The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1911-09-15
Daniels Companions
in the Fiery Furnace
LESSON TEXT. Daniel a.

Specially Arranged Tor This Psps,

bUdIt 10 unto Ue.'-HeD. lyO
TlME.-The septuagint account states
that the occasion was 1.-The organising cit.
les and countries, and all the inhabit anti
Of the earth from India to Ethiopia" and
places the date In tho 18th year Of Nebu.
chadnessar This would put the event In
the last part Of y. c. $50. Immediately
aftsr the destruction Of Jerusalem. on this
kings return to Babylon.
PLACE.--Babyiou. the plain Of Dura,
somewhere In the vicinity OF the city.
PLACE IN THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT
destroyed. The Jews In captivity through.
out the Babyionic empire. Daniel In the
service OF the empire IN some part Jsre.
miah in Jerusalem. King zedskiah and
Jehoiachim captives at Babylon. Ess-
kisi at Chsbar In Babylooia
30 far - We can learn. Nebuchad.
nessars great asssmblase Of people
from oil over his empire had for ito
object the consolidation of his whole
Kingdom. He had just returned from
. triumphant campaign against his
enemies In the west and south
against Egypt. Syria and Arabia--and
he celebrated bic return BY the erec.
ton Of . colossal Image and a grand
religious festival. The golden image
might mark the close Of q period Of
conquest and inaugurate Q period Of
peace. The victories Of peace were
to absorb the remaining half Of his
reign.
The empire was composed Of
various countries and races. diverse
from one another In disposition. char
actsr and interests. They we're united
By no natural aflnity. but by conquest.
The whole empire might easily fan
to pieces.
Nebuchadnessar would bind these d.
verse elements By the power OF r..
ligfous worship. at . common center,
Of one chief god over all the multitude
idols. A. the Jews were bound toseth.
Or By . magnificent temple At their
capital. Jerusalem. whittier all went
M to worship. 80 Nebuchadnessay
would place at his capital a huge and
costly image. the glory and attraction
q the empire. His making Babylon
. magnificent city would aid this
work. Great Notifications. towers
walls. temples. gates OF bronss. hang
ing gardens. palaces. public buildings
Of blue. red. yellow and white. the
Tower Of the Seven Spheres. the Won.
der Of Maokind palacs-ail these
would attract people to the capital. -
Aohammedans are drawn 70 Mecca.
The multitudes we're gathered %
the plain around the golden image gilt.
tsring and radiant In the sun. Besides
the ofhcers In their richly coiorsc At.
tire. there was q motley gathering Of
tribes from every direction. All d..
vsrsitiss Of speech and dress and man.
ners were there.
Hsradis cried aloud their proc
lamation In oil languages. that
whom the bands struck their martial
music all the people must fall down |
and worship tho golden image: And
whose falleth not down and Worship
eth shall tho same hour be cast into
the midst Of . burning fiery furnace"
The bands played. and the whole
multitude bowed their faces 10 th>
ground. Then a strange thing took
place: three men stood up alone. and
were conspicuous all over the plain,
like city set upon a Hill by their.
inbowed forms and their splendid
robes OF once These three we're,
Shadrach. Meshach and Abed.ncgo. the
'hree young men who Joined with Dan.
el In refusing to defile themselves
with the kings meat
Then Nebuchadnezzar In his rage
md fury said. Now " We be ready
o obey. the past will be forgiven. But
20 worship not. a burning fiery fur.
iace' Let the music sound. And who
8 that God that shall deliver you out
II my hands,
The three, with truly magnificent
Ind unninchinG courage. appear 10
ave answered promptly and withou,
showing that they had care.
ully considered the subject and that
With them It was \ matter OF settled
md Intelligent principle: I'VE have
10 need to answer thee" to explain
low God could deliver them, or why
hey must obey him. There was no ,
ime. nor would the king under.
tand. IT II be 40. we are cast into
he nsry furnace. In spite Of all you
az. our God whom We serve 10 able
o deliver U.S."
They we're put into the furnace.
! writer thinks they we're bound hand .
nd foot with their own clothes. The !
Ing sat watching the issue Of the :
natter. looked through the door into a
hs furnace. and saw q sight At which !
. was astonished and terrified. lie 4,
as astonished that the three men g
ere not consumed; that they were :
'oss; that q fourth was with them.
he thought flashed upon him that he
as come into conflict with q new and -
Unknown power. He rose up In haste,
spressing the strength Of his aston.
hment and terror, The princes I
NV these men. The delivsrance was
lblic, unmistakable. and proved by ?
any witnesses. The king recognized
le power Of the Jews God.
The miracle would make such an
IMPRESSION on the princes and peo-