Page 149 - The Prophet-statesman a Drama of Daniel

Now she remarked almost languidly: “Kings are all the same—foolish, overgrown
boys, easy victims of the traps of vanity. But sit down and compose yourself, my

Nephew; that walking the floor will do you no good.” When he obeyed, she
continued: “Let me say for your comfort, Daniel the prophet will not die. His God and
mine yet has a mission through him to King Cyrus, and until he discharges it, all the
lions in all the dens and jungles of earth will not lay a paw on him. This is all to show

you, King Darius, the power of Jehovah of Israel.”
“I pledge you my word, noble Aunt, if this Jehovah preserves his life, Daniel’s
God and your God shall be my God too. I will put faith in Him and trust and serve
Him the remainder of my life.”

“I rejoice to hear you say it, O Darius, for that means that you will certainly join
us in the worship of this One, Blessed and Holy and Omnipotent God.”
“While we wait for the Eastern dawn at which time I shall return to the den, tell
me, my dear Aunt, all that you have learned from this great God.”

“Gladly I will,” she replied, and proceeded to unfold to him the remarkable
dealings of Jehovah with Israel from the days of Abraham and Moses, and his special
manifestations of wisdom and power to and through Daniel and his friends in her life
time. Darius sat enthralled as he listened and in this way his disturbed heart was

quieted. He could hardly believe it when he saw streaks of light in the eastern sky, so
quickly had the time sped.

Thanking his aunt for the recital, he excused himself, and left the palace,

commanding four of the night guards to accompany him. The path grew lighter as
they pursued their way.

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As the guards closed the aperture and went their way, Daniel slid gradually to the
floor of the den. The big lions that had come bounding from their caverns at the

inflow of light, all stopped suddenly short as a steed reined up by a powerful hand on
the bridle.

The initial roars died away as they formed a solid phalanx and looked toward this
man who stood in their den in easy reach. There was some snorting and a little
whining, and some of them turned around and went back to their caverns. Others of
the great beasts yawned and lay down on the floor, but not one made a move to
advance toward their visitor.

“Thanks be unto Jehovah,” breathed the prophet. “He hath stopped the mouths of
these fierce beasts that they will do me no harm.” He sat down on the floor of the den