Old Testament -- Gospel Doctrine: Lesson 46: A Kingdom Which Shall Never Be Destroyed

Lesson 46: “A Kingdom, Which Shall Never Be Destroyed”, Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 216

Purpose

To strengthen class members’ testimonies of the restored Church of Jesus Christ and encourage them to help build the kingdom of God on earth.

From Institute Manual: "Because of his righteousness and sensitivity to the promptings of the Spirit, he [Daniel] was greatly favored of God." , , , "He was made chief of the wise men, chancellor of the equivalent of a national university, ruler of all the Hebrew captives, and, as governor of the province of Babylon, one of the chief rulers in both the Babylonian and Persian Empires. Though at times his life was endangered because of the jealousy of evil men, yet he lived so perfectly that the Lord continually protected and preserved him." (28-1)

Preparation

1. Prayerfully study the following scriptures:
- a. Daniel 2:1–23. King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream and commands his advisers to describe and interpret it (2:1–13). Daniel prays with his friends, and God reveals to him the dream and its interpretation (2:14–23).
- b. Daniel 2:24–49. Daniel reveals that King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream foretells the rise and fall of the great kingdoms of the earth and the latter-day triumph of the kingdom of God over all other kingdoms.
2. Additional reading: Doctrine and Covenants 65.
3. Invite two or three class members to prepare to bear brief testimonies about the truthfulness of the Church.
4. If you use the attention activity, draw the chart at the bottom of this page on a poster or on the chalkboard before class begins.
5. If you use the “Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream” diagram (see page 218), draw it on a poster or on the chalkboard before class. Do not write the names of the individual kingdoms until you discuss the diagram in class.
6. If the picture Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream is available, you may want to use it during the lesson (62531; Gospel Art Picture Kit 115).

http://lds.org/library/display/0,4945,8555-1-4779-3,00.html

Suggested Lesson Development

Attention Activity

You may want to use the following activity (or one of your own) to begin the lesson.
Direct class members’ attention to the chart you have drawn on a poster or on the chalkboard:

6 April 1830	1880	1930	1980	1995	2000
6	133,628	670,017	4,639,822	9,340,898	Over 11,000,000
1	10	16	44	88	100
0	23	104	1,218	2,150	2,581
0	10	30	188	307	334
0	1	7	19	47	102

• What do you think these numbers represent?

6 April 1830	1880	1930	1980	1995	2000	31 December 2009
6	133,628	670,017	4,639,822	9,340,898	Over 11, 000,000	13,824,854
1	10	16	44	88 (39+49)	100 (61 + 39)	100 + (83 +25) (12/31/01)
0	23	104	1,218	2,150	2,581	2,865
0	10	30	188	307	334	344
0	1	7	19	47	102	130

Give class members a few minutes to suggest answers to this question. Then complete the chart as shown below:

	6 April 1830	1880	1930	1980	1995	2000
Members of the Church	6	133,628	670,017	4,639,822	9,340,898	Over 11,000,000
Languages with published editions of the Book of Mormon	1	10	16	44	88 (39 full and 49 partial translations)	100 (61 full and 39 partial translations)
Stakes	0	23	104	1,218	2,150	2,581
Missions	0	10	30	188	307	334
Temples in operation	0	1	7	19	47	102 152 temples throughout the world either in operation, under construction, or announced 2010

(Current statistics can be found in recent Church publications. You may want to add a column to the chart to include those statistics.)
Invite class members to comment on the rapid growth of the Church. Explain that this lesson tells of Daniel, an ancient prophet who foresaw the triumph of God’s kingdom on earth—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Scripture Discussion and Application

As you teach the following scripture passages, discuss how they apply to daily life. Encourage class members to share experiences that relate to the scriptural principles.

1. Daniel receives a revelation in which he is shown King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and given its interpretation.

Teach and discuss Daniel 2:1–23.
King Nebuchadnezzar had a troubling dream one night. He tested his advisers by telling them that he had forgotten it and commanding them to reveal it and its interpretation (Daniel 2:2–5; see footnote 5a). When they said that they could not describe the dream, Nebuchadnezzar ordered the death of all the wise men of Babylon, including Daniel and his friends (Daniel 2:10–13). When the king’s captain came to take Daniel to be slain, Daniel went to the king and asked for time to interpret the dream (Daniel 2:14–16).

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From the Old Testament Institute Manual:

28-9) Daniel 2:5. Did Nebuchadnezzar Really Forget His Remarkable Dream?

