The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-01-14
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Dnties Taught by Study of the Inter-
national Sunday School Lesson Appointed for
Jan. q. . XII. p: 112.

Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures e., as
indicated above Also, Jer SO is; 81 A-lO; Ch,
81: u-2l.
We are to study the account of the captivity
of Judah. This lesson brings us down to $50
B. c. Originally the land of Palestine was di-
vided into IL parts, all constituting single
Kingdom. At the death of Solomon the land
was divided into two kingdoms-that Of Judah
and Israel. Ten tribes constituted the north
ern Kingdom and two the southern. The
Kingdom of Israel was the northern. 1t gave
itself over to incredible wickedness, princi-
pally in the form of idolatry. As result, 1T
was doomed. The King of Assyria was per
mitted by Providence TO pounce upon It, 1t
was carried off into captivity. Those 10 tribes
have never been restored, and yet remain as so
many wandering Jews" Their fate occurred
SSl Il. C.-295 years before the captivity of Ju-
dah But the Southern Kingdom also became
very depraved. The lesson of Israel's captivity
did not long nor much deter Judah. So God
allowed the King of Babylon to punish the
Judahites. Ever since Hezekiah in his folly
exposed to the Chaldean Embassy all his trea-
sures, the Euphrates looked GENEROUSLY over to
the DECENTRALIZATION to Jerusalem. Nebuchad-
nezzar was King of Babylon. Iedekiah was
King of Judah, being the 2lst and last King.
jeremiah had cited to the Judahites the fidelity
of the Rechabites in obeying Jehonadab, and
urged the people to be rs true to their God; but
they would not reform. Hence the penalty.
Daniel, when the lesson opens, had been for Is
years a captive with his three associates, all
having been borne off TO Nebuchadnezzar' S
Capital. DAN, :1-6.) Ezekiel, the Prophet,
had also been for 10 years captive at Baby Ion.
We are considering now what is known rs the
Seventy Years Captivity of Judah. tJer., %:
10; 9 Ch., Sc: 2l) The four leading Prophets
of the day were jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and
Obadiah. God had been specially patient with
the Kingdom of Judah, since though quite as
evil as that of the Israelites, he spared it from
captivity for nearly three centuries later. But
evil has its day. former King, Jehoahaz,
had been before our lesson in bondage under a
Pharaoh The successor of Jehoahaz, Jehoia-
kim, had been put in chains, and so died at his
own Capital, victim to ACKNOWLEDGMENT fury.
The successor of Jehoiakim (Jeconiah) was a
captive at Babylon. The reigning King WAS
Zedekah
1t is wonderful how set the people were in
sin. God did not act precpitately Warning
succeeded warning. The Prophet jeremiah
had not ceased for 40 years to chide the inhabit-
ants of Judah and urge them to repentance.
Siege followed siege, giving opportunity in each
interval for reform. One King followed another
into captivity, furnishing in each instance an
object teaching in the science of divine govern
ment and showing Gods attitude toward evil
doors.
The lesson dates 5sS B. C. The 20 years
captivity begins with the capture of Daniel, 60i
3. c., or Is years before our lesson. The de-
struction of Jerusalem took place two years
later, or $50 B. c. This was Is years after
Jeremiah had endeavored to shame the Judah
ties into obedience oG0d by exhibiting to them
the fidelity of the Rechabites. (Jer., 80 12-19.)
AT that time the Prophet also foretold the
captivity of Judah for 10 years at Babylon, 500
miles east of Jerusalem. We find ourselves in
the ninth year of the reign of Zedekiah,
Judahs King. He was a son of good Josiah,
but very degenerate one. NebuchadnezZar
had been ruling 16 years. By comparing Jewish
months with ours, We find the first verse
of the lesson located at about the new year day
of the year 5S7 b. G..
We see Jerusalem in siege. The population
was about 10000. The Babylonians used bat
tering rams, great engines worked by animal
strength, bows and arrows, slings, catapults,
escalade, undermining, and darts which carried
Oh their tips torches to set on fire structures
within the walls. To be able to reach and at
tack the besieged, who ran along the walls an
noying their enemies outside, the BabylonianS
raised artificial mounds like forts. The in
habitants of Judahs Capital were in a fearful
plight. No more food could be gotten, and
what they had conld not last long. The at
lacking enemies were numerous and fierce, and
well supplied with provisions and ammunition.
1t was only question of time. We must
allow the Jews were brave, doing their best to
save city and temple. Fearful restitution fol-
lowed. Bread was so wanting that elegant
ladies became scavengers and picked scraps
from offensive heaps of soil. lam, 4 8 10.)
Sickness originated Such desperate want led
to quarreling among themselves The Capital
was a scene of Understandable horror. Verse 2
shows that the siege lasted Is months and
hence terminated about July L. Their pro-
visions failing, the Jews were obliged to capitu-
late. Dsheartened, they gave up defensive
action and the enemy easily broke through the
nd lie and In
Zedekiah DER, 80: d. and all his forces fed.
1t is evident the Chaldeans came down from
the north, and as they entered Jerusalem, the
King and his soldiers escaped to the south,
going toward the Dead Sea and the Red Sea.
The army Of Babylon pursued and overlook
Zedekiah and his men before they reached the
Jordan or the sea. They captured him in the
vicinity Of Jericho. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS was at
Riblah, place on the Orontes River, over 200
miles from Jerusalem and about IS miles north
of Damascus. The Babylonian soldiers bore
Zedekiah and the other captives thither.
Among the prisoners were the sons of Zedekiah.
The case was examined into and Judah's
King was first forced to witness the
putting out of the eyes of his sons,
and then to have his own eyesight destroyed.
This not enough, he was fettered and dragged
off to Babylon. Jer, 80: 6 and 81 10, show he
was also obliged to see all of his principal Off
GERS put to death at Riblah. Putting out eyes
ID Stili puulauiucllb pTdcllceu IN IcfSla he
call the case of Samson. AT Babylon Zedekiah
remained imprisoned till death. (Jer, SO ID
The fact that Zedekiah was blinded before he
| reached Babylon harmOnizes the apparent dis
| crepancy between Jer., 80 5; "a 3, and Eze,
2:13.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS did not stop with the vio-
| lence done Judah's King and principal men,
He also sent Gen Nebuzar-adan to destroy
Jerusalem. He was thorough. Walls were torn
down, houses burned, the temple ruined palaces
and mansions converted into debris. He more
over seized on all the remaining inhabitants
saving those who were very poor, and carried
them off captives. The Jews yet keep a fast
in memory OF the siege and destruction of
Jerusalem, which occurs each year on or about
Jan. l.
The practical thoughts dcduced are numer-
| Gus. We notice several
| i. Do not try Gods patience. 1t is true he
waits. He is not hasty in punishment. He
| gives men chance to reform, and SO avert evil.
| He sends ministers to warn and urge repent
ance. But when patience ceases to be reform
| atory, and the rather cumulative to evil, God
can no longer wait, since delay would make
| him party to sin. Some men actually take
| advantage Of Gods long suffering with sinners,
| and refuse to reform.
2. We must deal with men as God did. Do
not be impetuOus in denuncation. Do not an
! nihilate one on his first commission of evil
/ lwauc laay