The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-10-13
LESSON FOR OCTOBER |.
RETURNING FROM cAPrlv,.
LESSON TFXT-E,ra

GOLDEN lE.AI-The Lord HAN
great things for US; whereof wa A..
Psalms 1858. II
Israel went into captivity bec,r,. :.
her sins. The time Of her dlscipID.s
process was about to end, rs n,
pose was now accomplished: mana.
the cure of Isruel's idolatry. 70
since the Babylonian captivity the ~
brew people have been worshina,. !.
the one God. MOnotheism has s,.'.
forth as vital characteristic N.
main reason for the Jews malnten.,.
of racial identity in spite of their !.
tlonal dislocatiOn and the breakin, :
of their social ties, is the unity Of M,
faith, around the one God.
.. The Proclamation Of cyrw N
1-4).
(D The Time of ". ~. The An
year Of Cyrus; that Is the first Va,
after his conquest of Babylon.
(2) How 1t Was Brought About N
~. The Lord stirred up his sulre
The Lord often uses very unlkeh
agents In the accomplishment Of Nm
purposes. There is nothing too hars
for him. He can readily use heaih,
king to- accomplish his purpose n.
can find a way Of approach to ann
heart. Likely Daniel was the agpu
used to bring the matter to the king,
attention. Daniel was still the inap.
entail prime minister Of Babyla
From his study Of the prophecies d
Jeremiah (Jer. 25 ~; Isa. 45:l; con
pare Daniel 9:2). he knew that In
time was near for the return Of In
people to their own land. so he lksr
brought the matter to the attention d
the king and persuaded him to thu
favor his people.
t3) Its Contents (vv. 24).
(a) A confession Of the true CD
(vv. 2. 81.
lie acknowledges him to be the Col
Of heaven, the Most High, the Suprens
God. a God of goodness. He declared
"He has given me all the kingdoms d
the EARTH" and that God had with 20
thority laid upon him the charge q
building him house at Jerusalem.
Cd A Generous Permission to Isras
". 81. All who desired to go up \
Jerusalem and build the Lords hous
were permitted to go. He even con
manded the blessing of the Lord to B
upon them.
(c) A Positive Cooperation ". 4
None were obliged to go up, but pa
tive obligation was laid upon tho'
who did not go up to render assistant
to those who did. They were to a
in the building of the house Of God
giving money. beasts and goods.
was more than a free-will offering,
obligation In addition thereto. The 0
legation was even wider than the pc
pie of Israel. The heather were ask
to render aid.
~. Response to the Proclamation
Cyrus wv. 5. O..
(1) BY Israel ". 81. Strange to s
the decree of Cyrus was not met VI
great enthusiasm. Only small nu
Der, chiefly from Judah and Benjam
returned ". 81. For most OF them
meant giving up business interests,
t1,oy hoI catttad down IN tho ragii
callings Of life. Besides the sa'
flee of business interests II invol'
great risks as to the future. The
tire company. including. servants,
about fifty thousand e :64). or
company we note the following d
sions; first. chiefs of the fathers
Judah and Benjamin, that Is ma
trates; second. priests and Levi
leaders In religion; third, skillful
tificers. head workmen.
(2) BY Their Neighbors ". O.. I
response was apparently more hef
than that of the Jews themsel
Their neighbors gave freely of gold,
yer. beasts and goods. God hnd
only graciously disposed the heart
! Cyrus toward his people, but
found peculiar favor from their ne
bors. so that their wants were abb
antly supplied.
III. Restoration Of the Sacred
GELS wv. lid. These vessels had
carried away to Babylon many "
before. Little did ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
alize that he would put into safe X
ing the vessels which would be nee
ut this time. They were carefully n
bered and turned over to the pr'
officers. Except for their desecra
In Belshazzar's feast. they were I
the worst for having been carried ny
These were brought up to Jerusa