Page 61 - The Prophet-statesman a Drama of Daniel

CHAPTER XIV

THE PROCLAMATION

“It would seem that Daniel’s statement concerning the changing tempers of the

King, and the prediction that we might shortly be put to the test has come true,”
remarked Hananiah to his two friends who had preceded him to the house on Palace
Way at the end of their day’s routine.
“Has anything new developed?” inquired Azariah. “I returned home a little earlier

today and have not heard any late news.”
“As I came up the street the proclamations were being posted on the imperial
bulletin-boards and the people were gathered around, reading them,” Hananiah replied.
“Does it concern the festival that has been rumored for the first three days in Tebeth,

celebrating the completion of the image in the plain of Dura?” asked Mishael.
“It does indeed,” replied Hananiah. “The consuming pride of Nebuchadnezzar
perhaps becomes more apparent than ever. As we have previously observed, the image
is a reproduction of himself, but I never thought he would quite go to this extreme after

his protestations to Daniel of respect to Jehovah. The man is now deifying himself and
will compel all in the city and in the surrounding territory to worship the image as soon
as the orchestras begin to play; any who fail to do so (the proclamation reads) will be
cast in the great furnace of the brick-kiln at the foot of Palace Way.”

Mishael and Azariah looked quickly at one another each with a startled expression,
as they heard these words from their companion. Then a calm swept over the
countenance of Mishael, and with a gleam of faith in his eye he turned again toward

Hananiah and said, “But as for us, the words of the Divine law spoken in connection
with graven images and idols ‘thou shalt not bow down thyself to them nor serve them’
must carry a force more powerful and binding than all decrees of the rulers of the earth,
even if these bodies are destroyed in the fires of the furnace.”

“It is well spoken, O Mishael,” declared the gentle Azariah. “Better these bodies
should be hastily consumed in the furnace of the brick-kiln than that our souls be burned
in the fires of perdition for disobedience and defiance of our God.”

“Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve,” quoted
Hananiah solemnly. “I rejoice that again we are all of one mind. I am glad too that
Daniel will escape this trial and will remain as a voice for Jehovah, if we are silenced.”

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In another part of the city there was a conversation between three other Hebrews,
vastly lesser in station in the province of Babylon than the noble three above referred