The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1911-09-08
DANIEL AND HIS
COMPANIONS
LESSON TEXT. Daniel $50.

Specially Arranged for This Papsr

0OLIDEN TEAT.-'lt u GOOO nettner 70
eat flesh. nor drink wine. nor anything
i<2i
TIME.-B. c. eOs-A The third year Of
King Jehoiakim lesson VIZ. The acces-
sion year Of Nebuchadnexsar. when Dan
Tel was carried captive to Babylon. This
nsHt year Ia called his frst year.
PERfOD.-Three years. n. G. sos.$-s03-1
on Nebuchadnezzar's return TO Babylon
after defeating the armies Of Egypt
PLACE.-Babylon on the Euphrates. Be-
fore his captivity Daniel lived In Jerusa-
PLACE IN THE HrsroRY.-s King,
PROPHETs.-Jeremiah and Habakkuk
were prophesytng at Jerusalem when DAN
lel was carried away. and Easkiet was hts
contemporary In Babyionia. but not In
the city Of Babylon. Re was on the river
Chsbar. southeast Of the city.
At the time Of this lesson the two
great world powers we're In deadly
conflict. The Egyptian army under
Necho had marched toward Babylon
a. far as Carchemish on the Euphra-
ties.
On the other hand Nabopolassar
with the assistance Of the Scythians
had conquered the Assyrians. and de.
stroyed Nineveh. the capital. b. c. COS.
The Babyionisns marched up the Flu.
pirates and met the Egyptian army
At Carchemish. and defeated them.
Nabopolassar, King Of Babylon. sent
his son Nebuchadnessar on TO Jerusa.
lem, who besieged that city. Jeremiah
speaks Of the seize a. In SOl, Jehoia.
kim's fourth year, probably 10 the
early past, 80 that q difference IN the
period covered by the Babyionian and
the Jewish years would account for
the variation. The last part of sos
10 treated as Nebnchadnezxar's accey.
sion year. and 60l HIS first year a.
hing.
At this time Nabopolasssr died and
Eebuchadnezzar hastsd back TO Baby.
Ion, taking with him a number OF cap.
tives Including Daniel and his three
companions, from royal or princely
families, either as hostages or persons
whom he could train for his off,cial
service.
The names Of the four young princes
we're all compounded with the name
Of God. Daniel-(;od IL my fudge:
Hananiah--Jchovah Is gracious:
Mishael-This II rs God: Azariah-
Jehovah IL n helper, Their new names
were compounded with those OF royal.
~ or OF idols. Daniel WAS named Bel
teshazznr, favored Of Bel or Beitis,
the great Babylonian god and goddess
The custom Of changing names con.
tinues up to this day; any change
from Mohammedan to Christian, or
the reverse, being accompa ming by Q
change OF name. These four we're
selected from among the captives on
account OF their noble descent. talent
and promise OF ability, TO be trained
in the language and literature Of the
Chaldeans. TO be trusted officers.
Wien these young men were select.
I'd for their future career, several
things were appointed for their train.
ing, like the training OF young men
now In professional schools. after col
Iege graduation. Their names were
changed, as noted above, so that, al
least officially. they would be In har
mony with the administration
and not known distinctiyely az
Jews. They were to be trained
In court customs and ways,
doubtless with other young men of
heather morals and religion. They
were given luxurious foods such "a
the king ate, and costly wines such
a. the king drank.
Now hero was q strenuous test OF
the faith, the courage and the self.
control OF the young men. The eating
of the kings food would be q break.
ing OF the Jewish law as to food, and
thus be a reppdiating OF the religion
OF the true God. The dietary would
almost certainly comprise articles OF
food, such as the flesh Of swine, hares
etc. which the law interdicted to the
Israelites.
The young men were greatly favored
by having a friend at court. God had
hrouuht naniai ioto favor opd ,audo,