The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-06-04
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LnssoN roR suNDAY suNE 5
THE Burning Furnaces, : Daniel ill.,, H.
o5. Golden Text, Isaiah xiii, Q.
Commentary.

ehacn ana Ahednego.' This GENTLE king.
70 whom God gave the kingdoms OF this
deriul yisionfof chapter H., has IN the prida
ct his heart set up an image which he com.
mands all people to worship. Ten tunes in
! this chapter & is spoken Of as the golden
image or the image which he had set up. IL
Is suggestive OF another image to be set up
I in the last days by an enemy az God. which
men must eltner worship or die REV. xiii.
4 1al. Daniels friends refused 20 worship tho
image which Nebuchadnezkar Ind set I'M.
and therefore they are summoned to appear
before the king
IL. do NOT We serve my gods, nor worship
the golden image which have set uprs This
( Is the question asked Of these young men bv
| the man 10 whom Il had been made known
that The God OF Heaven had given him his
Kingdom, power, strength and gloryn chap
/ ter II, I'D. Yet his heart i 70 proud that SO
refuses 10 acknowledge the God 81 Heaven.
but viii u possible compel tho servants 81
| the true God 70 bow down 10 his false gods
ia IF 10 worship not We shall be cast the
same hour into the midst OF q burning liery
furnace, and who is that God that shall do
liver you out OF my handsy' MAN that 4
IN honor and undcrstaudeth NOT Is like the
beasts that perish tts. xix, 20l. Sec this
man whom God has honorcd but who
understands not, roaring like the lion from
the pit against the servants Of the Most High
Sod, not knowing that they are under the
trihe OF Judah tRev. Vi, 81.
10. we are not careful 20 answer thee IN
TINS matter" Or, as In the n ", I'VE
have no neestto answer etc. The same
word Is translated "have need In Ezra vi.
y AMI these are the only two places in Scrip.
tnre where the word Is used. Young, IN his
concordance gives .think necessary1 as the
meaning OF the word. The path Of duty
4 was SO clear 10 these mon that there was no
need TO wait for further light no need Of
ueiay or argument. They knew God and
! would worship Him only.
IL III II be so, our God whom wo sorva
| y able to deliver lis from the burning firey
furnace, and He will deliver us out oil thine
hand, . king We may not know II He
VIII deliver US from this or that special
trial. but we do know that He will be with
US in the trial aud that neither man nor
devil can harm US. when thou waikest
through the fire, thou shalt not DO burned;
neither shall the flame kindle upon fheeb
lisa. xiii, q. Perhaps this very promise
was whispered TO these men by the Holy
spirit. The Lord Jesus teaches us that We
are not to fear persecution or imprisonment
or even death, but that our great aim must
be faithtulness 10 Him tMath. r., 2S: Rev.
H., lU. We may say with tho utmost M.
snrance, The Lord shall deliver me from
every evil work and will preserve me unto
bis heavenly kingdoma III. Tim. w., 1sl.
Il. "But II not, be 1t known unto thee. o
king that we will not serve thy gods. nor
worship the golden image which thou hast
4 set up job said, Though He slay me. vet
will | trust in Him. or "Wait for HimI IN.
VI, Job Kill. i5l, for he knew that even
Though his mortal BODY might lie destroyed,
4 yet IN his resurrection body he would see
/ tod tJob xix, 25.l7l. Tho apostles. sus-
tanned by the same blessed assus ance, feared
not the face OF man nor the threats Of the
rulers, hut would testify OF Jesus and the
\ resurrection, ready to die for Him IL need be
SActs ", 10 20; v. 29l. These friends Of
Daniel We're tempted 70 worship golden
image, but people are now tempted In this
land TO worship golden eagles and silver
dollars AMI whatever will bring power or
4 popularity, and how many professed SER
wants o. tod are without scruple hc~ing
down TO these, God only knows Where are
the Shadracks, who say without hesitation
TO the world, the hesh and the devil nW6
! Will not serve thee.H Let us ramember thnn
| ITO whom we yield ourselves servants TO
obey, his servants we are whom we obey
| Rom. vi, I6).
1923 This is the account Of the CARRYING
out Of the sentence of death against the
faithful three. The furnace Is heated seven
times hotter than usual; the mon are bound
~ their clothes and cast into the furnace;
the fury OF the beast is satisfied; the devil
has done his worst TO the servants Of God
and God of Love, and infinite wisdom, and
all power has suffered 1t so to be. This Is
that which perplexed David and Asaph and
jeremiah, and Is a stumbling block TO mul.
titudes to this day. We need to learn that
EVIL doors shall be cut of, but they that wait
upon the Lord shall inherit the earth." The
| wicked shall be brought into desolation as In
moment and utterly consumed with ter.
rors; they shall be pulled out like sheep for
the slaughter FPS xxxyii.. o; lxxiii., 10; Jer.
Kill, 1-3I. When God permits the devil to
touch his dear people It Is only that He may
be glorified and creator blessing brought In
due time TO these tried ones. He desires US
even here In this life to be conformed to the
image OF His Son, and by all events OF our
daily life TO be fitted to reign with Him over
this earth in due time. Thus God maketh
even the wrath Of man to praise Him tPs.
~. ibid not we cast three men bound into
the midst OF the href They answered and z
said unto the king, True, o king" His
establishment could hardly have been greater
had he found himself In the torment where
the rich man found himself Immediately
after death duke xvi. 99; He can hardly
that no God could deliver out OF his hands
tverse 15D. When men rage against God, He
that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh FPS.
H., A; xxxvii., 49, The counsel Of the un-
godly shalt come to nought but the counsel
of the Lord shall stand and He will do all
His pleasure lisa. viii, Q. 10; xiv. ~.
%. HE answered and said. Lo 1 see four
men loose and walking in the midst of the
fire, and they have no hurt; and the form Of
the fourth Is like the Son of God.p Upon
their bodies the fire had no power, nor was
q hair OF their heads singed, because they
trusted in God verses "a, 2s). The only ef-
feet Of the fire upon them was to burn their
bonds and set them free to walk with the
Son of God. This is the effect that all trials
should have upon us; they should free US
from the bondage and entanglements of
earth's allurements and make us more free
10 walk with Jesus. As tn ese men came out
Of the furnace on the other side Of death and
Judgment, the sentence having been fully
executed upon them, SO every believer in
Jesus may be said 70 have suffered the ex-
treme penalty OF the law in the person OF
Christ, His substitute, and to be now. on the
other side OF death and Judgment as far as
tho penalty of the law is concerned. See
John ", "a; Rom. vi, Gil; ii Cor. ", la
The Lesson Helper.
LOVING DARKNESS.
II would be well il you could secure the
abolition of the screens that now protect the
saloon from public Investigation We believe