The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-02-02
THE DEDICATION.
/. Data.

We study in detail Ezra 6:14-22 One
ought, however. carefully to read the account
of the dedication of the Tabernacle, Elk, 40: IS
80; of the dedication of SolOmon's Temple,
XII, 8:1-22; about the Wall of Jerusalem,
Neh, IL: 27-43; and the words of ST. Paul as
to the Body being Temple. Il Cor, 3: 1923
2. Divisions.
Verses IA. Is tell of the completion of the
Temple. Verses 1913, the dedication services
Verses 1922, the Passover celebrated.
3. Time.
We date B. C. SIS The final touches were
put on the Temple On the Sd day of the Jewish
month Adar. ". 15.) We date Feb. 81. II
was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius.
4. Place.
The lesson is located in Jerusalem on Mt
Moriah.
s. Persons.
While the Jews were punished severely BY
heather Kings, it is singular Offset that
they likewise derived great assistance from
them.
Cyrus was certainly friend. The permit OF
his to all Jews who chose to return to Pales-
tine was certainly very generous. He began
to rule B. c. 500, or 30 years after Nebuchad-
nezzar destroyed the Temple. When Cyrus
captured Babylon B. c. $50 he issued permit to
Jews to return to Palestine. We know Cyrus
ruled till b. C. 500, hence for 80 years. We
see too he ruled for six or seven years after
Zerubbabel went to Palestine. Cyrus founded
IL vast Empire. He was renowned military
genius.
Cyrus was followed by Cambyses, son of
Cyrus, also called Ahasuerus.
When Cambyses died Smerdis seized the
throne, pretending he was brother of Cambyses.
He ruled eight months.
1t was at the time of his overthrow that
Darius son of Hyslaspes, became King of Persia.
He began to rule B. C. 521. He died B. c. 4S5,
having ruled 80 years Cambyses and Smerdis
rendered no assistance to the Jewish enterprise.
Darius took toward Judah practically the same
position that Cyrus had, helping carry out the
policy of Cyrus He not only confirmed the
decree which Cyrus had issued, but rendered
great financial assistance. In v. % he is called
King of Assyria.
There is an Artaxerxes mentioned in verse
Ia. He must not be COMPOUNDED with that Ar
taxerxes mentioned in Chapter 4, who tried to
obstruct the work on the Temple. This Artax-
erxcs is mentioned, in fact. prematurely in ".
IA. for he was not at that time the King.
Darius, who was ruling. was his grandfather,
and Artaxerxes did not rule till some 80 years
afterward. He is mentioned in V. ID from
the fact he afterward did much in further i'm
provemeDts on the Temple and in fact issued
an important decree in interest of the Temple.
7:13-2o) This later Artaxerxes is identified
1t was under him that Ezra returned to Jeru-
salem Il: L. and that Nehemiah was commits
stoned to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
(Neh, 2: IL He reigned from B. C.. 46i to
425
6. Notes.
l. Prophesying. "a Preaching, exhorta-
ton, warning, encouragement.
g Children of Israel. (V. 49, The fact is
Zerubbabel was ruler nominaly over only Ju-
dab, Benjamin and Levi. 1t is probable, how
ever, that every tribe WAS represented by some
who still chung to the true remnant of Gods
people. 1t is noticeable in V. II there were IL
he. goats offered in recognition of the sinfulness
of the Hebrew stock.
g. We notice the sacrifices numerically:
100 bullOcks.
200 rams.
400 lambs.
IL he-goats.
Total, 712
Observe in contrast the number of offerings
when Solomons Temple was dedicated:
100000 oxen.
10000 sheep.