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all-powerful kingdom, which should break in pieces all other kingdoms
and stand forever.
The thought of establishing the empire and a dynasty that should
endure forever, appealed very strongly to the mighty ruler before
whose arms the nations of earth had been unable to stand. With an
enthusiasm born of boundless ambition and selfish pride, he entered
into counsel with his wise men as to how to bring this about. Forgetting
the remarkable providences connected with the dream of the great
image; forgetting also that the God of Israel through His servant Daniel
had made plain the significance of the image, and that in connection
with this interpretation the great men of the realm had been saved
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an ignominious death; forgetting all except their desire to establish
their own power and supremacy, the king and his counselors of state
determined that by every means possible they would endeavor to exalt
Babylon as supreme, and worthy of universal allegiance.
The symbolic representation by which God had revealed to king
and people His purpose for the nations of earth, was now to be made
to serve for the glorification of human power. Daniel’s interpretation
was to be rejected and forgotten; truth was to be misinterpreted and
misapplied. The symbol designed of Heaven to unfold to the minds of
men important events of the future, was to be used to hinder the spread
of the knowledge that God desired the world to receive. Thus through
the devisings of ambitious men, Satan was seeking to thwart the divine
purpose for the human race. The enemy of mankind knew that truth
unmixed with error is a power mighty to save; but that when used to
exalt self and to further the projects of men, it becomes a power for
evil.
From his rich store of treasure, Nebuchadnezzar caused to be made
a great golden image, similar in its general features to that which
had been seen in vision, save in the one particular of the material of
which it was composed. Accustomed as they were to magnificent
representations of their heathen deities, the Chaldeans had never be-
fore produced anything so imposing and majestic as this resplendent
statue, threescore cubits in height and six cubits in breadth. And it
is not surprising that in a land where idol worship was of universal
prevalence, the beautiful and priceless image in the plain of Dura,
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representing the glory of Babylon and its magnificence and power,
should be consecrated as an object of worship. This was accordingly