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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
July, 1935
feel, too, that God is with us, that we are doing. His will.—J. L. S herrill , in 5,000 Best Modern Illustrations, by Hallock. When a King Read the Bible 2 K ings 23 :l-5, 21-23 Memory Verse: “All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient” (Ex. 24: 7). Approach : Our story last week was about a prophet who came to tell a king that he should turn from his wicked ways
with me this morning. Here they are. What do you think their last name is ? “ Sack.” You are right. One is a boy, and the other is a girl. Which one do you think is Sally? Yes, she is the fancy-looking one. Sam is rather plain looking, but when you know them both, you will agree with me that he is much wiser than his sister. W e often make mistakes because we judge by the outward appearance o f people. If they have fine clothes, we are apt to think that they are better than those who may not be able to buy fancy clothes. Sam and Sally are different in their looks, but this is not the only difference. They are different with regard to the Bible. Here on the table is an open Bible. When Sam comes to the Bible, he gets something out o f it. Look at the things he has found in the Bible. We will see whether Sally can find anything in the Bible. Not a thing 1 Lesson T ext: Dan. 1:8-20. Golden T ext: “Know ye not that your body is the temple o f the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have o f God?” (1 Cor. 6:19). Outline and Exposition I. D aniel ’ s C onviction (8-10). M ore is known o f Daniel than o f any other prophet. He was one of the noblest characters in Scripture, no derogatory word being written concerning him. His long life was crowded with events that would have turned the head o f most men. In the Scripture record, three times Daniel is called the man “greatly be loved” (cf. 9:23; 10:11, 19): He was of noble and perhaps royal birth ( 1 :3), and certainly he was a royal character before God. He was a man of faith, a man o f piety (which commended itself even to the heathen among whom his lot was cast), a man o f prayer, a man o f fidelity to his Lord in the face o f tremendous opposition, and a man o f faithfulness to his fellow man. Even his enemies declared they could find no fault in him. He was honored by man by being placed in high positions, and he was honored by God by being given revelations o f future events. But with all this distinction, Daniel remained meek and humble to the end o f his life. Because he had “purposed in his heart” (v. 8) to please the Lord, there was nothing vacillating about this man. He would yield to no compromise, and this steadfastness became the foundation of his splendid character. Daniel’s purpose was not a mere prejudice or personal opinion which happened to be adverse to that of the Babylonian king, but it was a loving loy alty to the revealed will of God whom he longed to please. Daniel’s settled conviction, having its birth in the “ fear of God,” brought cour age in the face of danger, gave freedom from the fear o f man’s wrath, and o f fered hope o f man’s favor. In a spiritual sense, one may say that Daniel had “iron in his blood.” He is like Joshua who said: “As for me . . . we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15), or like David who declared: “My heart is fixed” (Psa. 57:7). It required tremendous courage in Dan iel to remain true to his convictions (v. 8). The name Daniel means “judge o f God,” or, “ God is my judge.” Daniel had God’s *
She comes to the Bible, but can find noth ing of interest to her. Have you ever known people who were like Sally Sack? They didn’t get anything out of reading the Bible. They did not receive any bless ing out of going to church. To them it was a loss o f time. You are wondering why Sam Sack gets something out o f the Bible. It is because he is right on the inside. When the heart is right with God, then a person can find wonderful things in the Bible. In thinking of this brother and sister, I am reminded o f the good king, Josiah, whose h'eart was right with God. He found many things in the Bible for himself and for his people. He read the Bible to his people and was used o f God to turn them from sin. He could do this because his heart was right with God. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues o f life.” judgment concerning certain foods. Being a Jew, he was forbidden to eat the kind of food that was set before him. He refused the wine and the meat, not because of what they were, but because they com prised the king’s wine and meat and there fore had been first offered to idols. Daniel had the courage o f his convictions and openly confessed his beliefs, saying that to eat such food would “defile” him. There is always “ defilement” when the Christian goes against his convictions that are based upon the commands o f God: Daniel was in but not of Babylon, as the Christian is in and not of the world. Daniel was far from discourteous in his declaration (vs. 8-10). On the contrary, he must have been winsome in his manner. A surly, sour objector would not have gained the good will of the king’s steward. But because of what Daniel was, the stew ard was ready to do all he could to help. With him, Daniel was in “ favor and ten der love.” While holding staunchly to one’s religious convictions, one does not need to be disagreeable in the treatment of other men. II. D aniel ’ s C onfidence (11-16). The steward was afraid o f the conse quences to himself if Daniel were allowed to have his way. In answer to the stew ard’s hesitancy, Daniel proposed a cer tain test. He was most persistent in his de termination to please God (vs. 11-13). To the king’s representative, he said, in effect, “Try us on pulse and water.” The “pulse” would be a vegetable dish. Ten days was not a long period in which to expect a change, especially in view of the fact that the steward had a period o f years in which to accomplish the king’s command. More over, Daniel offered to alter his plan if, at the end of ten days, there was no indica tion o f its value. And its complete suc cess was soon evident (vs. 14, 15). Daniel must have had unshaken confi dence in the Lord. He knew the laws of God were not mere arbitrary rulings, and he believed that the promises o f God were wholly true (cf. Deut. 6:24; Psa. 55:22; 118:8, 9). III.. D aniel ’ s C ommendation (17-20). Daniel’s persistence in following the purpose of his heart brought results (cf. Prov. 16:7). Commended by the Lord (v. 17), he became possessed o f the wisdom
and lead his people back to God. Today’s story is about a king who did lead his people back to the worship o f God. L e s s o n S t o r y : A b o u t a hundred and fifty years after Amos u r g e d the people o f Israel to turn f r o m t h e i r wicked ways, a lit
AUGUST 11, 1935 DANIEL (Temperance and Health) D aniel 1
tle boy named Josiah became king. He was just eight years old when he was made the king. His father, who had been a very wicked king, was dead; and there was no one to take his place except his little son. Small as he was, Josiah began by being a very wise and good king. ■Now the house o f the Lord had not been used _for worship for such a long time that it had almost fallen to pieces. As Jo siah grew older, he wanted his people to follow God, too, and he gave orders that God’s house should be repaired. He had the workmen tear down the altars to the false gods and build up the house of the living God. And while the men were working, they found a very important Book, which had been lost for many years, and they brought it to the king. When Josiah saw the Book and heard what was written in it, he ordered all of the people to be called together. Then he went up to the house of the Lord, and he read to them from the Book. It was part of wh^t we call the Bi ble, for it was the Book of the Law, the laws which God had given to*Moses many years before, laws which the people were to obey. You see, the people had lost the Book because they had stopped obeying the laws. They didn’t want to remember them. But now the good King Josiah had repaired the house o f the Lord, and he opened the Book to remind the people of what they must do. And he and all of his people promised that they would remember to keep the laws with “all their heart.”
Object Lesson S am and S ally S ack
Objects: A common paper sack, a fancy paper sack, a Bible, some bright nails, some new tacks, a magnet, and a piece of iron. (Conceal the magnet in the common sack and the piece o f iron in the other. Have the Bible open on the table, with the nails and tacks scattered over the open pages.) Lesson : I brought two friends o f mine
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