Ellis T. Rasmussen gave the following helpful commentary on the king’s dream: “In verse 5 the phrase ‘is gone from me’ should probably read ‘is certain with me,’ as the Persian word azda (‘sure’) is used. Note in verse 9 that the king makes the point that he knows what he dreamt; therefore if the interpreters can tell him the dream, he will know that they know what they are talking about and he will know whether he can have confidence in their interpretation or not!” (An Introduction to the Old Testament and Its Teachings, 2:92; see also Daniel 2:5a.)

(28-10) Daniel 2:17–19. Daniel and His Companions Preserved Their Lives by Obtaining Revelation from God

The response of Daniel and his friends at a time when their lives were in danger because of the king’s sentence on all the wise men illustrates the application of a principle taught by President Harold B. Lee: “By faith in God you can be attuned to the Infinite and by power and wisdom obtained from your Heavenly Father harness the powers of the universe to serve you in your hour of need in the solution of problems too great for your human strength or intelligence” (in Church News, 15 Aug. 1970, p. 2).

President Spencer W. Kimball further clarified the prophecy with the following explanation:
“Rome would be replaced by a group of nations of Europe represented by the toes of the image.
“With the history of the world delineated in brief, now came the real revelation. Daniel said:
“‘And in the days of these kings [that is, the group of European nations] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed . . .
“This is a revelation concerning the history of the world, when one world power would supersede another until there would be numerous smaller kingdoms to share the control of the earth.
“And it was in the days of these kings that power would not be given to men, but the God of heaven would set up a kingdom—the kingdom of God upon the earth, which should never be destroyed nor left to other people.
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was restored in 1830 after numerous revelations from the divine source; and this is the kingdom, set up by the God of heaven, that would never be destroyed nor superseded, and the stone cut out of the mountain without hands that would become a great mountain and would fill the whole earth.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1976, p. 10.)

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• How did Daniel prepare to interpret the king’s dream? (See Daniel 2:17–18. He asked his friends to pray with him.) How have the prayers of family members and friends helped you?

[From lesson 45: • What did Esther ask of her maidens and the local Jews as she prepared to approach the king? (See Esther 4:16.) How can the united fasting and prayers of many people help us?]

• How were the prayers of Daniel and his friends answered? (See Daniel 2:19, 27–28.) What did Daniel do immediately after receiving the vision of the king’s dream? (See Daniel 2:20–23.) What did his words reveal about his feelings toward God? Why is it important to show gratitude to the Lord? How can we show him our gratitude?
• Contrast the sources to which Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar turned when they sought answers to questions. (See Daniel 2:2, 19–23, 28.) What questionable sources do people today turn to when they need help answering difficult questions or making decisions? What keeps many people from seeking God’s guidance in such situations?

2. Daniel describes and interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.

Teach and discuss Daniel 2:24–49.

• How did Daniel describe the great image that the king had seen in his dream? (See Daniel 2:31–33. Refer to the picture Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream or to your drawing of the diagram shown below.)

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream (Daniel 2:31–45)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
“A stone … cut out without hands” (Daniel 2:34)
Nebuchadnezzar
Babylon
Cyrus the Great
Media and Persia
Philip and Alexander the Great
Greece
The Roman Empire
A group of European nations

