The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-01-12
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.

International Lesson tor January 16,
IS93-Icncouraging tho People-Haggaa
2;1-9.
GOLDEN rExr.--Except tho Lord build tho
house, they labor in vain who build it--Ps
1877: l.
TIMH--Tbe autumn OF b. c. $50, fifteen years
after laying the temple foundations, the last
lesson
PLAcB.-Jerusalem and vicinity.
RULERs.-Darius Hystaspes, the king Of the
Medo-Persian empire: Zcrubbabel, governor Of
Judea; Tarquin the proud king OF Rome.
PRoPHEra -Haggai, generally regarded es
an old man ut this time q: 81; and Zechariah.
"a much younger man" both at Jerusalem
PLACB IN BIBIB HIsroRy.-Ezra, chapter 5,
possibly written by Haggai himself.
THE SEcrIor OF HISTORY included in this
| lesson embraces o review OF Ezra 4. the whole
Of the prophecy Of Haggal and Ezra 5: i-e: IA.
| Comp. Is o)
LESSON NOTES.
The Long Delay. Ezra 4. The founda-
tions of the temple were laid amid
great rejoicings (B. c. 5s5). and it
seemed as if the temple would i'm
mediately rise in its beauty. But great
and unexpected opposition arose from
their semi-heathen neighbors who occu-
pied the surrounding country For six
| years they opposed them in every way.
As soon as Cyrus died Tin s29), they
wrote letters to his successor, the fierce
Cambyscs (the Ahasuerus Of Ezra 4:6).
nisrepesenting and slandering the
Jews, and preventing them. al
together too easily, from pro-
| eeeding 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: :, 8. etc,
and received an answer absolutely for
bidding the Jews to build the temple
The letters are both recorded in Ezra 4.
Thus. for fifteen years the building of
the temple was delayed.
The Condition Of Affairs. At Jerusa.
lem, during these fifteen years, ~ The
altar was built. and religious worship
was conducted in connection with it,
but amid great difficulties. and in sur
roundings that marred it's perfect effect
upon the worshipers. 81 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.
tions, heaps of ruins, building
stones and all the rubbish and
debris of captured city. al
The mobiles and the richer men,
too easily discouraged from building
the temple, had gone to work and buili
beautiful homes for themselves. and
sultivating their fields and gardens
were living in comparative luxury
within sight of the temple ruins
Haggai IA. 81. (5) Yet in their fields
and gardens were the marks of Gods
displeasure. Their crops were ssnall
Blight and drought had come upon
them; water failed. the cattle were
poor. the vines were not fruitful; theii
expected riches did not come (Hagga
1:6-11). Such was the scene when Hagga
appeared upon it.
This was shown by the utter failure
of their present course. Nothing but &
worse and worse state lay in that di
rection. But there were two specia
reasons why change could now bt
made. '..
First. There had been change in the
government. The opposing king o.
Persia Nas dead, and new and bettel
king, Darius. the son of Hytaspes, hat
come to the throne (B. c. 52D. 1t coult
not have been known that Dariu.
would become second Cyrus to them
but the change of rulers might we'll give
them hope.
Second. II was now almost 70 year.
since the destruction of the temple
There were different eras in the begin
ming of the captivity, and so there wers
different corresponding eras in the re
turn. The captivity began Il. c. COS
and the return was just 70 years later
: in 53s. But the final destruction o.
: Jerusalem and the temple was 20 year.
later, in 500, and if the new tempt,
was to be completed 70 years later
early in SIS, and If the Jews wishet
I to receive this second fulfillinent O
.Jeremiah'ss prophecy der. s5:il. 13,. il
was high time now lin B. C. !,..0J TO be
gin the work.
The Prophet Haogai and His lNs.ssoa.
was at this juncturc that two prophet
appeared. They were messengers o
the Lord 1:lSt. That was the work o
the prophet, to bring to men a mes
sage from God, whether Of eKhortatior
for the present time, or prophecy o
the future, to encourage men in pres
ent needs. The prophets were tn
preachers. the evangeiists, the reform
ers, of their day.
PRACTICAL. SUGGESTIONS.
1. A reaction into negligence and de
lay often follows an outburst Of activit,
and zeal.
2. The best of plans and the mos
needed reforms frequently experienc
periods of encouragement and mos
trying delays
8. A new voice, a new messenge
from God, j prophet, an evangelist.
reformer can often bring new life int
J the ordinary means Of grace.
t. Code house should receive cur ~