The Red Cloud chief., 1917-08-23
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDNSQ1O0L
LESSON
(By REV. p. b. FTTZWATER, u. u,
Teacher of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago)
Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper union.)
LESSON FOR AUGUST 26.
THE CAPTIVITY OF JUDAH.

ooLDEN IEAl-hb L hNt' oa'th h"N
God. 1 have no pleasure In the
death of the wicked. Ezekiel 33:ll.
Many years after the kingdom OF
Israel was taken captive by the AS
syrians, Judah was carried away to
Babylon. Judah's captivity was 10
three stages, covering about twenty
years. The first deportation was while
JehOiaklm was king. Daniel and his
friends went into captivity, at this
time (Dan. 1910. The seventy years
captivity dates from this time. The
second deportation was while Jehoia'
kim reigned. Most likely Ezekiel was
carried away with this second COM
pany Ezekiel 1:1-2). The third de-
portation, some twelve years after h
second, Is the one described in our les
son. At this time the greater part Of
the nation was removed to Babylon.
Only the poor and unimportant were
left. Jerusalem itself was destroyed
at this time.
I. Jerusalem Besieoed wv. 1-3).
Zedekiah owed his kingship to h king
Of Babylon (chapter PAID, who ap-
pointed him to the throne after the re-
mOval Of JehOiakim. His name was
changed from Mattaniah to Zedekiah.
He was not a good man (24:19).
Though having his position by the will
IF the king of Babylon, he rebelled
against that king. He thought that by
the aid of the surrounding nations,
especially Egypt, he could throw on
he yoke Of Babylon. jeremiah coun-
,eled submission, but the king refused.
Nebuchadnezzar came In person with
Ill his host and laid siege to Jerusalem,
even building forts against 1t ". ~.
This siege lasted for about a year and
, half. For a while during that period
the Chaldean army withdrew because
Of the appearance Of Pharaoh's army
(Jer. 81 :5). Shut of from help from
without, the Jews soon were famish.
Ing for want Of bread. The horrors OF
this famine we're awful. For a descrip-
ton of 1t one should read the book OF
Lamentations. Mothers ate their W
children Uam. 4:1O). The richest, even
ladies' In silken robes, wandered about
searching for scraps In the dung heaps
(Lam. 4:5-1O). Their tongues clave
to the roofs of their mouths, and their
skins we're dried up. Added to these
horrors were murderous fights between
parties among the Jews. Some wanted
to surrender; others insisted upon
holding out.
II. zedekiah's Flight wv. ~. Al
length the city was broken up, and the
king and his warriors fled by night. His
thought was to escape to the country
beyond the Jordan. The Chaldear
army overlook him, scattered his army
and carried Zedekiah to Riblah, where
Nebuchadnezzar had his headquarters
Here judgment was passed upon him
In his trial 1t was shown that MI
solemn oath Of allegiance to the Chal
, deans had been broken, thus showing
himself a traitor (1 ChrOn. SO :13). Al
+. a punishment for his treachery his owl
!, sons were slain before him, his eye
? put out ". y, and he himself carries
{ to Babylon, where he remained a pris
oner till his death Ger. 81 :11). In TIL
D we have a marvellous fulfllment O
prophecy Ezekiel II :3), which say
u that Zedekiah shall be taken to BABY
e lon and die there and yet not see tn
u city. He could not see 1t because hi
eyes were out. Let US learn from thi
that that which God says will surel
i come to pass, even though we cannt
u explain its details.
- III. The Destruction Of the City "
:, 8-1O). Not only were the people take
H. captive, but the city itself was SUI
X jected to the utmost rigors Of wa
d They plundered the house of the Lor
the palace and the houses of the ric
IL and then consigned them to the FAM
". o.. They even broke down Il
e. walls Of Jerusalem ". 10Y and ma
u sacred many of the people (LaI
ie 2:3, A..
81 ~. Disposition Of the lnhabltan
fe and the Contents Of tho Temple "
11-21). 1. The inhabitants wv. II, l.
go They were divided into two classt
" those who had deserted to the Bah
lonians during the siege and those WI
a. were found inside Of the city at I
u time 1t was taken. Many doubtless
serted to the Babylonians during II
-. siege, as even Jeremiah was arrest
" on this charge Ger. SO :13). The pc
Of the land were left to be vine Dire
ers and husbandmen. The wealt
es and influential were taken away,
ne they would be Of value to the conqu
[or Ing nation; besides they would be
ng menace II left behind. The poor W
'rd left because pauper captives would
US q burden.
me Besides 1t was very undesira
om for the land to lie in waste, as II
Ice they could not exact tribute from
To that end encouragement was gt'
by the Babylonians as vineyards
fields" were given to the poor.
2. The contents Of the temple I
tor 1920. From the temple which
ers been twice p~lundered before III Chi
- on.H 1nN o.,oh ~ nold otluap