prophets and kings-第86节

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Jeremiah　29：14。

Often　had　Daniel　and　his　companions　gone　over　these　and　similar　prophecies　outlining　God's　purpose　for　His　people。　And　now；　as　the　rapid　course　of　events　betokened　the　mighty　hand　of　God　at　work　among　the　nations；　Daniel　gave　special　thought　to　the　promises　made　to　Israel。　His　faith　in　the　prophetic　word　led　him　to　enter　into　experiences　foretold　by　the　sacred　writers。　〃After　seventy　years　be　accomplished　at　Babylon；〃　the　Lord　had　declared；　〃I　will　visit　you；　and　perform　My　good　word　toward　you；　in　causing　you　to　return。　。　。　。　I　know　the　thoughts　that　I　think　toward　you；　saith　the　Lord；　thoughts　of　peace；　and　not　of　evil；　to　give　you　an　expected　end。　Then　shall　ye　call　upon　Me；　and　ye　shall　go　and　pray　unto　Me；　and　I　will　hearken　unto　you。　And　ye　shall　seek　Me；　and　find　Me；　when　ye　shall　search　for　Me　with　all　your　heart。〃　Verses　10…13。

Shortly　before　the　fall　of　Babylon；　when　Daniel　was　meditating　on　these　prophecies　and　seeking　God　for　an　understanding　of　the　times；　a　series　of　visions　was　given　him　concerning　the　rise　and　fall　of　kingdoms。　With　the　first　vision；　as　recorded　in　the　seventh　chapter　of　the　book　of　Daniel；　an　interpretation　was　given；　yet　not　all　was　made　clear　to　the　prophet。　〃My　cogitations　much　troubled　me；〃　he　wrote　of　his　experience　at　the　time；　〃and　my　countenance

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changed　in　me：　but　I　kept　the　matter　in　my　heart。〃　Daniel　7：28。

Through　another　vision　further　light　was　thrown　upon　the　events　of　the　future；　and　it　was　at　the　close　of　this　vision　that　Daniel　heard　〃one　saint　speaking；　and　another　saint　said　unto　that　certain　saint　which　spake；　How　long　shall　be　the　vision？〃　Daniel　8：13。　The　answer　that　was　given；　〃Unto　two　thousand　and　three　hundred　days；　then　shall　the　sanctuary　be　cleansed〃　（verse　14）；　filled　him　with　perplexity。　Earnestly　he　sought　for　the　meaning　of　the　vision。　He　could　not　understand　the　relation　sustained　by　the　seventy　years'　captivity；　as　foretold　through　Jeremiah；　to　the　twenty…three　hundred　years　that　in　vision　he　heard　the　heavenly　visitant　declare　should　elapse　before　the　cleansing　of　God's　sanctuary。　The　angel　Gabriel　gave　him　a　partial　interpretation；　yet　when　the　prophet　heard　the　words；　〃The　vision　。　。　。　shall　be　for　many　days；〃　he　fainted　away。　〃I　Daniel　fainted；〃　he　records　of　his　experience；　〃and　was　sick　certain　days；　afterward　I　rose　up；　and　did　the　king's　business；　and　I　was　astonished　at　the　vision；　but　none　understood　it。〃　Verses　26；　27。

Still　burdened　in　behalf　of　Israel；　Daniel　studied　anew　the　prophecies　of　Jeremiah。　They　were　very　plainso　plain　that　he　understood　by　these　testimonies　recorded　in　books　〃the　number　of　the　years；　whereof　the　word　of　the　Lord　came　to　Jeremiah　the　prophet；　that　He　would　accomplish　seventy　years　in　the　desolations　of　Jerusalem。〃　Daniel　9：2。

With　faith　founded　on　the　sure　word　of　prophecy；　Daniel　pleaded　with　the　Lord　for　the　speedy　fulfillment　of　these

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promises。　He　pleaded　for　the　honor　of　God　to　be　preserved。　In　his　petition　he　identified　himself　fully　with　those　who　had　fallen　short　of　the　divine　purpose；　confessing　their　sins　as　his　own。

