The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1905-10-06
DANIEL in THE
LIONS DEN
Sunday School Lesson Tor Oct. s. 1905
Specially Prepared for This Paper
Specially Prepared for This Paper

LESSON TEXT. Daniel 6.l0-23 Mem
DRY Verses 2l-23
GOLDEN TEXT-'The angel OF the
Lord encampeth round about them that
fear Him, and delivereth them. Psalm
3l:7
TIME.-About b. c. 53s, within year or
two of last Sundays lesson
PLACE. Uncertain, but one Of the cap
| itals Of the Persian empire
SCRIPTURE RENCES.-Promises
10 Gods Children in Trouble Pisa 1857,
22-29 $40; Alb; SOILS; SAIL; 81; lisa. 4O:2S-
/ 81; Al; Matt 6:33; 7:ll 10:29-3l; Prov 3l-6,
IS, IL Rom SIPS 80 37-S9 Jas. 1872 prom
! Uses TO the oVercomer Rev 2 and 3; Rev.
! 7:l3-17.
Those who have trusted God: Abra-
ham (Gvn 12l-9); Elijah q Kinks chaps. rs,
| 49,; Peter (Acts chaps and l2), Noah
! (Gen. chaps. $50; Joseph Gen. chaps. 80
! and Al, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-
! negO dan 81; John (Acts 81 A.; stephen (Acts
! - Pau (Acts l6l6-40; 3D. Moses (EX,
! and Heb. II 1920, David q Sam chaps II,
"a ana 26); Gideon (Judg. chaps. and y.
! Read Heb II.
Comment and Suggestive Thought
CTORY.-Daniel, the wise
man, after many years OF unrecorded
usefulness or OF retirement to private
life, is now an old man of 80 or 80 years,
again brought into political prominence
/ by the same guiding Providence. Three
/ great cabinet officers were placed over
/ the 120 provinces, and of these Daniel
was the chief. Though an exile he had
/ risen to power and prosperity. He had
maintained his religion and his in
tegrity. The severe trials to which he
/ had been subjected not only resulted in
raising him ito higher hOnOrs and
/ spheres of usefulness but had confirmed
1 him in his religion, in his integrity and
( III his courage. But the higher one
climbs the fiercer the storms. and Daniel
felt their full force. % He was Jew,
a foreigner, exalted over natives, who
wanted the place. on account of his ma
tive force of personality and strong
character What right had he TO be
placed over them? Envy was sharper
than a serpent's tooth" (2) Daniels
character was a perpetual reproof. They
were tired of seeing his good deeds and
hearing his praise as the AtheniaG
voted for the condemnation Of AristideS
the Just simply because he was weary
Of hearing him called the Just. CD He
stood in the way of their dishonest
gains. Such officers in those times al
most always made their position a
means of wealth.
V. TO- Now" better and" even"
when Daniel knew that the writ
Ing was signed" Inscribed, made
permanent as an offisial document
Daniel knew that he was walking amid
many a pitfall many a snare" And
~ l. ;- gbo,
ber:" etc More clearly and more ex-
actly now he had in his roof-chamber
open windows fronting Jerusalem. The
clause is parenthetical. and describes
the constant and habitual arrangement
Of Daniels windOws.-Prof. Driver
"Kneeled upon his knees" A fitting at
titude for humble prayer favorlng the
spirit Of devotion Three times day"
Like the psalmist (Psa 55:10.
V. H. Then these men," The princes
who had planned the plot assembled"
10 know the facts personally, and make
the proof complete
V - The law of the Modes and
Persians which altereth not" In this
two principles are involved one. the
existence of a settled law or rule by
which the king himself theoretically at
any rate. is bound and which he cannot
alter; the other the inclusion. under
this law or rule. Of the irreyocability of
a royal decree, or promise.
V. Il. The king was sore
displeased labored till the go
ing down Of the sun to deliver him"
But he failed on account Of the unalter-
able law
V. Is. They brought Daniel and cast
him into the den of lions" This was ac-
cording to oriental custom on the even
ing of the same day The story Of the
den of lions is strictly in keeping with
Babylonian usages Thy God
He will deliver thee" The king knew
so much of what God had done for Dan
lei in the past that he encouraged him
self and Daniel by the hope of deliver
ance
v II. "Stone laid upon the
mouth of the dem" The mouth was the
door through which the animals were
put into the den "Sealsd it with his
own signet:" IF the access to the lions
den was arranged like that of a sepul-
cher, bar would be fixed across the
front Of the stone, fastened to either
side Of the doorway by thongs. the knot
ting of which was sealed with wax
stamped with a signet '-Tristram.
And with the signet of his lords So
that neither party could tamper with it.
v 10. The king arose very early"
Literally in the dawn, in the first glim-
mering of light
v 20 Cried with a lamentable
voice." Full of grief and anxiety.
V. % MY God hath sent His angel"
AS one like the Son of God was in the |
fiery furnace with the three whom /
Nebuchadnezzar had cast into the
flames
% And no manner of hurt was found /
upon him, because he believed" chad !
trusted) in his God" God never fails /
those who trust in Him.
Two Ways of Deliverance.
/. There is sometimes immediate re-
lief from persecution and death. as IN |