Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-10-12
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR OCTOBER IS.
Subject. Returning From Captivity, E1r"
l., l.1I-GOlden Text, Psa. cxxv., j.
Memory Verses. 8, 8-COm ineNtary on
the Days Lesson.

Subject: Returning From Captivity, Ezra
J., 1.11-GOlden Text. Pisa. cxxv" j.
Memory Verses. 8, @ commentary on
the Days Lesson.
|. The proclamation of King Cyrus
to return Tvs. Ia. l. First year OF
CYRUS" That is his first year as sole
king at Babylon. He was king, twenty
years before this, of ELAN and gradu'
ally extended his empire over the Fer.
slams and Modes, Babylonlans ana
Chaldeans. For two years after the
capture of Babylon Darius was king
of Babylon under Cyrus. Now cyrus
reigned at Babylon. Word OF the
Lord" See Jer. 25:12; D:l0 The
promise was that after seventy years
the Lord would bring His people
again to Palestine. STIRRED up-Cy-
rus" There is good reason to accept
the Jewish tradition according TO 10
sephus, that Daniel, occupying hlgh
position in the court of Cyrus, brought
to his attention the prophecies or
Isaiah, which name Cyrus as GODS
servant lisa. fl :26-2S; 45:1-4), and per-
haps, also, the prophecies of Jeremiah,
showing that God had for this purpose
given Babylon into the hands or cyrus.
"Made n proclamation" See chapter
G. "In writing" TO prevent any mis-
take or reversal.
9. "God of heaven" Hence the Con-
trOller of all men and affairs. GOD or
heaven" seems to have been a usual
title of the Supreme Being among the
Persians. At this time the Medo-Ter-
tending on the east to the Red Sea. on
the north to the Black Sea. on the west
to the Island of Cyprus and Egypt ana
on the south to Ethiopia. "Hath
charged me-" etc. Cyrus probably ac-
cepted the prophecy Of Isaiah ms
charge to build the temple "The OK
istence of predictions In which. 2~
wears before he was born. his victor
ious career and the important services
he should render to the Jews were
foretold, led him to acknowledge that
all his kingdoms were gifts bestowed
on him by the Lord God of heaven.
and prompted him to fulfill the duty
which had been laid upon him long
before his birth This was the source
and origin of the great favor he
showed to the Jews" 3. "Who is
there among you" The return was to
he volunteer movement. His God
be with him." A pious wish. indicat'
ing the deep religious feeling and good
ness of heart which characterized Cy'
rus alone of Persian monarchs. lie
ruled his subjects like a father. NO
nobler character appears in ancient
history. LET him 60" AS the carry
ing away of the Hebrews had taken
place at intervals of from seventy to
fifty years before. there were but rev
of the original exiles remaining, and 1t
is somewhat remarkable that so many
of their descendants. nearly 10000 III
ALL should be willing to go to coun-
try they had never seen. Build the
house" This was their great GRAND.
not to build their own houses, but the
house of God. He Is the God" We
can understand this great truth far
more clearly than could Cyrus. Let us
see to It that we live out the knowledge
which we possess.
4. "WhosOever remaineth." Some
persons of true and eminent piety
so situated that they did not deem it
their duty to so. as Daniel in the court
of CYRUS; others were hindered by old
age. Many more returned than we
read of being carried away captive.
"Lct the men-help him. Let the
heather population help him. "Frce
will Offering" Probably that made by
Cyrus himself.
III. The captives make preparations
for the return Tvs. SID. >. Chief OF
the fathers" Venerable men, heads of
families, some of whom had seen the
first temple Judah and Benjamin.
These tribes. last eXiled. were the first
to return. But that there were many
from the other tribes also who returned
appears from many other passages. Il.
STRENGTHENED their hands Their
neighbors helped them and contrib
uted literally. I. "Cyrus-brouGht
forth" etc. Nebuchadnezzar little
thought that he was unoonsciously pre-
serving the sacred vessels of Israel in
n safe and inviolable stronghold. till
the day when Jehovah would bring
about their restoration to His people.
g. Saskatchewan" The Chaldee or
Persian name of Zerubhabel, given
him at court as other names were
given to Daniel and his friends. Born
in Babylon and named by his friends
Zcrubbabel (exile in Babylon. He
was recognized as hereditary prince Of
Judah; was leader of the first company
Of exiles and director of the rebuilding
of the temple.
II. "All the vessels" etc. This num-
Der. 54O0, is more than double the sum
of verses o and TO- which was 249o
1t is probable that only the larger or
more costly vessels were numbered in
detail, and the 800 includes great
number of smaller and less costly
ones. So they are reckoned by Jose
plus. In the history of the restoration
of the Jews to their country. the names
of three Jewish leaders and of three
PerSians are prominent. The first
Jewish leader was Zerubbabel. who
left Babylon under this proclamation
of Cyrus, b. G. 536, seventy years after
the first captivity. After an interval
of about twenty years he was enabled
to complete the rebuilding of the tenn
pie, in the reign of Darius Hystaspes.
seventy years after the destruction Of
the temple. The second Jewish leader
was Ezra, who went up from Babylon
about eighty years after Zerubbabel.
in the seventh year of Artaxerxes
Longimanus. He labored chiefly to
restore the institutions of Moses. The
third Jewish leader was Nehemiah.
who went up from Susa, or Shushan.
in the twentieth year of the same Ar
taXerxes. He rebuilt the wall and set
up the gates of Jerusalem and pro-
NOTED many reforms.