The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-12-15
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson in International Series fOr
Deccm ~, IsOs-Tbe Captivity
of ,D0dah-Jer re m In h 62 I'LL.


Of Judah-Jeren,iah 62it-11.
fArranged from Peloube1's Selec, Notes.1
GOLDEN ExT.-Ye shall seek me and
find me, when We search for me with all
your neart.-Jer. 2913
THE SECTION includes the story OF the
tall OF Jerusalem; 2 Kings A:S-25S0;
Chron. ss:9-2l; Jer 39:1-10; 621-S0
TIME.-Jei usalem was destroyed B. g.
5S6 (or 5SD. The struggle against the Baby
lonians continued about ~ years (6Co-5S6).
PLACE.. Jerusalem, q city of 10000 in-
habttants. according to Thenius q Riblah.
2OO miles north of Jerusalem, at the base OF
Lebanon, at the junction where the great
road from the east parts, one southwest
ward TO Tyre, along the coast the other
southwark to Palestine and Egypt
LESSON COMMENT.
/. The First Captivity. The Begin
ming of the End. Jehoiakim's Reign
This took place in the fourth year of
Jehoiakim (605-4 B. c. by Nebuchad-
nezzar and his Babylonian army (Jer.
25:1, Is; Kings 24:1; Dan. 1:D. twas
at this time that Daniel and his friends
were carried captive to Babylon (Dan.
1:l-6). and from this date is to be
counted the 70 years of captivity fore
told by Jeremiah (25:0-12; 29:10). The
captivity began at different points and
had various endings.
II. The Period of Rest.--For seven
or eight years, during the remainder Of
Jehoiakim's reign of II years e Kings
24:D. Jehoiakim was vassal of Neb-
uchadnezzar during this time. 1t was
| an opportunity for repentance; the
| Lord was slow to anger and abundant
| in mercies. desiring that the people be
saved.
Ill. The Second Captivity.-Jehoia-
chin's reign (B. C. 59O. Jehoiachin was
the son of Jehoiakim, and began to
reign when ls years old. He reigned
| only three months. He seems to have
rebelled against Babylon, for Nebu-
chadnezzar again came with his army
| and besieged Jerusalem. captured the
| city and sent a great amount of treas
ures from the palace and the temple to
Babylon. with 10000 of the more inn
portant of the people e Kings 24:1o-
16). Among these were the prophet
Ezekiel (Ezek. III. p, and the great
grandfather of Mordecai, Queen
| Esther's cousin Esther 2:5, e), and
| King Jehoakim himself, who lay in
! prison at Babylon for 81 years before he
was released.
| w. Another Period of Rest. Zede-
| kiah's Reign.-Vs. 1-3. Nine years.
| Zedcliah was the uncle of Jehoiachin
and half brother of Jehoiakim. Zede-
ldah was a man not so much bad at
heart as weak in will.
8. "For through the anger of the
Lord it," the evil courses of Zedekiah.
"came to pass" The sin was so deep
| IA
his sin that there was nothing to do but
to let It 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 Zede-
kiah's sins led him to blindly and fool
ish1y rebel.
V. The Third Captivity. The Great
Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem
The siege lasted year and half (Vs.
~. 4. "In the ninth year
tenth month";" Last of December, b.
C. 5sS. "Nebuchadrezzar: This is cor
rect spelling of Nebuchadnezzar. "And
all his army" A great host (Kings).
"Pitched against it," Surrounded it
with their armies to prevent all pro-
visions from entering and to starve it 70
death.
| g. Fourth MONTH" June-July, B.
| G. $780, 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.-7. ''The city was
broken ups" Broken into. A breach
was made in the walls at midnight, ac-
cording to Josephus. THE gate ION
the north) between the two walls" of
Mounts Moriah and Zion. own the
Tyropean valley. This patti came out
in "the kings garden" which was laid
out near Sloan in the broad space
formed by the Junction of the lIinnom
and Kidron valleys, nj the southeast
corner of the city Now the Chaldeans
were by the city round about" This is
mentioned so rs to explain how escape
was possible. The attack of the Cha!-
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
ly free. The Jewish people fled 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 Chnldeans over
took Zedekiah" and all his soldiers and
friends deserted him.
ITO Riblah:" See "Place." Gave
judgment upon him;"i e.. brought him
| to trial as a 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
24:20; 2 Chroh. 36:13).
TO- 'Slew the sons of Zedekiah be-
fore his eyes:" The punishment Of Zed-