The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-06-08
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
JUNE IL.
Lesson Text: THE Den. OF Lions
Daniel W., ,16-2s-Golden Text:
J. Daniel w., 23-Commentary.

10. ''Then the king commanded, and they
brought Daniel and cast him into the den Of
lions" After the kingdom passed into the
hands Of the Medes, Darius made Daniel the
first Of three presidents over 12O provinces.
But the princes and other presidents hated
him and sought to accomplish his death, as
recorded in the previous part OF this chap
ter. Daniel is fearless of man, and faith
that Daniel is cast into the lions den, and
to all appearance has persisted. The kind
words from the king are hope that it may
be so, rather than an assurance that it will
be 50:
~ sand stone was brought and laid
upon the mouth Of the den; and the king
sealed it with his own signet" So the un-
godly prosper in the world. and the devil is
permitted to put the saints Of God in prison
and ofttimes to kill them Ps. lxxiii., 10;
Rev. IL, 10; John xvi, q. But the child OF
not to think them strange nor be offended
when they come tMath. <, 2s;:I Pet. w., 12, 13;
John xvi, y.
1S. Then the king went TO his palace and
passed the night feasting.n Although the
king loved Daniel and labored hard to deliver
him (verses IA, 15), yet even the king, with
all his power, was powerless yainst the law,
from which let us learn that love cannot
always deliver, nor can the law save any one.
Even the law Of God, which Is holy and Just
and good, cannot give life nor justify the
sinner Gal. Ill, 81; H.. 10; Rom. Ill, 20.
~. "Then the king arose very early in
the morning and went in haste unto the den
Of lions" This early morning victory and
deliverance Of Daniel is very suggestive Of a
morning Of deliverance for Daniels people,
which is now drawing nigh. See Ps. XXX,
5; Xvi, 5, margin; xix, IA; cxxK.. 6; II
Sam. xiii. 8, 4. 1t is also seen in the early
morning deliverance OF Mark vi, 46-48.
There Is class Of people, however. for
whom there will be no morning lisa. viii,
90 r. VI.
20. 10 Daniel, servant of the living God
Is thy God, whom thou servest continually,
able to deliver thee from the lionsT It was
great and lamentable cry from the greatest
earthly monarch Of the time, a cry Of hope,
but not OF assurance. Had he known the
God Of Daniel AMI Of David he would not
have asked if God was able to deliver. Read
the experience of David and Paul in Sam.
xviii, 1886; II Tim. iv., II. IS, and let your
own heart say, II am persuaded that He is
able' II Tim. l., 12.
81. "Then said Daniel unto the king, o
king, live forever" With what eagerness
must the king have listened for reply from
the den. family hoping for yet hardly dar-
ing to expect reply. But there Is reply
prompt and clear and the kings heart Is
exceedingly glad Verse 2S). Whatever may
have been the significance Of the words
'Live forever" the believer In Jesus knows
that he has eternal life John ", "a: vi, 47)
%. my God hath sent His angels, and
hath shut the lions mouths that they have
not hurt me-" Blessed be God and blessed
be His holy angels that excel in strength,
l1,o rAo bor fn ND
lPs. CHI, 2l,22). Consider the power Of one
angel as seen in the case Of Hezekiah ana Of
Peter tIsa. Xxx, 36; Acts xii, $40, and
remember that these same angels are your
ministering spirits ever With you, serving
unseen and unthanked (Heb l., ~.
%. $50 Daniel was taken up out Of the
den, and no manner of hurt was found upon
him, because he believed in his God" Daniel,
in figure, suffered the extreme penalty Of
the law, and came forth from the place Of
death, beyond death and judgment, without
any manner Of hurt upon him. Every true
believer in Jesus is now dead with Christ,
risen with Christ and has passed from death
unto life, (Col. iii, 1-3; John ", 24). There is
no condemnation to them that are In Christ,
nothing can separate US from His love, and
In the morning Of resurrection it shall be
found that not a hair OF our head has per-
ished, Rom. viii, l. 80; Luke H., 49,.
"a. "And the king commanded, and they
brought those men which had accused Daniel,
and theycast them into the den Of lions them,
their childrea and their wives" The
triumphing Of the wicked is short, and the
joy Of the hypocrite is but for moment
Job. x1., 81. This is a sample Of those for
whom there is no morning, or who in the
Lord shall be punished with everlasting de-
struction frcm His presenceQ III Thess. l., 1-1N.
See how many were affected by their sin.
No man liveth unto himself. Wearealways
affecting others either for good or evil
25. "fhen King Darius wrote unto all
people, nations AMI languages that dwell IN
all the earth, Peace be multiplied unto you"
That which caused Darius to make this
proclamation to all nations was the power OF
the God of Israel manifested on behalf OF
Daniel, the Jew. The time will come when
the power of this same God shall be so mani
fest on behalf Of all Israel that all nations
shall thus know God and honor Him as the
God Of the whole earth (Ezek. xxxvii, %
%; x1xviii., %.
%. II make q decree that in every do
minion of my kingdom men tremble and fear
before the God Of Daniel" Thus Darius
does the notlest thing any man every did or
could do he exslts God, he glorihss God be.
fore all nations, and speaks OF dis eternal
kingdom. be makes US LnlnK VI tue Itue
when ''all kings shall fall down before Him;
all nations shall serve Him" (Ps. l11h, IL;
lxxxvi.. g, 10y. 1.-THE lofty looks Of man
shall be humble5, and the hau ghtiness or
men shall be bowed down, and the Lord
alone shall be exalted in that day" lisa. L.,
II, ~.
a7. "He deliyersth and rescueth. and BE
worketh signs and wonders in heaven and
in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from
the power of the lions" Darius had seen
the deliverancs of one man from a lions
den: but Daniel could tell OF the deliver
ance of millions from the bondage OF Egypt
OF their food coming from heaven every day
, for forty years, of sea and river divided for
them to pass through on dry land, OF walled
cities falling down as men shouted, ana
many such wonderful works OF wonderful
God. We can tell Of dead bodies actually
raised from their graves as Lazarus ana otn-
ers, and of time when all IN their graves
shall come forth, and Of some who WILL
never die. Let US magnify the name OF
Him who only doeth all these things.
g. $50 this Daniel prospered in the reign
of Darius, and in the reign OF Cyrus tne
Persian" And all because he was man OF
PRAYER, and Col was with him. he feare1
not the face Of man, nor did be fear death;
but he feared only 10 sin against God. De
honored God and God honored him, even
in this world II Sam. Ii, 3N. Lesson
Helper.