The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1905-09-15
DANIEL IN
BABYLON
Sunday School Lesson Tor Sept. II. 1905
Specially Prepared for This Paper.


LESSON TEXT.-Daniel 1880 Memory
verses, 49, II.
GOLDEN TEXT.-"Danlel purposed in
his heart that he would not dehle himself
Daniel is.
buchadnezzar upon Jehoiaklm, king OF
Judah. b. c. COS. when Daniel was made
captive.
PLAcE.-Babyion. on the Euphrates 600
miles east OF Jerusalem.
SCRlPTURAL REFERENCES.--Refe
ences % Daniel IN Eek l4:lf, %: q 3; refer
ences 20 Jeremiah IN Dan. 9:2 Compare
Matt. 2i:i5 with Dan. s.27. Compare Dan.
I:i3. "a with Matt. as.ei: Mark 1862; Luke
22:69; A:2l; Rev 1914. As specimens OF
the relation between Daniel and Revela-
ton, compare Rev. l.i4 with Dan. 10; Rev.
LIS with Dan 1916. Rev. Ill with Dan. 5:
IS; Rev 5.li with Dan. 7:l0 Rev. l0a with
Dan. s.26; 1874. 2; Rev l7:i2 with Dan 7:20.
Rev. 1910 with Dan. f:ll. Read Chron.
S6a6-s. 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 captlYes forget their land
and their God. Daniel" He was
about Ia years old at this time. "Pur-
posed in his heart" Formed a 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 defillng because Cd II
would most probably include some ar
ticles of food prohibited by Gods law
(Lev. IL. (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. (s) II was the custom OF
the heather then. as In Pauls time.
20 offer a 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. (D
Pampering the body with luxurious
food weakens ones moral purpose,
renders him more liable 20 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. IL was all
the harder for the captives to oppose
master who was kind 10 them.
v. 10. Il fear the king"
The eunuch was willing to grant Dan
iel's 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. IL. "Melzar:" Rev. Yer. the
steward" The one who attended per-
sonally to the distribution Of food.
The eunuchs name was Ashpenaz.
Daniel, Hananlah, Mishael, Azariah:"
These were the Jewish names OF these
youths. On coming TO Babylon they
had been named Belteshazzar, Shad-
rach, Meshach and Abednego.
V. ~. prove thy servants" Give
us a 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. 13. "As thou seest." He could
then note what effect the chosen diet
had upon their physical constitution.
V. IA. 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. 10. TOOK away the portion"
The Hebrews we're no longer asked 10
eat OF the defling food Note that the
Revised Version translates this:
Took away their dalnties:" Think
Of the heroism on the part Of grow
ing boys in voluntarily depriying
themselves Of daintiesl
V. IT. God gave them knowledge"
Throughout this book. Intellectual en-
dowments and attalnments 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. 1s. 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
hcult questions concerning which the
king consulted the most learned men
Of his court. "Maglcians." A priest
ly class. skilled in reading the mys-
tic writings. "Astrologers:" Men
who studied science, especially astron-
omy, and the superstitions Of sstrol-
ogy. which at that time we're closely
attached TO the study Of the heavenly
bodies. The next verse tells that Dan
iel continued in the public service OF
the kings OF Babylon for about 20
years. Then, as now, temperate liy-
ing was conducive TO long life.
Practical Points.
V. 8. Dare TO be a Daniel; dare
10 have a purpose true; dare 10 make
Il known. Acts 11:23.
V. 8. Sinful indulgence dehles both
body and SOUL Cor. 3:17.
V. g. Polite and courteous treat
ment Of others is a Christian duty.
Love as brethren, be pitiful, be cour-
teous."-1 Pet. 3.S.
" 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
that sticketh closer than q brother