Page 52 - The Prophet-statesman a Drama of Daniel

An expression of great relief swept over the fair face of the queen, as she said: “Tell
me, tell me in every detail how you have been extricated from such an awful situation.”

“I, you, the Magi of Babylon, the whole empire have been rescued from a great
tragedy, the sure result of my wrath and pride. We are indebted to the same young
Hebrew, Daniel, whom we named Belteshazzar, and who so attracted you at the time he
and his three companions were graduated summa cum laude from our college.”

Then in detail he told her the whole story: how Daniel had requested a moratorium
and three days later had come in and told him his dream and its interpretation. He
rehearsed to her how he had elevated Daniel to be prime minister of Babylon and his

friends to high minister of Babylon and his friends to high ministerial posts in the
government.

“It is true what you said before. This mighty Jahveh of the Hebrews that brought the

multitude under Moses out from Egypt and performed great miracles is greater than any
tribal god. He has shown that He is the Revealer of secrets. It may be that He is greater
than Bel,” he concluded.
“It may be He is greater than Bel!” the lilting voice of Rhea repeated with a rising

inflection and a suggestion of scorn. “Are not the rest of the Magi, the soothsayers,
magicians, astrologers, necromancers all Bel-worshippers? Why then were they unable
to produce the dream? It is plain from the dream and the interpretation, that this Jahveh
is ‘the God of Heaven,’ the Sovereign and Omnipotent One, not only the Revealer of

secrets. In his hands are the destinies of all nations. It is moreover clearly revealed, that
he will one day completely destroy all earthly kingdoms, and establish a universal
heavenly kingdom in the midst of the earth. The stone-cut-out -without-hands is Jahveh
Himself, Who having destroyed the existing nations of earth, will Himself fill it and

rule it. I am convinced that Jahveh is not just another god, but THE GOD of us all. And
if this be true, Bel is non-existent, false, a mere superstition.”
“Be careful, Rhea, that you do not become too enthusiastic about the god of the
Hebrews. Grant him a place, yes, but do not insist that it means the complete

displacement of Bel, under whose banner I have conquered the Hebrews.”

Plainly, even now Nebuchadnezzar’s shell of pride, though cracked was by no

means shattered. Well it would have been for him had he possessed the tender spiritual
sensibilities of Rhea, and heeded her enlightened reasoning!

Jahveh yet remained to him, the god of Daniel, a Revealer of secrets, but not one to
whom, he, Nebuchadnezzar the Great must yield himself in humble allegiance and full

obedience. The happy outcome of the story had apparently calmed his queen’s fears,
and removed the terror from her eyes. He had weathered the storm of her revulsion from