prophets and kings-第92章

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d　offer　no　excuse。

In　vain　the　king　tried　to　read　the　burning　letters。　But　here　was　a　secret　he　could　not　fathom；　a　power　he　could　neither　understand　nor　gainsay。　In　despair　he　turned　to　the　wise　men　of　his　realm　for　help。　His　wild　cry　rang　out　in　the　assembly；　calling　upon　the　astrologers；　the　Chaldeans；　and　the　soothsayers　to　read　the　writing。　〃Whosoever　shall　read　this　writing；〃　he　promised；　〃and　show　me　the　interpretation　thereof；　shall　be　clothed　with　scarlet；　and　have　a　chain　of　gold　about　his　neck；　and　shall　be　the　third　ruler　in　the　kingdom。〃　But　of　no　avail　was　his　appeal　to　his　trusted　advisers；　with　offers　of　rich　awards。　Heavenly　wisdom　cannot　be　bought　or　sold。　〃All　the　king's　wise　men　。　。　。　could　not　read　the　writing；　nor　make　known　to　the　king　the　interpretation　thereof。〃　They　were　no　more　able　to　read　the　mysterious　characters　than　had　been　the　wise　men　of　a　former　generation　to　interpret　the　dreams　of　Nebuchadnezzar。

Then　the　queen　mother　remembered　Daniel；　who；　over　half　a　century　before；　had　made　known　to　King　Nebuchadnezzar

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the　dream　of　the　great　image　and　its　interpretation。　〃O　king；　live　forever；〃　she　said。　〃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；　and　in　the　days　of　thy　father　light　and　understanding　and　wisdom；　like　the　wisdom　of　the　gods；　was　found　in　him；　whom　the　king　Nebuchadnezzar　。　。　。　made　master　of　the　magicians；　astrologers；　Chaldeans；　and　soothsayers；　forasmuch　as　an　excellent　spirit；　and　knowledge；　and　understanding；　interpreting　of　dreams；　and　showing　of　hard　sentences；　and　dissolving　of　doubts；　were　found　in　the　same　Daniel；　whom　the　king　named　Belteshazzar：　now　let　Daniel　be　called；　and　he　will　show　the　interpretation。

〃Then　was　Daniel　brought　in　before　the　king。〃　Making　an　effort　to　regain　his　composure；　Belshazzar　said　to　the　prophet：　〃Art　thou　that　Daniel；　which　art　of　the　children　of　the　captivity　of　Judah；　whom　the　king　my　father　brought　out　of　Jewry？　I　have　even　heard　of　thee；　that　the　spirit　of　the　gods　is　in　thee；　and　that　light　and　understanding　and　excellent　wisdom　is　found　in　thee。　And　now　the　wise　men；　the　astrologers；　have　been　brought　in　before　me；　that　they　should　read　this　writing；　and　make　known　unto　me　the　interpretation　thereof：　but　they　could　not　show　the　interpretation　of　the　thing：　and　I　have　heard　of　thee；　that　thou　canst　make　interpretations；　and　dissolve　doubts：　now　if　thou　canst　read　the　writing；　and　make　known　to　me　the　interpretation　thereof；　thou　shalt　be　clothed　with　scarlet；　and　have　a　chain　of　gold　about　thy　neck；　and　shalt　be　the　third　ruler　in　the　kingdom。〃

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Before　that　terror…stricken　throng；　Daniel；　unmoved　by　the　promises　of　the　king；　stood　in　the　quiet　dignity　of　a　servant　of　the　Most　High；　not　to　speak　words　of　flattery；　but　to　interpret　a　message　of　doom。　〃Let　thy　gifts　be　to　thyself；〃　he　said；　〃and　give　thy　rewards　to　another；　yet　I　will　read　the　writing　unto　the　king；　and　make　known　to　him　the　interpretation。〃

The　prophet　first　reminded　Belshazzar　of　matters　with　which　he　was　familiar；　but　which　had　not　taught　him　the　lesson　of　humility　that　might　have　saved　him。　He　spoke　of　Nebuchadnezzar's　sin　and　fall；　and　of　the　Lord's　dealings　with　himthe　dominion　and　glory　bestowed　upon　him；　the　divine　judgment　for　his　pride；　and　his　subsequent　acknowledgment　of　the　power　and　mercy　of　the　God　of　Israel；　and　then　in　bold　and　emphatic　words　he　rebuked　Belshazzar　for　his　great　wickedness。　He　held　the　king's　sin　up　before　him；　showing　him　the　lessons　he　might　have　learned　but　did　not。　Belshazzar　had　not　read　aright　the　experience　of　his　grandfather；　nor　heeded　the　warning　of　events　so　significant　to　himself。　The　opportunity　of　knowing　and　obeying　the　true　God　had　been　given　him；　but　had　not　been　taken　to　heart；　and　he　was　about　to　reap　the　consequence　of　his　rebellion。

