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第82节

prophets and kings-第82节

小说: prophets and kings 字数: 每页4000字

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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 captains; and her rulers; and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep; and not wake; saith the King; whose name is the Lord of hosts。〃

〃I have laid a snare for thee; and thou art also taken; O Babylon; and thou wast not aware: thou art found; and also caught; because thou hast striven against the Lord。 The Lord hath opened His armory; and hath brought forth the weapons of His indignation: for this is the work of the Lord God of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans。〃

〃Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go。 Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is His name: He shall throughly plead their cause; that He may give rest to the land; and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon。〃 Jeremiah 51:41; 50:23; 46; 51:8; 56; 57; 50:24; 25; 33; 34。

Thus 〃the broad walls of Babylon〃 became 〃utterly broken; and her high gates。 。 。 burned with fire。〃 Thus did Jehovah of hosts 〃cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease;〃 and lay low 〃the haughtiness of the terrible。〃 Thus

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did 〃Babylon; the glory of kingdoms; the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency;〃 become as Sodom and Gomorrah a place forever accursed。 〃It shall never be inhabited;〃 Inspiration has declared; 〃neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there。 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there; and satyrs shall dance there。 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses; and dragons in their pleasant palaces。〃 〃I will also make it a possession for the bittern; and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction; saith the Lord of hosts。〃 Jeremiah

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