : when he
dresseth the lamps, he shall burn
incense upon it. And when Aaron
lighteth the lamps at even, he shall
burn incense upon it, a perpetual
incense before the Lord throughout
your generations. Ex. 30 : 7, 8.

tabernacle. With solemn awe, and eyes raised
to heaven, he lays his hand upon its head, while
his moving lips, like Hannah's of old, betray
the burden of his heart. Then he lifts the
knife, and takes the life of the sacrifice. His
faith lays hold of the bleeding Lamb of Calvary,
and his sin rolls from off his burdened heart
on to the great Sacrifice. The blood is carefully
caught ; every drop is precious, for by faith he
views the real sacrifice. The priest meets him,
takes the blood of the sacrificed life, and passes
from sight within the first veil, while the wor
shiper awaits with anxiety his return.
In childhood his father had told him of the
" ark of the covenant overlaid round about with
gold, wherein was the golden pot that had
manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the
tables of the covenant ; and over it the cheru
bim of glory shadowing the mercy-seat ; " that
at times the bright glory of the shekinah above
the mercy-seat shown out and filled the
sanctuary. He had been told of that mystical table, with
its twelve loaves covered with frankincense;
also of the beautiful candlestick, whose seven
lamps were ever burning; how the golden-plated
walls on either side reflected the light, and like
great mirrors reproduced again and again the
brilliant hues of the richly embroidered curtains
with their shining angels. Before the second
veil, which concealed the sacred ark, he pic
tured the altar, from which the fragrant incense
constantly ascended.
By faith he sees the priest place the blood of
the atoning sacrifice upon the horns of the
altar. His faith looks past the shadowy serv-

THE SANCTUARY.

161

. <mz, tfie, a £%ncf

ice to the time when Christ shall plead His
blood in the heavenly sanctuary. It is the
gospel of a crucified and risen Saviour that
he beholds in the object lesson he himself is
helping to carry out.
Soon the veil is lifted, and the priest returns.
The offering has been accepted. The priest has
made atonement for him, and he is forgiven.
In the joy and freedom of forgiveness he prays :
"O that the influence of all my sins might be
forever wiped away 1 " when lo, he sees the
priest go to the brazen altar in the court, and
" pour out all the blood at the bottom of the
altar." As he sees that blood, precious to him,
because it represents his own ransomed life as
well as the sacrificed life of the Saviour, poured
out upon the ground, his heart bounds with joy.

Christ being come an high priest
of good things to come , by a greater
and more perfect tabernacle, not
made with hands, that is to say, not
of this building : neither by the
blood of goats and calves, but by
his own blood he entered in once
into the holy place, having ob
tained eternal redemption for us.
Heb. 9 : it, 12,
Heb. g : 9.
The priest shall make an atone
ment for him as concerning his sin,
and it shall be forgiven him.
Lev. 4 : 26.

The priest shall take of the blood
of the sin offering with his finger,
and put it upon the horns of the
altar of burnt offering, and shall
pour out his blood at the bottom of
tlie altar of burnt offering.
Lev. 4:7, 18,25, 3°.

1 62

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Gen. 3 : 17.
Lev. 4 : 8-10.

He shall take away all the fat
thereof, as the fat is taken away
from off the sacrifice of the peace
offerings : and the priest shall burn
it upon the altar for a sweet savor
unto the Lord. Lev. 4 : 3 1 .

But the wicked shall perish, and
the enemies of the Lord shall be as
the fat of lambs : they shall con
sume away. Ps. 37 : 20.
Gal. 1 : 4.

Now thanks be unto God, which
always causeth us to triumph in
Christ, and maketh manifest the
savor of his knowledge by us in
every place. For we are unto God
a sweet savor of Christ in them
that are saved, and in them that
perish : to the one we are the savor
pf death unto death ; and to the
other the savor of life unto life.
And who is sufficient for these
things ? 2 Cor. 2 : 14-16.

Lev. 7 : 30.
Lev. 4 : 27-31.

I can do all things through Christ
which strengtheneth me. Phil. 4:13.

That he would grant you, accord
ing to the riches of his glory, to be
strengthened with might by his
Spirit in the inner man : that Christ
may dwell in your hearts by faith ;
that ye being rooted and grounded
in love. Eph. 3 : 16, 17,
John 6 : 63 .

He grasps the fact that the decree, " Cursed is
the ground for thy sake," is met in Christ, and
that the promised Saviour will finally cleanse the
earth from all the effects of his sins.
The body of the lamb still lies near the door
of the sanctuary, where the life was taken. He
next turns to it, and with a sharp knife separates
from the flesh every particle of fat — "all the
fat that covereth the inwards," etc. "All the
fat is taken away, and the priest burns it upon
the altar of burnt offering for a sweet savor
unto the Lord." The fat is burned as a type
of the final destruction, when " the wicked shall
perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as
the fat of lambs; they shall consume; into
smoke shall they consume away." Ps. 37:20.
Every sinner that clings to sin will be destroyed
with the sin. God has made provision for every
one to separate from sin, that He may destroy
the sin and save the sinner. The burning fat
upon the altar came up as a sweet savor before
God, for it represented sin that had be*en sepa
rated from the sinner and destroyed, while the
sinner lived a new life through Christ.
The sinner separated the fat from the sacri
fice ; the priest received it and burned it, illus
trating the truth that we must co-operate with
the Lord ; and through Christ who strengthens
us we can do all things.
As the man carefully searched for the fat, he
realized more fully than before that his body
was to be a temple of the Holy Spirit,
and that when his past sin is forgiven
and he is accepted, it is that he may
become a dwelling place for the Spirit of
God. When that Spirit enters a man, it, like

THE SANCTUARY.

163

a sharp knife, reveals one sin after another, and
separates them from the sinner until the soul
temple is cleansed. His faith grasps the promise
of the " One " who dwells in the hearts of His
people by faith. As he goes from the shadowy
temple court, he realizes that he is a temple,
not " empty, swept, and garnished," ready to be
again entered by the power of evil, but a temple
in which the Spirit of God rules and reigns.
Another man brings an offering ; and as the
priest takes the blood, instead of entering
within the veil, he pours it at the base of the
altar of burnt offering. Then a portion of the
flesh, which represents sin, is prepared and
eaten by the priest in the holy place. In this
act the priest taught the children of Israel the
wonderful truth that Christ bore our sins in his
own body on the tree.
Each separate offering presented some differ
ent phase of the work of Christ. The incense
constantly ascending from the altar was an ob
ject lesson of the inexhaustible fund of perfect
obedience accruing from the sinless life of our
Saviour, which, added to the prayers of all saints
as they are offered upon the golden altar in
heaven, makes them acceptable before God.
The perfume of the incense filled the air far
beyond the temple court. Likewise the sweet
influence of Christians who live a life of faith
in God, is felt by all who come in contact with
them. The fire was replenished morning and even
ing, representing the morning and evening wor
ship in the family. "The whole multitude of
the people were praying without at the time of
incense." The lamps were a type of the seven

The word of God is quick, and
powerful, and sharper than any two-
edged sword, piercing even to the
dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
and of the joints and marrow, and
is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart. Heb. 4 : 12.
Then he saith, I will return into
my house from whence I came out :
and when he is come, he findeth it
empty, swept, and garnished.
Matt. 12 : 43-45.
Wherefore have ye not eaten the
sin offering in the holy place, see
ing it is most holy, and God hath
given it you to bear the iniquity of
the congregation, to make atone
ment for them before the Lord?
Behold, the blood of it was not
brought in within the holy place :
ye should indeed have eaten it in
the holy place, as I commanded.
Lev. 10 : 16-18.
Lev. 6 : 30.
r Peter 2 : 24.
Christ also hath loved us, and
hath given himself for us an offer
ing, and a sacrifice to God for a
s weet-smelling savor. Eph. 5 : 3.
Another angel came and stood at
the altar, having a golden censer ;
and there was given unto him much
incense, that he should add it to
the prayers of all saints upon the ¦
golden altar which was before the
throne. Rev. 8 13, 4 [margin].
The house was filled with the
odor of the ointment. John 12 : 3.
Matt. 26 : 13.
Ex. 30:7, 8.
Jer. 10 : 25.

The whole multitude of the peo
ple were praying without at the
time of incense. Luke 1 ro, 10,

1 64

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

There were seven lamps of fire
burning before the throne, which
are the seven Spirits of God.
Rev. 4:5-
Isa. 11 : 2, 3.
Ex. 35 :3i-35-
Zech. 4 : 10.
That was the true Light, which
lighteth every man that cometh into
the world. John 1 : 9.
Prov. 4:18.
Ex. 25 :8-io.

He wrote on the tables, accord
ing to the first writing, the ten
commandments. And I turned my
self and came down from the mount,
and put the tables in the ark which
1 had made : and there they he, as
the Lord commanded me.
Deut 10 : 1-5.
For as many as have sinned with
out law shall also perish without
law : and as many as have sinned
in the law shall be judged by the
law. Rom. 2 : 12, 13.
Being witnessed by the law and
the prophets. Rom. 3 :2i.
Rev. 3:5.
Whosoever was not found written
in the book of life was cast into
the lake of fire. And fire came
down from God out of heaven, and
devoured them. Rev. 20 : 9, 15,
Take up the ashes which the fire
hath consumed with the burnt of
fering on the altar, and he shall put
them beside the altar. And he
shall put off his garments, and put
on other garments, and carry forth
the ashes without the camp unto a
clean place. Lev. 6 : 10, 1 1.
Without the camp unto a clean
place, where the ashes are poured
out. Lev. 4 : 12.
Ps. 17 :g, 10.
Mal. 4: 1-3.
Obadiah 1 : 16.
Prov. 11 :3i.
Therefore will I bring forth a
fire from the midst of thee, it shall

lamps of fire before the throne of God in heaven,
which are the seven Spirits of God. These "are
the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro
through the whole earth." Seven denotes the
complete Spirit of God that enlighteneth every
man that cometh into the world. Its life-giving
rays lead the Christian to the celestial city.
The golden table held the "bread of His
presence," which represented man's dependence
upon God for both temporal and spiritual help
and strength.
The ark was the center of all worship ; it was
the first article mentioned in describing the sanc
tuary. The law hidden in it was the great stand
ard of judgment, and a perfect copy of that
heavenly law before which the character of every
child of Adam will be tried in the tribunal on
high. If that law witnesses to a character
cleansed from sin by the blood of the atoning
sacrifice, then the name will be confessed before
the Father and the holy angels.
The continual burning of that which typified
sin pointed forward to the time when sin and
sinners would be consumed in the fire of the last
day. As the ashes accumulated upon the altar
of burnt offering, they were carefully collected
by the side of the altar ; and at a certain time
the priest laid aside his priestly robes, carried
the ashes without the court, and deposited them
in a " clean place." They were not thrown care
lessly to one side, but put in a clean place.
These ashes represented all that will be left of
sin and sinners after the fires of the last day.
"For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as'
an oven ; and all the proud, yea, and all that do
wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that

THE SANCTUARY.

165

cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of
hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor
branch. But to you that fear my name shall the
Sun of righteousness arise, with healing in His
wings, and ye shall go forth and grow up as
calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down
the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the
soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this,
saith the Lord of hosts." Mal. 4 : 1-3. In that
day the real ashes of the wicked will be left
upon a " clean earth."
As the Jewish father walked to the sanctuary
with his child, the mind of the child would be
attracted by the ashes in the clean place. He.
would ask, " Why are those ashes put in a clean
place, when you throw the ashes from our fire
upon the dunghill ? " The father's answer would
explain the beauties of the new earth, when it
shall be made like Eden, and sin and sorrow
shall be forever removed. With it would come
the gentle admonition to separate from sin, and
keep the body temple pure; that in the great
burning day the sin may be consumed without
the sinner, and he be among the ransomed of
the Lord.
Much of the service and many of the customs
of ancient Israel were designed to call out ques
tions from the children, that the spiritually
minded parents might instruct them in the
ways of God.
After speaking of the peculiar manner in
which the passover should be eaten, God adds,
" Your children shall say unto you, What mean
ye by this service ? " showing that He intended
that it should call forth questions from children
of all ages, and thus the children become ac-

devour thee, and I will bring thee
to ashes upon the earth in the sight
of all them that behold thee.
Eze. 28 : 18.

Ye shall teach them your chil
dren, speaking of them when thou
sittest in thine house, and when
thou'walkest by the way, when thou
liest down, and when thou risest
up. Deut. 11:19.

He will make her wilderness like
Eden, and her desert like the gar
den of the Lord ; joy and gladness
shall be found therein, thanksgiv
ing, and the voice of melody. Isa. 51:3.

If any man defile the temple of
God, him shall God destroy : for
the temple of God is holy, which
temple ye are, i Cor. 3 : 17.

When your children shall ask
their fathers in time to come, say
ing, What mean these stones?
then ye shall let your children
know, saying, Israel came over this
Jordan on dry land. Joshua 4 : 21, 22.

It shall come to pass, when your
children shall say unto you, What
mean ye by this service? that ye
shall say, It is the sacrifice of the
Lord's passover, who passed over
the houses of the children of Israel
in Egypt, when he smote the Egyp
tians, and delivered our houses.
And the people bowed the head
and worshipped. Ex. 12 : 26, 27.

1 66

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

The live bird was let loose in the open field.

Then shall the priest command
to take for him that is to be
cleansed two birds alive and clean,
and cedar wood, and scarlet, and
hyssop : and the priest snail com
mand that one of the birds be killed
in an earthen vessel over running
water: as for the living bird, he
shall take it, and the cedar wood,
and the scarlet, and the hyssop,
and shall dip them and the living
bird in tlie blood of the bird that
was killed over the running water ;
and he shall sprinkle upon him that
is to be cleansed from the leprosy
seven times, and shall pronounce
him clean, and shall let the living
bird loose into the open field.
Lev. 14 14-7.

quainted with the saving blood of the great
Passover Lamb.
The sight of the pile of stones by the Jordan
was to arouse inquiries in the minds of the chil
dren of future generations, which, if answered
properly, would acquaint them with the mighty
power of God. The same was true of the
whole Jewish service.
¦ The leper that sought cleansing was to bring
two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood and
scarlet and hyssop. The priest commanded that
one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel,
over running water. The live bird, cedar wood,
scarlet, and hyssop were all dipped in the blood,
and the leper was sprinkled with the blood ;
then the live bird was let loose in the open field.

THE SANCTUARY.

167

It flew through the air, bearing on its feathers
the blood, which was a type of Christ's blood
that will purify the air, and remove from it all
the germs of sin and death. Now death comes
in at our windows, but the blood of Christ will
give us a new atmosphere.
Earth, air, and water are elements which
compose our planet. All are tainted by sin.
The earthen dish containing the blood held over
the running water typified the time when earth,
air, and water would be freed from the curse of
sin by the blood of Christ. The cedar wood
and hyssop represented the two extremes in
vegetation, from the giant of the forest to the
hyssop on the wall. They were dipped in the
blood, thus teaching Israel that Christ's blood
would free the entire vegetable world from the
curse, and again clothe the earth in Eden beauty.
It might seem to man that the curse was so
deeply marked upon the earth, air, and sea that
it could never be removed ; but the little piece
of scarlet wool, dipped in the blood with the live
bird, the cedar, and the hyssop, was a pledge
that the blood of Christ would remove the deep
est marks from the sin-cursed earth.
We have the real sacrifice to study as well as
the shadow. Type met antitype. The blood of
Christ has been shed ; the price has been paid
that will restore the purity of the earth, air, and
sea. The sin-cursed earth received the blood of
Christ as He prayed in the garden. " From
His hands and feet the blood fell drop by drop
upon the rock drilled for the foot of the cross."
Thus through the air passed the precious blood.
From the wound in His side " there flowed two
copious and distinct streams, one of blood and

Death is come up into our win
dows, and is entered into our pal
aces, to cut off the- children from
without, and 'the young men from
the streets. Jer. 9 :2i.

Cursed is the ground for thy
sake : in sorrow shalt thou eat of
it all the days of thy life. Gen. 3 : 17.
The earth also is defiled under
the inhabitants thereof : therefore
hath the curse devoured the earth.
Isa. 24 : 5, 6.
He spake of trees, from the
cedar tree that is in Lebanon even
unto the hyssop that springeth out
of the wall. 1 Kings 4 : 33.

Isa. 35 : 1, .

There shall be no more curse.
Rev. 22 :3.
Though your sins be as scarlet
they1 shall be as white as snow ;
though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool. Isa. 1 : i£.
>
I saw a new heaven and a new
earth. Rev. 21 : 1.

Which he hath purchased with
his own blood. Acts 20 : 28.
Until the redemption of the pur
chased possession, unto the praise
of his glory. Eph. 1 : 14.
Being in an agony he prayed
more earnestly : and his sweat was.
as it were great drops of blood
falling down to the ground. Luke 22 : 44.
One of the soldiers with a spear
pierced his side, and forthwith
came there out blood and water.
John iq : 34.

1 68

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Now there was set a vessel full
of vinegar: and they filled a
sponge with vinegar, and put it
upon hyssop, and put it to his
mouth. John 19 : 29,

The next day John seeth Jesus
coming unto him, and saith, Be
hold the Lamb of God, which tak
eth away the sin of the world.
John 1 : 29.
He said unto Jesus, Lord, re
member me when thou comest into
thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto
him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day
shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Luke 23 : 39-43.

Who his own self bare our sins
in his own body on the tree, that
we, being dead to sins, should live
unto righteousness : by whose
stripes ye were healed. 1 Peter 2 : 24.
Ought not Christ to have suffered
these things, and to enter into his
glory? And beginning at Moses
and all the prophets, he expounded
unto them in all the scriptures the
things concerning himself.
Luke 24 : 26, 27.
Behold the Lamb of God, which
beareth away the sin of the world.
John 1 :29 [margin].

He said unto them, These are
the words which I spake unto you,
while I was yet with you, that all
things must be fulfilled, which
were written in the law of Moses,
and in the prophets, and in the
, concerning me. Luke 24 : 44.

These are they which came out
of great tribulation, and have
washed their robes, and made
them white in the blood of the
Lamb. Rev. 7 : 14.

the other of water." The blood of Christ was
brought in contact with the earth, air, and wa
ter. The two extremes in vegetation also met
at Calvary. The cross was made of wood taken
from the trees of the forest ; " and they filled
a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop,
and put it to His mouth."
Was there an antitype of the scarlet while His
blood was trickling from those cruel wounds ? —
Yes. In Jesus as He hung upon the cross,
bruised, mocked, and bleeding, the thief beheld
the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of
the world. Hope kindled in his soul, and he
cast himself upon a dying Saviour. With full
faith that Christ would possess the kingdom, he
cried, "Lord, remember me, when Thou comest
into Thy kingdom." In a soft, melodious tone,
full of love, the answer was quickly given:
" Verily I say unto thee to-day, Shalt thou be
with me in paradise." As these words were
spoken, the darkness around the cross was
pierced with living light. The thief felt the
peace and joy of sins forgiven. Christ was glo
rified. While all thought they beheld Him con
quered, He was the conqueror. They could not
rob Him of His power to forgive sins.
Type has fully met antitype; the price has
been paid; the blood of the world's Redeemer
has been poured upon the ground. It has
dropped through the air from the cruel cross.
It has flowed with water from the wound of the
cruel spear. The extremes of vegetation also
came in contact with it, and he whose sins were
as scarlet, experienced the peace of having them
made white as snow by the precious blood, even
while it was flowing from the open wounds.

THE SANCTUARY.

169

The various feasts throughout the year typi
fied different phases of the gospel. The pass-
over was a type of Christ in an especial sense.
Christ is our Passover. The first fruits offered
the third day after the passover lamb was slain,
taught the resurrection of Christ. Type met
antitype, and was fulfilled when Christ, the first
fruits of them that slept, came forth on the third
day, and presented Himself before the Father.
Throughout the varied services of the year,
everything pointed forward to the Lamb of God,
while it also taught the lesson of cleansing the
body, and keeping the temple pure for the
Spirit of God.
In the autumn, on the tenth day of the seventh
month, came the crowning service of the year.
All other services were a preparation for this.
Day by day the sins of the people had been
transferred in type and shadow to the priest and
the sanctuary, and once each year these were to
be cleansed, and^the sins forever removed.
Gabriel revealed to Daniel the antitype of the
time of cleansing the earthly sanctuary, " Unto
two thousand three hundred days, then shall the
sanctuary be cleansed." This period of cleans
ing, we have found in the study of the ninth
chapter of Daniel, began in 1844. The cover
of the ark in the heavenly sanctuary was then
lifted, and the law of God was seen by the peo
ple, not broken, but entire. In the midst of the
law they traced the words, t( The seventh day is
the Sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou
shalt not do any work." They awoke to the
fact that they had been resting upon the first
day of the week instead of the seventh. As
they gazed at the law, a halo of light seemed to

Christ our passover is sacrificed
for us. 1 Cor. 5-7.
These are the feasts of the Lord,
even holy convocations, which ye
shall proclaim in their seasons. In
the fourteenth day of the first
month at even is the Lord's pass-
over. And on the fifteenth day of
the same month is the feast of
unleavened bread unto the Lord :
seven days ye must eat unleavened
bread. In the first day ye shall
have a holy convocation : ye shall
do no servile work therein. . » .
Then ye shall bring a sheaf of the
first fruits of your harvest unto the
priest : and he shall wave the sheaf
before the Lord, to be accepted
for you: on the morrow after the
Sabbath the priest shall wave it.
Lev. 23 :4-n.
1 Cor. 15 : 4, 20, 23.
Lev. 23 : 27.
Who serve unto the example and
shadow of heavenly things, as
Moses was admonished of God
when he was about to make the
tabernacle : for, See, saith he, that
thou make all things according to
the pattern showed to thee in the
mount. Heb. S 15.
He said unto me, Unto two thou
sand and three hundred days ; then
shall the sanctuary be cleansed. Dan. S : 14.

Remember the Sabbath day, to
keep it holy. Six days shalt thou
labor, and do all thy work : but the
seventh day is the Sabbath of the
Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not
do any work, thou, nor thy son,
nor thy daughter, thy manservant,
nor thy maidservant, nor thy cat
tle, nor thy stranger that is within
thy gates : for in six days the Lord
made heaven and earth, the sea,
and all that in them is, and rested
the seventh day : wherefore the
Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and
hallowed it. Ex. 20 :8-n.

170

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

If thou turn away thy foot from
the Sabbath, from doing thy pleas
ure on thy holy day ; and call the
Sabbath a delight, the holy of the
Lord, honorable ; and shalt honor
him, not doing thine own ways,
nor finding thine own pleasure, nor
speaking thine own words. Isa. 58 : 13.
Ps. 119:59, 60.

So speak ye, and so do, as they
that shall be judged by the law of
liberty. James 2: 12.

Rev. 14 :8-i2.
Rev. iz :i.

Then shalt thou cause the trum
pet of the jubilee to sound on the
tenth day of the seventh month, in
the day of atonement shall ye make
the trumpet sound throughout all
your land. Lev. 25 : 9.

This is that which the Lord hath
said, To-morrow is the rest of the
holy Sabbath unto the Lord : bake
that which ye will bake to-day, and
seethe that ye will seethe. Ex. 16:23.
Ye shall do no manner of work :
it shall be a statute forever through
out your generations in all your
dwellings. It shall be unto you a
Sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict

encircle the fourth commandment, which for so
many years had been trampled underfoot. Rev
erently they listened to the words, "If thou
turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing
thy pleasure on My holy day ; and call the Sab
bath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable ;
and shalt honor Him, not doing thine own ways,
nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking
thine own words : then shalt thou delight thy
self in the Lord." Isa. 58 : 13, 14.
They thought on their ways, and made haste,
and delayed not to keep the commandments.
The period of the investigative judgment opened
in 1844, when every character was to be meas
ured by the standard of God's law. As the
work opened in heaven, it was the will of God
that on earth His people should test their lives
by the law of God, and come into harmony with
His holy precepts. The day of atonement was
the type of the judgment. This was the most
solemn day of the year to ancient Israel.
When the sun gilded the western hills of the
land of Judea, on the ninth day of the seventh
month, the trumpet was blown throughout Is
rael. The solemn warning of the trumpet pro
duced a marked effect in every home. All work
was laid aside, and quiet reigned. It was not
the ordinary rest of the weekly Sabbath, for no
evening meal was spread. There was not the
usual baking and seething customary on the
preparation for the Sabbath. No food was pre
pared, for this was not a feast, but a fast day.
The father of the household gathered his family
about him, and read from the Sacred Scroll :
" Ye shall do no manner of work : it shall be a
statute forever throughout your generations in

or*

.'member the Sabbatl
to keep it hclu.
da.w* S&aTt thru labor,
' and dr all th.it work: hut
~ tire seventh dayig tho Sat-
bulb of the Ccrd'thu @a<f: in
it thou <halt uol J; aiixt inert
theu.ucr thai s'caiirr thu daughter
thjj n:ai:-«er\ai!l.i:or thii muul-
>or\ar.i.i::r Ihu eattle. n :r thti
»'l rainier fhat is uuthm fti
nutos: for in >i.\ dati* the f ord
made heaven and earth, the £ea,
ai.vl all that in them i*. and
rested trio Sevcirfh dau. uiherc-
f.-re the tori Messed the
^abhaih daii.and hallowed it.

. ._

A

THE SANCTUARY.

171

all your dwellings. It shall be unto you a sab
bath of rest, and ye shall- afflict your souls."
With prayer, fasting, and deep searching of
heart the day was spent by the Israel of God.
With solemn awe they repeated, "Whatsoever
soul shall not be afflicted in that same day, he
shall be cut off from among His people."
In the Gentile homes around them were eating
and drinking and all the busy activities of daily
life, but quiet reigned in the homes of Israel.
In the temple court all was activity. The bul
lock without blemish was brought, and the high
priest laid his hands on its head, confessing his
sins and the sins of his household. Then it was
slain, and with the blood he made an atonement
for himself and his household, that he might be
prepared to perform the solemn service of the
day. When he came out, after presenting the blood
of the bullock before the Lord, two goats were
brought, lots were cast, and one was chosen for
the Lord's goat, while the other, Azazel, the
scapegoat, represented the evil one. The Lord's
goat was slain. With its blood and the golden
censer, the priest entered within the second veil
of the sanctuary. As he neared the mercy seat
with the glorious light of the shekinah shining
above it, he sprinkled " much incense " upon the
coals in the censer, "that the cloud of the in
cense may cover the mercy seat that he die
not." Then with his back toward the sun rising,
he sprinkled the atoning blood seven times
above and before that broken law within the ark.
He paused in the holy place, and made atone
ment for it, and for the tabernacle of the con
gregation. The golden altar, that had so often

your souls : in the ninth day of the
month at even, from even unto
even, shall ye celebrate your Sab
bath. -Lev. 23 :3i, 32.
Wherefore have we fasted,, say
they, and thou seest not ? where
fore have we afflicted our soul, and
thou takest no knowledge ?
Isa. 58 : 3.
Lev. 23 : 29.
In that day did the Lord God of
hosts call to weeping, and to
mourning, and to baldness, and to
girding with sackcloth ; and be
hold joy and gladness, slaying
oxen, and killing sheep, eating
flesh, and drinking wine : let us
eat and drink ; for to-morrow we
shall die. And it was revealed in
mine ears by the Lord of hosts.
Surely this iniquity shall not be
purged from you till ye die, saith
the Lord God. of hosts. Isa. 22 : 12-14.
Lev. 16 : 1 1-14.

Aaron shall cast lots upon the
two goats : one lot for the Lord,
and the other lot for the scapegoat.
Lev. 16: 8.

I will appear in the cloud upon
the mercy seat. Lev. 16 : 2.
Lev. 16 : 2.
Lev. 16: 13.

¦He shall take of the blood of the
bullock, and sprinkle it with his
finger upon the mercy seat east
ward. Lev. 16 : 14.
Thou shalt see greater abomina
tions than these. . . . About five
and twenty men, with their backs
toward the temple of the Lord, and
their faces toward the east ; and
they worshipped the sun toward the
east. Eze. 8 : 15, 16.

172

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

The goat shall bear upon him ail during the year witnessed to the sins of Israel
their iniquities unto a land not in- , , . . -.
habited : and he shall let go the bv the scarlet spots upon its horns, was now

goat in the wilderness.

Lev. 16 :

cleansed from all defilement by the blood of the
Lord's goat. The people without
listened attentively to the
sound of the bells on his
robes, as he moved about
within the sanctuary.
"When he hath made
an end of reconciling the
holy place, and the taber
nacle of the congregation,
and the altar, he shall
bring the live goat." The
work of reconciliation
ended, God and man were
one. The at -one -ment
had been made in figure.
The separating sins had
(been removed. The
I people rejoiced in
(God that He had ac-
I cepted them, and that
I their sins were all
I removed from before
I the Lord.
As they beheld
Ihe high priest lay his
"ands on the head of
the scapegoat, and con
fess over him all the iniquities of the children
of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their
sins, putting them upon the head of the goat,

The high priest confessins the sins of the people on the head
of the scapegoat.
Aaron shall lay both his hands
upon the head of the live goat, and
confess over him all the iniquities
of the children of Israel, and all
their transgressions in all their
sins, putting them- upon the head of and sending "him away by the hand of a fit man
bXh^oft^antto^ ^to the wilderness," their hearts filled with the
wilderness. Lev. 16:21. peace that passeth understanding. They praised

THE SANCTUARY.

173

God for the wonderful gift of His love in giving
His Son to die for sinful man, delivering him
from sin and death. It was not until the goat
was sent away into the barren wilderness that
this peace filled the hearts of the people, and
they felt that they were forever free from their
sins. That was the type. What does the antitype
mean to us? Since 1844 the world has been
living in the great antitypical day of atonement.
The investigative judgment has been in session
in heaven. In the type the people were to con
trol their appetites, and to hold their own busi
ness interests secondary to the worship of God.
This was shown by the day of atonement in the
type being a rest and a fast day.
We are living in the time when our great
High Priest is cleansing the heavenly sanctuary,
removing the sin records. We are admonished
to repent and be converted, that our sins may be
blotted out " when the times of refreshing shall
come from the presence of the Lord." When
the reconciling is completed, and the last case is
decided in the final judgment of heaven, the
Saviour will pronounce the decree : " He that is
unjust, let him be unjust still ; and he which is
filthy, let him be filthy still ; and he that is right
eous, let him be righteous still ; and he that is
holy, let him be holy still." Every case will be
decided for eternity. Satan, the great instigator
of all evil, the antitypical scapegoat, will then
come in for his part of the service.
In the type the sins were laid upon the scape
goat in the presence of the congregation ; in
the antitype, the Saviour, in the presence of the
Father, the angels of God, and all the redeemed

God commendeth his love toward
us, in that, while we were yet sin
ners, Christ died for us. Rom. 5:8.

Unto two thousand , and three
hundred days ; then shall the sanc
tuary be cleansed. Dan. 8 : 14.

Into the second went the high
priest alone once every year, not
without blood, which he offered for
himself, and for the errors of the
people. Heb. 9 : 7.

Lev. 16 : 20.
He is our peace, who hath made
both one, and hath broken down
the middle wall of partition be
tween us ; having abolished in his
flesh the enmity, even the law of
commandments contained in ordi
nances : for to make in himself of
twain one new man, so making
peace ; and that he might reconcile
both unto God in one body by the
cross, having slain the enmity
thereby. Eph. 2 : 14-16.

Repent ye therefore, and be con
verted, that your sins may be
blotted out, when the times of re
freshing shall come from the pres
ence of the Lord ; and he shall
send Jesus Christ, which before
was preached unto you : whom the
heaven must receive until the times
of restitution of all things, which
God hath spoken by the mouth of
all his holy prophets since the
world began. Acts 3 : 19-21.

174

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

I saw an angel come down irom
heaven, having the key of the
bottomless pit and a great chain in
his hand. And he laid hold on the
dragon, that old serpent, which is
the Devil,- and Satan, and bound
him a thousand years, and cast him
into the bottomless pit, and shut
him up, and set a seal upon him,
that he should deceive the nations
no more, till the thousand years
should be fulfilled : and after that
he must be loosed a little season.
Rev. 20 : 1-3.
Rev. 20 : 10.
Ye shall tread down the wicked ;
for they shall be ashes under the
soles of your feet in the day that I
shall do this, saith the Lord of
hosts. Mal. 4:3.
2 Sam. 22 143.
Now shall she be trodden down
as the mire of the streets, Micah 7 : 10.
Ps. 7 : 16.
In those days, and in that time,
saith the Lord, the iniquity of
Israel shall be sought for, and
there shall be none ; and the sins
of Judah, and they shall not be
found : for I will pdrdon them
whom I reserve. Jer, 50 ; 20.
Jer. 31:34,
Isa. 65 : 17.
Nahum 1 :g.
He ever liveth to make interces
sion for them. Heb. 7 125.
Seeing then that we have a great
high priest, that is passed into the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let
us hold fast our profession. Heb. 4 : 14-16.
Lev. 23 : 2q, 30.
The wages of sin is death ; but
the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom. 6 : 23.
Take heed to yourselves, lest at
any time your hearts be over
charged with surfeiting, and drunk-

host, will lay the sins of the righteous upon the
head of Satan, and a mighty angel will lead him
away to the desolate earth, where he will remain
a thousand years. At the end of the thousand
years, he will go into the fire which destroys the
earth. Type will fully meet antitype when all
the sins of the righteous are burned up with
Satan, and nothing remains but the ashes in a
u clean place." It will then be seen that " Satan
bore not only the weight and punishment of his
own sins, but also the sins of the redeemed host,
which had been placed upon him ; and he must
also suffer for the ruin of souls which he has
caused.'7 The sins of Israel will never again be found.
The former things will not be remembered
nor come into mind. Throughout eternity, joy
and peace will forever reign. The prophet
says, " He will make an utter end ; affliction
shall not rise up the second time."
Type must meet antitype. The great High
Priest in heaven is now performing His service.
Are you performing your part ? Iri homes scat
tered all over the earth faithful children of God
will carry out the antitype in the way God di
rected the Israelites to spend the typical day of
atonement. The priest might have performed his part of
the service perfectly in the temple ; but unless
the people in their homes fasted, rested, and
prayed, the work was of no avail for them.
Every Israelite who ate and conducted himself
like the Gentiles around him on the day of atone
ment was cut off from among the people of God.
Is your home a place where the appetite is
controlled ? Do you hold your business interests

THE SANCTUARY.

175

secondary to the work of God ? Are you heed
ing the Saviour's words, "Take freed lest at any
time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting
[eating to excess], and drunkenness [partaking
of improper food], and cares of this life, and so
that day come upon you unawares ? " There will
be one hundred and forty-four thousand who
will heed the warning, and in the fear of God
will fulfill the antitype. While Christ in heaven
is faithfully interceding for them, they will pre
sent their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, accept
able unto God, that God may be glorified.

enness, and cares of this life, and
so that day come upon you un
awares. Luke 21 :34.
They sung as it were a new song
before the throne, and before the
four beasts, and the elders : and
no man could learn that song but
the hundred and forty and four
thousand, which were redeemed
from the earth. These are they
which follow the Lamb whitherso
ever he goeth. These were re
deemed from among men, and in
their mouth was found no guile :
for they are without fault before
the throne of God. Rev. 14:3-5-
Rom. 12 : 1, ¦£.

CHAPTER XII.

INTRODUCTION TO THE LAST VISION.

CHAPTER 10.

The righteous shall flourish like
the palm tree : he shall grow like a
cedar in Lebanon. Those that be
planted in the house of the Lord
shall flourish in the courts of our
God. They shall still bring forth
fruit in old age ; they shall be fat
and flourishing. Fs. 92 : 12-14.

Daniel must have been about
ninety years of age at this time.

Dan. 6 : 4-22.

Then this Daniel was preferred
above the presidents and princes,
because an excellent spirit was in
him ; and the king thought to set
him over the whole realm. Dan. 6:3.

The last three chapters of the book of Daniel
are inseparable, for they relate to the last re
corded vision of the prophet. The tenth chap
ter is preliminary to a detailed history of the
world, and is valuable because of the important
spiritual lessons which it contains. Daniel was
an old man, and nearing the end of a long and
eventful career, but his last days were full of
anxiety for his race ; he still carried the bur
den of their captivity on his heart. Since the
events recorded in the ninth chapter, he had
been in the lions' den, thrust there because of
the cruel hatred of men in high positions. His
godly life was a constant rebuke to the corrup
tion of men in office, and they sought to destroy
him, but God put these men to confusion, and

176

INTRODUCTION TO THE LAST VISION.

177

witnessed to the purity of Daniel's life. The
prophet had been held in high esteem by Darius
the Mede, and on his death and the accession of
Cyrus, Daniel had remained in the court, a
counselor of the king.
Cyrus, in the first year of his reign, had
issued an emancipation proclamation to the
Jews. The Spirit of God had pleaded with the
heart of the king, and he felt that he was
brought into power for that purpose. When,
after every provision had been made for the
return, but a small fraction of the Jews took ad
vantage of it, Cyrus began to doubt the wisdom
of the decree. It was with the Jews as with
sinners to-day. Pardon is granted and free
dom offered, but they choose to remain in sin
until they receive the penalty — death. The
sins of Babylon dazzled the eyes of the Jews
who beheld them, and the voice of their God
was but faintly heard. (Comp. Eze. .33 : 30-32.)
Daniel could not understand the situation.
The spiritual condition of his own people
weighed heavily upon him, and the changing
attitude of the king worried him. He thought
upon the previous vision, and wondered if it
could be that his people — the Jews — would
cling to the sins of Babylon until they were
overtaken by the persecutions described as be
longing to the latter days. He could not under
stand the times, although the words spoken by
Gabriel seemed clear of comprehension.
Two years after the decree of Cyrus, Daniel
determined to humble his heart before God by
prayer and fasting until he should understand
the matter. He did not practice total absti
nence from food, for this fast was not the fast

The Lord stirred up the spirit of
Cyrus king of Persia, that he made
a proclamation throughout all his
kingdom, and put it also in writing,
saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of
Persia, The Lord God of heaven
hath given me all the kingdoms of
the earth : and he hath charged me
to build him an house at Jerusalem,
which is in Judah. Ezra 1:1,2.

Let favor be showed to the
wicked, yet will he not learn right-
eousness : in the land of upright
ness will he deal unjustly, and will
not behold the majesty of the Lord.
Isa. 26 : 10.

Eze. 23 : 14-16.
Lam. 4:1,2.

Thou art greatly beloved : there
fore understand the matter, and
consider the vision. Dan. 9 • 23.

1. In the third year of Cyrus
king of Persia a thing was re
vealed unto Daniel, whose name
was called Belteshazzar ; and the
thing was true, but the time ap
pointed was long : and he under
stood the thing, and had under
standing of the oision.
2. In those days I Daniel was
mourniny three full weeks.

i78

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

8. ! ate no pleasant bread, nei
ther came flesh nor wine in mg
mouth, neither did I anoint my-
selfatatt, tilt three whole weeks
were fulfilled. Dan. 10 : 1-3.
I therefore so run, not as uncer
tainly ; so fight I, not as one that
beateth the air : but I keep under
my body, and bring it into subjec
tion : lest that by any means, when
I have preached to others, I myself
should be a castaway. i Cor. 9 :26, 27.
For which cause we faint not ;
but though our- outward man per
ish, yet the inward man is renewed
day by day. 2 Cor 4 : 16.
4. And in the four and twentieth
day of the first month, as I was
by the side of the great river,
which is Hiddekel.
6. Then I lifted up mine eyes,
and looked, and behold a certain
man clothed in linen, whose loins
were girded with fine gold of
Uphaz :
6. His body also was like the
beryl, and his face as the appear
ance of lightning, and his eyes as
lamps of fire, and his arms and
his feet like in color to polished
brass, and the voice of his words
like the voice of a multitude.
Rev. 1 : 15-18.
7. And I Daniel alone saw the
vision, for the men that were with
me saw not the vision : but a great
quaking fell upon them, so that
they fled to hide themselves.
8. Therefore I was teft alone,
ahd saw this great vision, and
there remained no strength in me :
for my comeliness was turned in
me into corruption, and I retained
no strength. Dan. 10 :4-8.
That the trial of your faith, being
much more precious than of gold
that perisheth, though it be tried
with fire, might be found unto
praise and honor and glory at the
appearing of Jesus Christ. x Peter 1^7.
In him was life ; and the life was
the light of men. John 1 : 4,

of a day. But he withdrew from the king's
table and partook of the plainest kinds of food,
spending much time in prayer and study. It
was his purpose to have his appetite so in sub
jection that physical wants would not crowd out
his desire for spiritual insight. The spiritual
life of man too often partakes of the earthly
mold of his body by over-indulgence of appe
tite. The soul should control the body, and not
be burdened by the body. This condition
Daniel sought to attain. He sought also to
strengthen the mind by retiring to a quiet spot
on the banks of the river Tigris. He took with
him a few men as companions. Doubtless these
were Jews who also felt a burden for Israel.
The solitude of the' spot, the swiftly flowing
waters of the river, the lofty trees, and the
clear sky above, led the prophet's mind out
after his God.
For three weeks he thus sought for light and
truth. Then it was that he looked up and be
held the Son of God by his side, the same who
appeared to John on the Isle of Patmos. The
brightness which shone round about Michael
was too great for the eyes of the companions of
Daniel, and they hastened to hide themselves.
The countenance of Christ was like lightning,
and as He gazed upon the prostrate form of Dan
iel, the other men fled for their lives. But what
would have been death to those who harbored
sin, was life to the one whose character was
pure. The dross had been consumed before,
and the light shone upon the prophet as sun
light on a mirror.
So full of life is the Son of God that His
eyes appeared as lamps of fire, flashing light.

INTRODUCTION TO THE LAST VISION.

179

He it is who says, " I will guide thee with Mine
eye." Daniel could bear the gaze, but his com
panions felt that those eyes burned into their
very soiils, and they hid from His gaze.
To the ears of Daniel, accustomed by long
experience to heavenly sounds, the voice of the
" One Man " was as the voice of the multitude,
or as the sound of many waters, clear and beau
tiful. To human ears, dull of hearing, it is like
thunder. The Jews, at the time that the Greeks
came to Christ, had a similar experience to that
of the companions of Daniel. As Christ sat
in the temple court, the lightning played about
His head and the voice, which to Him was the
voice of God, to them sounded like the crash
of a thunder bolt.
Daniel was left alone in the presence of the
Son of God, and as he compared his own condi
tion to that of Christ, he seemed to be a lump
of clay, a broken vessel, uncomely and useless.
" My vigor was turned in me into corruption,
and I retained no strength." He clung close to
the cold earth, his face to the ground in a deep
sleep, helpless in the hands of God. "What is
man that Thou art mindful of him, or the son of
man that Thou visitest him ? "
Then Gabriel, the angel who had so often
talked with Daniel, touched him with his hand,
and lifted his prostrate form. He said, "O
Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the
words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright ;
for unto thee am I now sent." There was power
in the touch of the angel's hand. There was
power in the touch of the Saviour's hand.
When on earth, virtue, life, the healing power
of God, constantly radiated from Him. He

Ps. 32:8.
Thine ears shall hear a word
behind thee, saying, This is the
way, walk ye in it, when ye tum to
the right hand, and when ye turn to
the left. Isa. 30:21.
Blessed is the people that know
the joyful sound : they shall walk,
O Lord, in the light of thy counte
nance. Ps. 89 : 15.
Father, glorify thy name. Then
came there * voice from heaven,
saying, I have both glorified it, and
will glorify it again. The people
therefore, that stood by, and heard
it, said that it thundered : others
said, An angel spake to him.
John 12 : 20-30.

9. Yet heard I the voice of his
words : and when I heard the voice
of his words, then was I in a deep
sleep on my face, and my face
toward the ground. Dan. 10 : 9.

Behold now, I have taken upon
me to speak unto the Lord, which
am but dust and ashes. ¦Gen. 18 : 27.
Ps. 8 : 3-5.
10, And, behold, a hand touched
me, which set me upon my knees
and upon the palms of my hands.
11. And he said unto me, 0 Dan-
let, a man greatly belooed, under
stand the words that I speak unto
thee, and stand upright : for unto
thee am I now sent. And when he
had spoken this word unto me, I
stood trembling. Dan. 10:10, 11.
Mark 1 131.
The whole multitude sought to
touch him : f or there went virtue out
of him, and healed them all.
Luke 6 : 19.

i8o

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Jesus put forth his hand, and
. touched him, saying, I will ; be
thou clean. And immediately his
leprosy was cleansed. Matt. 8:2, 3.
I am Gabriel, that stand in the
presence of God. Luke 1 : 19.
These signs shall follow them
that believe ; In my name shall
they cast out devils ; they shall
take "up serpents ; and if they drink
any deadly thing, it shall not hurt
them ; they shall lay hands on the
sick, and they shall recover.
Mark 16 : 17, 18.
Ps. 91 : 7.
But is now made manifest, by the
appearing of our Saviour Jesus
Christ, who hath abolished death,
and hath brought life and immor
tality to light through the gospel.
2 Tim. 1 : 10.
John 10 : 10.
12. Then said he unto me, Fear
not, Daniel: for from the first day
that thou didst set thine heart to
understand, and to chasten thy
self before thy Qod, thy words
were heard, and I am come for thy
words. 13. But the prince of the king
dom of Persia 'withstood me one
and twenty days : but, lo, Michael,
one of the chief princes, came to
help me; and I remained there
with the kings of Persia.
Dan. 10 : 12, 13.
Are they not all ministering spir
its, sent forth to mip'ster for them
who shall be heirs of salvation ?
Heb. 1 : 14.
By me kings reign, and princes
decree justice. By me princes rule,
and nobles, even all the judges of
the earth. Prov. 8 : 15, 16.
Every good gift and every perfect
gift is from above, and cometh
down from the Father of lights,
with whom is no variableness, nei
ther shadow of turning. James 1 : 17.
The effectual fervent prayer of a
righteous man availeth much,
James 5 : 16.

could touch the leper, and a life-current flowed
from Him to the diseased one.
So it was with Gabriel's touch. He who stood
in the presence of God was so filled with life
that as he laid his hand on man, a thrill of life
was felt in every nerve, It may be so. with be
ings to-day. The follower of Christ should
have the life-current so strong within him that
sin is rebuked, and disease driven from him.
" A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thou
sand at thy right hand, but it shall not come
nigh thee," is the promise. Christ came that
we might have an abundance of life, the cup
full to overflowing. We do not half realize our
privilege. It was three full weeks since Daniel had be
gun to pray, and Gabriel explained the cause of
the delay. From the first day of the fast his
words had been heard, but their answer required
the co-operation of Cyrus, the Persian king. So
while Daniel waited, ignorant of the work of
Heaven in his behalf, and little dreaming of the
strivings in the heart of the king, Gabriel had
been at the Persian court pleading with Cyrus.
One may wonder how Gabriel worked. De
tails are not given, but one thing is sure : until
the moment of a nation's rejection, angels are
always in the midst of their councils. Men will
be led to take positions for the truth, not know
ing the real reason for their own decisions. The
Holy Watcher is a constant witness in legisla:
tive halls to-day, and every just decree is the
result of an impulse from the throne of God.
This influence was at work in the heart of Cyrus,
and so pressing were the petitions offered by
Daniel that Christ Himself came in person to

INTRODUCTION TO THE LAST VISION.

i8i

help Gabriel. To Daniel doubtless it seemed
that his prayer was unheard, but God was work
ing out the answer in a way unknown to the
prophet. Had he ceased to make intercession
at the end of one week, or at the end of two
weeks, the history of an entire people would
have been changed. The promise is, " Before
they call I will answer, and while they are yet
speaking I will hear." God is often testing the
strength of our desires when He withholds an
immediate answer to our prayer.

They that wait upon the Lord
shall renew their strength : they
sluill mount up with wings as
eagles ; they shall run and not he
weary; and they shall walk, and
not lainl. Isa. 40 131.

Isa. 65 :z.f.

For since the beginning of the
world mon have not heard, nor
pi'ieuived by the ear, neither hath
the eye seen, O God, beside thee,
what he hath prepared for him that
waituth for him. Isa. (>+ -.4.

(S?

eaceDeuniouie Be jsTroney Hca>
be gtrontkC d '"

VT

San. IO: I!)

" Knowest thou wherefore I am come unto
theo?" asked Gabriel. "I am come to make
thee understand what shall befall thy people in
the latter days : for yet the vision is for many
days." Daniel fell to the ground, and the
breath went from his body. This was his con
dition when in vision. Ho was unable to speak
until Christ touched his lips. Then He spoke
to Gabriel, who stood by Daniel's side to
strengthen him, and to explain to him the his
tory of the latter days.
God has had many prophets. The effect of
the Spirit upon a human being when in vision is

14. Now I am come to make
thee understand what shall befall
thy people In the tatter days : for
yet the vision tsfor many days.
16. And when he had spoken
such words unto me, I set my face
toward the ground, and I became
dumb. Dan, 10:14, 16.
O Lord, open thou my lips; and
my mouth shall show forth thy
praise. Ps. 51 : 15.
16. And, behold, one like the
similitude of the sons of men
touched my lips: then I opened
my mouth, and spake, and said
unto him that stood before me,
0 my lord, by the vision my sor
rows are turned upon me, and I
have retained no strength.

182

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

17. For how can the servant of
this my lord talk with this my
lord 7 for as for me, straightway
there remained no strength In me,
neither is there breath left in me.
Dan: 10:16, 17.

Num. 24 : 15, 16.
The heavens were opened, and I
saw visions of God. Eze. 1 :i.

Rev. 4:1.
How that he was caught up into
paradise. 2 Cor. 12 : 4.

18. Then there came again and
touched me one like the appear
ance of a man, and he strength
ened me,
19. And said, 0 man greatly be
loved, fear not: peace be unto
thee, be strong, yea, be strong.
And when he had spoken unto me,
I was strengthened, and said, Let
my lord speak, for thou hast
strengthened me.
20. Then said he, Knowest thou
wherefore I come unto thee ? and
now will 1 return to fight with
the prince of Persia : and when I
am gone forth, lo, the prince of
Grecia shall come.
21. But I will show thee that
which Is noted in the scripture of
truth; and there is none that
holdeth with me in these things,
but Michael your prince.
Dan. 10 : 18-21.

Which things also we speak, not
in the words which man's wisdom
teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost
teacheth ; comparing spiritual things
with spiritual. But the natural

unexplainable. There is an overpowering pres
ence which so pervades the physical being that
it has no strength to act of itself. The breath
leaves the body, and the voice of God speaks
through the human instrument. The eyes re
main open, as Balaam described his condition,
but the person sees things outside the world.
He is often taken far beyond the bounds of
earth, as in the case of Ezekiel, John, and Paul.
Earth's attraction is broken, and with an angel
guide the prophet visits other places, or beholds
the future, reading there the history of men and
nations. When the living coal from the altar is
laid upon those lips, they speak words of heav
enly wisdom. Isaiah had this experience.
For the third time Gabriel expressed the love
of God for Daniel, adding, " Peace be unto thee;
be strong, yea, be strong." By word and by
touch, Gabriel strengthened the gray-haired
prophet. Then he was ready for the revela
tion, and said, " Let my Lord speak ; for
thou hast strengthened me."
The things which are noted in the history of
truth were related by this great revealer. Man
sees not as God sees, and in his shortsightedness
he often emphasizes the unimportant, and passes
lightly over events of universal interest. But
when history is given in God's Word, it is a
chronicler of those things which are " noted in
the Scripture of truth." This fact is noticeable
in the history of the Persian kings, which is con
tained in the next few verses. In the most ab
breviated manner, Gabriel touches the events of
hundreds of years, but he brings into promi
nence things which are noted elsewhere in the
Word of God, and which can be understood

INTRODUCTION TO THE LAST VISION.

183

only by a careful study of other books of the
Bible. For an understanding of the history of Persia,
it is necessary to study carefully Ezra, Esther,
Nehemiah, Haggai, and Zechariah. These books
carry the history to the time of Persia's greatest
strength, and through the time when that nation
worked for God and His people. Then, and not
till then, is the record silent.

man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God: for they are fool
ishness unto him : neither can he
know them, because they are spir
itually discerned. 1 Cor. 2 : 15, 14.

Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zech
ariah, and Esther record events
connected with the return of the
Jews from the Babylonian cap
tivity.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE HISTORY OF THE DECREES.
CHAPTER 11 : 1, 2.

In the third year of Cyrus king
of Persia a thing was revealed unto
Daniel, whose name was called
Belteshazzar ; and the thing was
true, but the time appointed was
long : and he understood the thing,
and had understanding of the

Dan. io : i.

Dan. 2
Dan. 7
Dan. 8

3i-35- 1-8.
1-8.

Thy word is truth,

John 17: 17.

The Lord is a God of knowledge,
and by him actions are weighed.
1 Sam. 2 : 3.
Ps. 105 M3, 14,

The angel began with the history of the Per
sian kingdom, for at the time of the vision the
Babylonian monarchy was entirely gone. It was
the third year of the sole reign of Cyrus, and
the fifth year since Darius the Mede had taken
Babylon. It will be remembered that Daniel
had seen the various nations, as they rose one
after another on the stream of time. God is
the only perfect, authentic historian ; the only
unbiased record of national events is found in
the Scriptures. Men record acts, but only God
can give those acts their proper setting in the
great drama of life. There is one unbroken
chain of events, a silken thread in the web of
life, a perpetual spring in the tide of human
affairs. This is the record of God's dealings
with His chosen people. Egyptian history is
noted in the Inspired Record of the world, but

HISTORY OF THE DECREES.

185

only as it played some part in connection with
Jehovah's people. Likewise Assyria, Babylon,
Greece, and Rome ; whatever the nation and
whatever its place in time, its history is noted
by the divine historian only during the time
when it has been an instrument in God's hand
to spread His truth or to protect His people.
It was for such a purpose that the Medo-Per
sian kingdom came into existence, and when it
had fulfilled that work, and the Spirit of God
was withdrawn, it passed' from the stage of
action. The Medo-Persian empire was born when the
time was ripe for Israel's deliverance from the
bondage of Babylon. The first king of the
united empire was Darius the Mede. He was
a man well advanced in life when he came to
the throne ; threescore and two years old, the
record states. But throughout his reign, Gabriel
stood by him " to confirm and to ' strengthen
him." To Darius was given the opportunity to
liberate the Jews. The Spirit of God pleaded
with him, and it brought Daniel into his favor,
so that he placed the prophet in the third posi
tion in the kingdom. Darius knew of God and
His power, for it was he who spent the sleepless
night in prayer while Daniel was in the lions'
den. Darius, however, did no great work for
the Lord. He reigned but two years, then
Cyrus took the kingdom.
From the accession of Cyrus to the end of
the history of Medo-Persia, Gabriel worked with
the kings. His first words to Daniel in this last
vision are to this effect : " I will return to fight
with the prince of Persia ; and when I am gone
forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come."

O thou daughter, dwelling in
Egypt, furnish thyself to go into
captivity : for Noph shall be waste
and desolate without an inhabitant.
Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but
destruction cometh ; it cometh out
of the north. Jer. 46 : 19, 20.

Mercy and truth preserve the
king : and his throne is uphoiden
by mercy. Prov. 20 : 28,
Thou rulest the raging of the
sea : when the waves thereof arise,
thou stillest them. Thou hast
broken Egypt in pieces, as one that
is slain : thou hast scattered thine
enemies with thy strong arm. The
heavens are thine, the earth also is
thine : as for the world and the
fullness thereof, thou hast founded
them. Ps. 89 : 9-1 1 [margin],
Jer. 10 : 7.
Dan. 9 : r, z.
B. C. 538.

Dan. 5 :3o, 31.
1. Also I in the first year of
Darius the Mede, even I, stood to
confirm and to strengthen him.
Dan. 11:1.
Dan. 6 : 23.
So this Daniel prospered in the
reign of Darius, and in the reign of
Cyrus the Persian. Dan. 6 : 28.

Then the king went to his pal
ace, and passed the night fasting :
neither were instruments of music
brought before him : and his sleep
went from him. Dan. 6 : 18.

If God be for us, who can be
against us ? Rom. 8:31.

Dan. 10:20.
Dan. 8 : 7.

1 86

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

There is no king saved by the
multitude of a host : a mighty man
is not delivered by much strength.
Ps. 33 : 16-19.
Dan. 10: 1.

Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia,
The Lord God of heaven hath
given me all the kingdoms of the
earth : and he hath charged me to
build him a house at Jerusalem,
which is in Judah. Who is there
among you of all his people? his
God be with him, and let him go
up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah,
and build the house of the Lord
God of Israel (he is the God,)
which is in Jerusalem. Ezra 1 : 1-6.
Isa. 5:3, 4.
Hear, O heavens, and give ear,
O earth : for the Lord hath spoken,
I have nourished and brought up
children, and they have rebelled
against me. The ox knoweth his
owner, and the ass his master's
crib : but Israel doth not know,
my people doth not consider. Ah
sinful nation, a people laden with
iniquity, a seed of evildoers, chil
dren that are corrupters : they have
forsaken the Lord, they have pro
voked the Holy One of Israel unto
anger, they are gone away back
ward. Isa. 1:2-4.
I drew them with cords of a man,
with bands of love : and I was to
them as they that take off the yoke
on their jaws, and I laid meat unto
them. Hos. 11 : 4-8.
Because I have called, and ye
refused ; I have stretched out my
hand, and no man regarded ; but
ye have set at nought all my coun
sel, and would none of my reproof.
Prov. 1 :24, 25.
For all this his anger is not
turned away, but his hand is
stretched out still. Isa. 5 : 25.
How shall I pardon thee for tins?
thy children have forsaken me, and
sworn by them that are no gods.
Jer. 5 : 7.

When, therefore, the influence of God should
be withdrawn from the king of Persia, no power
on earth could help him. This thought was
made emphatic when the rough goat was seen
to meet the ram on the banks of the River
Granicus. Wealth, arms, and influence were
without avail.
Of the seven years of the reign of Cyrus, the
third was already entered at the time of the
vision. His first recorded act on taking the
kingdom was to issue the proclamation of free
dom to the Jews. .Throughout the length and
breadth of the land the tidings were heralded.
It did not take over twelve months for the mes
sage to reach the most remote corners of the
empire where the Jews might be found. Every
inducement which monarch could offer was held
out to that people. The slow movement on the
part of a few, and the utter inactivity with the
great majority, surprised Cyrus beyond measure.
It is one of the saddest commentaries in the
whole Bible on the perverseness of the human
heart, and its desire to cling to sin.
When it is remembered that Babylon was the
personification of all vileness ; that injustice and
oppression abounded, and that the decree of
Cyrus was a call from God to liberty and purity
of life, the effect of living long even in the sight
of sin ought to appall one. This is a picture of
the way the calls of God have been treated over
and over again. Here is seen the exact coun
terpart of what people are doing to-day when
asked of God to forsake modern Babylon.
One reason why the Jews were slow about
withdrawing from ancient Babylon was because
the children and youth had been neglected dur-

HISTORY OF THE DECREES.

187

ing the seventy years' captivity. Jewish homes
should have been schools, training these chil
dren for the city of Jerusalem. Instead, Jewish
children attended Babylonian schools, mingled
with Babylonian society, wore Babylonian ap
parel, talked, ate, and acted like the Babylo
nians; and consequently, when the time came
to leave Babylon, they had no desire to leave.
Had the Hebrew race been true to its privi
leges, they might have established schools of
the prophets, from which light would have radi
ated to all parts of the kingdom. This oppor
tunity was offered in the first days of the cap
tivity, when Nebuchadnezzar was witness to the
fact that all the Chaldean learning was not
worth one-tenth what God could teach. Daniel
and his companions were brought into favor
because of their knowledge of true educational
principles ; and had schools been established at
that time, Chaldean youth would doubtless have
been educated by the Jews, and in the religion
of the Jews. God had always intended that
Israel should be the teachers of the world ; and
even after sin had led them into slavery, He
gave them an opportunity to teach their captors
and their captors' children. Did Israel do so ?
The end of the seventy years and the response
to the decree of Cyrus answer, No. They did
not teach others ; they failed to teach even their
own children. As a result, thousands perished
with Babylon.
Those who did go up to Jerusalem were
half-hearted in their service, and ready to give
up before the least opposition. When the foun
dation of the temple was laid, the old men wept
because it did not equal in splendor the temple

For shame hath devoured the
labor of our fathers from our youth j
their flocks and their herds, their
sons and their daughters. We lie
down in our shame, and our confu
sion covereth us : for we have
sinned against the Lord our God,
we and our fathers, from our youth
even unto this day, and have not
obeyed the voice of the Lord our
God, Jer. 3 : 24, 25.
They that be teachers shall shine
as the brightness of the firmament ;
and they that turn many to right
eousness as the stars forever and
ever. Dan. 12 : 3 [margin].

