The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1905-09-15
DANIEL IN
B A BYLON
sraday schoolL Lesson for Sept. n,leo5
Specially Prepared for This Paper.

verses, 49, II.
GOLDEN TExT.-"Daniel purpcsed in
his heart that he would not defile himself"
Daniel rs
TIME.-soofi after the attack of Ne
| buchadnezzar upon Jehoiakim. king of
judah, B. c. COS, when Daniel was made
captive.
PIACE.-gabylon. on the Euphrates, 500
miles east of Jerusalem
SCRIPTURAL EXPERIENCES
ences to Daniel in Eek 14:l4, 20; 2S:3; refer
ences to jeremiah In Dan. 90 Compare
| Matt 24:15 with Dan. 9:27. Compare Dan
7:ls IA with Matt. 1864; Mark 1862; Luke
22:69; 21:z7; Rev. 14:14 AS specimens of
the relation between Daniel and Revela-
| ton, compare Rev. liza with Dan. 7:9; Rev.
lis with Dan 1916; Rev. ILL with Dan. g.:
| IS; Rev. Sill with Dan. ITO; Rev. i0:4 with
Dan. 8:26; 1874, 8; Rev 17:12 with Dan. 7:20;
Rev 20:10 with Dan TIL. Read Chron.
$685. for the circumstances of Daniels
exile.
| Comment and Suggestive Thought.
v. s. But" Although, as has just
been stated, everything was done to
make the captives forget their land
and their God Daniel" He was
| about IA years old at this time. "Pur-
posed in his heart" Formed firm
resolution His three friends shared
in the purpose. would not defile
himself" The young Jews looked
| upon food from the table of the king
of Babylon as defling because (D 1t
would most probably include some ar
ticles of food prohibited by Gods law
Lev. ~. (2) The Babylonians did
not conform to the Jewish laws in
regard to killing animals to be used
| for food. hence they would be unclean
to the Jew. 90 1t was the custom of
| the heather then, as in Paul's time,
to offer portion of the food of each
meal to their gods. and eating of this
| food would be looked upon as partici.
pating in idolatrous worship. (4
Pampering the body with luxurious
| food weakens ones moral purpose,
renders him more liable to sin.
v. 9. Into favor" God influenced
the heart of the eunuch, and others, to
| favor Daniel Undoubtedly He did
this by making Daniel pleasing in
his character and manners. 1t was all
the harder for the captives to oppose
| master who was kind to them.
" 10. II fear the king"
The eunuch was willing to grant Dam
ieps strange request, but hesitated lest
| the plain food might have bad effect
upon the health of his charges He
probably entertained the erroneous
idea, still held by many, that wine was
good for the health of body and mind.
All experience proves that it in
jures both.
v. H. "Melzar:" Rev. Yer. the
steward" The one who attended per-
sonally to the distribution of food
The eunuchs name was Ashpenaz.
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael Azariah:"
These were the Jewish names of these
youths. On coming to Babylon they
had been named Belteshazzar, Shad-
rach, Meshach and Abednego.
". II. prove thy servants" Give
us trial to test the matter. "Pulse:"
The seeds of certain leguminous
plants, much like beans; or, vegetable
food of any sort may be included in
this term.
v. 10. GAS thou seest:" He could
then note what effect the chosen diet
had upon their physical constitution.
v. a. Consented to them" Let
them have such food as they had re-
quested
V. Is. "Countenances fair
er and fatter:" The result of
the trial was most gratifying.
v. 16 "Took away the portion"
The Hebrews were no longer asked to
eat of the defiling food. Note that the
Revised Version translates this:
"Took away their dainties:" Think
of the heroism on the part of grow
ing boys in voluntarily deprivinS
themselves of dainties!
v. II. God gave them knowledge"
Throughout this book, intellectual en-
dowments and attainments are again
and again ascribed to God. Some of
these, like the visions, came directly
from God; but others, like the knowl-
edge here mentioned, were bestowed
by God upon the young students
through their own faithful study.
v. IS. "At the end of the days."
Their training continued three years.
Bring them in" When they should
appear before the king for their ex-
animation
V. 10. "Communed with them"
He tested their attainments in knowl-
edge. Among them ALL" In all the
large class receiving this physical and
intellectual training.
v. 20. MATTERS of wisdom" Diff
fcult questions concerning which the
king consulted the most learned men
of his court. "Magicians:" A priest
" class, skilled in reading the mys
tic writings. "Astrologers:" Men
who studied science, especially astron-
omy, and the superstitions of astrol
ogy, which at that time were closely
attached to the study of the heavenly
bodies. The next verse tells that DAN
lei continued in the public service of
the kings of Babylon for about 70
years. Then, as now, temperate liv-
ing was conducive to long life.
Practical Points.
v. 8. 'Dare to be Daniel; dare
to have purpose true; dare to make
it known."-Acts 1923.
v. 8. Sinful indulgence defiles both
body and soul Cor. 3:17.
v. 8. Polite and courteous treat
ment Of others is Christian duty.
Love as brethren, be pitiful, be cour-
teous."-1 Pet. as.
". q. The sure way of winning true
friends is to show the spirit of Christ.
"a man that hath friends must show
himself friendly; and there is friend