The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-17
sunday-school Lesson for Jan. "a. 1886.


CAPTIVITY OF JuDAH-Second Kings, xxxv, liz,
GOLDEN TExT.-By the rivers of Babylon there we
sat down, yea, wept when we remembered Zion.
-Psa cSxxvii 1.
How slowly how unwillingly. God proceeded
to the destruction of Jerusalem and the captiv-
ity of Judah. Though the end was clearly fore
told yet with anything like penitence and re-
form the Lord turned the current of their his
tory toward light and hope. Again and again.
as under Josiah and Hezekiah, for time the old
hope and glory shines in the plans of God But
even Jehovah could not work in Judah any set
tied purpose or cause any lasting reform. When
the Rechabites fed to the city Nebuchadnez-
gar was advancing upon it. After short siege
dan. i, Il he took it, dethroning Jehoiakim,
the King and putting him in chains. But after
robbng the temple of it's treasures, and taking
captive many of the young men, like Daniel and
his three brave Hebrew friends. the King was
restored as a vassal of Nebuchadnezzar.
Again God seeks to save the nation through
His prophet, Jeremiah. We have picture OF
the King cutting into pieces the Word of the
Lord then sent to him, and burning it in the
fire till the whole volume was consumed. After
three years Jehoiacnim rebelled. Nebuchadnez-
Ear returned captured the city. and destroyed
the King as Jeremiah had foretold. Jer xxi,
Is, 10; xxxvi, 30. Under his son, Jehoiachin.
or Coniah, eight years of age. who reigned three
months and ten days, the climax is at last
reached. jeremiah in a most dramatic and
touching way, describes the rejection OF Coniah
as the plueking off and throwing away of sig
net-ring, and that he should have no heir to sit
upon the throne Of David. Jer. xxi, 24-30 At
and glory of the Messiah's kingdom. the
gathering of the scattered flock, when Judah
and Israel shall be saved by the Lord, our fight
eousness. Jer xiii, 3-6.
The wretched scattered remnant of Judah
seems to have been gathered, and the youngest
son of Josiah and the uncle of Jehoiachin was
made king under the name of Zedekiah, and he
xeigned eleven years, until the final destruction
of Jerusalem. Zedekiah was a vassal of Ne
buchadnezzar, and his treason finally decided the
King of Babylon to utterly destroy the Holy City.
SOME PRACTICAL LESSONS
l. God uses the wicked to punish his own un-
faithful people, The king of Babylon devised
his own plans, and carried out his own ambi-
tons and wicked purposes. and God allowed the
King of Judah to run his purposes athwart those
of Nebuchadnezzar and he suffered accordingly.
but the King of Babylon was used as the rod of
punishment.
2. There is no secret gate. no dark midnight
hour, when we can escape the penalty of our
sins. We cannot, if we would, flee from His
presence"
3. There comes time when God will not in
terfere to save the house Of worship, as dearly
as He loves il. If the manhood within it Is not
worth the saving then the splendid building,
with all its riches and beauty, is as mere dross
in his sight.
4 There is no security for a man, though he
may pass much Of his life in the courts of the
LORDS house, unless his heart be right with God.
There is no sacredness or security in simply be-
ing a member of holy city or temple. God
allows the city and temple to be destroyed but
he most carefully keeps the righteous remnant
in safety. If man be inwardly righteous he is
safe Amid the thunders of Sinai or the peals of
the judgment-day ne is everywhere and always
secure. 1t would have been easy to have
frightened away Nebuchadnezzar as the Assyrian
host years before if the city had been worth
saving
5. This life has its iudgment-days.