Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1911-09-14
Daniels Companions
in the Fiery Furnace
ssn1ay seAsol Lesson fer sspl. II. 1911
Specially Arrsrsed for This Papsr
LESSON TExT.-Daniel 8.

Specially ArI1nGodf Tor This Paper
LESSON TExT.-Daniel &
MEMORY VERSES. II, Il.
GOLDEN TEXT-"The Lord Is my
helper. and I will not fear what man
shall do unto me."-Heb. 1886.
TIME.-The S~eptuagint account states
that the occasion was 'the organizing cit
les and countries, and all the inhabitants
Of the earth from India to Ethiopia and
places the data In the 18th year OF Nebu-
chadnezzar. This would put the event In
the last part OF B. G. $50. immediately
after the destruction Of Jerusalem. on the
kings return to Babylon.
PLACE.-Babylon. the plain OF Duras
somewhere IN the vicinity Of the city.
PLACE IN THE acknowledgements
destroyed. The Jews in captivity through
out the Babylonic empire. DAM In the
service of the empire In some part JeFe-
Jehoiachfm capttves at Babylon. Eze-
kiel at Chebar In Babylonia.
So far as we can learn, Nebuchad-
nezzar's great assemblage Of people
from all over his empire had for its
object the consolidation Of his whole
kingdom. He had just returned from
a 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 a grand
religious festival. The golden image
might mark the close Of a period OF
conquest and inaugurate a period OF
peaceA 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
acter and interests. They were united
by no natural affinity, but by conquest.
The whole empire might easily fall
to pieces.
Nebuchadnezzar would bind these d.
verse elements by the power of re-
ligious worship, at a common center,
of one chief god over all the multitude
idols. AS the Jews were bound togeth-
er by a magnificent temple at their
capital, Jerusalem, whittier all went
up to worship, so Nebuchadnezzar
would place at his capital a huge and
costly image, the glory and attraction
OF the empire. His making Babylon
a 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 these
would attract people to the capital, as
Mohammedans are drawn to Mecca.
The multitudes were gathered on
the plain around the golden image gilt
tering and radiant In the sun. Besides
tire, there was q motley gathering OF
tribes from every direction. All di-
versities Of speech and dress and man
ners were there.
-Haradlss cried aloud their proc
lanration In all languages, that
when the bands struck their martial
music all the peorAlmust fall down
and worship the goldehsmage: "And
whose falleth not down andsvorship
eth shall the same hour be cast ine<
the midst Of a burning fiery furnace
The bands played, and the whole
multitude bowed their faces to the
ground. Then a strange thing tool
place; three men stood up alone, ant
were conspicuous all. over the plain
like a city set upon a hill, by theil
unbowed forms and their splendii
robes Of ONCE. These three were
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, the
three young men who Joined with Dan
lei in refusing to defle themselves
with the kings meat.
Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage
and fury said: Nov If ye be ready
to obey, the past will be forgiven. But
II ye worship not, a burning fiery fur
nacei Let the music sound. And WHIT
is that God that shall deliver. you ou1
Of my hands?
The three, with truly magnificent
and unfinching courage, appear tt
have answered promptly and without
hesitation, showing that they had care
fully considered the subject and thai
with them 1t was a 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 NJ
time, mol would the king under
stand. IF 1t be SO, we are cast into
the fiery furnace, in spite of all 20,
say, our God whom we serve is able
to deliver u.s."
They were put into the furnace
A writer thinks they were bound hand
and foot with their own clothes. The
king sat watching the issue of tn,
matter. looked through the door init
the furnace, and saw a sight at which
he was astonished and terrified, HI,
was astonished that the three mez
were not consumed; that they wer,
loose; that a fourth was with them
The thought flashed upon him that b,
has come into conflict with a 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 b.
many witnesses. The king recognizes