Daniel 1:8

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.

1. Captive Children amid Temptation;

2. Faith in God and. Request;

3. An Experiment in Temperance Permitted;

4.. Glorious Result.

INTRODUCTION.

The field of sacred history now changes from the hills of Judea to the plains of Mesopotamia; from Jerusalem, the capital of Judah, to Babylon, the capital of the greatest kingdom the world had ever known, and one of the largest and most splendid that has existed in any age. It was sixty miles in circuit, surrounded by walls three hundred feet high, situated on both sides of the river Euphrates, and was embellished with the wealth and trophies that the great Nebuchadnezzar had gathered from many conquered kingdoms. The language and people were Chaldean,. race with which Abraham had been connected before his migration from "Ur of the Chaldees" to Canaan.

The seventy years' captivity had begun. In the first removal of Jewish captives, made in the fourth year of king Jehoiakim, were many youths of noble or princely stock. Among these was Daniel, the author of the book from which next two lessons are taken, and the chief actor in the lesson before us. Of him little is known, save what we find recorded in the Book of Daniel. His name is twice, mentioned by Ezekiel,. contemporary and fellow exile, possibly carried away captive at the same time as Daniel, who ranks him with Noah and Job in eminence for wisdom. "Though these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord" (Ezekiel 14:14). "Behold thou art wiser than Daniel, and there is no secret hid from thee" (Ezekiel 28:3). He is named in the first chapter with three other Hebrew youths, subsequently distinguished, and it is evident that all of them belonged to princely stock, if not of the royal family.

A number of the captured youths of noble lineage, comely in appearance, intelligent and promising, were selected by order of the king, to be brought up in the royal palace, educated in the language and learning of the Chaldeans, and fitted to enter into the royal service. It is still. custom of oriental monarchs to thus train up captives for their service. The celebrated military corps of the Janizaries and the Mamelukes were formed of captured youths. "The Pictorial Bible" says: "There is not. single intimation here which may not be illustrated from the customs of the Turkish seraglio, till the alterations recently made under European influence. The pages of the seraglio, the officers of the court, as well as the greater part of the governors of provinces and public functionaries, were originally Christian boys, taken captive in war, or bought or stolen in time of peace. The finest and most capable of these were sent to the palace, and, if accepted, were placed under the charge of the chief of the white eunuchs. The lads did not themselves become eunuchs, which we notice because it has been erroneously inferred that Daniel and the other Hebrew youths must have been eunuchs, because they were committed to the charge of the chief eunuch. The accepted lads were brought up in the religion of their masters, and there were schools in the palace in which they received such complete instruction in Turkish learning and science as it was the lot of few others to obtain." This custom was quite similar to that of the court of Nebuchadnezzar, another illustration of the stereotyped manners and institutions of the oriental world.

8. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat.

The purpose of Daniel was evidently shared with the other Hebrew youths educated with him; but he, ever bold and decided, was the leader. At this time he could not have been over fifteen or sixteen years old, as (verse 13) they are spoken of as children. When he had formed his decided purpose, instead of. stubborn refusal, he very courteously made. request to be excused from meats and wine. The food furnished was sent from the king's table, might be meats from animals sacrificed to idols, or animals forbidden by the Jewish law, or strangled so as to retain the blood. Any of these features would constitute. defilement and there, was no safe course but to decline to eat the meats.

Nor with the wine he drank.

The determination to abstain from wine shows that he had taken. high temperance stand. No doubt at the royal court there was much license, and the only safe course was to touch not, taste not, handle not. What. curse would be lifted if every youth would determine to follow the example of Daniel!

Therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs.

He makes his request, not so much urging the religious grounds, as the unhealthfulness of indulgence in wine and luxurious food. This prince of the eunuchs was. great minister of the king. Eunuchs were then, and are now, in constant employment in the East, and often rise to great influence and power. The chief of the eunuchs is yet at the court of the Sultan, which is modeled after that of ancient Persia, an officer of the highest dignity. The same officer is often mentioned in Assyrian, Babylonian and Persian history, and always in terms indicating his dignity. At. later period, when the eastern Roman empire became oriental in its character, often the great ministers and generals were eunuchs. Narses is an example.