The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-01-13

GOLDEN TRxr.-Exceps shs Lord build Tho
house. they labor In VAN who build it-PA
Ia:
Trax The autumn OF H. G So fifteen years
after laying the temple fcuadssioas. ths lass
lesson
Professionalism and vicinity
RULERS. -Darius Hystaspes, the king al The
Mcdo-Persian empire; zerubbahel governor oe
Judea: Tarquin the proud king OF Rome.
PROPHETS -Haggai. generally regarded -
"a old man ~ this time q: 81; and zechAriah.
- much younger man" both q jerusalem
PLACE IN BInLE HIsroRY.-Exra, chapter Z
possibly written by Haegai himself.
THE SECTION or HISTORY included IN this
lcsson embraces . review Of Ezra 4. the whole
Of the prophecy OF Haggai. and Ezra s; -: ~
Comp Is CO.,
LESSON NOTES.
The Long Delay. Ezra 4. The founda-
tons Of the temple were laid amid
great rcjoicings (B. c. 535), and it
seemed as IL the temple would i'm
mediatcly rise in its beauty. But great
and unexpected opposition arose from
their scmi-heathen nei9hbors who occu-
pied the surrounding country. For six
years they opposed them in every way.
As soon as Cyrus died lin 529), they
wrote letters to his successor, the fierce
Cambyscs 1.-THE Ahasuerus of Ezra l:6).
disappearing and slandering the
Jews, and preventing them, al
together too easily, from pro-
cceding with the temple. 1t would
seem that they occasionally made feeble
attempts, or at least proposals, to go on
with the work, for again. seven years
later, after the death of Cambyses, the
enemies wrote to his successor, Co
mates the usurper, the pseudo Smerdes,
called Artaxerxes in Ezra 4: z, 8, etc.,
and received an answer absolutely for
bidding the Jews to build the temple.
The letters arc both recorded in Ezra 4.
Thus, for fifteen years the building Of
the temple was delayed.
The Condition Of Atairs At Jerusa-
lem, during these fifteen years. a. The
altar was built, and religious worship
was conducted in connection with it,
but amid great difficulties, and in sur
roundines that married its perfect effect
upon the worshipers. (2) The temple
foundations were laid, but everything
was in an unfinished condition. (3)
The walls of the city. and a large part
of the city itself. were in ruins Every
where were scattered broken founda-
tons. heaps Of ruins, building
stones and all the rubbish and
debris Of captured city. a.
The mobiles and the richer men,
too easily discouraged from building
the temple, had gone to work and built
beautiful homes for themselves, and,
- aa1
were living In comparative luxr- .
within sight of the temple ruins
(Iiaggai Ia. 81. (5) Yet in their fields
and gardens were the marks Of Gods
Their crops were small.
Blight and drought had come upon
them; water failed. the cattle were
poor, the vines were not fruitful; their
expected riches did not come (naggai
1:G-lD. Such was the scene when Haggai
appeared upon II.
This was shown by the utter failure
of their present course. Nothing but q
worse and worse state lay in that di-
rcction. But there were two special
reasons why change could now be-
made.
First. There had been achanec in the
government. The opposing king OF
Persia was dead, and q new and better
king. Darius, the son of Hytaspes, had
come to the throne (B. G. 52D. 1t could
not have been known that Darius
would become second Cyrus TO them,
but the change of rulers might well give
them hope.
Second. Ii was now almost 20 years
since the destruction Of the temple.
There were different cras in the begin
ming Of the captivity, and so there were
different corresponding cras in the re-
turn. The captivity began d. c. COS;
and the return was just 20 years later.
in $50. But the final destruction Of
Jerusalem and the temple was 90 years
later. in $50, and If the new temple
was to be completed 20 years later.
early in SIS. and il the Jews wished
to receive this second fulfillmcnt OF
Jeremiah's prophecy der. o5:11. 12). it
was high time now lin h. c. 52O) to be.
gin the work.
The Prophet Hdgodi and His Mission. It
was at this juncturc that two prophets
They were messengers Of
the Lord n:13). That was the work of
the prophet to bring to men mes
sage from God. whether Of cxhortation
for the present time, or prophecy Of
the future. to encourage men in pres
cnt needs. The prophets wcrc tho
preachers. the evangelists. the reform
ers, of their day.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
1. A reaction into negligence and de-
lay often follows an outburst of activity
and zeal.
.. The best Of plans and the most
needed reforms frequently experience
periods Of encouragement and most
trying delays
3. a new voice, q new messenger
from God, a prophet, an evangelist, =
rcformcr can often bring new life into
the ordinary means Of grace.
4. Gods house should receive our first
1t should be more beautiful,
more attractive, better fitted for its
work. than any other building in the
town. Haggai Is speaking to those
who have their business and factories
supplied with the very best, but leave
their Sunday school rooms and nppli
anccs far behind the age.