Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1911-08-24

TIME.-B. C. 5S6, July. The 18th year of
Zedekiah, the 9th day Of the 4th month.
PLACE.-Jerusalem. Also the surround
ing country. Nebuchadnezzar was at Rib
lah In Klamath in northern Syria. The
captives were taken to Babylonia.
The Route OF the captives was not d.
rectly east through the desert, but north
ward through Syria to the Euphrates.
thence southeast down the river to
Babylonia.
Egypt. Ezekiel on the river Chebar. 1.-THE
grand canal" southeast of tho city Of
Babylon. Daniel in Babylon.
NeDuchadnezzar was q great gen.
eral In COS. in his first seige Of Jeru-
salem, and became sole emperor B. G.
6O4. He made Babylon glorious dur
ing his reign of 40 years. He was In
his 18th year when no began this
siege.
Jerusalem was at this time q city
OF 10000 Inhabitants. Against the
huge engines Of Asiatic warfare the
besieged citizens constructed counter
engines; and the struggle was worthy
OF the oscasion-a combat or duel not
only Of courage, but Of skill and intel.
ligence. between Babylon and Jeru-
salem. Houses were demolished, that
new walls might be built of their ma
~terials, inside each spot weakened by
the battering-rams.
The ramparts were vigorously de-
Tended by archers and singers, equal
In bravery to those Of the Chaldeans.
The rams were caught, when possible.
by doubled chains or ropes to weaken
their blows. or, II 1t might be, to cap
size them. Lighted torches and fire.
brands were thrown on their roofs
and on those Of the c~atapults, to set
them on FIRE. The gates Of the town
were z~ealously defended against the
efforts Of the enemy to burst them
open or to burn them.
At last there was no food for the
people, and famine prevailed.
The houses were full Of the sick and
wounded; bloody fights between con.
tending parties, as to surrendering or
holding out. crowded the streets with
fresh horrors; the oar Of the siege
night and day filled the air. A breach
was made In the city, at midnight.
The princes Of the king Of Babylon
came in. the generals and high OH.
Gals, Nebuchnezzar himself was at
Riblah in Klamath and the Chaldeans
burned the kings house, and the hous-
ss Of the people. with fire, and brake
down the walls Of Jerusalem.
The king Of the Chaldees slew their
young men with the sword in the
house of their sanctuary. and had no
compassion upon young man or maid
en- old man, or him that stopped for
age; he gave them all into his hand.
And they burnt the house Of God.
They slew the son of Zedekiah be.
fore his eyes, 10 that the last things
his eyes eve saw, a perpetual men,
ory, were the agonies Of his sons. and
OF his friends. all the mobiles Of Judah.
They put out Zedekiah's eyes. He
would have no more opportunities Of
%conspiring against his rulers.
God spoke by the tongue of Ezekiel
one Of the most mysterious and most
curious predictions in the entire Bible.
He declared that King Zedekiah
should be led into Bablon a captive.
should there live and there die, and
yet he should never see the city. So
singular 10 this record that We must
read the verses Just as he wrote them
out. Now put with this a parallel
passage. jeremiah was thrown into
prison by his monarch. While there
under bonds. he in like manner pre-.
dicted the downfall of Jerusalem; and
no said that Zedekiah should speak
with Nebuchadnezzar mouth to mouth,
and see his eyes. The history we
have Just considered shows how these
prophecies were fulfilled and the cap
tives carried to Babylon.
The way OF Transgressors Is the
choice Of those who walk In It. God,
good men, angels, laws, all are against
any mans walking therein. The way
of transgressors is hard indeed. be-
cause Of the awful punishment at the
end Of the way. Like the human VIC
tim selected for sacrifice by the Az
tees, who for weeks wac feasted and
honored, but who knew all the time
what the end was to be. So the sim
full know that the emo OF their way
Is death, and the consciousness Of
this throws q shadow over all the life
before. The ruin from sin is an awful
tragedy; but whenever sin goes un-
punished the sin increases, Murders
have greatly increased In this coun-
try, where the majority OF murderers
90 unpublished.
The way Of transgressors Is very