The National tribune., 1892-03-03
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught by study OF the
international Sunday-schooI Lesson APP
pointed for March IS, 1891. Eze., Sc (;
1888.
Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study The paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated RbOye.I
SUBJECT: COMFORTS FOR CAPTryEs OF JUDAH
AT BABYLON.
!. Data.
We have only one account, that ofthe Prophet
Ezekial. (36: 25-3S.)
2. Time
We date b. C. 5s7, or A. NJ 3i17. We probably
are not far from the true time. 10 was about
ono year after the capture Of tho Kingdom of
Judah by Ncbucbadnezzar. Jeremiah was not
unlikely in Egypt in the last, or not far from
the last, year OF his life.
g. Place.
The home of the Prophet Ezekiel was by
River of Chebar." q: H. The word for river
simply means the great stream, and does not
necessarily describe a natural body Of water T..
IL Is thought we are TO understand the royal
canal Of NebuchadnezZIr. Calmet and others
probably err in saying Chebar (Chaborus or
AbOTas) n river Of MesOpOtama Ezekiel was
probably born ut jerusalem lie was taken
N"ptAHp Nhtil - gOullIt II yttl9 BclDIt tut tip-
tivity Of Judah was fully accomplished BIZ the
destruction of the Capital (Jerusaleml. and the
carrying of Of the most prominent citizens Of
the Kingdom Of Judah. Ezekiel never returned
to his native land.
4. The Writer.
There Is no room for serious question az to
the authorship OF the book generally ascribed
to Ezekiel. lie was Of the tribe Of Levi and in
direct line from Aaron. Hence he was priest.
His father was Buz. Q:3.) Ezekiel was a ma
tive OF the Capital Of Judah. The name Of the
prophet means God will strengthen. He was
married, but his wife lived only a short time
f2i: lG-lsl We read Of no children. He seems
10 have been well-to do. RcIigiously he was
OF course Jew, and very stanCh one While
priest he was also prophet. The Book Of Eze-
kiel falls into chronological line after that Of
Jeremiah.
>. To Whom Written.
The captives from Judah were miserable at
Babylon. They were prisoners Of war. They
were msused. They Ionged for their native
land. Ezekiel was one Of them. As n priest
they looked up TO him. lie could comfort and
instruct them. He was faithful as friend aud
prophet. He assured them Of safe return.
lie told them plainly why they were thus in
bondage. 10 was due 10 their sins. It was
their duty 10 reform and become worthy Of
reposses,ing the land Of Canaan. Comfort and
rebuke, promise and warning, mingle in his
addresses to them. God alone could rescue
them from Nebuchadnezzar. Then their happy
return to the Kingdom Of Judah is made
picture Of our entry at length into the Canaan
above, Heaven.
C. Rems Of Comfort.
!. "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon
you and ye shall be clean" (Y. sj.J The worst
uncleauness for Jew was that soil coming
e.. I'LL Ill
tion which only most thorough ceremonial alb
lutiOns could cleanse. So God spoke Of taking
from them the iilthiuess of idol worship II is
plain many, most, possibly all, had moro or less
been guilty Of breaking the first and second
commandments. They compromised Jehovah
by cOuntenancing the existence in heather
idols of divine power They worshiped along
with idOlateTs craven images Of things on land,
in sky. and under water. In " 20 God says,
Z" will save you from all your uneeanness."
V. 33 gives also an idea Of the kind Of soil
which made the people unclean, to wit, iniqui-
ties. See NJ, ST; 10: SOP; IS, 90: 1915:
Jer 50 g; Ps., 5I:7; Eph., ;: 20; Heb, 10 22)
We may not understand that God purpOsed
literally to sprinkle the people with water.
lie was to do for them what is beautifully
symbolized by the actual sprinkling Of water
There is no objection to understanding the
words literally. As we cleanse ourselves by
water from any soil, so God was to wash away
as il were all our moral defilement. Water is
purifying. refreshing, strengthening. Christ is
the water Of life and the promise may include
3Iessianic blessings. As the element for bap-
tism there IS great fitness in water. The people
foresaw they could hope for no favors in their
sins. They knew they must reform. Their
eases must have seemed TO them desperate.
How could they become cleansed? We see what
comfort they could get from Gods promise, TO
prepare them for better days. The captivity
had taught them lessons, convinced them of the
vanity Of idOlatry, gotten them ready to be-
benefited by a cleansing from on High.
?. a new heart also will give you" (Y.
26.l The reference is to the mind and will
The heart is often equivalent to intellect. God
was not to take away their former mental
faculties and replace them by actually new in
teIlectual powers. The meaning is that be
would I'LL their minds with new ideas Of ethics
piety, worship, devotion. The old heresies
would be Obiterated and their creed revised
would express accurate religious conceptions
The prophet jeremiah had the same idea when
lie represented God saying " 1 will put my law
I'm their inward parts lminds) and write it on
their hearts" practically synonymous with
inward parts" and hence minds. (Jer., 81:
80; CT. . Cor, 3:l5-l7)
The heart is often regarded as the seal Of the
affections and passions. The promise assured
the eaptiyes they were destined 10 give up all
regard for idols and TO love God with all their
hearts, minds, soul, strength.
3. "a new spirit will put within you" (V.
26) We may understand by the spirit the mo-
tiyes and principles Of action. The spirit of a
man-his tOne-the executive make-up-alI
success depends on this Nobility Of purpose,
sincerity OF impulse. purity of final ends-these
arc elements Of greatness and goodness. The
spirit of disloyalty, disobedinee disbelief had
all along characterized the eaptives. They
needed new principles Of action. 1t was nece5-
sary for their good to sift their motives. (CE,
IL: 10 and IS: 81 Whatever God was about
TO do for the eaptiyes was not an arbitrary act
versus their wills, but in the line Of their gem
eral disposition TO reform. God could then act
successfully, because the people had, through
rough experiences reached point where di-
vine cooperation would be appreciated, appro-
pTiated, and properly utilized.
4. 81 will take away the stony heart out Of
your flesh, and will give you heart Of flesh"
(V. 90 read also IL 10; CT st. Mt, 49, 3, 2O.)