The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-12-16
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson In International series for
December IL. isDs-Thc Captivity
81 Judnh-Jeremiah s:sI-II.

your heart.-Jtr 23.l3
THE SECTION includes the story OF the
faA .. Jerusalem. ? Kings $50; z
Caror, 1851, Ter. S9I-l0. 5z.l-sO.
ME-Jeiusalefa was destroyed Il. c.
10 COR 80 The struggle against the Baby
ion.ans continued about 70 years ,c5-sss).
PLACE. Jerusalem. a city OF 1000 in
habiiaats. according 20 Thenius. 2 kDlah.
30 mites north Of Jerusalem. at the base cl
Lebanon. a, The Junction where the great
road from the cast parts, one southwest
ward TO Tyre. along the coast. the other
southwark 10 Palestine and Egypt
LESSON COMMENT.
|. The First Captivity. The Begin
ming of the End. Jchoiakim's Reign
This took place in the fourth year of
Jehoiakim (C05-4 Il. c. by Nebuchad-
nezzar and his Babylonian army der.
25;l. Is; 2 Kings 2i:l; Dan I'D. 1t was
at this time that Daniel and his friends
were carried captive 10 Babylon dan.
1910. and from this date is to be
counted the 20 years of captivity fore
told by Jeremiah (25:9-12; 20:10). The
captivity began at different points and
had various endings.
H. The Period of Rest.-For seven
I or eight years. during the remainder Of
Jehoiakim's reign of IL years q Kings
7 24:.. Jehoiaki-. was a vassal Of Neb-
uchadnezzar during this time. 1t was
an opportunity for repentance; the
! Lord was slow 10 anger and abundant
in mercies. desiring that the people he
saved.
III. The Second Captivity.-.Jehoia
chin's reign (B c. 500. Jehoiachin was
the son of Jehoiahm. and began to
reign when Is years old. He reigned
only three months He seems to have
rebeled against Babylon, for Nebu-
chadnezzar again came with his army
and besieged Jerusalem. captured tn.
city and sent a great amount of treas
ures from the palace and the temple 10
Babylon. with 10000 of the more inn
portant of the people G Kings 24:l0-
16). Among these were the prophe.
Ezekiel (Ezek. III, p. and the great
grandfather OF Mordecai Queer
Estber's cousin esther 2:5. 6). anc
King Jehoiakim himself who lay 10
prison at Babylon for 81 years before hs
was released.
". Another Period of Rest. Zedc.
kinks fseign-Ns. Is Nine years
Zedekiah was the uncle of Jehoiachin
and half brother Of Jehoiakim. Zede-
kiah was a man not so much bad at
heart as weak in viii.
3. For through the anger of the
Lord it," the evil courses of Zedelliah.
"came TO pass" The sin was so deep
seated and the sinner so determined on
his sin that there was nothing to do but
10 let il work itself out and bring it's
own ruin and punishment. That.
rather. and "Zedekiah rebelled against
the king of Babylon:" Sin is always
weakness and blindness. Thus Zedc-
kiah's sins led him TO blindly and fool
ishly rebel.
V. The Third Captivity. The Great
Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem
The siege lasted year and half (Vs.
4-7). 4. "In the ninth year
tenth month";" Last of December. 3.
c. SIS. "Nebuchadrezzar:" This is cor
rect spelling of ACKNOWLEDGMENT. "And
all his army" 4 great host fKings)
Pitched against it," Surrounded IL
with their armies TO prevent all pro-
visions from entering and 10 starve il 10
death.
G. Fourth MONTH" June-July. Z.
c. $50. 1.-The famine was sore:" For
the horrors of this siege see Lamenta-
tions Mothers were at last driven to
murder and eat their children.
The City Taken. THE city was
broken up:" Broken into A breach
was made in the walls al midnight, az
cording TO Josephus. The gate ION
the north) between the two walls" Of
Mounts Moriah and Zion. down the
Tyropean valley. This path came out
in "tbe kings garden" which was laid
out near Sloan in the broad space
formed by the junction Of the Hinnon
and Kidron valleys, at the southeast
corner of the city. Now the Chaldeans
were by the city round about" This Is
mentioned so as TO explain how escape
was possible. The attack of the Chal
deans was of necessity from the north.
where the city was least defended,
while the steep sides of the south. east
and southwest were left comparative
~ free. The Jewish people fed south
ward By the way Of the plain. toward
the mouth Of the Jordan and the head
Of the Dead sea. The temple. the pal |
ace. the houses Of the mobiles. were de-
liberately set on fire.
vi. The Fate of King Zedekiah.-Vs. |
SILL S. The Chaldeans over |
took Zedekiah." and all his soldiers and |
friends deserted him.
Q. ITO Riblah:" See "Plnce." Gave
judgment upon him" l. G.. brought him
to trial as common criminal. not as |
king, because he had repudiated his |
most solemn oath of allegiance and |
been secret traitor TO the king who |
had placed him on the throne e Kings
"a 20; Chron. 36:13).
10. "Slew the sons OF Zedekiah be-
fore his eyes" The punishment Of Zcd-
ekiah was doubly cruel: first. his be-
ing made TO witness the execution Of
his own sons, and then his being de-
prived Of sight. so that the last scenes
impressed upon him would be the death
acouics OF his children.
H. PUT out the eyes OF Zedekiah:"
This binding Of captives was n com