Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-09-07

A Pleasant, Interesting and Instruct-
i've Lesson, and Where IL Nay ~
Tound-A Learaed and concise Re-
view Of the Same.
The lesson for Sept. 10 Is entitled EN-
couraging the Builders" and is found In
Haggai 2: 1-10.
The temple was not rebuilt at once af-
ter the laying of the foundation as re-
corded in the last lesson (B. G.. 535). The
Samaritans, angered by the refusal OF
the Jews to allow any participation In
the work, so far succeeded In their plans
for revenge as to poison the minds of the
leaders ut Babylon against the returned
Jews, and so to interfere seriously with
the work. But ii was not this alone that
| delayed building. This was not even the.
chief hindrance to the completion of the
enterprise. Indifference and worldliness
on the part OF some of the leading men OF
judah, and the unspiritual attitude of the
multitude, were at the bottom Of the dis
graceful delay. Opposition at Babylon
could not perhaps be entirely overcome
during the period between the return and
the accession Of Darius Hystaspes to
the throne of Persia (52D; but the Jews
could at least have kept up their interest
in the cause for which they had ut the
foundation laying professed so great en-
thusiasm. Instead Of this they seem to
have lapsed into q weak and ignoble
apathy. These were troubIous times In
the East, for after the death Of Cam
byses. Cyrus successor, the struggle for
the Persian throne had brought years Of
violence and terror. Darius, who became
king in 521, was stll fighting his numer-
GUS and powerful enemies at the time
when Haggai prophesied. and the break
up Of the empire seemed by no means inn
possible. Yet in face Of these alarming
prospects the prophet speaks with voice
Of confidence and command. He has Je-
hovah to rely upon for the fulfillment Of
his promises and the enforcement Of his
demands.
The entire book Of Haggai, which is
short one, should be read by all. This
and the following prophecy of Zechariah,
from which we take a lesson next week,
belong together. The two prophets were
contemporaries, and their books are dated
within few months of each other. Hag-
gals first chapter is dated September. 500
B. c.; 2: 10, the lesson, is dated late in
October of the same year, and the rest of
=
ariah's first prophecy is dated December,
500, his second in March SO Czech. L: y,
and the rest at various dates during the
next few years. So that the two men
worked together, as Isaiah and Micah
had done.
At this time Zerubbabel was governor
of Judea, but he seems not to have been
active in the work of rebuilding the tenn
pie and forwarding the religious recon-
struction of the nation. Haggai.
prophet of whose personal history nothing
is known, was called to stir up slothful
leaders and Indifferent subordinates and
set them to work on the task which had
been neglected for fifteen years. Since
the laying Of the foundation for a new
temple in 535, the year after the return,
practically nothing had been done. The
temple mount was still disfgured by
heaps Of debris, the sacrifices were car
ried on without proper conveniences, wor-
ship was conducted amid homogeneous sur
rOundings, the sanctuary was in con-
tempt. This had not been wholly due to
poverty. The men of Judah had built for
themselves ''ceiled houses Il: ~, they
had engaged in business and the ordinary
pursuits Of life Il: O., and had let the
temple wait. The Lord had sent famine
and blight upon them to warn them, yet
they had not repented a. 10, III. The
time has now come when such neglect
must cease. The prophet commands the
people to Ego up to the mountain, and
bring wood, and build the house." u:S)
This first utterance Of Haggai awak-
ened Zerubbabel and Joshua (spelled
Joshua in Ezra, 4: 3, etc. to their duty,
and they and the people began to be in
fear Of the anger of the Lord; but Hag-
gal delivered q message Of comfort and
encouragement, and work on the temple
was begun again Il: 12-15).
Explanatory.
The date, given so exactly. is in tho
early part of October, $40.
Zerubabbel's authority was that Of a
colonial governor under the Persian king
but during the exciting times which had
followed the death of Cambyses the lit
tie colony at Judah was probably left
pretty much to itself, and Zerubabbel
was more like ruler elected by the pco-
pie. Through his connection with the
building of the temple he became one OF
the famous men Of Jewish history, and
legends grew up about his name.
Haggai recognizes that there is some
reason for Encouragement among the
people. The temple which they have just
begun can be but little compared with
Solomon's destroyed sixty-six years be-
fore. Those few Of his hearers who had
seen that temple, old men Of eighty and
upwards, as they had wept at the laying
of the foundation fifteen years before, ~
they might well weep now. Yet th
are reasons for hope and courage WI III
outweigh these dark features OF the lit
uation-
The covenant made with the peop& so
many times during their history
with Abraham, made with his children
and children's children. made with the
Hebrews as they left Egypt-this cove
nant is renewed; the promise Of the sup
port Of Jehovah.
II will shake the heavens, and the
earth, and the sea, and the dry land
Haggai is not here speaking of any dis
tant. final catastrophe OF the world. He
refers to the immediate future, the strug-
giles Of the world powers which were
even at that time in progress. Great
changes were to come, and the power OF