THERE are two persons the Gospel of God seeks to bring together. It is concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 1:33Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; (Romans 1:3)), and in it He is presented as the Saviour to the sinner. Thus, the Saviour and the sinner are in question, and it is to bring the Saviour to the sinner, or the sinner to the Saviour, that is the object in its being preached in this world. The same as when the Lord Jesus was on earth, He sought the sinner, and to bring him to Himself, and often do we see in the account of the gospels, the Saviour and the sinner in company. To you, my reader, the Gospel comes just now, and seeks to bring you to Christ, the Saviour, who, though no longer below, but in heavenly glory today, is the same as yesterday, and forever (Heb. 13:88Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)). It addresses you as a sinner, taking no account in this matter, which concerns your eternity, of any of the varied differences found in comparing man with his fellow―but as God sees all men alike, for there is no difference in His sight, all have sinned, and come short of His glory: there is none good, no not one (Rom. 3:1010As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Romans 3:10)), not even yourself, as you may think you are an exception to the rule.
Now, in the sixth chapter of the prophet Daniel, we may look at him by way of type, or illustration of the truth, as setting forth, first the Saviour, and secondly the sinner, the two persons spoken of afore. In reading the chapter, we find the purpose of King Darius, who was on the throne of this world of that day, to exalt and set Daniel over the whole of his realm (ver. 3). Of Daniel, we read an excellent spirit was in him; no occasion, nor fault, nor error were found in him (vers. 3, 4), but innocence was found in him (ver. 22); for he was faithful (ver. 4); not even when he was tested, and occasion was sought by his enemies, could evil be discovered. Like another typical man, Joseph, in Genesis, only good is spoken of him. Now God has a man, whom He has purposed to set over the whole realm of His inheritance in a coming day, and that blessed man, when found down here, Jesus His name, was the one that was found faithful in the midst of unfaithfulness. He was holy; and before Pilate, when occasion was sought against Him, no fault was found in Him at all (John 18:38; 19:438Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all. (John 18:38)
4Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. (John 19:4)), as the representative of the world’s power of that day had to own, when He was arraigned before its bar.
But before Daniel was set over the whole realm, he had to suffer: so Jesus had to suffer many things, and be killed, and be raised again the third day (Matt. 16:2121From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. (Matthew 16:21)). As soon as the purpose of the king was manifest, then all the presidents and princes of the kingdom (ver. 7) confederated together against Daniel. So did the kings and rulers of this world take counsel together against Jehovah and against His anointed (Ps. 2:2, and Luke 23:1212And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves. (Luke 23:12)), and the opposite purpose of the enemy in his subtle wiles comes out. A plot is laid against Daniel, and is allowed to succeed, and as far as man could do it, he was got rid of, and cast into the den of lions.
Let us pause, and look at the character of this plot. In it is seen an attempt of the enemy to carry out a purpose, which will be yet fully manifested in a coming day. As we read in Gen. 3:5,5For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:5) he had said to Eve at the first, “Ye shall be as gods;” in 2 Thess. 2:4,4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thessalonians 2:4) at the last, man is seen sitting in the temple of God, shoving himself that he is God. And this latter, note it well, is the future of this so-called enlightened age. We hear today of man’s boasted progress, even too, of the Gospel going to convert the world. Christendom makes its boast, and rears its head; but be not deceived, my reader, by man’s thoughts: let the light of the revealed Word of God, who knows all, tell you what the end will be. No God, the fool will say (Ps. 53:1), and many an infidel does say this today; then man takes the place of God. How awful, but such is the issue that all is going on to around us. It is high time to awake out of sleep, and not to look charitably on all the direct work of the enemy of God and man, working towards such an end. Our resource is the Word of God, and to bow to it, and so to Him who speaks therein.
Well, in Daniel’s day, Satan, through his instruments, sought to exalt man into the place of God for thirty days. By their flatteries, the presidents and princes of King Darius entrapped the poor man into signing a decree, to the effect that whosoever should ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of himself, should be cast into the den of lions (ver. 7). Deceived, he signed the writing and the decree; and through this the enemies of Daniel gained their ends. Daniel, not overcome by the fear of man, but faithful to his God, took no notice of the unrighteous decree, but continued as aforetime (ver. 10): he does well, and suffers for it, as Jesus did; and he finds his place in the den of lions. So man’s confederacy against Christ succeeded; their cry was, “Away with him, crucify him” (Luke 23:18-2118And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: 19(Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) 20Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. 21But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. (Luke 23:18‑21)). He was delivered over by wicked hands to the power of the roaring lion, the power of death, as far as they were concerned; man thus showing out his true character, not only in his own acts of sin, but in rejecting the Saviour, whom God had sent as the remedy for his case.
