The Pulpit Commentary — Daniel — Section 126

~ule. 8. We can, must, laboui·for its extension. With sword 11.8 well BB trowel (Noh, 1v. 18)•. 4. We shnll then share the day of the final triumph. (lea. liii. 11.) 6. And enter with the Lord on that sa,bbatic repose which follows the long ages of conflict, 'l'hat eternal eabbath closes the prospect in the sublime, successive relations of God (see George Steward's• Mediatorial Sovereignty,' vol. ii, 620-526).-R. Vera 4-6-49.-TM IOtd in the pre-Sence ef great 'TTW'cy. "Then the king made !Janiel a gre,,t man" (ver. 48). The revolation of the dream and its meaning was a very large benediction to the king, for it lifted great anxiety from his mind ; to Daniel and th.., three, for it saved their lives. The closing verses of eh, ii. present to us the moral eftect of the amazing Divine disclosure. I. 'l'HE MORAL ATTITUDE OF THE KING. 1. Entire r,essation from sel,f. No trace of that self-consciousnes~ which was so striking a characteristic of the king, Solf had becon!c _not.bin~. Self had ?een swept out of consciousness by the overwhelming hcncdict10n which flooded his soul. 2. Gratitude to the human instruments. 'l'o Daniel the king gave: (1) Greatness. (2) Enrichment. (3) Power, (a) The vice- gcrency of a province--Babylon. (b) The chancellorship of the magi. To Daniel's friends, administrative offices under Daniel in his province (soo the Chaldee, vers. 48, 49). 3. Homage to the Divine. The ideas of the king were of this kind, that there were many gods, but among them the God of the Hebrews was supreme, through Daniel shone his clear manifestations. Accordingly, to Daniel he offered incense, etc. Distinguish here between the false form and that which was true in spirit. Through the polytheistic cloud the king looked in the direction of the true and eternal Sun- God. He did not, could not, rest in mere secondary causes, He attributed the mercy to the Divine cause. Lessons: 1. SO'!M omit all gratitude to men. 2. Others with- hnld devout t/111,nkfu,l,,n,ess to God. Let the noble king-noble in all the mist that blinded him-in these things be our t.eacher. II. THE DEHEANOUB OF THE PROPHET, 1. A moderate estimate ef a&/, Even as an instrument, the benediction had not come wholly through him; he was mindful of hrR companions, the common dan 6er, their sympathy, their united prayers. 2. Gratitude to friendl,y h&pers. Pleads to the king for them. 3. A consciousne-Ss of a real great- ,iess that O'fU!J God covld give. "The king made Daniel a great man." We may argue from all we know of the elevation of the prophet's character that, whilst not ungrateful for the king's kindness, he estimated tliat elevation at its true value. He must have known that there was a greatness, not of earth, of the spirit, which only the Lord of spirits could give. .Such consciousness quite consistent with humility, "'l'hy clemency bath made me grea.t."-R. • Vers.1-13.-Thefai?ure and discomfiture of falsehood. As every drop of water on the iru.rface of the hills has a tendency to flow towards the ocean, as every step of the racer moves towards the goal, so every event in every kingdom points toward the establishment of Messiah's empire. The exile of the Jews, though apparently a retrograde movement in the spiritual machinery ; the special education of Daniel and his companions; the heathen monarch's dream; the discomfiture of the magicians ;-11 these, and like events in Babylon, were so many lines of influence leading on: to the advent of Messiah. God is DO respecter of persons, DO respecter of places, and 1f there be a more pliant disposition in the King of Babylon than in t~e ~ing of ~srael, t~e God of heaven will reveal his will to Nebuchadnezzar, and use him 1n mouldrng pubhc events. Consciously or unconsciously, all conquerors and all captives are working out the purposes of the universal Lord. I. THE GREAT MONABCH's DIBTBEBB. 1. For even kings are not exempt from trouble. Yea, their very elevation exposes them to winds of adversity, from which those escape who dwell in the sequestered vales of private station, As in nature, so in human life, there is a marvellous system of compensation, We look at the external palaces of princes, and are too ready to envy t.heir privileged estate; but could we loo~ within their breasts, we should be prone chiefly to pity them, "The sleep of a labounng man 1B sweet," bat the pillow of royalty is thickly sown with prickly cares: 2, _Most probably, outward circUDlJStance combined with inward fear to produce this ominous dream. By admitting e. natural element in huma.!). events, we do not exclude the  '1'11J~ BOOK Ol•' DA.NIEf,.