The Book of Daniel by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 6, 1908

The Book of Daniel

By Editor

The Image Answering the Image

THE EDITOR

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. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Then the satraps, the deputies, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counselors, 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. Then the herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 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 image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up; and whoso falleth not down and worshipeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. Therefore at that time, when all the peoples heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and brought accusation against the Jews. They answered and said to Nebuchadnezzar the king, O king, live forever. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image; and whoso falleth not down and worshipeth, shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom thou hast appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Dan. 3: 1-12.

The Growth of Babylon

As the book of Daniel is not a consecutive history, but only a record of certain events related for a special purpose, it is not out of harmony with the plan of this book that about twenty years elapsed between the occurrences of the second and third chapters. In the meantime the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar has been rapidly growing in power and glory. His kingdom has been extended by military conquests, and the stability of his kingdom has been assured by his successful administration, and by the carrying out of large projects in developing the interests of his realm. These conditions have been well described in the following paragraph:—

“The victories of Nebuchadnezzar were not without an effect on his home administration, and on the construction of the vast works with which his name is inseparably associated. It was through them that he obtained that enormous command of ‘naked human strength’ which enabled him, without undue oppression of his own people, to carry out on the grandest scale his schemes for at once beautifying and benefiting his kingdom. From the time when he first took the field at the head of an army, he adopted the Assyrian system of forcibly removing almost the whole population of a conquered country, and planting it in a distant part of his dominion. Crowds of captives—the produce of his various wars—Jews, Egyptians, Phenicians, Syrians, Ammonites, Moabites, were settled in various parts of Mesopotamia, more especially about Babylon. From these unfortunates, forced labor was as a matter of course required; and it seems to have been chiefly, if not solely, by their exertions that the magnificent series of great works were accomplished, which formed the special glory of the fourth monarchy. . . . The indefatigable monarch seems to have either rebuilt, or at least repaired, almost every city and temple throughout the entire country. There are said to be at least a

hundred cities in the tract immediately about Babylon, which give evidence, by inscribed bricks bearing his legend, of the marvelous activity and energy of this king.”—Seven Great Monarchies, Rawlinson, Three Volume Edition, Vol. II, pages 245, 246.

Babylon the Only World-Kingdom

A knowledge of these facts seems necessary in order to interpret correctly Nebuchadnezzar’s conduct. After the Hebrew captive, Daniel, had related to him the dream of the great image, and in interpreting its meaning had told him of the successive kingdoms which would follow his own, each one of which would in turn pass away, until the time came that the God of heaven should set up a kingdom which would stand forever, Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged the God of Daniel as “the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets,” because Daniel had been able to make such a revelation to him. In further acknowledgment of his belief that Daniel had made a true forecast of the future, he promoted him “to rule over the whole province of Babylon, and to be chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon.” But time and the prosperity which have attended his rule have evidently made decided changes in the views entertained by the king of Babylon. In his dream he saw a great image, which Daniel interpreted to him as representing the future world-kingdoms. This image was composed of different metals, and the head of gold was declared to be the symbol of the kingdom of Babylon.

Evidently influenced by the extension of his territory and the growth of his power during twenty years of unchecked prosperity, Nebuchadnezzar now rejects the outline of history as told by Daniel, and determines to present his own view of the future. As an answer, therefore, to the great image of the dream whose head only was of gold, Nebuchadnezzar made an image all of gold, and set it up in a prominent place, where it could not fail to attract the attention of the people of his realm. Did Daniel say that there should be another kingdom after him, and a third kingdom, and a fourth kingdom, and that only the fifth kingdom would be enduring in its nature? Nebuchadnezzar now contradicts this prophecy of the future, and by making an image all of gold, he asserts that no other world-kingdom shall succeed his own, and that the history of Babylon shall be the history of the world.

The Image and Its Meaning

The image which Nebuchadnezzar set up may have been a likeness of his father, Nabopolassar, the first ruler of Babylon after it became an independent power; or it may have been a representation of a leading divinity of Babylon, such as Bel or Nebo; or it may have been an image of himself. In any case, the essential idea is the same. It is the personification of the greatness of Babylon, and includes the acknowledgment that the gods of Babylon, under whose guardian care the empire has attained its greatness, are superior to all others. To worship the golden image is, therefore, not simply idolatry in the ordinary signification, but is a direct denial of the God of heaven, and of the view of the future which he has disclosed through the revelation of his secret to Daniel in the night vision.

