PREACHING THE GOSPEL IN BABYLON.
In our Sabbath-school lesson for the week (see page 15) the first thirteen verses of Daniel 2 are studied. It was and is God's purpose that not only the people of Babylon, but the people of every land should know His Gospel, the great essential of which is “God manifest in the flesh.” To Hezekiah was given the glorious opportunity of teaching and demonstrating this truth to Babylon when God healed him. Isaiah 38. That and the attendant astronomical miracle led the scientists and great men of Babylon to connect the miracle with Judea, and to Judea they came to learn the truth. But instead of revealing God and the riches of His grace, Hezekiah revealed himself and the material riches of his kingdom. Instead of ministering to the soul-need of the Babylonians, Hezekiah aroused their cupidity, and from that time Babylon looked to Jerusalem as a place of spoil rather than as a fountain of life and light. In a little over one hundred years the spoilers came, Jerusalem was looted, and the descendants of Hezekiah, who in peace might have been giving the Gospel to the world, were taken captives, and carried to Babylon, to be eunuchs in the king's palace. But the mission of God's people was still the same. God chose them for that purpose, and until they rebelled beyond all hope, He would use them if possible. Nay, more, even in their rebellion and idolatry they would still witness to the truth of His Word. But some of them knew God and were willing, co-operative witnesses; among them were Daniel and his three fellows. They demonstrated in the special trial of their three years' course of special study in the university of Babylon—physically, mentally, and spiritually demonstrated—that the servants of the living God, who regarded their bodies as God's temples, were superior to all the devout men of all the heathen cults. Nebuchadnezzar, the mighty king, saw the knowledge and wisdom; but to him it was of the earth. Nebuchadnezzar longed to know of what should follow. In answer to the God-given desire to which the king responded, the Lord taught him of heaven and hereafter. He showed the proud monarch that Babylon was of the earth, earthy; but in revealing this fact, he demonstrated through His servant that God dwelt in humanity, contrary to the assertion of the wise men of Babylon. Dan. 2:10, 11. They professed other than this in time of safety, therefore went forth from the king the decree that if they could not interpret his dream, and demonstrate the truth of their claims, they should be destroyed. This dream was given of God at the very close of the university course taken by Daniel and his fellows, B. C. 603. In it there is instruction for all subsequent ages, concerning time and eternity.