The Tupelo journal., 1905-09-29
DANIEL IN
BELSHAZZAR
Sunday School Lesson Tor Oct. l.l9o5
Specially Prepared for This Paper.

L -
In June or earlier. II was In the latter period
of the Exile. Compare verse "a with Daniel
ST..
PLACE. abylon,on the Euphrates.
| SCRIPTURE REFERENCES. lisa.
<5:1-G tells of guidance of Cyrus. lsa 10; IA:
2i:i-9: 4s:14-17: i6I. 2. 9-is tell OF the over
throw OF Babylon. Jer. 30 and IL 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. c. 606-4) for which period
jeremiah had foretold that the exile
| should continue der. rs: ~. THE ex-
lies gradually acquired lands and
houses, they lived in separate commun-
tiles, and were apparently allowed to
maintain to some extent the social GUS
toms and organizations of their native
| land (Ezek. 81; 4:U. "-Ottley. Ma
tive qualities soon brought the Jews to
| the front in whatever land they were
thrown Prof E. T. Harper. Jere-
miah's prophecies still pervaded the
| moral atmosphere EZekiel's voice was
| heard through the nation. The glorious
| visions and prophecies of the later chap
/ tiers of Isaiah were stirring the hearts
| of the faithful with hope and faith and
| courage. We now come to the providen-
| tial movements which made the return
| possible A new king, and 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
bonidus, was the real ruler" We have
learned about Belshazzar from these
tablets and inscriptions lately discov-
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 wide-extended troops. whose num-
| bers like the waters of a river could not
| be known" He entered Babylon with
out fighting. which agrees with both
1 HerOdotuS and Daniel.
Belshazzar's Great Feast-Belshaz-
Ear 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 unrivaled strength of his
| city defenSes, made great feast to
| thousand of the mobiles, probably in
| E-sagila. the magnificent temple or
Belus. within the walls of Babylon. Ir
was a wonder of the world The walls
were rich with images Of the Chaldeans
| spainted in vermilion and exceeding in
| dyed ATTIRE" on goodly horses. like
| those on the fricze of the AcropoliS.-
From Farrar.
v. II. Let thy gifts be to myself"
| 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 whats
ever.
VS.. 1922. THE most high God gave
| Nebuchadnezzar: The true God Is
shown to 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
q wicked course in spite OF. In defiance
of. Gods lessons of warning.
V. %. But hast lifted up myself"
Exalted thyselr as IL thou couldst defy
aud disobey with impunity the Lord OF
Heaven.
v. %. This is tho writing" The
words are OF the Aramaic (called Chal-
dee in A. W language. with letters like
the Hebrew. This language was IA
miliar in Babylon at that time.
". &c. Meme" frepeated for the sake
of emphasis): God hath numbered thy
kingdom and finished IT,; God had put
a definite limit to the number OF years
the kingdom should last and that num-
bcr was now complete.
v. 81. ''Tekel: thou art weighed In
the balances" as To his moral charac-
ter and actions, and been found wanting.
OF light weight like counterfeit coin.
or one that did not come up 10 the
and he bad failed.
" 2S. "Peres'' 1.-THE singular OF the
word "Upharsin." in v. rs. the prefix
~" meaning and. 1t is the same as IL
"Peres" was written twice, like Meme"
for emphasis).
". 90. Clothed Daniel with scarlet"
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
ment, but occupying the position of an
active statesman, and in position to
help his exiled countrymen.
" 80. In that night was Belshazzar
slain" Swift and sudden came
the foretold DOOM
Illustrative Points.
Fools make mock of sin" and only
fools Wise men do not play with
matches in a powder-mill Wise men
do not hold merry-making while their
house is blazing Wise men do not sleep
undefended amid deadly foes. Wise men
do not neglect and increase dangerous
disease.
There is a handwriting of warning
and of doom on the wall for every sinner.
1t may be Invisible for time, like that
kind OF writing which is Invisible till
brought to the fire. or touched with
chemicals. but II is written where his
eye shall some time see IT,