Middletown transcript., 1899-07-08
Tonight
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON II. THIRD QUARTER, INTERNA-
TtoNAL SERIES, JULY 9.


TfoNAL SERIES, JULY 9.
Text of the Lesson, Dan. 1, S-21-Mem-
Ory Verses, 17-2O-GOlden Text, Dan
4, documentary Prepared by the
Rev. d. NJ. Stearns.
copyright 1899. by D. NJ. stearns.1
8. daniel purposed in his heart that
he would not def1le himself The verse
selected for the golden text does not always
seem to reach the heart Of the lesson, but
in this case think it does. Daniel may
truly be said to have been a'man of holy
purposes and desires. In chapter K, II,
10, he is called man greatly beloved, and
the margin says a man Of desires In
chapter tx, 8, he says, 81 set my face unto
the Lord God, to seek by prayer and sup
plications, with fasting and sackcloth and
ashes. 4" He purposed at all cost to know
the God of Israel and live only for Him.
8. snow God had brought Daniel into
favor and tender love with the prince of
the eunuchs. It is most profitable to
note in this prophecy and in all Scripture
the working of God, and to yield ourselves
| fully to Him that He may work in as is
1
life. In verse it is said that the Lord
gave Jehoiakim and the holy vessels into
the hand of the king of Babylon, and in
verse II God gave Daniel and his friends
knowledge and skill in all learning and
wisdom. We learned last quarter in Johns
| gospel that all circumstances are intended
to give God an opportunity to be glori1ed
| John TX, 8; xi, ~.
10. "And the prince of the eunuchs said
unto Daniel, fear my lord the king"
The fear Of man bringeth snare, but
whose trusteth in the Lord happy is he
The prince feared man, for he did not
know God. Daniel knew God and feared
no man. We may hope that through
Daniel the prince came to know the God
of Daniel. Unless through us those who
know not God are learning to know Him,
our testimony is not as good as it might
be.
II, 12. Prove thy servants, I beseech
thee, ten days, and let them give US pulse
to eat and water to drink" The blessing
of the Lord upon very plain food will do
more for our health than the richest food
without His blessing. Man doth not live
by bread alone, but by every word of God
(Math. ty, A. Daniel did not live to eat
He would not bow down to idols and prob
ably refrained from the wine and meat
from the kings table because it was dedi-
Gated to idols. In chapter K, 8, it is i'm
piled that he did both eat meat and drink
wine. except when specially waiting upon
God.
13, IA. so he consented to them in this
matter, and proved them ten days
Daniel was willing that he and his friends
dences. Our Lord said that His works
bore witness of Him (John V, 36). We are
His workmanship that we may glorify
Him by good works which men can see
(Eph. ii, 10; Titus iii, s; Math. v. 16), and
although there may be no sin in eating
meat or drinking wine, yet to cause an
other to stumble by doing either, or by at
tending the opera or the theater, indulg-
ing in the dance or the card table, is
wrong before God (Rom xiv, 21). The
child of God does not need the things of
this world to satisfy his soul. He becomes
abundantly satisfied with Him who is al
together lovely.
15. "Fairer and fatter in flesh than all
the children" This was the condition
of Daniel and his friends at the end of ten
days as compared with the others who
kings palace. 1t was manifest in their
case that the blessing Of the Lord made
rich even in the matter of flesh and blood
prov. x, 22). The eyes of the Lord run
to and fro throughout the whole earth to
show Himself strong on behalf of those |
whose hearts are whole toward Him (II |
Chron. xvi, 81.
16. "Thus Melzar took away the portion |
of their meat and the wine that they should |
drink and gave them pulse" And some |
would say that they were altogether too |
narrow minded, and should have eaten |
what was set before them, asking no ques-
tions, but it was to honor the God of Is |
rael that they did it. Some Christians are |
now considered very odd indeed because
they have adopted as life motto "What |
would Jesus doP'
IL. "As for these four children, God gave |
them knowledge and skill in all learning |
and wisdom, and Daniel had understand
ing in all visions and dreams. Why he |
should have the latter we shall see as we
go on. In strange land, where the true
God was not known, they desired to make
Him known by their lives and testimony
and God honored them by giving them
that which would most glorify Him. Wher-
ever He sees heart willing to be wholly
His He will see to it that the heart is filed
with Himself and with His Spirit for His
service. He knows all the circumstances
IN which we will ever be placed, and He
will not fail to meet all our need that He
may be glorif1ed (Phil. iv, 19). The first
"behold" in the Bible is in connection
with giving, and God said. Behold. Ihave
given" (Gen. i, 29).
18, 10. Among them all was found
none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and
Azariah; therefore stood they before the
king" AS they had excelled before in
body, so now they excelled in learning and
wisdom, and it was all the Lords doing,
because they trusted in Him and desired
to glorify Him. While outwardly they
stood before the king Of Babylon they
could truly say with Elijah, tThe Lord
God Of Israel iveth before whom stand"
& Kings xvii, y, and with Paul, "God
whose am and whom serve" (Acts
xvii, 23) They stood before the king Of
Babylon in the name of the Lord God of
Israel, believing that therefore they were
there.
90 "Ten times better than all the ma
gicians and astrologers that were in all
MS realm" Thus the king of Babylon
found them upon examination, because
heir wisdom was of God. The wisdom of
his world is a vain thing and wholly un-
sble to understand the things of God
That is one of the great truths taught re-
oeatedly in this book, and perhaps is one
'eason why the religious wisdom of this
world In certain so called higher critics
would, if it could, set aside this book,
Is well as some others But it is written,
Forever, o Lord, thy word is settled in
leaven" (Ps. cxix, s9), SO that not only is
Daniel there, but his book too.
81 tAnd Daniel continued even unto
he first year of King Cyrus. fThus he
ived all through the 70 years of the cap
ivity, and we find him also In the third
ear of Cyrus and in the first year Of
Darius the Mede (Dan. K, /; xi, y. Not
My did he live, but he continued faith
III witness for God Patient continuance
n well doing (Rom. ii, y is a good evil