The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-07-28
.:l:Ess0H,FoR Jvtx$ 80
THE; FlRsTt RETURN FROM EXILE


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JUNIOR roP1c-How God Kept =
Greet Promise
1NTERMDDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
How God Kept = Great Promise.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Striking Manifestations OF Gods Provi.
l.. The Return From Captivity Pre-
dIstsd GO 1919.
It seems that false prophets were
hQprshinS in Babylon telling, the peo-
pie that they would speedily be re-
stored to their own land. TO counter
act this the Lord moved Jeremiah to
send this letter to the captives In
Babylon s(vs.; 8, 81. In this letter he
advised them to. settle down and
quietly pursue their regular callings
Of LIE and not to be led astray by the
false prophets wv. g, -. .
l.. The: length, Of the captivity
". ''10). Their. coming back was to be
after seventy years" From Daniel
90 it t. clear that seventy years
means g. definite. time. It dates from
the time when the first company was
taken captive, among which Daniel
was: fou1d.
2. Recovered by God wv. 1910.
Gods PURPOSE in, the captivity was,
to cure them Of their idolatrous prac-
tices.- HI, assured them that when His
purpose was accomplished he would
visit them. and convince them of His
good purpose toward them. When once
this was, done, they would. call upon
Him. in sincerity and He would be
found Of them. Their captivity He
would turn away; gather them from
all the nations and bring them into
their own land. o..
IT, Prediction, Of Captivity Full.
nlled (Ezra 1:1.11).
/: The proclamation Of Cyrus
wv. "1.N. Q) This was not by ac-
cident, but that the word Of the Lord
might be fulfilled w. H.: What God
has promised He will do; He never
fprgets. Wherever we find 4 promise
which He hath made we can rest upon
it; He will make good. (2) by divine
initiation ". ~. THE Lord stirred UP
the spirit Of. Cyrus" How this .was
done We do not know. Possibly Daniel
brought to his attention the prophecy
Of Isaiah and jeremiah Elsa. A :2S;
Jer. 2o:12). Every impulse to do good
In all men is caused by the ,Lord-even
heather king who may not have been
conscious Of doing His WILL. at Gods
appointed time took the initiative in
this. matter. It may have been that
Cyrus only saw his Dawn action as q
piece OF statecraft-the creation Of q
bu6er state nation between his King
dom and that Of Egypt. Be that as
It may, God. stirred him up to do His
will. ~ The content of His proclama-
ton wv. 2-4). (a) 1.-The Lord God Of
heaven hath charged me to build Him
u house in Jerusalem" ". p. This
makes clear that he had some impress
sion. Of Gods hand upon him. TO- APP
peal to Jewish patriotism ". -. He
invokes Gods blessing upon such as
possess the national religious feelin
and commands them to 20 and build
the house Of the Lord God. (c) Lend
assistance ". ~. Many Of the Jews
were established In business and there
fore. were not free to 90. Many, DO
doubt had lost their national spirit
and therefore were not anxious to 80.
All such were to lend friendly as.
sistance In silver. gold and beasts
Those who cannot 30 to do Gods work
should strengthen the hands Of those
who do so.
2: The response of Cyrus proclaim
alton wv. s, 81. The chief Of the
fathers Of Judah and Benjamin and
the priests and Levites presented them
selves as willing and ready to 60.
The company which returned was
largely made up Of representatives Of
Judah and Benjamin..
3. Tie royal favor wv. 7.11)
Cyrus brought forth the vessels Of the
house Of the Lord which Nebuchadnez.
gar had brought forth out Of Jeru.
salem and put into the house Of his
gods. This was q great encourage.
ment to every loyal Jew whose heart
had been grieved over the PROCLAMATION
Ut these sacred vessels. Now to have
$500 OF these vessels returned to their
owners and sent back to Jerusalem to
be put to their original use. met
hearty response by the Jews.
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