The union of religion and the state, and the practical deification of the state in the person of the ruler, are common in heathen religions. It was, therefore, perfectly in harmony with the customs and the spirit of the times that Nebuchadnezzar should assume to direct the worship of his subjects, and require that divine honors should be paid to the image which he had set up, as a proof of loyalty to the monarch. To refuse to worship the image would be interpreted as an expression of rebellion against the authority of the king, as, in fact, an act of treason worthy of summary punishment.

The temper of King Nebuchadnezzar toward those who crossed his wishes, and his exercise of arbitrary power in punishment, had already been illustrated in his decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be destroyed because of their inability to comply with his demand that they should relate his dream. Years of prosperity and increasing power would naturally tend to exaggerate these traits of character, until it was doubtless well known in Babylon that every man who defied the command of the king would bring punishment, swift and sure, upon himself.

The Three Sixes

It may be worth while to note the dimensions of the golden image. The width was six cubits, and the height was ten times six cubits. Thus this image was stamped with the number six. This idea is further emphasized in the fact that six kinds of instruments are designated by name when referring to the music which was the signal for worship. Although Nebuchadnezzar himself may not have been conscious of the real significance of this combination of numbers, yet in view of later developments it is difficult to escape the conviction that in this work of the king of Babylon there was foreshadowed that spiritual oppression which in the latter days would characterize spiritual Babylon, represented by “the beast” of prophecy, the number of whose name is declared to be “six hundred and sixty and six.” It is plain that this number six signifies opposition to the God of heaven; and the worship of the image which was set up by the king of ancient Babylon is typical of that worship which will be enforced by the head of spiritual Babylon. The essential idea in both cases is the same. It is the exaltation of man above God, the putting of man in the place of God; and the true worshipers of the King of heaven must in both cases refuse to obey the decree which would involve them in idolatry.

Worshiping the Image

The dedication of the image was made an affair of state, and representatives of the whole province of Babylon were officially summoned to attend. No province is overlooked. The whole realm must know and acknowledge Nebuchadnezzar’s estimate of himself and his kingdom. The act of worshiping the golden image constitutes, as it were, an oath of allegiance, a pledge of loyalty, to aid in the realization of the king’s thought concerning the future. The scene must have been an inspiring one. Officials of all ranks, with their attendants, are gathered in the plain of Dura. The lofty image glistens in the sunlight. Music, which charms the senses and often drowns any disturbing reprovings of conscience, is not lacking. The herald proclaims the king’s command, and announces the fearful penalty for disobedience. The sound of the music furnishes the signal for worship, and “all the peoples, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshiped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.”

The Refusal to Worship

In this great throng, however, there were three who, although they had been appointed “over the affairs of the province of Babylon,” and were thus classed among the officials of the realm, did not join in this deification of the state or the monarch. It might be thought that in such a crowd of worshipers these three men would have escaped attention; but not so. It is more than likely that envy made the Chaldeans watchful of the three captives who had been promoted to such positions of influence. At all events, an accusation was made against them, and in the accusation before the king these rebellious subjects are referred to as “certain Jews whom thou hast appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon.” The formal charge is made in these words: “These men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” How strong is the implied charge of ingratitude and disloyalty! The despised captives, who might have been destroyed at the word of the king, but who instead have been honored by royal appointment, have now shown their contempt for the person and the religion of the king. What matters it that religion is wholly a question between man and his God? Is not the king of Babylon an absolute ruler? Has he not complete authority over all his subjects? Who will dare assert his right not to worship, when the king of Babylon commands him to worship? And who can claim liberty of conscience when such a claim involves disobedience to the royal command? Has not the decree been made in due form? and has not the death penalty been attached thereto? Surely it does not require the wisdom of the wise men of Babylon to foretell the result. The fiery furnace will be the portion of those who thus defy properly constituted authority, and who place the rights of conscience above the mandate of the king. Only so, according to the principles of Babylon, can the dignity of the king be maintained, and his authority vindicated.