The Tupelo journal., 1911-09-22
Daniel In the
| Lions Den
sESSON TExT-Daniel 8.

S&EHSON TEXT-Daniel 3.
EMORY vERSES-21-23
@LDEN TExT-"Ths angel Of thu
"a encampeth round about them that
sr him and delivereth them. PISA. A:7.
B. c. 5sS. very near
y close Of the seventy years captivity
ga after Cyrus had conquered Babylon
"a. G.. $50.
S. 4ACE-Probably In Babylon. A. ID
zswn by the close connection of Daniel
md g.
ERSONS-Daniel was probably 81
RS DID, as this event was G6 years after
going to Babylon. In 604, and he must
Re been at least IA years old at that
rus the Persian had just conquered
q Babylonians.
M4rius the Mede, q viceroy of Cyrus.
oorary king of the new province, but
lin the line Of emperor kings.
s$ our last lesson we stood by the
len image on the plains near Baby
We saw the crowds bowling
IN before 1t while the heroic three
sd up alone. We saw them cast
81 the fiery furnace and wonderfully
vered. This was just after the de-
action of Jerusalem and greatest
ortation of exiles and treasures to
.ylon. They had reached Babylon.
ey were In the fiery furnace Of az
lion.
Ut this point the three Jews, Sha-
aeh, Meshach and Abed-nego, were
aching sermon to the captives,
rd all over the empire-"Be true
your God. and your religion at any
~; yield to no seductions Of idol
81, and God will deliver you from
r burning fiery furnace, as he has
Svered u.s." 1t was preached at the
Geological moment.
u was heard by the Jews In Pales-
"a four centuries later when they
Re prosecuted by Antiochus; but 1t
81 needed even more by the exiles In
,ylon; and would be worth an hum
ID times more to the Jews In the
% OF. Antiochus. because it was true
&the time Of Nebuchadnezzar, and
- lived out by the deliverance Of
Ese captives few years later.
fhe end Of the exile was drawing
|. as foretold by jeremiah. The
aenty years had nearly elapsed. The
eg who was to bring their deliver
|ce was on the throne. The captives
sttered all over the empire needed
know this and to be prepared. They
4 felt the horrors Of the wars and
lors Of wars, they had seen as It
Ire the stars falling from the politi-
sky, as Babylon and Nebuchad-
s:zar. They needed to know that the
Se of their redemption was drawing
H. and to be prepared for it.
Here comes in the event Of our les
j. Darius, Cyrus, Daniel, known all
Dr. the empire, were to present a re-
aendent light that would shine into
Try corner Of the realm. Multitudes
the exiles must have suffered for
religion. and they might feel that
u was not their friend and helper
Daniels experience always resulted
Iorably while theirs did not. And
" needed a visible object lesson
the delivering power Of God to en-
rage their hope and faith for the
iverance Of their nation from the
IN of lions" in which they had been
ing for almost seventy years.
Daniel must have been between
hty and ninety years old at this
lie. He had had many trials Of his
sracter and faitkfulness. He was
exile from home and native land,
Aong enemies to his race and to his
S His native land was desolate,
relatives scattered; his people
re exiles amid many difficulties that
st have tested their faith to the ut
st. But on the whole Daniel had
IN eminently successful, as he was
rthy Of success. He had maintained
thigh character. His course had
ia one Of almost unbroken prosper
The severe trials to which he had
n subjected had hitherto resulted
y In raising him to higher honors
success.
jnder Darius. Daniel was recognised
q man Of great ability and integ-
:, and one who could be trusted i'm
,itly. Accordingly, he made him
, Of the three presidents over the
governors Of az many provinces
) which the kingdom was subdi-
ed. 1t was not long before the
or officers determined that in some
7 or other, by fair means or foul,
y would get rid Of Daniel.
hey brought Daniel, and cast him
) tho den Of lions. This was &C
ding to the Oriental custom On tho
ming Of the Same day, The story |
the den of lions is strictly in keep
with Babylonian usages. Assur-
,ipal says In his annals. 'The rest |
tho people threw alive into the |
LIST Of the bulls and lions, as Sen
herb, my grandfather, used to do"
|aniel from the den of lions said.
= God hath sent his angel" He
. not say whether the angel was
BILE or not. The winds and the
timing are Gods angels according
the psalmist. But 1t II probable /
he was visible to Daniel, as a
aifest token Of the favor and pro-
Ion of God.