LON • CYRUS ; DARIUS.) (5) Restored to Office. Shortly before this event Daniel was again restored to the royal favor, and became moral preacher to the king, who overwhelmed him with honors and titles in consequence of his being able to read and solve the meaning of a sentence miraculously displayed, which tended to rouse the conscience of the wicked prince.
Under the same king we see Daniel both alarmed and comforted by two remarkable visions (Dan. vii., viii), which disclosed to him the fu ture course of events and the ultimate fate of the most powerful empires of the world, hut in par ticular their relations to the kingdom of God, and its development to the great consummation.
After the conquest of Babylon by the united powers of Media and Persia, Daniel seriously busied himself under the short reign (two years) of Darius the Mede or Cyaxares II with the affairs of his people and their possible return from exile, the term of which was fast approaching, ac cording to the prophecies of Jeremiah. In deep humility and prostration of spirit lie then prayed to the Almighty, in the name of his people, for forgiveness of their sins, and for the Divine mercy in their behalf ; and the answering promises he received far exceeded the tenor of his prayer, for the visions of the Seer were extended to the end of time (Dan. ix). (Sec Wallis.) (8) Persecution.. In a practical point of view also Daniel appeared at that time a .highly-fav ored instrument of Jehovah. Occupying, as he did, one of the highest posts of honor in the state, the strictness and scrupulousness with which he fulfilled his official duties could not fail to rouse envy and jealousy in the breasts of his col leagues, who well knew how to win the weak monarch, whom they at last induced to issue a decree imposing certain acts, the performance of which, they well knew, was altogether at variance with the creed of which Daniel was a zealous pro fessor. For his disobedience the prophet suffered
the penalty specified in the decree; he was thrown into a den of lions, but was miraculously saved iy the mercy of God—a circumstance which en nanced his reputation and again raised him to the highest posts of honor under Darius and Cyrus (Dan. vi).
(7) Patriotism. He had, at last. the happiness to see his most ardent wishes accomplished—to behold his people restored to their own land. Though his advanced age would not allow him to be among those who returned to Palestine, yet lie never for a moment ceased to occupy his mind and heart with his people and their concerns (Dan. x:t2).
(8) Visions. In the third year of Cyrus he had a series of visions, in which he was informed of the minutest details respecting the future his tory and sufferings of his nation, to the period of their true redemption through Christ, as also a consolatory notice to himself to proceed calmly and peaceably to the end of his days, and then await patiently the resurrection of the dead at the end of time.
From that period the accounts respecting him are vague, sometimes confused, and even strange, and we hardly need mention the various fables which report his death to have taken place in Pal estine, Babylon or Susa. II. A. C. II.
2. Second son of David, born at Hebron. of Abigail (t Chron. iii:11 3. A descendant of Ithamar, who returned from Babylon with Ezra (Ezra viii:2).
4. One of the priests who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah. Ile is probably the same as Dan iel Number 1 in this article, but not to be con founded with Daniel Number 3. (IL C. 445.)