We propose to consider, I. His views of Daniel's God —
We are quite surprised that a heathen, who had so impiously exalted himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, should have such just views, as he shews himself to have had, of the God of Israel. In describing Jehovah, he speaks of,
1. His essential perfection —
[Darius had hitherto known only the gods of gold and silver, or of wood and stone, which had no existence till they were formed into an image by the hands of man ; and which, when formed, were lifeless and motionless as the materials of which they were made. But of Jehovah he had far different views : he saw him to be the eternal self-existent God, who, whilst he alone had life in himself, was the one only source of life and being to all his creatures. Him too he saw to be an unchangeable God, " steadfast for ever" in all his purposes, and immutable in all his counsels.
This is such a view of God as all of us should have: if we see not his self-sufficiency, we shall never feel persuaded of his all-sufficiency for our helpa: and if we be not con- vinced, that " with him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning b," we shall never know whence our own stability arises0, or enjoy the consolation which God himself designs that we should derive from this never-failing source d ]
2. His universal dominion —
[Here, we apprehend, this heathen monarch did not limit his views to the providential government of Jehovah over all the works of his hands; but that he spoke also of that spiritual kingdom which should be erected by the Messiah, and which was to be both universal in its extent and everlasting in its duration. The dream and vision of Nebuchadnezzar were well known throughout all the Babylonish empire. In this vision the destruction of Babylon was expressly foretold ; and, after the establishment and ruin of three successive kingdoms, the Persian, the Grecian, and the Roman, a fifth kingdom was to arise, namely, that of the Messiah, which should break in pieces all other kingdoms, and stand for ever. The first part of this dream had now recently been fulfilled ; and fulfilled by the very person who had been foretold by name three hundred years before he was brought into the world ; and in the precise manner also that had been circumstantially foretold at the
a Isai. xxvi. 4. b Jam. i. 17.
c Mai. iii. 6. d Heb. vi. 17, 18.