DANIEL

Properly speaking, Daniel is not one of those we should consider, for we know nothing of his parents: but he lived at about the same time as the young princes we have just been considering, he was a young man, when they were young: he was exposed to the same temptations before which they fell, both in his native land of Judah, and afterwards in the land of Babylonia; for Daniel himself was probably one of those young princes to whom the Prophet Zephaniah had spoken in such solemn tones. You remember how Daniel and his friends refused even the food of Babylon, and lived instead on pulse to eat, and water to drink. Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself. (Daniel 1:8). It is that “purpose of heart” that Daniel had, and that was found in the early church (Acts 11:23) that you and I need today. May our children see in us that we are absolutely and altogether out and out for Christ, and that there is an absolutely clean cut with the world and its fashions and ways, no matter whether clothes or meat or drink or any other thing. Like Paul of old may we each one be able to say: “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” (Galatians 6:14.)

Paul and the world were deadly enemies; they had nothing whatever to say to each other. Ponder, my children, these princes of Judah, and may God give you grace to bring each of your little ones to follow Daniel, and not the sons of Josiah.