If we consider Daniel to have been but a youth of about fifteen when brought to Babylon, and from all his history, he could not have been younger at that time, he must have lived to a good old age; for the first year of Cyrus did not commence until the whole seventy years of the captivity had run out. Think what grace the Lord manifested to his servant. And what an honor to Daniel to be so long engaged in the Lord's service!
REFLECTIONS
READER! let us both pause over this first Chapter in the history of Daniel. And let us remark in his instance the wonderful properties of distinguishing grace. Behold! how the Lord made way for him, and guided all his paths, and directed all his ways. Though carried into captivity, yet, from that very captivity, all the great events which followed in the Prophet's life took their rise.
And when we have duly pondered the history of Daniel in order to mark the progress of grace in his instance, let us see if we can discover nothing similar to the same in our own. If, peradventure, the eye which reads those lines hath been opened by sovereign grace, to discover the Lord's dealings in his own experience; he will find enough to melt his very soul into tears, in the recollection, how the Lord hath been, and always is, leading on his people, making their way to differ from others; yea, to differ from themselves, in a thousand instances before their unthinking minds were brought into the least apprehension of divine mercy towards them. What a subject of this kind doth every child of God in his history, open to view when once grace opens the book, and turns back the leaves of what is past. everyone finds cause to join in what the Prophet was commissioned to deliver? Wilt thou not from this time (saith the Lord) cry unto me; My father, thou art the guide of my youth. Jeremiah 13:4
Lord Jesus! give to every follower of thine grace to know thee in these things; and cause us to stand before thee in those subjects of wisdom and learning; beyond all the knowledge of worldly skill that we may discover from whom, and by whom, we derive understanding in that knowledge which maketh wise unto salvation, through the faith that is in Christ Jesus!