of lions? The king answered and said, This thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 13. 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. 14. 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. 15. 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. 16. 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. 17. 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.

It only remained for these men, having set the trap, to watch their victim, that they might ensnare him therein. So they again came tumultuously together, this time at the residence of Daniel, as though some important business had called them suddenly together to consult the chief of the presidents; and lo, they found him just as they intended and hoped, praying to his God. So far all has worked well. They were not long in going to the king with the matter, and, to render it more sure, got an acknowledgment from the king that such a decree was in force. Then they were ready to inform against Daniel; and mark their mean resort to excite the prejudices of the king: "That Daniel, which is of

the children of the captivity of Judah." Yes, that poor captive, who is entirely dependent on you for all that he enjoys, so far from being grateful and appreciating your favors, regards not you, nor pays any attention to your decree. Then the king saw the trap that had been prepared for him, as well as for Daniel, and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him, probably by personal efforts with the conspirators, to cause them to relent, or by arguments and endeavors to procure the repeal of the law. But they were inexorable. The law was sustained; and Daniel, the venerable, the grave, the upright and faultless servant of the kingdom, is thrown, as if he had been one of the vilest of malefactors, into the den of lions to be devoured by them.

VERSE 18. Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; neither were instruments of music brought before him; and his sleep went from him. 19. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. 20. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel; and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? 21. Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live forever. 22. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. 23. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. 24. And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions,

them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

The course of the king after Daniel had been cast into the den of lions attests his genuine interest in his behalf, and the severe condemnation he felt for his own course in the matter. At earliest dawn he repaired to the den where his prime minister had passed the night in company with hungry and ravenous beasts. Daniel's response to his first salutation was no word of reproach for the king's course in yielding to his persecutors, but a term of respect and honor, "O king, live forever." He afterward, however, reminds the king, in a manner which he must have keenly felt, but to which he could take no exception, that before him he had done no hurt. And on account of his innocency, God, whom he served continually, not at intervals nor by fits and starts, had sent his angel, and shut the lions' mouths.

Here, then, stood Daniel preserved by a power higher than any of earth. His cause was vindicated, his innocency declared. No hurt was found on him, because he believed in his God. Faith did it. A miracle had been wrought. Why, then, were Daniel's accusers brought and cast in? It is said that they attributed the preservation of Daniel, not to any miracle in his behalf, but to the fact that the lions chanced at that time not to be hungry. Then, said the king, they will no more attack you than him, so we will test the matter by putting you in. The lions were hungry enough when they could get

hold of the guilty; and these men were torn to pieces ere they reached the bottom of the den. Thus was Daniel's case doubly vindicated; and thus strikingly were the words of Solomon fulfilled : "The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead." Prov. 11:8.

VERSE 25. Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied unto you. 26. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and steadfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 27. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. 28. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

The result of this experience of Daniel is that another proclamation goes out through the empire in favor of the true God, the God of Israel. All men were to fear and tremble before him. What Daniel's enemies designed to prove his ruin, resulted only in his advancement. In this case, and in case of the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace, the seal of God is set in favor of two great lines of duty: 1. As in the case of the three in the fiery furnace, not to yield to any known sin; and 2. As in the present case, not to omit any known duty. And from these instances, the people of God are to take encouragement, in all ages.

The decree of the king sets forth the character of the true God in fine terms: 1. He is the living

God; all others are dead. 2. He is steadfast forever; all others change. 3. He has a kingdom; for he made and governs all. 4. His kingdom shall not be destroyed; all others come to an end. 5. His dominion is without end; no human power can prevail against it. 6. He delivereth those who are in bondage. 7. He rescueth his servants from their enemies when they call upon him for help. 8. He worketh wonders in the heavens and signs upon the earth. 9. And to complete all, he hath delivered Daniel, giving before our own eyes the fullest proof of his power and goodness in rescuing his servant from the power of the lions. How excellent a eulogium is this on the great God and his faithful servant!

Thus closes the historical part of the book of Daniel. We now come to the prophetical portion, which, like a shining beacon light, has thrown its rays over all the course of time from that point to the present, and is still lighting up the pathway of the church onward to the eternal kingdom.