The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-07-27
CAMEL IN TIE DEN OF LIONS.
ssternational sunday School Lesson
aor July so, 1900 - Text, Daniel
0,1O-2j-MemOvy Verses, Gigs.

Cor July 80, $500 - Text, Daniel
0,lO-23-MemoSy Verses, Gigs.
Especially Adapted from Peloubet's Notes.
GOLDEN TEXT.-The Lord is thy keep
er.-Psa. l1:a
READ THE ENTIRE CHAPTER.
LIGHT FROM OTHER SCRIPTURES
Doing Right at Any Cost Examples
Peter. Joseph. John the Baptist. Abraham
Moses, Gideon. Elijah. Shadrach. Meshach
Chron. 2O:l5, II; Psa. 81; 1872, 8: 5O:15; 5T4
5sS: Job. l:l0: Isa. <0:29-Sl; 4I4. II; 6t:iT
Rom. S:s2. 80, SO: Eph. G:s; Pet. &:l2. Is;
Pet. 20: Rev. $40; John N1. Is. q.
TIME.-Between 53S-6s6. the two year
during which Darius was reigning undel
Cyrus.
PLACE-Babylonia. a part only OF III,
great empire OF Cyrus.
THE JEWS IN EXILE.-The exile hat
now continued nearly 70 years. and the TINT
OF the return was near at hand
RULERS.-Cyrus. king OF the whole en-
pire Of the Medes and Persians. Darius
the Mede. king at Babylon. subject to Cy
fus. Canon Tristram thinks ne was placed
there at the request of the Medes. to pacif,
them. and says: This Darius is only once
alluded to in the Greek classics"
EXPLANATORY.
I. Daniels Past Experience.-Danic
must have been between so and 90 years
old at this time. He had had many trials
Of his character and his faithfulness
The severe trials TO which he had been
subjected had hitherto resulted only
in raising him to higher honors and
success. /. In his determination to
keep from defiling his religion (chap
y. 2. In his faithful presentation of the
true God to Nebuchadnezzar, telling
him the most terrible truths (chap. ~.
I. In his faithful reproof and warning
of Belshazzar (chap. 81.
II. The Trap.-Under Darius, Daniel
was recognized as man Of great abil.
ity and integrity, and one who could be
trusted implicitly. Accordingly, he
made him one Of the three presidents
over l20 governors Of as many prov.
inces into which the kingdom was sub.
divided. 1t was not long before the
other officers determined that in some
way or other, by fair means or foul,
they must get rid of Daniel
Ill. Daniel Goes Straight On In the
Way Of Duty.-V. 10. "Now when Dan.
lei knew that the writing was signed:
1t made no difference rs to his conduct,
He would sar as Nehemiah said to
Shemaiah:- Should such man as !
Hee?" Nsh. c:li.) windows being
open 80. toward Jerusalem" Pray
ing toward Jerusalem was not an act
Of superstition. 1t wes ~ recogni-
ton Of Gods promise to Solomon in "a
vor OF those who looked toward this
center OF His worship Il Kings s:s5-44).
(2) 1t was n recognition Of the God Of
Israel and Of His promise that His peo-
pie should return to their home. (3)
It was an aid to the spirit Of devotion.
The place and it's associations have ON
influence upon our spirits. and give
them wings, or weigh on them like o
burden. "Kneeling upon his knees:"
A fitting attitude for humble prayer,
favoring the spirit of devotion. Three
times . days" Like the psaimist (Psa.
55:l7).
w. The Trapsprung.-vA 1l-i5. VII.
''Then these mem" The princes who
had been plotting against Daniel "As-
sembled:" AS in v. 6, "assembled or
ran hastily" so as to come upon Daniel
suddenly and detect him in the act. ~.
"And spoke before the king. Hast
thou not" etc. AS soon as they had the
proofs they presented them to the
king. ''The law of the Medes and Per-
SLAMS, which altereth mott" In this
two principles are involveds one, the
existence OF o settled law or rule by
which the king himself, theoretically at
any rate, Is bound, and which he can.
not alter; the other. the inclusion, un-
der this law or rule, Of the irrevoca-
bility Of o royal decree, or promise. V.
l3. The leaders were now sure Of their
case. Every door Of escape was shut
against Daniel. They had simply to
announce to the king that Daniel was
guilty.
V. Daniel in the Lions Den.-Vs. 10
ls. v. la "They brought Daniel and
cast him into tho den OF Nons;" This
was according to oriental custom on
the evening Of the same day. The
story OF the den Of lions Is strictly in
keeping with Babylonian usages. 'The
king spake:" As they were putting DAN
iel into the den. "Whom thou servest
continually" A precious testimony TO
the religious character and fidelity OF
the prophet. Compare Matt 27:%3;
John 1888. Todd. v. II. 'Stone
laid upon the mouth Of the den:" The
mouth was the door through which the
animals were put into the den. ls.
"The king . passed the night fast
ing:" The idea that lies at the basis Of
fasting is grief 80 deep that It takes
away the desire for food.
VI The Deliverance.-vs. 1923. "
10. "The king arose very early:" Lit
orally "in the dawning, in the glimmer
Of morning" v. .22. MY God hath sent
His angel;" Daniel does not say wheth-
er the angel was visible or not. The
winds and the lightning ore Gods an
gels, according to the psalmist limo
cency was found In me:" Daniel de-