The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-05-18
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
MAY %.
Lesson Text: "Daniel and His Com.
panions, Danielf., 8-21-Gold-
en- Text: Daniel t., g.
Commentary.

8. "But Daniel purposed in his heart that
he would not defile himself with the portion
OF the kings meat, nor with the wine which
be drank" This portion Of the first verse of
our lesson IS the Golden Text for the day:
we therefore give a little extra space to ir.
We see Daniel, one Of a company Of Young
Jews carried captive in the third year OF
Jehoiakiu, in the palace Of the king Of Baby
lon, in training to stand in due time before
the king as one Of his wise men. While be-
ing taught the wisdom of the Chaldeans
they are to be nourished with food and wine
from the kings table. Daniel determines
that he and his companions will not detile
themselves with food which has been offered
to idols for they are true worshipers of the
only living and true God, and understand
that whatever is not offered to Him is
offered to devils LEV. xviii, z; Deut. xxi,
II; I Cor z, 20. All true believers are
commanded to do all thinga even their
eating and drinking. to the glory Of God Il
Cor. Z, 3l), and this one command. covers
the whole temperance question for the Chris
tian.
9. 'sNow God had brought Daniel into
favor and tender love with the prince Of the
eunuchs." When any one determines to
glorify God and serve Him only, the way
will be prepared. Whena mans ways please
the Lord He maketh even his enemies to be
at peace with him prov. xvi, =. See the
story of Joseph, Gen. xxx, a.; Acts vii.
9, 10, and remember that the eyes OF tho
Lord run to and fro throughout the whole
earth to show himself strong on behalf Of
all who trust in Him III Chron. xvi, 81.
10. sand the prince Of the eunuchs said
unto Daniel. fear my lord, the king"
Daniel feared no man, neither did he fear
hut ha 4 70 hSo ~ Tba
fear Of man bringeth snare, but whose
putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe
prov. xix, 25,. How often the fear OF
man or the disire to please man leads people
into sin; the only remedy is to know the lfv-
ing God and live only to please Him.
II. 12. "Prove Thy servants beseech
Thee, ten days, and let them give us pulse
to eat and water to drink" A simple veg
etable fare which they could be sure had not
comefrom the kings table, nor been ded-
icated to devils. On such food Daniel felt he
could ask the blessing Of his God and expect
it. Let Christians test all their eating and
drinking, all their home entertainments and
church entertainments. by he honest ques-
ton from the heart Can I conscientiously
ask the blessing Of God upon this! And it
will tend to make all these more simple and
for the glory Of God. Daniels conduct made
him seem very peculiar in the eyes Of some
others, but he remembered that Israel was
to be peculiar treasure unto God above all
people (Ex. XIX, 81. And he sought above
all things to please God
13. Then let our counteuances be looked
upon before Thee, and as Thou seest, deal
with Thy servant" The child Of God may
be sure that the blessing Of God shall be
made manifest so that others shall be CON-
PEELED to behold it. As surely as the work
49, l.. TO-,
given to strong drink, SC surely shall the
Him even in their eating and drinking. The
testimony of Jesus is, "If any man serve
Me, him will My Father honor" John xii,
49,.
IA. $50 he consented to them In this mat
ter and proved. them ten days." The
church at Smyrna was to be tried ten days
REV il. 10y, signifying perfect trial. The
ten plaques upon Egypt, the parallels Of the
ten pounds and the ten virgins seem TO indi-
cate responsibility. and judgment In proper
ton to responsibility. As the number seven
indicates perfection ip reference to God, it
may be that the numbers four, ten, twelve
refer to perfect dealing with man in various
ways.
Is, 16. "And at the end Of ten days their
countenances appeared fairer and fatter In
flesh than all the children" The blessing Of
God will be manifest even in our bodies. 1t
Is marvelously manifest IN the appearance
of those whose bodies were once given to
strong drink and sin in tho service OF the
devil but VINO have been rescued by the
grace of God and made servants Of Christ.
Being made free from sin and become ser
wants to God, they now bear fruit unto holi-
ness and are ashamed Of the former things,
the end Of which was death from. w., 81, 22).
As to the manifestation of Christ in such as
are possessed by Him, see how they glorihed
took knowledge Of the apostles that they had
been with Jesus (Acts iv., 13.
II. "As for these four children, God gave
them knowledge and skill in oil learning and
wisdom. and Daniel had understanding in
all visions and dreams" No doubt they
studied but He that is perfect in kno Wedge
was with them dob xxxvi., A. and helped
them and taught them many things not to be
found in any books of the Chaldeans. Gcd
is no, respecter Of persons. He still giveth
wisdom to all who sincerely ask Him (Jas.
j., D.. There is no capital that can compare
with a heart and head right with God, a
pure heart and clear head sanctihed and
enlightened by the Holy Spirit through the
merits Of the Lord Jesus Christ is the great
est of blessings. But this no one can have
who is given to much wine Eph. ", Is;
Cor. vi, 10y.
1s. 10. oNow at the end Of the days, tho
prince Of the eunuchs brought them in be-.
fore Nebuchadnezzar, and among them all
was found none like Daniel. Hananiah,
Michael and Azariah; therefore stood they
before the king" The food and wine from
the kings table, and all the wisdom Of Baby
Ion, could not do for the others what the
God of Daniel could and did do for those
who relied upon Him and yielded their bodies
to Him. Happy are those who can truly
say. "My soul, wait thou only upon God.
for nv expectation is from Him (Ps. l1u.. :.
81. Then as to standing before tho king OF
Babylon. they were conscious that they
stood also before the King Of Kings, and
could say. with Elijah, The Lord God OF
Israel liYeth before whom / stand" Il Kings
xviii, l. See also Luxe l.. 19,.
90. 'And in all matters Of wisdom he
found them ten times better than all the ma
gicians and astrologers that were in all bis
realm" In reference to the dreams on the
wall Of chapters H.. iv.,v., there was no COM
parison, for all the magicians failed, and
only the God of heaven gave the interpreta-
tion through His servant Daniel. There are
those who think that little stimulant in
the form Of strong drink does help mans
mind and BRAIN but the only stimulant that
Daniel knew or used was "The power or
God and the wisdom of God" II Cor. l., 24).
All who seek Him shall excel now as then
Lesson Helper.