Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. Then said these men, "We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his G.o.d."
Then these presidents and satraps a.s.sembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, "King Darius, live for ever. All the presidents of the kingdom, the deputies and the satraps, the counselors and the governors, have consulted together, to establish a royal statute, and to make a strong decree, that whosoever shall ask a pet.i.tion of any G.o.d or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not."
Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
B. DANIEL AT HIS PRAYERS
And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house (now his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem); and he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his G.o.d, as he did aforetime. Then these men a.s.sembled together, and found Daniel making pet.i.tion and supplication before his G.o.d.
Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king"s decree; "Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall make pet.i.tion unto any G.o.d or man within thirty days, save unto thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?"
The king answered and said, "The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not."
Then answered they and said before the king, "That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his pet.i.tion three times a day."
Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he labored till the going down of the sun to rescue him.
Then these men a.s.sembled together unto the king and said unto the king, "Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians, that no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed."
C. DANIEL DELIVERED FROM THE LIONS
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 G.o.d whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee."
And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
Then the king went to his palace, and pa.s.sed the night fasting: neither were instruments of music brought before him: and his sleep fled from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came near unto the den to Daniel, he cried with a lamentable voice: the king spake and said to Daniel, "O Daniel, servant of the living G.o.d, is thy G.o.d, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?"
Then said Daniel unto the king, "O king, live for ever. My G.o.d hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions" mouths, and they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt."
Then was the king exceeding glad, 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 had trusted in his G.o.d.
And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and break all their bones in pieces, or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
D. THE PROSPERITY OF DANIEL
Then king Darius wrote unto all the peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; "Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, that in all the dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the G.o.d of Daniel: for he is the living G.o.d, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end: he delivereth and rescueth, and he worked signs and wonders in heaven and in earth; who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."
So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
THE MEANING OF THE STORY
367. In the last chapter we studied the bitter persecution of the Jews in the time of Antiochus. G.o.d sent them a great deliverer in Judas the Hammerer. He also sent them a helper who told them heroic stories of the olden time to encourage them to believe that G.o.d would surely deliver them. These stories were of Daniel and his three friends who were taken to Babylon in the captivity. They were under great temptation to be untrue to their religion. We can see how these stories would help the people to be faithful.
368 (--98). In the old times the food and wine for the king"s table would first be offered to the heathen G.o.ds, so Daniel felt that he would really be an idolator if he took them. What request did he make? How did the master think it would be discovered that he had not fed them on rich food? What test did Daniel propose? How did it turn out? Of course it was really much more healthy for the young men to live simply. It took some courage to stand out against the officer, but it was a matter of conscience with Daniel and his friends.
369 (--99A). Imagine the great golden image 100 feet high. What was the king"s command to the people? What was to be the penalty if they refused to obey? How would a faithful servant of the Lord feel about it?
370 (--99B). We do not know where Daniel was at this time, but what did his three friends do? What did the king say to them? What did they answer him? Notice carefully that they said they were sure G.o.d could save them, but whether he did or not they would be faithful. G.o.d does not always save people from death. The n.o.ble army of martyrs have been faithful unto death. But G.o.d has always brought good out of their sufferings.
371 (--99C). Describe the scene when these men were thrown into the furnace? What did the king think he saw? What did he do to the three?
What impression did it make on the king? We can understand how the Jews would have told such a wonderful story as this to cheer those who were under great temptation to give up their faith.
372 (--100A). Long after, when Daniel was an old man, another great danger arose. He had meantime been promoted to the highest station.
Great men always have many enemies who are jealous of them. All our great Americans have had those who envied them. What foolish thing did Daniel"s enemies persuade the king to do? There seems to have been a rule that if the king gave an order it could not be changed.
373 (--100B). What had been Daniel"s custom regarding prayer? How did he change it when he heard of the decree? Would he have been wiser to pray secretly? Some of our soldier boys that went to the war were ashamed to kneel down and pray at night, but some of them were not afraid even when their companions jeered them. Do you remember a story like that in _Tom Brown at Rugby_? How did the king feel when he found that Daniel had refused to obey the decree? Why could not the king pardon him? Notice how bitterly his enemies insisted on the penalty.
374 (--100C). What did the king say to Daniel? How did the king pa.s.s the night? What happened in the morning? What was done to his enemies?
375 (--100D). What message did the king send to his people? Daniel"s bravery made the king respect his religion. What was the result of all this to Daniel? Suppose Daniel had been killed by the lions, what would you think of him?
WRITTEN REVIEW
Think about Daniel"s refusal to do wrong. You have probably known one of your companions who refused to do some wrong when it was hard to refuse. Young people can be heroes in standing up for duty. Write about anybody whom you have known who did this. Or perhaps you will find somebody actually doing such a thing now. Make a good story of it for your notebook.
REVIEW
x.x.xV. SEVEN HEROIC NAMES
x.x.xV. SEVEN HEROIC NAMES
376. The Hebrews always looked back to their magnificent king, whom they thought of as the wisest of men. What was his name? Tell the story of his great building. (--79; I Kings 5:2-6.[2])
[2: Very short Scripture references are given, just enough to recall the story. It might be well to read these as well as to look at the section in the textbook.]
377. What great prophet was the champion of pure religion? Tell the story of the test at Mount Carmel. (--82; I Kings 18:20-24.)
378. King Ahab had a fine palace in Jezreel and Naboth had a vineyard near by. Tell the story of the king"s covetousness. Why did Elijah interfere? (--84; I Kings 21:17-23.)
379. Who was the prophet that followed Elijah? Why did we call him the healer and counselor? We read a number of stories of his kindly deeds to the people. Tell one of them.
380. One of Israel"s heroes was a man who had always lived far away from Jerusalem. He had a high office, and would have found it more profitable not to trouble himself about his countrymen. But he heard of their sad condition and persuaded the king to let him help them. Tell the story of Nehemiah building the wall of Jerusalem. (--91; Neh. 6:15, 16.)
381. Two books in the Old Testament are named after women. One was a foreigner who came into Israel, the other was the beautiful Jewess who married the Persian king. Who was the wicked man that wanted to kill all the Jews? How did the queen risk her life to save her people? (--95; Esther 4:13-17.)
382. We studied about one hero, whose story is not in the Old Testament.
What did his surname Maccabaeus mean? How did he deliver his people?