The Brinkley argus., 1917-09-14
|EITlNAIl0NAL, (|II'INYS(NlN)L | LESSON. \. .
 p FITZWATER, P; p. ] REV I; P;I,dclish Bible in the Moody A Instllutle western Newspaper Union)
.ou FOR SEPTEMBER Is
THE FIERY FURNACE
,r-xT-Daniel 3.

! f1E
 =, rrrxT-Daniel 3.
 ssSON. laI-rr1XT-When thou walkest
 IpIi, Z tbe fire, thou shalt not , pe Durm, ',non
 slen absr or shalt the flame Kiiuie upon
 -~lsaiah i8;S'
 :. occasion (vv. ID. The fact
 nsa lns said to Nebuchadnezzar'
 0uu @ tbis head of gold" c: :3S)
 a a-' a,uch for him. Though he ap-
 " +n have been deeply impressed
 sq naOiel's God, his pride got the
 p 4 him As he grew great and
 z 2. v conscious of it, he grew proud.
 ~. sorod him to set up colossal
 po, oold in the Plain of Dura to be
 .s,ood bv all the people Of his
 IT was an attempt at self-deif-
 p IT combined with it political
 '" 4s. obiect of which was to weld
 ~. tbe various kingdoms and
 sns @ into one homogeneous body.
 i5augurated a religious festival
 nllod mon all the people to wor-
 ,ba image which he set up. He
 ssa this demand by civil authority.
 aanaltv for refusal to bow down
 worship the image was to be cast
 inc burning fiery furnace. lmpos-
 images are set up in many places,
 men men and women are being called
 "a how down and worship them.
 s of these images are money, tIon scholarship, worldly ambition,
 .mrps etc., and woe be to those
 will not worship before them.
 The Behavior of the Hebrews
 s18). (1) the accusation by the
 dous spies (vv. SID.
 sriaI,s three friends had been pro- rpd to positions of honor and re- .,sbility. Certain Chaldeans whose N had been excited by the promo rof these Hebrews, sought occasion rIps them. This they found when Hebrews would not bow down to hi worship the image. Envious eyes always watching Gods faithful g Had these Chaldeans been faith kDy vorshiping, they would not have la the Hebrews.
 g The kings rage (vv. 13-l5). l He calls the Hebrews before him, Istons them and gives them another bspce The offense was not serious <hey were defying the authority of Y one who had honored them in their |nmOtion it savored of ingratitude. 1kr closely questioning them he gave km another opportunity to consider )kr position before consigning them ! the fire. His supreme mistake was ! the challenge he made to the God | the Hebrews. He seems to have )Notten entirely the confession he imade with reference to God 2:4O. |(s The courageous reply of the hfhful Hebrews (vv. 16-1S). They replied without passion or fear. HAe peace of God filled their hearts. Eheir behavior is an expression of kamphant faith. "We are not care Y to answer thee in this matter. If 1t ESQ, our God whom we serve is able deliver us from the burning fiery tnace, and he will deliver us out of pine hand o king. But if not, be known unto thee, o king, that we 'li not serve thy gods, nor worship re golden image which thou hast set M They courageously showed their fEtelnpt for death. They were not aiald to die, but were afraid to sin eHAsi God They knew that to bow ARa before this image was to disobey M aishonor God While they did not pow what God would do, in the prem Y lhey knew that he would do the sll thing These Hebrews were far Aay rom home, exposed to the most Eere temptation. but they saw their HV clearly set before them. Gods x plalnly settled it for them. They V nOt try to find an excuse to evade Rf euty, and seeing the way clearly " acted accordingly.
 lll The Glorious Issue (vv. 19-30). " The harmless furnace (vv. 19-25). me lnfuriated king ordered the heat He furnace to be intensified, his 's haghty. men to bind the Hebrews " mag them into the fire. Though < neat was so intense that the sol 'S who cast them into the furnace 'e aaln, the Hebrews were seen a'A'lg loose in the fire without any ~ equally astounding was the fact aI fourth one was seen with them. r 19 The convinced king (vv. 26-28). iae spectacle was so wonderful that ' Ang called the Hebrews together !. v lhe fire. They came forth un- ., .auFu' Tor the fire had no power over !, I oodies; not even hair of their .4s was singed, their coats changed, :, ,., ,le smell of fire upon them (v. 2O. n' w, The kings decree (v. 29). sA'S was most foolish and wicked. " King has no right to kill people "A u0. Worshiping God.
 " Ffomotion of the Hebrews (v. ,n,' ,ssr hdelity in this trying ordeal ~. ,~.'eu Tn their promotion instead of ,'. 1'ali' May we learn from this that: