The citizen., 1899-07-05
DANIEL IN BABYLON.
International ss~dsy school Lessor
for Juiy o. isoo-Tes6 DrnieI
Iis-2i-Memory verse.ty-2o,

1
THIS lesson may be used as a temperance
| lesson.
READ the whole chapter.
PLACE IN BIBLE IISTORY-2 Kings
| aI-s; Chron. 3s:i7.
TIME.-B. G. eO5-3 The beginning OF the
| 10-years' captivity
| PLACE. -Ba byiou. on the Euphrate. 50,
miles east Of Jerusalem.
Rulers-Jehoiakim, king Of Judah: Neb
| uchadnezzar, OF Babylon.
| PROPHETS jeremiah and HahakKuk
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 born
at Jerusalem OF noble parentage. carried
| captive to Babylon. where he lived all the
| 20 years captivity A great statesman n,
a learned scientific man. true prophet
/ OF the noblest character he lived at least
TIL II. Z. 6Si. and died at the age of ~ or
| more.
| EXPLANATORY.
l. The Tcmpted.-ln our last lesson
we were looking upon Israel during
the years before its final captivity. u. &.
722. To-day we pass over more than q
century of time, and into the kingdom
OF Judah, and looa upon that nation NJ
the beginning OF its captivity. which
came upon IL for the same sins that
ruined the northern Kingdom. Among
the first captives were Daniel and three
| companions, who we're afterwards cast
into the fiery furnace and escaped un.
| harmed
| III. The Temptatiou.-N. 5. What was
the wrong in eating the kings food?
OD The dietary might comprise arti.
cles OF food, such ns the lcsh of swine
hnres, etc, which the law interdicted
10 the lsraelitcs (Lev. y. (2) The flesh
may not have been perfectly cleansed
from blood, and hence forbidden bv the
Jewish law (Deut. lc: 23-a5). Jews, even
at this day. have their own butchers.
and regard as unclcan the meat pre-.
pared in the ordinary way. ca The uni.
,crsal custom among the heather Of
consecrating n portion OF eo+,h meal 10y
offering n portion Of IL to their idols.
and pouring out libations OF wine in
their honor. ca 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 its effects on others, and
the bad company aud danger into which
IL led. Probably these were far worse
at Babylon than in Palestine.
Ill. How the Victory Over Tcmpta.
tion Was Gained.-Ns. Sis. First lie
"purposed in his heart:" They came to
n decision.
Second. They had an early religious
training, as was common among the
best Jews.
Third. Their sudden departure from
home. to he 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 the prince OF the eunuchs"
Fifth. The Divine favor was with him.
v. 9. Now God had brought Daniel in.
TO favor and tender love"
Sixth. by proving the value OF his
course. V. i.. Give us pulse to eat:"
Lcguminous plants or their seed, as
beans, peas, etc. v. IS. al the end of
ten days." etc, as short n time as would
suffice for a thorough test. The result
was all that was claimed.
Nv. The Crown of victory.-vs. 1921.
There were several jewels in this
crown.
First Jewel. The best ply steal con Il.
ton; bodily health, strength, beauty,
energy; fitting the body for it's best
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 n
city set upon hill. whence they could
exert the widest influence. VS.. 1920.
And in all 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 counsclors, bet
ter infOrmed.-Barncs. THAN all the
magicians and astrologcrs: The ma.
scribes the priestly class. The astrol-
ogers, ""reasoners from the stars" were |
the scientific men. versed in magic and |
occult science.
Fifth Jewel. \ long life of eminent
service. V. 81. Daniel continued even
unto the first year of King Cyrus" H.. |
{. 53i, when Cyrus, having conquered
babylon, issued his cdict FOR the re.
building of the temple. Daniel had thus
about 10 years Of public service.