Iffy
lbe' for* U8.
}ivho tan
*Beaogun£tu&
ffr R°m 8:31
Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost: teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever I
have commanded you : and, lo, I
am with you alway, even unto the
end of the world. Amen.
Matt. 28:10, 20.
John 3:2.

The rod and reproof give wis
dom: but «. child left to himself
bringeth his mother to shame,
Prov. 29 : 15.

Many of the priests and Levites
and chief of the fathers, who were
ancient men, that had seen the first
house, when the foundation of this
house was laid before their eyes,
wept with a loud voice : and many
shouted aloud for joy : so that the

1 88

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

people could not discern the noise
of tlie shout of joy from the noise
of the weeping of the people : f°r
the people shouted with a loud
shcut, and the noise was heard
afar off. Ezra 3: 12, 13.
The prince of the kingdom of
Persia withstood me one and
twenty days : but, lo, Michael, one
of the chief princes, came to help
me : and I remained there with the
kings of Persia. Dan. 10 : 13.
Now when the adversaries of
Judah and Benjamin heard that the
children of the captivity builded
the temple unto the Lord God of
Israel ; then they came to Zerub
babel, and to the chief of the
fathers, and said unto them, Let
us build with you : for we seek
your God, as ye do : and we do
sacrifice unto him since the days
of Esarhaddon, king of Assur,
which brought us up hither. But
Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the
rest of the chief of the fathers of
Israel, said unto them, Ye have
nothing to do with us to build an
house unto our God ; but we our
selves together will build unto the
Lord God of Israel, as King Cyrus
the king of Persia hath commanded
us. Then the people of the land
weakened the hands of the people
of Judah, and troubled them in
building, and hired counselors
against them, to frustrate their pur
pose, all the days of Cyrus king of
Persia, even until the reign of
Darius king of Persia. And in the
reign of Ahasuerus, in the begin
ning of his reign, wrote they unto
him an accusation against the in
habitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
Ezra 4 : 1-6.
Esther 3 :6, 13-15.
In the days of Artaxerxes wrote
Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and
the rest of their companions, unto
Artaxerxes king of Persia ; and the
writing of the letter was written in
the Syrian tongue, and interpreted
in the Syrian tongue. The letter
which ye sent unto us hath been
plainly read before me. And I
commanded, and search hath been
made, and it is found that this city

of Solomon, and there was little influence ex
erted to bring others from Babylon. There is
little wonder that after waiting two full years to
see results, Cyrus was perplexed and astonished
at the outcome. What wonder that Daniel had
to wait three weeks for an answer to his prayer,
while Gabriel and Michael pleaded with the dis
heartened Cyrus ! Cyrus was ready, had the
Jews done their part, to make Jerusalem the
glory of the whole earth. As it was, we do not
find any record of further work by this king.
He died, the work he might have done but par
tially accomplished because of neglect and inac
tivity on the part of God's chosen people.
Satan had witnessed the workings of the
Spirit of God on the hearts of men at the very
center of the government he claimed as his own.
It was due to his influence that the Jews did
not make a grand entry into Jerusalem. Cyrus
struggled between two influences, but was re
strained by Gabriel from doing any act of vio
lence. Cambyses, his son, reigned nearly eight
years, but most of his time was spent in useless
and expensive warfare in Egypt and Ethiopia.
Cambyses is the Ahasuerus of Ezra 4:6. To
him the Samaritans wrote letters of complaint
against the Jews at Jerusalem. But Cambyses
was too busy with his foreign wars to give heed
to this matter, and hence no action was taken
either for or against the work at Jerusalem.
The Jews were still at liberty to leave Babylon,
but such a time of national quiet was not con
ducive to great activity on their part, and they
remained where they were. The time came
when they wished with all their hearts that they
had gone out during those peaceful years.

HISTORY OF THE DECREES.

189

Cambyses was slain while in Egypt ; and be
fore the report was circulated throughout the
Medo-Persian empire, an impostor took the
throne which belonged to Smerdis, the son of
Cambyses. The impostor, known in history as
Pseudo-Smerdis (the false Smerdis), is the Ar
taxerxes of Ezra 4:7, He reigned only seven
months, but that gave him time to consider com
plaints from the Samaritans and the tribes
about Jerusalem, and to issue a commandment
for the building of Jerusalem to cease until fur
ther word should come from the throne. This
letter of the false Smerdis is found in Ezra
4: 18—22. This is the only act which the di
vine historian mentions in the life of this Per
sian monarch.
Although very little is said about him, God
knew every move he made. This is seen as we
follow the history of the decrees. As soon as
the Jews at Jerusalem heard the reading of the
letter from the false Smerdis, all work ceased.
"For," reasoned they, "how can we go on?"
After they ceased to build, God raised up two
prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, and from these
we gain a knowledge of the condition of affairs
in Jerusalem.
The people ceased to build the temple, and
turned to building houses for themselves. When
urged to continue the Lord's work, they com
plained that money was scarce. They sowed
seed, but the harvest was less than the amount
sown ; their trees bore little or no fruit ; there
was drought, and the cattle died ; men could
not pay their fent or taxes, and became slaves
because of debt, and sold their children into
bondage. Then they complained to God. But

of old time hath made insurrection
against kings, and that rebellion
and sedition have been made
therein. There have been mighty
kings also over Jerusalem, which
have ruled over all countries be
yond the river ; and toll, tribute,
and custom was paid unto them.
Give ye now commandment to
cause these men to cease, and that
this city be not builded, until an
other commandment shall be given
from me. Take heed now that ye
fail not to do this: why should
damage grow to the hurt of the
kings? Now when the copy of
King Artaxerxes5 letter was read
before Rehum, and Shimshai the
scribe, and their companions, they
went up in haste to Jerusalem unto
the Jews, and made them to cease
by force and power. Then ceased
the work of the house of God,
which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased
unto the second year of the reign
of Darius king of Persia.
Ezra 4 : 7, 18-24.
Then the prophets, Haggai the
prophet, and Zechariah the son of
Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that
were in Judah and Jerusalem in
the name of the God of Israel,
even unto them. Ezra 5:1.
In the second year of Darius the
king, in the sixth month, in the first
day of the month, came the word
of the Lord by Haggai the prophet
unto Zerubbabel the son of Sheal-
tiel, governor of Judah, and to
Joshua the son of Josedech, the
high priest, saying, Thus speaketh
the Lord of hosts, saying, This
people say, The time is not come,
the time that the Lord's house
should be built. Then came the
word of the Lord by Haggai the
prophet, saying, Is it time for you,
O ye, to dwell in your ceiled
houses, and this house lie waste ?
Now therefore thus saith the Lord
of hosts ; consider your ways. Ye
have sown much, and bring in
little ; ye eat, but ye have not
enough ; ye drink, but ye are not
filled with drink ; ye clothe you,
but there is none warm ; and he

190

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

that earneth wages earneth wages
to put into a bag with holes.
Haggai i : 1-6.
An evil man seeketh only rebel
lion : therefore a cruel messenger
shall be sent against him.
Prov. 17 : 11.
They sent a letter unto him,
wherein was written thus : Unto
Darius the king, all peace. Be it
known unto the king, that we went
into the province of Judea, to the
house of the great God, which is
builded with great stones, and tim
ber is laid in the walls, and this
work goeth fast on, and prospereth
in their hands. Then asked we
those elders, and said unto them
thus, "W ho commanded you to
build this house, and to make up
these walls? We asked their names
also, to certify thee, that we might
write the names of the men that
were the chief of them. And thus
they returned us answer, saying,
We are the servants of the God of
heaven and earth, and build the
house that was builded these many
years ago, which a great king of
Israel builded and set up. . . .
But in the first year of Cyrus the
king of Babylon the same king Cy
rus made a decree to build this
house of God. . . . Now there
fore, if it seem good to the king, let
there be search made in the king's
treasure house, which is there at
Babylon, whether it be so, that a
decree was made of Cyrus the king
to build this house of God at Jeru
salem, and let the king send his
pleasure to us concerning this
matter. Ezra 5:7-17.
Then Darius the king made a
decree, and search was made in
the house of the rolls, where the
treasures were laid up in Babylon.
And there was found at Achmetha,
in the palace that is in the prov
ince of the Medes, a roll, and
therein was a record thus written :
in the first year of Cyrus the king
the same Cyrus the king made a
decree concerning the house of
God at Jerusalem, Let the house
be builded, the place where they
offered sacrifices, and let the founda-

all the time God was working for them, and
they knew it not.
This is the way He worked: In the city of
Babylon, six of the chief men of the empire
suspected that the reigning king was not the
rightful heir, and they banded themselves to
gether to find out. Forcing their way into the
presence of Smerdis, they recognized the im
postor, and slew him, and Darius, the chief of
the band, was made king. This is the man in
history known as Darius Hystaspes, and is Da
rius the Persian spoken of in Ezra 4 : 24.
Gabriel still guarded the throne of the Per
sians, and while the weak-hearted Jews left off
building the temple because of a little opposi
tion, God was bringing a man to the throne who
would carry forward the work of Cyrus. Hag
gai and Zechariah gathered the people together
and urged them to resume the work of building,
giving the word of the Lord that their poverty
was the direct result of their own refusal to
build in the face of difficulties. The Jews took
up the burden, but presently Tatnai and others,
governors of tribes in Palestine, came to Jeru
salem and warned the Jews to cease. Haggai,
Zechariah, Zerrubbabel, and Jeshua quoted the
decree of Cyrus. Tatnai then wrote to Darius,
expecting, of course, that he would put an end
to the work. Darius, however, caused a search
to be made, and found the decree of Cyrus, with
all its particulars concerning the building, the
sacrifices, and the order for money for the same
from the king's treasury.
Here is a manifestation of God's goodness
and mercy. That which in the eyes of men
looked like defeat was turned into a glorious

HISTORY OF THE DECREES.

191

victory. Darius issued a decree which covered
all that was contained in the decree of Cyrus,
and more also. Tatnai and the men who had
entered complaint were commanded to help for
ward the work at Jerusalem by giving their own
money to bear the expense.
Watch those men, Tatnai, Shethar-boznai, and
their companions, who raised such an outcry
against God's work. When the decree of Da
rius was received, the accusers went with great
speed to the Jewish leaders. Seeming defeat

was turned into signal

tions thereof be strongly laid;
. . . now therefore, Tatnai, gov
ernor beyond the river, Shethar-
boznai, and your companions, the
Apharsachites, which are beyond
the river, be ye far from thence :
let the work of this house of God
alone ; let the governor of the
Jews and the elders of the Jews
build this house of God in his
place. Moreover I make a decree
what ye shall do to the elders of
these Jews for the building of this
house of God: that of the king's
goods, even of the tribute beyond
the river, forthwith expenses be
given unto these men, that they be
not hindered. Ezra 6 : i-iz.
The king's heart is in the hand of

% lee out df tfa mitfet if
gaby Ion, and deliver every
matt ,ni# ^ouL„ 

victory, because
God was directing in
the affairs of men.
Bitter enemies became
friends, or at least . assistants, when the breath
of Jehovah confounded their worldly policy.
Again God especially favored Israel.
The warnings of Jeremiah were still heard:
"Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver
every man his soul : be not cut off in her in
iquity. . . . We would have healed Babylon,
she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go
every one into his own country. . . . The Lord
hath brought forth our righteousness: come,
and let us declare in Zion the work of the
Lord our God."
" O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that
the prophets have spoken." Israel heeded not.

the Lord, as the rivers ^j*»
of water : he turneth it
whithersoever he will. Prov. 21:1.
Jer. 51 :6, 9, 10.
Luke 24 : 25.
Then said I, Whither goest thou?
And he said unto me, To measure
Jerusalem, to see what is the
breadth thereof, and what is the
length thereof. And, behold, the
angel that talked with me went
forth, and another angel went out
to meet him, and said unto him,
Run, speak to this young man,
saying, Jerusalem shall be inhab
ited as towns without walls for the
multitude of men and cattle therein :
for I, saith the Lord, will be unto
her a wall of fire round about, and
will be the glory in the midst of
her. Ho, ho, come forth, and flee
from the land of the north, saith
the Lord : for I have spread you
abroad as the four winds of the
heaven, saith the Lord. Deliver
thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with
the daughter of Babylon. For

192

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

thus saith the Lord of hosts ; after
the glory hath he sent me unto the
nations which spoiled you : for he
that toucheth you toucheth the
apple of his eye. Zech. a : 2-8.

Behold, I will shake mine hand
upon them, and they shall be a
spoil to their servants : and ye shall
know that the Lord of hosts hath
sent me. Sing and rejoice, 0
daughter of Zion : for, lo, I come,
and I will dwell in the midst of
thee, saith the Lord. And many
nations shall be joined to the Lord
in that day, and shall be my peo
ple : and I will dwell in the midst
of thee, and thou shalt know that
the Lord of hosts hath sent me
unto thee. And tlie Lord shall
inherit Judah his portion in the
holy land, and shalt choose Jerusa
lem again. Zech. 2 : 9-12.

Can a woman forget her sucking
child, that she should not have
compassion on the son of her
womb? yea, they may forget, yet
will I not forget thee. Isa. 49 : 15.

Beautiful for situation, the joy of
the whole earth, is mount Zion, on
the sides of the north, the city of
the great King. God is known in
her palaces for a refuge. Ps. 48:2, 3.

Zech. 8:3.
Zech. 9 : 9.
Haggai 2:7-9.
Luke 12 : 28-30.
Matt.

21 : 12-16.

For thirty-six years — think of it, over a quar
ter of a century — Darius reigned, and Gabriel
stood at his right hand to keep his heart tender
toward the chosen people.
The angels of heaven watched intently to see
Israel return and build Jerusalem. To the
prophet Zechariah, in the days of Darius, was
given a wonderful view of the future history of
the people of God. Jerusalem was given an
opportunity in those days to build so as to be
come an everlasting city. Said one angel to
another in the hearing of Zechariah, " Run,
speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem
shall be inhabited as towns without walls, for
the multitude of men and cattle therein." In
stead of walls of stone, such as Jerusalem and
the cities of the world had hitherto been accus
tomed to build, God promised to be a wall of
fire round about it. " Ho, ho, come forth, and
flee from the land of the north. . . . Deliver
thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter
of Babylon."
Abounding love, like the love of a mother for
her firstborn, is heard in the words of Jehovah :
" Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion ! for lo,
I come. I will dwell in the midst of thee."
Christ's first and His second coming were both
promised then, and would doubtless have fol
lowed in quick succession had Israel heeded.
Throughout all the world the glory of the
Lord should be seen upon Zion, daughter of the
living God. "I am returned unto Zion, and
will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and JE
RUSALEM SHALL BE CALLED A CITY
OF TRUTH ! " « Rejoice greatly, O daugh
ter of Zion: shout, O daughter of Jerusa-

HISTORY OF THE DECREES.

193

lem : behold, thy King cometh unto thee."
To those who mourned because the new tem
ple seemed less glorious than the former one,
Christ, looking forward to the time when He
Himself should enter there with the words of
life for His people, said, by the prophet Haggai,
" I will shake all nations, and the Desire of all
nations shall come : and I will fill this house with
glory." "The glory of this latter house shall
be greater than of the former, . . . and in this
place will I give peace." This He said refer
ring to His personal visit in the form of hu
manity. Ahd again, by the same prophet, He asked
them to witness to the fact that from the very
day they began to build, the land yielded abun
dantly; the silver and the gold flowed in, and
there was general prosperity.
By Zechariah the latter rain was promised to
Jerusalem ; great clouds of His glory should
overshadow them. In Jerusalem the weak
should be as David, and David as the angel
of the Lord. All this He told them by the
prophet Zechariah. Read the entire prophecy
for its glorious promises. If we had lived in
Babylon in the days of Darius, would we have
hearkened? The prophet as he looks still
farther into the future, sees the Lord com
ing and all His saints with Him to crown Jeru
salem, the city of our God, the bride of the
Apocalypse. It should be an eternal city, with
sin and iniquity blotted from the earth.
Zechariah saw these things in the days of
Darius, king of Persia ; and had the Jews come
out of Babylon, and followed where God would
have led, such would have been the history of
13

Consider now trom this day and
upward, from the four and twen
tieth day of the ninth month, even
from the day that the foundation of
the Lord's temple was laid, con
sider it. Is the seed yet in the
barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the
fig tree, and the pomegranate and
the olive tree, hath not brought
forth : from this day will I bless
you. Haggai 2 : 15-19.

Deut. 11 : 13, 14.
Lev. 26 :3-i2.
James 5 : 8.
Ps. 72 :6.
Prov. 16 : 15.
Zech. 10 : r.
Hosea 10: 12.
Zech. 12:8.
Deut. 32 -.2.
Amos 4:7,8.
Job 29 : 23.
Isa. 44:3-6.
Joel 2 :23.

The Lord my God shall come.
and all the saints with thee. . . .
And the Lord shall be king over all
the earth : in that day shall there
be one Lord, and his name one.
Zech. 14 : 4-9.

Then said he unto him, A cer
tain man made a great supper, and
bade many : and sent his servant at
supper time to say to them that
were bidden, Come ; for all things
are now ready. And they all with
one consent began to make excuse.

194

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

... So that servant' came, and
showed his lord these things. Then
the master of the house being angry
said to his servant, Go out quickly
into the streets and lanes of the
city, and bring in hither the poor,
and the maimed, and the halt, and
the blind. And the servant said,
Lord, it is done as thou com
manded, and yet there is room.
And tlie lord said unto the servant,
Go out into the highways and
hedges, and compel them to come
in, that my house may be filled.
For I say unto you, That noue of
those men which were bidden shall
taste of my supper. Luke 14 : 16-24.
He that overcome ih shall inherit
these things ; and I will be his
God, and he shall be my son.
Rev. 21 17.
2. And now t will show thee the
truth. Behold, there shall stand
up yet three kings in Persia : and
the fourth shalt be far richer than
they alt: and by his strength
through his riches he shall stir
up ait against the realm ofQrecia.
Dan. 11: 2.

He that loveth silver shall not
be satisfied with silver ; nor he
that loveth abundance with in
crease : this is also vanity. When
goods increase, they are increased
that eat them : and what good is
there to the owners thereof, saving
the beholding of them with tlieir
eyes? Eccl. 5 : 10, n.

Treasures' of wickedness profit
notliing. Prov. 10:2.

Now it came to pass in the days
of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus
which reigned from India even
unto Ethiopia, over an hundred
and seven and twenty provinces).
Esther 1:1.

the world. They heeded not His voice, and
after a lapse of nearly twenty-five hundred
years, the people of to-day find themselves heirs
to exactly the same promises under precisely
the same conditions. If the church of to-day
follows the instruction of the prophets, every
promise of Zechariah shall be theirs. If not,
the history of the Jews during the reign of the
king who followed Darius, will be repeated.
In giving this history to Daniel, these details
were omitted, and Daniel did not live to see
them carried out. To him the angel said, speak
ing in the third year of the reign of Cyrus,
" Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings
in Persia ; and the fourth shall be far richer
than they all."
The three kings who followed Cyrus were
Cambyses, Pseudo-Smerdis, and Darius. These,
and their part in the history of the Jews, we have
already considered. The fourth king of Persia
after Cyrus the Great was noted for his wealth,
and the great army he raised against the
Greeks. This king was Xerxes, who came to
the throne on the death of Darius. Our inter
est lies in the record of his dealings with the
Jews, and to that history one entire book of
the Bible is devoted. Xerxes is supposed to
be the Ahasuerus of Esther, and the book of
Esther is the record of the acts of this king
with reference to the people of God who were
still living in the kingdom of Babylon, over
which Xerxes was sole monarch.
The Medo-Persian kingdom was at its height
during the reign of this king. He held in sub
jection one hundred and twenty-seven provinces,
extending from India to Ethiopia. His capital

HISTORY OF THE DECREES.

195

was at Shushan, in the province of Elam. Some
estimate of the wealth at the disposal of this
ruler may be gained from the fact that for six
months the princes, rulers, and governors of all
the provinces, representing the power of the
Persian king in all" parts of the realm, were en
tertained at the royal palace; and that when
this gathering was over, the palace of Shushan
was thrown open for a full week, during which
time all the people were feasted in the gardens.
There was drinking of wine and reveling. It
was similar to the time when Beishazzar feasted
with a thousand of his lords. The furnishings
of the palace, with its marble walls and floors,
its rich curtains and draperies of many colors,
hanging by silver rings to the lofty pillars, told
of the gratification of pride. The beds and
couches were of gold and silver, and they drank
from wine cups of gold. Truly Medo-Persia
was the daughter of Babylon.
The story of Vashti is a familiar one. . Ahas
uerus commanded her to appear before his half-
drunken company, and she refused. Then she
was set aside, and a Jewish maiden, her nation
ality being unknown, became queen of the Per
sian kingdom. This was Hadassah, known as
Esther, an orphan of the house of Saul, whose
parents had been among the royal* captives in
the days of Nebuchadnezzar. She had lived
always with a cousin by the name of Mordecai,
who treated her as his own daughter. Little
did Mordecai and his wife think, when they took
the helpless infant Hadassah, that she would
one day stand for her people in the presence of
the king. She was an obedient child, and con
sequently became an obedient woman. She

That in those days, when the
king Ahasuerus sat on the throne
of his kingdom, which was in Shu
shan the palace. Esther i : 2.
In the third year of his reign,
he made a feast unto all his princes
and his servants ; the power of
Persia and Media, the nobles and
princes of the provinces, being be
fore him: when he showed the
riches of his glorious kingdom and
the honor of his excellent majesty
many days, even an hundred and
fourscore days. Esther 1:3,4.
When these days were expired,
the king made a feast unto all the
people that were present in Shu
shan the palace, both unto great
and small, seven days, in the court
of the garden of the king's palace.
Esther 1 : 5.
Dan. 5 : 1, ^.
Where were white, green, and
blue, hangings, fastened with cords'
of fine linen and purple to silver
rings and pillars of marble : the
beds were of gold and silver, upon
a pavement of red, and blue, and
white, and black marble. Esther 1 : 6.
They gave them drink in vessels
of gold, [the vessels being diverse
one from another,) and roya^ wine
in abundance, according to the state^
of the king. Esther 1 : 7.
Esther 1 :g-22.
Where the word of the king is,
there is power : and who may say
unto him, What doest thou? Eccl. 8:4.
The king loved Esther above all
the women, and she obtained grace
and favor in his sight more than all
the virgins ; so that he set the royal
crown upon her head, and made
her queen instead of Vashti.
Esther 2 : 17,
Esther had not showed her peo
ple nor her kindred : for Mordecai
had charged her that she should
not show it. Esther 2 : 10.
Now in Shushan the palace there
was a certain Jew, whose name was
Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son
of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Ben-
jamite. Esther 2 15.

196

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Esther did the commandment of
Mordecai, like as when she was
brought up with him. Esther 2 120.
She required nothing but what
Hegai the king's chamberlain, the
keeper of the women, appointed.
And Esther obtained favor in the
sight of all them that looked upon
her. Esther 2 : 15.
In those days, while Mordecai
sat in the king's gate, two of the
king's chamberlains, Bigthan and
Teresh, of those which kept the
door, were wroth, and sought to
lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
And the thing was known to Mor
decai, who told it unto Esther the
queen ; and Esther certified the
king thereof in Mordecai's name.
And when inquisition was made of
the matter, it was found out ; there
fore they were both hanged on a
tree : and it was written in the
book of the chronicles before the
king. Esther 2 : 21-23.
All the king's servants, that were
in the king's gate, bowed, and rev
erenced Haman : for the king had
so commanded concerning him.
But Mordecai bowed not, nor did
him reverence. Esther 3 : 2.
They refused to hearken, and
pulled away the shoulder, and
stopped their ears, that they should
not hear. Zech. 7:11.
Acts 7 : 23-30.
Forty years long was I grieved
with this generation, and said, It
is a people that do err in their
heart, and they have not known
my ways. Ps, 95 ; 10:
Heb. 3 : 17.
(There are eleven days' journey
from Horeb by the way of Mount
Seir unto Kadesh-barnea.) Deut. 1 :z.
When he had fasted forty days
and forty nights, he was afterward
an hungered. And when the temp
ter came to him. Matt. 4 : 1-11.
Haman said unto King Ahasue
rus, There is a certain people scat
tered abroad and dispersed among
the people in all the provinces of

was simpfe-hearted and unassuming, requiring
little and demanding nothing. She loved her
own people, although to be true to them meant
that she must look death in the face.
Daniel was no longer living, and there were
few if any to represent the worship of the true
God in the court of the godless king. Mor
decai sat at the king's gate, it is true, and in
time of a conspiracy he reported the matter to
the king; but there were few occasions when
he could mingle with those in authority. Wick
edness and injustice abounded, and Mordecai
refused to countenance such principles, and
would not bow before the haughty Haman, one
of the king's counselors. This was pretext
enough for the enemies of the Jews to work
upon, for they were now a hated race through
out the empire. They had failed to take ad
vantage of the time of national favor, and Per
sia had turned against them.
For about forty years mercy had been ex
tended to Israel, and that people had turned a
deaf ear to all entreaty. Forty years has often
been called the allotted time for a generation to
settle its destiny either for or against the truth.
Moses was forty years in the wilderness, un
learning the things of Egypt, and being taught
in the things of God; Israel wandered forty
years in the wilderness, when only eleven days
were necessary to make the journey from the
Red Sea to the border of Canaan ; forty days
Christ endured severe temptation; forty years
sealed the fate of the Reformation in Germany ;
and it was forty years from the preaching of the
sealing message until the time of the loud cry.
So Israel was given forty years in Babylon

HISTORY OF THE DECREES.

197

thy kingdom ; and their laws are
diverse from aU people ; neither
keep they the king's laws : there
fore it is not for the king's profit
to suffer them. If it please the
king, let it be written that they may
be destroyed. . . And the king
took his ring from his hand, and

while angels held the winds of strife.' At the
end of that time Xerxes yielded to the sugges
tion of Haman, and issued a decree against that
" certain people scattered abroad and dispersed
among the people in all the provinces." If en
treaty WOUld no longer attract the attention Of gave it unto Haman the son of
1T /-ii 11-tt* i Hammadatha the Agagite, the
the Jews, God would in His mercy let perse- Jews> enemy. . . . Every people
cution come, that they might be compelled of every province according to the
' J ° A writing thereof, and to every peo-
tO flee tO His Side for protection. But When pie after their language; in the
persecution and hardship are ap- _____________
proaching, the love of God is so
great- that He prepares the deliv
erer beforehand.
The angel of God had guarded
Hadassah, and directed in her
education. He had brought her

' Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. "

198

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

name of King Ahasuerus was it
written and sealed with the king's
ring. . . . 1 hen were the king's
scribes called on the thirteenth day
of the first month, and there was
written according to all that Ha
man had commanded. Esther 3 :8-i2.
That our sons may be as plants
grown up in their youth :, that our
daughters may be as corner stones,
polished after the similitude of a
palace. Ps. 144 : 12.
The letters were sent by posts
into all the kings's provinces, to
destroy, to kill, and to cause to
perish, all Jews, both young and
old, little children and women, in
one day, even upon the thirteenth
day of the twelfth month. . . .
The copy of the writing for a com
mandment to be given in every
province was published unto all
people, that they should be ready
against that day. The posts went
out, being hastened by the king's
commandment, and the decree was
given in Shushan the palace. And
the king and Haman sat down to
drink ; but the city Shushan was
perplexed. Esther 3 : 13-15.
Mordecai rent his clothes, and
put on sackcloth with ashes, and
went out into the midst of the city,
and cried with a loud and a bitter
cry ; . . and in every province,
whithersoever the king's command
ment and his decree came, there
was great mourning. Esther 4 : 1-3.
Esther 4 : 1-17.
Also he gave him the copy of the
writing of tlie decree that was
given at Shushan to destroy them,
to show it unto Esther, and to de
clare it unto her, and to charge her
that she should go in unto the king,
to make supplication unto him, and
to make request before him for her
people. Esther 4 : 8.
Then Esther bade them return
Mordecai this answer, Go gather
together all the Jews that are pres
ent in Shushan, and fast ye for me,
and neither eat nor drink three

to the ktngdom "for such a time as this."
When there was no man to represent His
cause, Jehovah used a woman, and she, a young
woman. Her very beauty was consecrated to
the Lord, and He made use of that. God loves
the young people, as the history of the Jews
certifies. Messengers were sent by post to carry the
king's decree to every province in the vast em
pire. It was sealed with the king's signet, and
the laws of the Medes and Persians were un
changeable. On a set day, every Jew in the
kingdom was to be put to death by the sword ;
old, young, men, women, and little children —
none were exempted. Satan triumphed in the
thought that at last Israel was in his hand, and
the cause of God should fall.* "The king and
Haman," two of Satan's servants, "sat down to
drink." The city of Shushan first heard the decree,
and consternation filled the hearts of the Jews.
There was distress in every home. " The city
of Shushan was perplexed." Scarcely one year
from the date of the decree, and death would be
their lot. There was seemingly no way of es
cape. Years before they might have gone up
to Jerusalem, but now it was forever too late.
A bitter wail of agony reached heaven, and as
those messengers of the king sped on, the cry
grew louder. The voices of the Jews at Shu
shan were strengthened by sounds of mourning
from thousands of Jews in all the provinces.
Esther, in the king's palace, was ignorant
of the decree, but Mordecai made known to her
the universal distress, and sent her a copy of
the king's command. The crucial moment had

The proclamation of Haman's decree.

HISTORY OF THE DECREES.

199

come to her. Should she, could she, be true to
her God? The Hebrews of Shushan put on
sackcloth, and for three days fasted for the
queen. Then she came forth in the strength
of her God. Queenly, beautiful, trusting, she
stood in the inner court over against the king's
house, awaiting the recognition of the monarch
of earth, to cross whose will meant death. On
one hand she saw death at the hand of Xerxes ;
on the other, the approval of her God. " If I
perish, I perish," she said, and God accepted
her sacrifice.
God had prepared from afar for her deliver
ance. The very act of kindness done years be
fore by Mordecai wrought in the deliverance of
his people. Who says there is no record kept
of man's acts, or that man performs any deed
of kindness unprompted by heavenly beings?
God used Esther to save His people; He also
used Mordecai.
Haman, the one who proposed the decree,
was hung on a gallows built for Mordecai;
Mordecai was promoted to the position of chief
counselor of Xerxes ; and a decree was issued
that on the day appointed for the slaughter of the
Jews, every Jew should bear arms and defend
himself against the Persians. And the fear of
the Jews fell upon all the people. Again God
defeated the schemes, not of men only, but of
the arch-enemy. Truth triumphed in spite of
the waywardness of His people. This decree of
Ahasuerus, or Xerxes, is the counterpart of the
decree which will soon be issued by the beast
of the thirteenth chapter of Revelation against
the followers of God. It will find a people situ
ated as were the Jews in Babylon ; it will find

days, night or day : I also and my
maidens will fast likewise ; and so
will I go in unto the king, which is
not according to the law : and if I
perish, I perish. Esther 4:15, 16.
Now it came to pass on the third
day, that Esther put on her royal
apparel, and stood in the inner
court of the king's house, over
against the king's house : and the
king sat upon his royal throne in
the royal house, over against the
gate of tlie house. Esther 5 : 1.
In those days, while Mordecai
sat in the king's gate, two of the
king's chamberlains, Eigthan and
Teresh, of those which kept the
door, were wroth and sought to lay
hand on the king Ahasuerus. And
the thing was known tb Mordecai,
who told it unto Esther the queen ;
and Esther certified the king
thereof in Mordecai's name.
Esther 2 : 21-25.
So they hanged Haman on the
gallows that he had prepared for
"Mordecai. Then was the king's
wrath pacified. Esther 7 : 10.
Wherein the king granted the
Jews which were in every city to
gather themselves together, and to
stand for their life, to destroy, to
slay, and to cause to perish, all the
power of the people and province
that would assault them, both little
ones and women, and to take the
spoil of them for a prey, upon one
day in all the provinces of king
Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thir
teenth day of the twelfth month,
which is the month Adar. The
copy of the writing for a command^
ment to be given in every province
was published unto all people,
and that the Jews should be ready
against that day to avenge them
selves on their enemies. So the
posts that rode upon mules and
camels went out, .being hastened
and pressed on by the king's com
mandment. And the decree was*
given at Shushan the palace.
Esther 8 : 11-14.

200

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

1 11* T,m£^mm 
CYRUS 7 yrs

3
uw
IH <
dHWu.
0*:
0 0

E^^

CAMBYSES 7^iyra
=SMERDI5=:fcMo= and. Docrco
DARIUS
HYSTASPES 46 year's

==
|
S:
SI
o

XERXES 21 ye«ra
HI I!oUJ
=
3rd. Docroo
ARTAXERXES 41 y«ers
=
I
<uXw
The above diagram shows the
period of time covered by the books
of Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah, Es
ther, and Nehemiah, and the Per
sian kings that reigned at that time.
He causeth all, both small and
great, rich and poor, free and bond,
to receive a mirk in their right
hand, or in their foreheads : and
that no man might buy or sell, save
he that had the mark, or the name
of the beast, or the number of his
name. Rev. 13 : 16, 17.
That which hath been is now j
and that which is to be hath already
others who have withdrawn from Babylon, and
as the enemy rushes upon this latter class to
slay them, the swords will fall like broken
straws, for angels of God will fight for His
people. This record, given in the book of Esther, is
preserved in Bible history that men may know
the future. God's dealings with the Jews re
veal the principles of His government, and in
this history is a graphic description of the sins
and deliverance of spiritual Israel.
Xerxes was a cruel, arrogant man, and his
character is shown not only in his dealings with
the Hebrew race, but with other peoples as well.
Not content with the extent of territory under
his control, he mustered an immense- army —
over five million, historians state — and crossed
the Hellespont to subdue Grecia. Defeat and
disaster accompanied the effort, however, and
he returned unto his own kingdom.
The Spirit of God was not yet withdrawn
from the Medo-Persian court, and although
Xerxes is the last king mentioned in the vis
ion which Daniel saw, yet God was still holding
out mercy to the Israelites ; and it was during
the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus, the suc
cessor of Xerxes, that the final decree for the
return of the Jews was issued. In like manner
the grand jubilee will immediately follow Sa
tan's last effort to destroy the people of God.
In the seventh year of the reign of Arta
xerxes, the heart of Ezra was stirred by the
Spirit of God, and he appealed to the king for
assistance. In response to the appeal Arta
xerxes issued the commandment recorded in
the seventh chapter of Ezra. This is the de-
HISTORY OF THE DECREES.

201

cree of the year 457 b. c, mentioned in chap
ter ten, page 145, and is the date from which
to reckon the beginning of the two thousand
three hundred days of Daniel 8:14, and the
seventy weeks of Daniel 9 : 24. The decree of
Artaxerxes included all that was contained in
the decrees of Cyrus and Darius, and gave fur
ther commandment to build the wall and estab
lish a government.
Eighty years had passed since the decree of
Cyrus — eighty years of forbearance ; but even
after the experience of the days of Esther and
Xerxes there was little interest manifested in
the rebuilding of Zion, and the company who
went with Ezra was small compared with what
it should have been. The condition in Jerusa
lem was discouraging, for there the Jews had
intermarried with the Canaanites, bringing in
iniquity and confusion. The, Sabbath was dese
crated, and the services of the Lord's house
were neglected. It was not until the twentieth
year of Artaxerxes, after Ezra had labored for
Israel thirteen years, that Nehemiah came
from Babylon and stirred the people into ac
tivity. Then, and not till then, were the walls
rebuilt. Even then it was fighting with one
hand and building with the other, because of a
multitude of enemies. It was only then that
they began to pay tithe, and to cease from
ordinary traffic on the Sabbath ; it was then
that they put away their heathen wives; but
they did it only because threatened with God's
wrath. Truly, Israel was stiffnecked and rebellious.
A remnant was saved from Babylon, but it was
only a remnant ; and that remnant, after years

been ; and God requireth that which
is past. Eccl. 3:15.
Ezra 7 : 1 1-26.
Rev. 15 : 2, 3.
This Ezra went up from Bab
ylon ; and he was a ready scribe in
the law of Moses, which the Lord
God of Israel had given : and the
king granted him all his request,
according to the hand of the Lord
his God upon him. Ezra 7 : 6.
Now when these things were
done, the princes came to me, say
ing, The people of Israel, and the
priests, and the Levites, have not
separated themselves from the peo
ple of the lands. For they have
taken of 'their daughters for them
selves, and for their sons : so that
the holy seed have mingled them
selves with the people of those
lands : yea, the hand of the princes
and rulers hath been chief in this
trespass. Ezra 9: 1,2.
Then I contended with the no
bles of Judah, and said unto them,
What evil thing is this that ye do,
and profane the Sabbath day?
And it came to pass, that when the
gates of Jerusalem began to be
dark before the Sabbath, I com
manded that the gates should be
shut, and charged that they should
not be opened till after the Sab
bath. Neh. 13 : 15-20.
I perceived that the portions of
the Levites had not been given
them ; then brought all Judah the
tithe of the corn and the new wine
and the oil unto the treasuries.
Neh. 13 : 10-13.
Neh. 13 123, 24.
Neh. 2 : 1-6.
Neh. 4 : 13-21.

They covet fields, and take them
by violence ; and houses, and take
them away ; so they oppress a man
and his house, even a man and his
heritage. Therefore thus saith the
Lord ; Behold, against this family
do I devise an evil, from which ye

202

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

shall not remove your necks ; nei
ther shall ye go haughtily : for this
time is evil. Micah 2:2,3.
Who is a God like unto thee, that
pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by
the transgression of the remnant
of his heritage? he retaineth not
his anger forever, because he de-
lighteth in mercy. Micah 7 : 18, 19.
Thus saith the Lord God ; Re
move the diadem, and take off the
crown : this shall not be the same :
exalt him that is low, and abase
him that is high. I will overturn,
overturn, overturn it : and it shall
be no more, until he come whose
right it is ; and I will give it him.
Eze. 21 125-27.
When I am gone forth, lo, the
prince of Grecia shall come.
Dan. 10 : 20.
Dan. 5 :z6.
Why are thy valiant men swept
away ? they stood not, because the
Lord did drive them. Jer. 46 : 15.
*They did cry there, Pharaoh
king of Egypt is but a noise ; he
hath passed the time appointed. Jer. 46 : 17.

of struggling and much halting, was as a brand '
snatched from the burning.
Jerusalem, which might have been the glory
of the earth, fell a prey to each succeeding
kingdom. Daniel's mind turned to the rising
power of the kingdom of Grecia, and Gabriel
next spoke of the mighty one who should rule
with great dominion. Medo-Persia sank into a
state of weakness, and the angel withdrew his
sheltering wings ; probation was passed for an
other nation. It, too, had been numbered .and
found wanting ; and its name is dropped by the
inspired penman.
The history of the Persian empire, until it
passed its zenith, is the history of the decrees ;
and when that nation ceased to help forward the
people upon whom God was still bestowing
light, it is lost sight of by the divine historian-
Time waits for neither man nor nation. The
life of each individual may be read in the his
tory of the years of Medo-Persian supremacy.
Let us hasten our steps toward the New Je
rusalem.

7^

looking /or and halting unto
the coming pf the day of €odL

tto

C Peter 3:12

^©

CHAPTER XIV.

THE HISTORY OP GREECE.

CHAPTER 11 : 3-13.

The first two verses of the eleventh chapter
of Daniel outline the history of the second king
dom, Medo-Persia. That portion of the chapter
included in verses three to thirteen records the
history of the third kingdom, Greece. Those
things which are "noted in the Scripture of
truth " concerning Greece are the things which
Gabriel made known to Daniel. The prophet
had found it difficult to grasp the full signifi
cance of the symbols used in previous visions to
represent the kingdoms of the world, and so in
this last interview between the servant of God
and the angel of prophecy, symbols are laid
aside, and the history is repeated in plain lan
guage.

In those times there shall many
stand up against the king of the
south ; also the robbers of thy peo
ple shall exalt themselves to estab
lish the vision ; but they shall fall.
Dan. ii : 14.

The Lord answered me, and said,
Write the vision, and make it
plain upon tables, that he may run
that readeth it. For the vision is
yet for an appointed time, but at
the end it shall speak, and not lie :
though it tarry, wait for it ; because
it will surely come, it will not
tarry. Hab. 2 12, 3.

Isa. 8:1.
Isa. 30 :8.
203

204

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Every word of God is pure : he
is a shield unto them that put their
trust in him. Prov. 30 : 5.

Yea, if thou criest after knowl
edge, and liftest up thy voice for
understanding ; if thou seekest her
as silver, and searchest for her as
for hid treasures ; then shalt thou
understand the fear of the Lord,
and find the knowledge of God.
Prov. 2 : 1-5.
Look unto me, and be ye saved,
all the ends of the earth : for I am
God, and there is none else.
Isa. 45 : 22.

The prophecy came not in old
time [margin, at any time\ by the
will of man : but holy men of God
spake as they were moved by the
Holy Ghost. 2 Peter 1:21.

Thou, O Daniel, shut up the
words, and seal the book, even to
the time of the end. Dan. 12 -.4.
Thou shalt rest, and stand in thy
lot at the end of the days. Dan. 12 : 13.
And upon her forehead was a
name written, MYSTERY, BAB
YLON THE GREAT, THE
MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND
ABOMINATIONS OF THE
EARTH. Rev. 17 : s-
Rev. 18: 1.
Eze. 23 : 17.
All nations have drunk of the
wine of the wrath of her fornica
tion, and the kings of the earth
have committed fornication with
her. Rev. 18:3.
Thou wentest to the king with
ointment, and didst increase thy
perfumes, and didst send thy mes
sengers far off, and didst debase
- thyself even unto hell. Isa. 57:9.

Notwithstanding the fact that Gabriel gives
the prophecy in a plain narrative, the very words
he uses, and the facts which he selects from the
multitude of events which actually took place,
have a significance. In reading God's Word in
any of its parts there is first to be found the
story which lies on the surface ; and secondly,
the deeper meaning, which is just as truly there,
but which must be sought for as with a lighted
candle. It is hoped that the reader may at
least, catch a glimpse of the deep spiritual les
sons while reading the plain narrative of events.
God had a purpose when He gave the history
of the four kingdoms, Babylon, Medo-Persia,
Greece, and Rome. There is an incentive to
understand these prophecies in the very fact
that each nation is represented in a variety, of
ways, revealing different characteristics. And
since Daniel is a prophet for the latter days,
there is an increased desire to read not only the
history, but God's purpose in tracing the history
with such unerring accuracy. Babylon, as a
nation, as has been seen from the study of
Daniel in connection with Revelation, repre
sents a condition of things which will exist in
the church of the last days. Great was the
splendor of that kingdom, but she was a har
lot, and the mother of harlots. Above the city
Heaven saw the words, " Mystery of iniquity,"
for she made all nations drunk with the wine of
her fornication.
Medo-Persia was a daughter of Babylon, and
she played the harlot also ; that is, she partook
of the sins of Babylon, and departed from the
living God. The principles of the religion of
Babylon were carried out by the daughter,

THE HISTORY OF GREECE.

205

though the wickedness was in a measure
checked by the constant presence of angels in
the court, who labored in behalf of the chosen
people of God ; but the constant tendency to
ward tyranny and oppression in the government
is revealed in the decree of Ahasuerus in the
days of Esther.
As Medo-Persia had an important part to
play in connection with God's people, and while
her part differed from the dealings of Babylon
with that same people, so the Greek nation was
called of God to do a work — a specific work.
She, two, was a daughter of Babylon, partaking
of her sins ; but these sins, while the same, led
to different outward manifestations than in
Medo-Persia. Like children of the same fam
ily, each reproducing the character of the par
ents, yet differing widely from one another, so
Greece, Medo-Persia, and Rome are three sis
ters, daughters of the same mother, but each
endowed with special features and strong peculi
arities. Greece spans the gulf between the Old and
the New Testament. Its principal work as a
nation was done during the time when there
was no prophet in Israel, the period between
Malachi and Christ, hence the book of Daniel
is the only portion of the Bible which deals with
this nation. The history of Greece can be
traced to Javan of the family of Japheth, who,
with his sons, settled in the islands of the Med
iterranean. The natural division of the country
by the bays and mountains developed many in
dependent or semi-independent tribes, but they
had one common language and one religion.
It would seem that the principles of the wor-

Michael, one of the chief princes,
came to help me ; and I remained
there with the kings of Persia.
Dan. 10 : 13.
The letters were sent by posts
into all the king's provinces, to
destroy, to kill, and to cause to
perish, all Jews, both young and
old, little children and women, in
one day, even upon the thirteenth
day of the twelfth month, which is
the month Adar, and to take the
spoil of them for a prey. Esther 3 : 13.
Ah sinful nation, a people laden
with iniquity, « seed of evildoers,
children that are corrupters : they
have forsaken the Lord, they have
provoked the Holy One of Israel
unto anger, they are gone away
backward. Isa. 1 '.4.
But draw near hither, ye sons of
the sorceress, the seed of the adul
terer and the whore. Against
whom do ye sport yourselves ?
against whom make ye a wide
mouth, and draw out the tongue?
are ye not children of transgres
sion, a seed of falsehood? Isa. 57:3*4-
Her gates are sunk into the
ground ; he hath destroyed and
broken her bars : her king and her
princes are among the Gentiles;
the law is no more ; her prophets
also find no vision from the Lord.
Lam. 2 : 9.

The history of God's people dur
ing this period is given in the two
books of Maccabees in the Apocra-
pha, and marginal references will
be made in some instances from
the Apocrapha.
Gen. 10 :2, 4.
At that time Merodach-baladan,
the son of Baladan, king of Bab
ylon, sent letters and a present to
Hezekiah. Isa. 39: 1, 2.

206

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

When the queen of Sheba heard
of the fame of Solomon, she came
to prove Solomon with hard ques
tions at Jerusalem. 2 Chron. 9:1,

Every good gift and every per
fect gift is from above, and cometh
down from the Father of lights,
with whom is no variablenesSj
neither shadow of turning. James 1 : 17.

Every man is brutish in his
knowledge : every founder is con
founded by the graven image : for
his moulten image is falsehood,
and there is no breath in them.
They are vanity, and the work of
errors: in the time of their visita
tion they shall perish. The por
tion of Jacob is not like them : for
he is the former of all things ; and
Israel is the rod of his inheritance :
the Lord of hosts is his name.
Jer. 10 : 14-16.

Professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools, and changed the
glory of the uncorruptible God into
an image made like to corruptible
man, and to birds, and four-footed
beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up
to uncleanness through the lusts of
their own hearts. Rom. 1 : 21-30.

Avoiding profane and vain bab
blings, and oppositions of science
falsely so-called which some pro
fessing have erred concerning the
faith. 1 Tim. 6:20, 2r.

ship of Jehovah, as known to the sons of Noah,
were carried into the isles of Greece, for
throughout the entire system is traceable a
close resemblance to the ceremonial law with
its types and shadows, as carried on in Jerusa
lem in the days of Solomon. Again, when it
is remembered that the kingdom of the Jews,
in the days of its prosperity, was visited by rep
resentatives from all nations, it is easy to under
stand how the forms- and ceremonies of the
worship of Jehovah were adopted by the
Greeks. Even the architecture of Palestine,
especially the temple of Solomon, became a
model to the Greeks, who were lovers of the
beautiful. Everything that is good and beau
tiful in the world has its origin in the mind of
God. The gross idolatry of Babylon and Egypt was
replaced in Greece by a more refined worship,
if there can be said to be degrees of refinement
in licentiousness. At any rate, Greek customs
were less revolting on the surface, and hence
more subtle and ensnaring. The aesthetic taste
of the Greeks was developed by being in close
contact with nature. They studied nature, and
not having God's Word as an interpreter, they
worshiped the . forms instead of the Creator.
They recognized the power of life, but not
knowing the source of life, they were led into
licentious practices, known as "the mysteries,"
where things which are sacred were denied with
drinking and passionate indulgence.
There is a pathetic strain throughout their
history. They came so close to the God of
nature, and yet, not knowing Him, they wan
dered in such utter darkness. Theirs is a con-

THE HISTORY OF GREECE.

207

stant reminder of the fate of those students of
to-day who seek to understand natural phenom
ena, but do not interpret nature by the word
of its Creator. They, too, worship Zeus and
Demeter, Pluto, or Poseidon, instead of the
Christ. The fact is, that the children of to-day
are fed upon the myths and traditions of this
very people, who were groping in darkness,
worshiping the gods of Olympus, and ignorant
of the God whose voice shook the mountains in
every storm, whose smile was in every sunbeam,
and whose rivers watered the fields.
The Greeks offered sacrifices, but of what
value were they when they accepted not the
sacrifice of the slain Lamb of God ? The spirit
of prophecy was cherished, but while God's
prophets mingled with the people, the Greek
prophetess, a maiden of questionable charac
ter, was secluded from the people, and received
her inspiration from a vapor that poured from
a rent in a rock over which the temple of Delphi
was built.
There was a priesthood, the duties of whose
members were to reveal the will of the gods.
The sacred feasts of Jehovah's people were re
placed by the national games of the Greeks.
As the passover and the feast of tabernacles
called the Hebrew race together, and promoted
unity and a love of God, so the Greek games
gathered that people together, promoting one
common language, religion, and law. God's
people met for spiritual worship; the Greeks
for physical or intellectual enjoyment.
The history of Greece is the history of physi
cal and intellectual culture. The people ad
mired grace and beauty, and her literary minds

Neither give heed to fables and
endless genealogies, which minister
questions, rather than godly edify
ing which is in faith. 1 Tim. 1:4.

The voice of thy thunder was in
the heaven : the lightnings light
ened the world : the earth trembled
and shook. Ps. 77 : 18.

He watereth the hills from his
chambers. Ps. 104:13.

Then the priest of Jupiter, which
was before their city, brought oxen
and garlands unto the gates, and
would have dohe sacrifice with the
people. Acts 14:11-13.

Know ye not that they which
run in a race run all, but one re
ceiveth the prize? So run, that ye
may obtain. And every man that
striveth for the mastery is temper
ate in all things. ' Now they do it
to obtain a corruptible crown ; but
we an incorruptible. I therefore
so run, not as uncertainly ; so fight
I , not as one that beatefh the air :
but I keep under my body, and
bring it into subjection ; lest that
by any means, when I have
preached to others, I myself should
be a castaway. 1 Cor. 9 : 24-27.
Bodily exercise profiteth little :
but godliness is profitable unto all
things, having promise of the life
that now is, and of that which is
to come. 1 Tim. 4 :8.
Why do thy disciples transgress
the tradition of the elders? . . ,
But he answered and said unto
them, Why do ye also transgress
the commandment ot God by your
tradition? . . . Thus have ye
made the commandment of God
of none effect by your tradition.

Matt. 15; 2, 3. 6. ^

1 Tim. 6 r 20.

208

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Beware lest any man spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit,
after the tradition of men, after the
rudiments of the world, and not
after Christ. Col. 2:8.

All therefore whatsoever they
bid you observe, that observe and
do ; but do ye not after their works :
for they say, and do not. Matt. 23 : 3.

Of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil, thou shalt not eat of
it : for in the day that thou eatest
thereof thou shalt surely die.
Gen. 2 : 17.

Then certain of the people were
so forward herein, that they went
to the king, who gave them license
to do after the ordinances of the
heathen : whereupon they built a
place of exercise at Jerusalem
according to the customs of the
heathen : and made themselves un
circumcised, and forsook, the holy
covenant, and joined themselves to
the heathen, and were sold to do
mischief. 1 Maccabees x : 13-15.

Israel's departure-from the Lord
during the period of Greek influ
ence was so great that they were
not entrusted with the spirit of
prophecy as aforetime.

Dan. 10 : 20.
Dan. 11:3.

Vainly purled up by his fleshly
mind. Col. 2 : 18.
Gen. 49 :$, 6.

I am the Lord, and there is none
fclse, there is no God beside me : I
girded thee, though thou hast not
known me. Isa. 45 : 5.

worshiped the intellect. Plato, the greatest of
Greek philosophers, lived about four hundred
years before Christ, and his teachings have led
the thoughts of writers in every age since then.
The Jews mingled the teachings of the Bible
with the philosophy of Plato, and that formed
the traditions of men, against which Christ so
often warned His followers. The false philos
ophy, and the "science falsely so called" of
Paul's time, was Greek teaching, which breathed
the spirit of Plato and his students.
Plato's writings have replaced the Bible with
many, and a large number of modern writers,
of both prose and poetry, recognize him as their
intellectual leader. The philosophy of this man
was often good, and he admired truth ; but the
error lay in admiring or assenting to truth, and
failing to live it out. His followers came under the
condemnation of Christ, together with the Phari
sees, of whom He said, "They say, but do not."
Here, in Greek religion and Greek learning,
was the most subtile form of that mixture of
truth and error which Satan offered at the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil, which ex
isted from the days of Eden to the, time of
Greece. Babylon enslaved the bodies of God's
people, Medo-Persia made laws to slay them, but
Greece captured their minds, and enslaved them
to her ideas. She counterfeited so neatly, so
adroitly, the spiritual teachings of the Old Tes
tament ; and so quietly, yet so surely, wound her
tendrils about God's people, that her slavery was
far worse than that of Egypt or Babylon. It
is this influence which must be taken into con
sideration while following the history of the
Greeks as given by Gabriel.

THE HISTORY OF GREECE.

209

The angel said, " When I am gone forth
[from Persia], lo, the prince of Grecia shall
come." And of Greece, he says, "A mighty
king shall stand up, that shall rule with great
dominion, and do according to his will." It is
in this language that Alexander is introduced in
the divine records. He was not a Greek, but a
Macedonian, the son of Philip of Macedon.
He stands in history as one of those strong
characters whom God uses in spite of the fact
that they 'are unacquainted with Him, and

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el But of
the tree of the know
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and eviLtltou^halt
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GrcrvZ.I7

know not His manner of working. Alexander,
in Greek history, corresponds in some ways to
Cyrus the Persian. ,
Alexander, as a boy, showed an indomitable
will, and as he grew to manhood the trait
strengthened. He was educated by Aristotle,
the illustrious pupil of Plato, in the wisdom of
the Greeks. When twenty years of age, Philip
of Macedon died, leaving the government to
Alexander. This was the year 336 b. c.
Alexander united the independent states of
14

The most High ruleth in the
kingdom of men, and giveth it to
whomsoever he will. Dan. 4 132.
Therefore the he goat waxed very
great. Dan. 8:8.

I have even called thee by thy
name: I have surnamed thee,
though thou hast not known me.
I am the Lord, and there is none
else, there is uo God beside me : I
girded thee, though thou hast not
known me. Isa. 45 : 4, 5.

I Jehovah God gave commandment
unto the man, saying : Of every
of the trees of the garden eating
thou mayest eat : But of the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil
thou shalt tiot eat of it, for on the
day thou eatest thereof, dying thou
shalt die.
Gen. 2 : 16, 17 [Spurrell's trans.]
I Jehovah God layeth a charge on
the man, saying, Of every tree of
the garden eating thou dost eat ;
and of the tree of knowledge of
good and evil, thou dost not eat of
it, for in the day of thine eating of
it — dying thou dost die.
Gen. 2 : 16, 17 [Young's trans.]

Even a child is known by his
doings, whether his work be pure,
and whether it be right. Prov. 20 : 11.

He seeth that wise men die, like
wise the tool and the brutish per
son perish, and leave their wealth
to others. Ps. 49 : 10.

2IO

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

After this I beheld, and lo an
other, like a leopard, which had
upon the back of it four wings of a
fowl ; the beast had also four
heads : and dominion was given
toit. Dan. 7:6.
A leopard shall watch over their
cities : every one that goeth out
thence shall be torn in pieces. Jer. 5:6.

A leopard by the way will I
observe them. Hosea 13 : 7.

Can the Ethiopian change his
skin, or the leopard his spots? then
may ye also do good, that are ac
customed to do evil. Jer. 13:23.

1 turned myself to behold wis
dom, and madness, and folly. Then
I saw that wisdom excelleth folly,
as far as light excelleth darkness.
Eccl. 2 : 12, 13.

As I was considering, behold, an
he goat came from the west on the
face of the whole earth, and none
touched him in the earth. And the
goat had a notable horn between
his eyes. Dan. 8 : 5 [margin].

Another third kingdom of brass,
which shall bear rule over all the
earth. Dan. 2 139.

Therefore the he goat waxed very
great : and when he was strong, the
great horn was broken. Dan. 8:8.

Greece, and placed himself at the head of their
amphictyonic council. The Greeks were ambi
tious, and the new general organized an army for
foreign conquest.
The third kingdom was represented by a leop
ard with four wings on its back. This symbol
covered the time not only that Alexander was
king, but during its divided state as well. The
swiftness of conquest is well represented by the
wings of a fowl; the cunning, insinuating nature
by the lithe form of the leopard ; and the min
gling together of truth and error in its doctrines
and practices by the spots. " Can the leopard
change his spots ? " No more could Greece give
truth without a portion of the false; no more
can truth and error be separated in that system
of -education founded upon the wisdom of the
Greeks — her philosophy, her myths, and her
nature teaching.
Again Daniel saw the progress of this third
nation, as a rough goat coming from the west
without touching the earth. This marks the
rapidity of the conquests carried on by Alexan
der. It was Granicus, Asia Minor, Issus, Tyre,
Gaza, with the surrender of all Egypt ; Arbela,
Babylon, Susa, Bactria, and India — all in the
space of eight short years. Having conquered
those who opposed him, he planned to unite the
extensive territory over which he bore sway.
He was an organizer and diplomat as well as a
general. By marrying a princess of Babylon,
and giving several members of the royal family
of Persia in marriage to his generals, he sought
to win the favor of the conquered races. It was
while in Babylon, directing affairs in that an
cient Eastern capital, that Alexander died, prob-

THE HISTORY OF GREECE.

211

ably as a result of intemperance and excess.
He was still a ,young man^ but the nations of
the world bowed at his feet.
In following the rapid conquests of Alexan
der, — symbolized by the goat which touched
jiot the ground, — no mention' has been made of
the Jews. As God brought Nebuchadnezzar
and Cyrus in direct contact with His people,
that they might know the God of heaven, so He
permitted Alexander to learn of Him. While
that conqueror was passing from Tyre, after its
surrender, toward Gaza, which guards the en
trance into Egypt, he stopped at Jerusalem.
Josephus states that great consternation filled
the city when it was known that the Greek war
rior was coming. But the high priest, Juddas,
had a dream in which he was bidden to go out
to meet Alexander, arrayed in his priestly gar
ments, and accompanied by the temple officers
clad in white.
When Alexander met this company, much to
the surprise of his army and generals, he bowed
to the ground to worship the God whose name
was on the miter worn by the high priest. He
then accompanied the high priest to the temple
at Jerusalem, where the sacrifices were ex
plained ; also the prophecies of Daniel concern
ing the rise and fall of Babylon, the conquests
of Medo-Persia and its subsequent fall, and the
rise of a third empire. Daniel, who had in
person witnessed before Nebuchadnezzar and
Cyrus, was then quoted to Alexander. The
mighty conqueror was in the presence of the
Spirit of God, .and was given the message that
the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men,
and giveth it to whomsoever he will. Would he

He that hath no rule over his
own spirit is like a city that is
broken down, and without walls,
Prov. 25 : 28.
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is
raging ; and whosoever is deceived
thereby is not wise. Prov. 20:1.
The Gmtiles shall come to thy
light, and kings to the brightness
of thy rising. Isa.6o:3.

