The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-01-12
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
A Study of the International Sunday
School Lesson Appointed for Jan.
Is, 1898.

Subject: ZerubbabeI Urged by Hagsai to
Continue Rebuilding the Temple. Hag.,
2:f-9.
Zone reading these notes shond first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated above.I
INTRODUCTION.
500 B. c. Nebuchadnezzar made attack on the
Jews-carried off their King, Jehoiakim, rs
captive, and also $4,000 of tho better classes of
people Among them was the prophet Ezekiel.
He also took part of the Temple furniture.
2 XII, 20: II, IS; "a: 1916: 2 Ch., So: g. 10;
Est, IS, 6; Isa., 80: 6, z; Jer., % "a so;
chapter "a; 20: j, g Eze., 1: 2, 3; II: H.
Eleven years after Nebuchadnezzar's first
attack jerusalem he reappeared; placed
Jerusalem under siege for two years; burned
the Temple; captured the better sort of in
hahitants, including the prophet jeremiah.
2 XII, chap, % CHI, chapter So f: 421
Jer., chapters 39-44. and 50; Lam, 1 s. The
year 558 b. G. may be regarded the year
when the captivity began.
We know Cyrus began to reign B. C. $50, and
that it was in that year he granted permission
to Jews to return to jerusalem. They accepted
at once This was 80 years from the time
when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the Temple.
Darius began to rule b. c. 521. The work
upon the Tewple under Zerubbabel began in
the second ear of their coming-in the Sec
ond month";" to wit, b. C. 535.
Only the foundations were laid at the time
Work was suspended from severe local oppo-
sition of the Samaritans Endorsed by the Persian
Kings, Ahasucrus and Artaxerxes. so things
remained till Darius granted permit to con-
tnue the work. which was in the year B. G.
$50. We see hence the work paused for IA to
10 years.
Another fact to be noticed is that the Cap
tivity properly began 3. c. 588. The interval
between 58S and $50 was equal to 6S years. 1t
is plain, from Hag., g: 3. that there were some
at the time Haggai propheeied, $50, who had
seen the Temple before Nebuchadnezzar de-
stroyed it. Granting they were 10 years of
age at 599 D. c., they would have been but 10
when Haggai spoke. The Jews were healthy,
ng-lived race, and Fence the statement of the
prophet in q 8 is not at all improbable.
Zerubbabel settled at Jerusalem 536 B. G.
Hagga called for renewed work on the Temple
b. G. $40, to wit, is years after the arrival of
Ierubbabel from Babylon.
Jewish history may be divided thus: Adam
to Noah Noah to Abraham, when the history
proper of the Semitic race began Abraham to
Moses Moses to Solomon's Temple; Solomon's
Temple to the Captivity; the Captivity; return
from Captivity to the Messiah. We are on the
threshold of this last stage when Haggai ap-
pears.
Cyrus revoked his order, permitting Jews to
build the Temple in the second year of his
reign. Cambyses, also called Ahasuerus (Ezr.,
4: 81, enforced the prohibition of Cyrus Ar
taxerxes followed. Rev. Canon Rawlinson
identifies him with the Establishments. (Ezr.,
4:7). Then came Darius. In the second year
of his reign permit was granted to rebegin the
work on the Temple.
1t is noticed that when Zerubbabel began the
Temple foundations he was stopped, and not
permitted to proceed further than simply the
foundation. 1t would seem the Prophet Isaiah
must have had this very fact in view when he
said IA 49, Saith of Cyrus, He is my shep-
herd and shall perform ali my pleasure: even
saying to Jerusalem Thou shalt be built; and
to the Temple. Thy foundation shall be laid"
We notice st. Paul quotes the 9th verse OF
chap. 2. See Hebrews, 10: 26. q.
The cuneform inscriptions found at Behis-
tun, Persepolis. and other places, throw light
on the books of Ezra and Hagga. These were
recorded by early successors Of Darius. The
Rev. Canon Rawlinson has written much on
this subject and notices in special the confirm
atory nature Of said inscriptions.
In some excavations not far from the Mosque
of Omar which occupies practically the spot
formerly the site of Solomon's Temple, and
also that of Zerubbabel, in 1877 there was dug
up seal bearing the inscription in Hebrew,
Haggai, son of Shebanah."
HAGGAIs INSPIRING EXPLOITATION.
1. Data.
The paragraph we study is Haggai, 2: to
inclusive. 1t would. be very profitable, and
indeed it is almost necessary, to read Err. 4,
and ON to the end of that book, and then
Haggai, chapter 1.
g Time.
We date B. C. 500 1t was in the seventh
month, to wit, Tisri or Ethanim, correspond
ing to our September and October. In that
month was also celebrated the Feast of Dedi-
cation, beginning on the 18th with Sabbath
Saturday. and ending on Sabbath, the 2lst.
The prophet was directed to issue his message
on the Goth, to wit, on Friday. (2:1.) Haggai
received his first direction to prophecy. to
the re-working on the Temple, on the 1st day
of the 9th month. 1:1) But work did not
begin till the Oath. Il: 49, 1t would seem
Encouragement was having a harmful effect
even before month passed. Then Haggai
appeared to re-animate Zerubbabel and his
associates.
3. Place.
We locate at Jerusalem The Temple saw
built on Mt. Moriah.
a. Haggoi.
We know little, indeed, of this prophet
From /: Is, which states Haggai was 1.-THE
Lords messenger" an impression gained and
was quite generally held up to even the fifth
century that he was not q human being but
some special, superhumsn agent of Jehovah.
This was particularly So and some think
entirely so of the Western Church. Haggai
was probably one of the $4,000 who accompa-
MED Zerubbabel to Jerusalem. Cocceus says
the name means my feast, and thinks it was
given to the prophet foregleam of the
escape of the Jews from the Captivity. He was
the first prophet to appear to the Jews after
their return to Jerusalem from the exile. His
prophecies cover only a short time-from the
sixth to the ninth month of the second year of
the reign of Darius. The Jews say Haggai and
Zecharah were members of the Great Synagog,
which was formed by the Jews after return
ing from Babylon. The mission of Haggai was
to stimulate the Jews to continue the work on
the Temple.
The Very Rev. r. Payne Smith, Dean of
Canterbury, believed that there is some truth
in the claims: a. By the Septuagint that
Haggai and Zechariah composed PISS. 49, 145-
14S inclusive. b. By the Syriac that he was
author of PISS. 1885, 126. c. By tho Yulgate that
he wrote Ps. 3.
8. ZeTubbdJel.
He was son of Sheattel. In Ezra, l. 8 he
is called Shesbazzar. Zerubbabel was in the
Messianic line, descendant of David. In the
genealogical table of st. Matthew his name is
spelled ZOrobabel. Il: II. 10; also in st. Luke,
8: 27.) He was in the royal family, an heir
TO David's throne, and hence very properly
appointed as Governor OF Judea. He is called
1.-The Prince of Judah" ezra, LIS