All closes in death, the stone is placed on the den (ver. 17), as on the sepulcher of Jesus in a later day; thus man played his sad part, and filled up the cup of his iniquity. And, dear reader, if you are still unsaved, still a stranger to God and to Christ, you are on the world’s side, you are, as all are by nature, an enemy of God (Rom. 5:1010For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10)); it is for or against in this matter, there can be no compromise. Art thou then for Christ, or for His adversary? But if man did his worst, God has done His best; there is His side. He allowed Daniel to suffer, even unto death, so to speak, as He also allowed His Son. Then, as the mouths of the lions were shut, so it was not possible that Jesus should be holden of death, or the grave (Acts 13: 35; 2:2424Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. (Acts 2:24)). The morning succeeds the night, the bright resurrection morn succeeds the darkness of man’s day; and God entered the scene, and raised up His Son, as Daniel was cast into the den, and brought up out of the den. So has Jesus died, but God has raised and exalted Him, and today we behold Him at God’s right hand in heavenly glory.
On Calvary’s cross, God dealt with the whole question of sin, judged His Son instead of the sinner; peace was made by the shedding of His precious blood, every question between God and the sinner, man, was raised and settled. So that just as King Darius, in the delight of his heart in having Daniel safely back again, publishes another decree, “Peace be multiplied to all” (ver. 25), God has now caused the proclamation of His Gospel to go forth, presenting the exalted Saviour to the sinner, preaching peace in all its fullness by Jesus Christ, He is Lord of all (Acts 10:3636The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) (Acts 10:36)). We invite you to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:2020Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20)); He is the living God, who delivers and rescues (Dan. 6:26, 2726I 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 stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. 27He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. (Daniel 6:26‑27)), yea, the sinner from the power of Satan. You cannot save yourself, you need a Saviour; God sets forth Christ. Believe on Him who has raised up from the dead that blessed One. Daniel believed in his God (ver. 23), and was delivered because he trusted in Him. Trust ye, sinner, in the living God forever, and His Son, Jesus Christ; He is the God. Faith gets the blessing, it is on no other principle. And to remain unsaved is to ensure future judgment after death (Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)), so, be not deceived; now, while ‘tis called today avail yourself of the opportunity, look unto Jesus, and be ye saved (Isa. 45:2222Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:22)).
This brings us to look at Daniel as type of the sinner. There are two decrees named in this chapter; the one ensuring the condemnation of the one who breaks the law of the Medes and Persians; the other, one of peace and plenty. We are here reminded of God’s two ways of dealing with man, the one that is past, the other now going on in the Gospel, or law and grace. And as someone, who reads this, may be on the ground of seeking to please God, or to be saved by works of law, there is a word for such from this chapter. God once gave His law to a people, Israel: it was like that of the Medes and Persians here, it altereth not, nor can be changed (ver. 8); no, not to suit you, my rea der. God’s law admits of no breach of it. “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them” (Gal. 3:1010For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10)). Here we have a bad law condemning a good man; but in God’s law we have a good law condemning a bad man; you are this latter. Measure yourself by it. Perhaps you say, I do the best I can to keep the commandments, and God is merciful, and I trust it will be all right. But have you offended in one point? (James 2:1010For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. (James 2:10);) if so, believe God. You are condemned on that ground.
Daniel broke the law, was condemned, the penalty was enforced, and he was cast into the den of lions. So will it be with you for eternity, to be cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:1515And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)), unless you abandon this ground. Remember, before God there is none that doeth good, no, not one (Rom. 3:1212They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Romans 3:12)). Neither could Daniel deliver himself, nor could the greatest man, the king, do it, though he labored till the going down of the sun (ver. 4). Not all men’s works that ever were, past, present, or future, can deliver a single soul; only the finished work of Christ on the cross avails for this, and it is enough. Then, trust it sinner, by faith in His precious blood, and believe on Christ who shed it, who is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth (Rom. 10:44For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. (Romans 10:4)). So it is not of works of law, but of faith. The second decree speaks of peace on this ground alone: thus shall blessings be multiplied to you, and you shall prosper (Dan. 6: 28), as Daniel did, now and forever, and know what it is to be already accepted in the beloved Son, sharing the joys of the Father’s house in spirit and by faith, whilst waiting for the time to reign with Christ, when He will appear in glory, and be set over the whole realm of God’s inheritance.
Let me add a closing word, one of warning. What became of the enemies of Daniel? (ver. 24.) They were cast into the den of lions, and, or ever they came to the bottom of it, the lions had the mastery over them, and brake all their bones in pieces. How solemn, yet nothing to be compared to the judgment of the wicked for eternity, which, as we have already said, is to be cast into the lake of fire. If you are still unsaved, there is a mighty power that holds you a captive, and death and judgment will soon claim you as their prey, and have the mastery over you forever and forever. Thus must God deal with His enemies, who refuse or neglect to be reconciled to Him in this the day of His grace. Be wise then, my reader, hear His voice; acquaint thyself with Him, and be at peace. Believe on Christ and be saved. Failing this, be sure your sin will find you out, and that in the day of His judgment.
J. S. C.