The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1905-10-13
Returning from
Captivity
Sunday School Lesson Tor Oct IS. 1905
Specially Prepared for This Paper.

| LfSSON IEAI.-Ezra I'LL Memory
/ Verses s.
GOLDEN TExT.-'The Lord hath con,
great things for US, whereof We are glad"
| Psalm 1854
understanding 70 Prof. Beecher Il
was IN b. c. bSs. soon after the conquest OF
Babylon BY Cyrus. Compare Daniel 81
with i0L II was 70 years after the frs
deportation OF exiles by Nsbuchadnozzar.
PLACE.-Capital OF the Persian Kinc
dom-either Babylon or Ecbatana, and alss
jerusalem. TO which the exiles returned.
SCRIPTURE EXPERIMENTATION
chaps. i0-6s. Ezekiel and jeremiah chaps
a. 25 2s-s3, % tell OF the return from captiv
ity. The return as recorded In Ezra and Ne
hemiah.
Comment and Suggestive Thought
INTRODUCTORY. - Even before
the beginning OF the exile, when II
was only threatened, there was Joined
with the warning a promise OF restora
tion. See Isa. 10 and IL. Assyria the
oppressor should be destroyed like
cedar, though II lowered like the huge
cedars Of Lebanon Elsa. 10:1219. "a
33, 81; comp. Eek. 31:3-11. Isaiah
lagain and again prophesies the Return
(chapters 40-66) and even names
Cyrus as the one through whom Il
should come. Through Ezekiel come
promises Of tho new heart which
would render the return morally pos
sible (Ezek. IL and 36). He pictures
the valley OF dry bones, symbolizlns
the condition of Israel In captivity,
again coming 10 life in the return
Eek. 80. See Eek 20. S3, "a. This
whole Of Ezekiel, as OF Isaiah, is an
effort, through threats and denuncia
tions Of sin. through appeals to do bet
ter. through promises and visions OF
hope 20 make the people return spir
itually TO God. that they might return
in visible reality. And he foretells
how the nations we're so controlled
THAT a restoration Of the Jews would
be possible. jeremiah. making the
same appeals, goes farther and points
out the time when the return can be
made. 20 years after the captivity Ger
l25:12; 29:1O).
v 1. "In the first year OF Cyrus
king Of Persia" Not his first year
,as king OF Persia (B. G. 500, but
leither as conqueror OF Babylon (53s)
or the first year OF his personal rule
at Babylon after his other conQuests
$3.50. "The word Of the Lord by
!. jeremiah" (25:12; 29:1O)
promising that he would bring about
Ia return from captivity after 70 years
Itarrho or1 4 fTabovahA ofIrrof IN fhs
spirit OF Cyrus" II Is quite posi-
,ble. It Is even implied IN the narrative
here. that Daniel, OF some prominent
Jew, called the attention OF Cyrus 10
the prophecy in jeremiah. and espe
,cially the remarkable prophecy in Isa
ii4:28-2s: ASH.
d V. 2. "Thus saith Cyrus" Il is
lprobable that the author here gives
the substance OF the proclamation, and
not the full official document "He
hath charged me-" He accepted the
prophecies as a charge from the God
Of the Jews.
/ V. 3. who IS there among you:"
The return was 10 be volunteer
movement which in all respects was
the best both for the purpose Of Cyrus
and for the new Jewish settlement
The God OF Israel which IA
in Jerusalem:" As the chief seat Of
Z his worship
v 4. And whosOever remaineth," r.
v. is left" OF the captiyes. survives.
Connect in any place where he so
journeth. without comma, with LET
the men OF his place. his heather
.nelghbors, help him with silver, etc,
give him funds for his Journey, and
the freewill Offering IN aid Of the tenn.
pie
v 5. "Then rose up the chief OF
the fathers:" The Return described
in to-days lesson was under Zerub
babel a prince OF the royal line OF
David, called the Tlrshatha, or Pasha
(Ezra 2:63). and under Joshua, the
hereditary high priest ezra $3.50
These we're among the "chief Of the
fathers and the priests"
We. "And all they that were about
them" Their heather neighbors and
friends. as in Egypt at the time Of the
exodus.
VI. Cyrus the king brought forth
the vessels OF the house Of the Lord"
''Nebuchadnezzar little thought that
he was unconsciously preserving the
sacred vessels OF Israel IN a safe and
linviolabls stronghold. tin the day
when Jehovah would bring about theii
restoration 10 His people"
VS.. by the hand Of Mithredath'
Cgiyen BY. or dedicated 10 Mithra. the
sun god). He had these treasures In
his charge. "sheshbazzar" (hre
worshlper): The Persian name OF
zerubbabei (born in Babylon).
II. "All the vessels were
FIVE thousand and four hundred"
This IL more than double the sum Of
the preceding numbers-2,4s9. II is
probable that only the larger or more
costly vessels we're numbered IN de
tan, and the 6,400 includes a great
number OF smaller and less costly
ones. So they are reckoned by 10
sephus (Ant. Jud. lid.
Illustrative Points.
This Is a picture Of Gods discipline
Of His people he does not love TO
afils His children. He gives bitter
medicines in order 10 bring back
health. His afhictions are TO purify
the heart, 10 snnoble the character, 70
break the power Of sin.
Note that II is a sign Of Gods IA.
vor TO have trials III ye endure
cbastening. God dealeth with you as
with sons" (Heb. 12:D: "The devil
desires 20 winnow Peter. not Judas.
The thief does not break into an empty
cottage, but into some furnished house
or full granary."-AdamA
A Splendid Idea.