The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1905-09-29
No. 52.
DANIEL in
BELSHAZZAR
Sunday School Lesson Tor Oct /. 1905
Specially Prepared iar This Paper.

Dry Verses o. 80
GOLDEN TEXT.-"The face Of the Lord
Is against them that 90 eyii-Psalm A:l6.
TIME b G.. 80. Prof Boechcr places Il
in June oreariier. Il was IN the latter period
Of the Exile. Compare verse q With Daniel
ell
PLACE Babylon on the Euphrates.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES. Isa-
sic tells Of guidance OF Cyrus. Isa 10, II.
a.l-g. 43.l4-i7. s6.l. 2. s-lS tell OF the over
throw OF Babylon. Jer % and 81 represent
the destruction Of Babylon.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
INTRODUCTORY. - We are now
drawing near to the close Of the 10
years dating from the beginning Of the
captivities b. q. 6O6-i) for which period
jeremiah had foretold that the exile
should continue DER. 25;l2). The eA-
lies gradually acquired lands and
houses, they lived in separate commun-
ities. and were apparently allowed to
maintain % some extent the social GUS
toms and organizations Of their native
land (Ezek. ST., l4.D."-Ottley. ma
tive qualities soon brought the Jews to
the front IN whatever land they were
thrown. Prof. L. 7. Harper. Jere-
mlahs prophecies still peryaded the
moral atmosphere. Ezehels voice was
heard through the nation. The glorious
visions and prophecies Of the later chap
ters Of Isaiah were stirring the hearts
OF the faithful with hope and faith and
courage. We now come 20 the proyiden-
tial movements which made the return
possible. A new king. and a new policy,
now took possession Of the empire that
held the Jews captive. Cyrus, the
Persian, conquered Babylon. The
nominal king Of Babylon at this time
was Nabonidus. He was most scholar
ly man rather than ruler, interested In
his country's institutions, and making
most valuable records on clay cylinders.
There IS. says Mr Pinches every prob
ability that Belshazzar. the son OF Ma.
bonidds. was the real ruler" We have
learned about Belshazzar from these
tablets and inscriptions lately disooy-
cred in the ruins Of Babylon. Cyrus, the
conQueror Of Babylon. the king Of Elan,
Media and Persia, appears on the hori-
zon at this time, advancing toward
Babylon, IN his victorious career, with
his extended troops. whose num-
bers like the waters OF river could not
be known" He entered Babylon with
out fighting, which agrees with both
Herodotus and Daniel.
Belshazzar's Great Feast.-Belshaz-
zar was youth flushed with the excite
ment Of almost uncontrolled power.
Even while Cyrus was approaching with
his victorious army, the young man.
secure In the unriyaled strength Of his
city defenses, made great feast TO a
thousand OF the mobiles, probably In
E-sagila. the magnificent temple OF
Belus. within the walls Of Babylon. II
was a wonder of the world. The walls
were rich with images Of the Chaldeans
painted IN yermillon and exceeding IN
dyed attire" on goodly horses, like
those on the frieze Of the Acropolis.-
From Farrar
v II. Let thy gifts be to thyself:"
Keep them, do what you will with them.
Daniel will speak Gods truth without
fear or favor, and the rich presents the
king offered can have no influence what
ever.
vs. 1922. The most high God gave
Nebuchadnozzar:" The true God Is
shown 70 be over all and above all. And
thou hast not humbled thine
heart" etc. You have not sinned
through ignorance, but have gone on IN
O wicked course IN spite Of, IN defiance
Of, Gods lessons Of warning.
Y. %. But hast lifted up thyself:
Exalted thyself as II thou couldst defy
and disobey With lmpunity the Lord Of
Heaven.
V. 25. This is the writing" The
words are Of the Aramaic (called Chal-
dee in A. W language. with letters like
the Hebrew This language was IA
millar 10 Babylon at that time.
V. 2s. Meme" repeated for the sake
OF emphasis); God hath numbered thy
kingdom and finished IT." God had put
definite limit TO the number Of years
the kingdom should last, and that num-
Der was now complete.
V. II. "Tekel thou art weighed In
the balances:" as 10 his moral oharsc-
ter and actions, and been found wanting,
Of light weight like a counterfeit coin,
or one that did not come up 10 the
standard required God had tested him,
and he had failed.
V. 2s. "Peres" (the singular Of the
word "Upharsin," IN V. Is, the prefix
~" meaning and. II IS the same as If
Pores" was written twice, Ike Meme,
for emphasis).
Y. 70. Clothed Daniel with scarlet
I The royal purple. Third ruler in the
Kingdom" Either. one Of three; or
more probably, next under Belshazzar
who was the second. being under his
father, NabonIdus, the king over all.
Thus the Persian conQuerors found
Daniel. the Jew, not IN obscure retire
meut but occupying the position Of an
active statesman. and IN a position to
help his exiled countrymen.
Y. 90 In that night was Belshazzaf
slain" Swift and sudden came
/ the forotOld doom.
Illustrative Points.
Fools make a mock Of Sin" " and only
fools. Wise men DO not play with
matches IN a powdermill. Wise men
DO not hold a merry-making while their
house IS blazing. Wise men DO not sleep
undefended amid deadly foes. Wise men
DO not neglect and increase a dangerous
disease.
There is a handwriting Of warning
and of doom on the wall for every sinner
Il may be invisible for a time, Ike that
Kind Of writing which Is invisible till
brought % {, FIRE, OF touched with
chemicals. but Il is written where bis
eye shall some time see Il
Always Successful.