The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-08-31
The Captivity of Judah.


pestilenCe and famine, the besieg.
ed held out with desperate persis.
tence for eighteen months. Only
the great natural advantages 0.
their situation and the impregna.
bic strength of their Notifications
made it possible for them to do so
But they were resisting invincible
might and the most improved
weapons and methods of the time.
At superficial glance, this re-
volt against Babylon was as justi-
fable and patriotic as our Amer
lean Revolution, and, from the hui
man standpoint, not more desper-
ate, in view to the proffered aid
of Egypt. But there was one fact
sufficient to cover it with infamy
and insure defeat. It was directly
contrary to the expressed will OF
God. And there is no concord be-
tween impiety and patriotism.
The seventy fourth Psalm gives
a vivid, prophetic description of
the siege. There was an unearth-
ly din. The noises were much
more confused and piercing than
in modern warfare-the shouts of
the hand-to-hand combatants, the
clang of the catapult, the whir of
its missile. Thine enemies roar
in the midst of thy congregations. 3"
The brazen columns and vessels,
too large to be carried away whole
were broken in pieces. They
broke.down the carved work with
axes and hammer, The air was
thicksswith ignited darts. They
havesscast fire into thy sanctuary. :"
If the garrison had been put to
the sword at once, and the city
sacked, there would have been less
refinement Of cruelty. The princes
were not accorded a soldiers
death, but were executed like
criminals; and, after a whole
mouths respite, the city and tenn
pie were deliberately and utterly
ruined.
Why such a cruel fate to such
apparently patriotic and courage
Gus defenders? Why did God thus
disgrace the thone of His glory"
in spite of the prophets prayer?
This was no hasty or irascible
judgment, Gods people had had
line upon line and precept upon
precept. Israel had gone into cap
tivity first that Judah might
not go, The part she took was
made hard for her, that she might
the more be inclined to forsake it.
Destruction had been repeatedly
averted. The city had been pre-
viously besieged partially despoil-
ed, and some of the people deport-
ed; two kings were already in cap
tivlty; three prophets simu1tane-
ously warned and entreated. Gods
messages were numerous, empha-
tic, unmistakable. One startling
object-lesson followed another.
What more could God have done
for His vineyard that he did not
do in order to have it produce the
fruits of repentance and reforma-
ton?
But Divine instruction and dis
cipline were alike unavailing.
There was an obstinate persistence
in the setting up Of idols until the
very sanctuary was defled with
the lascivious Adonis worship.
What Ezekiel saw in the temple,
When bv the vision led,
His eyes surveyed the dark idolatries
OF alienated Judah
would justify the awful cataclysm
of the siege and capture. Her cup
of iniquity was full She knew
her duty. She did it not. There
was no alternative. She must be
beaten with many stripes.
Gods fail fell with awful and
apparently destroying blows upon
the nation, thoroughly winnowed
from the chaff Of idolatry, was
gathered in the remnant that re-
tnrned from the exile. Thus God
made the wrath of man to praise