〃Thou；　。　。　。　O　Belshazzar；〃　the　prophet　declared；　〃hast　not　humbled　thine　heart；　though　thou　knewest　all　this；　but　hast　lifted　up　thyself　against　the　Lord　of　heaven；　and　they　have　brought　the　vessels　of　His　house　before　thee；　and　thou；　and　thy　lords；　thy　wives；　and　thy　concubines；　have　drunk　wine　in　them；　and　thou　hast　praised　the　gods　of　silver；　and　gold；　of　brass；　iron；　wood；　and　stone；　which　see　not；　nor　hear；　nor　know：　and　the　God　in　whose　hand　thy　breath　is；　and　whose

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are　all　thy　ways；　hast　thou　not　glorified：　then　was　the　part　of　the　hand　set　from　Him；　and　this　writing　was　written。〃

Turning　to　the　Heaven…sent　message　on　the　wall；　the　prophet　read；　〃Mene；　Mene；　Tekel；　Upharsin。〃　The　hand　that　had　traced　the　characters　was　no　longer　visible；　but　these　four　words　were　still　gleaming　forth　with　terrible　distinctness；　and　now　with　bated　breath　the　people　listened　while　the　aged　prophet　declared：

〃This　is　the　interpretation　of　the　thing：　Mene；　God　hath　numbered　thy　kingdom；　and　finished　it。　Tekel；　Thou　art　weighed　in　the　balances；　and　art　found　wanting。　Peres；　Thy　kingdom　is　divided；　and　given　to　the　Medes　and　Persians。〃

In　that　last　night　of　mad　folly；　Belshazzar　and　his　lords　had　filled　up　the　measure　of　their　guilt　and　the　guilt　of　the　Chaldean　kingdom。　No　longer　could　God's　restraining　hand　ward　off　the　impending　evil。　Through　manifold　providences；　God　had　sought　to　teach　them　reverence　for　His　law。　〃We　would　have　healed　Babylon；〃　He　declared　of　those　whose　judgment　was　now　reaching　unto　heaven；　〃but　she　is　not　healed。〃　Jeremiah　51：9。　Because　of　the　strange　perversity　of　the　human　heart；　God　had　at　last　found　it　necessary　to　pass　the　irrevocable　sentence。　Belshazzar　was　to　fall；　and　his　kingdom　was　to　pass　into　other　hands。

As　the　prophet　ceased　speaking；　the　king　commanded　that　he　be　awarded　the　promised　honors；　and　in　harmony　with　this；　〃they　clothed　Daniel　with　scarlet；　and　put　a　chain　of　gold　about　his　neck；　and　made　a　proclamation　concerning　him；　that　he　should　be　the　third　ruler　in　the　kingdom。〃

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More　than　a　century　before；　Inspiration　had　foretold　that　〃the　night　of　。　。　。　pleasure〃　during　which　king　and　counselors　would　vie　with　one　another　in　blasphemy　against　God；　would　suddenly　be　changed　into　a　season　of　fear　and　destruction。　And　now；　in　rapid　succession；　momentous　events　followed　one　another　exactly　as　had　been　portrayed　in　the　prophetic　scriptures　years　before　the　principals　in　the　drama　had　been　born。

While　still　in　the　festal　hall；　surrounded　by　those　whose　doom　has　been　sealed；　the　king　is　informed　by　a　messenger　that　〃his　city　is　taken〃　by　the　enemy　against　whose　devices　he　had　felt　so　secure；　〃that　the　passages　are　stopped；　。　。　。　and　the　men　of　war　are　affrighted。〃　Verses　31；　32。　Even　while　he　and　his　nobles　were　drinking　from　the　sacred　vessels　of　Jehovah；　and　praising　their　gods　of　silver　and　of　gold；　the　Medes　and　the　Persians；　having　turned　the　Euphrates　out　of　its　channel；　were　marching　into　the　heart　of　the　unguarded　city。　The　army　of　Cyrus　now　stood　under　the　walls　of　the　palace；　the　city　was　filled　with　the　soldiers　of　the　enemy；　〃as　with　caterpillars〃　（verse　14）；　and　their　triumphant　shouts　could　be　heard　above　the　despairing　cries　of　the　astonished　revelers。

〃In　that　night　was　Belshazzar　the　king　of　the　Chaldeans　slain；〃　and　an　alien　monarch　sat　upon　the　throne。

Clearly　had　the　Hebrew　prophets　spoken　concerning　the　manner　in　which　Babylon　should　fall。　As　in　vision　God　had　revealed　to　them　the　events　of　the　future；　they　had　exclaimed：　〃How　is　Sheshach　taken！　and　how　is　the　praise　of　the　whole　earth　surprised！　how　is　Babylon　become　an　astonishment　among　the　nations！〃　〃How　is　the　hammer　of　the　whole

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earth　cut　asunder　and　broken！　how　is　Babylon　become　a　desolation　among　the　nations！〃　〃At　the　noise　of　the　taking　of　Babylon　the　earth　is　moved；　and　the　cry　is　heard　among　the　nations。〃

〃Babylon　is　suddenly　fallen　and　destroyed。〃　〃The　spoiler　is　come　upon　her；　even　upon　Babylon；　and　her　mighty　men　are　taken；　every　one　of　their　bows　is　broken：　for　the　Lord　God　of　recompenses　shall　surely　requite。　And　I　will　make　drunk　her　princes；　and　her　wise　men；　her　captai