The Arvada enterprise., 1917-09-13
INTERNATIONAL.
SUlyIAYS0lO0L
LESSON
(By REV. r. b. FITZWATER, D. D..
Teacher of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute Of Chicago.)
(copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Union.)
LESSON FOR SEPTEMBER Il
THE FIERY FURNACE.

THE FIERY FURNACE.
LESSON TExT-Daniel !
GOLDEN TExT-when thou walksst
through the fire. thou shalt not be burn
Cd neither shalt the flame kindle upon
thee.-Isaiah ga
I. The Occasion wv. 1-7). The fact
that God said to Nebuchadnezxar,
''Thou art this head Of gold" (2:SS)
was too much for him. Though he APP
peared to have been deeply impressed
with Daniels God, his pride got the
better Of him. As he grew great and
became conscious Of 1t, he grew proud.
This moved him to set up colossal
idol Of gold in the Plain Of Dura to be
worshiped by all the people Of his
realm. It was an attempt at self-deifl-
cation. 1t combined with 1t a political
move. the object Of which was to weld
together the various kingdoms and
peoples into one homogeneous body.
He inaugurated religious festival,
and called upon all the people to wOr-
ship the image which he set up. He
backed this demand Ly civil authority.
The penalty for refusal to bow down
and worship the image was to be cast
into the burning fiery furnace. ImpOs-
ing images are set up In many places,
and men and women are being called
upon to bow down and worship them.
Some Of these images are money,
fashion, scholarship worldly ambition,
pleasures, ETC., and woe be to those
who will not worship before them.
n. The Behavior Of the Hebrews
wv. S-18). az the accusation by the
envious spies wv. S-12).
Daniels three friends had been pro-
NOTED to positions Of honor and re.
sponsibllity. Certain Chaldeans whose
envy had been excited by the promo
ton Of these Hebrews. sought occasion
against them. This they found when
the Hebrews would not bow down to
and worship the image. Envious eyes
are always watching Gods faithful
ones. Had these Chaldeans been faith.
fully worshIping, they would not have
seen the Hebrews.
(2) The kings rage wv. 1870.
He calls the Hebrews before him,
questions them and gives them another
chance. The offense was not serious
they were defying the authority Of
the one who had honOred them In their
promotion: 1t savOred of ingratitude.
After closely questioning them he gave
them another opportunity to consider
their position before consigning them
to the fire. His supreme mistake was
In the challenge he made to the God
Of the Hebrews. He seems to have
forgotten entirely the confession he
had made with reference to God e AID.
(S) The courageous reply Of the
faithful Hebrews wv. 1919.
They replied without passion or fear.
The peace Of God filled their hearts.
Their behavior IL an expression Of
triumphant faith. 1--WE are not care.
full to answer thee In this matter. IT
he 10. our God whom We serve IL able
to deliver us from the burning fiery
furnace. and he will deliver MS out of
thine hand, O king. But II not. he
II known INTO thoe n hing thot xvo
viii mt Serve thv ,o5x mr. uor,h,n
the golden Inn. % which thou ho., CO..
nm" They conr. ,eonsiv showed thar
con.emnt for death .rhov wor. MT
afraid 10 die. Int were nfrsId n ain
against God. They knew that to how
down before this hinge was to tlisObey
and dlshOnOr God. While they did not
know what God would do. In tho nrem.
ises they knew that he would do tho
right thing. These Hebrews wcrc fcr
away from home. exposcd tn the most
severe termination. but thew saw their
duty clearly sct before thcm f,od,.
Inv plsinly settled n for them Thev
did NOT try N And nm cxcu.e N ev.ds
their duty md seeing m. woy cI..riv
,h., $500 .....,,.-,