• What did the different parts of the image represent? (See Daniel 2:36–43. The parts represented different kingdoms that would succeed each other as world powers.)
- Write the names of the kingdoms on the diagram as you review the following interpretation from President Spencer W. Kimball:
- a. The head of gold represented Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom of Babylon.
- b. The breast and arms of silver represented Cyrus and his kingdom of Media and Persia.
- c. The belly and thighs of brass represented Philip and Alexander and the Greek or Macedonian kingdom.
- d. The legs of iron represented the Roman Empire.
- e. The feet of iron and clay represented a group of European nations. (In Conference Report, Apr. 1976, 10; or Ensign, May 1976, 8.)
• In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, what destroyed the image that represented the earthly kingdoms? (See Daniel 2:34–35.) What did the “stone … cut out without hands” represent? (See Daniel 2:44–45; D&C 65:2.)
- President Kimball taught: “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was restored in 1830. … This is the kingdom, set up by the God of heaven, that would never be destroyed nor superseded, and the stone cut out of the mountain without hands that would become a great mountain and would fill the whole earth” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1976, 10; or Ensign, May 1976, 8–9).
• What did Daniel prophesy concerning the Church in the latter days? (See Daniel 2:34–35, 44.)
- You may want to list the following prophecies on the chalkboard. Daniel prophesied that the Church would:
- a. Be “cut out without hands” (Daniel 2:34).
- b. Become “a great mountain, and [fill] the whole earth” (Daniel 2:35).
- c. “Never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44).
- d. “Not be left [given] to other people” (Daniel 2:44).
- e. “Consume all [other] kingdoms” (Daniel 2:44).
- f. “Stand for ever” (Daniel 2:44).
• What did it mean that the stone would be “cut out without hands”? (See Daniel 2:34. It would not be man-made.) How is the restored Church of Jesus Christ like a stone cut out without hands?
- Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin said: “Our Lord and Savior stands at the head of this church and directs it through his servants. This is the Lord’s church; it is not a church of men” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1993, 4; or Ensign, Nov. 1993, 5).
• How is Daniel’s prophecy that the Church will “fill the whole earth” and “never be destroyed” being fulfilled today? (You may want to refer to the second chart in the attention activity.)
- President Gordon B. Hinckley testified: “This Church is true. It will weather every storm that beats against it. It will outlast every critic who rises to mock it. It was established by God our Eternal Father for the blessing of His sons and daughters of all generations. It carries the name of Him who stands as its head, even the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. It is governed and moves by the power of the priesthood. It sends forth to the world another witness of the divinity of the Lord. Be faithful, my friends. Be true. Be loyal to the great things of God which have been revealed in this dispensation” (“Keep the Faith,” Ensign, Sept. 1985, 6).
• What can we do to participate in the building of the kingdom of God in our homes, in our communities, and throughout the world?

Invite the assigned class members to bear brief testimonies about the truthfulness of the Church.

Conclusion

Testify that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on earth and that Jesus Christ leads it. Encourage class members to participate in building God’s kingdom on earth.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkdeICqTwRVHjJ_RRhS5bZtDwE8nmCiIRyydOkVNSJ2zppEXjEzPtPfwQ9XYqmwg3hTaauA-6grc4QgfGbO2W4d6d1MaYDvGXivlzXncl0wCjL3kbeZenc-S_H7IYAcLT0Od8yB2eGhx-/s1600-h/World+Powers+Of+Daniel%27s+Prophecy.jpg

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http://beardall2000.com/ot/ot46.html

WHAT KEEPS MANY PEOPLE FROM SEEKING GOD'S GUIDANCE IN SUCH SITUATIONS?

Consider these words: "When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish." (2 Nephi 9:28)

President Ezra Taft Benson: "Our message to the world is that the kingdom of which Daniel prophesied is now on the earth. Its early beginnings were as inconspicuous as a small stone rolling down a mountain. Today, partly because of its accelerated growth, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is no longer ignored. Prejudice has largely subsided as people have come in contact with Mormons and their message." (This Nation Shall Endure, p114.)
President Ezra Taft Benson: "Today The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is extending the heralded message of the restoration of the gospel to every nation which permits us entrance through its borders. This is a fulfillment of the vision and revelation received by Daniel, the prophet (see Daniel 2:34-35, 44)." (Ensign, May 1978, p32)

Elder Bruce R. McConkie: "Here we have seen the kingdoms of this world, kingdoms drenched in blood and held together by the arm of flesh, one following another until the set time for the great latter-day restoration of all things. Then a stone is cut out of the mountain without hands and a kingdom is set up by the God of heaven. It is a new kind of kingdom. The arm of flesh plays no part in its creation. It is created without man's hand. It comes from God. It is established by revelation. It is the Church and kingdom of God on earth." (Millennial Messiah, p131)
It is not possible for men to set this kingdom up on their own. Since the great apostasy, many men (most well intentioned) have attempted to set up the kingdom of God. But this kingdom would not be "cut out" with hands. While on my mission, I had the opportunity to use the old Lamanite discussions. In one of those lessons there is a picture of a deer head trophy hanging on a wall. It looks like a deer. It feels like a deer. But there is no life in this trophy. The question is asked if one can make that deer come alive. No man can do it. Only God can restore that deer. And thus it is with God's kingdom or church, only God can put life in it. Many men have tried to make their church look like God's church, but none have succeeded because only God can give it life.

