The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1911-09-08

LESSON TExT.-Daniei L.

Specially Arranged Tor This Pager

0OlsDEN TENT.-Tne LOr0 - my
helper, and I will not fear what man
shall do unto me."--Heb. 1915
TfME.-The Septuagint account states
that the occasion was the organizing cN-
les and countries. and all the inhabit ahts
Of the earth from India to Ethiopia" and
places the date In the 18th year OF Nebu-
chadnessar This would put the event In
the last part Of u. e. 5ss. immediately
after the destruction Of Jerusalem. on the
kings return to Babylon.
PLACE Babylon. the plain OF Ours.
somewhere In the vicinity OF the city.
PLACE IN THE HISTORY. Jerusalem
Destroyed. The Jews in captivity through.
out the Babyionio empire. Daniel In the
service Of the empire In some part. Jsre.
miah In Jerusalem. King zedekiah and
Jshoiachim captivss at Babylon. Fee
kisi at Chebar In Babyionia.
80 far a. We can learn. Nebuchad.
nessars great asssmblage Of people
from all over bis empire had for It's
object the consolidation q 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 his return by the erec.
ton Of q colossal image and q grand
religious festival. The golden image
might mark the close OF q period Of
conquest and inaugurate . 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 afinity. but by conquest.
The whole empire might easily fall
to pieces.
Nebuchadnexzar would bind these d.
verse elements by the power Of 70
ligious worship. at q common center
Of one chief god over all the multitude
idols. As the Jews we're bound togeth
er by a magnificent temple at their
capital. Jerusalem. whittier all went
Np to worship. so Nebuchadnezzaf
would place at his capital a huge and
costly image, the glory and attraction
Of the empire. His making Babylon
q magnificent city would aid this
work. Great Notifications. towers,
walls. temples. gates OF bronze. hang
ing gardens. palaces. public buildings
Of blue. red. yellow and white. the
Tower Of the Seven Spheres. the Won.
der Of Mankind palace-all those
would attract people TO the capital, ~
Mohammedans are drawn to Mecca.
The multitudes were gathered on
the plain around the golden image gilt.
tering and radiant In the sun. Besides
tho ofncers In their richly colored at
tire. there was q motley gathering OF
tribes from every direction. All di.
versities Of speech and dress and man.
ners were there.
Heradls cried aloud their proc.
lamation In all languages. that
when the bands struck their martial
music all the people must fall down
and worship the golden image: And
whose falleth not down and worship.
eth shall the same hour be cast into
the midst Of burning fiery furnace II
The bands played. and the whol'
| multitude bowed their faces to tn,
ground. Then a strange thing tooh
| place. three men stood up alone. and
were conspicuous all over the plain
like city set upon a hill. by their
unbowed forms and their splendid
| robes OF Office. These three were
Shadrach. Meshach and Abed.ncgo, the
three young men who Joined with Dan
lei In refusing to deflle themselves
with the kings meat.
Then Nebuchadnezzar In his rage
and fury said: Now II ye be ready
to obey. the past will be forgiven, but
II ye worship not. a burning fiery fur
| mace! let the music sound. And who
Is that God that shall deliver you out
OF my hands,
The three. with truly magnificent
and unfiinching courage. appear Il
have answered promptly and withou,
hesitation. showing that they had care
fully considered the subject and that
with them II was matter OF settled
and intelligent principle: I'VE have
no need to answer thee" to explain
how God could deliver them. or why
they must obey him. There was nc
time. nor would the king under
stand III II be 30, we are cast into
the fiery furnace. In spite Of all 20,
say. our God whom we serve Is able
to deliver us"
They were put into the furnace
A writer thinks they were bound hant
and foot with their own clothes. The
king sat watching the issue OF the
matter. looked through the door into
the furnace. and saw q sight at which
he was astonished and terrified. liz
was astonished that the three mer
were not consumed; that they were
loose; that fourth was with them
The thought flashed upon him that HI
has come into conflict with new ant
unknown power. He rose up In haste
expressing the strength Of his aston
ishment and terror. The princes
saw these men. The deliverance wa,
public. unmistakable. and proved BY
many witnesses. The king recognized
the power Of the Jews God,
Tho miracle would make such mr.