The National tribune., 1894-09-13

|
of one who was somewhat above the aver
age. We have it in Daniel. He was called
to greatness and filled it. Someone ha
said: ITO be called into huge sphere, anC
not to be seen to move in it. are the holes
where the eyes ought to be-" 1t is a grea
achievement to fill your place. to be equa
to it, if it be one requiring wisdom, energy
determination, persistence. Sir Thomas
Foxwell Burton wrote: The longer | live
the more am certain that the great differ
ence between men, between the great ant
small the powerful and the insignificant, il
energy"
And Ruskin declared: "The nobleness Of
life depends upon its consistency, clearnes:
of purpose, quiet and ceaseless energy"
DANIEL AN EXAMPLE.
| l. Data
We shall consider only verses to 16, in
elusive. Read also XII, 24: 1-6; 2 Chron.
| SO: 10.
2. Time and Place.
| We date B. C. COG, $500 years ago. The
| scene Of the lesson was Babylon, 500 miles
east of jerusalem; capital of Chaldea; IA
miles square; surrounded by wall 30C
| feet high and so feet wide, having $50 tow
ers and 100 gates; walls of brick with btu
men for mortar; on the Euphrates; built
by Nebuchadnezzar, the bricks bearing his
name.
3. Preliminaries.
Daniel was a captive taken from Jerusa-
| lem by Nebuchadnezzar. With three other
Hebrew captives he was selected as youth
to be educated for the royal court. His
three companions were Hananiah, Mishael,
and AZariah. The four received ChalGean
names Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abed-nego. VI.
a. Definitions and Explanations
]. Purposed. 8. Made up his mnd-came
TO positive decision. Thus he set an ex-
ample and helped his associates to reach set
tied conclusions. He had the force OF char
acter to say no. no
g. Not defle self g. The Jews are very
particular az to foods and drinks. We may
suppose one or all the following reasons had
influence on the decision of Daniel:
a. Certain animals were strictly forbidden
in the Jewish menu; as, e. g., swine, hares,
etc. Leviticus, chapter II, specifies the
kinds of animals, fowls, etc, allowed and
those forbidden. The Bfbylonians had no
regard for snch distinctions. Read Eze.,
Alb; Hos, 9:3 CT, Acis, 1920 Notice
how careful Judas Maccabeus was. See 2
Mac, :27.
b. Animals, fowls, etc, eaten by Jews
have to be killed in certain defnitely-pre-
scribed ways. Indeed, Jews have always
had their own butchers and will eat only
such meats, etc, az have been sealed by said
butchers. Deu., ~: 1925.
C. Eating meats involved more or less the
recognition of heathen gods. Festivals were
begun with thank Offerings to the idols and
S.a
promising the true God Thus entertain-
ments partook always somewhat of the ma
ture of a sacrifice in the way of worship.
Royal meals were begun with offerings to
the gods, and food brought from the table
had been presented to heather deities.
/ Cor. ST., TO-
d. 1t may be, Daniel acted also with
reference to health. He preferred temper
ance. Royal dishes were probably largely
of delicacies. Rawlinson wrote " TIE diet
of the rich classes was no doubt varied and
luxurious. Wheaton bread, meats of vari-
Gus kinds, luscious fruits, fish, game, loaded
the board, and wine imported from abroad
was the usual beverage. The wealthy
Babylonians were fond of drinking to ex-
cess; their banquets were magnificent, but
generally ended in drunkenness"
There were dainties pleasures in
sen e of sin for season." Like Moses,
Daniel and companions chose that which
would be permanently good. Heb, II IS.
They did not want to become captivated
with the Injuries of captivity and forget
they were captives. They were loyal to heir
native land and race, and despised a detetic
aD9sthetic.
e. They felt too chagrined at their pos
ton as slaves; too fond of the memories Of
d. i -. Al.
country; too Inundated over the bondage
of the Jews, to relish delicaces and lux
uries. They would be shocked at the posi-
bility OF a lethargy which could allow them
to enjoy heather hospitality.
3. Wine. 8. The same Temperance prin-
ciples controlled in drinks as in foods. 1t
was with the wine in special that the Ii "a
tions i'll heather Worship were presented to
the gods. And wine then as now, showed
its victims, warning screet young men 10
adopt temperance principles. DIR. Kendrck
says: Tire use of wine was not forbidden
by the Mosaic law. By Daniel and his com
panions the wine from the kings table may
have been considered defled, owing to the
custom OF Offering portion at each meal as
libation to the gods"
4. Eunuchs. g. For practical purposes
we may say servants. Eunuchs, as the word
shows, were persons who had charge of the
beds, touches, etc, and hence the word is
allied in sense to our word chamb erlain. In
Eastern lands the eunuchs have charge of
the domestic concerns of the wealthy or
royal. They have hence much to do with
the children
5. Requested. 8. We notice how discreet
Daniel was He tried to bring about an
adjustment of things to his conscience with
out unnecessarily endangering his life or
prospects. Though firm, he was polite;
though fixed in decision, he was polite. Had
he been denied his courteous and reason
able request, he would doubtless have per-
sisted in his determination, let the conse-
quences be what they might. 1t is hest TO
get along without trouble when it is possible
without lowering the standard of right.
6. Favor and tender love. 8. The Re-
vised Version has for tender love compassion.
We recall the case of Joseph. Gen., SO: 81.
CT Prov, 1877. Something may have been
due to naturally good disposition in Ash
penaz, the chief eunucb. V.3. Ps., 106: 46
" Buckingham proves that such affectionate
relations can and do exist in the East. land
that in perfect innocence, incentives to noble
thoughts and deeds on the one side and on
the other to care, tutelage and affection,
uniting the father with the friend, compan-
ion and tutor" Much was due to Daniel
He was probably prepossessing in manner,
winning condolences. Love is contagious.
inn, H.. 81