"And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with
the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as
oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee until thou know that the
Most High ruleth in the kingdom of, men, and giveth it to whomsoever
he will." Daniel iv:32.
That reason, as well as revelation, teaches an overruling providence,
very few deny. There must exist in nature an omnipotent and benevolent
Being to keep all her works in harmony--to touch the most secret and
subtle springs of the vast machinery of the universe--to regulate seed
time and harvest, summer and winter, day and night; and to throw the
enrapturing charms of countless variety not only over the landscape,
but over all that we behold in the heavens above, or in the earth
beneath. Globes roll in the paths assigned them, and by some unseen
hand are wisely kept from interfering in their orbits, and disturbing
each other's motions. These facts demonstrate the existence of an
omniscient, omnipotent, and Benevolent Being; and every event,
transpiring in the government of the world, proclaims an omnipresent
Jehovah.
He not only works in the majesty of the lightning, and in the grandeur
of the storm regulating and directing the whole in its sublime career,
but he notices the fall of a sparrow, and numbers the very hairs of
our head. Events, the most trivial in their nature, are the objects of
his notice, as well as those of the most momentous character. Were not
this the case, universal disorder and ruin would soon find their way
into his works, break the chain of events, and reduce all, that we now
admire, from its present harmony and glory, down to its general
confusion and chaos. This conclusion is unavoidable, because some of
the greatest events that have transpired in the world, owe their
existence to something of a very trivial nature.
If God did not, in the general government of the world, direct also
_small events_, then he could not be the author of those great events
which flow from them. On this principle there might transpire
countless events of the greatest magnitude without the direction and
superintendance of Deity. The admission of _this_ is but practical
Atheism. It is acknowledging a God in words, but in works denying him.
It alike makes _chance_ the governor of the world to those who
acknowledge such a God, as to those who wholly deny his existence.
In our text a presiding Deity is solemnly recognized by the prophet
Daniel, and his supremacy over the affairs of men is throughout the
whole chapter most strikingly set forth before the Assyrian king. He
had dreamed a dream which none of the wise men of Babylon were able to
interpret. Daniel was called to him; who after making known to that
proud monarch his destiny involved in that dream, expostulates with
him on his conduct. He did not threaten him with endless punishment in
tile immortal world, but informed him that there was a God that ruled
the heavens, and presided over the affairs of men; and exhorted him to
forsake his iniquities. This is his language: "And whereas they
commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots, thy kingdom shall be
sure unto thee, after thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.
Wherefore, O king! Let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break
off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy
to the poor, if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. All this
came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months, he
walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spake, and
said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of my
kingdom, by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty?
While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from
heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar! To thee it is spoken; the
kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and
thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; they shall make
thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until
thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth
it to whomsoever he will."
Nebuchadnezzar was the Son of Nabopolasser, and the second king of
Assyria. He was Regent with his father in the Empire 607 years before
the birth of our Lord, and the next year, he raised a powerful army,
marched against Jerusalem, and took Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
prisoner. While making preparations to carry him and his subjects into
captivity, in Babylon, Jehoiakim solemnly promised submission, and
begged the privilege of holding his throne under the sceptre of
Nebuchadnezzar. This favor was granted, and he was permitted to remain
at Jerusalem. Three years after this, he made an unsuccessful attempt
to throw off the Assyrian yoke and regain his former independence.
This brought on the general captivity of the Jewish nation, which
lasted 70 years.
Nebuchadnezzar extended his conquests till he subjugated the
Ethiopians, Arabians, Idumeans, Philistines, Syrians, Persians, Medes,
Assyrians, and nearly all Asia to his sceptre. These splendid
conquests, and being now king of kings, lifted up his heart with
pride, that he caused a golden image to be reared on the plains of
Dura. He issued a royal edict, and commanded the princes and rulers of
all these nations as well as their principal subjects to assemble; and
being assembled, he commanded them to fall down and worship his golden
god. Daniel's companions refused to do this, and were cast into the
fiery furnace.
From this circumstance he was brought to acknowledge a Supreme Being,
and even issued a decree that any one who spoke amiss against the God
of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego should be cut in pieces. But as he
was gazing upon the massy walls of Babylon--a work of gigantic
achievement; as he was surveying, from the height of his palace, the
hanging gardens and lofty towers, (an aerial world!) as he was
admiring his own magnificence, by the sentence of that God whom he had
glorified, he was driven from men, and in the Hebrew style of
expression, is said to have eaten grass like oxen. By this we are to
understand that he was suddenly seized with a disease called by the
Greeks lycanthropy, and which is known among physicians at the present
day by the name of hypochondria. It is a species of madness that
causes persons to run into the fields and streets in the night, and
sometimes to suppose themselves to have the heads of oxen, horses,
dogs, or fancy themselves to be like some other animal, and doomed to
fare like them. And some have imagined themselves to be made of glass.
