prophets and kings-第69部分

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im。〃　But　although　the　king's　mind　was　deeply　impressed；　he　found　it　impossible；　when　he　awoke；　to　recall　the　particulars。

In　his　perplexity；　Nebuchadnezzar　assembled　his　wise　men〃the　magicians；　and　the　astrologers；　and　the　sorcerers〃and　besought　their　help。　〃I　have　dreamed　a　dream；〃　he　said；　〃and　my　spirit　was　troubled　to　know　the　dream。〃　With　this　statement　of　his　perplexity　he　requested　them　to　reveal　to　him　that　which　would　bring　relief　to　his　mind。

To　this　the　wise　men　responded；　〃O　king；　live　forever：　tell　thy　servants　the　dream；　and　we　will　show　the　interpretation。〃

492


Dissatisfied　with　their　evasive　answer；　and　suspicious　because；　despite　their　pretentious　claims　to　reveal　the　secrets　of　men；　they　nevertheless　seemed　unwilling　to　grant　him　help；　the　king　commanded　his　wise　men；　with　promises　of　wealth　and　honor　on　the　one　hand；　and　threats　of　death　on　the　other；　to　tell　him　not　only　the　interpretation　of　the　dream；　but　the　dream　itself。　〃The　thing　is　gone　from　me；〃　he　said；　〃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。　But　if　ye　show　the　dream；　and　the　interpretation　thereof；　ye　shall　receive　of　me　gifts　and　rewards　and　great　honor。〃

Still　the　wise　men　returned　the　answer；　〃Let　the　king　tell　his　servants　the　dream；　and　we　will　show　the　interpretation　of　it。〃

Nebuchadnezzar；　now　thoroughly　aroused　and　angered　by　the　apparent　perfidy　of　those　in　whom　he　had　trusted；　declared：　〃I　know　of　certainty　that　ye　would　gain　the　time；　because　ye　see　the　thing　is　gone　from　me。　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。〃

Filled　with　fear　for　the　consequences　of　their　failure；　the　magicians　endeavored　to　show　the　king　that　his　request　was　unreasonable　and　his　test　beyond　that　which　had　ever　been　required　of　any　man。　〃There　is　not　a　man　upon　the　earth；〃　they　remonstrated；　〃that　can　show　the　king's　matter：　therefore　there　is　no　king；　lord；　nor　ruler；　that　asked　such　things

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at　any　magician；　or　astrologer；　or　Chaldean。　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。〃

Then　〃the　king　was　angry　and　very　furious；　and　commanded　to　destroy　all　the　wise　men　of　Babylon。〃

Among　those　sought　for　by　the　officers　who　were　preparing　to　fulfill　the　provisions　of　the　royal　decree；　were　Daniel　and　his　friends。　When　told　that　according　to　the　decree　they　also　must　die；　〃with　counsel　and　wisdom〃　Daniel　inquired　of　Arioch；　the　captain　of　the　king's　guard；　〃Why　is　the　decree　so　hasty　from　the　king？〃　Arioch　told　him　the　story　of　the　king's　perplexity　over　his　remarkable　dream；　and　of　his　failure　to　secure　help　from　those　in　whom　he　had　hitherto　placed　fullest　confidence。　Upon　hearing　this；　Daniel；　taking　his　life　in　his　hands；　ventured　into　the　king's　presence　and　begged　that　time　be　granted；　that　he　might　petition　his　God　to　reveal　to　him　the　dream　and　its　interpretation。

To　this　request　the　monarch　acceded。　〃Then　Daniel　went　to　his　house；　and　made　the　thing　known　to　Hananiah；　Mishael；　and　Azariah；　his　companions。〃　Together　they　sought　for　wisdom　from　the　Source　of　light　and　knowledge。　Their　faith　was　strong　in　the　consciousness　that　God　had　placed　them　where　they　were；　that　they　were　doing　His　work　and　meeting　the　demands　of　duty。　In　times　of　perplexity　and　danger　they　had　always　turned　to　Him　for　guidance　and　protection；　and　He　had　proved　an　ever…present　help。　Now　with　contrition　of　heart　they　submitted　themselves　anew　to　the　Judge　of　the　earth；　pleading　that　He　would

494

grant　them　deliverance　in　this　their　time　of　special　need。　And　they　did　not　plead　in　vain。　The　God　whom　they　had　honored；　now　honored　them。　The　Spirit　of　the　Lord　rested　upon　them；　and　to　Daniel；　〃in　a　night　vision；〃　was　revealed　the　king's　dream　and　its　meaning。

Daniel's　first　act　was　to　thank　God　for　the　revelation　given　him。　〃Blessed　be　the　name　of　God　forever　and　ever；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃for　wisdom　and　might　are　His：　and　He　changeth　the　times　and　the　reasons：　He　removeth　kings；　and　setteth　up　kings：　He　giveth　wisdom　unto　the　wise；　and　knowledge　to　them　that　know　understanding：　He　revealeth　the　deep　and　secret　things：　He　knoweth　what　is　in　the　darkness；　and　the　light　dwelleth　with　Him。　I　thank　Thee；　and　praise　Thee；　O　Thou　God　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。〃

