DANIEL IN BABYLON.--1:8-21. GOLDEN TEXT. --_ Wherewithal shall. young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word._ --P ALM 119:9. TIME. --B. C. 606. PLACE. --Babylon. HELPFUL READINGS. -- 2 Kings 25:1-10; 2 Chronicles 36:1-23; Ezekiel 4:13-14; James 1:5-17. LESSON ANALYSIS.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW GOD HAD BROUGHT DANIEL INTO FAVOR. The chief of the eunuchs had formed. tender attachment for the young Daniel, which is ascribed to the divine influence. God was thus working to protect and nurture him, and prepare him for the work in life that he was to do. Had it not been for this affection,... [ Continue Reading ]
FEAR MY LORD THE KING WHO HATH APPOINTED YOUR MEAT AND DRINK. The fear of the officer was that if these young Hebrews lived so abstemiously, their emaciation and pale countenances would indicate it. Inquiry would be made, and if he had permitted. change of the food appointed by the king, his own he... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN DANIEL SAID TO MELZAR. It is not certain that this is. proper name; the margin translates it "steward." It is regarded by some of the best critics as signifying the master of the wine, the chief butler of the Babylonian court. Whoever he was, he was inferior to Ashpenaz, the chief of the eunuc... [ Continue Reading ]
PROVE THY SERVANTS,. BESEECH THEE, TEN DAYS. This request was made in order to put the change of food to the test of experiment. Ten days' trial would be enough to show whether the vegetable and water diet would result in the loss of vigor, elasticity, flesh and freshness. If there were no such sig... [ Continue Reading ]
LET OUR COUNTENANCE BE LOOKED UPON BEFORE THEE. One great object was to promote beauty. Only fair and unblemished youths had been selected, and it was desired to develop handsome men. "In all uncivilized countries stateliness and beauty of the body is held in high estimation, nor do they think him c... [ Continue Reading ]
SO HE CONSENTED TO THEM IN THIS MATTER. The officer thought there would be little risk in the experiment for that length of time. If the result was unfavorable, he then could change the food, before an effect great enough to provoke inquiry had resulted.... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THE END OF TEN DAYS THEIR COUNTENANCES APPEARED FAIRER. At the end of the ten days they were fairer, more beautiful and healthful than before. The experiment had been successful. It is not needful that we should suppose anything miraculous in the results. It is God's order that one of the results... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN MELZAR TOOK AWAY THE PORTION OF THEIR MEAT, AND THE WINE. This was now done permanently. It was regarded safe to continue. regimen that had produced such satisfactory results. Abstinence had proved better than indulgence. The great temperance experiment had recorded. victory for temperance righ... [ Continue Reading ]
AS FOR THESE FOUR CHILDREN, GOD GAVE THEM KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL. These children, or youths, were Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. They were all blessed by God with the minds, the health and the training necessary to growth in knowledge and skill in the learning of the times. To Daniel alone w... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW AT THE END OF THE DAYS. At the end of the period of three years assigned for their education, they were brought by the prince of the eunuchs before the king to be examined and thus to ascertain whether they were fitted for his service. There was. kind of civil service examination. Those who pas... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE KING COMMUNED WITH THEM. Personally examined them; asked them questions upon their studies, and especially on those points that touched fitness for the royal service. He found the four young Hebrews, the cold water league, far in advance of all others. They are here named by their Hebrew na... [ Continue Reading ]
HE FOUND THEM TEN TIMES BETTER THAN ALL THE MAGICIANS. The ancient oriental court was provided with magicians and astrologers who were expected to give advice with more than human wisdom. The Greeks had their oracles, the Romans their augurs, and the Babylonians and Persians their magicians and ast... [ Continue Reading ]
DANIEL CONTINUED UNTO THE FIRST YEAR OF KING CYRUS. That is, his lifetime spanned the entire period of the Captivity, and he was permitted to see the return of the exiles to Jerusalem, which took in the first year of King Cyrus. Possibly it was his great influence that induced the latter king to pe... [ Continue Reading ]