Arise, O Lord, disappoint him,
cast him down : deliver my soul
from the wicked, which is thy
sword : from men which are thy
hand, O Lord, from men of the
world, which have their portion in
this life, and whose belly thou
tillest with thy hid treasure. Ps. 17:13, 14-
Thou shalt make holy garments
for Aaron thy brother for glory
and for beauty. Ex. 28 : 2.

Kings shall be thy nursing fa
thers, and their queens thy nursing
mothers : they shall bow down to
thee with their face toward the
earth, and lick up the dust of thy
feet : and thou shalt know that 1
am the Lord : for they shall not be
ashamed that wait for me. Isa. 49 :23.
Dan. 2 : 3 1-39.
Dan. 8:3-8.
Dan. 8 : 20, 21.
Dan. 1 1 : 2-4.
He shall break in pieces mighty
men without number, and set oth
ers in their stead. Job 34 : 24.
Dan. 4:32.
Behold, I stand at the door, and
knock : if any man hear my voice,
and open the door, I will come in
to him, and will sup with him, and
he with me. Rev. 3 : 20.

212

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Alexander bowed to the ground to worship the
God whose name was on the miter worn by the high priest.

Behold, what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that
we should be called the sons of
God. i John 3 : i, z.

Who changed the truth of God
into a lie, and worshiped and
served the creature more than the
Creator, who is blessed forever.
Amen. Rom. i : 25.

All are of the dust, and all turn
to dust again. Eccl. 3 : 18-20.

bow in submission, and let God conquer for
him? This was the opportune moment in his
life. Alexander acknowledged God, but left Jeru
salem and pushed forward in battle. Gaza fell.
Egypt was entered, and there, in order to gratify
a selfish pride, he had himself proclaimed son of
Jupiter Ammon. He who might have become
a son of God chose rather to be called the son
of Jupiter. The result of Greek education and
learning is fully exemplified in this one act.
The outcome of such a choice — a fit consum
mation of all Greek teaching — was met at
Babylon when the king, at his very prime, laid

THE HISTORY OF GREECE.

213

down and died with no hope of the future. It
is a sad but impressive commentary for those
who seek the ways of the world in preference
to the truths of God.
One thing which the inspired historian notes,
is, that he would do "according to his will."
When man makes such a resolution, it means
that he has been offered a choice between God
and Satan, and has chosen the latter. There
are but two minds in the universe, and he who
rejects God may claim that he exercises his own
mind, but it means that he is swayed by the
mind of the enemy of God. "Let this mind
be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," for
it brings liberty. The spirit which wishes to
exalt self is imitating the philosophy of the
Greeks, and its result is death ; for Greek phil
osophy is but a continuation of the philosophy
used to deceive Adam and Eve in Eden, at the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Alexander left no heirs to the throne who
could hold the reins of government. His eldest
son was a child of five. A number of strong
men had acted as generals of the army during
the march through Asia, and on the death of
the emperor eight of these contended for su
premacy. None, however, were strong enough
to subdue all the others. Nearly twenty years
were spent in war and contention. Finally it
was decided that Ptolemy should hold Egypt ;
Seleucus, Syria and the east; Lysimachus
Thrace and Asia Minor, and Cassander, Greece.
The territory of Alexander was divided, but
"not to his posterity ; " neither was the strength
of these four equal to that of Alexander, and
the four partitions lasted but a few years.

He that is of the earth is earthly.
John 3 :3t.

3. And a mighty king shall stand
up, that shall rule with great
dominion, and do according to his
will. Dan. 11 ; 3.

this day whom ye
Joshua 24 : 13.

Choose you
will serve.
2 Cor. 4 :4.
Eph. 2 : 2, 3.
Phil. 2 : 5.
Matt. 12 : 30,

If the son therefore shall make
you free, ye shall be free indeed.
John 8 : 36.

I fear, lest by any means, as the
serpent beguiled Eve through his
subtilty, so your minds should be
corrupted from the simplicity that
is in Christ. 2 Cor. xi -.3.

Behold, the eyes of the Lord
God are upon the sinful kingdom,
and I will destroy it from off the
face of tlie earth. Amos 9 : 8.

4. And when he shall stand up,
his kingdom shall be broken, and
shall be divided toward the four
winds of heaven ; and not to his
posterity, nor according to his
dominion which he ruled : for his
kingdom shall be plucked up, even
for others beside those. Dan. 11 : 4.

Therefore the he goat waxed
very great : and when he was
strong, the great horn was broken ;
and for it came up four notable
ones toward the four winds of
heaven. Dan. 8; 8.

214

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

B. And the king of the south
shall be strong, and one of his
princes; and he shall be strong
above him, and have dominion;
his dominion shall be a great
dominion. Dan. 11 :B.
Hab. 2 : 5-7.
He leadeth counselors away
spoiled, and maketh the judges
fools. He looseth the bond of
kings, and girdeth their loins with
a girdle. He leadeth princes away
spoiled, and overthroweth the
mighty. Job 12 : 17-19.
When they went from one nation
to another, from one kingdom to
another people, he suffered no man
to do them wrong : yea, he re
proved kings for their sakes.
Ps. 105 : 13, 14.
God is known in her palaces for
a refuge. For, lo, the kings were
assembled, they passed by together.
They saw it, and so they marveled :
they were troubled, and hasted
away. Ps. 48 13-5.

Another third kingdom of brass,
which shall bear rule over all the
earth. Dan. 2:39.

1 Maccabees x : 28.
1 Maccabees 1 : 39-46.

The daughter of Egypt shall be
confounded ; she shall be delivered
into the hand of the people of the
north. The Lord of hosts, the God
of Israel, saith; Behold, I will
punish the multitude of No, and
Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their
gods, and their kings ; even Pha
raoh and all them that trust in him.
. Jer. 46 .24, 25.

Greece, which was under the rule of Cassan-
der, was taken by Lysimachus, thus uniting the
western and northern divisions.
In 281 b. c, after intrigues too numerous to
mention, Seleucus met Lysimachus and slew
him in battle. This reduced the four divisions
to two, the rulers of which were afterward dis
tinguished as kings of the north and the south.
Seleucus, the king of the north, now held ter
ritory which had formerly belonged to three
generals, while Ptolemy retained the southern
division. This agrees with the words of Ga
briel to Daniel. The fifth verse, according to
Spurrell, reads: "Then shall the king of the
south, even one of his [Alexander's] princes,
be strong; yet shall another exceed him in
strength and have dominion ; a grand domin
ion shall be his dominion.'
The Ptolemy who gained Egypt was sur-
named Soter, or Saviour, and on his death he
was succeeded by his son, Ptolemy Philadelphus.
The Seleucus who gained the three divisions
was succeeded by his son Antiochus Sotor, who
was killed by the Gauls in Asia Minor. The
third in the line of Greco-Syriac kings was An
tiochus Theos, who was reigning in Syria while
Ptolemy Philadelphus reigned on the Egyptian
throne. There is, however, something aside from the
mere succession of kings which is worthy of
notice. Gabriel gave Daniel the framework of
the history of Greece. We have in the inspired
record something which corresponds to the skel
eton in the human body, and the flesh and or
gans of life need to be put in. These nations
which were then in existence were a shelter.

THE HISTORY OF GREECE.

'IS

perhaps, a scaffolding, built about God's people,
offering them another opportunity to work.
The Spirit of God was working in the courts
of monarchs as faithfully as ever. At the same
time the controversy between truth and error
never for a moment abated.
It might seem to the casual observer that
Greece was not in reality a ruling power in the
sense that Babylon and Medo-Persia were uni
versal monarchies. Let us see. From the first
it has been noted that Greece was an intellect
ual ruler rather than a power which held the
bodies of men in slavery. If we may person
ify Greek intellect in ^^ an abstract way,

He went to tlie king, not to be
an accuser of his countrymen, but
seeking the good of all, both pub
lic and private : for he saw that it
was impossible that the state
should continue quiet, and Simon
leave his folly, unless the king did
look thereunto. But after the death
of Seleucus, when Antiochus, called
Epiphanes, took the kingdom, Ja
son, the brother of Onias labored
underhand to be high priest, prom
ising unto the king by intercession
three hundred and threescore tal
ents of silver, and of another reve
nue eighty talents : beside this, he
promised to assign an hundred and
fifty more, if he might have license
to set him up a place for exercise,
and for the training up of youth in
the fashions of the heathen, and to
write them of Jerusalem by tlie

M^p vfnHe beholdeth all high
"%| things; He \£ a kinc^over
^Lall tne children of pride.
WS'- W '" ' ^... -' Job. 4K34 '

we may say that Alexander was the tool in
God's hand for building up a kingdom
where it might hold sway. Alexander did
this work well ; and while he individu
ally fell, the Greek language, learning, and
customs were introduced into all countries
where his arms had opened the way. The
Greek religion, with its mysteries, was accepted
in Syria and Asia Minor ; Greek games were
celebrated in the eastern provinces. But Greek
education took a position ahead even of her reli
gion, and Greek teachers and scholars followed
in the wake of the conqueror. The Greek lan
guage was almost universally used, and Greek

name of Antiochians. Which
when the kin g had granted, and he
had gotten into his hand the rule,
he forthwith brought his own
nation to the Greekish fashion.
. . . For he built gladly a place
of exercise under the tower itself,
and brought the chief young men
under his subjection, and made
them wear a hat. Now such was
the height of Greek fashions, and
increase of heathenish manners,
through the exceeding profaneness
of Jason, that ungodly wretch, and
no high priest, that the priests had
no courage to serve any more at tlie
altar ; but despising the temple,
and neglecting the sacrifices, has
tened to be partakers of the unlaw
ful allowance in thu place of exer
cise, after the game of Discus
called them forth ; not setting by

2l6

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

the honors of their fathers, but
liking the glory of the Grecians
best of all. By reason whereof
sore calamity came upon them : for
they had them to be their enemies
and avengers, whose custom they
followed so earnestly, and unto
whom they desired to be like in all
things. 2 Maccabees 4 : 5-16.

Mischief shall come upon mis
chief, and rumor shall be upon ru
mor : then shall they seek a vision
of the prophpt ; but the law shall
perish from the priest, and counsel
from the ancients. Eze. 7 : 26.

Her gates are sunk into the
ground ; he hath destroyed and
broken her bars ; her king and her
princes are among the Gentiles :
the law is no more ; her prophets
also find no vision from the Lord.
Lam. 2 : 9.

Where there is no vision, the
people perish : but he that keepeth
the law, happy is he. Prov. 29 : 18.

Take heed to thyself that thou be
not snared by following them, after

books were in demand. The city of Alexandria,
in Egypt, was founded by Alexander, and it be
came the center of Greek learning. Egyptian
idolatry and Greek philosophy sat enthroned
beside each other. As the Encyclopedia Britan-
nica states it, " In Egypt a Greek aristocracy of
office, birth, and intellect existed side by side
with a distinct native life."
Israel had once been miraculously delivered
from physical bondage in Egypt. They had
been warned against fleeing to Egypt for pro
tection in the days of Nebuchadnezzar at the
siege of Jerusalem. They may have escaped
the bondage of those earlier times, but they
were captured by the learning of the Greeks.
In the days of Ptolemy Soter, hosts of Jews
flocked into Egypt, and those who remained
in Jerusalem and Palestine imbibed many of
the ideas of the Greeks.
It has been stated that the history of Greece
fills the time between the prophecy of Malachi
and John the Baptist. We are now ready to
appreciate the reason why Israel was so long
without the sound of a prophet's voice. God
gave Israel a system of education separate and
distinct from the systems of all other nations ; a
system which, if followed, would forever make
it impossible for the people to go into captivity.
But Israel often gave up her God-given system
for the' teaching of heathen nations.
When the Jews returned from Babylon, they
were strongly tinctured with Babylonian ideas
of education and religion. This prepared them
to accept with readiness the teachings of the
Greeks. The rabbis of Jerusalem mingled the
principles of Greek philosophy so thoroughly

Priests watching Grecian games.

THE HISTORY OF GREECE.

217

with the statutes of Jehovah, which they were
commanded to teach the children, that from the
death of Malachi to the birth of John the Bap
tist there was not a family in Judah to whom
the education of a prophet could be intrusted.
The Greek games were performed in Jerusa
lem itself, and Jewish youth, dressed only in
the scarf and broad hat, in imitation of the god
Hermes, wrestled like the Athenian athletes.
It is stated by Dr. Mears that the priests, when
the signal was given for the sports, left their
work in the temple to watch the games. Greek
names replaced the Jewish in many instances,
and even priests intermarried with the Greeks.
It is no wonder that Gabriel gave specific in
struction concerning the name to be given the
babe of Zacharias , and Elizabeth, for although
there was once a time when every child in Is
rael was named under the inspiration of the
Spirit, the Israelites had now chosen Greece in
the place of God.
The whole Jewish teaching was Hellenized ;
and when John the Baptist was born, his mother
and father were commanded to leave the city of
Jerusalem, and educate the child in the desert,
away from the influence of the schools and the
society of the Jews. Christ himself never en
tered the schools of His day, because of the
mixture of the truth of God with heathen phil
osophy. Greek teaching exalted nature; but
the Son of God could not hear the voice of the
Father in the teachings of the schools, and He
wandered through the woods alone, or in com
pany with His mother; Then it was that na
ture, the great object lesson of the Creator,
was opened to His expanding mind. Other

that they he destroyed from before
thee ; and that thou inquire not
after their gods, saying, How did
these nations serve their gods ?
even so will I do likewise. Deut. 12 : 30.
Not long after this the king sent
an old man of Athens to compel.
the Jews to depart from the laws of
their fathers, and not to live after
the laws of God ; and to pollute
also the temple in Jerusalem, and
to call it the temple of Jupiter
Olympus : the coming in of this
mischief was sore and grievous to
the people : for the temple was
filled with riot and reveling by the
Gentiles, who dallied with harlots,
and had to do with women within
the circuit of the holy places, and
besides that brought in things that
were not lawful. 2 Maccabees 6 : 1-4.
Thou shalt call his name John.
Luke 1 : 13, 15, 63,

The child grew, and waxed
strong in spirit, and was in the
deserts till the day of his showing
unto Israel. Luke 1 : 80.

In those days came John the
Baptist, preaching in the wilder
ness of Judea. Matt. 3:1.
The Jews marveled, saying, How
knoweth this man letters, having
never learned? Jesus answered
them, and said, My doctrine is not
mine, but his that sent me.
John 7 : 15, 16.
Then stood there up one in the
council, a Pharisee, named Gama
liel, a doctor of the law, had in
reputation among all the people,
and commanded to put the apos
tles forth a little space. Acts 5 : 34.

218

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

I am verily a man which am a
Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cil
icia, yet brought up in this city at
the feet of Gamaliel, and taught
according to the perfect manner of
the law of the fathers, and was
zealous toward God, as ye all are
this day. Acits 22 =3.
Ex. 14:13.
Even his eternal power and God
head ; so that they are without ex
cuse : because that, when they
knew God, they glorified him not
as God, neither were thankful ; but
became vain in their imaginations,
and their foolish heart was dark
ened. Professing themselves to be
wise, they became fools.
Rom. 1 : 20-22,

But T would ye should under
stand . brethren , that the things
which happened unto me have
fallen out rather unto the further
ance of the gospel. So that my
bonds in Christ are manifest in all
the palace, and in all other places.
Phil. 1: 12, 13.

2 Cor. 10:4, 5.

I will also give thee for a light
to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be
my salvation unto the end of the
earth. Isa. 49 :6.

All the Athenians and strangers
which were there spent their time
in nothing else, but either to tell,
or to hear some new thing. Acts 17 :zi.

The Jews require a sign, and the
Greeks seek after wisdom : but we
preach Christ crucified, unto the
Jews a stumbling block, and unto

Jewish youth sat at the feet of the rabbis, learn
ing what the spirit of the Greeks taught, and
they crucified the Lord of life.
It is a wonderful thing to man, who is so lim
ited in means, to watch the workings of God,
who is so limitless in resources. When the
Jews fled to Egypt, then God took advantage of
their presence there, and turned it to His glory.
Ptolemy Philadelphus founded the Alexandrian
Library, and it was he who encouraged the
translation of the Old Testament into Greek.
Thus the prophecies concerning the promised
Messiah were put into the universal lan
guage nearly three hundred years before the
birth of Christ. The world might become in
toxicated with the Greek philosophy, but God
left man without excuse by placing the word of
life in the household tongue of the nations.
Satan may scheme, and his agents on earth may
be wise, but they can do nothing against the
truth without in that very act promoting the
truth. While the dark wings of paganism were
drawing closer and closer about the world, to
shut out if possible the light of heaven, the
word of God, as a lighted candle, was shin
ing under that darkness, and proclaiming the
advent of the Desire of all ages.
The first verses in the history of Greece
(Dan. 1 1 : 3-5) bring the student face to face
with that country as an intellectual power, and
reveal the secret of her strength to be in her
language and philosophy. She conquered the
world by bringing all minds under her control.
It was the plan of the enemy of truth to sub
jugate minds to a false philosophy; and since
this was the scheme upon which he worked in

THE HISTORY OF GREECE.

219

Greece, it was under this same national influ
ence that the truth which frees the mind was
given to the world. How far-reaching, then,
were the purposes of God.
Another great principle lies side by side with
the one given in those first verses. This sec
ond, which is hidden in verses six to thirteen,
has to do with the working out of those same
principles through the government as a chan
nel. The kingdom of Alexander resolved itself
into two divisions, a northern and a southern.
Both were Hellenized, but the northern repre
sented more truly the Greek principles, while
the southern division was strongly tinctured
with the old Egyptian ideas of both govern
ment and religion. It was the northern divi
sion which carried forward the work of the
prophecy as symbolized by the leopard and
the rough goat, and it was from the northern
division that the little horn of Daniel eight
proceeded. Consequently it must be right to
conclude that it is the Greco-Syriac division,
rather than the Egyptian division, that will do
the work of which Alexander was the forerun
ner. Nevertheless there will be throughout the
ages until the end of time a strength rising from
the south and opposing the northern power.
This will again be seen in the Mohammedan
work of the Middle Ages during the supremacy
of the fourth beast. But we must watch the
working out of the principle during the life of
the third kingdom, as that is introductory in
itself to the future work.
History reveals the fact that the greatest
strength in government is found in those powers
whose territory extends from east to west, and

the Greeks foolishness. But unto
them which are called, both Jews
and Greeks, Christ the power of
God, and the wisdom of God. Be-
cause the foolishness of God is
wiser than men ; and the weakness
of God is stronger than men.
1 Cor. 1 : 22-25.
Dan. 11 :6-i3.
The king of the south shall be
strong, and one of his princes ; and
he shall be strong above him, and
have dominion ; his dominion shall
be a great dominion. Dan. 11 : 5.

Out of one of them came forth a
little horn, which waxed exceeding
great, toward the south ; and to
ward the east, and toward the
pleasant land. Dan. 8 : 9.
Thou art of purer eyes than to
behold evil, and canst not look on
iniquity : wherefore lookest thou
upon them that deal treacherously,
and holdest thy tongue when the
wicked devoureth the man that is
more righteous than he ? And
makest men as the fishes of the
sea, as the creeping things, that
have no ruler over them? They
take up all of them with the angle,
they catch them in their net, and
gather them in their drag : there
fore they rejoice and are glad.
Hab. 1 : 13-16.

Rev. 9 : i-»i.

I say unto you, That many shall
come from the east and west, and
shall sit down with Abraham, and
Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom
of heaven. Matt. 8:11.

220

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Out of the south cometh the
whirlwind: and cold out of the
north, . . . Fair weather cometh
out of the north. Job 37 : 9, 22.

I saw the beast, and the kings of
the earth, and their armies, gath
ered together to make war against
him that sat on the horse, and
against his army. Rev. 19 : 19.
He gathered them together into
a place called in the Hebrew tongue
Armageddon. Rev. 16 : 16.

8. And In the end of years they
shalt Join themselves together;
for the king's daughter of the
south shalt come to the king ofthe
north to make an agreement : but
she shall not retain the power of
the arm : neither shall he stand,
nor his arm : but she shall be given
up, and they that brouyht her,
and he that begat her, and he
that strengthened her In these
times. Dan. 11:6.

They shall mingle themselves
with the seed of men ; but they
shall not cleave one to another,
even as iron is not mixed with miry
clay. Dan. 2 143.

I say unto you, Whosoever shall
put away his wife, except it be for
fornication, and shall marry an
other, committeth adultery : and
whoso marrieth her which is put
away doth commit adultery. Matt. 19 : 9.
The curse of the Lord is in the
house of the wicked : but he bless-
eth the habitation of the just.
Prov. 3 : 33,
Jealousy is cruel as the grave :
the coals thereof are coals of fire,
which hath a most vehement flame.
Song of Sol. 8 : 6.

that nations which try to govern territory ex
tending far to the north and the south have
trouble. It is in recognition of this fact that
each universal empire has progressed mainly
from east to west, and each succeeding kingdom
has gone farther to the west than the preceding
one. This continues until the globe is encircled,
and all the kings of the earth finally meet in
the great battle of Armageddon.
In spite of this controlling principle among
nations, and in face of the decree of the Holy
Watcher, the north and the south attempted to
unite. Worldly policy of intermarriage was fol
lowed, and as Spurrell renders verse 6, " After
some years they [the kings of the north and the
south] shall be associated ; for the daughter of
the king of the south [Berenice, daughter of
Ptolemy Philadelphus] shall come to the king
of the north [Antiochus Theos] to make agree
ments." Antiochus put away his lawful wife,
Laodice, in order to marry Berenice, and the re
sults of this transgression of God's law are
given by the pen of Inspiration: "The arm
shall not retain its strength, neither shall their
offspring be established ; but she shall be given
up, and her attendants, and her child, and
her supporters at those times." Human pen
can not make the history any plainer than did
Gabriel in relating it to Daniel nearly two hun
dred years before it occurred. Berenice lost
favor in the eyes of Antiochus Theos, who
thereupon recalled Laodice. The jealous
wife then caused Antiochus to be poisoned,
and placed her own son on the throne.
Through her influence, also, Berenice, her
child by Antiochus, and her Egyptian atten-

THE HISTORY OF GREECE.

221

dants and supporters, were all murdered.
' This aroused the royal house of Egypt, and a
brother of Berenice advanced into the territory
of Antiochus with a large army. " He shall rule
within the fortifications of the kings of the
north, and shall war against them and shall pre
vail." Ptolemy Euergetes, son of Ptolemy Phil
adelphus, is here described. He not only in
vaded Syria, but went to Babylon, where he
found some of the Egyptian gods and molten
images which Cambyses had captured during
his war in Egypt. These Ptolemy returned,
and for this was named Euergetes (benefactor)
by his grateful people. It is said that he car
ried to Egypt forty thousand talents of silver
and many vessels of silver and gold. Ptolemy
Euergetes then returned to his own kingdom,
where he outlived Antiochus Callinicus, the son
of Laodice.
But trouble did not cease then. There was a
natural jealousy and antipathy between the
north and the south. Ptolemy Euergetes held
much of Syria. On the death of Antiochus
Callinicus, two sons of Callinicus undertook to
regain the lost territory, and to redeem the
honor of their father. The first was weak and
inefficient; the younger, Antiochus Magnus,
who took the throne in the course of a few
years, was stronger. He is the " one " who ad
vanced speedily, regaining much of the lost ter
ritory. About the time of the accession of Antiochus
Magnus to the Syrian throne, Ptolemy Philop-
ater took the throne in Egypt. He manifested
no disposition to invade the territory of the king
of the north, being indolent, and a great lover

7. But out of a branch of her
roots shall one stand up In his
estate, which will come with an
army, and shall enter Into the
fortress of the king of the north,
and shall deal against them, and
shall prevail.

8. And shall also carry captives
Into Egypt their gods, with their
princes, and with their precious
vessels of silver and of gold : and
he shall continue more years than
the king of the north. Dan. 11:7, 8.
Yet I am the Lord thy God from
the land of Egypt, and thou shalt
know no god but me : for there is
no Saviour beside me. Hosea 13 -.4.
9. So the king ofthe south shall
come into his kingdom, and shall
return into his own land. Dan. 11:9.
Prov. 27 : 4.
Amos 3 : 9, 10.

10. But his sons shalt be stirred
up, and assemble a multitude of
great forces : and one shall cer
tainty come, and overflow, and
pass through : then shall he re
turn, and be stirred up, even to
his fortress.
11. And the king of the south
shall be moved with choter, and
shall come forth and fight with
him, even with the king of the
north : and he shall set forth a
great multitude : but the multi
tude shall be given into his hand.
12. And when he hath taken
away ihe multitude, his heart
shall be lifted up; and he shall
cast down many ten thousands:
but he shall not be strengthened
by it. Dan. 11 : 10-12.

222

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Now the Egyptians are men, and
not God ; and their horses flesh,
and not spirit. When the Lord
shall stretch out his hand, both he
that helpeth shall fall, and he that
is holpen shall fall down, and they
all shall fail together. Isa. 31:3.

Every man is brutish by his
knowledge ; every founder is con
founded by the graven image : for
his moulten image is falsehood, and
there is no breath in them. They
are vanity, the work of errors : in
the time of their visitation they
shall perish. Jer. 51 : 17, 18.
2 Chron. 26 : 16-23.

Woe to the rebellious children,
saith the Lord, that take counsel,
but not of me ; and that cover with
a covering, but not of my spirit,
that they may add sin to sin : that
walk to go down into Egypt, . . .
therefore shall the strength of Pha-
roah be your shame, and the trust
in the shadow of Egypt your con
fusion. Isa. 30:1-3.

Woe to them that go down to
iSgypt for help ; and stay on
horses, and trust in chariots, be
cause they are many ; and in horse
men, because they are very strong ;
but they look not unto the Holy
One of Israel, neither seek the
Lord ! Yet he also is wise, and
will bring evil, and will not call
back his words : but will arise
against the house of the evildoers,
and against the help of them that
work iniquity. Isa. 31:1,2.

of luxury and ease, but he was aroused by the
prospects of an invasion of Egypt, his. own
throne being threatened by Antiochus -Magnus.
Antiochus was supported by an immense army,
but. it fell into the hands of Ptolemy Philopater,
who, elated by his victory, returned to his capi
tal to feast. Although he had cast down ten
thousand soldiers, yet he did not profit by the
victory. Nothing was gained ; it was but a
merciless slaughter of human beings, a contest
for brute supremacy, which is hateful in the
sight of God and man. The difference is strik
ing between such warfare and the progress of
the mighty generals whom God used to establish
kingdoms and punish kings.
Ptolemy Philopater did even worse things, for
in self-esteem he entered Jerusalem, and at
tempted to profane the temple by himself offer
ing sacrifice. The restraint offered by the
priests so incensed him that he began war
against them, and history states that between
forty and sixty thousand Jews, who then lived
in Egypt, fell by the sword. Those Jews who
had sought Egypt either for protection or for
the advantages of her schools and libraries,
withdrew from the sheltering hand of their
God, and the time came when they felt the
wrath of the enemy. Through all these strug
gles the nation whom God had chosen might
have stood as a beacon on a hill, instead of
being trampled upon by every army in its
marches between Egypt and Syria. Nay, more,
the location of the Jews in Palestine and her
capital was by divine appointment. They were
at the gateway of the nations, and might have
held the balance of power. Had they held aloft

THE HISTORY OF GREECE

Ptolemy entered Jerusalem, and ^
attempted to profane the temple by
himself offering sacrifice.
the word of God, all nations
would have bowed before N,
their kings and paid tribute I
into their treasury. It was so I
in the days of Solomon ; it I
might have been repeated in the days of Greek
history. Alexander's act of reverence when he met the
company of priests at Jerusalem should have
been an object lesson to all Judea of what God
by His Spirit would cause all nations to do.
But so blinded by Greek teaching were those
Jewish leaders, even at that time, that they failed
to see this. Instead of flocking to Alexandria for
the wisdom of Greece, nations should have sent
their youth to schools of the prophets at Jeru
salem, and scholars of the world should have
sought wisdom from those who knew the God

Nevertheless God did not choose
the people for the place's sake, but
the place for the people's sake.
2 Maccabees 5:19.

Deut. 28 : 11, 12.
God gave Solomon wisdom and
understanding exceeding much, and
largeness of heart, even as the sand
that is on the sea shore. And Sol
omon's wisdom excelled the wis
dom of all the children of the east
country, and all the wisdom of
Egypt. For he was wiser than all
men : than Ethan the Ezrahite, and

224

STORY ON DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda,
the sons of Mahol : and his fame
was in all nations round about.
And he spake three thousand prov
erbs ; and his songs were a thou
sand and five. And he spake of
trees, from the cedar tree that is in
Lebanon even unto the hyssop that
springeth out of the wall : he spake
also of beasts, and of fowl, and of
creeping things, and of fishes. And
there came of all people to hear the
wisdom of Solomon, from all kings
of the earth, which had heard of
his wisdom. i Kings 4 : 29-34.
2 Tim. 4:3, 4.
73. For the king of the north
shall return, and shall set forth
a multitude greater than the for
mer, and shall certainlg come
vfter certain years with a great
army and with much riches.
Dan. 11: 13.
In those times there shall many
stand up against the king of the
south : also the robbers of thy peo
ple shall exalt themselves to estab
lish the vision ; but they shall fall.
Dan. 11 : 14.

The time will come when they
will not endure sound doctrine ;
but after their own lusts shall they
heap to themselves teachers, hav
ing itching ears ; and they shall
turn away their ears from the truth,
and shall be turned unto fables.
2 Tim. 4:3,4.
As concerning the rest of the
beasts, they had their dominion
taken away : yet their lives were
prolonged for a season and time.
Dan. 7 : 12.
Now go, write it before them in
a table, and note it in a book, that
it may be for the time to come for
ever and ever : that this is a rebel
lious people, lying children, chil
dren that will not hear the law of
the Lord : which say to the seers,
See not; and to the prophets,
Prophesy not unto us right things,
speak unto us smooth things,
prophesy deceits. Isa. 30 : 8-10.

of wisdom. But it was not so. Israel then was
as the church of to-day. Instead of leading by
virtue of the spiritual life, she sought the wis
dom of Egypt and Greece.
Peace was finally concluded between Philo
pater and Antiochus Magnus, which lasted four
teen years, until the death of Ptolemy. Ptolemy
Philopater was succeeded by his son Ptolemy
Epiphanes, who was in his minority. Anti
ochus Magnus took advantage of this seeming
weakness in Egyptian affairs, and made exten
sive preparations to invade Egypt with the de
sign of conquering the entire dominion of the
Ptolemies. But the Most High ruleth in the
kingdoms of men, and Antiochus was brought
to realize that there was another power on earth
as well as in heaven.
In the fourteenth verse the voice of the
fourth beast is heard; Rome placed itself on
the side of the helpless king, and Antiochus
found his ambition thwarted. The life of
the Greek kingdom was spent. There were
still many years of struggle, but it was
a struggle for existence, not for added ter
ritory. But what Greece would not gain in
territory she did gain as a teacher of nations,
and although she finally lost all territorial su
premacy, though, like the kingdom of Nebuchad
nezzar, the tree was cut down, yet the roots
remain unto this day. More than once, as an
intellectual power, has Greece arisen. Through
out the intellectual world she has votaries bow
ing before her shrine — the mind of man. Her
philosophy is to-day studied under the guise of
modern writers ; her ideas are instilled into the
minds of children, from the kindergarten to the

THE HISTORY OF GREECE.

225

university, and students are graduated from the
schools of the land knowing much more of the
mythology of Greece than they do of the reli
gion of Jesus Christ; better acquainted with
Greek heroes than with the Man of Calvary.
Greek learning still rules the world, and it will
until the setting up of the everlasting kingdom
of God — till the stone cut out without hands
shall fill the earth.
As the Jews during the days of Alexander
and his successors were without excuse, so the
Israel of to-day has set before it the wisdom of
the Eternal in contrast with the wisdom of
Greece. And the message is, " Choose ye this
day" at which shrine ye will bow. Sitting at
the feet of Jesus, learning of Him, taking His
word as the authentic history of the world, His
truth as the interpreter of nature, will insure
eternal life. Accepting the writings of men,
human speculations regarding the history of the
world, its creation, its age, placing a human in
terpretation upon the works of nature, and seek
ing to find out by experiment and speculation
what must be known by faith, — this brings
death ; for it leads away from Christ, the cen
ter of the universe, the source of all wisdom,
the great drawing power of creation. The first
is the system of God, of which faith is the mo
tive power ; the second is the Greek system,
which exalts human reasoning. One may not
bow down to the idols of Egypt, nor drink of
the wines of Babylon, but if he is entrapped by
the more pleasing sophistries of Greece, his fate
is the same in the end.
For this reason Eternal Truth has shone
along the pathway of men in all ages to guard
15

Casting down imaginations, and
every high thing that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God
and bringing into capfivity - every
thought to the obedience of. Christ.
2 Cor. 10 :5_
From a child thou hast known
the holy scriptures, which are able
to make thee wise unto salvation
through faith which is in Christ
Jesus. 2 Tim. 3 : 15-17.
If the trumpet give an uncertain
sound, who shall prepare himself
to the battle ? 1 Cor. 14 : 8.
Let us therefore fear, lest, a
promise being left us of entering
into his rest, any of you should
seem to come short of it. Heb. 4:1.

She had a sister called Mary,
which also sat at Jesus' feet and
heard his word. Luke 10 : 39.

Through faith we understand
that the worlds were framed by the
word of God, so that things which
are seen were not made of things
which do appear. Heb. 11:3.

Without faith it is impossible to
please him : for he that cometh to
God must believe that he is, and
that he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him. Heb. 11:6.

Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Rom. 14 : 23.

It is the spirit that quickeneth ;
the flesh profiteth nothing : the
words that I speak unto you, they
are spirit, and they are life.
John 6:63.

Stand fast therefore in the lib
erty wherewith Christ hath made

226

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

us free, and be not entangled again
with the yoke of bondage. Gal. s :i.

Sanctify them through thy truth :
thy word is truth. John 17 : 17.

against the enemy. In these last days, when all
the evil of the past is renewed and presented to
man in all its varied forms, then it is that Greek
philosophy and skepticism come forth in full
force. A heart filled with truth is the only
safeguard against error.

$ »tm^>

0??m^

&

CHAPTER XV.

THE FOURTH KINGDOM.

CHAPTER 11 : 14-22.

The fourteenth verse of the eleventh chapter
of Daniel, as we have seen, introduces a new
power. Gabriel, in narrating the events con
nected with the history of Greece, brought that
empire down to the time when the, southern di
vision was in the hands of a child, Ptolemy
Epiphanes, and when two men, Philip of Mace
don and Antiochus of Syria, although jealous
of each other, were willing to unite their
strength in order to subdue Egypt. From a
political point of view a general weakness pre
vailed in the once mighty empire of Alexander.
Without noticing the details, the angel of proph
ecy speaks of the first appearance of the fourth
kingdom as it comes in contact with the divi
sions of the third kingdom, Greece. This fourth
kingdom is thus introduced: "The violent op-

14. And in those times there
shall many stand up against the
king of the south : also the rob
bers of thy people shall exalt
themselves to establish the vision:
but they shalt fall. Dan. 11:14.

Mal. 3 -5.
Prov. n : 2i,

The perverseness of transgressors
shall destroy them, Prov. n : 3 .

They would none of my counsel :
they despised all my reproof.
Therefore shall they eat of the
fruit of their own way, and be filled
with their own devices. Prov. i :3o, 3r.
22?

228

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Dan ir ' 14.
Lt is the spirit that quickeneth ;
the flesh profiteth nothing : the
words that I speak unto you, they
are spirit, and they are life.
John 6 = 63.
The words of the Lord are pure
words . as silver tried in a furnace
of earth, purified seven times. Ps. 12:6.

Dan. 2 '40-43,
Dan. 7 7, 19.
Dan, 7 25.

Then I would know, the truth of
the fourth beast, which was diverse
from all the others, exceeding
dreadful, whose teeth were of iron,
and his nails of brass : which
devoured, brake in pieces, and
stamped the residue with his feet.
Dan .719.

Out of one of them came forth
a little horn, which waxed ex
ceeding great, toward the south,
and toward the east, and toward
the pleasant land . . And in the
latter time of their kingdom, when
the transgressors are come to the
full, a king of fierce countenance,
and understanding dark sentences,
shall stand up. , . ,, And through
his policy also he shaU cause craft
to prosper in his band and he
shall magnify .himself in his heart,
and by peace shall destroy many
he shall also stand up against the
Prince of princes. Dan. 8 .g, 23-25.
Jer. 51 =34, 35*

In those times there shall many
stand up against the king of the
south also the children of robbers
sliall exalt themselves to establish
the vision ; but they shall fall.
Dan. n : 14 [margin].

posers of thy people shall exalt themselves that
the vision may stand." (Spurrell.)
Since every word is divinely given, there is a
significance in the very introduction of what is
about to become the mightiest kingdom of the
earth, and at the same time the greatest enemy
which the people of God have ever had to meet.
Daniel had seen this kingdom before. In the
vision of the seventh chapter, Rome was repre
sented as a beast too terrible to name. Its char
acteristics were to devour, to stamp in pieces,
and to break. During a part of its history it
should speak great words against the Mos.t
High, it should wear out the saints of God,
and think to change even His laws. So troub
led was the prophet over this view in his first
vision that he sought for a special explanation
of this fourth kingdom.
In his next vision the fourth kingdom was
again shown under the symbol of a little horn,
which sprang from one of the divisions of Alex
ander's kingdom. In this view Rome was pre
sented in no milder form than in the previous
vision. It was as a king with a " fierce counte
nance," "understanding dark sentences," hav
ing mighty power — a power even more than
human. It was to be a scheming, underhanded
government, and its most cruel practices were
seen to be against God's chosen people. Yea,
against Christ, the Prince of princes, the Prince
of the covenant, this power should stand up.
Gabriel spoke of the robbers who should exalt
themselves to establish the. vision — that is, to
fulfill the description just given.
Putting all these thoughts together, it will be
seen that Rome, the fourth kingdom, the sue-

THE FOURTH KINGDOM.

229

cessor of Greece, would be noted for the decis
ive policy which it maintained. Each nation in
the prophetic chain had some strong feature,
and its history is recorded as an object lesson to
the world, as in the days of its life it had been
an object lesson to the watching multitudes of
other worlds. Babylon was an example of Sa
tan's power to establish a religion which coun
terfeited the heavenly worship. The result was
the basest form of idolatry, a fornication which
makes her the personification, among Bible
writers, of all vileness. Medo-Persia was a type
of Oriental despotism. " The law of the Medes
and Persians changeth not ; " this was a proverb
among the nations. But it was with the kings
of this nation that Gabriel and Michael wrought ;
it was the heads of this despotism who were kept
in check by the power of the King of kings.
Greece was altogether different from the pre
ceding two, and instead of gaining recognition
because of the form of religion or government,
she gained control of the world by the power of
her intellect. With her education and philos
ophy she gained a foothold which no other na
tion ever held. When Babylon was overthrown
and Medo-Persia was no more, Greece lived on
in the minds of men.
But the fourth kingdom was "diverse from
all the others.'1' As represented to John, Rome,
the beast of Rev. 13:2, combined the charac
teristics of the leopard, the bear, and the lion.
There were united the false system of the reli
gion of ancient Babylon, the governmental tyr
anny of Medo-Persia, and the mixture of good
and evil in the intellectual culture of Greece.
When the religion, the educational system, or

Whatsoever things were written
aforetime were written for our learn
ing, that we through patience and
comfort of the scriptures might
have hope. Rom. 15 14.
It is the land of graven images,
and they are mad upon their idols.
Jer. 50:38.
The Babylonians came to her
into the bed of love, and they de
filed her with their whoredom, and
she was polluted with them, and
her mind was alienated from them.
Eze. 23 : 14-18.
Upon her forehead was a name
written, MYSTERY, BABYLON
THE GREAT, THE MOTHER
OF HARLOTS AND ABOMI:
NATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rey. 17:5.
Dan. 6 : 12.
The prince of the kingdom of
Persia withstood me one and twenty
days : but, lo, Michael, one of the
chief princes, came to help me ; and
I remained there with the kings of
Persia. Dan. 10:13.
And hath made of one blood all
nations of men for to dwell on all
the face of the earth, and hath de
termined the times before ap
pointed, and the bounds of their
habitation. Acts 17:26.

The Greeks seek after wisdom.
1 Cor. 1 :22.

(For all the Athenians and stran
gers which were there spent their
time in nothing else, but either to
tell, or to hear some new thing.)
Acts 17 : 16-21.

The beast which I saw was like
unto a leopard, and his feet were as
the feet of a bear, and his mouth
as the mouth of a lion : and the
dragon gave him his power, and his
seat, and great authority. Rev. 13 :2.

230

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

' The king that faithfully judgeth
the poor, his throne shall be estab
lished forever. Prov. 29 : 14.

Except those days should be
shortened, there should no flesh be
saved : but for the elect's sake
those days shall be shortened Matt. 24:22.

intellectual statutes, and the governmental his
tory of a nation are given, there remains little
else worth relating. So in the one nation,
Rome, is embodied the strength of all the previ
ous nations. What wonder that it was a terrible
and dreadful nation, and that except the time
of its supremacy should be shortened there
should be none left to witness for the truth. It

- — - — » — V 
tOtten Babylon
w&g overthrown
and HleoVPergia
tuajg no -more,
(Sreece lived
on in tKe
rmrictg oj^num.

Righteousness exaiteth a nation :
but sin is a reproach to any people.
Prov. 14:34.

The way of man is froward and
strange. Prov. 21 : 8.

I stood upon the sand of the sea,
and saw a beast rise up out of the
sea. Rev. 13:1.

is to this power that we are introduced in the
fourteenth verse of the eleventh chapter of
Daniel. It was in the year 201 b. c. that the child,
Ptolemy Epiphanes, fell heir to the throne of
Egypt, and the kings of Macedon and Syria
planned his overthrow and the division of his
empire. It was then that Rome arose to promi
nence before the prophet's eye. But Rome had
already been in existence for years, and during

THE FOURTH KINGDOM.

231

those years had been accumulating strength to
enable her to enter the arena with a bound
when the proper time should come. The tradi
tional history of Rome dates as far back as the
middle of the eighth century before Christ.
That was before the days of Nebuchadnezzar
and the glories of Babylon. In the days when
Isaiah began to prophesy, then Rome was
founded. It was said to be the home of a
band of robbers and outlaws, and one of the
first acts was the theft of the women of a neigh
boring city as wives for these early settlers. So
if Romans are called the children of robbers,
the character can not be denied. The Romans
were a stalwart, sturdy race, and from the first
began the development of a strong central gov
ernment. In this undertaking men were aided
by the prince of this world, the devil himself :
for the dragon, that old serpent, called the devil
and Satan, gave the fourth beast "his power,
and his seat, and great authority."
The force of all history is lost unless the stu
dent recognizes each nation as an actor in the
great plan of redemption — one of the partici
pants in the great controversy between Christ
and'Satan. As the plans of the arch enemy
had failed to carry in the history of Babylon,
Medo-Persia and Greece, he now attempted with
redoubled vigor to thwart the plans of God.
He chose for this purpose the seven-hilled city.
His plans were deep laid, and the structure that
he reared was builded on a firm foundation.
Like a lighthouse off some rocky coast, the
great planner hoped it would stand the mighty
dashings of the waves of truth. It was his last,
his supreme effort, for it is this kingdom in one

Is this your joyous city, whose
antiquity is of ancient days? her
own feet should carry her afar off
to sojourn. Isa. 23 : 7.

Rome like other nations had a
'history, long before its connection
with the people of God, at which
time it is noticed in prophecy.
Babylon dates from the tower of
Babel which Nimrod ' and others
built.

Dan. n : 14 [margin].
Rev. 13 : 2.

The fourth kingdom shall be
strong as iron : forasmuch as iron
breaketh in pieces and subdueth all
things : and as iron that breaketh
all these, shall it break in pieces
and bruise. Dan. 2 740.

This matter is by the decree of
the watchers, and the demand by
the word of the holy ones : to the
intent 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 basest of men. Dan. 4 : 17.

Ps. 22 : 27, 28.
Thou sealest up the sum, full of
wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
Eze. 28 : 12.

Ps. 100 : 5.
We can do nothing against the
truth, but for the truth. 2 Cor. 13 : 8. '

232

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

In the days of Wse kings shall
the God of heaven set up a king
dom. Dan. 2 : 44.
The beast was taken, and with
him the false prophet that wrought
miracles before him. . . . These
both were cast alive into a lake of
fire burning with brimstone. Rev. 19 : 20.
Where the word of a king is,
there is power : and who may say
unto him, What doest thou? Eccl. 8:4.
The governor answered and said
unto them, Whether of the twain
will ye that I release unto you?
They said, Barabbas. Matt. 27 : 21.
The rich man's wealth is his
strong city : the destruction of the
poor is their poverty. Prov. 10 : 15.

Ye have despised the poor. Do
not rich men oppress you, and draw
you before the judgment seats ?
James 2 :6.

The rich ruleth over the poor,
and the borrower is servant to the
lender. Prov. 22 : 7.
Acts 21 :3a.

The woman which thou sawest is
that great city, which reigneth over
the kings of the earth. Rev. 17 : 18.
Now there was a day when the
sons of God came to present them
selves before the Lord, and Satan
came also among them. Job 1 : 6.
Hereafter I will not talk much
with you : for the prince of this
world cometh, and hath nothing in
me. John 14 130.

of its manifestations which stands until the
end of time.
In its earliest days Rome was ruled by kings,
but it was impossible for a Western king to imh
tate the customs of the Oriental monarchies.
Greek governments spanned the gulf between
early despotism and the liberality of more mod
ern Western nations. There were two classes
of men in Rome, and they both demanded rep
resentation in the government. At the end of
two hundred and fifty years the kings were
dethroned, and consuls substituted. Two con
suls from the wealthy class, the patricians,
held the reins of government. For the
next two centuries there was a struggle
between patricians and plebeians for equal
rights. The principles of republicanism were
struggling for birth. Gradually the patri
cians lost power, until at last the gov
ernment rested in the hands of the people —
that is citizens of Rome. But there were con
quered cities, especially in the peninsula of
Italy. " Roman dominion in Italy was a do
minion of a city over cities." Finally rights
of citizenship were granted to most of these.
God's government is a representative govern
ment, and while He sits as King of kings, He
bears sway by common consent, and His sub
jects from all the worlds have representatives in
the councils of heaven. Satan, as prince of this
world, was a representative in those days in that
council. In Rome he attempted to counterfeit
that phase of the divine government.
It was as a republic that Rome began her
career as a conquering nation. Her constitu
tion was the result of a gradual growth of two

THE FOURTH KINGDOM.

233

centuries. Having her authority recognized
throughout Italy, of which Rome was the cen
ter, she began acquiring territory by force of
arms. Carthage, a rival city on the south of
the Mediterranean, was the first point of attack.
and for one hundred years Rome fought for
supremacy. It was a bitter struggle, which
could end in nothing less than the annihilation
of one of the contending parties. Ridpath
aptly expresses the policy of the government
when he says. "They [the Romans] took what
they could and then took the remainder."
During the years when Rome hovered over
Carthage, like an eagle ready to descend upon
its prey, she was always carrying on wars of ag
gression in other directions. Both the West
and the East were invaded. Spain was made a
subjected province ; all the citizens were taxed ;
the silver and gold mines, the wealth of that
county, were confiscated as state property, and
no city was allowed to fortify itself without the
consent of Rome. This was so-called republi
canism — the equal rights of men — as under
stood and practiced by Rome.
The inhabitants of Corsica and Sardinia were
sold in the slave markets of Rome, and so nu
merous were these slaves, says Livy, that " Sar
dinians for sale" became a proverbial expression
for anything cheap. This also was Roman re
publicanism. Macedonia and Greece were in a
state of turmoil, and Rome interfered. After
conferences and wars, independence was pro
claimed to all Greeks. This was one of the
policy schemes by which the republic worked,
but liberty lasted for only a brief space. A few
years later all those Macedonians who were able

15. So the king of the north
shall come, and cast up a mount,
and take the most fenced cities :
and the arms of the south shall
not withstand, neither his chosen
people, neither shalt there be any
strength to withstand. Dan. 11:15.

Which waxed exceeding great,
toward the south, and toward the
east, and toward the pleasant land.
Dan. 8 : 9.

There is a generation, whose
teeth are as swords, and their jaw
teeth as knives, to devour the poor
from off the earth, and the needy
from among men. Prov. 30 : 14.

Hab. it 8.
Javan, Tubal, and Meshach, they
were thy merchants : they traded
the persons of men and vessels of
brass in thy market. Eze. 27 : 13.

Through his policy also he shall
cause craft to prosper in his hand.
Dan. 8:25.

234

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

All this have I seen, and applied
my heart unto every work that is
done under the sun : there is a time
wherein one man ruleth over an
other to his own hurt. Eccl. 8 :g.
Man also knoweth not his time :
as the fishes that are taken in an
evil net, and as the birds that are
caught in the snare ; so are the
sons of men snared in an evil time,
when it falleth suddenly upon
them. Eccl. 9 : 12.
Render therefore to all then-
dues: tribute to whom tribute is
due ; custom to whom custom ; fear
to whom fear ; honor to whom
honor. Rom. 13 : 6, 7.
Matt. 17 : 24-27.
Woe to thee, O land, when thy
king is a child. Eccl. 10 : 16.
Therefore also will I make thee
sick in smiting thee, in making thee
desolate Decause of thy sins.
Micah 6 : 13.

Which waxed exceeding great,
toward the south, and toward the
east, and toward the pleasant land.
Dan. 8:9.

When the righteous are in au
thority, the people rejoice : but
when the wicked beareth rule, the
people mourn. Prrv. 29 : 2.

If thou seest the oppression of
the poor, and violent perverting of
judgment and justice in a province,
marvel not at the matter : for he
that is higher than the highest re
gardeth ; and there be higher than
they. Eccl. 5 : 8.

If the Son therefore shall make
you free, ye shall be free indeed.
John 8 : 36,

to govern themselves were carried to Rome,
while those left were inexperienced men who
soon played into the hands of the Roman senate.
One hundred and fifty thousand Greeks were
sold as slaves, and the treasures taken paid all
expenses contracted during the war. So high
was the tribute exacted from subjected prov
inces that it relieved Roman citizens of all taxes
for future wars. This was independence as
granted subjected provinces by the republic of
Rome. The family of Antiochus was still bearing
sway in the Eastern world. It was Antiochus
IV who proposed to unite with Philip V of
Macedon against the young king of Egypt when
Rome interfered. But mild interference was
never enough for Rome, although she some
times assumed to play that role for a time.
Antiochus the Great in the single battle of
Magnesia (b. c. 190) lost all his conquests in
Asia Minor. He was obliged to pay three thou
sand talents, and an annual subsidy of one thou
sand talents, for twelve years.
Rome controlled Egypt because the education
of the heir to the throne was in the hands of a
Roman senator, and a Roman army stood ready
to defend the country against all attacks from
the north or east. Roman power thus encircled
the Mediterranean.
The liberty granted to conquered nations was
a myth. Rome was a republic only in name. It
was as impossible for Rome to grant liberty to
her dependencies as it would be for Satan him
self to manifest the attributes of God. Any
nation, that departs from the principles of lib
erty of conscience, it matters not what its pre-

THE FOURTH KINGDOM.

235

tensions, nor the wording of its constitution,
nor the will of some of its people, will find it
impossible to maintain a republic other than
in name. This is true also in individual ex
perience. Liberty is known only when Christ
is enthroned in the heart.
There are always certain other results which
accompany wars of conquest. For instance,
this policy demands a large army. In the early
days of Rome the army was made up of men
who left the plow and the shop for the defense
of their country, and when war was over, re
turned to their homes and their trades ; but as
war became a regular business, generals found
it to their advantage to keep their soldiers in
readiness. The army was not so much a ser
vant of the state as an attache to the person
of some successful general, whom it regarded
as its patron. The way was thus open for
military despotism, and Rome experienced that
form of government more than once.
The senate, supposed to represent the people,
became a corporation greedy for gain and en
riched by the spoils of war. Senatorial favor
ites received rich provinces to govern, and brib
ery was almost universally practiced. "The
power of the purse " was in the hands of the
senate alone. To their influence may be added
the constant and steady growth of the cities,
and the decline of the rural population, a prac
tice always ruinous to republicanism, and one
always encouraged by a false system of educa
tion and religion.
Tradition made the Romans the descendants
of the god of war, Mars, the Bruiser, and they
were true to the character. Said the inspired

Woe to the multitude of manv
people, which make .1 noise like
the noise of the seas : and to the
rushing of nations, that make a
rushing like the rushing of mighty
waters 1 The nations shall rush
like the rushing of many waters :
but God shall rebuke th^m, and
they shall flee far off, and shall be
chased as ihe chaff of the moun
tains before the wind, and like a
rolling thing before the whirlwind.
Isa. 17 : 12, 13.
God hath spoken once ; twice
have I heard th'.s j that power be
longeth unto God. Ps. 62 ; 1 1.
Woe unto them that draw in
iquity with cords of vanity, and sin
as it were with a cart rope, Isa. 5 : iS.

He that loveth silver shall not be
satisfied with silver : nor he that
loveth abundance with increase .
this is also vanity. Eccl. 5 : 10.

His sons turned aside after lucre,
and took bribes, and perverted
judgment. 1 Sam. 8 : 3.

They that trust in their wealth
and boast themselves in the multi
tude of their riches ; none of them
can by any means redeem his
brother, nor give to God a ransom
for him. Ps. 49 .6, 7,

Moreover the profit of the earth
is for all . the king himself is
served by the field. Eccl. V9-

236

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

It shall break in pieces and con
sume all these kingdoms, and it
shall stand forever. Dan. 2 : 44.
He hath sent me to heal the
broken hearted. Luke 4 : 18.

Acts 22 : 25-29.
Acts 23 : 27.
Acts 16 : 37, 38.
He said, Thy name shall be
called no more Jacob, but Israel :
for as a prince hast thou power
with God and with men, and hast
prevailed. Gen. 3a : 28.
The dragon gave him his power,
and his seat, and great authority.
Rev. 13 -.2.

Now these be the last words of
David. . . . The anointed of the
God of Jacob, and the sweet psalm
ist of Israel, said. 2 Sam. 23 : 1.
1 Cor. 8 : 5.
Who changed the truth of God
into a lie, and worshiped and
served the creature more than the
Creator, who is blessed forever.
Amen. Rom. 1 125.

Now therefore send, and gather
to me all Israel unto mount Car
mel, and the prophets of Baal four
hundred and fifty, and the prophets
of the groves four hundred, which
eat at Jezebel's table. 1 Kings 18 ; 19.

penman, "It shall break in pieces and bruise."
Christ came to Rome as the Prince of peace,
the binder up of wounds, the healer of the bro
ken-hearted. The religion of Rome was secondary to its
government. That is, the state was the one all-
absorbing institution.. A man in Rome was
great, not because of any character he bore or
deed he had done, but for the simple fact that
he was a Roman citizen. Name took the place
of character. Here is seen the reverse of truth.
With God it is character which gives the name ;
with Rome it was name independent of char
acter. Although religion was subservient to the
state, yet the form of religion in Rome played
an important part in its history, especially in the
second or papal phase. Since the papacy was a
continuation of paganism, it is necessary to no
tice its leading features. There were no sweet
singers, as David the Bethlehemite ; the nature
study of the Greeks was also lacking. There
were gods many and lords many, but a stern
ness characterized all worship. Man was dei
fied and canonized. The very name Augustus,
which was applied to a long line of emperors,
meant divine.
In the Roman temples a body of priests per
formed the sacred rites, but they were appointed
by the state. The highest religious officer during
the life of paganism was the Pontifex Maximus,
the pope of paganism, and he was a civil officer.
The religious hierarchy, consisting of priests,
augurs, vestals, and the Pontifex Maximus, paved
the way for the papal hierarchy of later days,
just as the transition from republicanism to im-

THE FOURTH KINGDOM.

237

perialism opened the gate for papal supremacy.
In literature and education Rome borrowed
largely from Greece, so that the intellectual
supremacy of that nation must be traced to
Greece, although the man of learning was of
ten a slave sold in the markets of his captors.
It was, however, the education which pre
vailed in Greece, and which was copied by Rome,

As Paul was to be led into the
castle, he said unto the chief cap
tain, May I speak unto thee ? Who
said, Canst thou speak Greek ?
Acts 21 137.

A wise servant shall have rule
over a son that causeth shame, and
shall have part of the inheritance
among the brethren. Prov. 17 :z.

y

3- atari ha£ bvd one pimp ^

that U ^^imt
the development of £mJ

t i^^k '<

/

Jv

«l I <2ocI ha£ but orte plan-
the unfolding
love and truth.

that trained a class of citizens for warfare, for
tyranny, and for the papacy.
Roman law is extolled as the basis of all civil
law to-day. It was developed gradually as be
fore stated, and the wheat of truth was mingled
with the tares of error. It was good and evil,
like the tree of which Adam partook in the
garden. This is seen in latter-day applications

Let both grow together rxntil Ae
harvest : and in the time of harvest
I will say to the reapers, Gather ye
together first the tares, and bind
them in bundles to burn them : bat
gather the wheat into my bani.
Matt. 13 :3c
Gen. 2:17.
There is a way that seemeth
right onto a man, but the end
thereof are the ways of death.
Prov. 16 : 25.

238

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Thou shalt remember all the way
which the Lord thy God led thee
these forty years in the wilderness,
to humble thee, and to prove thee,
to know what was in thine heart,
whether thou wouldest keep his
commandments, or no. Deut. 8:2.

I know that, whatsoever God
doeth, it shall be forever : nothing
can be put. to it, nor any thing
taken from it : and God doeth it,
that men should fear before him.
Eccl. 3 : 14.

When he giveth quietness, who
then can make trouble? and when
he hideth his face, who then can
behold him? whether it be done
against a nation, or against a man
only. Job 34 : 29.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is liberty. 2 Cor. 3:17.

But Jesus called them unto him,
and said, Ye know that the princes
of the Gentiles exercise dominion
over them, and they that are great
exercise authority upon them. But
it shall not be so among you : but
whosoever will be great among
you, let him be your minister : and
whosoever will be chief among
you, let him be your servant.
Matt, ao : 25-27.

I will show thee that which is
noted in the scripture of truth.
Dan. 10:21.

of those laws. The Greek worship of mind or
reason, applied to Roman love of law, made the
lawyer of Rome the forefather of that class of
reasoners who to-day sway the world by argu
ment rather than by the rule of justice.
Satan has but one plan — that is the develop
ment of sin ; God has but one — the unfolding
of truth and love. All history is an object les
son, showing how God thwarts the thousand
ways by which the devil tries to carry out his
plans, and national history is but individual ex
perience on a large scale.
Students very often read the story of nations,
forgetting that they have before them a picture
of their own lives. National history, rather
than individual experience, is given in prophecy,
because it is like a magnified view thrown on
the canvas, revealing details that would be over
looked in the study of one man. It should be
remembered that when principles are referred
to, such as republicanism, Protestantism, mon
archy, papacy, liberty, or oppression, each has an
application to man dealing with man, to church
members dealing with one another, and to
nation dealing with nation.
With these facts in mind, the prophecies of
Daniel concerning Rome may be understood.
It seems that Gabriel called attention to the
fourth kingdom, not at the beginning of its ex
istence, but at the time when all the principles
previously set forth were well developed, and in
just the stage to grow rapidly when the proper
environments should be offered. The republic
was in reality dead, although its corpse was yet
unburied, and men were unwilling to acknowl
edge that life had really departed. During the

THE FOURTH KINGDOM.