〃I　set　my　face　unto　the　Lord　God；〃　the　prophet　declared；　〃to　seek　by　prayer　and　supplications；　with　fasting；　and　sackcloth；　and　ashes：　and　I　prayed　unto　the　Lord　my　God；　and　made　my　confession。〃　Verses　3；　4。　Though　Daniel　had　long　been　in　the　service　of　God；　and　had　been　spoken　of　by　heaven　as　〃greatly　beloved；〃　yet　he　now　appeared　before　God　as　a　sinner；　urging　the　great　need　of　the　people　he　loved。　His　prayer　was　eloquent　in　its　simplicity；　and　intensely　earnest。　Hear　him　pleading：

〃O　Lord；　the　great　and　dreadful　God；　keeping　the　covenant　and　mercy　to　them　that　love　Him；　and　to　them　that　keep　His　commandments；　we　have　sinned；　and　have　committed　iniquity；　and　have　done　wickedly；　and　have　rebelled；　even　by　departing　from　Thy　precepts　and　from　Thy　judgments；　neither　have　we　hearkened　unto　Thy　servants　the　prophets；　which　spake　in　Thy　name　to　our　kings；　our　princes；　and　our　fathers；　and　to　all　the　people　of　the　land。

〃O　Lord；　righteousness　belongeth　unto　Thee；　but　unto　us　confusion　of　faces；　as　at　this　day；　to　the　men　of　Judah；　and　to　the　inhabitants　of　Jerusalem；　and　unto　all　Israel；　that　are　near；　and　that　are　far　off；　through　all　the　countries　whither　Thou　hast　driven　them；　because　of　their　trespass　that　they　have　trespassed　against　Thee。　。　。　。

〃To　the　Lord　our　God　belong　mercies　and　forgiveness；　though　we　have　rebelled　against　Him。〃　〃O　Lord；　according　to　all　Thy　righteousness；　I　beseech　Thee；　let　Thine　anger

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and　Thy　fury　be　turned　away　from　Thy　city　Jerusalem；　Thy　holy　mountain：　because　for　our　sins；　and　for　the　iniquities　of　our　fathers；　Jerusalem　and　Thy　people　are　become　a　reproach　to　all　that　are　about　us。

〃Now　therefore；　O　our　God；　hear　the　prayer　of　Thy　servant；　and　his　supplications；　and　cause　Thy　face　to　shine　upon　Thy　sanctuary　that　is　desolate；　for　the　Lord's　sake。　O　my　God；　incline　Thine　ear；　and　hear；　open　Thine　eyes；　and　behold　our　desolations；　and　the　city　which　is　called　by　Thy　name：　for　we　do　not　present　our　supplications　before　Thee　for　our　righteousness；　but　for　Thy　great　mercies。

〃O　Lord；　hear；　O　Lord；　forgive；　O　Lord；　hearken　and　do；　defer　not；　for　Thine　own　sake；　O　my　God：　for　Thy　city　and　Thy　people　are　called　by　Thy　name。〃　Verses　4…9；　16…19。

Heaven　was　bending　low　to　hear　the　earnest　supplication　of　the　prophet。　Even　before　he　had　finished　his　plea　for　pardon　and　restoration；　the　mighty　Gabriel　again　appeared　to　him；　and　called　his　attention　to　the　vision　he　had　seen　prior　to　the　fall　of　Babylon　and　the　death　of　Belshazzar。　And　then　the　angel　outlined　before　him　in　detail　the　period　of　the　seventy　weeks；　which　was　to　begin　at　the　time　of　〃the　going　forth　of　the　commandment　to　restore　and　to　build　Jerusalem。〃　Verse　25。

Daniel's　prayer　had　been　offered　〃in　the　first　year　of　Darius〃　（verse　1）；　the　Median　monarch　whose　general；　Cyrus；　had　wrested　from　Babylonia　the　scepter　of　universal　rule。　The　reign　of　Darius　was　honored　of　God。　To　him　was　sent　the　angel　Gabriel；　〃to　confirm　and　to　strengthen　him。〃　Daniel　11：1。　Upon　his　death；　within　about　two　years

