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Thursday
The First
Lesson
Daniel 5:1-9
1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his
lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the
golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had
taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king,
and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.
3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of
the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the
king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in
them.
4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver,
of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
5 In
the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over
against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's
palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
6 Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled
him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees
smote one against another.
7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans,
and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise
men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me
the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and
have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler
in the kingdom.
8 Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read
the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.
9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance
was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.
1st Lesson Questions -
Is this where the phrase, "handwriting on the wall" originated? (V. 5) What's that mean? RESOLVE.
The Second
Lesson
Acts 24: 10-23
10 Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to
speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many
years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer
for myself:
11 Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but
twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.
12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any
man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues,
nor in the city:
13 Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse
me.
14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they
call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all
things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow,
that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just
and unjust.
16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience
void of offence toward God, and toward men.
17 Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and
offerings.
18 Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the
temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
19 Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they
had aught against me.
20 Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil
doing in me, while I stood before the council,
21 Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among
them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question
by you this day.
22 And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge
of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief
captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.
23 And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him
have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance
to minister or come unto him.
2nd Lesson Questions -
Had I been Felix, would it have been obvious to me what was going on? RESOLVE.