239

transition period between the repubhc and the
full-fledged empire of the twentieth verse, a
number of actors took a prominent part. It
was a time of severe contest between men to
see who could best serve the purpose of the
controller of affairs who stood behind the
throne of earthly monarchs. As the repubhc
lost power, a corporation composed of Caesar,
Pompey, and Crassus took the reins of govern
ment. Crassus controlled the money, Pompey
had the army, and Caesar was the master mind.
The Roman army, with Pompey as leader,
swept through Asia Minor and Syria, and the
entire kingdom of the Seleucidae fell at his feet.
Antioch and every fortified station of the East
ern empire crumbled as he advanced. Pompey,
called upon to decide between rulers of the
Jews, entered Jerusalem, and, as in times past,
the knowledge of the God of Israel was made
known to the nation which was leading the
world. Pompey, however, acted ver}" differently
from Alexander. He entered the city by force
after a siege of three months ; the walls were
demolished and the Jews put under tribute to
the Roman government. ' Rome now stood " in
the glorious land which by his hand shall be
consumed." This was in b. c. 63.
The wisdom of God in choosing Palestine as
the home of the Jews is recognized more and
more as history progresses. There was no mis
take in the location, and there was no lowering
of the standard set for that nation. In the days
of Roman supremacy, as in the days of Solo
mon, it was the divine will that Israel should be
the light of the world. They were entrusted
with the sacred oracles of truth, and each na-

They eat the bread of wicked
ness, and drink the wine of vio
lence. . . - The way of the wicked
is as darkness : they know not at
what they stumble. Prov. 4 : 17-19.
We wrestle not against flesh and
blood, bat against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high
places. Eph. 6:12.

Associate yourselves, O ye peo
ple, and ye shall be broken in
pieces ; and give ear, all ye of far
countries: gird yourselves, and ye
shall be broken in pieces ; gird
yourselves, and ye shall be broken
in pieces. Isa. 8 : o.

76. But he that cometh against
him shall do according to his own
will, and none shall stand before
him : and he shall stand in the
glorious land, which by his hand
shall be consumed. Dan. 11 :18.

The people of the prince that
shall come shall destroy the city
and the sanctuary. Dan. 9 : 26.

Tell us therefore, What thiakest
thou? Is it lawful to give tribute
onto Caesar, or not ? Show
me the tribute money. And they
brought unto him. a penny. And he
said unto them, Whose is this
image and superscription? They
say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith
he nnto them, Render therefore
unto Caesar the things which are
Caesar's and onto God the things
that are God's. Matt. 22 : 17-21.

240

STORY ©F DANIEL THE PROPHET.

For so hath the Lord commanded
us, saying, I have set thee to be a
light of the Gentiles, that thou
shouldest be for salvation unto the
ends of the earth. Acts 13 : 47.
What nation is there so great,
who hath God so nigh unto them,
as the Lord our God is in all things
that we call upon him for ?
Deut. 4:7,8.
Acts 17 :24, 25.
My people have committed two
evils ; they have forsaken me the
fountain of living waters, and hewed
them out cisterns, broken cisterns,
that can hold no water. Jer. 2 : 13.
Yea, the light of the wicked
shall be put out, and the spark of
his fire shall not shine. Job 18:5.
The good man is perished out of
the earth : and there is none up
right among men ; they all lie in
wait for blood ; they hunt every
man his brother with a net. That
they may do evil with both hands
earnestly, the prince asketh, and
the judge asketh for a reward ; and
the great man, he uttereth his mis
chievous desire ; so they wrap' it
up. The best of them is as a
brier ; the most upright is sharper
than a thom hedge ; the day of thy
watchmen and thy visitation Com
eth ; now shall be their perplexity.
Micah 7 : 2-4.
It is a light thing that thou
shouldest be my servant to raise up
the tribes of Jacob, and to restore
the preserved of Israel : I will also
give thee for a light to the Gen
tiles, that thou mayst be my salva
tion unto the end of the earth.
Isa. 49 : 6.

17. He shall also set his face to
enter with the strength of his
whole kingdom, and upright ones
witn him; thus shall he do and
he shall give him the daughter of
women, corrupting her: but she
shall not stand on his side, neither
be for him, Dan. 11:17.

tion was brought to them as to a fountain of
living water. Had the Hebrew race been true
to its appointed duty, the history of the whole
world would read differently. Rome came to
Jerusalem — came because sent of God, but
the well was a cracked and leaky cistern, and
the soul-thirst of the nation could not be
quenched. As a result, Rome enslaved the
Jews : the power of life which repels the en
emy was lacking.
It was during the rule of the first triumvirate
that Egypt, the kingdom of the south, was again
entered by Rome. The Roman senate, in whose
charge Cleopatra and her brother, Ptolemy Dio
nysius, had been placed by their father, had re
quested Pompey to visit Egypt to settle difficul
ties. Pompey, however, was slain while cross
ing to the land in a small boat. Csesar entered
Alexandria shortly afterward, and espoused the
cause of Cleopatra, who had been obliged to flee
from the capital. Caesar was victorious over the
ruling faction in Alexandria, and before leaving
the city, enthroned Cleopatra and graced his
triumph in Rome with Arsinoe, a representative
of the royal family of the Ptolemies. History
states that Csesar spent some nine months in
Egypt, which was unusual for this general, as
his rapid movements from place to place were
one secret of his success.
Caesar as a general stood in a position to ac
complish for the fourth kingdom what Nebu
chadnezzar, Cyrus, and Alexander had done for
the former three, but we have no record that he
even acknowledged God as a ruler of nations.
He was fascinated and corrupted by the queen
of Egypt. The seventeenth verse, which de-

THE FOURTH KINGDOM.

241

scribes a particular event in history, also sym
bolizes the corrupting influence of Egypt when
ever the north came in touch with the south.
Egypt was a blight to men and nations alike,
from the days of Abraham to Csesar and its in
fluence still lives, a type of sin and bondage.
Leaving Egypt, Caesar passed along the coast
of Palestine and.. Asia Minor, receiving the sub
mission of all peoples, with such rapidity that he
sent the famous despatch to Rome, " I came, I
saw, I conquered" {Veni, Vidi, Vici). He re
turned to Rome, where he altered laws, strength
ened the senate, settled disturbances , in the
army, and later brought western Africa, which
had revolted, into submission.
Caesar was an organizer as well as a warrior,
and displayed greater liberality and breadth of
ideas than any previous ruler. Roman franchise
was granted to the citizens of many cities hith
erto excluded, and all scientific men, of what
ever nationality, were equally honored. Still
greater plans for Roman improvement were
found among his papers after his death. He
was nearing the pinnacle of earthly fame when he
fell, pierced by a score of daggers, in the pres
ence of the senate which he controlled. He
"stumbled and fell," leaving no heir to the
throne. Another great man had passed from
the scene of action. Heaven was watching, for
the birth of the Son of Man was near at hand.
It was the year 44 b. c. when the plans of
Julius Csesar were cut short by his untimely
death. Republicanism was so far gone that the
government fell into the hands of the strongest
men, those who had military support.
Lepidus, one of the second triumvirates, soon
16

Asa jewel of gold in a swine's
snout, so is a fair woman which is
without discretion. Prov. II 122.

Prov. 7

-A, 5-

Eccl. 7 :

26.

Eze. 29

:3,6, 7.

2 Kings

18:21.

Matt. 2

:iS.

Thus will I make thy lewdness
to cease from thee, and thy whore
dom brought from the land of
Egypt. Eze. 23:27.

18. After this shalt he turn his
face unto the isles, and shall take
many: but a prince for his own
behalf shalt cause the reproach
offered by him to cease; without
his own reproach he shall cause it
to turn upon him.
19. Then he shall turn his face
toward the fort of his own land :
but he shall stumble and fait, and
not be found. Dan. 11 : 18, 19.

I will punish the world for their
evil, and the wicked for their in
iquity ; and I will cause the arro
gant; y of the proud to cease, and
will lay low the haughtiness of the
terrible. Isa. 13 : 11.

242

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Thou art weighed in the bal
ances, and art found wanting. Dan. s : 27.
1 Sam. S : 19, 20.

died; Antony, a second member, enamored by
. Cleopatra, and entrapped in the net of Egyptian
darkness, cast himself upon his own sword and
died ; Octavius, an adopted son of Julius Caesar,

Marvel not at this : for the hour
is coming, in tlie which all that are
in the graves shall hear his voice,
and shall come forth ; they that
have done good, unto the resur
rection of life ; and they that have
done evil, unto the resurrection of
damnation. John 5 : 28, 29.

There is no man that hath power
over the spirit to retain the spirit ;
neither hath he power in the day of
death : and there is no discharge
in that war ; neither shall wicked
ness deliver those that are given
to it. Eccl. 8 : 8.

20. Then shall stand up In his
estate a raiser of taxes in the
glory of the kingdom : but within
few days he shall be destroyed,
neither in anger, nor In battle.
Dan. 11. -20.

It came to pass in those days,
that there went out a decree from
Caesar Augustus, that all the world
should be taxed. . . . And all went
to be taxed, every one into his own
city. And Joseph also went up
from Galilee, out of the city of
Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city

0 man tiefh dotting
and rideth not: l^jv \
till the neaven^ be no morer4
they £rmll not atuahe. nor be
raided out of tnexr ^Teep.
r *> Job, 14 : 12
alone remained. Says Gibbon : " A martial no
bility and stubborn commons, possessed of arms,
tenacious of property, and collected into con
stitutional assemblies, form the only balance
capable of preserving a free constitution against
the enterprises of an aspiring prince ." Rome
had none of these ; every barrier of the Roman
constitution had been leveled by the ambition
of Octavius, called Csesar Augustus. Further
more, the provinces had so long been oppressed
by the scheming ministers of the republic that
they gladly welcomed a one-man power. Augus
tus restored the senate to its former dignity,
it is true, but " the principles of a free consti
tution are irrevocably lost when the legislative
power is nominated by the executive." So
Octavius was proclaimed emperor of Rome by
the unanimous vote of that same servile senate.
Thus was Csesar Augustus, the raiser of
taxes, brought to the head of the fourth king
dom. After centuries of strife and turmoil, wars,
bloodshed, and oppression, the world lay passive

THE FOURTH KINGDOM.

243

at the feet of the Roman emperor. One gov
ernment encircled the Mediterranean ; from the
Atlantic to the Indian Ocean one power bore
sway. It would seem that earthly government
had achieved its highest ambition. Satan ex
ulted, and rested in the hope that at last victory
was his. But the moment of his quiet resting
was the calm preceding his greatest struggles.
So quiet was the nation that the lifting of a
hand in rebellion in any of its most distant parts
would send a throb to the center, which would
be answered by the return of the legions.
Then it was . that in the little town of Bethle
hem Ephratah, where Mary and Joseph, peasants
of the hill town of Nazareth, had gone to be
taxed in obedience to the command of this same
Augustus, was born a Saviour, even Christ the
Lord. The very condition which caused Satan
to exult were the conditions most favorable to
Christ when He came to tabernacle among men.
He whom Satan had opposed since the rebellion
in heaven ; He, the Prince of the worlds
throughout space, "was made in the likeness
of man," and came into the world a helpless
babe. The simple shepherds on the hillside near
Bethlehem, tending their sheep where David
had often tended his flocks, heard the angel
choir proclaim the birth of the world's Re
deemer. Wise men in the eastern limits of the
vast empire of Augustus, having read the proph
ecies, were watching for His star, and they, too,
beheld a shining company of angels, and knew
that God dwelt with men. But the rest of the
empire slept on unconscious of His nearness.
Bethlehem, the place of His birth, was dear
to the memory of every true Jew. It was there

¦ of David, which is called Bethle
hem ; (because he was of the house
and lineage of David :) to be taxed
with Mary his espoused wife, being
great with child. And so it was,
that, while they were there, the
days were accomplished that she
should be delivered. And she
brought forth her firstborn son, and
wrapped him in swaddling clothes,
and laid him in a manger ; because
there was no room for them in the
inn. And there were in the same
country shepherds abiding in the
field, keeping watch over; their
flock by night. And, lo, the angel
of the Lord came upon them, and
the glory of the Lord shone round
about them : and they were sore
afraid. Luke 2:1-9.
Micah e, : 2.
The angel said unto them, Fear
not : for, behold, I bring you good
tidings of great joy, which shall be
to all people. For unto you is
bom this day in the city of David
a Saviour, which is Christ the
Lord. And this shall be a sign
unto you : ye shall find the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, ly
ing in * manger. And suddenly
there was with the angel a multi
tude of the heavenly host praising
God, and saying, Glory to God in
the highest, and on earth peace,
good will toward men. Luke 2 : 10-14.
Now when Jesus was born in
Bethlehem of Judea in the days of
Herod the king, behold, there came
wise men from the east to Jerusa
lem, saying, Where is he that is
born king of the Jews ? for we
have seen his star in the east, and
are come to worship him. . . . •
When they saw the star, they re
joiced with exceeding great joy.
And when they were come into the
house, they saw the young child
with Mary his mother, and fell
down, and worshiped him : and
when they had opened their treas
ures, they presented unto him gifts ;
gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
Matt. 2 : 1, 2, 10, 11.
Gen. 28 : 12, 19.

244

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Yea, he had power over the an
gel, and prevailed: he wept and
made supplication unto him : he
found him in Bethel, and there he
spake with us. Hosea 12 : 4.
Gen. 28 : 22.

that God met their father Jacob as he left home,
a fugitive and alone. It was named Bethel, —
the house of God, for said Jacob, " Surely God
is in this place, and I knew it not." Jacob came
to the same spot and paid tithe of his gain while

Gen. 35 :8.
He went on his journeys from
the south even to Beth-el, unto the
place where his tent had been at
the beginning, between Beth-el and
Hai. Gen. 13 13.
1 Sam. 16 14-13.
2 Sam. 23 : 14-17.

The angel choir proclaim the birth
of the world's Redeemer.
with Laban. Deborah, Rachel's nurse, was bur
ied there. It was in Bethlehem that Abraham
pitched his tent when he first entered the prom
ised land. David, the chosen of God, was
anointed there. The well of Bethlehem was
noted, a fit symbol of Him who was born in

THE FOURTH KINGDOM.

245

Bethlehem and offers the water of life to all.
"The story of Bethlehem is an exhaustless
theme." In it is hidden "the depth of the
riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of
God." But in spite of the sacred memories
which clustered about the place, when the
Christ was born but few men knew it.
All that the sacred record1 gives concerning
Augustus, the man who held universal sway,
is that he was a raiser of taxes when the king
dom was at the height of its glory, and that
after a reign of a few days or years, he should
end his career in peace. He had unconsciously
been instrumental in preparing the way for the
Prince of peace, and having done that, he passed
from the scene.
"As in old time Cyrus was called to the
throne of the world's empire that he might set
free the captives of the Lord, so Csesar Augus
tus is made the agent for the fulfillment of
God's purpose in bringing the mother of Jesus
to Bethlehem. She is of the lineage of David,
and the Son of David must be born in David's
city." Most of the life of the Saviour was spent
during the reign of Tiberius, the successor of
Augustus, whom Gabriel described to Daniel as
a "vile person." History substantiates the de
scription. He was not a direct heir to the
throne, and he was never honored by his sub
jects. The tyranny of absolutism began again
to^ manifest itself, and the principles of the
Oriental monarchies were repeated. Popular as
semblies entirely ceased, and the emperor
usurped the right to put to death without
trial. The governors of Judah reflected the

If any man thirst, let him come
unto me, and drink. John 7: 37.

Surely the Lord is in this place ;
and I knew it not. Gen. 2S : 16.

By me princes rule, and nobles,
even all the judges of the earth.
Prov. 8 : 10.

The Lord is high above all na
tions, and his glory above the
heavens. Ps. 113 14.

Unto us a child is born, unto us
a son isgiven : and the government
shall be upon his shoulder : and his
name shall be called Wonderful,
Counselor, The Mighty God, The
Everlasting Father, the Prince of
Peace. Isa. 9 : 6.

For Jacob my servant's sake, and
Israel mine elect, I have even
called thee by thy name : I have
surnamed thee, though thou hast
not known me. Isa. 45 : 4,

21. And in his estate shalt stand
up a vile person, to whom they
shall not give the honor of the
kingdom : but he shall come in
peaceably, and obtain the king
dom by flatteries. Dan. 11 :21.

He .was taken from prison and
from judgment. Isa. 53 : 8.

246

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

But we trusted that it had been
he which should have redeemed
Israel : and beside all this, to-day
is the third day since these things
were done. Luke 24 : 21.
When they therefore were come
together, they asked of him, say
ing, Lord, wilt thou at this time
restore again the kingdom to
Israel ? Acts 1 : 6.
In whom the god of this world
hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not, lest the light of
the glorious gospel of Christ, who
is the image of God, should shine
unto them. 2 Cor, 4:4.

Dan . 3 : 4-6.
Esther 3 : 6, 12-14.

Col. 2: 8.
1 Tim. 6 : 20.

Let no man beguile you of your
reward in a voluntary humility and
worshiping of angels, intruding into
those things which he hath not
seen, vainly purled up by his fieshly
mind. Col. 2 : 18-24.

Luke 2 : 25, 38.
Matt. 3:5,6.

Jesus went about all Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, and
preaching the gospel of the king
dom, and healing all manner of
sickness and all manner of dis
ease among the people. Ana his
fame went throughout all Syria.
Matt. 4 123, 24.

character of the general government. The
Jews were bitterly oppressed, and as they knew
the time was near for the appearance of a Sav
iour, they placed all their hopes upon a tempo
ral king, one who should break the yoke of
Rome and establish for them a separtte king
dom. A few, perhaps, but only a few, divined
the spiritual nature of the promise of a Mes
siah, for it was Satan's studied plan to blind
men's eyes to all spiritual truth.
In Babylon he had sought to make men drunk
with idolatry ; working through Medo-Persia he
had hoped to slay those who were faithful to
their God ; through the teachings of Greece he
had so fascinated man with the powers of his
own mind that by works of righteousness which
he might do, and philosophies of his own con
jecturing, he was led to forget any higher power
than that which he himself possessed. But
through it all a few had clung to the promise
delivered to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The
world was ignorant of the Christ, but John the
Baptist called many to repentance.
Christ's ministry was during the reign of
Tiberius, and while that vile person worked,
planned, mistrusted, and killed, the Man of God
went about all the towns of Palestine, healing
the broken-hearted, and dispensing light to all
who would accept. Angels watched Him, Ga
briel attended Him, vand in times of special dan
ger, shielded Him from the enemy who tracked
him incessantly. Finally they nailed Him to
the cross ; the Jews were responsible for it, but
the Roman law upheld them in the act; and
had it not been done by His own people, the
Romans would have done it; for they had

THE FOURTH KINGDOM.

247

reached a condition when the life of man was
but lightly esteemed, and the spiritual kingdom
which Christ came to set up could never have
been understood by the reigning monarch. The
officers of Rome nailed the Son of God to the
cross. The Prince of the everlasting covenant
was crushed by those who sought to confederate
together ; they placed Him in the tomb ; they
joined hands with Satan, as nation had never
done before ; but He broke those bands, and
came forth triumphant.
Representatives from the four quarters of the
globe stood near Him in His last hours. The
Greeks met Him at the temple on the last great
day of the feast ; the thief hung beside Him on
Calvary ; Simon of Cyrene helped bear the
cross, and the centurion, a Roman soldier, con
victed, said, " Truly, this was the Son of God."
The darkness which shrouded the dying form of
Christ typified the condition of the Roman
world. The light which shone about the tomb
when the angels bade the Son of Man come
forth, typified the power with which the truth
should penetrate the empire as His followers
went forth to preach salvation.

22. And with the arms of a
flood shall they be overthrown
from before him, and shall be
broken; yea, also the prince of
the covenant. Dan. 11 : 22.

Gen. 9 : 16.
Heb. 13 : 20, 21.
Acts 4 126, 27,
Acts 2 : 24.

John 12 : 20-29.
Matt. 27 : 38.
Matt. 27 132.
Matt. 27 : 54.

God, who commanded the light
to shine out of darkness, hath
shined in our hearts, to give the
light of the knowledge of the glory
of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Cor. 4 : 6.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY.
CHAPTER 11 : 23-31.

I am the way, the truth, and the
life. John 14 : 6.
That through death he might
destroy him that had the power of
death, that is, the devil. Heb. 2 : 14.
1 John 3 : 5.
Now there was a day when the
sons of God came to present them
selves before the Lord, and Satan
came also among them. Job 1 : 6.
I saw the Lord sitting on his
throne, and all the host of heaven
standing by him on his right band
and on his left. . . - . And there
came forth a spirit, and stood be
fore the Lord, and said, I will per
suade him. And the Lord said
unto him, Wherewith? And* he
said, I will go forth, aud I will be a
lying spirit in the mouth of all his
prophets. 1 Kings 22 : 19-23.

The strength of paganism had been tested.
Truth, eternal truth, had dwelt in the person
of the Man of Nazareth. With the death of
Christ, Satan lost hope. Looking forward to
His crucifixion, Jesus said, "Now is the judg
ment of this world ; now shall the prince of this
world be cast out." Satan, after his fall, had
met from time to time with the representatives
of other worlds. Some in that assembly, not
comprehending the hideous nature of sin, had
felt to question God's wisdom in expelling Satan
from the heavenly courts ; but when Christ's life
was over, and they had seen the taunting of the
enemy and his final act of murder, " the accuser
of the brethren" was forever cast from the
council of worlds. " When the dragon saw that
248

THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY.

249

he was cast to the earth," he knew that his
time was short, and with renewed energy he
sought to overthrow the truth of God, and crush
those who adhered to it. The remaining portion
of the eleventh chapter of Daniel clearly reveals
the true character of these statements.
After the ascension of Christ, His disciples
spread the gospel throughout Judea and all Pal
estine, and many who heard the word spoken
with power on the day of pentecost went into
their own countries to proclaim the truth as it
was in Christ. In less than thirty years the
world was warned. But the Jews were exclu
sive, even the disciples had not yet lost the idea
that Christ was the Saviour of the Hebrew race,
not the healer of all mankind. Persecutions in
Jerusalem scattered the believers, and then they
went everywhere preaching the salvation of
God. Quietly, yet steadily, the life-giving cur
rent of the stream of Christianity penetrated to
the remotest corners of the vast Roman empire.
All nationalities were for the first time in all
history united in Him, for with Him and His
followers there was neither " Greek nor Jew,
circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian,
Scythian, bond nor free, but Christ was all
and in all."
As the truth spread, it was the growth of an
empire, a spiritual kingdom within the confines
of earth's strongest monarchy. It was with the
whole church as with each individual within the
church, a spiritual life, a new man, circled about
by a human form. Well would it have been for
the progress of truth if all oppression of the
spiritual by the temporal had been only when
the state opposed the church. Instead, the

The accuser of our brethren is
cast down, which accused them be
fore our God day and night.
Rev. 12 : 10.
Woe to the inhabiters of the
earth and of the sea I for the devil
is come down unto you, having
great wrath, because he knoweth
that he hath but a short time.
Rev. 12 : 12.
How hear we every man in our
own tongue, wherein we were born ?
Acts 2 :8-n.

The hope of the gospel, which ye
have heard, and which was preached
to every creature which is under
heaven. Col. 1 :6, 23.

Therefore they that were scat
tered abroad went everywhere
preaching the word. Acts 8 : 4.
First, I thank my God through
Jesus Christ for you all, that your
faith is spoken of throughout the
whole world. Rom. 1 : 8.

Where there is neither Greek
nor Jew, circumcision nor uncir
cumcision, barbarism, Scythian
bond nor free : but Christ is alf
and in all. Col. 3 : 11.

The kingdom of God cometh no4
with observation : neither shall
they say, Lo here ! or, lo there 1
for, behold, the kingdom of God is
within you. Luke 17 =20, 21.

To whom God would make
known what is the riches of the
glory of this mystery among the
Gentiles ; which is Christ in you,
the hope of glory. Col. 1 :27.
Gal. 2 : 20.

250

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

But I see another law in my
members, warring against the law
of my mind, and bringing me into
^captivity to the law of sin which is
in my members. Rom. 7 : 18-25.
Because the carnal mind is en
mity against God: for it is not
subject to the law of God, neither
indeed can be. Rom. 8 : 7.
Let us lay aside every weight,
and the sin which doth so easily
beset us, and let us run with
patience the race that is set before
us. Heb. 12 : 1.
Men that have hazarded their
lives for the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Acts 15 : 26.
2 Cor. 11 : 25-28.
I am married unto you : and I
will take you one of a city, and
two of a family, and I will bring
you to Zion. Jer. 3 : 14.
Who hath delivered us from the
power of darkness, and hath trans
lated us into the kingdom of his
dear Son. Col. 1 : 13.
It seemed good to the Holy
Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you
no greater burden than these nec
essary things ; that ye abstain from
meats offered to idols, and from
blood, and from things strangled,
and from fornication : from which
if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do
well. Fare ye well. Acts 15 128, 29.
Gal. 4 : 9, 10.
Take ye therefore good heed
unto yourselves ; for ye saw no
manner of similitude on the day
that the Lord spake unto you in
Horeb out of the midst of the fire.
Deut. 4 : 15-19.
Ex. 20 : 3. c.
When ye pray, use not vain repe
titions, as the heathen do.
Matt. 6:7.
Now when they saw the boldness
of Peter and John, and perceived
that they were unlearned and igno
rant men, they marveled : and they
took knowledge of them, that they
had been with Jesus. Acts 4 : 13.

greatest, the only effectual, drawback to the
spread of the truth has been caused in individ
ual experience when the physical man has lim
ited the development of the spiritual.
The early church was zealous ; their first love
was strong, and the greatest difficulties were
met and surmounted. Sometimes it meant an
entire household, but often only one or two
members of the home circle, stepped out of the
darkness of paganism to stand for the truth of
God against all the attacks of the enemy.
Mothers watched their children with the great
est care, for every custom and practice of the
people from their waking moment to the time
when they committed themselves to sleep, from
birth to death, was associated with the worship
of some god.
One peculiar thing about the new sect, as
they were viewed by the pagans, was the ab
sence of images and forms which the senses
could comprehend. When Christians gath
ered for worship, there was no altar, no god,
no incense. When the Christians prayed,
there was no priesthood, no vain repetition of
words, no offerings, but a simple petition in the
name of Christ. An invisible power seemed to
have taken control of the new converts, a power
which never quailed, and which no pagan votary
could gainsay. The life which God had so long
searched for among the Jews was found among
the early Christians.
The enemy of truth had sought by every
means to blind the eyes of the Jews to the love
of God ; he had worked through every govern
ment for their destruction, and when their na
tion was at its lowest point, when spiritual vital-

THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY.

2Si

ity was almost exhausted, Christ came in person
to revive their fainting hope. Then Satan used
every device to deceive the Son of Man. He
tempted Him in all points where human nature
can be tempted ; he sought to ensnare Him with
petty trials ; he sought to induce Him to accept
high worldly honors ; but he failed in all, and
when he thought he had gained the victory by
His crucifixion, he found it was only the physi
cal form which could be thus bound, and that
only for a time. An eternal spirit dwelt in
mortal clay, and the bands of death were bro
ken by His resurrection. Now from the midst
of that down-trodden people, that despised race,
from the very foot of the ignominious cross,
God chose a people and sent them forth to con
quer the world. " Such knowledge is too won
derful for me; it is high, I can not attain
unto it." What wonder that the world awoke
with a start, and that Satan sought new devices
for the overthrow of truth.
Outward pressure, though tried again and
again, had proved unavailing in stamping out
the truth. In the fiery furnace was seen the
form of a Fourth ; from the lions' den came
forth a prime minister; from Joseph's new
sepulcher arose a conqueror. Babylon, Persia,
Greece, and Rome had attempted the overthrow
of truth, but there had been a constantly in
creasing grandeur in place of defeat. A new
plan was devised by Satan. If paganism could
be placed in the heart, while Christian princi
ples were acknowledged outwardly, the over
throw would be certain ; for destruction worketh
from within, outward. It was a repetition of
Balaam's plan.

I know you, that ye have not the
love of God in you. . . . How
can ye believe, which receive honor
one of another, and seek not the
honor that cometh from God only?
John 5 : 42-44.
The whole world lieth in wicked
ness. 1 John 5 : 19.
We have not a high priest which
can not be touched with the feeling
of our infirmities ; but was in all
points tempted hke as we are, yet
without sin. Heb. 4:15.
Hereafter I will not talk much
with you : for the prince of this
world cometh, and hath nothing
in me. John 14 : 30.
Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost : teach
ing them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded
you : and, lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world.
Amen. Matt. 28 : 19, 20.
The serpent cast out of his mouth
water as a flood after the woman,
that he might cause her to be car
ried away of the flood. Rev. 12 : 15.
Dan. 3 : 25.
Dan. 6 122.
Luke 24 :5, 6.
There shall be false teachers
among you, who privily shall bring
in damnable heresies, even denying
the Lord that bought them, and
bring upon themselves swift de
struction. 2 Peter 2:1.
As he thinketh in his heart, so is
he : eat and drink, saith he to thee ;
but his heart is not with thee.
Prov. 23 : 7.
I have a few things against thee,
because thou hast there them that
hold the doctrine of Balaam, who
taught Balac to cast a stumbling.
block before the children of Israel,
to eat things sacrificed unto idols,
and to commit fornication. Rev. 2 ; 14.

252

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

I wrote unto the church : but
Diotrephes, who loveth to have the
preeminence among them, receiv
eth us not. Wherefore, if I come,
I will remember his deeds which
he doeth, prating against us with
malicious words : and not content
therewith, neither doth he himself

K

Paul, the great teacher of righteousness, as
he visited from place to place among the
saints, wrote thus to the Thessalonians: "The
mystery of iniquity doth already work." "Let
no man deceive you by any means; for that
receive the brethren, and forbiddeth day shall not come, except there come a falling
them that would, and casteth them „ , , r • 1 1 J a.i_
out of the church. 3 John 9, ». away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the
son of perdition; who opposeth and exaiteth
himself above all that is called God, or that
is worshiped ; so that he as
God sitteth in the temple of
God, showing himself that he
is God." This is Paul's de
scription of the mystery of
iniquity, the fourth beast of the
vision of the seventh chapter
of Daniel. Then it was that into that
church, noted for its purity,
crept the life of paganism.
Sheltered in the folds of the
Christian garb lay the serpent,
the old dragon. As the birth
of Christ, the incarnation of
God, was a mystery, and is to
day a mystery which none can
fathom, it was met by another
mystery, a mystery of iniquity whose machina
tions are too strong for the human mind to
understand. It will deceive if possible the
very elect. Only he whose eye is lightened by
truth, whose heart is the abiding place of the
Son of «God ; in other words, only he who has
within his own being the mystery of godliness,
will stand against the mystery of iniquity.
In Paul's day, that is, in the first century after

who h&g within
hi£ own being the
ttmgtery of goatnu$g j
xmU^tana against
the mystery qf I
iniquity': -^a J j§^

Without controversy great is the
mystery of godliness : God was
manifest in the flesh, justified in
the Spirit,, seen of angels, preached
unto the Gentiles, believed on in
the world, received up into glory.
1 Tim. 3 : 16.

That ye might be filled with all
the fullness of God. Eph. 3 : 19.

THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY.

253

Christ, that power was at work. Hitherto the
history as recorded in the book of Daniel dealt
with earthly kingdoms, but from this time on
history handles this "mystery of iniquity"
which worked through the various govern
ments. The distinction between the various
kingdoms of the north and the south remains
as it was in the past, but we pass from govern
ments as governments to a power which is
swaying these governments. On one side in
this controversy is the church of God ; on the
other side is the mystery of iniquity, which
often lays hold of earthly governments for the
purpose of destroying the church.
The expression "church of God" does not
refer to denominational names or lines. From
the days of Christ until the present, there has
been a true church. Its members have often
been scattered as far as human eye could dis
cern, but on the record books of heaven they
have been recognized as a single company.
The characteristic which marks the true
church is adherence to the commandments of
the God of heaven. Wherever a people have
been true to these, God has honored them with
His presence. Moreover, to each denomination
which has arisen, there have been offered the
same opportunities which were offered to the
four succeeding nations as they arose ; that is,
the privilege of walking in all the light, and by
that very act becoming an everlasting company.
As truth was rejected by the nations and they
fell, so truth has been rejected by one denomi
nation after another, and they have fallen, an
other people talcing the vacant place. This
succession will be kept up until a remnant peo-

There shall arise false Christs,
and false prophets, and shall show
great signs and wonders : insomuch
that, if it were possible, they shall
deceive the very elect. n
Matt. 24 : 24.

The woman which thou sawest
is that great city, which reigneth
over the kings of the earth.
Rev. 17 : 18.
I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet
colored beast, full of names of
blasphemy, having seven heads and
ten horns. . , . And I saw the
woman drunken with the blood of
the saints, and with the blood of
the martyrs of Jesus. Rev. 17:3,6.
God' is no respecter of persons :
but in every nation he that fcareth
him, and worketh righteousness, is
accepted with him. Acts 10 :34, 35.
In that time shall the present be
brought unto the Lord of hosts of
a people scattered and peeled, and
from a people terrible from their
beginning hitherto ; a nation meted
out and trodden under foot. Isa. 18 -.-j.
Whosoever committeth sin trans-
gresseth also the law : for sin is
the transgression of the law.
1 John 3 : 4.
Ps. 1 : 1-3.
Here is the patience of the
saints, here are they that keep the
commandments of God, and the
faith of Jesus. Rev. 14 : 12.
O that thou hadst hearkened to
my commandments 1 then had thy
peace been as a river, and thy
righteousness as the waves of the
sea. Isa. 48 : 18.
Therefore to him that knoweth
to do good, and doeth it not, to
him it is sin. James 4: 17.
Jer. 17 : 24, 25.
Jer. 51 :<).

254

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Her priests have violated my
law, and have profaned mine holy
things : they have put no differ
ence befween the holy and profane,
neither have they showed differ
ence between the unclean and the
clean, and have hid their eyes from
my sabbaths, and I am profaned
among them. Eze. 22 : 26.
The dragon was wroth with the
woman, and went to make war
with the remnant .of her seed,
which keep the commandments of
God, and have the testimony of
Jesus Christ. Rev. 12 : 17.
Then shall be great tribulation,
such as was not since the beginning
of the world to this time, no, nor
ever shall be. Matt. 24 : 2 1 .
I have somewhat against thee,
because thou hast left thy first
love. Rev. 2 -.4.
O Israel, return unto the Lord
thy God : for thou has fallen by
thine miquity. Hosea 14 : 1, ^.
That the trial of your faith,
being much more precious' than of
gold that perisheth, though it be
tried with fire, might be found
unto praise and honor and glory at
the appearing of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1 : 7.
I will put enmity between thee
and the woman, and between thy
seed and her seed : it shall bruise
thy head, and thou shalt bruise his
heel. Gen. 3 : 15.
Because iniquity shall abound,
the love of many shall wax cold.
Matt. 24 : 12.
Rev. 6 :2.
So that my bonds in Christ are
manifest in all Caesar's court, and
in all other places. Phil. 1 : 13 [margin],
Phil. 4:22,
For the wickedness of their do
ings I will drive them out of mine
house, I will love them no more :
all their princes are revolters. , . .
My God will cast them away, be
cause they did not hearken unto
him. Hosea 9 : 15, 17.
Wickedness shall be broken as a
tree. Job 24 : 20.

pie who will keep the commandments of God
and the faith of Jesus, shall be made up. They
will enter the eternal city to reign with Christ.
It is this struggle that was revealed to Daniel
in the latter part of his last vision. The history
of Rome becomes the history of religious con
troversy, and the struggle between truth and
error is greater than ever before.
The history of the church, as given to John,
contains more details than the words of Gabriel
to Daniel. To His followers of the first cen
tury, God says, "Thou hast left thy first love.
Remember, therefore, from whence thou art
fallen, and repent, and do the first works."
Of the church in the second and third centu
ries, He says, " I know thy works, and tribula
tion, and poverty (but thou art rich). . . . Fear
none of those things which thou shalt suffer:
behold, the devil shall cast some of you into
prison, that ye may be tried ; and ye shall have
tribulation." Christianity and paganism were
in open conflict for three centuries following the
birth of Christ, and at times the serpent reared
his head to smite the truth to the ground.
Some of the followers of Christ were perse
cuted, and others grew cold and indifferent.
But there was a power in the gospel which the
pagans could not withstand. As its followers
increased, their influence was felt even in politi
cal circles.
The close of the third century of the Chris,
tian era found the government of Rome greatly
weakened. The evils of the empire, its oppres
sion and -cruelty, made it almost impossible for
the emperor to control affairs. Authority was
in the hands of the army, which seated and un-

THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY.

255

seated rulers at will. Barbarian hordes pressed
the empire on all sides, and the downfall of
Rome was imminent. Some radical change was
necessary to prevent complete disruption, and
Diocletian, the reigning emperor, conceived the
idea of partitioning the territory. Consequently
he associated with himself a man by the name
of Maximian, giving him the title of Augustus.
Each of the two emperors chose an assistant,
called a Caesar, whose duty it was to guard the
frontiers. According to the plan of Diocletian,
the Caesars should become emperors on the
death of the Augusti, and then other Caesars
would be appointed. For a while the four who
stood at the head of the Roman empire worked
together in harmony, but through a variety of
complications war broke out.
Constantine was a Caesar in the western divi
sion of the empire, and marching toward the
East, he subdued, one by one, all rivals in the
government. It was about the year 312 a. d.
when, confronted by bitter foes, whose strength
he recognized, this rising light assumed a policy
never before followed.
There were many Christians scattered through
out the empire who refused to fight under the
banner of paganism. With these Constantine
made a league. The story of his conversion is
variously told, and perhaps the details are unim
portant. The fact remains that he acknowl
edged the God of the Christians, proclaimed
himself a follower of Christ, and immediately
Christians from all over the empire flocked
into his army, devout followers of the general
who now fought in the name of Christianity.
Speaking of the use of the cross, Gibbon

Even as I have seen, they that
plow iniquity, and sow wickedness,
reap the same. , By the blast of
God they perish, and by the breath
of his nostrils are they consumed.
Job 4 :8, 9.

Where no counsel is, the people
fall : but in the multitude of coun
selors there is safety. Prov. n : 14.

They have deeply corrupted
themselves, as in the days of Gib
eah : therefore he will remember
their iniquity, he will visit their
sins. Hosea 9 : 9.

For they know not to do right,
saith the Lord, who store up vio
lence and robbery in their palaces.
Amos 3 : 10.

They have set up kings, but not
by me : they have made princes,
and I knew it not : of their silver
and their gold have they made
them idols, and they may be. cut
off. Hosea 8:4.

23. And after the league made
with him he shall work deceit
fully : for he shall come up, and
shall become strong with a smalt
people. 24. He shall enter peaceably
even upon the fattest places of
the province ; and he shalt do that
which his fathers haoe not done,
nor his fathers' fathers ; he shall
scatter among them the prey, and
spoil, and riches: yea, and he
shall forecast his devices against
the strong holds, even for a time.
Dan. 11 : 23, 24.
Her princes in the midst thereof
are like wolves ravening the prey.
to shed blood, and to destroy souls,
to get dishonest gain. Eze. 22 : 27.

2$6

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Saying, Alas, alas that great city,
that was clothed in fine linen, and
purple, and scarlet, and decked
with gold, and precious stones, and
pearls ! Rev. 18 : 16.

Take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which
is the word of God . Eph. 6 : 17.

-ft-

says : " This same symbol sanctified the arms of
the soldiers of Constantine ; the cross glittered
in their helmets, was engraved on their shields,
was interwoven into their banners ; and the con
secrated emblems which adorned the person of
the emperor himself were distinguished only
by the richer materials and more
exquisite workman
ship." The standard
which was borne be
fore this (Christian)
army " supported a
crown of gold, which
inclosed the myste
rious monogram, at
once expressive of
the figure of the
cross, and the in-
itial letter of the
name of Christ."
The humble fol
lowers of Christ, who
immediately after
His ascension had
gone forth "con
quering and to con
quer," carrying with
them His words, the
sword of the Spirit,
had been replaced by an army with helmet
and sword, led by a commander who bound
together the emblems of the cross and his
own name.
The clothing of paganism in Christian gar
ments was never more complete than in the days
of Constantine. The mystery of iniquity was

The cross glittered in their helmets, was engraved on their
shields, was Interwoven Into their banners.

Not every one that saith unto
me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven ; but he
that doeth the will of my Father
which is in heaven. Matt. 7:21.
When Ephraim spake trembling,
he exalted himself in Israel ; but
when he offended in Baal, he died.
Hosea 13 :i.

THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY.

257

hard at work. Constantine conquered the Ro
man world; he sat as sole monarch of the
empire which had been tottering in the hands of
his predecessors. The Praetorian guard, which
had been the terror as well as the protection of
other emperors, was forever suppressed by Con
stantine. The dignity of the senate and people
of Rome received a fatal blow, and they were
thereafter subject alike to the insults or neglect
of their master, who resided in the new capital,
Constantinople. The character of Constantine, that first Chris
tian emperor, is aptly described by Gibbon. In
discussing the reason why he delayed baptism
until* he was on his death-bed, he says: "The
sublime theory of the gospel had made a much
fainter impression on the heart than on the un
derstanding of Constantine himself. He pur
sued the great object of his ambition through
the dark and bloody paths of war and policy ;
and after the victory, he abandoned himself
without moderation to the abuse of his fortune.
Instead of asserting his just superiority above
the imperfect heroism and profane philosophy
of Trajan and the Antonines, the mature age
of Constantine forfeited the reputation which
he had acquired in his youth. As he gradually
advanced in the knowledge of truth, he propor
tionately declined in the practice of virtue ; and
the same year of his reign in which he convened
the Council of Nice, was polluted by the execu
tion, or rather murder, of his eldest son. . . .
The gratitude of the church has exalted the vir
tues and excused the failings of a generous pat
ron, who .seated Christianity on the throne of
the Roman world ; and the Greeks, who cele-

I am the Lord : that is my name :
and my glory will I not give to
another, neither my praise to
graven images. Isa. 42 : 8.

Beware of false prophets, which
come to you in sheep's clothing,
but inwardly they are ravening
wolves. Matt. 7 : 15.

They consider not in their hearts
that I remember all their wicked
ness : now their own doings have
beset them about . Hosea 7:2.

Ye who turn judgment to worm
wood, and leave off righteousness
in the earth. . . . For 1 know your
manifold transgressions and your
mighty sins : they afflict the just,
they take a bribe, and they turn
aside the poor in the gate from
their right. Therefore the prudent
shall keep silence in that time ; for
it is an evil time. Amos 5 :-], 12, 13.

How long halt ye between two
opinions ? if the Lord be God, fol
low him : but if Baal, then follow
him. 1 Kings 18 : 21.

I have written to him the great
things of my law, but they were
counted as a strange thing.
Hosea 8 : 12.

They went to Baal-peor, and sep
arated themselves unto that shame ;
and their abominations were ac
cording as they loved. Hosea 9 : 10.
Their heart is divided ; now shall
they be found faulty : he shall
break down their altars, he shall
spoil their images. Hosea 10 : 2. .
No man can serve two masters :
for either he will hate the one, and

17

25S

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

love the other ; or else he will hold
to the one, and despise the other.
Ye can not serve God and. mam
mon. Matt. 6:24.
Woe unto you, scribes and Phari
sees, hypocrites! for ye are like
unto whited sepulchers, which in
deed appear beautiful outward, but
are within full of dead men's bones,
and of all uncleanness. Even so
ye also outwardly appear righteous
unto men, but within ye are full of
hypocrisy and iniquity. Matt. 23 127, 28.
Full well ye reject the command
ment of God, that ye may keep
your own tradition. Mark 7 : 8, 9.
In vain they do worship me,
teaching for doctrines the com
mandments of men. Matt. 15 :o..
Think not that I am -come to de
stroy the law, or the prophets : I
am not come to destroy, but to ful
fil. For verily I say unto you, Till
heaven and earth pass, one jot or
one tittle shall in no wise pass from
the law, till all be fulfilled.
Matt. 5 : 17/18.
Israel hath cast off the thing that
is good : the enemy shall pursue
him. Hosea 8 : 3.

I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet
colored beast, full of names of
blasphemy, having seven heads and
ten horns. . . . And the woman
which thou sawest is that great
city, which reigneth over the kings
of the earth. Rev. 17 :3, 18.

The way of the wicked is as
darkness : they know not at what
they stumble. Prov. 4 : 19.

O thou that art situate at the
entry of the sea, which art a mer
chant of the people for many isles.
. . Thy borders are in the midst
ofthe seas. Eze. 27 -.2, 4.

brate the festival of the imperial saint, seldom
mention the name of Constantine without add
ing the title of Equal to the Apostles? These
words alone offer a sad commentary on the de
cline of Christian virtue since the days of Christ.
He who claimed the power of Christianity was
less virtuous than the heroic pagan Trajan, and
such pagan philosophers as the Antonines.
The first religious laws ever passed by Chris
tians were edicts of Constantine. In 312 the
edict of Milan granted universal toleration ; in
321 the first law for the worship of Sunday was
published ; in 325 was convened at Nice the first
ecumenical council, which formulated a creed for
the world. Then began the conflict which tore
the church asunder and exposed it to open
shame. About the reign of Constantine cluster
events of the greatest interest, hot to Rome
only, but to the church of God and to the world.
It was the first and perhaps the greatest object
lesson illustrating the effects of the elevation
of Christianity in name to the throne of the
world. In the wake of this reign followed the years
of darkness for all Europe, when antichrist
reigned supreme. Constantine indeed per
formed that which neither his father nor his
father's fathers had performed. He left to his
heirs "a new capital, a new policy, and a new
religion." No one had before dared to think
that the capital could be removed from Rome.
Constantine selected the site of Constantinople
with more than human wisdom. It is formed
by nature to be the center and capital of a
great monarchy. It has been the contested
point among the nations of Europe since the

THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY

259

continent has had nations to contend, and ac
cording to the prophecy of Daniel, it will be the
bone of contention to the end of time. It is a
fact worth noting that the city was founded in
the year 330 b. c, exactly three hundred and
sixty years, "a time," after the victory of Octa
vius over Antony at Actium, which placed him
as sole ruler on the Roman throne.

Though he be fruitful among his
brethren, an east wind shall come,
the wind of the Lord shall come
up from the wilderness, and his
spring shall become dry, and his
fountain shall be dried up : he shall
spoil the treasure of all pleasant
vessels. Hosea 13 : 15.
Yea. and he shall forecast his
devices against the strongholds,
even for a time. Dan. 11 : 24.

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The First Sunday Law.
The new policy was the outworking of a union
of church and state. The kingdoms of the past
had followed a policy somewhat similar to one
another. Government was with them the central
object. This was seen in its strongest light in
pagan Rome, but with Constantine the policy
changed. Paganism as paganism was laid low,

Because, even because they have
seduced my people, saying, Peace ;
and there was no peace ; and one
built up a wall, and, lo, others
daubed it with untempered mortar :
say unto them which daub it with
untempered mortar, that it shall
fall : there shall be an overflowing
shower ; and ye, O great hailstones,
shall fall ; and a stormy wind shall
rend it. Eze. 13 : 10-12,

26o

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Ye adulterers and adulteresses,
know ye not that the friendship of
the world is enmity with God?
whosoever therefore will be a
friend of the world is the enemy of
God. James 4 14.

My people ask counsel at their
stocks, and their staff declareth
unto them : for the spirit of whore
doms hath caused them to err, and
they have gone a whoring from
under their God. Hosea 4 : 12.
Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as
other people : for thou hast gone a
whoring from thy God. Hosea 9:1.
Be sober, be vigilant ; because
your adversary the devil, as a roar
ing lion, walketh about, seeking
whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8.
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens,
and ye that dwell in them. Woe to
the inhabiters of the earth and of
the sea ! for the devil is come down
unto you, having great wrath, be
cause he knoweth that he hath but
a short time. Rev. 12 : 12.
The dragon was wroth with the
woman, and went to make war with
the remnant of her seed, which
keep the commandments of God,
and have the testimony of Jesus
Christ. Rev, 12 : 17.
Be not deceived ; God is not
mocked : for whatsoever a man
soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal. 6 : 7.
Can two walk together, except
they be agreed? Amos 3:3.
Her priests have polluted the
sanctuary, they have done violence
to the law. Zeph. 3 : 4.
The priest's lips should keep
knowledge, and they should seek
the law at his mouth : for he is the
messenger of the Lord of hosts.
But ye are departed out of the way ;
ye have caused many to stumble at

and the " mystery of iniquity " was enthroned.
The world was given Christianity, not as it came
from the life of Him whose name it bore, but
as it was corrupted and polluted by human and
satanic minds. Gibbon says that hereafter the
historian will describe "political institutions"
before relating wars, and that "he will adopt
the division unknown to the ancients of civil
and ecclesiastical affairs" That is, future his
tory must deal with church and state, and not
with kingdoms such as Babylon, Medo-Persia,
and Greece.
History has changed. The devil is going
about seeking whom he may devour, and the
calm, determined plans for conquering the world
which marked the nations before the days of
Christ, have been replaced by a desperation
that means the utter destruction, if possible,
of all who serve the God of heaven. Any
means is lawful in the hands of the prince of
this world, and the greater the number who fall,
the lighter the burden which he, the arch enemy,
must bear in the days of the final reckoning.
The acts of Constantine started a series of
movements which developed rapidly into the
antichrist of the Dark Ages.
The council held at Nice was an important
gathering alike to the church and the nation, for
since the two have joined hands, whatever af
fects one affects the other.
The Christian world was torn asunder by
theological factions. Alexandria, the center of
all philosophical study, was also the center of
theological activity. Here is where the Greek
influence was most forcibly felt. Athanasius
the leader of one faction, was archdeacon, and

THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY.

261

afterward bishop of Alexandria, and his oppo
nent, Arius, was presbyter in the same city.
Paganism and Christianity met on the battle
field when Constantine contended for the throne
of Rome; paganism and Christianity met in
more deadly conflict in Alexandria, where Chris
tian and pagan schools stood side by side. Here
it was that such men as Origen and Clement,
recognized Fathers of the church, adopted the
philosophy of the Greeks, and applied to the
study of the Bible the same methods which
were common in the study of Homer and other
Greek writers. Higher criticism had its birth in
Alexandria. It was the result of a mingling of
the truths taught by Christ and the false phil
osophy of the Greeks. It was an attempt to in
terpret divine writings by the human intellect, a
revival of the philosophy of Plato. These
teachers, by introducing 'Greek philosophy into
the schools which were nominally Christian,
opened the avenue for the theological contro
versies which shook the Roman world, and
finally established the mystery of iniquity.
So from this false teaching of the Word in
Alexandria came two leaders — Athanasius and
Arius. Each had his following, and yet no man
could clearly define the disputed point over
which they wrangled. So great was the con
troversy that the Council of Nice was called to
settle the dispute, and deliver to the church
an orthodox creed. The emperor Constantine
called the council, and was present in person.
At this council the creed of Athanasius was
recognized as orthodox, and Arius and his fol
lowers were pronounced heretics.
But announcing a creed is one thing, and hav-

the law ; ye have corrupted the
covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of
hosts. Mal. 2:7,8.
Because my people hath forgot
ten me, they have burned incense
to vanity, and they have caused
them to stumble in their ways from
the ancient paths, to walk in paths,
in a way not cast up. Jer. 18 : 15.
The shepherds fed themselves,
and fed not my flock, Eze. 34:8.
In their setting of their threshold
by my thresholds, and their post
by my posts, and the wall between
me and them, they have even de
filed my holy name by their abomi
nations that they have committed.
Eze. 43 : 8.
Jer. 23 : 2S-32.
Rom. 11 133-36.

Seemeth it a small thing unto
you to have eaten up the good pas
ture, but ye must tread down with
your feet the residue of your pas
tures? and to have drunk of the
deep waters, but ye must foul the
residue with your feet?^ And as for
my flock, they eat that which ye
have trodden with your feet ; and
they drink that which ye have
fouled with your feet. Therefore
thus saith the Lord God unto them ;
Behold, I, even I, will judge be
tween the fat cattle and between the
lean cattle. Because ye have thrust
with side and with shoulder, and
pushed all the diseased with your
horns, till he have scattered them
abroad; and ye my flock, the
flock of my pasture, are men, and I
am your God, saith tho Lord God.
Eze. 34: 18-21, 31.
There is a conspiracy of her
prophets in the midst thereof, like
a roaring lion ravening the prey ;
they have devoured souls. Eze. 22 :z$.
Her princes in the midst thereof
are like wolves ravening the prey,

262

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

to shed blood, and to destroy souls,
to get dishonest gain. Eze. 22 127.
The heads thereof judge for re
ward, and the priests thereof teach
for hire, and the prophets thereof
divine for money : yet will they
lean upon the Lord, and say, Is
not the Lord among us ? none evil
can come upon us. Micah 3 .-io, n.

Thus saith the Lord ; For three
transgressions of Judah, and for
four, I will not turn away the pun
ishment thereof ; because they have
despised the law of the Lord, and
have not kept his commandments
and their lies caused them to err,
after the which their fathers have
walked. Amos 2 : 4.

Judah hath dealt treacherously,
and an abomination is committed in
Israel and in Jerusalem ; for Judah
hath profaned the holiness of the
Lord which he loved, and hath
married the daughter of a strange
god. Mal. 2:11.
Dan. 7 : 7.
26. And he shall stir up his
power and his courage against the
king of the south with a great
army; and the king of the south
shall be stirred to battle with a
very great and mighty army ; but
he shall not stand : for they shall
forecast devices against him.
26. Yea, they that feed of the
portion of his meat shall destroy
him, and his army shall overflow :
and many shall fall down slain.
27. And both these kings' hearts
shall be to do mischief, and they
shall speak lies at one table; but
it shall not prosper : for yet the
end shall be at the time appointed.
Dan. 11:25-27.

ing it adopted is another. The orthodox creed
was published to the world, and then began the
fight. In this strife armies fpught and much
blood was shed. But in spite of the fact that
Arianism was heresy, the doctrine spread. It
was popular among the barbarian tribes who in
vaded the western division of the Roman em
pire. The Vandals, who settled in Africa, were
among the followers of Arius, and so also were
the Heruli and Ostrogoths who settled in Italy.
But while Arianism spread through Africa, Sar
dinia, and Spain, and was present at times in
Italy, the recognized religion of the Roman em
peror and the empire itself, the northern king
dom, which now had its seat at Constantinople,
was the Catholic faith, as proclaimed at Nice.
As Constantine was the representative of this
northern division in his day, so later, between
527 and 565, Justinian became champion of the
Catholic cause,
According to the vision of the seventh chap
ter of Daniel, the Roman kingdom would be
divided into ten parts, represented by the ten
horns of the fourth beast, and three of these
kingdoms should be plucked up by another
power. It is this part of the history of the
fourth kingdom which is related in the eleventh
chapter of Daniel, beginning with the twenty-
fifth verse.
Justinian's reign was the most brilliant pe
riod of Byzantine history after, the death of Con
stantine, and historians agree that among his
greatest military achievements must b„ classed
his exploits against the south. The success of
Justinian was due to the services throughout
the greater part of his reign, of the celebrated

THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY.

263

general Belisarius. He was the tool in the
hands of the emperor for crushing out heresy.
The Vandals were Arians, but Hilderis, the
grandson of their chief warrior, the noted Gen-
seric, favored the Catholic faith. The disaffec
tion of his subjects made it possible for Hilde
ris to be dethroned by Gelimer, who had some
title to the Vandal throne. Under pretense of
protecting the dethroned Hilderis, the emperor
Justinian prepared for a war in Africa. While
still undecided as to the advisability of making
the attack because of the weakness of the Ro
man army and the cost of the undertaking, his
purpose was confirmed by the words 01 a Cath
olic bishop. Said he in prophetic tones, " It is
the will of Heaven, O emperor, that you should
npt abandon your holy enterprise for the deliver
ance of the African church. The God of bat
tles will inarch before your standard, and dis
perse your enemies, who are the enemies of His
Son." This was sufficient, and the "holy" war
for the extermination of Arianism was under
taken. A force of Romans, the largest Belisarius
could command from the weakened empire,
aided by recruits from the east, landed in
Africa. The Vandal army numbered 160,000
fighting men. Belisarius was hastened in his
march toward Carthage by enemies of Gelimer
and friends of the Catholic creed. The armies
met near the city, and victory came to the
Romans through the folly and rashness of the
brother of the Vandal king. Gelimer fled, and
Carthage opened her gates and admitted Bel
isarius and his army. "The Arians, con
scious that their reign had expired, resigned the

For thy violence against thy
brother Jacob shame shall cover
thee, and thou shalt be cut off for
ever. Obadiah io.
But this I confess unto thee, that
after the way which they call her
esy, so worship I the God of my
fathers, believing all things which
are written in the law and in the
prophets. Acts 24: 14.
An hypocrite with his mouth de
stroyeth his neighbor. Prov. 11 :g.
O thou that art named the house
of Jacob, is the spirit of the Lord
straitened? are these his doings?
do not my words do good to him
that walketh uprightly? Even of
late my people is risen up as an
enemy : ye pull off the robe with
the garment from them that pass
by securely as men averse from
war. The women of my people
have ye cast out from their pleas
ant houses ; from their children
have ye taken away my glory for
ever. Ar^se ye, and depart; for
this is not your rest : because it is
polluted, it shall destroy you, even
with a sore destruction. If a man
walking in the spirit and falsehood
do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto
thee of wine and of strong drink ;
he shall even be the prophet of
this people. Micah 2 : 7-1 1.

How canst thou say ; I am nbt
polluted, I have not gone after
Baalim? see thy way in the valley,
know what thou hast done : thou
art a swift dromedary traversing
her ways : a wild ass used to the
wilderness, that snuff eth up the
wind at her pleasure ; in her occa
sion who can turn her away? aU
they that seek her will not weary
themselves : withhold thy foot from
being unshod, and thy throat from
thirst : but thou saidst, There is no
hope : no ; for I have loved stran
gers, and after them will I go.
Jer. 2 : 23-25.

264

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Behold, the eyes of the Lord
God are upon the sinful kingdom,
Amos 9:8.
Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as
other people : for thou hast gone a
whoring from thy God, thou hast
loved a reward upon every corn
floor. Hosea q: 1.

temple to the Catholics, who rescued their saint
from profane hands, performed the holy rites,
and loudly proclaimed the creed of Athanasius
and Justinian." The Catholic faith triumphed.
Arianism fell, and Sardinia and Corsica surren-

From the palace of Belisarius the procession
was conducted through the streets.

Ephraim is joined to idols : let
him alone. Hosea 4 : 17.

28. Then shall he return into his
land with great riches; and his
heart shall be against the holy
covenant; and he shall do ex
ploits, and return to his own land.
29. At the time appointed he
shall return, and come toward the
south ; but it shall not be as the
former, or as the latter.
Dan. 11 : 28, 29.

dered, and the other islands of the Mediterra
nean yielded to the arms and creed of Justinian.
In the autumn of 534 Justinian granted a
triumph to Belisarius. Gibbon thus describes
the scene : " From the palace of Belisarius the
procession was conducted through the streets to
the hippodrome. . . . The wealth of nations
was displayed, the trophies of martial or effem
inate luxury ; rich armor : golden thrones, and
the chariots of state which had been used by
the Vandal queen ; the massive furniture of the

THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY.

265

royal banquet, the splendor of precious stones,
the elegant forms of statues and vases, the
more substantial treasures of gold, and the holy
vessels of the Jewish temple, which, after their
long peregrination, were respectfully deposited
in the Christian church of Jerusalem. A long
train of the noblest Vandals reluctantly exposed
their lofty stature and manly countenance."
"The Arians" deplored the ruin of their church
which had been triumphant above a century in
Africa; and they were justly provoked by the
laws of the conqueror, which interdicted the bap
tism of their children, and the exercise of all
religious worship." It is not much to be won
dered at that those who remained plotted against
the government and the general who represented
Justinian. The loss of life was terrible in those
wars for the supremacy of one creed above an
other, and the path to the papal crown was
bloodstained. It is stated that five million Afri
cans were consumed by the wars and govern
ment of the emperor Justinian.
For the sake of brevity, the wars between the
Catholic empire and the Vandals may be taken
as an illustration of the extermination of the
other two kingdoms — the Heruli and the Os
trogoths. Justinian was reigning emperor, and
most of the work was done by Belisarius, be
tween the years 533 and 538.
The last contest with paganism was in 508
when the French and Britons accepted Christian
ity ; the " daily " spoken of in Daniel had been
taken away. By 538 the way was clear for the
papacy to sit enthroned in Rome. The new
capital established by Constantine left Rome
free to be occupied by the head of the church.