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of　the　fall　of　Babylon；　Cyrus　succeeded　to　the　throne；　and　the　beginning　of　his　reign　marked　the　completion　of　the　seventy　years　since　the　first　company　of　Hebrews　had　been　taken　by　Nebuchadnezzar　from　their　Judean　home　to　Babylon。

The　deliverance　of　Daniel　from　the　den　of　lions　had　been　used　of　God　to　create　a　favorable　impression　upon　the　mind　of　Cyrus　the　Great。　The　sterling　qualities　of　the　man　of　God　as　a　statesman　of　farseeing　ability　led　the　Persian　ruler　to　show　him　marked　respect　and　to　honor　his　judgment。　And　now；　just　at　the　time　God　had　said　He　would　cause　His　temple　at　Jerusalem　to　be　rebuilt；　He　moved　upon　Cyrus　as　His　agent　to　discern　the　prophecies　concerning　himself；　with　which　Daniel　was　so　familiar；　and　to　grant　the　Jewish　people　their　liberty。

As　the　king　saw　the　words　foretelling；　more　than　a　hundred　years　before　his　birth；　the　manner　in　which　Babylon　should　be　taken；　as　he　read　the　message　addressed　to　him　by　the　Ruler　of　the　universe；　〃I　girded　thee；　though　thou　hast　not　known　Me：　that　they　may　know　from　the　rising　of　the　sun；　and　from　the　west；　that　there　is　none　beside　Me；〃　as　he　saw　before　his　eyes　the　declaration　of　the　eternal　God；　〃For　Jacob　My　servant's　sake；　and　Israel　Mine　elect；　I　have　even　called　thee　by　thy　name：　I　have　surnamed　thee；　though　thou　hast　not　known　Me；〃　as　he　traced　the　inspired　record；　〃I　have　raised　him　up　in　righteousness；　and　I　will　direct　all　his　ways：　he　shall　build　My　city；　and　he　shall　let　go　My　captives；　not　for　price　nor　reward；〃　his　heart　was　profoundly　moved；　and　he　determined　to　fulfill　his　divinely　appointed　mission。　Isaiah　45：5；　6；　4；　13。　He　would　let　the　Judean

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captives　go　free；　he　would　help　them　restore　the　temple　of　Jehovah。

In　a　written　proclamation　published　〃throughout　all　his　kingdom；〃　Cyrus　made　known　his　desire　to　provide　for　the　return　of　the　Hebrews　and　for　the　rebuilding　of　their　temple。　〃The　Lord　God　of　heaven　hath　given　me　all　the　kingdoms　of　the　earth；〃　the　king　gratefully　acknowledged　in　this　public　proclamation；　〃and　He　hath　charged　me　to　build　Him　an　house　at　Jerusalem；　which　is　in　Judah。　Who　is　there　among　you　of　all　His　people？　his　God　be　with　him；　and　let　him　go　up　to　Jerusalem；　。　。　。　and　build　the　house　of　the　Lord　God　of　Israel；　（He　is　the　God；）　which　is　in　Jerusalem。　And　whosoever　remaineth　in　any　place　where　he　sojourneth；　let　the　men　of　his　place　help　him　with　silver；　and　with　gold；　and　with　goods；　and　with　beasts；　beside　the　freewill　offering。〃　Ezra　1：1…4。

〃Let　the　house　be　builded；〃　he　further　directed　regarding　the　temple　structure；　〃the　place　where　they　offered　sacrifices；　and　let　the　foundations　thereof　be　strongly　laid；　the　height　thereof　threescore　cubits；　and　the　breadth　thereof　threescore　cubits；　with　three　rows　of　great　stones；　and　a　row　of　new　timber：　and　let　the　expenses　be　given　out　of　the　king's　house：　and　also　let　the　golden　and　silver　vessels　of　the　house　of　God；　which　Nebuchadnezzar　took