The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-06-29
DANIEL IN BABYLON.
fes July D. lS0O-Text, Daniel
lsS-3l-Aemory Verses 1920.

ESPECIALLY Adapted from feIouDets Notesl
GOLDEN TEXT-Daniel purposed in his
Dan. Ia
THIS lesson may be used a. temperance
lesson.
READ the whole chapter.
PLACE IN BIBLE HISTORY.-2 Kings
A:l-s: . Chron. S6:l-7.
TIME.-B. c. 6o5-2 The beginning OF the
70-years' captivity.
PLACE.-Babylon. on the Euphrates. 6ot
miles east Of jerusalem.
Rulsrs.-Jehoiakin. king Of Judah: Neb-
uchadnexxar, Of Babylon.
PROPHETS.-Jeremiah and HabakKuk
at Jerusalem at the time Daniel was car
ried captive, and later on Ezekiel among
the captives In Babylonia, and Obadiah In
Judah. were contemporaries Of Daniel.
Daniel. At this time II years old. bor)
1t Jerusalem Of noble parentage. carried
captive to Babylon. where he lived all the
10 years captivity. A great statesman.
q learned scientific man. a true prophet
Of the noblest charscter. he lived at least
till B. c. "a. and died at the age Of IS or
more
l. The Tempted.-ln our last lesson
we were looking upon Israel during
the years before it's final captivity, b. &.
722. To-day we pass over more than n
century Of time, ind into the kingdom
Of Judah, and look upon that nation at
the beginning Of it's captivity. which
came upon it for the same sins that
ruined the northern kingdom. Among
the first captives were Daniel and three
companions, who were afterwards cast
into the fiery furnace md escaped un-
harmed.
II. The Temptation.-V.S. What was
the wrong in eating the kings food?
(l) The dietary might comprise nrti-
cles of food, such as the flesh of swine.
hares, ETC., which the law interdicted
TO the Israelites (Lev. q. (2) The flesh
may not have been perfectly cleansed
from blood, ind hence forbidden by the
Jewish law (Deut. 1c:23-es). Jews. even
at this day. have their own butchers.
ard regard as unclean the meat pre-
pared in the ordinary way. t3) The uni.
versaI custom among the heather OF
consecrating a portion Of each meal by
offering n portion OF 1t to their idols.
and pouring out libations Of wine IL.
their honor. ~ The luxurious diet pro-
vided by the king would corrupt the
body and diminish the vigor of the
mind. Nor with the wine. lie had
probably seen it's effects on others. and
the bad company and danger into which
It led. Probably these were far worse
at Babylon than In Palestine.
III. How the Victory Over Tempta.
tion Was Gaincd.-Vs. s-15. First. He
-purposed In his heart." They came to
o decision.
Second. They Ind an early religious
training. as was common among the
best Jews.
Third. Their sudden departure from
home, to be thrown upon their own re-
sources, probably helped them to take
. decided stand for their religion and
their God.
Fourth. They used wise means -He
requested tie prince Of the eunuchs."
Fifth. The Divine favor was with him.
v. 0. "Now God had brought Daniel in
to favor and tender love-
Sixth. By proving the value Of his
course. v. 12. '-Give US pulse to eat: +"
Leguminous plants or their seed, a.
beans, peas, etc. Y. Is. AT the end OF
ten days." ETC.. as short time as would
suffice for thorough test. The result
Svns all that was claimed.
~. The Crown Of vlctory.-Vs. 1921.
There were several jewels In this
crown.
First Jewel The best physical con ii
ton; bodily health, strength, beauty,
energy; fitting the body for Its hest
work and its highest joys.
Second Jewel. The finest mental
powers and highest culture.-y. II.
Third Jewel. The victory over temp
tation improved, strengthened and en-
nobled the character.
Fourth Jewel. High position, like a
city set upon hill, whence they could
exert the widest influence. VS.. 1920.
"And In nh matters Of wisdom and un-
derstanding:" In everything which re-
quired peculiar wisdom to understand
and TO explain. "He found them ten
times better" Better counselors, bet
ter informed.-Barnes. Than all the
magicians and astrologers:" The ma-
gicians were the learned class, the
scribes the priestly class "The astrol-
ogers, "reasoners from the stars, were
the scientific men, versed in magic and
occult science.
Fifth Jewel A long life Of eminent
service. v. 81. "Danicl continued even
unto the first year Of King Cyrus" d.
G. 534, when Cyrus, having conquered
Babylon, issued his edict for the re-
building Of the temple. Daniel had thus
about 10 years of public service.