The Raymer enterprise., 1911-10-05
The Return
From Captivity
solay seAssl l.ssss f., 0e.. IS, 1911
Specially Arranged for This Paper
Specially Arranged for This Papsr
LESSON TExT-Ezra 1:l-u; 2:s4.7o.

LESSON TEXT-Ezra I'LL; 2:64-70.
MEMORY VERSES-l:3, 4.
GOLDEN TEXT-"He reta!neth not his
anger forever, because he delighteth in
mercy."-Mic. 7:ls.
T1ME-Cyrus takes Babylon tss.s. His
decree OF return 53S.7. First return, under
Zerubbabel. 6,7s
PLACE-Babylon and vinclnity. Jerl-
salem. And the long journey between.
RULERS-cyrus was king Of Babylon,
and q large part Of the East. Zerubbabel
called also sheshbaxzar (Ezra 1:s; 2:2
from Babylon became the ruler Of Jeru-
salem.
! MONUMENTS-On stone tablets and
cylinders. are written records of these
days.
The Cyrus Cylinder. found at Babylon
In 1879. now In British Museum.
The Nabonidus cylinders. In British Mu-
scum. %
Annalistic tablet Of Cyrus, a proclama-
ton by him. written shortly after his
conquest of Babylon.
There were three eras Of captivity
for the children of Israel as there
were several eras Of return. The first
captivity was by Nebuchadnezzar,
when Daniel and his friends were car
ried captive. Seventy years from this
brings US to B. c. 536, the time Of
the completion Of the return described
in this lesson.
Nebuchadnezzar again captured the
city, sent great amount Of treasures
from the palace and the temple to
Babylon. with 10000 Of the more i'm.
portant Of the people. Among these
were the prophet Ezekiel and the
great-grandfather of Mordecai, Queen
Esther's cousin. The third captivity
was also by Nebuchadnezzar, who,
after siege Of year and a half, in
July, 6S6, completely destroyed the
city and the temple. Seventy years
from this time brings us to the com,
pletion of the temple, B. G. 615.
The discipline Of the exile has &C
complished Its purpose 80 far that II
is wise and safe to permit q large
number to return and renew the an
cient nation. 1t would be useless to
bring back to Judea people who would
commit the same sins which made the
exile necessary and who had moi
learned to some extent the lessons
which their hard discipline was sent
to teach.
The power Of idolatry was forever
broken. They never again yielded tc
its destinations. They were taught tc
set q new value on the filling of all
the forms Of worship with the spirit
OF religion. God had allowed even the
city which was the type Of heaven and
the most glorious temple dedicated tc
his worship to be destroyed wher
these became substitute for true re
ligion instead Of an aid to 1t. The,
were also taught by their absence the
value and necessity Of religious insti
tutions, Of the means Of worship, Of
the Sabbath day.
1t led to renewed study Of the sa
cred Scriptures. The exile was thu
period In which the guardianship
transcription and study Of the writer
Scriptures became the special care
OF a distinct class, afterwards famous
as the great order Of the scribes. II
led, also, to the establishment of the
synagogue for social worship and read
Ing Of the Scriptures. with its accom-
panying schools.
The captivity served as a mission
airy scheme to spread the knowledge
OF God over the world. 1t was an aid
in preparing the world for the com
ing Of the Lord Jesus Christ and fol
the spread Of the gospel by the apos
ties. Thus there was the promised
land, the homeland the center of re.
ligious life. and the dispersion as an
agency In every country Of the known
world.
The journey home and the whole
movement may be made most real ia
all. and especially to children, by
tracing the journey on the map. Note
the great rivers to be crossed without
bridges, the desert lands, the savage
tribes, the countries of their old enc
mics. the rugged mountains to be
traversed, hunger. thirst and pain, the
long weary months Of travel on foot
and the desolate city and devastated
homes at the end Of their journey.
II we may trust later traditions, the
setting out Of the captivity" for Pal.
estine was Joyous In the extreme. An
escort of 1000 cavalry accompanied
them, for protection against the des.
ert Arabs. then as now given to plum.
der, and they started TO the music Of
tabrets and flutes. Forth from the
gates Of Babylon they rode, to the
sound Of joyous music-a band Of
horssmen playing on flutes and tab.
rets, accompanied by their own 200
minstrel slaves and 1913 singers Of the
temple. responding to the prophets
voice. a. they quilted the shade of the
gigantic walls and found themselves
in the open desert beyond. go ye out