The ark was not among these
holy vessels, for at the time of the
Babylonian captivity," the prophet,
being warned of God, commanded
the tabernacle and the ark to go
with him, as he went forth into
the mountain, where Moses climbed
up, and saw the heritage of God.
And when Jeremy came thither, he
found a hollow cave, wherein he
laid the tabernacle, and the ark,
and the altar of incense, and so
stopped the door. And some of
those that followed him came to
mark the way, but they could not
find it. Which when Jeremy per
ceived, he blamed them, saying,
As for that place, it shall be un
known until the time that God
gather his people again together,
and receive them unto mercy.
Then shall the Lord show them
these things, and the glory of the
Lord shall appear, and the cloud
also, as it was showed under Moses,
and as when Solomon desired that
the place might be honorably sanc
tified-" 2 Maccabees 2 : 4-8.

SO. For the ships of Chittim-
shall come against him : therefore
he shall be grieved, and return,
and have indignation against the
holy covenant : so shall he do ; he
shall even return, and have intel
ligence with them that forsake
the holy covenant. Dan. 11 ;30.

The pride of thine heart hath
deceived thee, thou that dwellest
in the clefts of the rock, whose
habitation is high: that saith in
his heart, Who shall bring me
down to the ground? Though thou
exalt thyself as the eagle, and
though thou set thy nest among the
stars, thence will I bring thee
down, saith the Lord. Obadiah 3, 4.

266

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

31. And arms shall stand on his
part, and they shall pollute the
sanctuary of strength, and shall
take away the daily sar-riflce, and
they shall place the abomination
that maketh desolate. Dan. 11 -.31.

Ephraim, he hath mixed himself
among the people ; Ephraim is a
cake not turned. Hosea 7:8.

Hath a nation changed their
gods, which are yet no gods? but
my people have changed their glory
for that which doth not profit. Be
astonished, O ye heavens, at this,
and be horribly afraid, be ye very
desolate, saith the Lord. For my
people have committed two evils ;
they have forsaken me the fountain
of living waters, and hewed them
out cisterns, broken cisterns, that
can hold no water. Jer. 2 :n-i3.

Thus saith the Lord concerning
the prophets that make my people
err, that bite with their teeth, and
cry, Peace : and he that putteth not
into their mouths, they even pre-
pare war against him. Therefore
night shsll be unto you, that ye
shall not have a vision ; and it shall
be dark unto you, that ye shall not
divine ; and the sun shall go down
over the prophets, and the day
shall be dark over them. Then
shall the seers be ashamed, and
the diviners confounded : yea, they
shall all cover their lips ; for there
is no answer of God. Micah 3 : 5-7.

The new religion — Christianity — we have seen
mingled with paganism, which it crushed, and
gave birth to the papacy. The new policy, a
union of church and state, gave civil aid to that
paganized Christianity called the papacy. The
harvest of the seed sown in the days of Con
stantine was reaped in the reign of Justinian,
whose military and civil power supported "the
abomination that maketh desolate."
A striking feature of this history is the fact
that the very code of law which Rome has be
queathed as a legacy to later times, is the work
of this same Justinian. Is it to be wondered at
that the laws of this emperor, who reigned at
the time when the papacy was formed, and who
was the one that supported it by arms, should
contain some principles of the papacy ? Fisher
says, " Humane principles are incorporated into
the civil law, but likewise the despotic system of
imperialism!' The laws of Justinian form the
basis of national laws to-day ; likewise the reli
gion of Justinian is the recognized religion of
most countries to-day.
Constantine and Justinian were the two men
instrumental above all others in forming the
papacy, and giving it civil power. The contest
between Arianism and the orthodox Catholicism
was the means of enthroning the papacy. A
power soon to be recognized as the personifica
tion of all tyranny swayed the scepter of Rome,
and the followers of the One who proclaimed a
covenant of peace to Israel, would for the pe
riod of 1260 years struggle for existence.
Every principle of truth- was crushed, and
with 538 was ushered in the Dark Ages.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE WORK OF THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY.
CHAPTER 11 : 32-45.

As the year 457 b. c. was an important date
in Jewish history, so 538 A. d. is a mile-post in
the history of the Christian church. The for
mer, dating from the decree to restore and build
Jerusalem, marks the beginning of one great
prophetic period, the 2300 days of Dan. 8 : 14.
The latter, which witnessed the setting up of
the papacy, is the date from which to reckon
that other prophetic period, "a time and times
and the dividing of time," or the twelve hun
dred and sixty days of Dan. 7:25. It is the
period during which the little horn, that plucked
up three of the ten divisions of the Roman em
pire, should bear sway. It is to the beginning
of this period, the year 538, that the thirty-first
verse of the eleventh chapter of Daniel brings
the history.

Ezra 7 : 11-26.

Arms shall stand on his part, and
they shall pollute the sanctuary of
strength, and shall take away the
daily sacrifice, and they shall place
the abomination that maketh deso
late. Dan. 11 =31.

From the time that the daily sac
rifice shall be taken away, to set up
the abomination, etc., that aston-
isheth, there shall be a thousand
two hundred and ninety days.
Dan. 12 : 11 [margin].

Let no man deceive you by any
means : for that day shall not come,
except there come a falling away
first, and that man of sin be re
vealed, the son of perdition ; who
opposeth and exaiteth himself
267

268

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

above all that is called God, or
that is worshiped ; so that he as
God sitteth in the temple of God,
showing himself that he is God.
Rememer ye not, that, when I was
yet with you, I told you these
things ? And now ye know what
withholdeth that he might be re
vealed in his time. For the mys
tery of iniquity doth already work :
only he who now letteth will let,
until he be taken out of the way.
2 Thess. 2 : 3-7.
Rev. 13 -.2.
Isa. 44:27, 28.
Isa. 45 : 1-5.
Violence is risen up into a rod of
wickedness ; none of them shall
remain, nor of their multitude, nor
of &ny of their's: neither shall
there be wailing for them. Eze. 7 : n.

Proud and haughty scomer is his
name, who dealeth in proud wrath.
Prov. 11 124.

2 Thess. 2 -.4.
Dan. 8 : 25.

Will a man leave the snow of
Lebanon which cometh from the
rock of the field? or shall the cold
flowing waters that come from an
other place be forsaken ?
Jer. 18 : 14.

Seemeth it a small thing unto
you to have eaten up the good pas
ture, but ye must tread down with
your feet the residue of your pas
tures? and to have drunk of the
deep waters, but ye must foul the
residue with your feet? And as for
my flock, they eat that which ye
have trodden with your feet : and
they drink that which ye have
fouled with your feet. Eze. 34 : 18, 19.

The fully developed papacy was not the work
of one nor of two years any more than the uni
versal power of Babylon, Medo-Persia, or Greece
was an immediate acquisition. As those king
doms grew in power, so papal Rome grew in
power. According to Rev. 13:2, the dragon
gave the beast his power and his seat and great
authority. The work of Constantine and Jus
tinian in gaining power for this new organiza
tion was parallel to the conquests of Cyrus,
Alexander, and Csesar in their conquests for
their respective nations. The seat of the pagan
Roman government was removed to Constanti
nople, thereby giving room for the papacy to be
seated on the throne in the city on the Tiber.
As territory and a capital were gained gradually,
so the authority of the papacy was a gradual
acquisition. Each of the four universal king
doms had a distinct policy, which was followed
throughout its existence. Likewise the papacy
had its policy just as clearly defined. The work
ing of this policy in its inception is best seen in
Alexandria. It was there that the two streams,
paganism and Christianity, mingled their waters.
The papacy had birth on the banks of the Nile :
Egypt was the mother who nursed it, and as it
grew, it breathed in the miasma of its surround
ings. First, Christians interpreted the Bible
according to pagan thought, and paganism, ap
pearing to be vanquished, in reality became the
conqueror. Then the teachings of the Word were changed.
In order to compromise with pagans, idol wor
ship was introduced into the Christian church ;
the second commandment was dropped from the
decalogue, and the tenth was divided to preserve

THE WORK OF THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY. 269

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the number. The fourth, the keystone to the
law of God, a memorial of creation and redemp
tion, was so altered as to exalt the enemy of
God above God himself. Later, the whole Bible
was discarded, and as that detector of sin was
suppressed, vileness and iniquity became uncon
trollable. This, however, was not the whole
policy of the papacy, but only one of the stones
in the foundation of the structure that was
being reared.
The head of the church, who was likewise a
civil ruler, was exalted more and more above his
fellows, until a complete ecclesiastical hierarchy
was formed. By decree of a general council
the head of .the church was declared infallible.
But even before, this faith in the new- church,
and especially in the head of the church, took
the place of faith in Christ. The Virgin Mary
and saints became mediators for sinful man, and
forgiveness was granted by the head of the

Ex. 20:8-11.
Verily my Sabbaths ye shall
keep : for it is a sign between me
and you throughout your genera
tions ; that ye may know that I am
the Lord that doth sanctify you.
Ex. 31 :i3.
Rom. 7 :y.
Who changed the truth of God
into a lie, and worshiped and
served the creature more than the
Creator. Rom. i : 25.
Thou hast said in thine heart, I
will ascend into heaven, I will exalt
my throne above the stars of God.
Isa. 14: 13.
2 Thess. 2 : 8.

There is one God and one media
tor between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus. 1 Tim. 2:5.

Isa. 29: 13-25.

270

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Not of works, lest any man
should boast. Eph. 2 .9.
Behold, the darkness shall cover
the earth, and gross darkness the
people, Isa. 60 : 2.
Hosea 6:9.
In thee are men that carry tales
to shed blood. Eze. 22 :<?.
Rev. 13 :y, 8.
Who hate the good and love the
evil ; who pluck off their skin from
off them, and their flesh from off
their bones ; who also eat the flesh
of my people, and flay their skin
from off their • and they break their
bones, and chop them in pieces, as
for the pot, and as flesh within the
caldron. Micah 3 12, 3.
If thine eye be evil, thy whole
body shall be full of darkness. If
therefore the light that is in thee
be darkness, how great is that
darkness ! Matt. 6 : 23.
Dan. 7 125.
Then shall be great tribulation,
such as was not since the beginning
of the world to this time, no, nor
ever shall be. And except those
days should be shortened, there
should no flesh be saved : but for
the elect sake those days shall
be shortened. Matt. 24 : 21, 22.

32.. And such as do wickedly
against the covenant shall he cor
rupt by flatteries : but the people
that do know their God shall be
strong, and do exploits, Dan. 11:32.

Yet I have left me seven thou*
sand in Israel, all the knees which
have not bowed unto Baal, and
every mouth which hath not kissed
him. 1 Kings 19:9, 10, 18.

church. Righteousness by works led to long
pilgrimages, penance, and relic worship. Ever
lasting punishment was held as a threat above
the heads cf the common people. The dark
ness deepened. The inquisition was instituted
to fo^ce men's consciences. Kings upon their
thrnnes were compelled to recognize the supe
rior authority of the power of Rome, and failure
to do so meant the removal of their crowns.
Subjects were absolved from allegiance to their
sovereigns, and so complete was the obedience
of nations to Rome, that no man dared lift his
hand in opposition.
A darkness beyond comprehension settled
over, all the world. The light had been extin
guished when God's word was banished. "The
noontide of the papacy was the world's moral
midnight." The power which should speak great words
against the Most High, and wear out the saints
of the Most High, was allotted 1260 years in
which to work; but so cruel was that power
that the time was shortened, lest none should
survive the persecution. It was Egyptian or
Babylonian bondage for the Christian church.
But even as God had some in Egypt and Baby
lon who were followers of the light throughout
the period of darkness, there was ever a little
company of believers who held the Scriptures
dear to their hearts, and who obeyed the com
mandments. The Waldenses could trace their ancestry
back to the days of Paul, and from Asia Minor,
where that apostle first preached, to the wiki
retreat in the mountains of Italy, there were
faithful Sabbath-keepers. The power on the

THE WORK OF THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY. 271

throne might change the day of worship, but
there were always some who obeyed God rather
than man. As Gabriel told Daniel, "They that
understand among the people shall instruct
many ; yet they shall fall by the sword, and by
flame, by captivity, and by spoil." Though
thousands fell because they dared lift the voice
against the powers that be, yet God watched
their numbers and counted each one who gave
his life.
There is no more wonderful record of deliv
erance from bondage than that which God
wrought for His church at the close of the pe
riod of persecution. Israel's deliverance from
Egypt, when a multitude marched through the
Red Sea on dry land, was marvelous ; the deliv
erance from Babylon was a wonder in the eyes
of the world ; but the birth of Protestantism —
the deliverance from the darkness of the Middle
Ages — surpassed all others.
In the twelfth chapter of Revelation, where
the same deliverance is mentioned, it is stated
that the earth helped the woman — the church.
And it did indeed. Powers that were wholly
unaccountable for the good they were doing,
were used by the Father to break those bands
that Satan had placed around the truth. The
suppression of the Bible had led to the suppres
sion of all learning. There were no schools for
the masses ; there were no books, no papers ;
physicians were forbidden to practice medicine,
lest they should take money which would other
wise go into the coffers of the church. Should
any man dare to advance learning, or cross the
beaten paths made by the church, he was led to
the stake. But it could not always be so. God

The ear that heareth the reproot
of life abideth among the wise.
Prov. 15 :3i.

33. And they that understand
among the people shall instruct
many : yet they shall fall by the
sword, and by flame, by captivity,
and by spoil, many days. Dan. 11 .-33.
Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his saints. Ps. 116 :is.

The earth helped the woman,
and the earth opened her mouth,
and swallowed up the flood which
the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Rev. 12 : 16.

It shall come to pass, that as ye
were a curse among the heathen, O
house of Judah, and house of
Israel : so will I save you, and ye
shall be a blessing : fear not, but
let your hands be strong. Zech. 8:13.

34. Now when they shall fall,
they shalt be holpen with a tittle
help: but many shall cleave to
them with flatteries.
35. And some of them of under
standing shall fait, to try them,
and to purge, and to make them
white, even to the time of the
end : because it is yet for a time
appointed. Dan. 11 -.34, 36.

In very deed for this cause have
I raised thee up, for to show in thee
my power : and that my name may
be declared throughout ' all the
earth. Ex. 9 : 16.
Surely the wrath of man shall
praise thee : the remainder of wrath
shalt thou restrain. Ps. 76 : 10.

272

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

In that day, shall ye say, Praise
the Lord, call upon his name, de
clare his doings among the people,
make mention that his name is ex
alted. Isa. 12:4.

Sing praises to the Lord, which
dwelletll in Zion : declare among
the people his doings. When he
maketh inquisition for blood, he
remembereth them : he forgetteth
not the cry of the humble. Fs. 9 : 11, 12.

to obey \\
God* r&tRet" %
titan men.
Acta 5 29

Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy
voice like a trumpet, and show my
people their transgression, and the
house of Jacob their sins. Isa. 5,8 : 1.
Is not my word like as a fire?
saith the Lord : and like a hammer
that breaketh the rock in pieces?
Jer. 23 : 29.
From a child thou hast known
the holy scriptures, which are able
to make thee wise unto salvation
through faith which is in Christ
Jesus. All scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profita
ble for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in right
eousness. 2 Tim. 3 : 15, 16.
Thou through thy command
ments hast made me wiser than
mine enemies : for they are ever
with me. I have more understand
ing than all my teachers : for thy
testimonies are my meditation. I
understand more than the ancients,
because I keep thy precepts.
Ps. 119: 98-100.

made use of the Moors, who had accepted
Mohammedanism, to help deliver His people.
Schools were established by them in Spain and
western Asia. The sciences were taught, and
from these schools the light of learning broke
into Europe.
Wycliffe, called "the Morning Star of the
Reformation," in the fourteenth century trans
lated the Bible into English. He wrote tracts
showing the fallacy of the papal system. In
England, he like Daniel of old, was in close
touch with the king, and^the light of the gospel
was having its effect. To the ruler on the
throne and the students in the universities,
Wycliffe gave the gospel. His followers, known
as Lollards, were bitterly persecuted, but never
wholly exterminated ; and it was their descend
ants who, as Puritans, brought Protestantism to
America. Huss and Jerome in Bohemia lifted their
voices against papal dogmas, and later Luther,
the German monk, proclaimed liberty of con
science and salvation alone by faith in Jesus
Christ. He had found a copy of the Bible
chained in a cell of one of the German monas
teries, and the spark there kindled, lighted a fire
which Rome was unable to extinguish.
The Word of God became the lesson book for
the German nation. Luther was assisted in his
work of reform by Melanchthon, the noted
teacher in Wittenberg. Other schools were
established throughout Germany ; teachers were
educated, and before the death of Luther the
German nation sat at the feet of Protestant
teachers ; so rapid was the work when the Word
of God was opened to mankind. The Reforma-

THE WORK OF THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY. 273

tion marched on to victory. Rome retreated
into narrower and still narrower bounds, not
before the sword, but before the onward march
of truth. Into every nation of Europe the light
shone, and America was founded upon the prin
ciples which had their birth in Germany.
The papacy quivered before the blow ; and
had each nation accepted the Reformation as it
came to it, it would have been but a short time
until history would have been at an end. God
was in the Reformation, offering to modern na
tions the same deliverance which was held out
to the Jews when they were granted an oppor
tunity to return from Babylon to Jerusalem.
The everlasting covenant was repeated, but men
in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
treated it as the Jews did the decree to leave
Babylon. When once the principles of the Ref
ormation — liberty of conscience and the equal
rights of all men — were presented to a nation,
and were refused, that nation sank back into the
arms of the papacy, and carried to their comple
tion the principles of that government.
Such was the history of France. The expe
rience of that nation stands as an object lesson
to the world. Truth had been proclaimed
within her borders, but again the papacy rose
up to do according to his will. It is in that
country that verses 36-39 of the eleventh chap
ter of Daniel were fulfilled. Having rejected
light, the intensity of the darkness into which
men fell was beyond description.
Scott, in the life of Napoleon, speaking of
FranCe in the year 1793, just a few years before
the expiration of the allotted time (verse 36),
says: "The world for the first time heard an

Keep therefore and do them : for
this is your wisdom and your un
derstanding in the sight of the na
tions, which shall hear all these
statutes. Deut. 4 : 5-7.
But the path of the just is as tlie
shining light, that shineth more
and more unto the perfect day.
Prov. 4 : 18.

I have showed thee new things
from this time, even hidden things,
and thou didst not know them.
Isa. 48 : 6.

Thus saith the Lord, the Re
deemer of Israel, and his Holy
One, to him whom man despiseth,
to him whom the nation abhorreth,
to a servant of rulers, kings shall
see and arise, princes also shall
worship, because of the Lord that
is faithful, and the Holy One of
Israel, and he shall choose thee.
Isa. 49 :j.
The ox knoweth his owner, and
the ass his master's crib : but
Israel doth not know, my people
doth not consider. Isa. 1 : 3.

36. And the king shall do ac
cording to his will ; and he shall
exalt himself, and magnify him
self above every god, and shall
speak marvelous things against
the God of gods, and shall prosper
till the indignation be accom
plished : for that that is deter
mined, shall be done. Dan. 11 :36.
How is the faithful city become
an harlot ! it was full of judgment ;
righteousness lodged in it ; but now
murderers. Thy silver is become
dross, thy wine mixed with water :
thy princes are rebellious, and com
panions of thieves : every one lov
eth gifts, and followeth after re
wards : they judge not the father
less, neither doth the cause of the
widow come unto them. Isa. 1 : 21-23.

274

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

87. Neither shall he regard the
god of his fathers, nor the desire
of women, nor regard any god :
for he shall magnify himself above
all. 83. But in his estate shall he
honor the God of forces : and a
god whom his fathers knew not
shall he honor with gold, and sti
ver, and with precious stones, and
pleasant things.
39 Thus shall he do in the most
strongholds with a strange god,
whom he shall acknowledge and
increase with glory : and he shall
cause them to rule over many, and
shall divide the land for gain.
Dan. 11 : 37-39.

The fool hath said in his heart,
There is no God. Corrupt are they,
and have done abominable in
iquity : there is none that doeth
good. Ps. 53 :i.
Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord,
that I should obey his voice to let
Israel go? I know not the Lord,
neither will I let Israel go. Ex. 5 : 2.

Shall not the land tremble for
this, and every one mourn that
dwelleth therein? and it shall rise
up wholly as a flood ; and it shall
be cast out and drowned, as by the
flood of Egypt. Amos 8 : 8.

Woe to her that is filthy and
polluted, to the oppressing city !
She obeyed not the voice ; she re
ceived not correction ; she trusted
not in the Lord : she drew not near
to her God. Her princes within
her are . roaring lions : her judges
are evening wolves : they gnaw not
the bones till the morrow. Her
prophets are light and treacherous
persons: her priests have polluted
the sanctuary, they have done vio
lence to the law. Zeph. 3 : 1-4.

assembly of men, born and educated in civiliza
tion, and assuming to govern one of the finest
European nations, uplift their united voices to
deny the most solemn truth which man's soul
receives, and renounce unanimously the belief
and worship of the Deity." "France stands
apart in the world's history as the single state
which, by the decree of her legislative assembly,
pronounced that there was no God, and of which
the entire population of the capital, and a vast
majority elsewhere, women as well as men,
danced and sang with joy in accepting the an
nouncement. This was atheism — the logical
result of the position taken in Alexandria when
Christians assumed the garb of pagan philoso
phers. God's Word was treated as a product
of the human mind. Atheism in the individ
ual is likewise the result of treating the. Scrip
tures in the same manner."
Still further quotations from the history of
those times will show how completely God was
rejected, and the worship of the human intellect
was substituted.
One day " the doors of the Convention were
thrown open to a band of musicians, preceded
by whom the members of the municipal body
entered in solemn procession, singing a hymn
in praise of Liberty, and escorting a veiled fe
male, whom they termed the ' Goddess of Rea
son.' " On unveiling the creature, she was
found to be a prostitute opera singer. This was.
the fittest representation France could find of
the reason which she exalted. Perhaps it was
hard to understand, when . noting the policy of
Greece in elevating human reason, what the re
sult of such a course would be. The history of

THE WORK OF THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY. 275

France in the days of the Revolution is a thor
ough exemplification of that result.
Men to-day exalt reason above God ; they
deign to give private interpretation to the divine
Word: they offer all sorts of theories contra
dictory to a "thus saith the Lord," and even
professed Christians follow the Greek intellect,
studying the philosophy themselves, and teach
ing it to their children, apparently unconscious
of the fact that this is papal and only papal, and
that its ultimate result may be read in the awful
annals of France.
Having enthroned the "Goddess of Reason,"
France passed laws which clearly reveal the
result of such worship. The two institutions
which date back to Eden, and which are insep
arably connected with the worship of Jehovah,
were defamed. The week was changed by a
^decree so as to completely abolish all resem
blance to former times, and for a brief space
France rested one day in ten instead of observ
ing the weekly Sabbath. The law of marriage
was repealed, and that safeguard to society com
pletely disregarded.
The papacy in France was fast paving the
road to self-annihilation. Human intellect wor
shiped brings death. The French Revolution
of 1798, the Massacre of St. Bartholomew, and
the Reign of Terror tell the dreadful story of
destruction. The entire history of this period is
an object lesson to the world of the final de
struction of nations when the Spirit of God is
withdrawn^ because those in authority refuse to
worship Jehovah, choosing rather to exalt the
"Goddess of Reason."
Complete overthrow stared France in the face

Casting down reasonings and
every thing that exaiteth itself
against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ.
2 Cor. 10 : 5 [margin].

His mischief shall return upon
his own head, and his violent deal
ing shall come down upon his own
pate. I will praise the Lord ac
cording to his righteousness : and
will sing praise to the name of the
Lord most high. Ps. 7 : 16, 17.

Your words have been stout
against me, saith the Lord. Yet
ye say, What have we spoken so
much against thee ? Ye have said,
It is vain to serve God : and what
profit is it that we have kept his
ordinance, and that we have walked
mournfully before the Lord of
hosts? Mal. 3 : 13-15.
Because they had not executed
my judgments, but had despised
my statutes, and had polluted my
sabbaths, and their eyes were after
their fathers' idols Eze. 20 : 24.
What evil thing is this that ye
do, and profane the Sabbath day?
Did not your fathers thus, and did
not our God bring all this evil
upon us, and upon this city? yet
ye bring more wrath upon Israel
by profaning the Sabbath. Neh. 13 : 17, 18.
Thou hast despised mine holy
things, and hast profaned my sab
baths. Eze. 22 :S.
1 Tim. 4: 1-3.
In thee have they taken gifts to
shed blood ; thou hast taken usury
and increase, and thou hast greed
ily gained of thy neighbors by ex
tortion, and hast forgotten me,
saith the Lord God. Behold, there
fore I have smitten mine hand at
thy dishonest gain which thou hast
made, and at thy blood which hath
been in the midst of thee. Can

276

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

thine heart endure, or can thy
hands be strong, in the days that I
shall deal with thee? I the Lord
have spoken it, and will do it.
Eze. 22 : 12-14.
James 1 : 15.
Therefore thus saith the Lord
God : Because ye have made your
iniquity to be remembered, in that
your transgressions are discovered,
so that in all your doings your
sins do appear ; because, I say,
that ye are come to remembrance,
ye shall be taken with the hand.
Eze. 21 124.
Jer. 25 : 20-33.
Behold, these are the ungodly,
who prosper in the world ; they
increase in riches. . . . When I
thought to know this, it was too
painful for me ; until I went into
the sanctuary of God ; then under
stood I their end. Ps. 73 : 9-17.
God reigneth over the heathen :
God sitteth upon the throne of his
holiness. The princes of the peo
ple are gathered together, even the
people of the God of Abraham :
fqr the shields of the earth belong
unto God : he is greatly exalted.
Ps. 47:8, 9.
Their inward thought is, that
their houses shall continue forever,
and their dwelling places to all
generations ; they call their lands
after their own names. Neverthe
less man being in honor abideth
not : he is like the beasts that
perish. This their way is their
folly : yet their posterity approve
their sayings. Ps. 49 : 11-13.
Deut. 28:53-57.
Job 30:3-8.
Even all nations shall say,
Wherefore hath the Lord done thus
unto this land? what meaneth the
heat of this great anger? Then
men shall say, Because they have
forsaken the covenant of the Lord.
Deut. 29 : 24, 25.
He ruleth by his power forever :
his eyes behold the nations: let
not the rebellious exalt themselves. Ps.66:7.

until the control of affairs was assumed by the
young military officer, Napoleon Bonaparte.
Out of chaos he led the nation through blood
shed to a place of honor among the nations of
Europe. The cause of the struggle, which cost thou
sands of lives, was the attempt to suppress both
civil and religious rights. The Reformation in
Germany in the sixteenth century struck a
death-blow to feudalism and the monarchy.
France was the battle-ground where papal tyr
anny wrestled with Protestantism and repub
licanism. Absolute monarchy always accom
panies and supports the policy of the papacy,
whether in a pagan or a nominally Christian
nation. Democracy in principle is the form of
government assumed by any nation when the
light of truth is accepted.
When the Reformation was rejected by France,
the tyranny of ' the monarchy knew no bounds.
Two thirds of the land of the state was in the
hands of the clergy and nobles ; the king passed
laws taxing his subjects against all protests from
Parliament ; warrants for arrest and imprison
ment were issued by his authority alone; "fam
ine prevailed in every province, and the bark of
the trees was the daily food for hundreds of
thousands." The oppression was unendurable,
and men, frenzied until they were more demon
than human, rose in revolt.
In America the principles of the Reformation
had been put into practice with comparative
ease. But France, having once rejected light,
waded through blood in her demand for freedom.
Then appeared Napoleon. With the rapid
movements of a master mind he carried victory

THE WORK OF THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY. 277

for the French arms throughout Europe. The
army was the controlling element ; nobles and
clergy were alike powerless, and the common
people had exhausted themselves without avail
during the terrors of the past few years. He
defeated the Austrians and captured Milan ; he
forced the pope, and various cities of Italy, to
purchase peace by giving up their art collec
tions. He organized a republic in Northern
Italy, and compelled Austria to cede its Belgian
provinces to France. He conducted an expedi
tion to Egypt, hoping to gain control of the
eastern Mediterranean. On the way he cap
tured Malta, and then gained a victory over the
Mohammedans of Egypt near the pyramids.
Near the Nile, however, Bonaparte was met and
defeated by Lord Nelson, the greatest of En
glish naval officers. England, jealous of the
rapid progress now being made by Napoleon,
had opposed his progress in Egypt. Later he
defeated the Turks of Egypt at Aboukir. In
1 799 a constitution was adopted in France, and
Napoleon was chosen First Consul, with two
assistants. France had attempted to copy the
Constitution of the United States, but the effort
failed. The constitution of 1799 established a
centralized government, and deprived the people
of liberty and self-government. "Equality, not
liberty, was all that the cause of France now
represented." The reforms of Napoleon are worthy of no
tice. Says the historian, " He personally par
ticipated in the religious ceremonies which
attended the formal restoration of the old sys
tem of worship where the Goddess of Reason
had been enthroned with atheistic orgies."

The noise of a multitude in the
mountains, like as of a great peo
ple ; a tumultuous noise of the
kingdoms of nations gathered to
gether : the Lord of hosts rauster-
eth the host of the battle. Isa. 13 -.4, 5.
Isa. 8:7.
I will send him against a hypo
critical nation, and against the peo
ple of my wrath wil 1 I give him a
charge, to take the spoil, and to
take the prey, and to tread them
down like tlie mire of the streets.
Howbeit he meaneth not so, nei
ther doth his heart think so : but it
is in his heart to destroy and cut
off nations not * few. For he
saith, Are not my princes alto
gether kings? Is not Calno as
Carchemish? is not Hamuth as
Arpad? is not Samaria as Damas
cus ? As my hand hath found the
kingdoms of the idols, and whose
graven images did excel them of
Jerusalem and of Samaria. Isa. io :6-io.
Behold, the Lord, the Lord of
hosts, shall lop the bough with
terror and the high ones of stature
shall be hewn down , and the
haughty shall be humbled. And
he shall cut down the thickest of
the forest with iron, and Lebanon
shall fall by a mighty one.
Isa. 10:33,34.
When the Lord shall stretch out
his hand, both he that helpeth
shall fall, and he that is holpen
shall fall down, and they all shall
fail together. Isa. 31:3.
It is <x day of trouble, and of
treading down, and of perplexity
by the Lord God of hosts in the
valley of vision, breaking down the
walls and of crying to the moun
tains. Isa. 22 : 5.
So are the paths of all that for
get God : and the hypocrite's hope
shall perish. Job 8 : 13.
He did that which was right in
the sight of the Lord, but not with
a perfect heart. 2 Chron. 25 : 2.

2;8

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

I saw one of his heads as it were
wounded to death j and hi» deadly
wound was healed: and all the
world wondered after the beast.
He that leadeth into captivity shall
go into captivity : he diat killeth
with the sword must be killed with
the sword. Here is the patience
and the faith of the saints.
Rev. 13 :3, 10.
Their webs shall not become gar
ments, neither shall they cover
themselves with their works : their
works are works of iniquity, and
the act of violence is in their hands.
Their feet run to evil, and they
make haste to shed innocent blood :
their thoughts are thoughts of in
iquity ; wasting and destruction are
in their paths, The way of peace
they know not ; and there is no
judgment in their goings ; they
have made them crooked paths :
whosoever goeth therein shall not
know peace. Isa. 59 :6-8.
Rejoice not thou, whole Pales
tina, because the rod of him that
smote thee is broken : for out of
the serpent's root shall come forth
a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be
a fiery flying serpent. Isa. 14 '. 2g.

40. And at the time of the end
shall the king of the south push
at him : and the king of the north
shall come against him like a
whirlwind, with chariots, and
with horsemen, and with many
ships; and he shall enter Into the
countries, and shall overflow and
pass over. Dan. 11 .40.

Hast thou not heard long ago,
how 1 have done it : and of ancient
times, that I have formed it? now
have 1 brought it to pass, that thou
shouldest be to lay waste defenscd
cities into ruinous heaps. Isa. 37 •¦ 26.

" Full toleration was secured for non-Catholics."
It was Berthier, who in 1 798 made the pope a
prisoner, thus fulfilling the prophecy concerning
the 1260 years of papal supremacy.
The reforms of Napoleon, however, tended
only toward monarchy, and while the people
pleaded for republicanism, the pride of the man
overruled, and he bent his energies toward his
own exaltation. He was proclaimed emperor in
1804, and, in imitation of Charlemagne, he re
ceived a crown from Pope Pius VII in Notre
Dame. Freedom seemed again to be defeated.
Partial acceptance of truth brings only tyranny.
This is individual as well as national experience,
The establishment of the principles of th<
Reformation, as seen in the adoption of th<
Constitution of the United States, was the resull
of Puritan faith and courage to follow in thai
light which led away from the papacy. The
struggle of France is a warning to those who
see no harm in harboring the principles of anti
christ, or those who, having known the truth of
civil and religious liberty, turn again to the
bondage of error.
At the time of the end (1798), the kings of
the north and the south again contended. From
the founding of Constantinople by Constantine
in 330, the power which held that city had
maintained control of the Mediterranean, for
Constantinople is recognized by all" nations as
the key to both Asia and Europe. In the time
of the end, history will again center about this
city. As in times past, so again we are obliged to
trace far back to find the source of events
which now appear in full view. About the time

THE WORK OF THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY. 279

" Qod is most great ;
Mohammed is God's apostle*
Come to praj er ;
Come tO security."

The Molummedan
d.iv-call to prayer.

28o

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

He opened the bottomless pit ;
and there arose a smoke out of the
pit, as the smoke of a great fur
nace ; and the sun and the air were
darkened by reason of the smoke
of the pit. And there came out of
the smoke locusts upon the earth :
and unto them was given power, as
the scorpions of the earth have
power. Rev. 9 :2, 3.
The spirit of Egypt shall fail in
the midst thereof ; and I will de
stroy the counsel thereof : and they
shall seek to the idols, and to the
charmers, and to them that have
familiar spirits, and to the wizards.
And the Egyptians will I give over
into the hand of a cruel lord ; and a
fierce king shall rule over them,

that the papacy was growing into a full-fledged
monarchy, recognized among nations of the
earth, another power had birth. This new
work of Satan came in the form of Moham
medanism, which to-day holds about one-sixth
of the world's population in its grasp. The
new doctrine originated in Arabia, from whence
it spread as a smoke from the bottomless pit.
Syria fell under its power, but Egypt became
the center of its influence. The banks of the
Nile have fed every form of idolatry.
Mohammedanism is but another form of
Egyptian darkness. By the power of the
I sword the followers of Mo
hammed strove to enter Eu
rope. The western horn of the
Crescent, the Moslem symbol,
was extended into Spain in the
the author aru0tni|ricf early part of the eighth century,
OJ Ottrj&ltrt. and for a time all Europe was threat
ened, but the battle of Tours (732) stopped
the progress of the conquerors. In 1453, how
ever, Constantinople was captured, and has
since remained in the hands of the Turks, the
boldest advocates of the doctrine of Mohammed.
As the founding of Constantinople is a guide-
post in history, so the capture of that city in
145 3 is another landmark. One of the great
est checks received by the papacy was due to
the influx into Italy of Greek scholars, driven
from Constantinople by the incoming Moham
medans. The discovery of America was due
to the closing of the eastern passage to the
rich islands of the Indian Ocean by the Mo
hammedans in Constantinople and Asia Minor,
and so in more ways than is usually thought,

saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts.
, Isa. 19:3, 4.
The nations shall rush like the
rushing of many waters : but God
shall rebuke them, and they shall
nee far off, and shall be chased as
the chaff of the mountains before
the wind, and like a rolling thing
before the whirlwind. Isa. 17 : 13.
Will cause many nations to come
up against thee, as the sea causeth
his waves to come up. Eze. 26 : 3.
She is broken that was the gates
of the people. Eze. 26 : 2.
Set thee up waymarks, make thee
high heaps : set thine heart toward
the highway, even the way which
thou we n test. Jer. 31:21.

THE WORK OF THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY. 281

God worked to advance truth through those
who were ignorant of His truth.
God's plans are never defeated. While Satan
closed the passage to the eastern world, God
used that act as a key to open the door to the
great western world. Thus it is in the Lord's
work, from seeming defeat often comes the great
est victory. When the Saviour hung upon the
cross, Satan exulted ; but what he thought to
be the hour of his greatest triumph proved to
be but the death knell of his eternal ruin. The
cross was the Saviour's greatest victory, and
will be the science and song of the redeemed
throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity.
Not only Egypt, but Syria and Turkey in
Europe, belong to the Mohammedans, and he
has' entered the "glorious land," and a Moslem
mosque pccupies the site where once stood the
temple of Solomon. This spot where Abraham
offered Isaac, and David met the Lord, is sacred
to every child of God ; but it will be held by
unholy hands until " He comes whose right it is
to rule." Edom, Moab, and Ammon, however,
escaped the hand of this conquering power, and
these countries receive an annual tribute from
the Turks who pass in caravans on their way to
Mecca. The ambition of Napoleon to establish the
authority of Europe in Egypt might have been
the beginning of the last struggle between the
north and the south. Even in his day Russia
and France made friends, but the time had not
yet come for the Turk to take his departure
from Europe, and England took the part of
Egypt against the arms of Napoleon. Napoleon
recognized the strength of Constantinople, so

The Lord shall go forth as a
mighty man, he shall stir up jeal
ousy like' a man of war : he shall
cry, yea, roar ; he shall prevail
against his enemies. Isa. 42 : 13.

The one preach Christ of con
tention, not sincerely, supposing to
add affliction to my bonds : what
then? notwithstanding, every way,
whether in pretence, or in truth,
Christ is preached ; and I therein
do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
Phil. 1 : 16-19.

41. He shall enter also into the
glorious land, and many countries
shall be overthrown : but these
shall escape out of his hand, even
Edom, and Moab, and the chief of
the children of Ammon.
42. He shall stretch forth his
hand also upon the countries : and
the land of Egypt shall not es
cape. 43. But he shalt haoe power
over the treasures of gold and of
stiver, and over all the precious
things of Egypt : -and the Libyans
and the Ethiopians shall be at his
Dan. 11 : 41, 43.

Distress not the Moabites, nei
ther contend with them in battle :
for I will not give thee of their
land for a possession. Deut. 2 :6, 9.

Associate yourselves, O ye peo
ple, and ye shall be broken in
pieces ; and give ear, all ye of far
countries : gird yourselves, and ye
shall be broken in pieces : gird
yourselves, and ye shall be broken
in pieces. Take counsel together,
and it shall came to nought ; speak
the word, and it shall nof stand ;
for God is with us. Isa. 8 : g, 10.

282

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

44. But tidings out of the east
and out of the north shall trouble
him : therefore he shall go forth
with great fury to destroy, and
utterly to make away many.
45. And he shall plant the tab
ernacles of his palace between the
seas in the glorious holy moun
tain : yet he shall come to his
end, and none shalt help him.
Dan. 11 : 44-45.

also did Russia, and there has been constant
jealousy among the nations of Europe lest one
should outwit the others, and become the pos
sessor of that stronghold.
Every eye is centered on that spot, and has
been for years. Turkey is known universally as
the/ "Sick Man of the East," and the only rea
son he does not die is because intoxicants are
administered, figuratively speaking, first by one
nation then by another. The time will come
when he will remove from Constantinople, and
take up his abode in Palestine ; that is, plant his
tabernacles between the Mediterranean and Red
Seas. Even the Turks themselves are looking
forward to the time when they will have to re
move their capital from Constantinople to Jeru
salem. Time and again the world has been
brought to realize that the end of all things
is near at hand, for all know that when the
Turk steps out of Constantinople, there will be
a general breaking up of Europe. They may
not name this impending conflict the battle of
Armageddon, but God has so named it. In the
Crimean war of 1853-1856, the world trembled
for Turkey, and, lest the crisis should be pre
cipitated, England and France came to the res
cue, and Russia was bidden to stand back. In
the Russo-Turkish war of 1877, the powers of
Europe united to sustain the life of the sick man.
" I saw four angels standing on the four cor
ners of the earth, holding the four winds of the
earth, that the winds should not blow on the
earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree, and I
saw another angel ascending from the east, hav
ing the seal of the living God ; and he cried with,
a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was

THE WORK OF THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY. 283

given to hurt the earth and the sea saying, Hurt
not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees,
till we have sealed the servants of our God in
their foreheads." These angels now hold the
¦winds of strife, waiting for the church of God
to prepare for His coming. The sealing angel
goes through Jerusalem (the church) to place
the seal of the living God on the foreheads of
the faithful, and while this work goes forward,
Turkey stands as a national guide-post to the
world, that men may know what is going on in
the sanctuary above.
God's eye is upon His people, and He never
leaves Himself without a witness in the world.
No man knows when Turkey will take its de
parture from Europe, but when that move is
made, earth's history will be short. Then the
sealing angel that was commissioned to seal the
servants of God will return to heaven with
the message, " I have done as Thou hast com
manded me." Our great High Priest will then
cast His censer into the earth, and pronounce
the irrevocable sentence, "He that is unjust,
let him be unjust still : and he which is filthy,
let him be filthy still: and he that is right
eous, let him be righteous still : and he that is
holy, let him be holy still." To-day is "the day
of preparation." The fate of Babylon, Medo-
Persia, Greece, and Rome is recorded for the
edification of the nations of to-day, and the les
sons taught by all center in the events just
before us. While the world watches Turkey,
let the servant of God watch the movements
of His great High Priest whose ministry for sin
is almost over.

I saw four angels standing on the
four corners of the earth, holding
the four winds of the earth, that
the winds should not blow on the
earth, nor on the sea, nor on any
tree. And I saw another angel
ascending from the east, having the
seal of the living God : and he
cried with a loud voice to the four
angels. Rev. 7:1,2.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE CLOSING SCENE.

Dan. to :n-T9,
Dan. 2 : 31-41.
Dan. 7 : 1-27.
Dan. 8 : 1-27.
Dan. 9 : 24-27.
Dan. 11 : r-45.

Daniel, the man greatly beloved of God, was
several times given a view of the history of the
world ; but the last vision covered the whole
period in detail, and Gabriel did not leave the
prophet until he had revealed to him the consum-
There is a God in heaven that mation of all things. T>aniel is a latter-day
revealeth secrets, and maketh pr0phet, and gave a history of the period inter-
known to the king Nebuchadnezzar . r
what shall be in the latter days. vening between his own day and the present
Dan. 2:28. time, but it was upon the closing events that
Dan- io : '*¦ special emphasis was laid. Four times in his
prophecies the expression, "time of the end,"
Dan. 8 : 17. .
Dao. „.35, is repeated; "the latter days" is used twice

THE CLOSING SCENE.

285

and the expressions "the end of the indigna
tion" and "for many days" each appear once,
the closing words of Gabriel were, " Thou shalt
rest and stand in thy lot at the end of the
days." Thus nine times in the course of the
book, attention is called to the fact that the
prophecy pointed directly to the closing history
of this world.
When the last vision began, the prophet was
beside the River Tigris. It was the third year
of the sole reign of Cyrus, the Persian. Be
ginning with the times in which he lived, Ga
briel carried the prophet through the history
of Persia; he spread out before his vision the
conquests of Alexander and the division of his
empire; he saw the workings of Greek litera
ture and art, and watched this influence spread
into Italy, there moulding the fourth kingdom,
and finally blending with the truth in such a
manner as to form the papacy. Daniel saw
antichrist upheld by arms on the throne of
Rome ; he was carried through the Dark Ages ;
he watched, and lo, the darkness scattered be
fore the truth as proclaimed by the Reformers.
Like a sudden clearing after a storm, the clouds
rolled back, and the Sun of Righteousness shone
forth ; but again the darkness gathered, and
France, that nation of Europe which was a bat
tle-field where Protestantism contended with the
papacy, almost ceased to exist, so bitter was the
struggle between the principles of truth and
of error.
The very existence of God was denied, and
for a time eternal ruin hung like a pall over that
country. God's wrath was stayed, but as' a per
son stricken by some loathsome disease may

Dan. 12 : ,r, <-)..
Dan. S : iq.

Yea, saith the Spirit, that they
may rest from their labors ; and
their works do follow them.
Rev. 14 : 13.

In the third year of Cyrus king
of Persia a thing was revealed unto
Daniel, whose name was called
Belteshazzar ; and the thing was
true, but the time appointed was
long : and he understood the thing
and had understanding of the
vision. , . . And in the four and
twentieth day of the first month,
as I was by the side of the great
river, which is Hiddekel. Dan. 10 : 1, 4.

Surely the Lord God will do
nothing, but he revealeth his secret
unto his servants the prophets. Amos 3:7.
The secret things belong unto
the Lord our God : but those things
which are revealed belong unto us
and to our children forever, that
we may do all the words of this
law. Deut. 29 : 29.
Ye were sometimes darkness, but
now are ye light in the Lord : walk
as children of light. . . . And
have no fellowship with the un
fruitful works of darkness, but
rather reprove them. Eph. 5:8, 11.
Unto you that fear my name
shall the Sun of righteousness arise
with healing in his wings. Mal. 4 :z.

The great city, which spiritually
is called Sodom and Egypt, where
also our Lord was crucified. Rev. 11 : 8.

286

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

This I say therefore, and testify
in the Lord, that ye henceforth
walk not as other Gentiles walk, in
the vanity of their mind, having
the understanding darkened, being
alienated from the life of God
through the ignorance that is in
them, because of the blindness of
their heart. Who being past feel
ing have~'given themselves over
unto lasciviousness, to work all un
cleanness with greediness. Eph. 4 : 17-19.
The sixth angel poured out his
vial upon the great river Eu
phrates ; and the water thereof was
dried up, that the way of the kings
of the east might be prepared. Rev. 16 : 12.
He shall plant the tabernacles of
his palace between the seas in the
glorious holy mountain ; yet he
shall come to his end, and none
shall help him. Dan. n*: 45.

I answered again, and said unto
him, What be these two olive
branches which through the two
golden pipes empty the golden oil
out of themselves? Zech. 4 : 12,
I , even I only, am left : and they
seek my life, to take it away. . . .
Yet I have left me seven thousand
in Israel, all the knees which have
not bowed unto Baal, and every
mouth which hath not kissed him.
1 Kings 19 : 14, iS,
Then shall we know, if we fol
low on to know the Lord : his going
forth is prepared as the morning.
Hosea 6:3.
Your iniquities have separated
between you and your God, and
your sins have hid" his face from
you. Isa. 59:2,
The path of the just is as the
shining light, that shineth more
and more unto the perfect day.
Prov. 4 : 18. .
Dan. 8:14.

live, yet ever bear in his body the effects of the
illness, so France coming out of the struggle is
still scarred with the awfulness of her sin. The
prophetic guide carried the prophet still farther,
and revealed the contest between modern na
tions; he saw the final| struggle between the
north and the south, and pointed to Constanti
nople as the seat of contention in the last days.
Nations should turn their gaze toward the pres
ent occupants of that city and patiently await
the removal of the Turk into the "glorious
land." For "he shall come to his end and
none shall help him/*
The prophet had watched with intense in
terest the people upon whom had shone the
light of heaven. From Babylon to the end of
time a golden stream connected heaven arid
earth, as if the heavens were open and the dove
of peace was descending. At times the stream
narrowed to a mere hair-line of light, but it was
never wholly extinguished ; then the prophet
saw it broaden until it lightened the whole world.
That light followed the Jews for hundreds of
years, but in the days preceding the Saviour's
birth there were but a few souls that bound
earth and heaven together. With the advent of
Christ a flood of light filled the earth, but again
the darkness almost covered the face of the sun.
The streams of light were numerous as the
Christians scattered throughout the earth, but
gradually as the prophet followed these in vision,
they grew dim and dimmer. In the days of
Luther and the Reformers the stream widened,
and again the light flashed like streaks of light
ning, piercing the darkness. But days of clear
shining were comparatively few.

THE CLOSING SCENE.

287

The close of the prophetic period of 2300
days brought men to important changes in the
heavenly sanctuary. Through all time Christ
had pleaded for His people, and whether they
were many or few, His love was always the
same. Finally the great High Priest entered
within the holy of holies. To Daniel the scene
of the investigative judgment had been revealed.
He had seen the Son approach the Ancient of

With the advent of Christ a flood of light filled the earth.
Days ; the books of heaven were opened and
the records examined. Over and over again
the nail-pierced hands had been raised before the
great Judge, as the name of some repentant
soul was read, and the Intercessor had cried,
" Pardon, Father I My blood ! My blood," and
the scarred character, the marred record, was
covered by the life of the Son of Man. Daniel
had seen this. He knew that God's people

The temple of God was opened
in heaven, and there was seen in
his temple the ark of his testament.
Rev. 11 : 19.
The Lord hath appeared of old
unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved
thee with an everlasting love :
therefore with lovingkindness have
I drawn thee. Jer. 31 :3.
The Ancient of Days did sit.
. . . The judgment was set, and
the books were opened. Dan. 7 tg, 10.

She brought forth her firstborn
son, and wrapped him in swaddling
clothes, and laid him in a manger ;
because there was no room for
them in the inn. And there were
in the same country shepherds
abiding in the field, keeping watch
over their flock by night. And, lo,
the angel of the Lord came upon
them, and the glory of the Lord
shone round about them ; and they
were sore afraid. And the angel
said unto them, Fear not : for, be
hold, I bring you good tidings of
great joy, which shall be to all
people. For unto you is born this
day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord. And this
shall be a sign unto yon ; Ye shall
find the babe wrapped in swaddling
clothes, lying in a manger. Luke 2 :7~i2.

He that overcometh, the same
shall be clothed in white raiment :
and I will not blot out his name
out of the book of life, but I will
confess his name before my Father,
and before his angels. Rev. 3 : 5.
Behold, I have graven thee upon
the palms of my hands ; thy walls
are continually before me.
Isa. 49 : 16.
He hath clothed me with the gar
ments of salvation, he hath covered
me with the robe of righteousness. Isa. 61 : 10.

288

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

When they shall say, Peace and
safety ; then sudden destruction
cometh upon them. i Thess. 5:3.

The Son of man shall send forth
his angels, and they shall gather
out of his kingdom all things that
offend, and them which do iniquity.
Matt. 13 141.

TTlany of
them that
£leep in
trie cfugt
, offheearfft
^Ftallauiafe, fgome to
everTa$tiru)
Me.m&
^ometo^hame ancf ever
lasting con
tempt. * Dan.lli

1. And at thattime shall Michael
stand up, the great prince whieh
standeth for the children of thy
people : and there shalt be a time
of trouble, such as never was
since there was a nation even to
that same time : and at that time
thy people shalt be delivered, every
one that shalt be found written in
the book. Dan. 12 : 1.
Rev. 22 : 11.
Prov. 1 : 24-28.
Oen. 22 : 1, 2.
Gen. 32 124-30.

Thus saith the Lord : We have
heard a voice of trembling, of fear,
aud not of peace. Ask ye now,
and see whether a man doth travail
with child? wherefore do I see

must pass in review before the Judge of worlds,
but at the end of the last vision there is another
scene presented.
While men are watching the movements of
nations ; while they cry, " Peace and safety,"
and yet prepare for war, the angel of God is seen
by Daniel to pass through the earth, and place
a seal upon the foreheads of those to whom
these heavenly rays extend. So long as the
angel finds any of these faithful ones, Christ
still intercedes, but at last the messenger wings
his way toward heaven. Throughout the vast
kingdom of Jehovah echoes the sound, "It is
done," and Christ from the inner sanctuary rises
and proclaims, "It is done." He lays aside His
priestly garments, and prepares to set in order
His kingdom.
His mediatorial work is over ; the door from
whence has streamed those rays of light and
mercy is closed forever. Those who have been
sealed must now stand wholly by faith, clinging
to God alone during a " time of trouble such as
never was since there was a nation."
Daniel had watched men pass through trials.
He had seen Israel tried, and men in all ages
who were true to God tested on the point of
faith, but in all previous instances the test had
been lightened by a mediator. Now there is no
intercessor, and man stands alone. Mercy is no
longer sheltering him. It is another night in
Gethsemane, another day of Calvary.
Again the words are uttered, not by one lone
man, but by multitudes, "My God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me?" The sweat drops
of blood roll from other foreheads ; the crown
of thorns can be pressed unheeded into many a

THE CLOSING SCENE.

289

brow; Calvary's nails can be driven without
added pain. The burden of heart-searching is
great among the faithful few, as they remember
that one unconfessed sin means death. The
mother of Zebedee's children asked for her sons
a place on the right and on the left of the King
on His throne. The Saviour said that place be
longed to him who should drink of the cup of
which He Himself must drink. That is the cup
which is drained to the bitter dregs by the rem
nant people in the time of trouble, for they are
the ones who shall occupy the position men
tioned by the mother of James and John.
The faithful sealed followers are not the only
ones who know that probation has ended, for
upon the wicked the seventh plague is falling,
and from it none escape. The time of trouble
to the wicked will be terrible, for they drink to
the dregs the cup of God's wrath. "A thousand
shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy
right hand," but the righteous do not feel the
effects of the plague. The mountains shall
shake and the islands flee away. Then it is
that the grave yields up part of its dead. At
the resurrection of Christ a multitude from all
ages came from their graves ; they were seen in
Jerusalem, and presented by Jesus as a wave-
offering on His return to heaven.
So just before His second coming the earth
gives up some of those who have slumbered in
its bosom. Those who pierced Christ when He
hung on the cross, those who mocked and de
rided Him during His trial, will arise to see
Him as He comes triumphant with the host of
heaven. Likewise those who under the last
message have fallen asleep in Jesus, will come
19

every man with his hands on his
loins, as a woman in travail, and
all faces are turned into paleness.
Alas I for that day is great, so that
none is like it : it is the time of
Jacob's trouble ; but he shall be
saved out of it. Jer. 30 : 5-7.
In that day there shall be a great
mourning in Jerusalem, as the
mourning of Hadadrimmon in the
valley of Megiddon. And the land
shall mourn, every family' apart.
. . . All the families that remain,
every family apart, and their wives
apart. Zech. 12 : 11-14.
Are ye able to drink of the cup
that I shall drink of, and to be
baptized with the baptism that I
am baptized with? And he saith
unto them, Ye shall drink indeed
of my cup, and be baptized with
the baptism that I am baptized with.
Matt. 20 : 22, 23.
They that escape of them shall
escape, and shall be on the moun
tains like doves of the valleys, all
of them mourning, every one foi
his iniquity. Eze. 7 : 16.
Because thou hast made the
Lord, which is my refuge, even the
Most High, thy habitation ; there
shall no evil befall thee, neither
shall any plague come nigh thy
dwelling. For he shall give his
angels charge over thee, to keep
thee in all thy ways. Ps. 91 19-1 1.
The graves were opened ; and
many bodies of the saints which
slept arose, and came out of the
graves after his resurrection, and
went into the holy city and ap
peared unto many. Matt. 27 152,53.
Eph. 4 : 3 [margin],
2. And many of them that sleep
in the dust of the earth shall
awake, some to everlasting Hfe,
and some to shame and everlast
ing contempt. Dan. 12:2.
Write, Blessed are the dead
which die in the Lord from hence
forth. Rev. i4 = *3>

290

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Whom the Lord shall consume
with the spirit of his mouth, and
shall destroy with the brightness of
his coming. 2 Thess. 2 : 8,
He was clothed with a vesture
dipped in blood : and his name is
called The Word of God. . . .
And he hath on his vesture and on
his thigh a name written, KING
OF KINGS, AND LORD OF
LORDS. Rev. 19:13, 16.
Isa. 63 : 1-6.
The armies which were in heaven
followed him upon -white horses,
clothed in fine linen, white and
clean. Rev. 19 : 14.
His righteousness hath he openly
showed in the sight of the heathen.
Ps. 98 : 2.
All thy commandments are right
eousness. Ps. 119 : 172.
The bow shall be in the cloud j
and I will look upon it, that I may
remember the everlasting covenant
between God and every living crea
ture of all flesh that is upon the
earth. Gen. g : 16.
Through the blood of the ever
lasting covenant, make you perfect
in every good work to do his will,
working in you that which is well-
pleasing in his sight, through Jesus
Christ. Heb. 13 : 20, 21.
Above the firmament that was
over, their heads was the likeness
of a throne, as the appearance of
the bow that is in the cloud in the
day of rain, so was the appearance
of the brightness round about.
This was the appearance of the
likeness of the glory of the Lord.
Eze. 1 126, 28.
Ps. 19:1-7.

He brought him forth abroad,
and said > Look now toward heaven,
and tell the stars, if thou be able
to number them : and he said unto
him, So shall thy seed be.
Gen. 15 15.

forth to welcome Him for whom they looked
and lived. These come forth to everlasting life,
but the first class will be slain by the brightness
of His coming.
The kingly garments are put on, and the Sav
iour prepares to gather His people. Through
out heaven the preparation goes on. Angels
hurry to and fro, and the inhabitants of the un
fallen worlds watch with eagerness. As the
company forms to accompany the King, the law
of God, the ten commandments, the foundation
of His throne, is hung upon the sky in view of
the startled multitudes of earth. " His right
eousness hath He openly showed in the sight of
the heathen/' Men who have scoffed and de
rided those who obeyed this law, now see it
written in the heavens.
Again the most brilliant rainbow is painted
on the threatening clouds which overhang the
earth. Mercy and justice mingled in all God's
dealings with men until they utterly turned from
Him. To the waiting company this is a re
newal of the everlasting covenant made to the
fathers that the inheritance should belong to the
faithful. Over and over again that same sym
bol of the everlasting covenant has been hung
in the sky, but men have not heard the voice of
Jehovah as He spoke in the bow. "The heav
ens declare the glory of God," but while suns,
planets, and systems have been studied by scien
tists, they have failed to see that in them all
God has pictured the organization of His
church, and the story of His love to man.
From the creation of the world, the very order
and arrangement of the stars have told the plan
of redemption, but man, devoid of the spirit of

THE CLOSING SCENE.

291

Over and over again that same symbol of the everlasting covenant has been hung In the sky.

truth, can not understand the alphabet of the
celestial dome ; and while the story has been
repeated night after night, he has failed to see
the law of God in the firmament.
Jehovah to-day points us to the stars that we
may learn the lesson given to Abraham as he
called him to his tent door, and traced the prom
ise of the Saviour in the sky. The Star rose
upon Israel, and wise men of the East, inspired
by God, knew that it was the Christ star.
Men, using God-given ability, have invented
wonderful instruments for searching the heav
ens, and God has encouraged the effort in hopes
that it would lead to an understanding of the
divine story written there ; but only the very

The natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God:
for they are foolishness unto him :
neither can he know them, because
they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor. 2 : 14.

The heavens declare the glory of
God ; and the firmament sheweth
his handiwork Ps. 10: 1.

Saying, Where is he that is born
King of the Jews ? for we have seen
his star in the east, and are come to
worship him. Matt. 2 :2.

292

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Gen.

22 : 17.

As the host of heaven can not be
numbered, neither the sand of the
sea measured : so will I multiply
the seed of David my servant, and
the Levites that minister unto me.
Jer. 33 : 22.

The heaven departed as a scroll
when it is rolled together. Rev. 6:14.

All the foundations of the earth
are out of course. Ps. 82 : 5.

The Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with
the trump of God : and the dead in
Christ shall rise first. 1 Thess. 3 : i&.

John 5 : 28, 29.
Hosea 13 : 14.
Who shall change our vile body,
that it may be fashioned like unto
his glorious body. Phil. 3:21.
Then we which are alive and re
main shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds, to meet
the Lord in the air : and so shall
we ever be with the Lord.
1 Thess. 4 : 17.

