Page 55 - The Prophet-statesman a Drama of Daniel

The words that burned themselves into his consciousness most, were: “Thou art this
head of gold….and after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another
third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth,”

From the moment these words were first spoken by Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar winced
with pain, thought the enthusiasm of the moment enabled him to allow them. But as
the months had passed and he pondered the meaning of the words, the more unhappy

he became. He had no objection to being the head of gold, but it galled him to think
that any kingdom would ever overthrow the mighty empire that he had established.
The interpretation had said that “the God of Heaven would set up a kingdom which
should never be destroyed.” This was what he himself has aspired to do. The

Babylonian empire, by his plan, was to be a monument to his genius for all future
generations, but the Revealer of secrets had said: “After thee shall arise another
kingdom.”

The thought first rankled in his bosom, then grew into resentment against the very
God that had revealed the secret and made known the interpretation. He,
Nebuchadnezzar the Great, Nebuchadnezzar the Proud, was resolved that it should not
be so. The golden kingdom of the head must continue through all the ages.

The dream and its interpretation had been noised abroad, and all well-informed
people in the province of Babylon knew of it. To most of them it was just another
dream, of which the meaning and interpretation were highly fanciful and doubtful.

A plan began to crystallize in the mind of Nebuchadnezzar, whereby he would give
public demonstration that the golden kingdom would abide in perpetuity.

One thing the king knew, and that was, that when the plan was consummated, there
was one man whom he did not want around. That man was Daniel, the Prime Minister.
His ambition and pride must be served, but he was ashamed to have Daniel to be a
spectator of it. The affairs of state could wait, good government could be suspended,

but Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and vanity must find expression. His plan he also kept
secret from the wife of his bosom, the darling of his heart. He knew beforehand what
would be her opinion as well as he knew what would be Daniel’s!

The Prime Minister was requested to appear before the king, and was addressed as
follows. “O Belteshazzar, I have a commission for you which I believe will be to you
liking. As you well know and thanks in large part to the excellence of your
administration, the empire is in a fine state of tranquility. The information that is

conveyed to us through our representatives is that all of the subject people are in reason
able contentment, and there is little sign of rebellion.