President Ezra Taft Benson: "This work will prevail in spite of all the opposition which might be mustered against it. This work will prevail! It will never be thrown down or given to another people (Daniel 2:44; D&C 138:44). God's kingdom has been established upon the earth for the last time in preparation for the second coming of the Master. We have the word of Jesus Christ whose name this Church bears to that effect." (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p394)

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Handwriting on the Wall
Daniel

Chapter 5

This work by the La Vista Church of Christ is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.

Belshazzar and his revelers drink from the vessels of the temple—A hand writes upon the wall, telling of Belshazzar’s downfall—Daniel interprets the words and reproves the king for pride and idolatry—That night Babylon is conquered.

1Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

2Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver ^avessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

3Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.

4They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

5¶In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote ^aover against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the ^bhand that wrote.

6Then the king’s ^acountenance was changed, and his thoughts ^btroubled him, so that ^cthe joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

7The king cried aloud to bring in the ^aastrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew 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.

8Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.

9Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.

10¶Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:

11There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the ^aspirit 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 thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

12Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king ^anamed Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.

13Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?

14I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the ^agods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.

15And now the wise men, the ^aastrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:

16And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the ^awriting, and make ^bknown 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.

17¶Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy ^agifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

18O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

19And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.

20But when his ^aheart was lifted up, and his ^bmind hardened in pride, he was ^cdeposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

21And he was driven ^afrom the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.

22And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;

23But 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 ^agods 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 are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

24Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

25¶And this is the writing that was written, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.

26This is the interpretation of the thing: ^aMene; God hath ^bnumbered thy kingdom, and finished it.

27^aTekel; Thou art ^bweighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

28^aPeres; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and ^bPersians.

29Then commanded Belshazzar, and they ^aclothed 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.

30¶In that night was Belshazzar the king of the ^aChaldeans ^bslain.

31And ^aDarius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

http://www.ldsces.org/inst_manuals/ot-in-2/manualindex.asp Daniel

(28-22) Daniel 5:1. Belshazzar the King

Many scholars have questioned the validity of the statement that Belshazzar was a king in Babylon because “Belshazzar never reigned as sole king, and is never designated as king (sharru) in the cuneiform inscriptions. Furthermore, it is maintained that there is no evidence to show that Belshazzar ever ruled upon the throne as a subordinate to Nabonidus his father. In reply to these charges we may note, first of all, that the Aramaic word malka (‘king’) need not have the connotation of monarch or sole king (see R. D. Wilson, Studies in the Book of Daniel, 1917, pp. 83–95). Furthermore, one of the cuneiform documents expressly states that Nabonidus entrusted the kingship to Belshazzar. . . . In all probability there was a coregency between Nabonidus and Belshazzar in which Belshazzar occupied a subordinate position. Since, however, he was the man upon the throne with whom Israel had to do, he is designated king in the book of Daniel. No valid objection can be raised against this usage.” (Guthrie and Motyer, New Bible Commentary, p. 694.)

(28-23) Daniel 5:3. Drinking from the Vessels of the Temple

When the Babylonians overthrew Jerusalem, they “carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord” (2 Kings 24:13). As Keil and Delitzsch noted, during the feast the Babylonians “drank out of the holy vessels of the temple of the God of Israel to glorify . . . their heathen gods in songs of praise. In doing this they did not only place ‘Jehovah on a perfect level with their gods’ (Havernick), but raised them above the Lord of heaven, as Daniel (ver. 23) charged the king. The carrying away of the temple vessels to Babylon and placing them in the temple of Bel was a sign of the defeat of the God to whom these vessels were consecrated; . . . the use of these vessels in the drinking of wine at a festival, amid the singing of songs in praise of the gods, was accordingly a celebrating of these gods as victorious over the God of Israel.” (Commentary, 9:3:180.)

(28-24) Daniel 5:6. What Is Meant by the Phrase the “Joints of His Loins Were Loosed”?

The great fear that came upon the king is described in the Revised Standard Version of the Bible as: “His limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together” (Daniel 5:6).

(28-25) Daniel 5:7. The Third Ruler in the Kingdom

The Hebrew word that is translated “third ruler” means “one of three” (Guthrie and Motyer, New Bible Commentary, p. 694). The promise was that the interpreter of the writing would be made third in authority in the kingdom next to Nabonidus and Belshazzar. The scarlet (sometimes purple) clothing and the chain of gold mentioned in Daniel 5:7 were symbols of rank worn by high officials.