Going　immediately　to　Arioch；　whom　the　king　had　commanded　to　destroy　the　wise　men；　Daniel　said；　〃Destroy　not　the　wise　men　of　Babylon：　bring　me　in　before　the　king；　and　I　will　show　unto　the　king　the　interpretation。〃　Quickly　the　officer　ushered　Daniel　in　before　the　king；　with　the　words；　〃I　have　found　a　man　of　the　captives　of　Judah；　that　will　make　known　unto　the　king　the　interpretation。〃

Behold　the　Jewish　captive；　calm　and　self…possessed；　in　the　presence　of　the　monarch　of　the　world's　most　powerful　empire。　In　his　first　words　he　disclaimed　honor　for　himself　and　exalted　God　as　the　source　of　all　wisdom。　To　the　anxious　inquiry　of　the　king；　〃Art　thou　able　to　make　known　unto　me　the　dream　which　I　have　seen；　and　the　interpretation

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thereof？〃　he　replied：　〃The　secret　which　the　king　hath　demanded　cannot　the　wise　men；　the　astrologers；　the　magicians；　the　soothsayers；　show　unto　the　king；　but　there　is　a　God　in　heaven　that　revealeth　secrets；　and　maketh　known　to　the　king　Nebuchadnezzar　what　shall　be　in　the　latter　days。

〃Thy　dream；〃　Daniel　declared；　〃and　the　visions　of　thy　head　upon　thy　bed；　are　these；　As　for　thee；　O　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。　But　as　for　me；　this　secret　is　not　revealed　to　me　for　any　wisdom　that　I　have　more　than　any　living；　but　for　their　sakes　that　shall　make　known　the　interpretation　to　the　king；　and　that　thou　mightest　know　the　thoughts　of　thy　heart。

〃Thou；　O　king；　sawest；　and　behold　a　great　image。　This　great　image；　whose　brightness　was　excellent；　stood　before　thee；　and　the　form　thereof　was　terrible。　This　image's　head　was　of　fine　gold；　his　breast　and　his　arms　of　silver；　his　belly　and　his　thighs　of　brass；　his　legs　of　iron；　his　feet　part　of　iron　and　part　of　clay。

〃Thou　sawest　till　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。　Then　was　the　iron；　the　clay；　the　brass；　the　silver；　and　the　gold；　broken　to　pieces　together；　and　became　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　the　image　became　a　great　mountain；　and　filled　the　whole　earth。

〃This　is　the　dream；〃　confidently　declared　Daniel；　and　the　king；　listening　with　closest　attention　to　every　particular；

498

knew　it　was　the　very　dream　over　which　he　had　been　so　troubled。　Thus　his　mind　was　prepared　to　receive　with　favor　the　interpretation。　The　King　of　kings　was　about　to　communicate　great　truth　to　the　Babylonian　monarch。　God　would　reveal　that　He　has　power　over　the　kingdoms　of　the　world；　power　to　enthrone　and　to　dethrone　kings。　Nebuchadnezzar's　mind　was　to　be　awakened；　if　possible；　to　a　sense　of　his　responsibility　to　Heaven。　The　events　of　the　future；　reaching　down　to　the　end　of　time；　were　to　be　opened　before　him。

〃Thou；　O　king；　art　a　king　of　kings；〃　Daniel　continued；　〃for　the　God　of　heaven　hath　given　thee　a　kingdom；　power；　and　strength；　and　glory。　And　wheresoever　the　children　of　men　dwell；　the　beasts　of　the　field　and　fowls　of　the　heaven　hath　He　given　into　thine　hand；　and　hath　made　thee　ruler　over　them　all。　Thou　art　this　head　of　gold。

〃And　after　thee　shall　arise　another　kingdom　inferior　to　thee；　and　another　third　kingdom　of　brass；　which　shall　bear　rule　over　all　the　earth。

〃And　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。

〃And　whereas　thou　sawest　the　feet　and　toes；　part　of　potters'　clay；　and　part　of　iron；　the　kingdom　shall　be　divided；　but　there　shall　be　in　it　of　the　strength　of　the　iron；　forasmuch　as　thou　sawest　the　iron　mixed　with　miry　clay。　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。　And　whereas　thou　sawest　iron　mixed　with　miry　clay；　they　shall

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mingle　themselves　with　the　seed　of　men：　but　they　shall　not　cleave　one　to　another；　even　as　iron　is　not　mixed　with　clay。〃

〃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。　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　shall　come　to　pass　hereafter：　and　the　dream　is　certain；　and　the　interpretation　thereof　sure。〃

The　king　was　convinced　of　the　truth　of　the　interpretation；　and　in　humility　and　awe　he　〃fell　upon　his　face；　and　worshiped；〃　saying；　〃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。〃

Nebuchadnezzar　revoked　the　decree　for　the　destruction　of　the　wise　men。　Their　lives　were　spared　because　of　Daniel's　connection　with　the　Revealer　of　secrets。　And　〃the　king　made　Daniel　a　great　man；　and　gave　him　many　great　gifts；　and　made　him　ruler　over　the　whole　province　of　Babylon；　and　chief　of　the　governors　over　all　the　wise　men　of　Babylon。　Then　Daniel　requeste