Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-09-21


ecriptpres-Time Well spsnt.
The lesson for Sept. "a Is the third
quarter review.
!. July 2. Gracious Invitations. Hos.
IA: 10.
2. July 0. Daniel in Babylon. Dan.
1: 1921.
8. July 10. The three Hebrews In the
fiery furnace. Dan. 8: 14-28.
s 4. July %. The handwriting o. the
wall. Dan. 8: 1871.
5. July 80. Daniel In the den Of lions.
@: 1923.
9. Aug. 9. The new heart. Eek. 49,:
26-36.
z. Aug. 10. Ezekiers great vision.
Eek. 81: LA.
s. Aug. 20. The river Of salvation.
Eek. Al: 1-12.
o. Aug. 81. Returning from captivity.
Ezra 1: Ill. i
10. Sept. 8. Rebuilding the temple.
Ezra 3: 10--4: 9.
IL. Sept. 10. Encouraging the build
ers. Hag. 2: 10. -
IL. Sept. IL. Power through the Spirit
Zech. 4: TIA.
In reviewing the quarters lessons, II
any chronological plan Is adopted, the
first lesson should be ignored. 1t has
properly nothing to do with the Babylon
ian exile. Written by prophet OF north
ern Israel, and in the age just preceding
the fall of that nation, its application to
the Judah of 100 years later Is slight.
Lessons to IL are conveniently, d.
vided according to the books from which
a. nA.
iel, three from Ezekiel, two from Ezra,
and one each from Haggai and Zecha-
riah. These decreasing numbers will
make 1t easy to memorize the titles and
substance Of the lessons IL desired.
The period covered, from the first cap
tivity in which Daniel was taken (605)
to the completion of the temple (510 lis
about ninety years. The lessons are not
arranged strictly in chronological order,
as lesson refers to the fall Of Babylon
in 53S, and lesson 8 to an even later
time, while lessons G, and 8, from Eze-
kiel, belong to the period 592-570, the ear
her part of the exile. For this reason Il
is best to group the lessons Geographically,
centsring about five leading men, Daniel,
Ezekiel, Zerubbabel, Haggai and Zecha-
riah; not Ezra, for the two lessons from
the book Of Ezra deal with events in
which Zerubabbel may be called the lead
err. Some pupils may need to be remind
ed that Ezra himself who wrote this
history, lived in the following century.
We shall study about him next quarter.
Daniel.
We find Daniel first as youth. just
brought to the court of Babylon, refusing
to accommodate himself to the customs
of the place and insisting on eating SIM
pie food-whether simply for his health
or to avoid ceremonial dcfilement Is not
stated. With his three companions, Han
aniah, Mishael and Azariah, he became
prominent in the court, Daniel himself
speedily showing psychic powers exceed
ing those Of the Babylonian magicians
Qesson p.
Some years later, when NebHchadncz-
Ear was at the height OF his power, occur
red the incident Of the colossal image,
the refusal OF Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego to worship it, and their mirac-
ulous escape from death by fire Qesson -.
A generation after this, in the year 53S.
Daniel being now an old man, over eighty
years Of age, Babylon was besieged by
the army Of the Persian king Cyrus. Bel
shazzar was governor Of the city. AT a
feast where the religion Of the Jews was
insulted mysterious warning was given
by writing on a wall, which Daniel IN
terpreted to mean the speedy downfall Of
the kingdom Qesson ~.
Shortly after the fall Of Babylon, dur
ing the reign of the king Darius the
Mede, Daniel was conspircd against by
jealous enemies, and as a punishment for
persisting in offering prayer to Jehovah
was placed in den of lions, escaping un-
harmed Qesson 81.
These stories about Daniels remarka-
BILE career, showing in every part the
favoring providence of God, as well as
the apocalyptic visions in the latter chap
tiers of the book, We're written to comfort
and encourage prosecuted Jews in some
great national crisis. In the opinion Of
many that, crisis was the persecution Of
ochus Epiphanes, 1T5-167 B. O., followed
by the revolt of the Maccabees.
EzskieI.
The three lessons from Ezekiel, taken
by themselves, hardly give just con-
ception of the prophets work. They are
'The New Heart" "Ezekiers Great Wis
ion," and 1.-THE River Of Salvation"-all
taken from the latter chapters of the
book. Ezekiels work was rather sharply
divided into two periods by the fall Of
Jerusalem. The first twenty-four chap
tiers include much that is picturesque and
varied in manner. though occasionally
obscure. There follow nine chapters pro-
nouncing the destiny Of various foreign
nations. The last section of the book,
chapters 34-4S. is Ezekiers hopes and
ideals for the future Israel.
Zerubba bel.
The next epoch in the history Is the re-
turn Of a part Of the exiles-numbering
over 10000 according to Ezra-from
Babylonia to Jerusalem, by permission Of
Cyrus, and the first few years spent by
them after reaching the holy city. Zeru-
babel appears to have been leader, and
hence, though comparatively little Of his
personal character can be learned, he
stands as the representative Of the period.
In lesson we have the return itself.
Soon after the return sacrifices were
commenced on the site Of the ruined tenn
pie, and preparations were made to re-
build the structure. The people during
this period established themselves, built
residences, and began to get settled Qes-
son 10).
Haggai.
In the year $40, after fifteen years Of
delay in the work of temple building,
Haggai, a prophet charged with spe-
cific mos an Oe hapan IN renronch the pQo-