He shall send his angels with a
great sound of a trumpet, and they
shall gather together his elect from
the four winds, from one end of
heaven to the other. Matt. 24 : 30, 31.
I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for
you, I will come again, and receive
you unto myself ; that where I am,
there ye may be also. ;John 14:2, 3.

few have seen or heard the spiritual lesson which
was taught.
As each sun is encircled by the worlds of its
system, so each teacher of righteousness saved
in the kingdom of God will be encircled by
those saved by his efforts, and as every group
of heavenly bodies with its suns revolves
around one spot in the heavens, so all the re
deemed will be gathered around Christ, the Sav
iour of mankind.
Daniel watched as Gabriel proceeded, and he
saw the heavens depart as a scroll ; he saw the
sun burst forth in all its glory at midnight, a
herald of the Sun of Righteousness. He heard
the voice of the trumpeter as the sound rolled
through the earth; he saw the righteous dead
come forth in answer to the call of the God of
heaven. They come forth glorified ; the power
of the grave is broken ; the grave can not hold
them. The whole earth resounds with a mighty
shout of triumph as they rise to meet the Lord
in the air. Multitudes from the days of Adam
down to the end of time mingle with that little
company who on earth were waiting and watch
ing for His appearing. Together they pass to
ward the gates of heaven. The advance guard
throw open the pearly gates, and again the angel
choir chant the wonderful hallelujah which was
sung when Christ returned with the little com
pany on the day of His ascension.
From without come the words, " Lift up your
heads, O ye gates ; and be ye uplifted, ye ever
lasting doors ; -that the King of glory may enter
through." From within rings forth the chal
lenge : " Who is this king of glory ? "
The accompanying host reply : —

THE CLOSING SCENE.

293

"Jehovah, mighty and victorious ;
Jehovah, victorious in battle,
Lift up your heads, O ye gates ;
And be ye uplifted, O everlasting doors ;
That the King of glory may enter
through."
"And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the
mount Sion, and with Hirn an hundred forty and
four thousand." In a hollow square before the
throne are clustered those who were living when
the Son of Man came in power. As they see
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world, a song of triumph bursts from their
lips. 1 leaven's arches ring, and, wonder of won
ders, they whose experiences have seemed so
varied, they who have been separated, crushed,
degraded, upon whom sin had onee placed its
terrible hand, find that their voices blend in per
fect harmony, and the song they sing is one of
such pathos, such depths of joy and gratitude,
that none others can join with them. Praise-
rings throughout heaven. Christ's image and
character are perfectly reflected by this com
pany. From the deepest depths of sin they
have been raised to the pinnacle of heaven,
each, like a stone in the Master's crown, re
flecting His character at some certain angle.
The one hundred and forty-four thousand to
gether complete the circle of perfection.
In addition to this company, who act hence
forth as the bodyguard of the King, taking the
place which had been vacant since the fall of
Satan and his angels, was seen another company
composed of those who were martyrs, and those
who had been snatclied from the pit of ruin.
And again there is seen an innumerable corn-

Lift up your heads, O re gates ;
and be ye lift up, ye everlasting
doors ; and the King of glory shall
tome in. Who is thus King of
glory? The Lord strong and
mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates ;
even lift them up, ye everlasting
doors ; and the King of glory shall
come in. Who i» this King of
glory? The Lord of hoists, he w
tlie King of glory. Selah. V*. 24 : 7-jo,
Rev. 14: (.
I saw as it were a sea of glass
mingled with (ire : and tbem that
had goUen the vk-tory over the
beast, and over his image, and over
his mark, and over the number of
bis name, stand on the sea of glass,
having tne harps of God. Rev. 15 : 2.
Kev. 13 : tJ.
Tbey sing the song of Moses tli>:
servant of God, and the song of
the Lamb. Kev, 15:3.
That they all may be one ; as
thou, father, art in me, and 1 in
thee, that they also may he one in
us : that the world may believe
that thou hast sent me. John f7i2i.
They sung as it were a new song
1>eJorc the throne, and before the
four beasts, and tlte ciders : and no
man could learn tbat song but the
hundred and forty and four thou
sand, which were redeemed from
tlie earth. 1'ev. 1:4:3,
They shall be as Die stones of a
crown, lifted up as an ensign upon
his land. Zech. o : jo.
Thou shalt also be a crown of
glory in the han/i of the Lord, and
a royal diadem in tlte hand of thy
God. Isa. 62:3.
They shall be mine, saith the
Lord of hosts, in that day when J
make up my jewels. Mal. 3 ; 17.
These are they whieh follow the
Lamb whithersoever he gueth.
Kev. 14:4.
ZeOi.3:7. Y,k. j!:i(,

294

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

After this I beheld, and, lo, a
great multitude, which no man
could number, of all nations, and
kindreds, and people, and tongues,
stood before the throne, and before
the Lamb, clothed with white robesj
and palms in their hands. Rev. 7 :cj, io.
He shall see of the travail of his
soul, and shall be satisfied. Isa. 53 : ii.
Saying,, I will declare thy name
unto my brethren, in the midst of
tlie church will I sing praise unto
thee. And again, I will put my
trust in him. And again. Behold,
I and the children which God hath
given me. Heb. 2 : 12, 13.
His brightness was as the light ;
he had bright beams out of his
side, and there was the hiding of
his power. Hab. 3 : 4.
S. And they that be wise shalt
shine as the brightness of the
firmament; and they that turn
many to righteousness as the stars
forever and ever, Dan. 12 : 3.
The fruit of the righteous is a
tree of life : and he that winneth
souls is wise, Prov. 11 : 30.
Through faith we understand that
the worlds were framed by the
word of God, so that things which
are seen were not made of things
which do appear. Heb. 11:3.
He is before all things, and by
him all things hold together.
Gol. 1 : 17, R. V. [margin].

I will instruct thee and teach
thee in the way which thou shalt
go : I will guide thee with mine
eye. Ps. 32 : 8.

The husband is the head of the
wife, even as Christ is the head of
the church : and he is the saviour
ot the body. Eph. 5:23.
And for the precious fruits
brought forth by the sun, and for
the precious things put forth by the
moon. Deut. 33:14.

pany which no man can number, representing
every nation, tribe, and tongue.
The number which would have peopled the
earth had no sin ever entered, is gathered about
the Father and the Son. Christ looks upon
them, and in spite of the remembrance of the
fall, and the pain and sorrow which the plan of
salvation cost, when He sees the travail of His
soul, He is satisfied. In the midst of His re
deemed church the Saviour breaks forth into
singing. The thought of sin and sorrow is blot
ted out. From the nail-prints in His hands
stream beams of light which are "the hiding of
His power." Heaven bows in adoration, for the
victory is gained.
Then it is that Daniel sees the language of
the heavens interpreted. The universe is com
posed of suns, many of them mightier than our
own, and each sun is the center of a planetary
system. Each planet is accompanied by its
satellites, a vast circle within a circle, moving
in perfect order, performing its revolution in its
allotted time, making, to the ear of Jehovah, the
music of the spheres. The immensity of space
is filled with universes, and all revolve about the
throne of God ; all are held in their orbits by
rays of power from His throne of life; each
shines with a light reflected from Him who is
the fountain of life ; each is guided in its path
by the eye of Him who sits on the throne.
This is the type of God's order for His
church upon earth. The perfect order of the
heavenly bodies is a pattern for family and
church organization. Each little company
should shine as a star. God looks with pleas
ure upon the clusters of worshipers as they

THE CLOSING SCENE.

295

move in perfect order, each bending to the in
fluence of the higher powers. As it is the
power of God in the sun which holds the earth
in its course, so His power, working through
the highest organization on earth, controls those
of smaller power. In the family, children should
obey parents, and parents should obey God,
even as the earth follows the sun, and the sun
circles about its center — God's throne.
The perfection of this system will characterize
the last church, which will have developed the
character that was looked for in ancient Israel.
God's people are a peculiar people, and their pe
culiarities are derived from the virtues of Christ,
which they reflect ; this fits them to become a

He cutceth out rivers among the
rocks ; and his eye seeth every
precious thing. Job 28 : 10.

As also ye have acknowledged us
in part, that we are your rejoicing,
even as ye also are ours in the day
of the Lord Jesus. 2 Cor. 1 : 14.
Children obey your parents in
the Lord : for this is right. Eph. 6: 1.

But ye are a chosen generation, a
royal priesthood, an holy nation, a
peculiar people ; that ye should
show forth the praises of him who
hath called you out of darkness
into his marvellous light. 1 Peter 2 : 9.

royal priesthood. To Daniel the angel said,
"They that be teachers [margin] shall shine
as the brightness of the firmament." And so
the prophet had the privilege of seeing a nation
or company of teachers among the saved, who
carried forward the work which his own race
might have done. As Christ was a teacher who
spoke with authority which none could resist, so
the remnant church will be teachers by virtue
of the Christ-life within them.
It was a beautiful picture, that last scene
which fell upon the eyes of Daniel. So many
times disappointment had been the outcome
when the beginning looked so promising, but in
the end it is a glorious triumph. Those who are

What is ou" hope, or joy, 01
crown of rejoicing? Are not even
ye in the presence of our Lord Jc
sus Christ at his coming? For ye
are our glory and joy.
1 Thess, 2 ; 19, 20,

Never man spake like this man.
John 7 : 46.

I saw as it were a sea of glass
mingled with fire : and them that
had gotten the victory over the
beast, and over his image, and over
his mark, and over the number of
his name, stand on the sea of glass,
having the harps of God. Rev. 15 ."2.
Dan. 10 : 4.

296

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Even to the t»f"g of the end : be
cause it is yet for a time appointed.
Dan. n :3s.
He shall . . . wear out the saints
of the Most High, and think to
change times and laws : and they
shall be given into his hand until a
time and times and the dividing of
time. Dan. 7:25.
Rev. 11 : 3.
The earth helped the woman, and
the earth opened her mouth, and
swallowed up the flood which the
dragon cast out of his mouth.
Rev. 12 : 16.

taken from the depths of sin will shine as the
stars in the firmament.
"But thou, Daniel, shut up the words, and
seal the book, even to the time of the end." At
that time " many shall run to and fro, and
knowledge shall be increased."
The portion of time known as "the time of
the end " is as distinctly marked as any other
prophetic period. At its beginning the hand of
oppression was removed from the law of God,

The shield of his mighty men is
made red, the valiant men are in
scarlet: the chariots shall be with
naming torches in the day of his
preparation, and the fir trees shall
be terribly shaken. The chariots
shall rage in the streets, they shall
jostle one against another in the
broad ways : they shall seem like
torches, they shall run like the
lightnings. He shall recount his
worthies : they shall stumble in
their walk ; they shall make haste
to the wall thereof, and the defense
shall be prepared. The gates of
the rivers shall be opened, and the
palace shall be dissolved. Nahum 2 : 3-6.

which had been changed, and which, in the lan
guage of Revelation, had prophesied clothed in
sackcloth. At the same time the persecution
of the saints had ended. Civil and religious
liberty was standing full-fledged before the
world, and Gabriel, seeing the freedom granted
to man, explained the effects by saying, "Many
shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be in
creased." Men living to-day see the fulfillment of the
angel's words. Thousands of miles of railroad
thread the globe, making it possible for messen-

THE CLOSING SCENE.

297

gers of truth to pass speedily from place to
place. The ocean, once an almost impassable
barrier between continents, is now crossed in a
few days. The printing press daily sends forth
thousands of tons of matter, so that the ever
lasting gospel can be scattered like autumn
leaves to every nation on the face of the earth.
The multitude of inventions also astonishes the
world. Every day witnesses the birth of some
new convenience. " Men have sought out many
inventions," and still the work goes on. God
allows it, that 1 lis truth may be spread with
rapidity, for before His coming every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people must hear the warn
ing message.
The increased knowledge of the present
generation is marvelous beyond description.
There is no realm of science left unexplored.
This is, that man may be led to see the wonders
of creation, and so desire to know more of the
Creator. As the closing of the Bible in the be
ginning of the twelve hundred and sixty years
brought darkness, intellectual and moral, so the
opening of God's Word has led to intellectual
as well as moral advancement. From city to
city messages fly on swifter wings than carrier
pigeons, while through the mysterious depths of
old ocean the words of man pass, unheeded by
the myriads that people the ocean caverns.
While man looks on in amazement, angels
watch with intense interest to see if man will
co-operate with them in using these vast facili
ties to forward the gospel in the earth.
God from the beginning of earth's history, has
offered life to that nation which would make His
Word the basis of its education. The Jews were

How beautiful upon the moun
tains me the feet of him that bring
eth good tidings, that published.
peace ; that bringeth good tidings
of good, that publisheth salvation ;
that saidi unto Zion, Thy God
reigneth I Isa. 52 17.
This gospel of the kingdom shall
be preached in all the world for a
witness unto all nations ; and then
shall the end come. Matt. 24 : i.|.
Blessed are ye that sow beside
all waters, dial send forth thither
the feet of the ox and the ass.
Isa. 3 j 120.
Lo, this only have I found, that
God hath made man upright ; but
they have sought out many inven
tions. Eccl. 7 : 29.
Jehovah's voice causeth the oaks
to wither, and denudeth the trees
of the woods. Surely through this
his universal temple everything
speaks of his glory.
Ps. ag :o, [Spurrell's trans.]
The entrance of thy words giveth
light ; it giveth understanding unto
the simple, Ps. 119 : 130.
Curse not the king, no not in thy
thought ; and curse not the rich in
thy bedchamber : for a bird of the
air shall carry the voice, and that
which hath wings shall tell the
matter. Eccl. 10 : 20.
How then shall they call on him
in whom they have not believed?
and how shall they believe in him
of whom they have not heard? and
how shall they hear without a
preacher? And how shall they
preach, except thev be sent?
Rom. to : 14, 15.
Only take heed to thyself, and
keep thy soul diligently, lest thou
forget the things which thine eyes
have seen, and lest they depart
from thy heart all the days of thy
life : but teach them thy sons and
thy sons' sous. • Deut. 4 : 9.

298

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

Therefore my people are gone
into captivity, because they have no
knowledge : and their honorable
men are famished, and their multi
tude dried up with thirst. Isa. 5:13.
Ye fathers, provoke not your
children to wrath ; but bring them
up in the nurture and admonition
of the Lord. Eph. 6 .4.
4. But thou, 0 Daniel, shut up
the words, and seat the book, even
to the time of the end: many
shall run to and fro, and knowl
edge shall be increased. Dan. 12:4.
But Daniel purposed in his heart
that he would not defile himself
with the portion of the king's meat,
nor with the wine which he drank :
therefore he requested of the prince
of the eunuchs that he might not
defile himself. Dan. 1 :S.

Take heed to yourselves, lest at
any time your hearts be over
charged with surfeiting, and drunk
enness, and cares of this life, and
so that day come upon you un
awares. . . . Watch ye therefore,
and pray always, that ye may be
accounted worthy to escape all
these things that shall come to
pass, and to stand before the Son
of man. Luke 21 : 34, 36.

Here is the patience of the
saints : here are they that keep the
commandments of God, and the
faith of Jesus. Rev. 14 : 12.

He shall turn the heart of the
fathers to the children, and the
heart of the children to their
fathers, lest I come and smite the
earth with a curse. Mal. 4 : 6.
Ve shall not walk in the manners
of the nation, which I cast out be
fore you : for they committed all
these things, and tiierefore I ab
horred them. . Lev. 20 : 23.

lost as a nation because of the failure to train
their children according to its sacred truths;
and when the Christian church inherited the
promises made to the .Israelites, it was upon the
same condition that they should teach their chil
dren all the statutes of Jehovah.
The time of the end is the period during
which the remnant people will be developed.
One great means for their education will be a
return to true principles of education.
As Christian education and healthful living
are revealed in the first glimpse given of the
prophet Daniel and his work, so, as he is about
to close his earthly career, as he views the last
days of earth's history, he is pointed by Christ's
special messenger to a people who are true to
those same foundation principles. The people
who pass safely through the time of trouble,
which closes this last prophetic period, will be
fortified physically by strict obedience through
faith to all the laws of the physical man. And
mentally they will be made strong by an educa
tion of faith which separates every family from
the culture of Egypt, Babylon, and Greece, and
instead turns the hearts of parents to their chil
dren, binding them all together in the love of
Christ. The time of the end, the period in which we
now live, is a time when knowledge shall in
crease ; and as the worldly wise trust more and
more to their own wisdom, the faithful followers
of God will separate entirely from worldly edu
cation. Now is the time for the truly wise to
shine as the stars whose light is made more ap
parent as the darkness of iniquity deepens. It
is evident that Daniel's whole attention had

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THE CLOSING SCENE.

299

been centered on the events which Gabriel,
God's historian, had related ; and when the final
triumph of truth was given, it was shown that
Christ Himself was near the prophet, and that
angels of heaven were also listening to the rec
ord of events.
So closely bound to earth are these heavenly
beings, and so strong are the ties that unite
their hearts and interests to man, that when
Gabriel ceased speaking, one angel called to
Christ, who was again seen on the waters of the
stream of time : " How long shall it be to the
end of these wonders ? " That was the angel's
question, and Christ Himself made answer.
Holding up His right hand and His left unto
heaven, He "sware by Him that liveth forever
that it shall be for a time, times, and a half."
Angels have waited six thousand years for
the completion of the plan ; they have watched
generation after generation for the final number
to be made up, and have seen one century after
another roll round, and still the inhabitants of
earth loiter. What wonder is it that when the
end is made known, they call out, "How long
shall it be to the end ? "
Daniel had heard this same period mentioned
by Gabriel, and now it was repeated by Christ,
but He says, " I heard, but I understood not."
The prophet's heart was heavy as he followed
the history of nations to the end of time ; and
fearing he should still be left in doubt as to the
time for the fulfillment of all he had seen, like
Jacob who, in his night of wrestling, clung to the
angel, he pleaded, " O my Lord, what shall be
the end of these things ? " No request yet made
by this man of God had been passed by without

Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven. Matt. 5 : 16.

I am with you alway, even unto
the end of the world. Matt. 2S : 20.
6. Then I Daniel looked, and,
behold, there stood other two, the
one on this side of the bank of the
river, and the other on that side
of the bank of the river.
6. And one said to the man
clothed in linen, which was upon
the waters of the river, How long
shall it be to the end of these
wonders? Dan. 12:6, 6.

Which things the angels desire
to look into. 1 Peter 1:12.
7. And I heard the man clothed
in linen, which was upon the wa
ters of the river, when he held up
his right hand and his left hand
unto heaven, and sware by him
that liveth forever that it shall be
for a time, times, and a half; and
when he shall haoe accomplished
to scatter the power of the holy.
people, alt these things shall be
finished. Dan. 12 : 7.
There came two angels to Sodom
at even. . And while he lin-
-gered, the men laid hold upon his
hand, and upon the hand of his
wife, and upon the hand of his two
daughters ; the Lord being merci
ful unto him : and they brought
him forth, and set him without the
city. Gen. 19: 1, 16.
8. And I heard, but I understood
not : then said I, 0 my Lord, what
shall be the end of these things ?
Dan. 12 : 8.
1 Thess. 5:4,5.
Gen. 32 : 24-31.
9. And he said, Go thy way,
Daniel : for the words are closed
up and sealed tilt the time of the
end. Dan. 12 : 9.

3oo

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

The eyes of the Lord are upon
the righteous, and his eais are open
unto their cry. Ps. 54 : 15.
The effectual fervent prayer of
a righteous man availeth much.
James 5:16,
Let thy work appear unto thy
servants, and thy glory unto their
children. * Ps. go : 16.
O Lord, revive thy work in the
midst of the years, in the midst of
the years make known ; in wrath
remember mercy. Hab. 3 : 2.
Seemeth it a small thing^unto
you to have eaten up the good pas
ture, but ye must tread down with
your feet the residue of your pas
tures? and to have drunk of the
deep waters, but ye must foul the
residue with your feet ?
Eze. 34 : 18.
If thou turn away thy foot from
the Sabbath, from doing thy pleas
ure on my holy day : and call the
Sabbath a delight, the holy of the
Lord, honorable ; and shalt honor
him, not doing thine own ways, nor
finding thine own pleasure, nor
speaking thine own words : then
shalt thou delight thyself in the
Lord. Isa. 58 : 13, 14.
He shall speak words against the
Most High, and wear out the saints
of the Most High, and think to
change the times and the law ; and
they shall be given into his hand,
until a time and times and half a
time. Dan. 7 =25 R. V.
The temple of God was opened
in heaven, and there was seen in
his temple the ark of his testament.
Rev. 11 : 19.
I saw another angel fly in the
midst of heaven, having the ever
lasting gospel to preach unto them
that dwell on the earth, and to
every nation, and kindred, and
tongue, and people. Rev. 14:6.
10. Many shall be purified, and
made white, and tried; but the
wicked shall do wickedly : and
none of the wicked shall under
stand ; but the wise shall under
stand.

an answer. Neither was he now left in igno
rance of the time. Gabriel answered the ear
nest inquiry in tender tones. Said he: "Go
thy way, Daniel : for the words are closed up
and sealed till the time of the end;" and then
it was seen that "till the time of the end"
meant the same as "a time, times, and a half,"
at the end of which period the great persecution
should cease.
This prophetic period of twelve hundred and
sixty years began in 538; the law of God was
changed, and the Sabbath of the decalogue was
trampled under foot of men. Both the law of
God and the saints of God were bound for '" a
time, times, and a half" by the power which
exaiteth itself above Jehovah, as described in
Dan. 7:25. The persecution tended only to
scatter the power of the holy people ; and at
the time of the end both the law of God and
the people were restored. The "time, times,
and a half" ended in 1798. Since that time the
Word of God has been freely circulated among
the people. The prophecies have been studied,
the judgment message of the fourteenth chapter
of Revelation has been proclaimed, and in 1844,
at the close of the twenty-three hundred days,
light shone from the sanctuary above, revealing
the true Sabbath of the Lord.
As knowledge has increased, the wonderful
truths for the time of the end have spread from
country to country, preparing the way for the
coming of the Son of Man.
That the two prophetic periods which had so
puzzled the mind of the prophet might be more
perfectly understood, Gabriel said, " From the
time that the daily is taken away," that is from

THE CLOSING SCENE.

301

The appearing: of Christ In the clouds of heaven.

508 a. d., "there shall be a thousand two hun
dred and ninety days " until the time of the end,
1798. And again, "Blessed is he that waiteth,
and cometh to the thousand three hundred and
five and thirty days." There is then a blessing
pronounced upon those who are living in 1843
(508-J-1335  1843 ), for the seal has been
removed from the prophecies, and they are un
derstood. True it is that " many shall be puri
fied and made white and tried," and that some
will not understand, but that does not disprove
the prophecies, for "the wise shall understand."
In the time when all may understand some will
insist that the book of Daniel is still a sealed
book. The words of Christ and Gabriel witness
against all such. "Whoso readeth, let him ?in-

11. And from the time that the
daily sacrifice shall be taken
away, and the abomination that
maketh desolate set up, there
shalt be a thousand two hundred
and ninety days.
12. Blessed is he that waiteth,
and cometh to the thousand three
hundred and five and thirty days.
Dan. 12:10-12.
He hath blessed ; and I can not
reverse it. Num. 23 : 20.

Many shall be purified, and made
white, and tried ; but the wicked
shall do wickedly : and none of the
wicked shall understand ; but the
wise shall understand. Dan. 12 : 10.

The vision of all is become unto
you as the words of a book that is
sealed, which men deliver to one

302

STORY OF DANIEL THE PROPHET.

that is learned, saying, Read this, I
pray thee t and he saith, I can not ;
for it is sealed : and the book is
delivered to him that is not learned,
saying, Read this, I pray thee :
and he saith, I am not learned.
Isa. 29 ;n, 12.
I have fought a good fight, I
have finished my course, I have
kept the faith. 2 Tim. 4 : 7, 8.
Thou shalt come to thy grave in
a full age, like as a shock of corn
cometh in in his season. 4
Job 5 : 26.

13, But go thou thy way till
the end be : for thou shalt rest,
and stand in thy lot at the end of
the days. Dan. 12 : 13.

That he might present it to him
self a glorious church, not having
spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing :
but that it should be holy and
without blemish. Eph. 5 127.

derstand." "He that hath an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit saith unto the churches."
Daniel's work was over. The story of the
world was written. His prophecy would stand
until the end. He slept with his fathers, after
more than seventy years of faithful service in
the courts of Babylon and Shushan. Men could
find no fault with him except concerning the
law of his God, and Jehovah called him a " man
greatly beloved."
. In the last days he stands in his lot as a
prophet, and the things revealed to him, to
gether with the Revelation given to John on
Patmos, and the warnings sent of God through
the spirit of prophecy in the remnant church,
will guide the faithful company of believers
through the time of trouble, and prepare them
for the appearing of Christ in the clouds of
heaven.

OUTLINE STUDY.

THE SANCTUARY.

The heavenly sanctuary is the center of Christ's work for man. The
destiny of every soul hangs upon the decisions rendered in that great tribu
nal. Whether he is conscious of it or not, that work concerns every soul
upon the earth.
The ancient sanctuary service was given as a shadow of the work done
by Christ for the fallen race, in the heavenly sanctuary. " The whole Jewish
economy is a compacted prophecy of the gospel. It is the gospel in figures."
The diagram given on page 307, illustrates this truth. The subjects are not
exhausted by any means ; but a few texts are given on each subject, that will
serve as a guide to deeper research for those who wish to see the light that
flashed from the Levitical laws and sacrificial offerings.
All the texts in the diagram are reprinted on the following pages, to
gether with the leading thought in the texts. Let the reader ever remember
that, "the entire system of Judaism was the gospel veiled."
There are precious views of the work of Christ revealed in the rays of
light flashing from the Levitical laws and sacrificial offerings, that will well
repay the student who will search for them.
Many to-day discard the study of the Levitical laws, because they think
the gospel has no connection with the Jewish economy. All such would do
well to ponder prayerfully the last two verses of the fourth chapter of John's
Gospel. Moses wrote of Christ. Every statement made, every symbol given
was for the one object; viz., to reveal a sin-pardoning Redeemer to fallen
man. Christ said: "If ye believe not his [Moses'] writings how shall ye
believe My words, . . . for he wrote of Me ?" also, " If they hear not
303

304 OUTLINE STUDY.
Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from
the dead." Luke 16:31. The words are true to-day, and all who will
study the Levitical laws, believing that the entire system of Judaism reveals
the gospel of Christ, will find their faith in the Saviour greatly strengthened
by the study. As they learn to behold Christ revealed in types, shadowed in
symbols, and manifested in the revelations of the prophets, as fully as in
the lessons given to the disciples, and in the wonderful miracles wrought for
the children of men, their hearts will burn within them as He talks with them
by the way. They will be dwelling upon the same precious truths the Sav
iour dwelt upon as he walked with the disciples on the way to Emmaus ;
when, " beginning at Moses and all the prophets He expounded unto them
in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." Luke 24 : 13-31.
The Second Coming of Christ
Lev. 16 : 20-25. When the high priest on the day of atonement had made an end of rec
onciling, and had placed the sins upon the scapegoat, he laid aside his high priest's
robe, and went into the court and cleansed it. So Christ, when probation closes,
lays aside His priestly garments and comes into the antitypical court, the earth, to
gather out of it all things that offend and do iniquity. Matt. 18 : 41.
Isa. 03 : 1—6. Christ comes clad in garments of vengeance.
Rev. 19:16; Zeph. 2:1-3. Christ does not come to the earth hi priestly robes; but in
kingly garments. The Millennium
Lev. 16 : 20-22. The scapegoat was led into a desolate land, a land not inhabited. " Scape
goat " is a synonym for evil.
Job 1 : 7. The earth is the devil's home.
Jer. 4 : 23-27. The earth will be desolate. When there is " no man," animals, or birds,
the devil and his angels will be the only life left upon the earth.
Isa. 24 : 21, 23 ; Jer. 4 : 27. This desolate condition will only be for a limited period of
time.
Eze. 28 : 18, 19. The devil will finally be brought to ashes on the earth.
Lev. 6 : 9-11. The [ashes of the burnt offering left in a clean place, taught the final de
struction of sin and the devil.-
The New Earth
Gen. 3 : 17. Earth cursed by sin.
Num. 35 : 33. Curse only removed by the blood of the offending party.
Lev. 17 : 11—13. The blood made atonement for sin.
Lev. 4 : 7, 18, 25, 30. The blood of every sin oflering poured upon the sin-cursed eartk,
taught the cleansing of the earth by the blood of Christ.

OUTLINE STIJDY. 305
Jer, 9 : 21. The air is laden with disease germs as the result of sin.
Ex. 15 : 23. The water is affected by the curse. Land, air, and water are all cursed by sin.
Lev. 14 : -t-7. This offering made provision for the cleansing of the water, air, and ground.
The blood came in contact with each. It was caught in an earthen vessel held over
running water; and the bird flew through the air with blood upon its feathers.
Hyssop, cedar wood, and wool were dipped in the blood.
1 Kings 4 : 83. The hyssop and cedar represented the two extremes of vegetation. Dip
ping them in the blood was but a type of the vegetation of the whole earth being
cleansed by the blood of Christ.
Num. 19 : 0. In this offering the cleansing of the vegetation by fire was also taught. The
hyssop and cedar wood were burned.
John 19 : 29. The cross was made of the trees of the forest. Thus the two extremes of
vegetation, the hyssop and the forest trees, came in contact with the blood of
Christ.
Lev. 25 : 23, 24. The land was never sold, but if lost in any way could be redeemed by the
one nearest of kin that had power to redeem.
Ruth 2 : 20. Christ is the only one near of kin to humanity that lias power to redeem.
Satan does not own the land; he simply has present possession. Christ alone has
the right to redeem Adam's lost dominion.

The Law of Qod
Ex. 25 : 21. The ark, the central article of furniture in the sanctuary, was made to con
tain the law of (!od.
Ex. 31 : 18. The tables were called tables of testimony.
Rev. 11 : li). The ark containing the testimony is in the heavenly sanctuary.

Sabbath
Ex. 25 : SO. Shewbread was to be continually kept upon the table in the holy place.
1 Chron. 9 : 32. Every Sabbath the priests were to prepare fresh bread.
Lev. 24 : 5-9. The bread was made in twelve loaves, placed in two rows upon the table.
It remained on the table a week, and was then taken off the table and eaten by tlie
priests.
1 Sam. 21 : (i. The fresh bread was taken hot from the oven each Sabbath morning and
placed upon the table.
All the work connected with the shewbread was Sabbath work; therefore all the anti-
typical lessons connected with it are Sabbath lessons. The bread was a type of Christ,
the "living bread," John 0:51. We as members of the royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:0)
should have fresli truth from the Word of God each Sabbath day, and feed upon the truth
ourselves.Rev. 11 : 19. The ark in the most holy place was made to contain the law of God. John
saw the ark in heaven. The Sabbath commandment, which is the basis of all Sab
bath keeping, is the fourth one in the decalogue, and is found in the heavenly ark.

306 OUTLINE STUDY.
Repentance
Every sin offering taught 'this truth; for the sinner confessed his sins over the head
of the sacrifice before its life was taken.
Lev. 4:27-31. Freedom from sin was clearly taught'; the sinner's sins were "forgiven

him."

Fate of the Wicked

Psa. 73 : 12-18. When David entered the sanctuary he clearly understood the fate of the
wicked. The sanctuary service taught it plainly.
Lev. 3 : 14-17; Lev. 16 : 25. All the fat was separated from the sacrifice and burned.
Psa. 37 : 20. The burning of the fat symbolized the burning of sin and sinners in the fires
of the last days.
Lev. 4 : 8-12 ; Lev. 6 : 10, 11. Even the care of the ashes taken from the altar taught that
important lesson. They were not thrown carelessly aside, but were emptied out on
a. " clean place " prepared for the purpose.
Mal. 4 : 3. The antitype will be fully met when the fires of the last day have fully con
sumed Satan and the wicked, and all that remains of them will be ashes upon the
" clean " earth. Eze. 28 : 18.
Christian Help Work
Ex. 22 : 22-24. God has a special care for the widow and orphans.
Deut. 14 : 29. One who cares for the stranger, the widow, and orphan will be blessed in
his work.
Deut. 24 : 19-22. When the grain was harvested provision was made for the poor.
Isa. 58 : 7-12. Spiritual and physical health come as the reward of supplying the needs of
the poor and helpless. Spiritual Gifts .,
Ex. 28 : 30. The Urim.and Thummim were to be. placed in the breastplate and worn by the
high priest.
Num. 27 : 21 ; 1 Sam. 28 : 6. The high priest learned the mind of the Lord through these
stones in the breastplate.
1 Sam. 23 : 9-12. Direct answers were given from God by means of the breastplate, rep
resenting the direct communication between God and His people, through the
prophets.
" At the right and left of the breastplate were two large stones of great brilliancy.
These were known as Urim and Thummim. By them the will of God was made known
through the high priest. When questions were brought for decision before the Lord, a halo
of light encircling the precious stone at the right was a token of the divine consent or ap
proval, while a cloud shadowing the stone at the left was an evidence of denial or disap
probation."

OUTLINE STUDY.

307

%
3o8 OUTLINE STUDY.
Christian Education
Ex. 12 : 26, 27. One object of the types and symbols was to arouse an inquiry in the
minds of the young, and these questions were to be faithfully answered by the
parents.
Ex. 13 : 7, 8, 14. The eating of unleavened bread and the redeeming of the first-born would
cause the children to inquire why it was done. The instruction given was to be in
answer to the child's own inquiry.
Deut. 32 : 7. Instruction was to be received by questions asked parents and elders. It
was the duty of the parents and elders to faithfully answer these questions.
Josh. 4 : 6-7. Objects were placed in conspicuous places to arouse the curiosity of the
children, and the questions were to be faithfully answered.
Psa. 78 : 6, 7. Faithfulness to God was to be implanted in the child by the instruction
given by the parents.
Deut. 4 : 9-13. The knowledge of the events connected with the giving of the law of God,
was especially mentioned as important in the education of the children.
Deut. 6 : 7-9. The conversation in the home and while engaged in the daily tasks should
always be such as will educate the children in the things of God.
Ministration of Angels
Ex. 25 : 20. The golden cherubim were but a shadow or type of the cherubim " that cov
ereth " in the sanctuary in heaven. Luke 1 : 19.
Ex. 36 : 8, 35. Cherubim were wrought in the curtains that served as " veils " and ceiling
for the earthly sanctuary, and were but a type of the " thousand thousands " and
" ten thousand times ten thousand " of angels that Daniel beheld in the heavenly
sanctuary.
Dan. 7 : 9, 10. To Daniel this vast multitude of angels ministering in the heavenly sanct
uary appeared as a "fiery flame." Heb. 1:7; Eze. 1 : 14.
Baptism
John. 1 : 25. There was something in the Scriptures that taught the people that when the
forerunner of Christ came he would baptize ; for the people were expecting it.
Ex. 40 : 12 16. Washing with water was a part of the ceremony in consecrating the priests.
Ex. 30 : 17-21. Washing with water when they served in the priests' work was so impor
tant that " death " was the penalty for neglect.
1 Cor. 10 : 1, 2. The Lord called the passage through the Red Sea baptism.
Dress Reform
Num. 15 : 37-39. Dresses were made in such a manner that as they looked at them they
were reminded of the commandments of God, and encouraged to obey them. In
their dress they were not to seek after their own hearts, nor their own eyes. If
they did, they would copy the fashions of Babylon.

i OUTLINE STUDY. 309
Deut. 22 : 5. Women were forbidden to wear masculine attire.
Lev. 19 : 19. Garments were ever taken as an emblem of the righteousness of Christ, and
when different substances as linen and wool were mingled it spoiled the figure.
Isa. 3 : 16-24. Foolish fashions are not confined to modern days, but have been in exist
ence from early times. All of the fashions named here, are used in some part of the
world to-day. When the " daughters of Zion " followed the fashions of the world,
it caused Zion to sit upon the ground desolate. Isa. 3 : 26.
1 Pet.3 : 5. It was only a firm trust in God that enabled the women to dress plainly and
ignore the fashions of the world.
1 Tim. 2 : 9. Women should dress in modest apparel.
Gen. 35 s 1-5. After Jacob's daughter had been disgraced (Gen 34 : 1-5), Jacob drew near
to God. He then saw that their manner of dressing was like the world, and he
called upon his family to change their garments and hide their ornaments.
Josh. 7 : 20, 21, 11. Achan coveted the Babylonish garment and lost his place in Israel.

Judgment
Eccl. 12 : 13, 14. The law contained in the ark in the most holy place, is the standard in
the Judgment. Rom. 2 : 11-13.
Jer. 17 : 12. The throne of God has ever been connected with the sanctuary in heaven.
Dan. 7 : 9, 10. Daniel was given a view of the .throne of God in the heavenly sanctuary.
He saw the Great Judge of the universe seated upon that throne. In His presence
the books were opened and every case decided. The sanctuary is the great Judg
ment Hall of the universe of God.

The Lord's Supper
Gen. 14 : 18. Melchisedec, the great priest king of Salem, gave " bread and wine " to
Abraham.
Lev. 7 : 15-21. The "peace offering" shadowed forth the death and resurrection of Christ.
It was to be eaten on the first and second days ; any one who ate the flesh the third
day, by that act, virtually said he did not believe that Christ would be alive upon the
third day.
Lev. 19 : 5-8. Any one who disregarded this injunction failed to see the object of the serv
ice, and thus " profaned the hallowed things of the Lord," and was cut off from
among the people of God. The peace offering was eaten by all the people. It
shadowed forth the death of Christ, while the Lord's Supper commemorates it.
John 11 : 39. Upon the fourth day after death the body had begun to decay.
Psa. 16 : 9-10. The' prophets clearly revealed that Christ's body would not see corruption.
It would not be in the grave the third day.
Acts 2 : 24-27, 30, 31. Peter quoted from the sixteenth psalm to prove the resurrection of
Christ. The people were familiar with the peace offering, which clearly taught the
death and resurrection of Christ, and the converting power of God attended his
words.

310 OUTLINE STUDY.
Righteousness by Faith
Lev. 16 : 13. The incense shielded the priest from death when he went in before the Lord.
Rev. 8 : 3. [margin]. Incense added to the prayers of the saints makes them acceptable
to God.
Note. " It was the work' of the priest in the daily ministration to present before God
the blood of the sin offering, also the incense which ascended with the prayers of Israel.
So did Christ plead His blood before the Father in behalf of sinners, and present before
Him also, with the precious fragrance of His own righteousness, the prayers of penitent
believers." — " Great Controversy" p. 421.
Deut. 15 : 19, 21. The offerings were to be without blemish, thus represen ing the perfect
life of Christ imputed to us.
Lev. 22 : 24, 25. If any one offered an imperfect offering it was not accepted. By faith
they were to see Christ's righteous character in every offering.
Health Reform
Lev. 23 : 27, 29. " Every man was required to afflict his soul while the work of atonement
was going forward. All business was to be laid aside, and the whole congregation of
Israel were to spend the day in solemn humiliation before God, with prayer, fasting,
and deep searching of heart." — " Great Controversy", p, 420.
Isa. 58 : 5. To fast is to afflict the soul. The day of atonement in the type was a fast day.
The appetite was held in perfect control, a type of the control of appetite God re
quires during the antitypical day of atonement.
Luke 21 :34— 36. The Saviour says that during the time of the judgment, while individ
uals .are being "accounted" worthy or unworthy, we are to take heed least we be
come overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness. Surfeiting is taking too freely
of food, whether it be good or bad. Drunkenness is partaking of improper food.
We are to be the master, and not the slave of our appetite.
Isa. 22 : 12-14. In this period when God calls to self-control, many will give loose reins to
their appetite.
Isa. 66 : 15-17. All such will be destroyed, " consumed together saith the Lord."
Deut. 23 : 12-14. The Lord required strict sanitary arrangements throughout the camp,
for He walked, in the midst of His people.
Life Only Through Christ
Lev. 4 : 29. Every sin offering slain, taught that the sinner gained life through the death
of the offering. A substitute was slain and the sinner lived.
Rom. 6 : 23. Sin brings death ; freedom from sin, life through the Saviour.
Tithing
Lev. 27 : 30-34. The Lord reserved as His own one-tenth of man's income. " The earth

OUTLINE STUDY. 311
is the Lord's and the fulness thereof." He has a right to claim a portion of the
wealth.
Num. 18 : 20-28. The Lord used the tithe to support His work in the earth. It was given
to the priests, and they in turn paid a tithe into the treasury.
Heb. 7:1,2. Abraham paid tithe to Melchisedec.
Heb. 6 : 20. Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchisedec.
John 8 : 39. If we are Abraham's seed we will do the works of Abraham — pay our tithe
to support the work of Christ upon the earth. " Even so hath the Lord ordained
that they that preach the gospel should live of the gospel." 1 Cor. 9 : 9-14.
Order
Num. 4 : 17-20. If those appointed to carry the articles of furniture, went in to look at
the furniture before it was covered, they were slain. Each was to come in his
. order. The priests were to cover the furniture, then the Kohathites were to bear it.
1 Sam. 6 : 19-20. The people were punished with death for disobeying and looking into
the ark.
2 Sam. 6 : 6, 7. God commanded that the priests alone should touch the ark.
2 Sam. 6 : 12, 13» When the ark was carried by the priests according to God's direction
the Lord blessed them.
Note. " The directions in regard to order in the tabernacle service were recorded that
lessons might be drawn from it by all who should live upon the earth. Men were selected
to do various parts of the work of setting up and taking down the tabernacle ; and if one
strayed in carelessly and put his hands tb the work assigned to another, he was to be put
to death.
" We serve the same God to-day. But the death penalty has been abolished ; had it not
been, there would not be so much careless, disorderly work in His cause. The God of
heaven is a God of order, and He requires all His followers to have rules and regulations,
and to preserve order." — " Testimonies for the Church," Vol. V, p. 274.

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

Note. — For the benefit of those who may wish to use " The Story of
Daniel the Prophet " as a text-book in either the family or the school, the
following questions have been prepared. The questions are arranged in para
graphs corresponding with the paragraphs in the book.

CHAPTER I.
DANIEL AND HIS FELLOWS TESTED.
1. How long ago did Daniel live? What
is he called ? What should be ctud-
ied? Why? What is contained in
Daniel's prophecies ? Who bare wit
ness to this? Quote the Saviour's
words in regard to Daniel. What do
these words contain? Give the ob
ject of the prophecies of Daniel.
2. What is said of the book of Daniel?
How long was it sealed ? When did
the time of the end begin ? Who
will understand? What is needed
with the book of Daniel to bring one
in touch with God ?
3. With what statement does the book of
Daniel open? When? What was
the result of the siege ? What was
carried to Babylon ?
4. Of what was all this the culmination ?
What is essential ? Of what is this
captivity an object lesson ? What is
necessary ?
5. What was God's design in separating
the Jewish nation from the rest of
the world ? To what was Israel com- .
pared? How was the light kept
burning? When the prophets were
neglected what was the result ? Why
was Jerusalem destroyed? What
proves the truth of the maxim?
Why were the Jews restored ?
6. How long before the days of Daniel did
Hezekiah reign ? What took place
when he had reigned thirteen years ?
312

How much time was given him?
Who visited the king? What did
they see? Why did they come?
What did the king lose ? What mes
sage came to the king from the Lord ?
What would befall his descendants ?
7. What was portrayed ? What was done
with this prophecy ? What question
was asked? What conclusion is
drawn ? How did some mothers re
ceive the thought ?
8. When was a son bom to Hezekiah
and his wife ? Did they regard the
recent prophecy while training their
son ? How old was Manasseh when
he began to reign? Why did he
choose heathen worship ?
9. What is said of Christ ? When did He
accept His appointed mission ? Why ?
What course did Manasseh pursue ?
What came as the result ?
10. What contrast is drawn? Give the
names of the mothers.
11. Was the prophecy sent Hezekiah ful
filled in Manasseh's reign ? What
did the people say ? '
12. When did Jeremiah prophesy? What
did God do through Jeremiah?
Quote the words of the prophecy.
What was given in these words ?
13. What was Josiah spared from? Why?
What was kept in his day? What
promise was given him ? What op
portunity was given Josiah? How
was it given ? How many of Josiah's
descendants reigned? What course
did they all pursue ?

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

313

14. Name the sons. Who reigned before
Zedekiah ? What is the fate of these
kings ? What might they have been ?
What became of the first one ? Give
the course and fate of Jehoiakim.
What became of the treasures in the
temple ? Of the youth ? Why was
- Jehoiakim powerless ? What mistake
did his parents make ? How did he
train his son ? With what result ?
To what is this compared ?
15. What opportunity did Zedekiah have ?
What was in Babylon? How long
had Daniel been in Babylon when a
special testimony came to Zedekiah ?
Repeat the message sent to Zede
kiah. Did he obey? What would
have been the result of his obeying
the Lord? What excuse did he
make?
16. What is revealed in these three sons ?
17. Who was living in the same city with
these kings ? To whom were they
related ?
18. Give date of first siege of Jerusalem ?
How old was Daniel at this time ?
Who was about the same age ? What
is said of Daniel's mother? What
did she repeat over to her son ?
What was Daniel taught to read?
Upon what three subjects did he
receive special instruction? What
story was told and retold? What
will dull the mind to spiritual things ?
19- What is said of the Hebrew songs?
What effect do such songs have
upon an individual ? What is said of
the schools of that time ? How did
the holy mothers live ? In what four
ways did they teach their children ?
20. What is said of most of the young men
in the capital ? Why did they excuse
themselves ? Who did God choose ?
What happened to Daniel and his
companions ?
21. When was the effect of home training
seen ? What three things placed them

on the list of well-favored children ?
What is said of their intellectual abil
ity? Did they lack in the sciences
or essential branches ?
22. What provision was made for them ?
In what did Daniel have unbounded
confidence? Why? What is said
of Daniel's education ? With what
was it in harmony ? How much did
this question mean to Daniel ? What
decision did he make ? What pur
pose did he make in his heart?
What expression shows there were
Hebrew children that were not true
to principle ?
23. Whose counsel did Daniel and his com
panions seek ? With what result ?
What was involved in sitting at the
king's table? What would be the
result of removing the safeguard of
temperance ? How might they have
reasoned ? With whom did they
leave the results ?
24, What two traits of character were
shown in Daniel ? What request did
he make ? Was it an experiment
with them ?
25. Why did the officer hesitate? What
explanation did they give to the ofii
cer ? What did they urge ? Was
the request granted? Why? De
scribe their, state of mind.
26. Who approved of their course ? How
did they appear at the end of ten
days ? What bespoke physical sound
ness and moral purity ? What were
they allowed after this ?
27. Was pulse and water always the exclu
sive diet of Daniel ? When and why
did he choose it ? At what other'
times did' he abstain from flesh,
wine, etc. ?
28. How does Ezekiel refer to the character
of Daniel ? Through what will peo
ple have to pass in these days ?
What does God ask them to give up ?
For what is this a reason ? Upon

314

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

what did Daniel and his companions
get the victory ? In how many ways
could Satan tempt Adam? What
would have been the result of obedi
ence ? What came through the open
door of appetite ?
29. Where did Christ begin his work ?
Upon what was His first temptation
in the wilderness ? In withstanding
this temptation what victory was
gained ? When will God's people be
tempted as Daniel was tempted?
What lies at the foundation of every
reform ?
30. What is embraced in being true to God ?
What is meant by health reform?
What does it call for ? What is said
of too great a variety of food at the
same meal ? Who only are fitted to
bear responsibilities in the closing
work?
31. What is said of the experience of Dan
iel and his companions ? In the midst
of the evils of the court what did
they exercise ? What object did they
have in view ?
32. Who taught these Hebrew children ?
With whom were they connected?
Who • did they imitate? How did
they become educated ? While gain
ing their education what did they also
receive ?
33. What was the result of the examination
at the end of three years ? In what
things did they excel the others ? In
what degree did they excel ?
34. What is said of these youth ? Why
did God honor them ? How did they
compare with the other captives?
In what five ways was their regard for
God and nature's laws revealed?
What is the foundation of the high
est education? What is the result
of faith developed in childhood ?
35. What do our youth meet daily ? Who
will be rewarded like Daniel ? What
s
may every youth bear today ?

36. For what will young men be fitted who
cherish these principles? What is
said of the Waldenses? Give the
result of this work ?
' 37, Give the last words of the first chapter
of Daniel. How long did Daniel
live in Babylon ? With whom was he
acquainted? How long before had
Isaiah mentioned this man ?
CHAPTER II.
A CONTROVERSY BETWEEN TRUTH
AND ERROR.
1. How are we introduced to Nebuchad
nezzar in his own home ? How is he
spoken of in the first chapter ? How
in the second ? Where can we trace
the history of Babylon? What is
embraced in this history ? When will
it end ?
2. What is Satan's accusation ? What re
quest was made and granted ? Where
did he set up his rival kingdom?
What had God told the people to
do? What did they do? Describe
the city. In what council was Satan
then a representative? What was
his design ? After what pattern was
the city modeled ? Describe the gov
ernment. What is the result of man
being exalted above God ? What did
Nebuchadnezzar do for Babylon ?
3. What is said of Nebuchadnezzar ? Of
Babylon? In what were the Babylo
nians especially proficient ?
4. Of what was Babylon proud ? What
caused her to turn away? What was
exemplified in Babylon ? For what
was Daniel chosen ?
5. What is said of the language of the
Scriptures? Of what was Nebuchad
nezzar thinking when he fell asleep ?
With what fact was he well ac
quainted? When was God's oppor
tunity to speak to him ? What was
spread out before the king? What

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

3i5

prevented the king from relating the
dream ?
6. Of whom did the king demand an in
terpretation ? What was their an
swer ? Why did the Lord . permit
this? How did the request of the
wise men affect the king? What
was given?
7. How long had Nebuchadnezzar been
ruling ? With whom had he reigned
the previous two years ? What posi
tion did Daniel and his fellows hold ?
Why did Arioch seek them ? What
question was asked? What reply
was given ? -What did Daniel do ?
What was the result ?
8. What supreme moment comes in every
life ? How had Daniel been prepared
for this test ? What probable reason
is given for Daniel's not being classed
with the wise men of Chaldea ? How
does God confound the mighty ?
9. How did Daniel and his fellows spend
the night? What was shown Dan
iel? Why did not Nebuchadnezzar
see these things?
10. What was revealed in Daniel's song of
praise ?
11. What was developed in the schools of
Babylon ? ' With what was this con
trasted ?
12. How had God taught Egyptian sena
tors? With what words did Daniel
meet the wise men of the schools of
-Babylon ?
13. How did the king appear? Who sur
rounded Daniel ? What words of the
psalmist were exemplified ?
14 Describe the condition of the king?
What is said of Daniel ? What op
portunity did he have ? What did
he tell the king ? To " whom was the
king's mind directed ?
15. What was revealed in one night ? Give
the contrast between profane and sa
cred history. What is said of the
Scriptures ?

16. How did the Lord represent Babylon ?
What did the Spirit of prophecy
point out to the king ?
17. What Scripture illustrates the weakness
of Babylon ? Why was that nation
to be humbled? How would she
seek to save herself ? With what re
sult?
18. Where is the strength of nations not
found ? What alone can make them
strong? How do they decide their
own destiny ?
19. How long did Nebuchadnezzar's king
dom last ? What followed ?
20. Name in their order the three kingdoms
that followed Babylon. How was
Rome divided ? What kingdom will
be set up while the divisions of Rome
are still in existence ? How long will
it continue?
21. What did the image represent ? What
was represented by the different
grades of metals in the image?
How was the division of Rome in
dicated in the image? How long
will the division continue ?
22. What besides the division was repre
sented by the iron and clay ? Where
in the world's history does this begin ?
23. Give the basis of government in heathen
nations. What could not be sep
arated? How is it with apostate
Christianity and the State? How
long will it continue ? What was in
dicated by the stone cut out of the
mountain without hands ?
24. Did the king recognize the dream ? Did
he accept the interpretation ? How
did the king express his feelings?
What did he say ?
25. What position was given Daniel ? How
were his friends honored? When
was the dream given? What king
reigned in Judah?
26. What did God design? What were
God's people compelled to do?
Why? State two things said of

316

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

Babylon. How did th'e Jews lose
the power of God? How did God
make Himself known to the heathen
king? What additional facts are
stated? Why was Daniel and his
companions put at the head of the
empire ?
27. In what position was Nebuchadnezzar ?
In view of this what message was
sent to Zedekiah ? By whom ?
28. Why is the history of Babylon recorded ?
What is the book of Revelation?
To what is the term Babylon applied ?
What at the present day corresponds
to the relation of the Jews to the
Babylon of Nebuchadnezzar's day?
29. What will be repeated to-day? What
is generally accepted? State seven
things toward which the world to-day
is hastening.
30. What four things did God do that
the Jewish nation might become a
teacher of nations ? From what
place is He calling a people to-day?
What will the principles of healthful
living God Has given His people do
for them ? What will be the result
of following God's educational princi
ples ? What is said of the principles
of true government ?
31. How many were true to these principles
in Daniel's day ? How will it be to
day?
CHAPTER III.
TRUE FREEDOM IN WORSHIP.
1. Give the first sentence in the chapter.
How long since the events recorded
in the second chapter had taken
place ? What position did Daniel and
his three friends now hold? What
had these men been doing in these
twenty-three years ? What had hap
pened to Jerusalem and the Jews ?
Where was their king? What did
appearances seem to indicate ?

2. What is said of Nebuchadnezzar at the
time his dream was interpreted?
What is said of his condition at
the time he made the image ? After
what model was the image made ? In
what respect did the image differ
from the one seen in the dream?
What was left out ? Describe the
image.
3. What decree was issued by Nebuchad
nezzar ? Was it obeyed ?
4. Who was watching with interest ? Why ?
5. What two facts are given in regard to
Babylon ? Why is the history given ?
6. State one privilege of a king. One
duty of subjects.
7. What was heard when the company
were gathered together? Give the
words of the herald. How only can
we worship God ? Of what are pa
gans ignorant? What is necessary
for pagan worship ? With what three
things was the erection of the image
in accordance ? With what three
customs was the commandment to
worship in harmony ?
8. With what was this command to wor
ship not in harmony ? What was
being done in the person of the
king? How did God treat Lucifer
and the angels when they refused to
bow before the throne of God ? How-
did the king of Babylon treat those
who refused to bow to the image?
Give the motive power in heavenly
government. In human government.
What is all tyranny? What is it
sometimes called ? What is enforced
civil worship, be it true or false?
With what is it always accompanied ?
What is it called from a civil stand
point? From a religious point of
view?
9. Name those who refused to worship the
image ? Who reported them to the
king ? With what words ?
10. What did the king think in regard to

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

317

the matter ? What brooks no oppo
sition ?
11. What question is given ? What was
offered them ? What awaited traitors
and rebels ?
12. What five classes of individuals were
spectators of the scene? Between
whom was the controversy? What
was at stake ? For what two parties
could they witness ? State four im
portant questions asked in this para
graph. How would you answer
them ?
13. What two important facts had these
Hebrew youth learned ? What an.
swer did they give the king ?
14. How did this affect the king ? What
command did he give ? How did God
begin to vindicate His faithful chil
dren ?
15. Did God allow envy and hate to prevail
against His people ? What promise
is given ?
16. What was the .result of casting the He
brew youth into the fire ? Quote
some texts of Scripture that were
fulfilled in this incident.
17. How was the king affected? What
question did he ask? Give the an
swer. What reply did the king make ?
IS. How did the king recognize the form of
' the Son of God ? What other truth
did the king understand ? What did
he believe t What is said of these
Hebrews ? Of what was this mira
cle the result ?
19. How did the king feel ? What com
mand did he give ? Who were wit
nesses? How closely wrere the He
brews examined? How had God
triumphed ? What was forgotten ?
20. What had the Jews failed to do ? How
did God accomplish the work ? How
widely was the story told ? State
five important truths that were widely
circulated. What became the ab

sorbing theme ? What was the re
sult of that day's experience ?
21. What did the king again acknowledge ?
What was the result of Daniel's in
terpreting the dream ? What was the
result of the three Hebrews being
saved from the furnace ?
22. What did the king at first gain? To
what did it lead ? What was the re
sult ? Instead of the death of three
what was gained ?
23. What probably was taking place in Jeru
salem, at this time ? What message
had the prophet given Zedekiah a
short time before this ?
24. What seemingly strange message did the
prophet give Zedekiah a little later ?
25. How did Zedekiah walk ? What did he
lose? What only could he see?
What would faith have led him to
do?
26. What is said of God's commands?
What always accompanies the com
mand ? If Zedekiah had known of
the decree what would he have done ?
27. For what had God made provision?
How were the plans frustrated ? Give
the pleading words of the prophet.
What is said of Zedekiah ? If Zede
kiah had gone forth to the Chaldeans
what would have been the result?
What fact was made plain to him ?
28. To what was Zedekiah a stranger ?
29. What is said of the three Hebrews?
Did they know they would be deliv
ered from the fire ? What does the
lack of simple faith bring ? What is
God ever ready to do ?
30. What is said in regard to the tests of
our faith ? What is said of every act ?
What is never closed to God's peo
ple ? Who watches every movement
of Satan? Why?
31. Why is the history of the three He
brews given ? Who among the cap
tives obeyed God ? What facts are
stated in regard to these men ?

3i8

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

32. What will bring strength to the will and
body ? What would have been the
¦ result if these youth had compro
mised the principles of temperance
at the first ? For what did faithful
ness to health principles prepare 9.
them?
33. What should be studied with the third
chapter of Daniel? Give parallel 10.
facts in the two scriptures. What
will be given the image ? State what
will take place.
34. Answer the four questions in the last 11.
paragraph of the chapter. Of what
are the scenes in this chapter a min
iature ?
CHAPTER IV.
THE MOST HIGH RULETH.
1. What is the fourth chapter of Daniel?
By whom written ? When ? To 12.
whom was it sent? How does it
come to us? What was the object
in writing it ?
2. What is said of Nebuchadnezzar's reign ?
Of Nebuchadnezzar? What is he 13.
called in prophecy? Why was he
successful ? Relate what is said of
the wars against Tyre and Egypt.
3. What was shown Ezekiel? To whom
was the testimony sent ? Relate the 14.
testimony.
4. Who must have been familiar with this
testimony? Why? Upon what does
this throw light ?
5 Mention the facts stated in regard to
Nebuchadnezzar To whom did he
relate the dream ? Could they give
the interpretation ? Who was called ?
6. What name had been given Daniel?
What did he always retain ? What
opportunity was given Daniel ?
7. What is said of the dream? What 15.
story had been handed down by tra
dition ? Describe the tree seen in
the dream. What strange fact is
given in regard to the tree ? 16.

. What was sheltered by the tree ? What
part of the tree did the king see ?
What is said of the roots of any tree ?
Upon what do the leaves and fruit
depend ?
. What did Nebuchadnezzar see ? What
command was given ? What is said
of the stump of the tree ?
What is said of this message ? What
had been shown the king in his for
mer dream ? Give the parting words
of the angel.
Why did Daniel's thoughts trouble him ?
What did the king do ? Give Dan
iel's words. Where did the princi
ples of the Babylonian kingdom origi
nate ? What were they ? State what
is said of Babylon. What is said of
tyranny in governments at the pres
ent day ?
What did Babylon implant in all con
quered territory? What was prac
ticed ? Who held full sway ? What
are the mysteries of Greece ? What
is said of the golden cup ?
What are the nations and people of the
present day doing ? Where did the
festivals of Christmas, Easter, and
Hallowe'en originate ? What is said
of the root of the Babylonian tree?
What is said of the influence of Baby
lon in educational lines ? Where did
the principles of education in the
world originate ? What is prominent
in the book of Daniel ? What came
in direct contact, every time the He
brews met the Chaldean wise men ?
What two facts were shown by this ?
Give some of the facts stated in re
gard to the so-called " higher educa
tion," of to-day. What is this edu
cation ?
What were planted in Babylon ? For
what was the Holy Watcher seeking ?
What were all nations seeking?
What did they receive ?
What was said of the leaves of the tree?