(28-26) Daniel 5:17. “Let Thy Gifts Be to Thyself”

Those who function under the influence of the Spirit of God have increased capabilities, not because of their own qualifications, but because of the power of God which they are privileged to use. They are servants in the Lord’s hands who are to bless others and carry out the Lord’s will. Daniel knew this and neither deserved nor sought for earthly rewards for his role as an instrument in the hands of God.

(28-27) Daniel 5:25–29. The Interpretation of the Handwriting on the Wall

The handwriting on the wall indicated not only that the Babylonian kingdom would be overthrown but also the means by which it would be overthrown: “MENE, ‘numbered’, i.e. God has numbered . . . the days of the kingdom; TEKEL, a ‘shekel’, used both as a coin and as a weight, indicated that Belshazzar was weighed (in the balances) and found deficient; PERES, ‘division’, your kingdom is divided (peres) and given to the Medes and Persians (paras). The word paras would seem to point out that the Persians were the dominant power to whom Babylon would fall. When Daniel read the writing he read and PARSIN (v. 25), but in giving the interpretation he employed the form PERES (v. 28). . . . We have thus a play upon words in which the basic idea of division is linked with the name of the conqueror.” (Guthrie and Motyer, New Bible Commentary, p. 694.)

(28-28) Daniel 5:29. Why Was Daniel Rewarded by the King When He Prophesied of the King’s Destruction?

Although Belshazzar did not believe that Daniel’s God was the only true God, it is likely that he, like other heathens, believed in the gods and in revelations from God. He must have been deeply impressed with Daniel’s ability to interpret the writing on the wall because he rewarded him handsomely. Keil and Delitzsch suggested another possible reason: “Belshazzar perhaps scarcely believed the threatened judgment from God to be so near as it actually was . . . and perhaps . . . he hoped to be able, by conferring honour upon Daniel, to appease the wrath of God” (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary, 9:3:191).

(28-29) Daniel 5:30. Was Babylon Really Overthrown in One Night?

Babylon was surrounded by a massive wall over one hundred feet thick and three hundred feet high (see Enrichment G). To breach such a wall, even with constant sieging, would take months, and yet there is no hint in Daniel’s record that the city was under siege at this time. Could a city of Babylon’s size and fortifications be taken in one night?
Historical sources other than the Bible indicate that that is exactly what happened, supporting Daniel’s record exactly. The ancient Greek historian, Herodotus, recorded that “Cyrus had previously caused the Pallacopas, a canal which ran west of the city, and carried off the superfluous water of the Euphrates into the lake of Nitocris, to be cleared out, in order to turn the river into it; which, by this means, was rendered so shallow that his soldiers were able to penetrate along its bed into the city.” (In Samuel Fallows, ed., The Popular and Critical Bible Encyclopedia and Scriptural Dictionary, s.v. “Babylon,” p. 207.)

Thus the Persians marched under the massive walls. Harry Thomas Frank discussed the reasons why the city, even then, surrendered so easily: “Cyrus’ orders preceded him to the city. No revenge was to be taken. The city was to have its normal life restored as quickly as possible. The gods which Nabonidus had taken from the equally well-treated provincial cities were to be restored at once. There was, above all, to be no terrorizing of the population. Indeed, Cyrus intended to change some of the policies of Nabonidus which had made him objectionable to his subjects. One can imagine the reception Cyrus received when he made his appearance in the capital a few weeks after its capture. He was not a conqueror. He was a liberator! And far from installing a foreign rule over the people, Cyrus personally took the role of Marduk, the chief god of Babylon, in the New Year Festival, thereby claiming for himself and his heirs the right to rule the Babylonian Empire by divine designation.” (Discovering the Biblical World, p. 140.)

(28-30) Daniel 6:1–3. Did the Medes and Persians Recognize the Promotion Given to Daniel by Belshazzar in the Last Hours of His Reign?

Keil and Delitzsch commented on this issue: “The successor [to Belshazzar] would be inclined toward its recognition [Daniel’s promotion] by the reflection, that by Daniel’s interpretation of the mysterious writing from God the putting of Belshazzar to death appeared to have a higher sanction, presenting itself as if it were something determined in the councils of the gods, whereby the successor might claim before the people that his usurpation of the throne was rendered legitimate. Such a reflection might move him to confirm Daniel’s elevation to the office to which Belshazzar had raised him.” (Commentary, 9:3:190–91.)
Though the above may be true, Daniel’s great capacity should not be discounted. A wise ruler would recognize and use a man of Daniel’s stature.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Lesson 46: A Kingdom Which Shall Never Be Destroyed