At the end of seven years Nebuchadnezzar's understanding returned to
him, and he was restored to his throne and glory. He died 562 years
before Christ in the 43rd year of his reign.
It is our intention to consider this text in a moral point of view, as
applicable to all men of all ages, and in all conditions in life.
While pursuing the various occupations to which our inclination, or
fancy may lead, we are too apt to lose sight of that Being who holds
our destinies in his hand; and more particularly so in seasons of
prosperity, when blest with health and other sublunary enjoyments.
Strange as it may seem, yet it is substantially true, that in
proportion as man is successful in the accomplishment of his plans, he
becomes arrogant and haughty in his feelings, and instead of
acknowledging his dependence on God, and feeling the bursts of
gratitude for the favors and enjoyments heaven scatters in his path,
he loses sight of the benign hand that blesses him, and, like the
proud Assyrian monarch, ascribes all his prosperity to his own plans,
and to the effect of his own peculiar management. He surveys the lands
he has purchased, the beautiful buildings he has erected, the wealth
he has accumulated, and in view of these achievements of his hand, as
he is floating on the full tide of prosperity, he is ready to breathe
out in exultation,--"is not this great Babylon which I have built for
the house of my kingdom, by the might of my power and for the honor of
my majesty."
When success becomes common, man forgets his dependence on Him who
rules in the armies of heaven, and over the affairs of men. It is our
duty as intelligent creatures to exercise our reason in viewing things
as they really are. He, who will not do this, but goes through life
thoughtless, so far resigns the man, and assumes the brute. Even some,
who bear the christian name, proclaim against reason, call her carnal,
and prostrate her as it were at the shrine of enthusiasm. They lean
upon certain frames and feelings of the animal nature. They are so far
driven from men. I say it is our duty as rational intelligences to
hold our station in the scale of being, and to exercise our reason in
viewing things as they are. We ought candidly and solemnly to weigh
the blessings of God, and consider the relation in which we stand to
him as our Creator and Benefactor. Who can tell the value of
existence, or number its countless joys? What a wonderful production
is man! He has given us the most beautiful symmetry of parts,--has
moulded our limbs with accuracy, and freely bestowed these admirable
lineaments of form! He has formed the ear for sound, and awakened in
its vocal chambers the flowing charms of music, the harmony of
rejoicing nature, the dear voices of parents and children, and the
sweet whisperings of love and friendship! He has moulded the
transparent eye, bedded it in its bony socket, and on its retina
painted the universe! He has bid it not only to disclose, all the
varied passions of the soul, but to roll with softness and affection
on the fond companion of our ways, on the countless beauties of
nature, and bid it with infinite ease sweep the entire vault of
heaven. He has set in motion the warm current of life that rolls
through our veins, pouring nourishment, health and animation through
all the channels of existence. It is he who throbs the heart, who
heaves the lungs, and who bids the ten thousand complicated parts of
this organized frame move on. In all this, his goodness is every
moment felt, and yet we are thoughtless of these manifestations of his
loving kindness. They are so common that we have ceased to prize them.
When sickness and distress come upon us, it is then we learn the value
of health and ease, and are often awakened to the reality that the
Most High rules.
In view of the trials incident to life, we hear the Psalmist exclaim
"Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word."
This seems to be the lamentable condition of man. When rolling in the
calm tide of uninterrupted prosperity, and rejoicing in the vigor of
health, he forgets there is a God, or becomes thoughtless that the
heavens do rule, and begins, like the king of Babylon, to ascribe all
his success to his own power, foresight and management, and is
practically an atheist. But however thoughtless men may be, yet there
is a God who governs the world, and will so order and direct his
providence, that every one who goes counter to the principles of
rectitude is _doomed, inevitably_ doomed, to suffer the consequences.
There is too much practical atheism in the world. By this we mean that
there are too many of those who acknowledge a God in words, that deny
him in conduct. Every one, who lives upon the bounties of heaven, who
enjoys the sweets of existence, and remains thoughtless of God, is
practically an atheist. As saith Paul, "They profess that they know
God, but in works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and
unto every good work reprobate." He, who goes on in the ways of
transgression and multiplies his iniquities, must either believe there
is no God, or else conclude that he does not rule over the affairs of
men; and on this ground flatters himself that he shall escape
punishment. And not only so, but in opposition to the express
declaration of Jehovah, he believes that he shall enjoy a degree of
happiness in the indulgence of sin. All such are driven from those
rational reflections and moral principles, which virtually constitute
the man, and have yet to learn, "that the heavens do rule."