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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
September, 1935
zar’s father, and between Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar there were at least four other kings. The solution is found in the usage of the Hebrew word for “father.” It may refer merely to ancestry, no matter how far removed in time (cf. 2 Sam. 9: 6, 7). Golden T ext Illustration A number of years ago, a certain firm of four men in Boston were rated as “A-l.” They were prosperous, young, and prompt in meeting their obligations. One of them had the curiosity to see how they were rated and found these facts in Dunn’s and was satisfied. But at the end these words were added: “But they all drink.” He thought it a good joke at the time, but a few years later two of them were dead, another was a drunkard, and the fourth was poor and living partly on charity. That one little note at the end of their rating was the most important and signifi cant of all the facts collected and em bodied in their description.—F. H. C heley , in Pearls for Preachers, by H art . Daniel Solves a Riddle D aniel 5 :1-31 Memory Verse: “He that keepeth the law, happy is he” (Prov. 29: 18).,. , Approach: Things happened to the chil dren of Israel just as Jeremiah said that God had told him that they would. The people did not turn from their wicked the young man who would not eat the rich and harmful food that the king ordered for him. Daniel was the man who was so brave that he went right on praying to God, even though he knew that the king would throw him into a den of lions for doing it. In today’s story, we find Daniel solving a riddle for a king. Lesson Story: King Belshazzar was giv ing a feast. A thousand of his friends were gathered together. B e l s h a z z a r shouldn’t have been giving a feast on this night, for his country’s enemies were near. Even at that very time they were trying to enter the city. But Belshazzar didn’t care. He loved to feast, and he especially loved to drink wine. While he was feasting, Bel shazzar had a wicked idea. He called for the gold1and silver cups which Nebuchad nezzar had taken from God’s house in Jerusalem when he had captured it soon after Jeremiah had talked to the people. Now these were sacred cups, which had been used only by the priests when they worshiped God. Even Belshazzar’s grand father had put them carefully away as something sacred and not to be used. But Belshazzar didn’t care. He thought that it was fun to get out these precious cups and drink from them, and he praised the false gods as he drank. Then suddenly all the noise and laugh ing stopped. Every one looked at the wall above the lighted candles. What was that? Fingers of a hand were writing strange words on the wall. How every one trem- ways, and they were captured by t h e i r enemies. M a n y of the p e o p l e were taken to a n o t h e r c o u n t r y to live. There was a young man named Daniel who was a m o n g those who were cap tured. I know that you have heard of him before. He was
bledl Where was some one who could tell what the words meant? None of the king’s wise men could. Then the queen re membered Daniel. Daniel read the mes sage to the king. It was like Jeremiah’s message to the people. Belshazzar had been given his chance to turn to God and to mend his ways, and1he hadn’t done it, and now the end had come. That night the enemy marched in and took Belshazzar’s kingdom.
ANOTHER OUTSTANDING BOOK By O SWA LD J. S M I T H Pastor, The People’s Church, Toronto World Problems This is a book for the hour. No one can read it without being impressed with the importance of the times in which we are living. A warning rings out from every chapter and admoni tion permeates every paragraph. Fore The Man God Uses “It bears a message that grips . . . . It is vibrant.”— Dr. R. E. Neighbour (Chicago). “The writer is dead in earnest and burns with passion for souls . . . we cannot but be moved by his stirring language.” — C h u r c h of England Newspaper. Sec ond Edition................ The Work God Blesses This book is throbbing with the ur gency of these last days. It is a mes sage for every Christian who is eager to please the Lord to the utmost. “A thrilling call to the individual believer and to the Church to enter into the power and the glory of the super natural in life and service.” — Rev. Robert C. McQuil- kin (Columbia). . . . .. The Salvation of God In story, dialogue, and arresting ser mons, the earnest evangelist sets forth the Gospel in his gripping ap peals. God’s plan of Salvation is made plain, and it is shown how Christ, and Christ alone, can save. “I commend this book to the unsaved for its plain presentation of the Way of L i f e.”— Dr. E. R a l p h H o o p e r . ............................ The Revival We Need Dr. JONATHAN GOFORTH says: “It is the most powerful plea for revi The Enduement of Power Under the title of “The Spirit-filled Life,” this book has already met with a wide sphere of usefulness. A force ful presentation of the Promise, the Fullness, and the Anointing of the Spirit. “I heartily com mend its message.”— Prof. P. S. Campbell (McMaster). U.S.A. London :: Edinburgh Marshall, Morgan & Scott, Ltd. ZONDERVAN PUBLISHING HOUSE 815 Franklin Street Grand Rapids val I have ever read... had I the wealth I would put it in every Christian Home.” word by Rev. E. Ralph Hooper, M.D., and Preface by Rev. T. C. Horton, D.D. -—-UNIFORM W ITH——
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Object Lesson W eighed and W anting
Objects: A sheet of white paper about eight inches square, and a strong electric light bulb. (In the center of the paper, draw with a colored pencil a heart about four inches wide. Make a solution with twenty-five drops of water and ten drops of sulphuric acid. About an hour before the lesson, write with a pointed stick, using the solution, the following words in side the heart: “Hatred,” “Jealousy,” “Lies,” “Theft,” “Unbelief,” “Swearing,” “Selfishness.” The writing, until heated, is invisible.) Lesson: In the book of Daniel we read an interesting story about the feast of Bel shazzar. Perhaps King Belshazzar did not consider that he was doing anything very wicked. His grandfather Nebuchadnezzar had taken the sacred vessels from the house of God in Jerusalem; and now Bel-' shazzar was drinking from them and sing ing praises to idols. He may have thought that his heart was as clean as the heart in the center of this paper. This heart looks spotless. Belshazzar’s thoughts about himself and God’s thoughts about him were very dif ferent. The king was startled by seeing fingers writing on the wall of his banquet hall. They wrote a message from God, which said: “Thou art weighed in the bal ances, and art found wanting.” This meant that he was a great sinner in the sight of God. What he may have thought of himself before that time did not matter. We shall let this bright light shine into the heart, and we shall see whether any thing is revealed which we have not al ready seen. (Pull the paper tightly around the bulb, with the heart facing the audi ence. If the light has been burning sev eral minutes, the bulb will be very hot, thus insuring better results. An extepsion cord will permit the bulb to be out of sight un til needed. Look at this heart! It is getting brown spots on it. They are beginning to look like words. The words are black. They say, “H a t r e d ,’’, “Jealousy,” “Lies,” “Theft,” “Unbelief,” “Swearing,” “Selfish ness.” The heart looks terrible now. (The same results can be secured from using a kerosene lamp if electricity is not avail able.) After the handwriting on the wall, Bel shazzar saw his heart as God saw it. Just so, when the light of the Holy Spirit shines into our hearts, we begin to see just how sinful we are in God’s sight.
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