Studies in the Gospel Message
WE continue this week the study of the experiences of Daniel and his companions in Babylon, for the purpose of showing that the real subject of the book is The Service of the True God. In Daniel’s experience as recorded in the second chapter we have the demonstration of what was declared in the first chapter—that Daniel was able to render a service altogether superior in character to that which the so-called wise men of Babylon could render. And the reason for this is stated negatively in these words: “It is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.” Bishop Lowth translates the last clause, “Except that God, whose dwelling is not with flesh.” This makes the application still more definite. Believing in the lesson of the sanctuary, that God has made provision for dwelling with flesh, and having accepted this provision, Daniel was able to render such service to the king as demonstrated that he was in very fact a servant of the living God. The record of the third chapter shows that the three companions of Daniel were brought to a direct test, and were compelled to make their choice between the service of God and the service of Babylon. Their reply to the threat of Nebuchadnezzar shows the basis upon which they rested their decision: “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” After he had seen their wonderful preservation in the fiery furnace, Nebuchadnezzar recognized them as “servants of the most high God,” and that they had “yielded their bodies,” that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. It is certainly clear that the real subject dealt with in the third chapter is The Service of the True God. An examination of the fourth and fifth chapters will reveal the fact that the experiences of Daniel in interpreting the dream of the tree to Nebuchadnezzar and reading the handwriting on the wall to Belshazzar grow out of his acceptance of the fundamental truth taught in the sanctuary and its services—the indwelling presence of God as the power and wisdom for service. In the fourth chapter we learn that in a threefold repetition of the statement (verses 8, 9, and 18) Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged the truth of the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God as the basis of the wisdom of Daniel. Both Wintle and Spurrell make this very clear in their translations by using the phrase “the Spirit of the holy God” in the place of “the spirit of the holy gods” in each case. Nebuchadnezzar had already had one demonstration of the superiority of the service which Daniel was able to render, and he now states clearly the reason for it. Nebuchadnezzar recognized in Daniel a man whose service proved that God dwells with flesh. Daniel was able to render the best service to Nebuchadnezzar because he recognized himself as the temple of the living God, and because the service of the true God was carried forward in that temple. In the fifth chapter the same lesson is repeated. When a service was required which “all the king’s wise men” could not render, the queen said, “O king, live forever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: there is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods [or the holy God]; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him.” When Daniel was called in, he reminded Belshazzar of the experience of Nebuchadnezzar, and of the misfortune which overtook him because he refused to recognize himself as the servant of the God who “ruleth in the kingdom of men,” and then he held Belshazzar responsible because in the face of this experience he had not heeded the lesson, but had lifted up himself “against the Lord of heaven.” It was the mission of Daniel and his companions in Babylon to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom of God, the truth that every man is a servant of God, and that all, from the king to the lowliest man in the realm, are to recognize that their first and highest service is due to God. Nebuchadnezzar learned this lesson, and as a result “excellent majesty was added” unto him. Belshazzar refused the lesson, and as a result Babylon fell, “and Darius the Median took the kingdom.” And6thus it is again clear that the real subject of the book is The Service of the True God. In the sixth chapter we have a record of the test which came to Daniel in the reign of King Darius. The aim of the decree which the presidents and princes secured from King Darius was to make a break in the continual fellowship which Daniel maintained between himself and God by the continual offering of the incense of prayer and praise. In spite of the decree, however, “he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” After King Darius had yielded to the pressure which was brought to bear upon him by the presidents and princes, and had commanded Daniel to be cast into the den of lions, he said to him, “Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.” The next morning when the king came to the den, he said, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?” Daniel knew that continual worship and continual service are inseparable, and that both are simply the expression in the life of unbroken fellowship with God. To outward appearance it meant death to him to refuse obedience to the decree of the king, and thus maintain his continual fellowship as the basis of his continual service; but he knew, on the other hand, that it meant death indeed to him if he should by his own act break off his continual fellowship with God. He knew that as a servant of God, in fellowship with him, he was safer in a den of lions than he would be in his own house after having separated himself from God. King Darius saw that Daniel placed the service of God above every other consideration; and though he was a heathen king, yet he expressed the confidence that such devotion to the service of his God would bring deliverance from impending death. And so it did. The prophet Malachi mentions those who say, “It is vain to serve God,” but the Lord’s promise is, “I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” Daniel’s experience is the object lesson which teaches this truth. And it is abundantly evident that the subject of the sixth chapter is The Service of the True God. We have now briefly sketched the experience of Daniel and his companions, as far as it is recorded in the book of Daniel, and we have found that their mission was to teach the service of the true God in Babylon. It is also evident that their devotion to the service of the true God is simply the revelation in life of the truth taught in the sanctuary and its services. In other words, their mission in Babylon was to reveal the service of the true God in the living temple, the reality of the truth taught in the service in the temple at Jerusalem. The significance of this fact may be more plainly seen in our further studies. We have not yet given a direct answer to the question, which we raised two weeks ago, why we ought to study and teach the book of Daniel, but we have not forgotten it. We desire that the answer shall grow out of a study of the book itself rather than be a merely arbitrary statement of our views on the subject. For this reason we shall pursue this study further in connection with the Sabbath-school lessons which deal with the seventh and eighth chapters of Daniel.