MEN OUGHT ALWAYS TO PRAY.
By William W. Prescott
THE experience of the three Hebrews under the decree of Nebuchadnezzar, as related in the third chapter, and the experience of Daniel, as related in this chapter, set forth the two ways of interfering with the duty of every man to render his service to the true God. In the first case they were not forbidden to worship the true God, but were commanded to “worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up.” Now it was forbidden to ask any petition of any God or man, save of King Darius, during the whole of the time specified in the decree. But when these instances are closely examined, they both reveal one purpose—the exaltation of man in the place of God. They both make the duty of man to God as secondary, and demand the recognition of the right of some men not to be servants of God, but to show themselves that they are gods. But this is wholly contrary to the principles of the gospel of the kingdom of God, and both Daniel and his companions preached the gospel of the kingdom by fulfilling their duty “to obey God rather than men.” The provision of the decree which these men prepared for King Darius to sign showed that there was a spirit working through them which they did not themselves understand. It was just at this time, as is shown by the first two verses of chapter nine, that it was made clear to Daniel, through the prophecies of Jeremiah, that the set time for the restoration of God’s people from Babylonish captivity was at hand; and then it was that Daniel set his face “unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.” It was sin which had brought the people into captivity, and it was only through repentance and confession of sin that they could be delivered. If this could be prevented by forbidding all communion with God, then there was hope of holding the people longer in the bondage of sin, and so in the bondage of Babylon. Thus does the god of this world use men who scorn the idea that they are anyone’s servants, as his agents in trying to accomplish his own plans. With a great outward show of loyalty to the person of King Darius, and with a flattery which appeared to make him as God, these presidents and princes were really using the king as a mere tool for the accomplishment of their purpose to prevent the recognition of true worth and real regard for the interests of the king. They cared much less for the prosperity of the kingdom than did Daniel, whom they were seeking to destroy, and yet they were professing extreme loyalty and devotion to the king. But Daniel revealed the highest loyalty to King Darius by maintaining his loyalty to the King of heaven, and by refusing to compromise in the slightest degree the principles of the gospel of the kingdom. “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 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 ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of 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 petition three times a day. Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. 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 God 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 the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.” By comparing verse ten of this chapter with the portion of Solomon’s prayer, at the dedication of the temple, which is recorded in I Kings 8:44-50, it is evident that Daniel was praying with special reference to the deliverance of his own people from Babylon; and it is further evident that there would be no hope of such a deliverance if Daniel regarded the king of Babylon as greater than the King of heaven, and acknowledged his right of precedence in the matter of service. But with full knowledge of the provisions of the decree, he still recognized God as supreme, “as he did aforetime.” He did not change his course either to defy King Darius or to slight the claims of the King of heaven. By falsely representing it as the desire of “all the presidents of the kingdom,” as well as of the other officials of the realm, these men had prevailed upon the king to issue a general decree, while they had in mind the case of just one man, against whom they fully intended to use it. And after having made use of the governmental power in this way to accomplish their own private ends, they now professed great respect for that creature of their own making, the law, and appealed to the ancient traditions of the kingdom to prevent the king from saving himself from the trap into which he had fallen. The law, the law, said they. It is the law, and it must be enforced. And so it has ever been. Those Roman emperors, under whose rule the Christians suffered the most, were those who were most faithful in enforcing the laws of the empire. Even during the Dark Ages, when the victims of religious persecution were numbered by the hundreds of thousands, the so-called heretics were all tortured in strict accordance with the laws of the state. And even when the Saviour of the world was accused before Pilate, the Jews said, “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” King Darius yielded to the pressure brought to bear upon him, and an innocent man was cast into the den of lions because the man who sat upon the throne was not a king, but simply the tool of designing men. This history is a prophecy, as well as that which has already been studied, and its fulfillment is near at hand. And that is why the message must go forth to all the world: “Fear God, and give glory to him; . . . and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. . . . If any man worship the beast and his image, . . . the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God.” “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” “Behold your God.” “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” W. W. P.