Hints on Daniel

Dan. 4
 
Seven Times.
IT has been before observed that there is more in these historical incidents in the Book of Daniel than mere history.
No one who has not had his faith shaken in the inspiration of the Scriptures, either through his own willful unbelief or through the ‘wicked insinuations of his fellows, need have any difficulty as to the miraculous incidents related in this book. To the gainsayer no other answer need be given than that with which the Lord Himself met the Sadducean rationalists of old which said that there was no resurrection of the dead “Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God?” (Mark 12:2424And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? (Mark 12:24)). With God all things are possible.
It cannot be too clearly understood either by individuals or nations that true greatness can only be attained and maintained by giving God His rightful place. Nebuchadnezzar learned to his cost that “those that walk in pride He is able to abase,” and this lesson must be learned sooner or later by all. For seven years the proud monarch was driven from amongst men and dwelt amongst the beasts of the field till at length the tardy confession was wrung from him that with God “all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest thou?”
But in the interpretation of the dream we are doubtless meant to see more even than that which happened to Nebuchadnezzar himself. In stating the duration of the judgment that befell the king purposely, it would seem, a symbolical measure of time is used, “Till seven times pass over him.” Later on in the study of the book we shall find that “times” is a symbolical way of expressing “years,” but in this chapter I have no doubt that both should be borne in mind; the literal seven years of Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliation and the symbolical seven times, or a complete cycle of time at the end of which the Gentile powers will learn the lesson of submission to the Most High God.
The title that is given to God by Daniel, and owned by Nebuchadnezzar in the previous chapter as well as here, is one of those indirect evidences of inspiration with which the whole Scripture abounds. Every student of the Word knows the importance to be attached to the names of God, and the connections in which they are found. One verse suffices to show the intention on God’s part in the use of a particular name in a particular case, I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by My name JEHOVAH was I not known to them” (Ex. 6:33And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. (Exodus 6:3)).
To the patriarchs God was known as the Almighty; to Israel, as Jehovah; to Christians, as Father; and to saints in millennial days He will be known as Most High. This is not the place for a full discussion of the subject, but it is impossible not to pity the poor rationalists who, blind to the moral and spiritual teaching of Scripture, waste their time and learning upon mechanical theories of separate documents.
Not only are the Scriptures inspired of God’s Spirit, but the Spirit is needed to rightly understand them (1 Cor. 2:9-169But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:9‑16)). No mere human learning will enable any one to know the mind of God as to any portion of His Word. A simple and unlettered man, born of God’s Spirit, and indwelt by God’s Spirit, will be able to enter into the truth of God as revealed in Scripture for edification and blessing, where the whole tribe of “higher critics” with their scissors, and paste-pots, and colored inks remain in the darkness of the natural man that receives not the things of the Spirit of God.
When the interpretation of the dream stood out before Daniel’s astonished mind, we are told that “his thoughts troubled him.” In his dream God had given Nebuchadnezzar to see “a tree in the midst of the earth.” In the first instance, no doubt it was true that Nebuchadnezzar himself was by symbolized by the tree, “It is thou, O king.” But he, being the first of the Gentile powers, stands for the rest, and the tree in Scripture is constantly used as a picture of man in all his greatness (see Ezek. 31). Nevertheless, “Man that is in honor, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish” (Psa. 49:2020Man that is in honor, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish. (Psalm 49:20)); even so has it turned out, not for the Babylonian monarch alone, but for the whole political system of the world from that day to this.
Where evil is, government must be. It is an institution of God. “By Me kings reign, and princes decree justice” (Prov. 8:1515By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. (Proverbs 8:15)). When for their sins the Jews were given up of God, though for a time only, and the throne of the Lord was removed from Jerusalem, then the tree of Gentile government was planted in the midst of the earth. It grew and became strong. Its leaves were fair, its fruit abundant, and the beasts of the earth found shelter under its branches. Has it not been so with all the trade and commerce of the nations? and to whom do men as a rule trace all their prosperity and their riches? Is it not to themselves, to their own talents, and to their own wisdom? But “durable riches and righteousness” are with God, and His fruit is “better than gold, yea, than fine gold” (Prov. 8:1919My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. (Proverbs 8:19)). Let a man of the world read these lines, would he not sneer at the very thought? Is it not true that where riches and wealth are most quickly acquired, God is least thought of? Let the gold fields of Australia and California in the past reply. Need we point to Klondyke or Johannesburg in more recent times?
It may be answered that these are but avaricious men who have no fear of God before their eyes, but it is different with governments. Now the solemn truth that the whole book of Daniel teaches is this, that what characterizes the whole political system of the world from the days of Nebuchadnezzar on to the time when the kingdom will be the Lord’s, and He shall be governor amongst the nations, is the utter disregard of God, which is becoming more and more pronounced at this very time.
This will come before us more fully when we are considering chapter 7, but here we are symbolically taught the same sad lesson in the fact that Nebuchadnezzar’s heart was “changed from man’s,” and a “beast’s heart” was “given unto him.”
The glory and dignity of man is to look up into heaven and walk in the fear of God; a beast on the other hand is without conscience, and has no moral relation with God. When first the Gentile empires were established they were of course pagan, and had no knowledge of the true God; even when at times forced to acknowledge Him, as was the case in more than one instance in the life of Nebuchadnezzar himself, how quickly was all forgotten It may be said that now they are Christian, and this makes a great difference. True, since the days of Constantine, paganism was put down and Christianity established by imperial authority, but it is not thus that people really become Christians. Nothing but personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will make any one a Christian in anything else but in name. Nevertheless, while it is readily conceded that Christianity has made marvelous changes for the improvement of man’s condition on the earth, yet, where is the nation that pretends even to shape its course or carry on its affairs according to the mind of God as revealed in His Word? The politician who in a debate would venture to make any reference to the Bible except by way of profane quotation would be at once put down as a canting hypocrite.
What Scripture shows is that, though individual rulers may have the fear of God before them, yet as a whole the Gentile powers are characterized all through their course by “the ‘beast’s heart’ towards God, caring only for self, gratifying pride and lust of power.”
But the “seven times” will come to an end, and at the close of “the times of the Gentiles” the Most High God will be acknowledged by all nations, kings, and rulers as the One “all whose works are truth, and His ways judgment.” Then will Israel be blessed in their own land, and with Christ their once rejected king but then acknowledged Jehovah in their midst, become the earthly center from whence during the thousand years will flow joy and peace and blessing to every nation under heaven.