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

'319

Of the odor ? Of the plant ? Against
what should we guard?
17. To whom does a part of the dream ap
ply? What would come upon Nebu
chadnezzar on account of his pride ?
How long would this condition con
tinue? How did Daniel exhort the
king ? Could the king ayert this sen
tence? Why did it come upon the
king?
18. How much probationary time was given ?
Give the words of Nebuchadnezzar
at the end of the year. Whose
words was he repeating? While
thinking these thoughts what hap
pened to the king? What had God
given the king? What could He
take away? What is said of the
mind ? Give the words of David
quoted in this paragraph.
19. If God can not save one in prosperity
what does He bring? Who is clear
from censure ? Show how this was
illustrated in the case of Nebuchad
nezzar.
20. What is necessary ? What experience
comes alike to nations and individ
uals ? How is this illustrated in the
church? Who will be brought to
confusion ? What is hid in Christ ?
What originates with God? Who
rules?
21. For what was God working ? What did
Nebuchadnezzar gain from the seven
years' experience ? With what Scrip
ture quotation does the chapter close ?
CHAPTER V.
THE LAST YEARS OF THE BABYLONIAN
KINGDOM.
1. Give the four principles that can be
learned from a studyof the history of
Babylon as recorded in the book of
Daniel ? What is seen in Babylon ?
What were counterfeited ? Accord
ing to what laws was Babylon built ?

What was the result of the mingling
of good and evil ? Why was Babylon
allowed to run its natural course ?
2. What did God do to vindicate Himself ?
What three statements are made
showing God's favor ? Why did God
send them warnings and entreaties?
Of what is it a forcible commentary ?
3. What would have been the result if-
Babylon had accepted the proffered
help?
4. Of what need none be ignorant ? What
will give them information? What
is an object lesson to the nations of
to-day ? What is said of Babylon's
growth, failures and destruction ?
5. What do all nations have ? What rec
ord is kept ? When are nations de
stroyed ? What is said of what ap
pears to happen by chance ?
6. What does the study of the book of
Daniel demand?
7. How much time between the fourth and
fifth chapters of Daniel? When did
Nebuchadnezzar's reign end ? What
is said of his reign ? Who succeeded
Nebuchadnezzar? What is said of
the history of this period ? What
was the one object of all the experi
ences? What course did Babylon
pursue ?
8. How many times is Evil-merodach men
tioned in the Bible ? What is men
tioned? Relate what was done for
Jehoiachin.
9. With what was Evil-merodach familiar ?
Who may have been his instructor?
What was delayed beyond Evil-mero-
dach's reign? What followed his
reign ?
10. -Who finally came to the throne ? When
was Beishazzar associated with him ?
When was the kingdom overthrown ?
What relation was Beishazzar to Neb
uchadnezzar ?
11. Where do we find Daniel ? What did
he see ?

320

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

12. What is said of the reign of Nabona-
dius and Beishazzar? What was well
known ? Who will be among the re
deemed at last ?
13. When did the oppression of the Jews
become unbearable?
14. What instruction was given the Jews
when they went into captivity ? How
long did the captivity last ? What
did God's people have to keep them
from mingling with the heathen ?
What did the Babylonians mock?
What was forbidden? What was
demanded? What did Jeremiah
say ? Of what did the Babylonians
boast ?
15. Of what was this oppression a fore
taste ? By what name are both pe
riods called ? What were the Jews
obliged to do ?
16. Give six important truths taught by the
Tews. What was well known to
the Babylonians ? With what three
prophets were they acquainted?
What is said of Daniel? Of Eze
kiel? Of Jeremiah? What nations
through the spirit of prophecy
knew of the fall of Babylon? What
fact was known by many of these
nations ?
17. How did God use His people ? To
what is Babylon compared? What
took place in 539 B. c. ? Who
heard the news ? What message was
then given? Who withdrew from
Babylon ? Did the Persians come ?
What was Cyrus doing ? What
prophecy was thus fulfilled ?
18. What came to Babylon one spring ?
How was it received by the two
i classes ? What came the next spring ?
What was the result ?
19. What began? What fate awaited the
Babylonians ?
20. What had come ? Who was interested ?
Who was asleep ?

CHAPTER VI.
THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL.
1. What time had arrived ? Did the peo
ple know of it ? How were the peo
ple spending that night? How was
it in the dens of Babylon ? How in
the palace halls? Where were the
nobles ? Who else were present ?
What was this feast, and to whom
did they drink ? What did the king
order? As they d/ank, whose bless
ing was invoked ? Did the cup reach
the king's lips? By whose hands,
and after what models, had those
vessels been made? Who had
watched them when taken to Baby
lon ? Who had guarded them while
there ? Of what 'was their presence
a witness ? Does God let such dese
crations go unnoticed ?
2. What did the king see on the opposite
wall? How did it affect the king?
What ceased? Upon what did the
one thousand guests look ?
3. Who were called to read the writing?
Could they read the language of
heaven? How did the four charac
ters appear upon the wall ?
4. What had been the condition of the city
for several days? What had the
Lord said about their earthly protec
tion ?
5. What becomes of the strongest strong
holds when God's hand is laid upon
them ? Had the rulers of Babylon
learned this lesson ? Who had never
owned his weakness? Who had
watched the progress of affairs in
this great city ? Of what was it the
battle-ground? Between whom was
the controversy ?
6. Who had mustered these forces against
Babylon? Whom was God using?
What had God said about Cyrus
entering the city ?

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

321

7. While the king and his lords were drink
ing, what was Cyrus doing ?
8. When the Chaldeans could not read the
writing on the wall, how did it affect
'the king? What did he know?
What did the queen mother remem
ber about Daniel ?
9. Who was called into the banquet hall ?
What did the earthly monarch prom
ise him? How did the prophet of
God appear before the terror-stricken
throng ?
10. How were children named by Israel in
early times? Whose names were
changed by God ? What is the mean
ing of the name Daniel? What had
Nebuchadnezzar called him? In
whose honor was this name? Did
this affect the prophet ? How did he
speak before the king? What was
this moment to them ? What is said
of Daniel's age ? How did these re
wards affect him ? What did he
proceed to do ? How did he speak
to Beishazzar?
il. What did he say? How were these
words spoken? What had Beishaz
zar done ? What had he severed ?
Of what is the natural breath a sym
bol? How had the king used his
breath and powers ? Where and how
were these characters written ?
12. How were the people affected? Give
the four terrible words. What was
their meaning ?
13. In what way does God deal with men ?
What is a common belief among
idolaters? To whom was it familiar ?
How did the explanation of the writ
ing affect the magicians ?
14. Is this symbol still applicable? By
whom had God sent an explanation ?
Give Ezekiel's explanation. When
a man accepts Christ, what is written
opposite his name in the books of
heaven? As long as he hides in
Christ, how is he known? How does

God deal with men ? If the worst of
sinners repents, what does God take
into account ?
15. How does God deal with nations?
What does this explain ?
16. What had God given the Babylonian
monarchs ? Who had long hovered
over this earthly government ? What
had been bestowed upon them. For
what purpose? What happened at
last ? What only could be the result ?
What was the last word that Daniel
read?
17. How was Daniel attired ? By the time
this was done, what was heard ?
18. What were their enemies doing while
they were feasting ? What had pre
vented Cyrus from entering the city ?
How did the men enter the river?
When the Babylonians were feeling
secure, what had they neglected
to do?
19. As soon as the enemy entered the city,
what happened? Did the Babylo
nians receive the news in time to save
themselves ? Toward what place did
the enemy rush ? What words had
the prophet uttered describing the
scene ? Who had controlled the king
dom? What did the prophet ex
claim ? What raged through the
street? With what did they fight
hand to hand ?
20. What became of the king ? Who took
the kingdom? What had come to
an end ? When an individual or na
tion becomes lifted up in iniquity,
what comes to pass ?
21. What question naturally arises ? What
is a simple and natural answer?
What had Daniel found out by the
study of prophecy? Knowing this,
what was his attitude towards Cyrus ?
22. What was there a good reason to be
lieve ? When he was excluded from
BelshazzarTs council, where did he
spend a portion of his time ? What
21

?22

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

is said of the province of Elam at
this time ?
23. With whom was it probable that Daniel
had formed an acquaintance? On
what other occasion did the priests
reveal to a leading general the proph
ecy concerning him ? What is evi
dent from the first chapter of Ezra ?
24. What does God always give those who
are walking in the light ? What great
truth does this illustrate ? Where is
there always a Witness ? What does
the recording angel write against
the unfaithful ? Where is this Wit
ness ? How may we feel ? What
must be rendered ? What will every
man reap ?
25. What are nations repeating to-day?
Who was an instrument in God's
hands to punish Babylon ? What will
the next overthrow of governments
usher in ? For what are the nations
now mustering their forces ? What
cry has gone forth ?
CHAPTER VII.
DANIEL IN THE LIONS' DEN.
1. What is contained in the first five chap
ters of Daniel ? With the close of
the fifth chapter, what nation is intro
duced? Give name and age of the
ruling king . Who is associated with
him ? What is his position in the na
tion ? How was this change in king
doms represented in the image of the
second chapter? Were the Medes an
unknown power? Give the earliest
Bible record of this nation.. How
were the Medes first brought in con
tact with the Jews ? How long was
this before the fall of Babylon ?
What can be said of their worship ?
What reason is given for this?
2. With what were the Medes and Persians
brought in close touch ? Name the
elements they worshiped. Where

did they establish their worship, and
what was kept continually burning ?
In what did they believe? Quote
the words of Isaiah to Cyrus. How
is God's position shown in these
words ?
3. What was the physical condition of the
Persians? Give the reason for this.
What were the Medes and Persians?
Where do we leam of the organiza
tion of the kingdom ? Into how
many provinces was the kingdom
divided? Why was this change im
portant? Upon what did peace de
pend? Who were placed over the
one hundred and twenty princes ?
4. What appointment was made out of the
usual order ? What made it still
more unusual ? What is revealed in
Daniel 8:1,2? What probably gave
him this position ?
5. What is said of Daniel's character ? Of
what is it a witness ? In what way
was Daniel an example to all office
holders? What fact shows that he
served God and not a man-made
party ? In order to be a good busi
ness man is it necessary to be a
"policy man"? While prime minis-
¦ ter, what was Daniel receiving ? To
what is the usual type of a states
man compared ? What pleases the
Lord ? How may a man preserve his
integrity ?
6. What was Daniel's duty as chief of the
presidents? Why were they to re
port to Daniel? What was the
character of the presidents ? In what
respect did the Babylonian govern
ment resemble those of the present
day ?
7. Quote the divine description of the con
dition of the nation. Where will we
find the details given? What are the
nations of to-day ? Even in the best
governments, what is seen ?
8. Give points of similarity between Rome

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

323

and Babylon. Upon what was Rome
built ? What other nations repeat
the same story ? Where may we
read the details Daniel had to meet ?
What three things are shown in the
sixth chapter of Daniel ?
9. Why did the king plan to promote Dan
iel? What did the presidents plan to
do? Give the principles of divine
government from which Daniel would
not swerve.
10. Was it easy to condemn Daniel? In
what way could they condemn him?
With whom did their underhanded
ways bring them in conflict ?
11. Who waited upon Darius? What did
their words reveal ? With what false
hood did they address the king ?
12. In whom did the king have confidence ?
Give the import of the decree. What
made the document a law ?
13. Why was God especially interested in
Babylon ? What is the difference
between knowing God and knowing
about Him? Through whom did
God manifest his power ? How long
had Daniel witnessed for Him ?
14. Describe Daniel's character. What did
he realize ?
15. Did he know of the decree ? What
course did he pursue ?
16. What appointments did he keep ? Tell
of his spiritual life. Which life could
his enemies comprehend ? What par
allel is drawn between Christ and
Daniel ? In what way was Daniel
prepared to meet the nervous strain
of business ? What is the weight of
the atmosphere ? Why does it not
crush us ? Of what is it a type ?
How can we equalize the pressure of
trials ?
17. What course did Daniel pursue ? Who
were in the councils when they plot
ted against Daniel ? What did the
spies discover ? What accusation was
made ?

18. What did the king discover? How did
the king spend the day ? How did
they meet every argument of the
king ?
19. When is God's opportunity ? Give Dan
iel's prayer. What was impossible ?
20. Where did Darius and Daniel meet ?
Who was best fitted to enter the den ?
Give Darius' words to Daniel. How
was the mouth of the den secured ?
21. When again did Satan exult as he saw
a stone laid over an entrance ? Could
either Christ or Daniel be held?
Where was the angel? Describe
Daniel's experience in the den.
22. Was there ever a time when all beasts
were gentle ? What made them fero
cious ? What will harmony with God
again restore ? Who was with Dan
iel ?
23. How did the king spend the night?
Give the words of the king to Dan
iel, and his reply.
24. What reply was given the woman at
Christ's tomb ? Why was Daniel pro
tected ?
25. Give the fate of Daniel's accusers.
What did the nations of the world
see? What effect did it have upon
Darius and Cyrus? What special
light was given Daniel after this ex
perience ?
26. Give Darius' decree. What decree was
given by Cyrus ?
27. Where can we learn the fate of evil
men ?
28. Give the substance of the last paragraph
of the chapter.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE SEVENTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.
THE JUDGMENT SCENE.
1. What is dealt with in the first half Of
the book of Daniel? What is con
tained in the last six chapters? How
far do the visions reach ? What does

324

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

the prophet see in the future ? What
may we know from these guide-posts
of the prophet ?
2. What history is given in the seventh
chapter of Daniel ? Give the central
theme of the chapter.
3. What remarkable fact is mentioned?
What was shown to Nebuchadnezzar ?
Why ? What was opened up to Dan
iel ? Where did the angel of revela
tion linger ?
4. The seventh chapter of Daniel reveals
the history of what people ? When
was this vision given ? To what does
the giving of this view bear testi
mony ? How old was Daniel ? How
many years had he been in the court ?
What testified to the purity of Dan
iel's life ? Who had been shown
these things before ? Why could the
Spirit reveal these things to Daniel ?
5. Give the words of Hosea. By what
symbols were the kingdoms repre
sented? Of what are winds a sym
bol ? What was represented by the
water? What did the beasts repre
sent ?
6. How many kingdoms were represented ?
In what way had the first one been
represented to Neb uchadnezzar ?
How did it appear to Daniel ? How
had Jeremiah spoken of Babylon ?
7. When had Habakkuk spoken of Baby
lon ? What did he say ?
8. When Daniel watched the lion in vision,
what unnatural position did it take ?
What was indicated by this change in
position ?
9. Give Habakkuk's reason for this sud
den weakening of the power of Baby
lon. What unpardonable sin did
Babylon commit ? When did Daniel
witness the overthrow of Babylon ?
10. By what symbol was Medo-Persia repre
sented? What was its character?
Give the nationality of Darius and
Cyrus. Who ruled the kingdom ?

Who was the leading spirit? What
is represented by the beasts ? How
is Medo-Persia represented in the
eighth chapter of Daniel? What
portions of Scripture are mentioned
as revealing the bear-like nature of
Medo-Persia ? How many years are
covered by the history of the second
kingdom ?
11. What is said of the third kingdom?
What name did the angel give for
this kingdom? By what beast is it
represented? What is indicated by
the four wings and the four heads of
the leopard? How is the Grecian
kingdom represented in the eighth
chapter of Daniel?
12. Of which beast did Daniel wish to know
particularly ?
13. Describe the fourth beast.
14. What did the angel say of the lives of
the beasts ? How is this shown in
the second chapter of Daniel ? How
was the same truth represented in the
fourth chapter ? Explain the way in
which these principles have been
handed down from nation to nation.
What was the condition' when the
fourth kingdom appeared ?
15. What did Rome renew in religion ? In
education? In cruelty? When did
Rome succeed Greece? What were
the ten horns? With what part of
the image of the second chapter does
the fourth beast harmonize ? How
does the history of Rome differ from
that of the preceding nations?
Where in prophecy do we find the
details of the decline and fall of
Rome ? By whom and when was it
broken into ten parts? Name the
ten kingdoms.
16. State Rome's opportunities to receive
the gospel. How was light offered
to Babylon ? To Media and Persia ?
Did Greece also have an opportunity
to receive the light? In what way

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

32S

was Rome especially favored, and
how did they treat the light ? What
j udgment came on the nation ?
17. Did Roman history end with the divi
sion? Quote what is said of the
little horn. Give in detail the account
of the plucking up of the three horns.
18. Describe the appearance of the little
horn.
19. What was the condition of Rome ? To
what is the rise of the little horn
compared? By what name is it
known ?
20. Why did Babylon and pagan Rome fall ?
Describe the work of the little hom.
21- What position did Rome hold in the
days of Christ ? Who preached in
Rome ? With what results ? What
gradually crept into the Roman
church? What did Paul call it?
What was grasped by the church ?
When was this power assumed?
What decree then went into effect?
Besides speaking stout words, what
was done by the little hom? How
much power did it have ?
22. Upon what did the little hom lay hands ?
Give the various means used to keep
Europe in darkness for over a thou
sand years.
23. How long was this power to continue ?
Give the texts that speak of it. In
how many different ways is it spoken
of ? When did it begin ? When was
its dominion taken away ? Is his
power yet destroyed ?
24. What besides earthly scenes was shown
to Daniel?
25. When was the Saviour crucified ?
Where was He slain ? Where did
He go ? Of what was the day of
atonement a type ? Quote Spur-
rell's translation of the scene.
26. Who abides in the holy of holies? Of
what is the throne of God the center ?
What revolves about it ?

27. What is gravity ? What is done by it ?
From whence is all life ?
28. What did every offering bring to the
mind of God? What will Christ
ever retain ? With what is the tem
ple filled?
29. Give the words of the Psalmist.
30. Can we comprehend God ?
31. When was the door into the holy of
holies opened ?
. 32. What is said of the opening of the
judgment ? Where do you find the
only description of the judgment
scene?- Where is the only pro
phetic period which marks the time
of the judgment ? When did the
twenty-three hundred days begin?
When did they end ? What message
went forth at the close of the days?
How widely was the message
preached ?
33. When did Christ go in before the Fa
ther? Why could this not have been
when Christ ascended into heaven?
Who accompanied Christ when He
went in before the Father? When
were the books of record opened?
Who has witnessed each sin ? Of
what does God have a faithful record ?
34. Who intercedes for each name ? What
is written opposite every name that
is confessed ? Describe the scene
that follows.
35. How long has the judgment been in
session? What will be decided be
fore its close ?
36. Which beast continues after the investi
gative judgment opens ? When does
it attract attention ? What took place
in 1870? While Christ was pleading
in man's behalf, what was man doing?
37. Why did Babylon fall ? What did Dan
iel say of the fourth beast? What
becomes of the fourth beast ?
38. What is said of the fifth kingdom?
Who will establish it ? Who will pos
sess it ? Who will come forth in the

326

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

first resurrection.' Who will be trans
lated ? What will become of sin arid
sinners ? What will be blotted out ? 5.
Who will witness the triumph of
truth'? What is forgotten ? 6.
CHAPTER IX.
THE EIGHTH CHAPTER OF DANIEL.
1. How long since the vision of the seventh '
chapter? What subject had often
been upon the mind of the prophet ? „
Why diu he keep the matter in his
heart ? What changes had taken
place during the two years ? How did
this affect Daniel? Where was Dan- „
iel living at that time ? What was
the capital of Elam ?
What was Elam formerly ? Who led
in the revolt ? What had Isaiah fore- „
told? What did Daniel see ? Why
does this vision begin with Media and
Persia ?
2. Where was Daniel taken in vision ? De
scribe the ram and its conquests. By
what was the second kingdom repre
sented in his previous vision ? What
is shown by both symbols ? What
was represented by the uneven horns
of the ram ? What is the best com
mentary on the Scriptures ? Give the
words of the angel.
3. How was the increase of the kingdom
represenf ed ? In the days of Cyrus,
how many provinces, were there?
How many in the time of Esther?
What was the kingdom then called?
How was the monarch spoken of ?
What is said of Xerxes in the
eleventh chapter of Daniel?
4. Give the second symbol in the vision. 16.
From whence does it come ? In what
manner ? Describe its appearance.
What is said of the fourth king after
Cyrus? When was this fulfilled?
How large was Xerxes' army?

10.11.

12.13.

14.
15.

Where was it defeated? What had
prophecy foretold ?
How did Greece attack Medo-Persia?
Quote Spurrell's translation.
Who were the commanders ? What be
came of Medo-Persia? Why? Who
stood by the Persian monarch ? What
had the nation been in God's hand ?
Whose example did they follow?
Whose fate did they share ? What
good deed was done by Persia ? How
is the life of a nation prolonged ?
Where did the ram and goat meet ?
Give the historical fulfillment of this
meeting. What other defeats fol
lowed ? What was the result ?
In what does Alexander stand without a
rival ? Give a sketch of his early life.
What did he proclaim himself?
What caused his death ?
Who directs in the rise and fall of king
doms?
By whom can the Lord save?
Will mighty armies always save a na
tion? Who is the Lord especially
watching ?
Who controls all nations ?
Give fulfillment of the great hom's being
broken. What did the four horns
represent ?
Name the four generals and the territory
governed by each.
What comes out from one of these
horns ? How was this power symbol
ized in the seventh chapter? In the
second vision? How does one feel
when reading of this power ? What
was concentrated in this power?
What is it said to be? What was
brought upon the field of action to
counteract the gift of heaven ?
What did Gabriel say of this power?
If our eyes are directed heavenward,
what do we receive? What takes
possession of those who resist God's
love ? What is said of the extent of
the kingdom ? Give wrhat inspiration

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

327

says of " the little horn." What be
came of cities that resisted Rome ?
Give the description of the govern
ment given by the angel.
17. Mow was the great arrogance of Rome
displayed? Quote Daniel 8: 11.
18. Mow does God regard His people? Of
what did Rome first deprive the
Jews ? When d i d Christ come ?
What did Rome see ? With whom
did He identify Himself ? What did
He prove ?
19. What did Rome do with Christ? In
what condition was paganism ? What
was its last act ?
20. How did Satan work ? What crept into
the church ? Where lay the power
of the early church ? What was done
by Christian mothers ? What text
book was used ? Were the children
left in the pagan schools ? Could
they eat with the pagans ?
21. How and why did Satan put his princi
ples into the new church ? What
drove out the spirit of life? What
fell before the rising power of the
hierarchy ? What choked the life of
the new church ? What was taken
away? What did Rome nominally
become? What is said of the em
peror ? What decrees were passed ?
Who attempted to exalt themselves
above God ? Whose principles were
received ?
22. How does John speak of the transfer of
power? With what is Daniel 8:11,
12 a parallel? Give the work of the
little horn of Daniel 7:25. How
many times was Daniel shown the
twofold history of Rome ? Describe
each.
23. How did this affect the prophet ? Did
he understand the • time of fulfill
ment? Give three definite events
that were shown the prophet. How
did these scenes pass before him?
Who was watching ?

24. How long and for what has the universe
waited? What do the angelic hosts
wonder ? Who only knows the time ?
What is shown by the thirteenth
verse ? What question was asked by
Gabriel ? Give his answer.
25. For what did Daniel long ? Who ap
peared before Daniel ? What com
mand was given to Gabriel? How
was Daniel affected by Gabriel's ap
pearance ? With what words did the
angel address Daniel ?
26. How did OaDriel commence the expla
nation ? In what way did he speak
of the two thousand three hundred
days? What did Daniel see that
caused him to faint ?
27. What is taught in the eighth chapter
besides the line of prophecy ?
28. What gift is to be coveted ? What does
the study of Daniel's life reveal?
What position does Gabriel hold?
Give his words to John. To Daniel.
Whose attendant is Gabriel? Who
formerly occupied his position ? Who
appeared to Mary? To the shep
herds ? Who guided the wise men ?
29. What did Gabriel bring to Christ ? How
did he comfort Him ? How were the
Roman soldiers affected by his pres
ence? Tell of his presence at the
Saviour's tomb.
30. Where did the Saviour go ? Who com
forted the disciples ? Which one of
the angels has been most closely con
nected with man ? What did he for
bid? Is Gabriel one of the Trinity
of heaven ? How does he count
himself ? Who communicated with
every prophet ?
31. Who was Lucifer ? Since his fall, how
has he used his power? What can
you say of false prophets ? Who will
finally appear as an angel of light?
What will be the safety of God's
people ?
32. Where was Daniel carried ? What was

328

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

shown him? What does the river
represent ? What are located on the
banks of the stream of time ? Who
presides over the stream of waters?
From where was the voice heard ?
Give the words of the angel.
CHAPTER X.
THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.
1. How much time intervened between the
eighth and ninth chapters of Daniel ?
What were the parting words of Ga
briel? Of what did Daniel think
while attending to the king's busi
ness ? Why was he called into the
court of Babylon ? What calamity
had befallen Babylon ? What posi
tion had been given Daniel ?
2. For what did Daniel always find time ?
3. What had prophecy said of Cyrus ?
What was drawing • near? What
prophecy told of the length of cap
tivity ? Over what was Daniel prob
ably perplexed ? What did the cleans
ing of the sanctuary then mean to the
Jews ?
4. How many times did Jeremiah give the
length of the captivity? Give the
quotations. What was near ?
5. Of what is this prayer an example ?
What had darkened the vision of
many ? What relation did they sus
tain toward the truth of God ? How
were they personally situated ? How
did they look upon the journey to
Jerusalem ?
6. What was strong in the hearts of many ?
Seventy years after Cyrus' decree,
where were many of the Jews ? What
proportion ever returned ? To whom
were they compared ? How was the
spirit of- prophecy received? What
did they choose ? Did Daniel know
of this condition? With whom did
he identify himself ?
7. Where did he place himself? Give a
portion of the prayer.

10.
11.

12.

14.

15.16.17.

Of whom was Daniel a representative ?
To whom is his prayer a rebuke ?
With what words did Daniel approach
God? With whom was he ac
quainted ? With what two arms
may finite man reach Infinite Love ?
How was the prayer received ? Why
are our requests often unanswered?
How are we sometimes tested ?
When did Gabriel touch Daniel ?
What did Gabriel first mention ? Give
his words. What was necessary that
Daniel might receive the Spirit ?
Who were God's special favorites?
What words were spoken to but few ?
Who is greatly beloved of the Lord ?
With which verse does the explanation
of the time begin ? With what was
Gabriel acquainted? Quote Daniel
9:24. How much is contained in
this verse ? What is said of this
verse? What exact date is given?
What other important facts are given
in the verse ? In this interview what
part of the two thousand three hun
dred days was given ? What had al
ready been revealed to Daniel ?
How many years in seventy weeks?
What does this period cover ? When
was it to begin ? Into what periods
was Jewish history divided? What
was accomplished during the first pe
riod? To what does the second
period extend? What would the one
week cover? To what is this last
week devoted ?
What four prophets give us the history
of the forty-nine years? For what
was Cyrus raised up ? What did Isa
iah say of him? What was he to do ?
Where do we find Cyrus' decree ? Give
a portion of the decree.
Could all retum to Jerusalem ? If they
were too poor to go, who would bear
the expense? Had there ever been
such a decree before ? What should
Israel have done ? What should the

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

329

exodus have been ? How would it
have compared with the going out of
Egypt ?
18. Who watched the preparations? How
many had gone at the end of the flrst
year?
19. How did Cyrus feel about it ? Who
worked to again arouse Cyrus' in
terest ?
20. What was returned to the leaders of the
Jews ? What work was begun in the
second year? What is said of the
site of Solomon's temple ? Who
soon stopped the work ? Under what
king was the work resumed ? How
many years was the work stopped ?
What two prophets now began to
prophesy ?
21. How had the Jews provided for them
selves? What did God want them to
do ? Who helped them ? Who tried
to hinder them ? What was the re
sult ? How was the money supplied ?
22. How long was Jerusalem governed by
Persia? What was issued in the
seventh year of Artaxerxes ? Give
the six principal points in the decree.
What did it establish? Was this a
common thing?
23. In what year was this? What period
began with this date ? What is shown
by Ezra 0:14?
24. Who describes the " troublous times "
in which the wall was built ? What
position did Nehemiah hold ? How
many years after Artaxerxes' decree
did Nehemiah go up to Jerusalem?
Who directed tlie work of building
the wall ? 1 1 ow did they build ?
25. What lessons of Nehemiah should be
followed by Christians to-day? Of
what is the rebuilding of Jerusalem a
fit symbol ? Who was responsible
for the trouble? What did a few
years of rest always bring? Mow did
they treat their own brethren ? What
is necessaiy in order to be " free in

deed"? What will take place when
God's people proclaim liberty among
themselves ?
2(1. Quote Daniel 9:25. Give the Greek
and Hebrew words for "anointed."
When and with what was Christ
anointed? What event closed the
sixty-nine weeks ?
27. Four hundred and fifty-seven years from
Artaxerxes' decree reaches to what
date ? Twenty-six years added, brings
us to what event? Give date of
Christ's baptism.
28. For what had the Jewish nation looked ?
Who controlled the Jewish nation at
the close of the sixty-nine weeks ?
What was the desire of every Jewish
mother? Did they know where the
Saviour would be born ? Who proph
esied of John ? How long had his
voice been heard ? How many his
torical facts established the time of
John's preaching ? Who came to
hear John's preaching ? How did
John recognize Him ?
29. Who was looking for the Saviour?
What did John say of him? What
did Christ say of the time? In
what condition was the nation ?
What book would have enlightened
them? What books, if studied, will
warn the world to-day ?
30. What two signs were mentioned by Ga
briel? How many of the seventy
weeks remained? What was done in
the first half of the week ?
31. What was to take place in the " midst
of the week " ? When was this ful
filled? How was this shown in the
temple ? What became of the sacri
ficial lamb ? Who had withdrawn
from the temple? What forever
ceased ? When did these things take
place ? How did God still try to save
the Jewish people ? Give the results".
When was Stephen stoned ? What
resulted from this persecution ? How

33°

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

32

33

long after this was Jerusalem de
stroyed ?
What can you say of the accuracy of
the date 457 B. c. ? Give four events
establishing it. How does history
establish it ? In what two ways can
you reckon this peiod ?
How many of the two thousand three
hundred years were explained by Ga
briel in the ninth chapter? How
many remained ? When did the four
hundred and ninety years end ?
When did the twenty-three hundred
years end ? What events then began
to take place ?
34. Are any living who helped to give the
advent message? How long before
1844 did they begin to sound the mes
sage ? Who was foremost in this
work ? What mistake was made ?
When was this message preached?
How did the disappointment affect
many? What did further study
show ? What special light was shown
them?
To what did the sanctuary spoken of by
Daniel refer? By investigating the
typical sanctuary service, what was
revealed ? Whom did they behold in
heaven ? Of what was the work of
the high priest a figure ? Upon what
work did Christ enter in 1844? In
what was William Miller mistaken ?
In what was he not mistaken ?
Where are the events between A. D. 34
and 1844 given?
What may we expect? What should
we do ?

35.

36.

38.

CHAPTER XI.
THE SANCTUARY.
1. What led to the disappointment in 1844?
2. How many sanctuaries are brought to
view ? What is the first ? How
many have been permitted to see it ?
What is the second ? How was it
built ? How long was service held

4.

10.

11.
12. 13.

in the second ? What did those fol
lowing the shadow reach ?
When did the Saviour leave the temple
for the last time ? What did He say ?
How did His words affect the peo
ple ? Although the building remained,
what had ceased to be? How did
the Father confirm the words ?
Does the sinner now need a priest to
offer his sacrifice ? What has been
made ? Who can accept ? What
way was now open ? What had taken
the place of the earthly sanctuary?
Where was man's faith now to cen
ter?
What is the third temple mentioned
in the Bible ? Of what had the Jews
lost si^ht ? Of what did they think
when Jesus spoke of His body-tem
ple ? What did Jesus say ? Give
their reply.
What comes to those who study the
typical work ? When these rays are
gathered into the body-temple, what
do they reflect ?
What was God's original plan ? Who
gained possession ? Give the result.
What was necessary to make the
body a pure temple ?
Why were innocent animals slain ?
Where did Adam present his offering ?
What did he see by faith ? How did
his heart respond? How did nature
teach the death of Christ ?
How were the altars at first lighted?
Who first failed to appreciate the
sacrifice? Of what did Satan con
vince him ? What was the difference
between Cain's and Abel's offerings ?
Describe Abel's offering. Was it ac
cepted ?
Describe Cain's offering. Why was it
not consumed ? What was lacking ?
Of what are Cain and Abel types?
How did the followers of Cain wor
ship ? What did they overlook ?
Anciently what did each family have?

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

331

What position did the father occupy ?
What decided who should act as
priest ?
14. What did Jacob see ? Tell the story of
Joseph. What was Joseph ?
15.' Why was the earthly sanctuary built ?
What did God say ? How long be
fore Moses went up into the moun
tain ? How many days did he re
main there ? What had been lost in
Egypt?
16. What did God do to reach man in his
fallen state ? Of what was the serv
ice in the earthly sanctuary a shadow?
17. What was the whole Jewish econ
omy ? What was every act in that
service ? What is this work called ?
18. Why did they not see light flashing
from sacrificial off erings ? Whom did
they rej ect ?
19. Follow step by step the work done by
the sinner who brought an offering.
Give the work of the priest.
20. Describe the ark.
21. Describe the articles of furniture in the
first apartment.
22. Where was the blood placed ? What
was signified by this ? What does
the sinner behold ?
23. Was the sinner forgiven ? What does
he say of his influence? Where was
the blood poured? What does the
blood represent ? What fact is taught
by this act ?
24. Who separated the fat from the offer
ing? What was done with the fat?
What did this work typify? Why
was the burning of the fat a sweet
savor to God ?
25. What lesson was taught the sinner by
the act of separating the fat from the
offering ?
26. What truth was taught while searching
for the fat? To what is the Spirit
compared ? What did the sinner re
alize ?

27. Describe the offering where the flesh
was eaten by the priest. What
wonderful truth was taught by this
service ?
28. What did each offering present ? Of
what was the incense an object-les
son ?
29. How often was the fire replenished ?
What were the people doing at the
time of incense? Give the antitype
of the seven lamps. How many are
enlightened by the Spirit ?
30. What did the table of shewbread rep
resent ?
31. What position did the ark occupy, and
what did it contain ? What names
are accepted ?
32. Give the significance of the continual
burning. What was done with the
ashes, and what truth was taught
thereby ?
33. Mention some things that would call
forth questions from the children.
34. What was the design of much of the
service in ancient Israel ?
35. What question would the children ask
in regard to the passover?
36. Why were the stones piled up by Jor
dan ? What would a correct answer
to the children's inquiries acquaint
them with ?
37. Describe the offering for the leper.
What change will be made in the air
by the blood of Christ ?
38. What is said of earth, air, and water?
What w-as typified by the earthen
dish containing the blood? By the
cedar wood and hyssop dipped in the
blood?
39. Of what was the scarlet wool dipped in
the blood a pledge ?
40. What have we to study ? What will be
restored through the blood of Christ ?
With what did the blood of Christ
come in contact ? How were the two
extremes in vegetation represented at
the cross ?

332

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

41. Was there an antitype of the scarlet
while His blood was flowing from
those cruel wounds ? Describe the
scene at the cross.
42. What three statements are given in re
gard to the blood of the world's Re
deemer ? What is said of him whose
sins were as scarlet ?
43. What was typified by the various feasts ?
Give the antitype of the passover
and the first-fruits.
44. To what did all the services point ?
45. What was the crowning service of the
year, and what was accomplished by
it?
46. What was revealed to Daniel ? When
did it begin ? What was seen when
the ark was opened in heaven ? What
encircled the fourth commandment ?
To what did they listen ?
47. When did the j udgment open ? What
is the standard in the judgment?
What is God's will concerning His
people? Of what was the day of
. atonement a type ?
48. How anciently did all know when the
day of atonement came? How was
it kept ? What was the difference be
tween the day of atonement and the
weekly Sabbath? What was read
from the Sacred Scroll? How was
the day spent ? What statement was
repeated ?
49. Give the difference between Gentile and
Jewish homes. Give the work of the
priest in the temple.
50. Who were represented by the two goats ?
What was done with the Lord's
goat ? Give in detail the work of
the high priest in the most holy
place. Where did he pause as he
came out ? How did he cleanse the
golden altar in the first apartment ?
For what were the people listening ?
51. When was the scapegoat introduced ?
Describe the part the scapegoat had
in the service.

52. Did the congregation behold this serv
ice ? How did the people feel when
they beheld this service ? When did
they rejoice in freedom from sin ?
53. What does the antitype mean to us?
What was shown by the day of atone
ment's being a rest and a fast day ?
54. In what time are we living ? What are
we admonished to do ? When the
last case is decided, what decree will
be issued ? Who comes in for a part
in the service after every case has
bean decided ?
55. Who will behold the sins laid upon Sa
tan? Where will he spend the thou
sand years ? Where will he go at the
end of that time? When will type
fully meet antitype ? What will then
be seen ?
56. What is said of the sins of Israel?
What will reign forever ?
57. What is Christ doing for us ? Are you
performing your part ?
58. What was necessary in the type in order
for the work to be of any avail for
the people ? Who was cut off ?
59. Answer carefully each question asked in
this paragraph. How many will heed
the warning ? What will they do ?
CHAPTER XII.
INTRODUCTION TO THE LAST VISION.
1. What is recorded in the last three chap
ters of Daniel ? To what is the tenth
chapter a preliminary? To what was
Daniel drawing near ? How were his
last days spent ? What had taken
place since the events recorded in the
ninth chapter? To what was his
godly life a rebuke ? What did God
do to those ungodly men ? How was
Daniel regarded by Darius? Upon
the accession of Cyrus, where did he
remain ?
2. What had Cyrus done in the first year
of his reign? How did he feel re-

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

333

garding the Jews ? Why did Cyrus
doubt the wisdom of the decree?
Whom did the Jews represent ?
When pardon and freedom are of
fered, what do they choose ? Why
was the voice of God dimly heard by
the Jews?
3. What two things weighed heavily upon
Daniel? At what did he wonder?
What was it he could not understand ?
4. What did he determine to do two years
after the decree? Did he practice
total abstinence from food? What
did he partake of, and how did he
spend his time ? What was his pur
pose? Of what does the spiritual
life often partake ? How should the
soul affect the body ? Where did
the prophet go to strengthen his
mind ? Whom did he take with him ?
What led the prophet's mind out
after God ?
5. How long did he thus seek God? As
he looked up, whom did he see
by his side ? How did the vision af
fect his companions ? To what is the
countenance of Christ compared?
What is the character of one who
can bear the light of heaven ?
6. How did the eyes of the Son of God
appear? How has He promised to
"guide thee " ?
7. What had Daniel's ears long been ac
customed to hear ? How did t h e
voice of the Son of God sound to
Daniel ? How does it sound to ears
unaccustomed to heavenly sounds?
Who afterward had a similar experi
ence ? In what two ways was the
same voice heard ?
8. How did Daniel feel when he compared
himself to Christ ? How does he de
scribe his condition? Describe his
position.
9. As Gabriel touched him, and lifted him
up, what did he say ? Describe the
touch of Christ's hand

10. Describe the touch of Gabriel's hand.
Who should have this life current
in them to-day ? Why did Christ
come to earth?
11. How long after Daniel began to pray,
was the vision given? Explain the
cause of Gabriel's delay. Where had
the angel been ?
12. Until a nation is rejected by God, who
are in the midst of their councils ?
Who is a constant watcher in legisla
tive halls to-day ? Of what is every
just decree the result? Where was
this influence at work ? What would
have been the result if Daniel had
ceased to pray at the end of one or
two weeks? Quote the promise in
regard to prayer. Why do we not
always receive an immediate answer ?
13. What did the angel ask the prophet?
For what purpose did he say he had
come ? What is the physical condi
tion of those in vision ? When could
he speak ? Who stood by his side to
strengthen him? What did he ex
plain ?
14. Can the effect of the Spirit of God on
a person be explained ? Who speaks
through the human instrument? In
what condition are the eyes of one
in vision ? What do they see ? When
earth's attraction is broken, where
are they taken ? When a live coal is
laid upon the lips, what do they
speak ?
15. How did Gabriel express his love for
Daniel? How did the gray-haired
prophet respond?
16. What were revealed ? How does man
often record events ? Why ? What
class of events are recorded when
God writes history? Where is this
fact especially noticeable ? How does
Gabriel give the events of hundreds
of years ? What does he bring into
prominence ? How can these events
be understood ?

334

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

17. What books should be studied in order
to understand the scriptural history
of Persia? To what period is the
history carried in these books ? When
is the record silent ?
CHAPTER XIII.
HISTORY OF THE DECREES.
1. Why did the angel begin with the Per
sian history ? When was the vision
given ? What had Daniel seen in
vision ? Who is the only authentic
Historian? Where is the only unbi
ased history found? How many un
broken threads are there in the web
of life ? What is this ? In what way
is Egyptian history noted ? When
and for what is a nation noticed by
the Divine Historian ?
2. Why did the Medo-Persian kingdom ex
ist ? When did it pass from the
stage of action ?
3. When was the Medo-Persian nation
born ? Who was the first king ? Give
his age. Who stood by him during
- his reign? What opportunity was
given Darius ? What position was
given Daniel ? Did Darius know of
the true God ? How did he respond?
How long did he reign ?
4. Who worked with the kings of Persia ?
Give the first words of Gabriel in this
last vision. Who . can help when
God's influence is withdrawn? What
emphatic illustration is given ?
5. How long had Cyrus been reigning?
When had he given freedom to the
Jews ? Where was the news her
alded ? What did he offer the Jews?
How did they respond ? Of what is
this a commentary ?
6. What was the character of Babylon ?
What was the nature of Cyrus' de
cree ? Of what is this an illustration ?
7. Why were the Jews so slow ? What
should they have done ? Give the re
sult of attending Babylonish schools.

8. If they had been true, what might have
been? When was this opportunity
offered them ? What brought Daniel
and his fellows into favor with the
king? What might have been es
tablished then? What had God
always intended? Did Israel do this?
What answers the question ? What
was the result ?
9. How was it with those who went to
Jerusalem? How did the laying of
the foundation of the temple affect
the old men ? How did the delay on
the part of the people affect Cyrus ?
How long did Daniel fast and pray
before his prayer was answered?
What were Michael and Gabriel do
ing during this time ? What was
Cyrus ready lo do had the Jews done
their part? Is there any further rec
ord of Cyrus? Why was his work
but partially accomplished ?
10. Who influenced the Jews to delay?
What part did Gabriel act ? How
long did Cambyses reign ? How did
he spend the most of his time ? What
is Cambyses called in the Scripture?
Who wrote letters of complaint to
him against the Jews ? Why were
they unnoticed? What liberty was
still given the Jews? Why did they
remain in Babylon ? Did they ever
wish they had left Babylon ?
11. Where was Cambyses slain? Who
took the throne ? By what name is
he known in history ? What is his
Bible name ? How long did he reign ?
What did he do during this . time ?
Where do we find this letter ? Is
there anything else recorded of this
monarch ?
12. How did this letter affect the work at
Jerusalem ? How did the Jews rea
son? Whom did God raise up at this
time ?
13. Give the financial condition of the peo
ple.

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

335

14.

15.

16.17.

18. 19.

21.
22.

23.24. 25.

26

27,
28

How did God work in Babylon ? Who
succeeded Smerdis ? How is he
spoken of in Ezra 4 : 24 ?
While the Jews were so unbelieving,
what was God doing? What did
Haggai and Zechariah do ? Who 29.
next warned the Jews to cease work ?
What did the leading Jews quote to
vindicate their cause ? Who wrote
to the king, and what was the result ?
What was seen in this? What com
mand was given to their enemies ?
What did Tatnai and Shethar-Boznai do ? 30.
Why was seeming defeat turned into
victory? What was the result of
God's confounding worldly policy ?
What warnings were still heard ?
How long did God keep Darius' heart 31.
tender toward His people ?
Who was watching for the Jews to re
turn to Jerusalem? What was given
Zechariah ? What opportunity was
given Jerusalem ? What did Zecha- 32.
riah hear one of the angels say to
another? What did God promise for
a wall ?
What words of the Lord were heard? 33.
What was embraced in this promise ?
What did Cod say should be seen
through the whole earth? What re
markable promises were uttered ?
To what time were their minds pointed ?
What was the effect of their beginning 34,
to build ?
Who recorded the promise of the latter
rain? Study carefully the marginal
texts by the promise of the latter 35
rain. What would be in Jerusalem?
What did the prophet see in the
future ?
' Who was reigning in Persia when these 36
visions were given ? Why were these
promises not fulfilled in the past ? 37
Who are heirs to the same promises
to-day ?
What prophecy was given by Daniel ?
Who were the three kings that followed

Cyrus ? Name the fourth king. When
did he come upon the throne ? Give
his Bible name. What book in the
Bible is wholly devoted to the Per
sian history during his reign ?
When did Persia reach the height of
its glory ? How many provinces did
Persia then rule ? What was the
capital city ? Describe the display of
Xerxes' wealth as recorded in Esther.
What other feast was similar to this?
Describe the furnishings of the palace.
What familiar story is mentioned?
What was the result of the queen's
refusal? Who was Esther? With
whom had she lived ? Give her char
acter from childhood.
What position was held by Mordecai ?
Give the- moral condition of the court.
What did Mordecai refuse to do?
How were the Jews regarded at this
time ? What had they failed to do ?
How long had mercy been extended?
Mention the different times when
forty years had been given' to accom
plish a certain work.
What decree was issued after the Per
sians had waited about forty years for
the Jews to leave Babylon? What
did God permit when entreaty failed ?
What does God prepare in the midst
of persecution ?
Who had guarded Hadassah? When
men failed to represent God's work,
whom did he use ? How could God
use Esther's beauty ?
Give the import of the decree. How
was it proclaimed throughout the
kingdom? In what did Satan tri
umph ?
Where was the decree first published?
What was the effect?
How did Esther receive the decree?
What did it bring to her? Who
joined with her in fasting and prayer?
How did she approach the king?
What was before her?

336

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

38. By whom and how had God prepared
for her deliverance ? ^
39. Give the fate of Haman, and the re
ward of Mordecai. How did the
Jews escape ? What is a counter
part of Haman's decree ? Where will
it find many of the professed people
of God? How will God's true peo
ple be delivered ?
40. Why is this record preserved in history ?
41. How is the character of Xerxes shown ?
Why did he muster an immense
army? What accompanied the ef
fort?
42. Under whose reign was the final decree
issued for the return of the Jews ?
43. Where is this decree found? When
was it issued ? What wonderful pro
phetic period began at this time ?
What did Artaxerxes' decree con
tain ?
44. How long was this after the decree of
Cyrus ? In what year did Nehemiah
go up to Jerusalem ? How had Ezra
suffered ? How were the walls built ?
In what ways did the Jews reform ?
45. What proportion of the Jews were
saved ?
46. What might Jerusalem have become ?
What power was next mentioned by
Daniel ? What became of Media and
Persia ?
47. What is included in the history of the
decrees ?
48. What do we individually find in the his
tory of Persia ? What should we do ?
CHAPTER XIV.
HISTORY OF GREECE.
I. What is contained in the first two verses
of this chapter ? What history is
given in verses 3-13? What was
made known to Daniel T What had
been difficult for Daniel? In what
manner is this last prophecy given?
2. What is said of the words used, and the

events selected ? In reading the Bi
ble, what two lines of thought are
found? How must we seek for the
deeper meaning ? Of what may the
reader catch a glimpse ?
3. Why did God give the history of these
four kingdoms ? What creates an in
centive to understand the prophecies ?
What increases the desire to study
the book of Daniel? What is rep
resented by the history of Babylon as
a nation ? Notwithstanding its splen
dor, what was it ? What was written
above the city?
4. Whose daughter was Medo-Persia ? Of
what did she partake ? What is said
of her religious principles? What
partially checked the wickedness of
Medo-Persia? What is revealed in
the decree of Ahasuerus ?
5. In what did Medo-Persia take an im
portant part ? How was it with the
Greek nation ? What relation did
she sustain to Babylon ? How is this
illustrated in the family relation?
Who are the three daughters of Baby
lon ? How do they differ ?
6. What nation spans the gulf between the
Old and the New Testament ? What
period was without a prophet? Of
what family are the Grecians descend
ants ? Where did they settle ? What
was developed in this broken country ?
What did they have in common ?
7. To what did their religion bear a close
resemblance ? How were these forms
and ceremonies carried to other na
tions ? What became a model to the
Greeks? Where is the origin of
everything good and beautiful?
8. By what was the gross idolatry of Baby
lon and Egypt replaced in Greece?
What can you say of these customs ?
How was the aesthetic taste of the
Greeks developed ? What was lack
ing in their nature study ? What did
they worship ? Give the result.

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

337

9. What can you say of their history ?
Why did they wander in darkness?
Of what is their history a reminder?
Whom do the worldly students of
to-day worship ? Upon what are they
fed ? Of what are they ignorant ?
10. Did the Greeks offer sacrifices ? How
was the spirit of prophecy manifested ?
11. What can you say of the Grecian priest
hood? What replaced the sacred
feasts of Jehovah's people ? What
did the feasts promote ? What did
the Grecian games promote ? Why
did God's people meet together?
What was the object of the Grecian
gatherings ?
12. What history is included in the Grecian
history ? What can you say of the
people ? Who was Plato ? When
did he live ? . What was combined
to form " the traditions " in Christ's
day ? What was the " science falsely
so-called " ?
13. With many, what has replaced the Bi
ble ? What can you say of Plato's
teaching? How did his followers
come under the condemnation of
Christ ?
14. Where do we find the most subtle er
ror? Where was this mixture first
found ? What was enslaved by Baby
lon ? What was conquered by Greece ?
Give the effect of this.
15. Give what the angel said of Persia. Of
Greece. What is said of Alexander's
character and education ?
16. When did he begin to reign? What did
he do ?
17. By what symbol was the third kingdom
represented ? How long a period was
covered by this symbol ? What was
represented by the wings of a fowl?
By the lithe form and spots of the
leopard ? With what is Grecian ed
ucation inseparably connected ?
18. Name some of Alexander's conquests.
What three gifts were combined in

Alexander ? How. did he seek to win
the favor of the conquered races ?
19. Describe Alexander's visit to Jerusalem.
Who went out to meet him ?
20. How did Alexander surprise his army?
What was explained to him ? Into
whose presence was h e brought ?
What message was given him ? With
what results ?
21. How did Alexander gratify his pride ?
What might he have been ? Of what
was this the result ? What was the
outcome of such a choice ? Of what
is this a commentary ?
22. What choice is shown by his doing
" according to his will " ? How many
minds are there in the universe ?
Name them. When we claim to ex
ercise our own mind, whose mind
controls us ? What brings liberty ?
Of what is the Greek philosophy the
continuation ?
23. Give an account of the struggle for
power after Alexander's death. How
long did the strife continue? In
what way was it settled? What
prophecy was thus fulfilled ? Which
division was first overthrown ?
24. How were the divisions reduced to two ?
When ? Quote Spurrell's translation
of Daniel 11:5.
25. Give the first two kings of the North,
and the first three of the South.
26. What did Gabriel give Daniel ? What
relation did these nations sustain to
the people of God ?
27. Explain how Greece was the universal
power. What entered every country
Alexander had conquered ? Show the
extent of the Greek religion, games,
education, and language. What city
became an educational center ? Give
the quotation from the Encyclopedia
Britannica.
28. Give instances where Israel twice escaped
Egyptian bondage? By what were
they finally captured ?

338

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

29. Locate the history of Greece. What
can you say of the system of educa
tion that God gave ? For what did
'Israel often exchange it ?
30. What prepared the Jews to accept
Greek teaching ?
31. To what extent were the Greek games
introduced ? What is said of Greek
names ?
32. Tell of the Saviour's early education^
Where were other youths educated ?
t 33. What is a wonder to man ? What did
God turn to His glory? What was
done by Ptolemy Philadelphus ? How
did this tum to the glory of God ?
How was man without excuse ?
What was the household tongue at
this time ? To what is the word of
God compared ?
34. What is shown in Daniel 11 : 3-5 ? What
was the enemy's plan? Under this
influence what was accomplished ?
35. What is found in Daniel 11 : 6-13 ? In
what way did the Greek influence in
the northern kingdom differ from that
in the southern? Which division
carried forward the work symbolized
by the leopard and rough goat ? What
two opposing powers are seen in his
tory? In what way was this mani
fested in the Middle Ages ?
36. What fact is revealed by history ? What
nations have trouble ? In what direc
tion have universal powers gained
conquest ?
37. In spite of all this, what was attempted ?
Quote Spurrell's translation of Dan
iel 11 : 6. What can you say of this
verse ? How long before its fulfill
ment was it written ? Relate the his
tory that fulfilled this verse.
38. Give the history that fulfilled verses 7
and 8.
39. Did the trouble cease at this time ? Who
held much of Syria? When ? Who
undertook to regain this territory?

Describe the sons of Callinicus and
give their names.
40. What two kings began to reign about
the same time ? Give the character
of the southern king. What was the
result of Antiochus' invasion of
Egypt ?
41. What did Ptolemy attempt ? Who pre
vented it ? What was the result ?
What might have been during this
period? Why did the Jews locate in
Palestine ? Where were they ? If
they had done their duty, what would
have been the result?
42. What should have been an object les
son to the Jews? Where should
the youth have gone for an educa
tion ? Who should have been teach
ers ? What did Israel seek ? '
43. Between whom was. peace concluded?
How long did it last ? What did An
tiochus design ? What was he made
to realize ?
'44. What power is introduced in the four
teenth verse ? What is said of Gre
cian struggles after this time ? How
• was the power of Greece perpetu
ated? What is her shrine? What
can you say of that power to-day?
How long will it continue ?
45. What choice is offered the Israel of
to-day? How may eternal life be
gained? What course will bring
death ? Why ? What is the motive
power of God's system? What is
exalted by the Greek system ?
46. Why has eternal truth always shown on
the pathway of men? When does
Greek philosophy and skepticism
come forth in full force ? What is
the only safeguard ?
CHAPTER XV.
THE FOURTH KINGDOM.
1. What power is introduced in the four
teenth verse of the eleventh chapter ?
How far did Gabriel follow the his-

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

339

tory of Greece ? What prevailed in
the once mighty empire of Alexan
der ? .Of what did the angel of proph
ecy speak? How was the fourth
kingdom introduced ?
2. How was every word given ? Is there
any significance in the introduction of
what was to become the mightiest
kingdom on earth ? What was it to
be to the people of God ? How was
Rome represented in the seventh
chapter ? What were its characteris
tics ? What was this power to speak ?
How did this affect the prophet ?
3. What did Daniel see in the next vision ?
From whence did the little horn
spring ? How was this kingdom de
scribed ? What was to be its char
acter? What attitude did it assume
toward Christ? What is meant by
establishing the vision ?
4. Putting all these thoughts together,
what do we , see ? What did each
nation have, and- why is it here re
corded? Of what was Babylon an
example ? What did her religion
counterfeit ? What was the result of
this? Of what was Medo-Persia a
type ? What is said of her laws ?
How were the heads of this despot
ism kept in check ?
5. Wherein was Greece different from the
two preceding nations ? How did she
gain control? When Babylon was
overthrown, and Medo-Persia was no
more, where was Greece ?
6. What is said of the fourth kingdom?
How is Rome represented in Revela
tion 13:2? What united in this king
dom? What are the principal points
in the history of any nation ? What
was the character of Rome ? Why
was the time of the supremacy short
ened ?
7. In what year did Ptolemy Epiphanes
fall heir to the throne of Egypt?
Who planned his overthrow and the

division of his empire ? What power
arose to prominence before the
prophet's eye ? Had Rome been in
existence before ? How far back does
the traditional history of Rome date ?
What prophet began to prophesy
about the time Rome was founded?
Who founded Rome ? What was the
character of the Romans? In the
establishment of a strong central gov
ernment, who aided the people ?
What beast received a seat, power,
and great authority from the dragon ?
8. What must the' student recognize in each .
nation ? When Satan found he had
failed in the history of Babylon,
Medo-Persia, and Greece, what did
he attempt? What city did he
choose ? What can you say of his
plans? What did Satan hope ? How
long will his efforts last ?
9. By what was Rome first ruled ? What
was spanned by Greek governments ?
Who demanded representation in the
Roman government ? How long did
the kings rule ? Who reigned for the
next two centuries ? In whose hands
did the government finally rest ?
10. How does God rule ? Who are repre
sentatives in the councils of heaven ?
Why was Satan admitted to this
council ? What did he attempt to do
in Rome ?
11. How did Rome begin her career as a
conquering nation? How was her
constitution developed ? How did she
acquire her territory ? Locate and
name a rival city. How long did
Rome fight for supremacy? With
what result ? How does Ridpath ex
press the policy of the government ?
12. What was Rome doing while she hov
ered over Carthage? What nation
was made one of her provinces?
What was the result ? What was for
bidden? What was this state of
things called ?

340

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

13. Who were sold in the slave markets of
Rome ? What became a proverbial
expression for anything cheap?
What policy scheme is mentioned?
A few years later, what became of the
Macedonians? What is said of the
Grecians ? From what were the Ro
mans relieved ? What was this
called?
14. What family was still bearing sway in
the Eastern world? Who proposed
to unite with Philip V. of Macedon ?
Who interfered ? What happened to
Antiochus in the battle of Magnesia ?
15. Who controlled Egypt ? Why ? What
is said of the Roman army and the
extent of its power ?
16. What is said of the republic of Rome ?
What is impossible when nations de
part from the principles of true lib
erty of conscience? Is this true in
individual experience? When only
is true liberty known ?
17. What does this line of policy demand ?
What can you say of the Roman
army?
18. State what is said of the power of the
Senate.
19. What did tradition make the Romans ?
What does the inspired penman say
of this ? Who came to Rome as the
Prince of Peace ?
20. What relation did the religion of Rome
sustain to the government ? What
was the one all-absorbing institution ?
What is necessary to become great ?
What took the place of character ?
21. What did the form of religion do in
Rome? What were some of the'
leading features of the papacy ? Who
was deified ? Give an illustration of
this.
22. Who was the highest religious officer
during the reign of paganism? What
/ paved the way for the papal hierarchy
of later days ?
23. What was borrowed from Greece?

29.

24. For what did it train a class of citizens?
25. Of what is Roman law the basis ? Of
whom is the Roman lawyer the fore
father ?
26. How many plans 'nave God and Satan ?
What are they ? What is all history?
What is national history?
27. What do students often forget? To
what is national history compared?
What should be remembered ?
28. At what point did Gabriel call attention
to the fourth kingdom? In what
condition was the republic? What
is said of this transition period be
tween the republic and the empire?
As the republic lost its power, who
composed a corporation ? Who con
trolled the money? Who had the
army ? Who was the master mind f
What countries were conquered by the
Roman army? Who entered Jerusa
lem ? What was made known to him ? v
How did Pompey enter the city?
Where did Rome now stand ? When
was this ?
Who chose Palestine as the home of the
Jews ? What was God's will concern
ing His people during the Roman
supremacy ? With what had God in
trusted His people ? What was the
object of God in bringing different
nations to the Jews? If the Hebrew
race had been true to its appointed
duty, would the history of the world
have been changed ? Who came to
Jerusalem? Why? What was the
result ? Why ?
During what rule did Rome again enter
Egypt ? Who requested Pompey to
visit Egypt to settle difficulties?
What became of Pompey ? Give an
account of Caesar's visit to Egypt.
Have we any record that Caesar eve*
acknowledged God as the Ruler of
the nations ? By whom was he fasci
nated and corrupted? What does
the seventeenth verse describe?

30,

31

32.

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

341

What is said of the character of
Egypt?
33. After leaving Egypt, where did Caesar
go ? What was the famous dispatch
he sent to Rome ? What did he do
on his return to Rome ?
34. What is said of Caesar? What was
granted to the citizens of many cities ?
What did he grant to all scientific
men of whatever nationality ? What
were found among his-papers after his
death? How did he die ? What did
Gabriel say he would do ? Why was
heaven watching ?
35. When did Julius Caesar come to an un
timely death? What became of
republicanism ?
36. Who died shortly after this? What be
came of Antony ? Who alone re
mained ? What does Gibbon say of
this ? Whose ambition leveled every
barrier of the Roman constitution ?
What power did the provinces gladly
welcome ? Who restored the Senate
to its former dignity ? When are the
principles of a free constitution irre
vocably lost ? Who was proclaimed
emperor of Rome ?
37. What is Augustus called in Daniel
11:20?
38. What was the condition of the world at
this time ? How extensive was the
territory of this government? Why
did Satan exult ? What did this mo
ment of quiet resting precede ?
39. AVhy did Mary and Joseph go to the lit
tle town of Bethlehem ? What was
most favorable to Christ? Whom
had Satan opposed since the rebellion
in heaven? How did Christ come
into the world? Who had often
tended his flocks on the plains of
Bethlehem? What did the shep
herds hear? What had the wise
men been reading ? What did they
see ? What did they know ? How
was it with the rest of the empire ?

40. Give at least ten facts regarding Bethle
hem.
41. What is said of the story of Bethlehem ?
How many knew of the birth of
Christ ?
42. How much is given concerning Augus
tus? What had he unconsciously
done ?
43. Why was Cyrus called to the throne?
Of what was Caesar Augustus an
agent ? Who was to be bom in the
city of David ? ,
44. Who was reigning during the most of
the life of Christ? How does Ga
briel describe Tiberius ? What is said
of him ? What began to manifest
itself ? What entirely ceased ? What
right did the emperor usurp ? What
did the governors of Judah reflect ?
What was the condition of the Jews
when the time drew near for the Sav
iour to appear ? Upon whom did
they base all their hopes ? What did
they expect He would do? What
was Satan's studied plan in all this?
45. What did he seek to do in Babylon?
What did he hope to do through the
Medo-Persian kingdom ? What did he
do through the teachings of Greece ?
What did this lead men to forget ?
In what did a few have faith ? What
was John the Baptist's work ?
46. While Tiberius was reigning and plan
ning, what was the Man of God do
ing ? Who watched Him ? Who
attended and shielded Him from the
enemy? What did they finally do
to Christ ? Who was responsible for
it? Who upheld them in the act?
If the Jews had not put Christ to
death, who would have done it ? Who
nailed the Son of God to the cross?
With whom did they join hands ?
47. Name the representatives from the
quarters of the globe that stood
near Christ in His last hours. Who
helped bear the cross ? What did

342

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

the Roman soldiers

say?

What

was typified by the darkness that
shrouded the dying form of Christ?
What did the light that shown about
the tomb when the Son of God came
forth, typify ?
CHAPTER XVI.
THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY.
1. What had been tested ? In whom did
eternal truth dwell? How did the
death of Christ affect Satan ? Look
ing forward to His crucifixion, what
did Jesus say? After Satan was cast
out of heaven, with whom did he
meet from time to time ? What had
these unfallen beings questioned?
What did they witness ? Since Sa
tan was cast to the earth, how has he
worked ?
2. How and where was the gospel
preached ? How long did it take
to warn the world? What was the
result of the persecution in Jerusa
lem? What barrier did the gospel
break down ?
3. What was the result of the spread of
the truth ? What has been the great
est drawback in Christian experience ?
4. What was the character of the love of
the first church ? How and for what
purpose did mothers watch their
children ?
5. What, did the pagans notice in the new
sect ? What is said of the Christians
and their worship ?
6. What had the enemy of all truth sought
to do ? What was the condition
when Christ came ? What did Sa
tan do to deceive the Son of Man ?
How was Christ tempted? What
dwelt in mortal clay ? What was
broken by His resurrection? From
the foot of the cross, whom did God
choose ? For what purpose ?
7. What did Outward pressure fail to do ?

What examples are given? What
nations have attempted to overthrow
the truth ? What new plan was de
vised by Satan? Of what plan is
this a repetition ?
8. What did Paul write to the Thessalo
nians concerning the working of this
power ? Of what is it a description ?
9. What crept into the pure church ? Who
lay in the Christian garb? With
what did the mystery of Christ come
in contact? Who only is safe from
deception ?
10. When did the mystery of iniquity begin
its work ? From this period onward,
of what power does history speak?
How did the mystery of iniquity
work? What is said of the distinc
tion between kings of the North and
of the South ? What two sides of
this controversy are manifest ?
11. What is said of the " Church of God "?
12. What characteristics mark the true
church? How has God honored
them ? What has been offered every
denomination? What is the effect
of rejecting truth in nations and in
dividuals? Who fill the vacancies?
How long will this succession be kept
up ? Who Will enter the Eternal City ?
When was this struggle revealed to
Daniel ? What does the history of
Rome become ?
13. To whom were the most details given ?
What is said of the church of the
first centuries? What is said of the
church of the second and third cen
tury ? For how many centuries were
Christianity and paganism in open
conflict ? How did it affect the fol
lowers of Christ ?
14 What is said of Rome in the third cen
tury of the Christian era? What
made it hard for the emperors to con
trol affairs? Where was the author
ity ? What pressed the Roman em
pire on every side ? What did

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

343

Diocletian conceive ? Whom did he
associate with him to accomplish this
purpose? Who were associated with
the Augusti?
15. Who was the Caesar of the western di
vision of the empire ? When was
Constantine confronted by bitter
foes? What is said of his policy?
16. With whom did Constantine make a
league ? What did Constantine out
wardly acknowledge at this time ?
Under whose name did he now fight ?
17. What does Gibbon say of the use of
the cross ?
18. What had replaced the humble follow
ers of Christ ?
19. What was complete in the days of Con
stantine ? Whom did Constantine
conquer, and over what did he sit as
sole monarch ? How did he treat the
Praetorian guard, the senate, and the
people ?
20. Give the substance of the extract from
, Gibbon. Upon what are these words
a sad commentary ? How does Con-
stantine's life compare with the pa"
gans?
21. Who made the first religious law in the
Christian era ? What noted edict
was passed by him in 312 ? In what
year was the first Sunday law passed ?
What council did he convene in 825 ?
What was done . by this council ?
How did the conflict which then be
gan affect the church ? Of what was
this a great object lesson?
22. What followed in the wake of his reign ?
What did he. leave to his heirs?
State what is said of Constantinople.
When was the city founded? How
long was it from the founding of the
city to the victory of Octavius over
Antony at Actium ?
23. Of what was this new policy the out
working? What had the kingdoms
of the past followed ? What was the'
central thought with them? With

whom did this policy change ? What
was enthroned in the place of pagan
ism ? What is said of Christianity
at this time ? What does Gibbon say
hereafter the historian will describe ?
24. How is the work of the devil described ?
What were the results of Constan-
tine's work ?
25. What is said of the council of Nice ?
26. By what has the Christian world been
torn asunder ? What can you say of
Alexandria ? Who was Athanasius ?
Who was Arius ?
27. What two powers met on the battle-field
when Constantine contended for the
throne of Rome ? Where was a
more deadly conflict ? What early
Fathers adopted the philosophy of
the Greeks, and applied it to the
study • of the Bible ? Where did
higher criticism have its birth ? Of
what was it the result ? Of what is
it a revival? Give the result of in
troducing Greek philosophy into
Christian schools. How did this af
fect the Roman world, and what did
it establish ?
28. What two leaders came from this teach
ing? What is said of the disputed
points over which they wrangled ?^
For what purpose was the council of
Nice called ? Who called this coun
cil, and was present in person ? What
creed was recognized as orthodox ?
29. What began when this creed was an
nounced and published to the world ?
Did this check the spread of Arian
ism ? Where was the doctrine popu
lar ? What was the faith of the Van
dals? What other nations believed
the Arian faith? Where did they
settle ? Into what countries did
Arianism spread? What was the
faith of the emperor ? Who became
the champion of the Catholic cause ?
When ? '
30. What was to become of three of the

344

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

divisions of Rome? Where does
this part of the history begin in Dan
iel 11?
81. What is said of Justinian's reign ? To
what is the success of Justinian due ?
32. What noted warrior favored the Catho
lic faith? Under pretence of pro
tecting the dethroned Hilderis, what
was done? How was he confirmed
in his work ? What did the bishop
say in prophetic tones? For what
purpose was this "holy war" deter
mined ?
33. State facts in , regard to both armies.
Give the result of the conflict. What
faith triumphed?
34. Describe the triumph granted Belisarius.
35. Who plotted against the government
and the general of Justinian ? Why?
What is said of the wars of Justinian ?
36. What may be taken as an illustration of
the extermination of the other two
kingdoms ? Between what years was
this accomplished?
37. What was the taking away of the
"daily"? When was the papacy es-
i tablished ? Who established the new
capital ? How was Rome left ? What
gave birth and power to the papacy ?
When was the seed sown by Justin
ian harvested? What did this sup
port?
38. What is the striking feature of this his
tory ? What principles did the laws
of this emperor contain ? What does
Fischer say ? What laws became the
basis of national laws to-day ? What
religion is the recognized religion of
most countries to-day ?
39. What two men, above all others, were
instrumental in forming the papacy
and giving it civil power ? What con
test was the means of enthroning the
papacy? How long did it rule the
world ? '
40. What was crushed, during this time?

The " Dark Ages " were ushered in
at what date ?
CHAPTER XVII.
THE WORK OF THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY.
1. What is an important date in Jewish
history ? What stands as a mile-post
in the Christian church ? What event
made the former date important?
What prophetic period began at this
point ? What did the latter date wit
ness ? What prophetic period began
in 538 A. D. ? What is said of the
little hom of Daniel 7 during this
period? To what date are we
brought in the thirty-first verse of
Daniel 11 ?
2. Did the papacy develop in a short pe
riod ? What other powers illustrate
the manner of the rise of the papacy ?
Who gave his power, seat, and great
authority to the papacy ? What two
Roman emperors were conspicuous
in preparing the way for the rise of
the papacy? What event prepared
the way for the papacy to be seated
on the Tiber ? How was .the author
ity of the papacy gained ? What did
each of the four kingdoms have?
Where did paganism and Christianity
mingle their waters ? Where did the
papacy have its birth ? Who was its
mother ? Describe its growth. What
did Christians do with the Bible?
Give the result.
3. What was introduced into the Christian
church? Why? Which command
ment was dropped from the deca
logue ? Which was divided to make
the number ten ? What is the fourth
commandment ? How was it altered ?
How was the Bible treated? What
was the result ?
4. Who was the head of the church, and
how was he exalted ? What had
taken place even before this ? Men-

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

345

tion eight facts given in regard to the
work of the papacy.
5. What settled over the world? When
the word of God was banished, what
was extinguished ? What was the
noontide of the papacy ?
6. How long a time was allotted to the
power that was to speak great words
against the Most High ? Why was
its time shortened ? What kind of
bondage was this for the church?
What little companies were found ?
7. To what days could the Waldenses
trace their history ? What were they?
What did the power upon the throne
change? What had Gabriel told
Daniel ? Who watched each one who
gave his life ?
8. What is said of the deliverance of the
church from bondage ? To what did
it give birth? How does this com
pare with the deliverance from other
bondage ?
9. In what chapter of Revelation is this de
liverance mentioned ? What is there
stated ? How were the bands broken
which Satan had placed around the
truth ? What is said of the Bible
during that period ? Were there
schools for the masses? What is
said about books, papers, and physi
cians. What became of those who
dared to advocate learning ? Whom
did God use to help deliver His peo
ple ? Where were their schools es
tablished ? What was taught in those
schools ?
10. What did Wycliffe accomplish ? When ?
To whom is he compared ? To whom
did Wycliffe give the gospel? By
what name were his followers known ?
How were they treated ? Who was
it that brought Protestantism to
America ?
11. Who lifted up their voices against the
papacy in Bohemia ? What German
monk proclaimed liberty of con

science ? Where did he first find a
copy of the Bible? Was Rome able
to extinguish this light ?
12. What became the lesson book for the
German nation ? Who assisted Lu
ther in this work of reform ? What
place became noted as the seat of
their principal school? Who were
educated and sent forth before the
death of Luther ? To whom was the
word of God opened? How was it
with Rome during this onward march
of the truth ? How many nations of
Europe received the light ? How was
America founded ?
13. Had every nation accepted the Reforma
tion what would have been the result ?
What was God offering to all these
nations ? Who was offered the grand
opportunity of returning from Baby
lon to Jerusalem? What was re
peated ? How was it treated ? What
is the result of a nation's rejecting
the principles of the Reformation?
14. What country is an example of such a
history ? What had been proclaimed
in her borders ? What verses in this
eleventh chapter were exactly ful
filled in her history?
15. What does Scott say in the " Life of
Napoleon," concerning France in
1793 ? In what sense does France
stand apart in the world's history?
Of what was this the logical result ?
What is atheism in the individual ?
16. Who was rejected? What was substi
tuted ?
17. Describe the unveiling of the " Goddess
of Reason." Of what was it the re
sult?
18. What are men doing when they give
private interpretations to the Divine
Word ? Whom do professed Chris
tians follow in doing this? Where
may thf result of such worship be
read ?
19. What two institutions had their origin

346

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

in Eden? How were they treated
in France ?
20. What road was France traveling?
What does the worship of human
intellect bring ? What took place in
1798? What tells the story of de
struction? Of what is this entire
history an object lesson ?
21. What stared France in the face ? Who
saved the nation ?
22. To what did the Reformation in Ger
many in the sixteenth century strike
a death blow ? What nation became
the battle-ground between papal tyr
anny and Protestantism ? What does
absolute monarchy always accom
pany? What principle is assumed
by any nation when the light of truth
is accepted ?
23. What knew no bounds in France ? Who
held two-thirds of the land? Who
issued warrants for arrest and impris
onment by his sole authority ? What
prevailed in every province ?
24. In what country were the principles of
the Reformation put into practice ?
25. When France had reached this state,
who then appeared ? What was the
controlling element ? Who were
powerless ? What was the pope
forced to do ? What did Napoleon
organize? Follow Napoleon from
Malta to Aboukir. To what position
was Napoleon chosen in 1799 ? What
constitution did France attempt to
copy? What was established in
France ? What did the cause of
France represent ?
26. What does the historian say of the re
forms of Napoleon? What was se
cured by non-Catholics ? Who made
the pope a prisoner ? When ? What
prophecy was fulfilled at this time ?
27. Toward what did the reform of Napo
leon tend ? When was he proclaimed
emperor ? From whom did he re
ceive his crown? What was the re

sult of the partial acceptance of the
truth? Is this true individually?
28. Of what was the establishment of the
principles of the Reformation in the
United States the result ? To whom
is the struggle of France a warning?
29. What two kings again contended in
1798? How is Constantinople recog
nized by all the nations in Asia and
Europe? In the time of the end,
what will center about this city ?
30. When the papacy was in power what
arose ? In what form did the new
work of Satan come? How much
of this world is Mohammedan in
faith ? W h er e did this doctrine
originate ? What country became the
center of its influence ? What river
banks have fed every form of idol
atry ?
31. In what way did the followers of Mo;
hammed strive to enter Europe?
To what country was their influence
extended ? With what was all Eu
rope threatened at this time ? What
did the battle of Tours check ? Give
date. When was Constantinople cap
tured ? In whose hands has it since
remained ? What was one of the
greatest checks of the papacy ? What
led to the discovery of America?
Through whom did God work to ad
vance the truth ?
32. How did God use the closing of the
passage to the eastern world ? What
often comes from seeming defeat ?
What is said of the cross ?
33. What countries at this time belonged to
the Mohammedans ? On what site
does a Moslem mosque now stand ?
What is said of the site of the old
temple? What countries escaped
out of the hand of this conquering
power? Who receives an annual
tribute from the Turks who pass in
caravans on their way to Mecca ?
34. What was the ambition of Napoleon?

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

347

What might this have been ? What
event was not yet due ? What did
Napoleon recognize ? What other
country recognized the same ? What
has caused constant jealousy among
the nations of Europe ?
35. Where have the eyes of the world been
centered for years ? How is Turkey
universally designated ? What will
take place in the near future? Do
the Turks understand this? What
has the world been brought to realize
again and again ? What will take
place when the Turk steps out of
Constantinople? What name has
God given to the battle ? Who trem
bled for Turkey ? Who came to
the rescue, and why ? What powers
united to sustain tlie life of the " sick
man " ?
36. Who are now holding the four winds of
strife ? For what purpose are they
being held ? What work is going for
ward ? What nation stands as a
guide-post pointing to the work in
the heavenly sanctuary ?
37. Whose eye is upon the people of
God ? Can any man tell when Tur
key will leave Europe ? What will be
said when he does go ? Who will
then return to heaven ? With what
word ? What sentence will then be
pronounced ? Why was the fate of
Babylon, Medo-Persia, Grecia, and
Rome recorded? While the world
watches Turkey, what should the
servants of God watch ?
CHAPTER XVIII.
fHE CLOSING SCENE.
1. How did God regard Daniel ? What had
God given him several times ? What
did the last vision cover? Before
Gabriel left, what did ^he reveal to
Daniel? What is Daniel? How
many times is each of the follow

ing expressions repeated : " the time
of the end," " latter days," " the end
of the indignation," and "for many
days " ? What were the angel's clos
ing words ? How many times by pos
itive expressions is the mind called to
the closing scenes of earth ?
2. When this vision began, where was the
prophet ? In what year of Cyrus'
reign was the vision given ? Through
what kingdoms did he carry the mind
of the prophet? What was shown
of Grecian influence ? What was the
result of this moulding influence on
the fourth kingdom? What did the
prophet see on the throne of Rome?
Before whom was the darkness scat
tered? To what is it compared?
What nation became the battle-field
between Protestantism and the pa
pacy?
3. What was denied, and what like a pall
hung over the country ? How was
France affected by this struggle?
What was shown the prophet ? For
what were God's people to patiently
wait ?
4. Whom had the prophet watched in.
tently ? What did he see connecting
heaven and earth ?
5. For how long did this light follow the
Jews ? What came with the first ad
vent of Christ ? What changes took
place in the stream of light ?
6. What changes took place at the close
of the two thousand three hundred
days ? Into what place did our great
High Priest enter? What was re
vealed to Daniel ? What has taken
place over and over again? With
what is the marred record of man's
life covered? What did Daniel know ?
7. What are the nations saying? What
are they doing? Whom did the
prophet see pass through the earth ?
How long will Christ intercede?
When the last soul is saved, what

348

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

echoes through heaven ? What does
the great High Priest lay aside ?
8. What is then finished ? What door is
then closed ?
9. How must those who are sealed stand
in the time of trouble ? What makes
this period different from all preced
ing tests ? To what is this compared ?
10. What words were uttered which will
then be uttered by multitudes? What
will roll from other foreheads ?- Why
will there be such deep heart search
ing ? What did the mother of Zebe-
dee's children ask ? To whom did
Christ say that place belonged ? Who
will occupy the position mentioned
by the mother of Zebedee's sons ?
11. Who besides the sealed ones will know
that probation has ended? From
which of the plagues will there be no
escape ? How does David describe
this time of trouble? Who are
shielded from the effects of the
plagues ? How will the mountains
and the islands be affected ? What
took place at the resurrection of
Christ ? Who were they and what are
they said to be ?
12. At what time will there be another par
tial resurrection ? Who will be
among those who will arise? What
will they see ? What will become of
those who come forth to shame and
everlasting contempt ?
13. What garments does the Saviour wear ?
Who are deeply interested in this
work ? What is the foundation of
God's throne ? Where will it be
hung ? Who will see it ?
14. What is painted on the threatening
clouds? What mingles with all of
God's dealings until men utterly turn
from Him ? What has been seen in
the sky over and over again ? Have
men listened to its voice ? What do
the heavens declare ? What have
scientists studied and failed to see ?

15. What, from the creation of the world,
has told the plan of redemption?
Who cannot understand it ?
16. Why does Jehovah point us to the
stars? Who was it that saw the
Christ-star? What have men in
vented by using God-given ability?
Why has God encouraged this effort ?
With what result ?
17. What is said of each teacher of right
eousness saved in the kingdom of
God ? Who will be the center of all ?
18. As Daniel watched, what did he see and
hear ? Describe the resurrection of
the righteous. Toward what place
do they pass ? Who throws open the
pearly gates ? What is chanted ?
19. What are the words that come from
without ? What rings forth from
within ?
20. What does the accompanying host re-
ply?
21. Describe the hundred and forty-four
thousand. What calls forth a song
of triumph from their Hps ? What is
so wonderful about the singing?
What rings through heaven? From
whence come the stones that gleam
on the Master's crown ? To what are
the redeemed compared ? What com
pletes the circle of perfection ?
22. What is their relation to the king ?
Whose place will the one hundred
and forty-four thousand take ? Of
whom was another company com
posed ? Then who are seen ?
23. How many gather around the Father
and the Son ? As Christ looks upon
them, what does He see, and how is
He affected? What will He do?
From whence come streams of light ?
Who bow in adoration ? Why ?
24. Of what is the universe composed?
With what is the immensity of space
filled ? How are they held in their
orbits ? From whom is their light re
flected ? How are the planets guided?

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

349

25. Of what is all this a type ? Of what is
it a pattern ? How should each com
pany shine ? How does God look
upon each company of worshipers ?
What is said of their movements?
How should it be in each family ?
26. Where will be found the perfection of
this system ? How are they peculiar ?
What did the angel say to Daniel?
What did the prophet have the priv
ilege of seeing ? How is the teach
ing compared to Christ's teaching ?
27. What can you say of the last scene
presented to Daniel ? How will those
shine that are taken from the depths
of sin ?
28. What was Daniel told to do? What
would take place in the time of the
end?
29. What can you say of the time of the end ?
What is said of the law of God, and
of the saints in the beginning of the
time of the end ? What stood full-
fledged before the world ? What did
this freedom lead the angel to say ?
Mention some of the inventions of the
last days. Why does God allow
these things?
What is marvelous beyond description ?
What is said of the realms of sci
ence ? What is God's object in this ?
What is it that has led to such intel-,
lectual and moral advancement?
How rapidly are messages sent from
city to city ? How from continent
to continent ?
32. How does man look upon these things ?
How are angels watching them ?
33. What has God offered to every nation ?
Why were the Jews lost as a nation ?
Upon what condition was the Chris
tian church to inherit the promises
made to the Israelites ?
34. What will be developed in the time of
the end? What will be one great
means of their education ?
35. What was revealed in the first glimpse

30.

31

38.

39.

given to the prophet Daniel? To
whom is he pointed in the last days ?
How will the people of God in the
last days be fortified physically ?
How will they be fortified mentally ?
36. In what period do we now live ? What
separation will take place ? What
will be the attitude of the faithful
followers of God ? To what time
was Daniel's attention centered ?
Who was near the prophet, listen
ing to the record of events ?
37. What question was asked by the angel
when Gabriel ceased to speak ? Who
replied ? What did he say ?
How long have angels waited for the
completion of this plan ? What have
they looked for in each generation ?
When they saw the inhabitants of the
earth loiter, what did one cry out ?
When this period was mentioned by
Christ, what did Daniel say ? Fear
ing that he still might be left in
doubt, what did he then say ? Had
any request of this man of God been
left unanswered ? What was the re
ply of the angel ? What was meant
by the time of the end? What
would then cease ?
When did this period of twelve hun
dred and sixty years begin ? What
had been changed during this time ?
What had been bound ? What did
the persecution tend to do ? At the
end of this twelve hundred and sixty
years, what would be restored?
When did this "time, times, and a
half" end? What has been circu
lated since that time as never before ?
What special light has shone since
1844?
41. How have the truths for this time
spread ?
42. How did the angel explain the two pe
riods that had puzzled the prophet ?
What does he say of those who live
at the end of the thirteen hundred

40.

3So

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY.

and thirty-five days ? Why will they
be blest ? What will happen to many ?
Who will understand? What will
some insist upon when the wise un
derstand ? What is said of the words
of Gabriel and Christ? What two
texts are quoted ?
43. How was it with the aged prophet ?
What had been written ? How long
would trie prophecy stand? How
long had the prophet done faithful
service in the courts of Babylon and

Shushan ? How did Daniel stand
with men ? What did God say of
him ?
44. How will he stand in the last days?
Name the three agencies that will
give light to guide the remnant church.
Wrrat two prophets in this sense will
stand together ? What will guide the
faithful few safely through the time
of trouble, and prepare them for
Christ's coming ?

INDEX OF MARGINAL REFERENCES.

Genesis.

¦:'4  151
.1:28  gg
2:16, 17  27, 209
2:17  64, 208, 237
2:19, 20  99
3:1  128
3;i5  i27, iSb, 254
3:17  27, 162, 167
3;24  157
4:3.4; 5  '57
77-9  80
9:16  247, 290
10:2  88
10:2, 4  205
10:8-10  31
11:1-9 9.1  31
12:1  42
12:8  158
I3:3  244
"S:S  290
15:16  122
¦7=5  -  81
18:5-8  27
18:19  19
18:20, 21  7r
18:27  179
19:1, 16  299
I9:3  27
19:12-16  138
I9:i4  7i
22:1, 2  '-  288
22:17  t-  291
25*34  27
28:12, 19  243
28:10-13  158
28:16  245
28:22  244
32:24-30  288
32:24-31  299
32:28  81, 236
35^3  "58
35:8  244
37:3i 3<  1S|
39^9  "5°
49:5, 6  208
Exodus.
r:8  74
5:2  274
9:16  271
12:26, 27  J65
14:13  2l8
15:1-2.1  23
16:23  I7°
20:3  IXI
20:3, 5  -,  2S°
20:4, 5  : — • t5
20:8-11  l69i 269
24:16-18  .¦  '59
25:8,9  '|8
25:8-10  '<*
25:9.4°  7J>
25:22  "
25H°  79'102'!^
26:20 i 3'' '2  to
27:20, 21  '""

28:2  211
28:40, 41  159
29:42, 43  160
30:7, 8  160, 163
31:2-7  79
31:13  269
34:7  125
34:29-33  102
35:3i-35  164
40:9  141
Leviticus.
4:5  160
47, 18, 25, 30  161
4:8-10  162
4:12  164
4:26  ,  161
4:27-35  159
4:27-21 ; 31  162
6:10, 11  164
6:30  163
7:30  162
9:24  '57
10:9-11  22
10:16-18  163
11:44  42
14:4-7  166
16:2 ; 8 : 13 ; 14 ; 11-14  171
16:20  173
16:22; 21  172
17:"  '57
20:23  298
23:4-11 ; 27  169
23:29, 30  174
23:31, 32 ; 29  171
24:5-7  '..  160
35:9  '7°
26:3-12  193
Numbers.
5:6,7  '59
12:6  134
14:21  4°
14:34  '51
23:20  301
24:15, 16  182
24:17  132
Deuteronomy.
1:2  196
2:6, 9  281
4:5-7  273
4:5-8  "2
4:7, 8  240
4:9  2Q7
4:'4-!9  «
4:15-19  25°
6:3-19, 20  22
6:6,7  42
8:2  238
10:1-5  l64
11:13. 14  IQ3
11:19  l65

12:2  89
12:30  217
¦3:1-2  134
u:i-3  42
'S*  40
16:19  92
21:20, 21  22
28:11, 12  223
28:12, 13  40
28:49-52  19
28:53-57  276
29:24. 25  276
29:29  102, 285
30:19. 2°  123
32:2  193
32:8  17,69
32:9  94
32:9-12  127
33:14  294
Joshua.
4:21, 22  165
24:2, 3  42
24:13  213
24:15  46
Judges.
5:1-31  23
6:21  157
Ruth.
2:14  27
/ Samuel.
1:12, 13  160
2:1-10  23
2:3  •  82, 184
27  124
2:9  69, 124
2:30  29, 141
8:1-5  92
8:3  235
8:19, 20  242
10:5-12 ; 19 ; 23, 24  17
14:6  69, 124
16:4-13  244
30:11, 12  27
II Samuel.
22:43  174
23:1  236
23:i4~I7  244
I Kings.
4:29-34  227
4:33  l67
17:13-16  26
18:19  234
18:21  257
351

352

INDEX OF MARGINAL REFERENCES.

18:38  :  157
>9:5> 6  27
19:9, 10, 18  270
19:14, 18  286
21:26  122
22:19-23  248
22:18-23  32

77 Kings.

4:42-44  27
5:2-4  23,76
12:3  8g
17:6  89
18:11  88
18:21  241
20:1-6  18
21:1-3  x9
23:21, 25  20
23:3°; 34  20
23:31-37  21
23:36..  16
24:1-4; 8,9, 17; 10-16  21
24:5  1°
24:17-20  21
25:27. 3°  21, 72
I Chronicles .
1:5  -  88
3:1s. 16  20

II Chronicles.

36

36-39-

:n  124
9  54
7-12  is
18  32
20  48, 134
2  277
16-23  222
124-26  18
1-10  19
I-IO  20
¦ii  ;  l6
17-19  in
21  74. 137
23  '43

Ezra.

i:i>z  177
1:3  '43
1:1-5  86
1:1-6  186
1:7-"  '44
1:9  79
1:11  78
2:64-67  144
3:10, 11  144
3:12, 13  188
4:1-6  188
4:7, 18-24  "88, 189
4;24  "44
5:1, 2  144. 189
5:1-17  '44
5:7-17  "9°
6:1-12  190, 191
7:6  201
7:11^26.  145, 146, 151, 201, 267

8:21-23  r38
9:1, 2  201
Nehemiah.
2:1-6  201
2:19  138
4:13-21  201
5:i-r3  '47
5:5-8; 14, 15  147
9:28  147
13:10-13 ; 15-20  201
13:17. 18  275
13:23. 24  201

Esther.

1:1 :  121, 194
1:2; 3. 4: 5; 6; 7  '95
1:4  121
1:9-22  195
2:5; 10; 17  '95
2:15; 20; 21-23  196
2:21-25  f99
3:2  196
3:6; 12-14; 13-15  188, 198, 246
3:8-12  196, 198
3:13  IOS. 205
4:1-3; 8; 1-17  198
4:«5. 16  199
5«  '99
7:1°  '99
8:11-14  199

Job.
1:6  232, 248
1:6,7  32
1:8  ,4,
2:1, 2  32
4:8, 9  255
5:22-27  99
5:26  94, 302
8:13  277
12:10  70, 109
12:17-19  123, 214
12:19  109
12:21  123
12:23  Ill
12:23-25  ,  124
14:7-9  61, 65, 107
15:21  123
16:19  117
16:21  n3
18:5  240
22:21  140
23:12  141
24:2°  254
28:10  295
28:24-27  113
28:28  29
29:23  193
3°!3-8  276
31:6  82
33:i3-i7  34
34:24  211
34:29  238
37:9. 22  220
37:16  nj
37:i9  96
37:19-23  „4
39«8  io4

Psalms.
1:1-3  91.253
7:16  174
7:16, 17  27s
8:3-5  !79
9:11, 12  272
11:4  '54
12:6  ...228
13:12  — 54
177  ¦¦¦ 54
17:9, 10  164
17:13, 14  211
18:10 20  — 90
18:48  49
19:1  291
19:1-7  -.290
"9:3. 4i  53
20:7  —124
22:27, 28  23X
22:28  14S
247-1°  ,  293
24:9, 10  13*
25:i2, 14-  ;  37
25:14  70
29:9  297
32:5  8j
32:8  294
33:i  37
33:13-15  44
33:15-17  70
33:16-18  —124
33:16-19  186
34:3  54
3417  5°, 99. »5
34=15  54
37:3  ;  54
37:12  93
37:20  162
37:24  — . 49
37!35  — 60
37:35.3s  66
37:3i.37   94
4i:i-"  73
42:1  141
42:11  26
44:6  124
46:io  53
47:8, 9  276
48:2, 3  ig2
48:3,5  214
49:6, 7  235
49;1°  209
49:H-13  276
49^5  192
5i:i5  18l
5i:i7  14O
53^  -274
54^5  300
55:i6, 17  95
55:3  22
57:i-5  9»
57^7  II4
59:i  54
59:2  135
62:9  82
*2:"  253
ff  -53
66:7  .276
727  193
73:9-17  276
75:4-7  .69,86
75:6,7  124
76:10  -  49, 271
77:i8  207
80:1  ,S6
82:5  292

INDEX OF MARGINAL REFERENCES.

353

88: i  113
?9!9-«.«  185
89:i5  179
9°:5,  77
90:16  30Q
91:7  180
91:9-11  289
9i:i4  141
92:8  290
92:12-14  176
94:12, 13  66
95:10  196
98:12  115, 290
100:5  231
102:19  154
103:15, 16  62
103:19, 21  _  113
104:4  115
104:13  207
105:  23
105:13, 14.  -184, 214
105:22  42
107:40  124
110:7  135
111:10  29
113:4  245
113:19   62
116:15  -  271
119:59,60  17°
119:67  71
119:71  72
119:98-100  272
139:98-101  3°
119:105  87
119:130  297
119:172  290
127:1'.  80
I37:i-4  23
137:1-6  74
139:1-16  87
I397-I2  "°
144:12  19»
, I45:n> '4  51
146:3  122
Proverbs.
1:11  gf
1:24,25 -,  186
1:24-^28  288
i:3°.3i  V227
2:1-5  28> 2°4
2:10, 11  4°
2:10* 12-  29
3:7.8  55
3:13. 18  123
3:25, 26.  3°
3:33  22°
4:1b, 12   20
4:14.15---  93
4:i7-I9  ;-  2|<?
4:18  -,-- 164, 273. 286
4:19  258
4:20-22  .-¦ 55
4:22  94
5:22  46
6:2,11  83
6:17. 19  ?°
6:20, 23  25
7:4. 5  241
6:10 .  245
8:15.16  l8°
10:2  194
10:15  232
„:,:  227
»4  2f*

11:14  255
11:21  227
11:22  241
11:24  268
11:30  294
11:31  164
13:6.  102
13:15  29
14:28; 35  90
14:34  ¦¦  230
15:22  _  90
15:3  :  271
i°!7  53. 9?
16:14  26
16:15 -.  193
16:22  29
16:25  23*7
16:32  .27, 124
17:2  237
17:11  190
»7=27  90
20:i  -  25, 211
20:il  19, 209
20:28  185
2i:i  52, 191
2i:8  23O
21:29  OO
22:4  93
22:6  -30, 56
22:7  232
22:11  5°
22:29  3°
23:1-3  24
237  251
23:11  47
23:17, 19  91
23:19-22  22
23:20-^21  55
23:24-25  23
23:29-32  25
24:5  94
24:6  90
24:16  49
25:28  211
26:10.....  no
27:4  -221
28:13  83
28:15  "'
28:18  86
29:2  234
29i4  92
29:14  ---  2|°
29:15  »•  l87
29:15-17  T9
29:18  2l5
30:5  2°4
30:14  233
3i:4. 5  25
Ecclesiastes.
1:9  T
1:9, 10  64
1:10  92
1:9, 10, 15  93
2:12,13  2J°
2:26  -.  s|
3:14  v-238
3:,=  .64,200
3:17  102, 115
3:18^20  2I2
4:.  93
5:8  234
5:9; io-  235
5:10, 11  '94
5:13  93
7:26  W

7:27  116
7:29  156, 297
|:4  A  195, 231
8:8  ....242
8;9  .234
9:i°  54
9:12  92>234
10:16  234
¦0:20  297
12:13  30
Song of Solomon.
8:6  220
Isaiah.
1:2-4  186
1:3: 21-23  273
1:4  205
1:16-20  657
1:18  162
1:23  96
3:13  46
5:3. 4 ; 25  180
5:4  75
5:11  28
5:13  -18,40,295
5:18  233
8:1  207
8:7  103,279
8:9  23r
8:9, 10.  _  283
8%i2  98
8:12  124
9:3  "5
g:6  240
10:1-16  77
10:6-10  277
i°:33, 34  274
11:2, 3  162
12:4  27
13:1-5  80,89
13:1-15  7°
13:4, 5  277
13:6-22  75
13:12  54
13:11  -63,241
13:17  12°
13:17, 18  105
13:19  33,ioi
l4;3-7  32
14:4  - 42
14:4-6   7°
14:12-14  ~  31, 132
14:13  75, 269
14:13, 14  °|
14:29  27S
17:12, 13  '22,235
17:13  280
18:7  253
19:3,4  28°
21:1-3  120
21:2  .".  76, 86, 105
21:3-5  -  79
21:9  -41. 75
22:5  -277
22:12-14  171
23:7  231
23:13  32, 103
24:5. 6  i67
24:23  "4
26:4  53
26:io  177
26:12  86
26:15  -.124

354 INDEX OF MARGINAL REFERENCES.
26:19  '.  ioo 61:10  2S7 49:16  :  104
28:10  ig 62:3   293 49:39  "-  »-.86, 120
29, n, 12  302 63:1-6  290 5°:7  -  ,75
29:13-25  269 64:4  181 5o;9  8g
30:1-3  222 65:5  :... 139 5°:i5, 16, 29  63
3°:8  203 65:17  174 50:17  74
30:8-10  224 65:24  181 50:20  174
30:21  179 66:20..  143 5°:23  58
31:1,2  222 50:24-28; 28  79
31:3  222,277 Tprewiah 5°:24  85
32:20  297 jeremiun. so:z5  &,
35:1,2  !67 50:33,34  75
37:19  59 ':2'3  1° 50:35-46  84
37:26  278 3  75 5°:38  72. 80, 86, 104, 22g
38:.-5  -  18 2:'3 "¦¦  24° 50:53 ; 46  -. 77
39:1,2  18,205 **r3  1% 5o:sS  32
39*, 7  -  il I™"'  :  \t 5.=6  74, 87
40:12-17  „3 2:23 25  fl 51:6, g, 10  igi
40:31  -18, 3-14  250 ,  42
41:1-3  87 3-2o.  19 5i:8,6,35.-17  75
%*?7  17 l'Ml 25  ,87 5^=9  64, 7°, 253
42:8  67, 257 5:6  210 51:11  63, 79, 89
42:13  281 5:7  186 5i:n, 28  76
43:1-3  80 5:15  20 5i:i7, 18  222
43:i-I3  --  89 5:26  98 5I:2°  123
43:2  »— • 49 6:13  93 51:20-23  71
43:1°  48 6:30  122 5i:25  33,8o
44:3-6  193 8:9  59 5i:27, 28  80
44:27  80, 86 9:21  167 51:30  104
44:27, 28  268 9:23, 24  ,  41 5i:33  85
44:28  30, 75, 86, 143 10:2, 3  93 5i:34, 35   228
45:1,2  30,75,86 10:7  185 51:36  86
45:1-3  79,86 10:14-16  206 5':4°;4i  85
45:1-4  80 10:25  163 51:46 ; 24 ; 29  77
45:1-5  -  120,268 13:23  210 5i:53  79
45:4  245 15:16  151 51:53-58  85
45:4, 5  209 16:14, 15  143 51:60-64  73
45:5  94. 208 17:9  104 51:63. 64  .....j  71
45:7  89 17:24, 25  253
4^|::;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::"42 ^™:::::::z:::::::::::::::::z g Lamentations.
45»2  2°4 18:14  268 1:752:6 74
46:1,2  -  59 18:15  261
46:4  94 23:5,6  _  75
47:6;g; 1°  i°4 23:7  251
47:io  33 23:28-32  261 4.l6 l8   -;¦--—
47:i3, 14  33 23:29  272
48:6  273 25:11,12  74,137 t. ...
48:18.-  19, 253 25:15-28  75 Ezekiel.
49:6  17,218, 240 25:29-33  276
49:7  273 25:32,33  ,03
49:15  "92 27:5-8. ».  71 ';;- 
4g:i6  114, 287 27:6-11  31 . ?"q  "3
49:23  211 27:7  4., 73 i:25'28  29°
ti:3  165 28:14  71 4:6  II2> '5»
51*7  "5 29:4, 7  74 S  fj8
52:2  '43 29:10  74)I37 7;io  2S9
52:7.  z97 20:3-9  75 2:2"Vft  2l6
53*  139 30:5-7  289 I8:f116  171
53*  245 31:3  287 :^ l5  7°
53:11  294 31:21  280 ":21s  7S
55:2  * 31:34  174 ;4:4r812  2|°
%?a\A::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Z\ il«I.:".:":::::::::.:::::::;::::::::::::;4* \iiit20- •::: ¦ ----¦¦"¦¦¦"- ^
57:15  55 37:8-10  52 f  27
58:1  272 38:3  52 '8 4 ••-;-  7°
58:3  ,  171 38:14-^3 ; »4-i7  52 2°:"'"6' 2°  74
58:7-11  65 38:17, 18  4, 2° 24  275
58:8  26 38:17-28  22 2I!24  276
58:13  17° 38:20, 23  53 2';|5^7  -  202
58:13, U  3°° 39:5-20  53 22;°  275
59:1  54 39:"-i4  71 22-9  270
59:2  135, 286 44:30  '?t » 12-14  276
59:6-8  278 46:15; 17  202 22:25  261
^  48 ^8:"- '»  -t* S;:::S:::::.\:3:::::-::z--^

2:9  205, 216
4:1,2  177
4:12  16

.182

INDEX OF MARGINAL REFERENCES.

355

23:17  204
23:27  241
25:2; 3 ; 15-28..  75
26:2, 3  280
2?:i' 2  75
27:2,4  258
28:12..  23I
28:14  114
28:16  2q,
28:18  !65
29!2,3  -75
29:3,6,7  241
29:17-21  58
29:18-20  :  70
30:9-11  ¦¦  58
30:10, 11  57
30:25  58
31:1-8, 12  58
33:10-16  _. 83
34-8  261
34:8   300
34:18, 19.  268
34:18-21, 31  261
43*  261
47«2  157
Daniel.
'»  -  31
1:1, 2  16
1:3-6  23
1:7-9  -  24
1:8  298
1:10, II  25
1:12-14 -'  25
1:15, 16  26
1:17  28
1:17-20...  33
1:18-20  29
1:20  64
1:21  :  30
2:1  31
2:2-4  34
2:5-9  -  34
2:10-16    36
2:17, 18  - 36
2:19-23  37
2:21  124
2:24, 25  — 37
2:26-49  .  37, 40
2:27, 19.  ...'  64
2:28.   102, 284
2:31-35  102, 184
2:31-39  211
2:31-45  284
2:32, 38  103
2:32-39  88
2:34.;  118, 129
2:35  "9
2:36  -.  75
2:37, 38  31
2:38  64, 103
2:39  -  210, 214
2:40  :  231
2:40-42  -  107
2:40-43  228
2:43  :  •-- 22°
2:44.  232, 236
2:44, 45  57
2:47  7i
2:48  -  73
2:49  -  7°
3:1-6  :  43
3:4-6  -  246
.37. ---  44
3:8-12  46

3:i3-i7  47
3:18  64
3:18-22  48
3:23  4g
3:24, 25-  49
3:25  -    251
3:26-28  50
3:28   71
3K9  ,  52
3:29,3°  53
3;3°  r  53
4:i-|  57
4-4-8; 9  5g
4:6-9  .'  64
4:10-12  60
4:i3-i8  61
4:17  70, 124, 231
4:17-25  124
4:19-23  62
4K3'.  ..107
4:24  75
4:24-26 ; 27, 28 .:  65
4:29-32533  66
4:32  209, 211
4:34-37  67
4:36, 37 ; 37  71
5:i; 2  73
5:1,2  195
S:i-4  78, 104
5:5,6  79
5:7-9  79
5:8, 13,14  64
5:10-13  80
5:14-21  81
5:21  124
5:22,23 ; 24  82
5:25, 26  82
5:26  202
5:27  ,  *  83, 242
5:27, 28  136
5:28, 29  84
5:29-31..—.  105
5:30,31  85, 137, 185
5:31  ,  88, 185
6:1  121
6:1-3  9°
6:2  92, 137
6:3 ; 4-22  176
.6:4 5 5  93
6:6-9  93
6:10  94
6:11-13  • 97
6:12  229
6:14, 15 ; 16, 17  98
6:18; 23 ; 28  185
6:18-24  9g
6:22  251
6:25-28  100
7:1  75, 102
7:1-8  184
7:1-27  284
7:2 53 ; 4; 17,23  103
7:5  105, 120
7:6  106, 123, 216
7:7  262
7:7, 19  '.  228
7:7, 8  106, 129
7:9; ia.  107,154
7:9, 10  112, 129, 149, 152, 287
7:9-14  102
7:10-13  107
7:"  "7, 129
7:12  224
7:13  "4
7:14  70, 107, 114
7:15-23   ....108
7:19  125, 126, 228

7:21  129
7:21, 22  in
7:24*25, 26  109
7:25  129, 228, 270, 296, 300
7:27  118
7:28  :  n8, 119
8;i •-¦  73, "9
8:1-8  184
8:1-27  284
8:2  86,90, 120, 134
8:3  -  120
8:3-8  211
8:4  _  121
8:5  .210
8:5, 6  121
8:6  123
8:7  122, 134, 185
8:8  123, 124, 209, 210, 213
8:9  219, 228, 233, 234
9:9> kp  125
8:11.  127
8:11, 12.  129
8:12  128
8:13-27.  129-131
8:14  115, 149, 151, 169, 173,286
8:16  135
8:16, 17  15
8:17  284
8:19  -...15,285
8:20....  105, 121
8:21  121
. 8:21, 22.  106, 211
8:22  125
8:23-25  126, 129, 228
8:24  126
8:25  no, 127, 233, 268
. 8:26  16, 136
9:1, 2  137, 185:
9:3-9  ' —137, 138
9:10-18  .'-—  138, 139
9:16  75
9:19  129. 139)
9:20, 21  140
9:22, 23....'.  141
9:23  Ui, 177
9:24  141
9:24-27  284
9:25  147
9:25, 26  142
9:26  150, 239
9:26, 27 ; 27  149
10:1  184, 186
10:1-3  "-  177
10:1, 4....  285
10:3  -  26
10:4  295
10:4-8  178
10:9; 10, 11  179
10:11-19  284
10:12, 13  180
10:13  144, 188, 205, 229
10:14  15,284
10:14, 15; 16,17..  l81
10:18-21. _  18
10:20  15, 71, 185,202, 208
10:20, 21  -  123
10:21  101, 131, 132,238
11:1  185
11:1-45  — —  152,284
11:2  122, 194
11:2-4  106, 211, 213
!!-.  121, 208
1IH  124,213
Ii:5  214,219
II*  220
Ii:6-I3  2ig
11:7, 8; 9; 10-12  221

356

INDEX OF MARGINAL REFERENCES.

»:i3  -65, 224
11:14  203,224, 227, 228, 231
11:15  233
12:16  239
n:t7  240
11:18, 19  _  241
1 1 20  242
11:21  245
11:22  247
11:23, 24  __255
Ji;24  259
11:25-27  _^62
11:28, 2g  .264
11:30  -  265
11:31  266,267
11:32  270
"••33  -  30, 271
n:34,35-  271
"35  284,296
"36  _  273
":37-39  -274
11:40  278
11:41,43  281
11:44-45  -282
11:45  286
12:1  56, 288
12:2  289
12:3  —  187,294
12:4 ..„  16, 204, 298
12:4,9.  285
12:5, 6  134, 299
12:7; 8; 9  299
12:9, 10, 13 ._  16
12:10  301
12:10-23  300,301
12:11  267
12:13  204, 284, 302

Hosea.

2:18.... 4-6 
4:6-10
4:12....4:17 
6:3 
6:9 
7:2 
7:8 
8:3 
814 
8:7.......8:12....

 99
-  4°
 18
 260
—  72, 264
 _  286
 _  270
 257
 266
 -258
 -  255
 — - 63
—  257
9:1  _  260, 264
9:9  255
9:1°  257
9:15,17  254
10:2  257
10:12  _  193
11:4-8  186
12:4  —  244
12:10.  ~  103
13:1  256
13:4  221
13:7  -  210
^3:14  100, 292
>3:>5  259
14:1, 2  254

Joel.

Amos.

...262

3:3  260
3:7    7°, l°l, 285
3:9, IO    221, 255
4:7, 8  -  193
57, 12, 13  257
.5:10, I2._  93
8:8  _  274
9:8  -  213,264
Obadiah.
1:16  164
3:4  -265
to:  .263
Micah.
23, 3  201, 202
217-II  263
3;2, 3  -  270
3:5-7  266
3:10, II  262
3:11  92
5;2  148,243
6:13  234
7:2-4  92, 240
7:1°  ]74
7:18, 19-  .202
Nahum.
1:9  > — 174
2:3-6  296
3:2, 3  -122
Habakkuk.
1:5-13  7°
1:8  -233
1:6-10  103
1:11  — 104, 117
1:13-16  .219
2:2, 3  —203
2:5-7  -214
2:14-'  40
3:2  300
3:4  "3,294
Zephaniah.
3:1-4  -274
3:4  -  -260
Haggai.'
1:1-6  i8g
¦*  -144
27-9  192
2:15-19  147,193
2:18,19.  144
Zechariah.
2*  -93, 127
23}  _  80
219-12  192
3:6,7  —  127
3:7  -  -293
4:10  164
4:11, 12  84,286
7:"  138, 196
7:m  103

8:3  -  192
8:13  -  271
9:9  —  '92
9:9-"  '-  '47
9-'l6  ~  —  293
6:17    26
10:1  193
12*  —193
12:11-14  _  289
13*  "4
l4'-4-9  '93
14*  157
Malachi.
2:7, 8  261
2:11  262
3«  -148
315  -  — 227
3-'i3-i5  -275
3=17  293
4:1-3  l64, 174
4:2  285
4:5, 6-  148
46   -  298
I Maccabees .

1:13-151:28 

1:39-46 ..._  ...214
7/ Maccabees.
2-4-8  265
4:5-16  -  215
5:19  221
6:1-4  217

Matthew.

2:1, 2, 10, n 
2:2 
2:9 
2:15 - 
3:1 
3:5,6 
3:s, 13; 14, 15; 17
4:1-4 
4:1-11 
4:11 
4:23,24 
5:7 
5=8 
5:14 sue..

 243
 291
 132
 241
 217
 246
 148
 27
. — 195
— .132
 246
 72
 13'
 "3
--5°, 299
5:17, 18-.  _  _  258
6:7  -  250
6:23  —  270
6:24  _  ..-44, 258
7:>5  127, 257
7:21  256
8a, 3  180
8:n  _  219
10:29  „  113
10:32  48
12:30  213
12:34, 35  5°
'2:36, 37  -  87, 117
12:43-45 -  '63
'3:30  237
13:41  288
14:18-29  27
1433  -  -  96

INDEX OF MARGINAL REFERENCES.

357

15:2, 3, 6  207
'5:9  258
16:26  ,  48
17:24-27  234
19:9   220
20:22, 23  289
20:25-27  238
21:12-16  192
21:16  33
22:14  42
22:17-21  239
22:18-22  69
23:3  208
23:12  :  65
23:27, 28  258
23:38  150^155
24:3, 15  !5
24:12  254
24:14  2g7
24:15  - - '°'i '49
24:21..  254
24:21, 22  in, 270
24:22  ..,230
24:24  134, 253
24:30, 31  -'-  292
24:49-51  55
26:12  155
26:13  163
27:21  232
27:21, 22  159
27:38; 32; 54  247
27:51  '55
27:52,53  ¦ --289
27:62-66  98, 10a
28:2; 4  132
28:ig, 20  187, 251
' 28:20  299
Mark.
1:10  147. 151
1:13 ,  ,  99
1:15  141. 149
'=3'-  JS
4:22  07
6:51.52  54
7:8,9  258
10:35-37 --  -128
11:22-24  52
11:24  - 49
16:6..  '32
16:17, 18  180
Luke.
1:9, 10   '63
1:13, 15,63  217
1:19  131, '80
1:26, 27  132
1:80  217
2:1, 2  14s
2:1-4  -  l°7
2:1-9; IO-14  243
2:7-12  287
2:13, 14 - -¦  "  ¦-  '3J
2:25, 38 .-:  >r   24°
2:42, 49, 52  :  '9
3:1-3  •  I4S
3:21, 22  '47
4:18  236
4:'8,'9-  -  '49
6:12  96
16:27  44
10:39  22S

11:10  106
12:28-30    192
14:11  44
14:16-24 ..  194
16:10   29
16:31*.  65
17:20, 21  249
I9:4'-45  =  M9
21:20  15
21:12, 13  51
21:14, '5  47
2i:34  27, 175
21:34, 36  <  298
21:35  --  '49
22:43  '32
22:44   167
23:39'43  -'68
23:47  '5°
24:5  132
24:5, 6  251
24:21  246
24:25  '91
24:26, 27; 44:  168

John.

r.q  164
ci 1  149
t:2g  168
1:31-34  '48
i:35-37  '49
1:41 • -¦-—  '47
1:42 -.  81
 '55
 16
 187
 126
 "4, 125

::i9-2i .
::27 

24  45
28, 29  242, 292

39  -  '42
42-44  251
45-47  --  '59
63  162, 225, 225
:i5, 16  217
37  245
46  295
32  '47
:36  147. 2'3. 234
1:44  '34
,:io  100, 100
1:11-17 -  '39
1:3  163
1:20, 21  108
!:2o-3o......  179, 247

 248
• 232, 251
 28

...92, 127
 "3
.184, 226

.168 .167
¦ 27

Acts.

 246
 132
 249

2:24  ....*..  98, 247
3:13-16  ¦  127
3:19-21  173
4:13  250
4:26, 27  108, 127, 247
4:36  8a
5:34  217
7:23-3°  196
7:52  ¦  127
8:1-4  —151
8:4  249
i°:34,35  69,253
10:38  147
13:6-10  _  j  134
13:10  126
13:46  142
I3H7  240
¦3:47,48  17
14:11-13  207
I5:'8  '23
15:20, 28, 29  '.  128
15:26; 28, 29  250
16:13  9°
16:16  134
'6:37, 38  236
17:21  218
17:24, 25  240
17:26; 16-21  229
17:26, 27  69
17:28  82, 113
20:28  167
20:29, 3°  '28
20:30  127
21:25  128
21:37  -  237
21:39  232
22:3  21S
22:25-29  236
23:27.  236
24:14  263
24:24.  115
28:16, 30  no

Romans.

1:8  no, 128,249
1:19,20,25  -  89
1:21-30  206
1:20-22   218
1:25  :.  212, 236,269
2:12, 13  164
3:21  :  164
5:8  '  '"
5:20  ..'  83
6:6-8  156
6:23  46, 70, '74
7:7  269
7:18-25  250
8:7  250
8:31  :  185
10:14, 15  297
10:18  53
11:18  60, 107
11:33  34
11:33-36.:  261
12:1, 2  175
12:11  g'
13:'  44
i3:i-7  °9
13:6, 7  234
13:11, 12  87, 153
14:4  49, 56
14:23  225
15:4  44, 54, 229
16:17, 18  128
i6:ig  1,0

358

INDEX OF MARGINAL REFERENCES.

/ Corinthians.
i:n  128
':'9-25  33
1:22  229
1:22-25  219
1:28-30  67
2:9, 10  103
2:14  96, ng, i5g, 291
2:14, 15  35. 183
3:17  165
4:5  116
4:9  80
57  169
6:19, 20  155
8:9-13  128
8:5  236
9:25  27
9:24-27  207
9:26, 27  178
10: 11  57, 7', '57
IO:i3  :  96
10:15  '6
10:19, 20  128
12:28, 29  131
14:1  13'
14:8  225
15:4, 20, 23  '.  169
II Corinthians.
1:14  295
2:14-16  162
3:2,3  5°
3:17  238
3:18  139
4:4  213, 246
4:6  247
4:16  178
5:14  46
5:20  ¦  50, 139
10:4, 5  218, 225, 275
11:3  65, 213
11:14  134
11:25-28  250
12:4  .'  182
13:8  53, 231
Galatians.
1:4  162
2:20  96, 156, 24g
3:8  '59
4:9, 10  250
4:9-"  63
5:1  226
5:9  :  - - -i°7
6:7  63, 260
6:22,23  55
Ephesians.
1:14  167
2:2  126
2:2, 3  213
2:9..,  270
2:i4J'6  '-¦*— '73
2:22  a*' -  96
3:9, 10  fp.-. .|,..- "4
3:16, 17  162
3:16-19.--?-  .- 96
3:19  '••  :252
4:8  289
4:11  1»1*

4:14  128
4:17-19  286
5:2  163
5:8, II  285
5:18  96
5:23  ,  m, 2g4
5:27  :  302
6:1  295
6:4  298
6:12  239
6:17  256
Philippians.
1:12, 13  218, 254
i:i<;, 16  1-28
1:16-19  281
2:5  213
3:21  292
4:13  '62
4:22  254
Colossians .
1:6  128
1:6,23  249
1:13  250
1:17  "3, 294
i:27  249
2:3  67
2:8; 18  208,246
2:17  -••• 150
2:18-24  246
3:"  249
3:'7  9'
/ Thessalonians.
2:19, 20  295
3:16  292
4:17  292
5:3  -288
5H, 5  -'---299
II Thessalonians .
2:3-7  267, 268
2:4  117, 125, 268
2:4-7  128
2:5-7  ni
2:7  no
2:8  269, 290
2:10  83
/ Timothy.
1:4  207
2:5  269
2:5.6  155
3:16  252
4:1-3  275
fi  55
4-8  207
4:12  36
6:20, 21  206, 207, 246
II Timothy.
1:5  22, 128
1:10  180
2:7  16
3:13  100
3:15  '27

3:15-17  225, 272
4:3,4  224
4:7, 8  302
Titus.
3:1  44
3:9  128
Hebrews.
1:14  .*  60, 115, 180
2:3  142, 150
2:12, 13  294
2:14  n8, 248
37. 8  117
3:'7  106
4:1  225
4:12  163
4:13  i'6
4:'4-'6  '74
4:15  251
5:8  72
6:ig, 20  155
7:25  "7. '74
8:1-5  152
8:3-5  '55
8:5  169
9:1-6  160
9:7  '73
9:8, 9, n, 23, 24  155
9:9  159, '61
9:11, 12  161
9:23; 24  112
10:1  150
10:32-36  152
11:3  225, 294
11:4  '57
11:6  225
11:25, 26  .*-.  56
12:1  250
12:4-11  66
13:20, 21  247, 290
James.
1:12  100
1:15  276
1:17  180, 206
2:6  232
2:12  170
3:15  60
4:4  260
4:14  34
4:11-16  gi
4:i7  253
5:'-5  93
5:1-6  128
5;8  193
5:16  180, 300
5:i7  54
I Peter.
1:7  178, 254
1:12  129, 299
2:9  42, 2g5
2:12  52
2:24  139, 163, 168
3:15  30
4:'7  129, 142
5:6  67
5:8  260

INDEX OF MARGINAL REFERENCES.

359

II Petct.
,!"  - 57
"2°  '5'
1:21  204
2:'  251
2:1-3  in
3;3  77
3!3, 4  19
/ John.
,:7  116, 155
1:9  83, 117
2:13, 14  23
2:16  64
2:20, 27  16, 28
3!I, 2  ...212
3M  253
\\\  248
3:8  nS
5:4  49
57  '32
5^9  251
III John.
12  26
1:9, 10  252
Revelation.
1:1  ,  134
17  149
1:15^18  178
2:4  254
2:7  156
2:14  128, 251

2 29  16
3:5  H5, 164,287
3:8  114
3:20  ,1411 2n
4:i   182
4:3  n6
4:5  164

6:2 
6:14 
7:1. 2 
7:9 
7:9, 10
7:'4 
8:3,4 ¦
8:7-13. ...
g:i-2r9:23.
10:1, 2; 9 .

.254 .292
.283 74
.21)4 1(.S

11:2,311:3....11:8....

 '63
 107
 2'9
 280
 '52
 — 170
 ,  112
 296
 285
11:19  152, 154, 287, 300
I2:g, 12  127
12:10  249
12:12  249, 260
i2:'5  25'
12:16   271, 296
12:17  127, 254, 260
I3:'  230
13:2  126, 229, 231, 236, 268
13:3, 10 ...v  .278
137, 8  270
13:8   113, 156, 293
13:14-17  55
13:16, 17   200
14:1; 3i 4  293
14:3-5  '75
14:6  300
14:6-12   149
14:6,7  —115, 151. 152

14:8  41
14:8-12  170
'4;9  55
i4:'2  253, 298
'4:'3  285, 289
15:2; 3  293>295
15:2. 3  201
15:3  293
16:12  286
16:16  220
16:16-18  134
17:3  no, 25,1, 258
¦7:4  42
17:5  69, 204, 229
¦7:6  no, 253
17:15  103
17:18  232,253,258
18:1  147
18:1-4  42
18:2  204
18:3   631, 204
18:4  — 74. 87
18:16  256
18:16, 17  42
18:21  71
!9-:i3, 16; 14  290
19:10..  132
19:19  220
19:20  117, 232
20:1-3; 10  174
20:4, 6  118
20:9, 15  ,'    a. 164
20:12  116
21:1  167
21:7  194
22:1, 2  32, 156
22:3  118, 167
22:9  132
22:11  117, 288
22:12  152
22:17 ¦  46

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