Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-06-14
The Downfall of Lmdnh.

also rcap.-tialatiane ~. !.
The Downfall Of Judnh.
The siege and capture OF Jcrusa m
| by NcbuchndncZzar makes a lurid and
| friGhtful page OF history. In spit"
| Of the added horrors Of pcstilencc and
| famine, the b"si"g-d held oUt with
desperate persistence for eighteen
| months. only the great natural ad-
! N.tntugrs pf their situation and tn.
| imprcgnab!" strcncth az their f"rti-
| ilCatiunS mad. il possible for them TO
| do SO. Hut they We're resisting In
vincible Nigh, and IN" mort approved
| weapons and methods ~ the times.
At superficial glance this re
volt against Babylon was as justin
able and patriotic as our American
! Revolution. and. from the human
! standpoint. not more desperate. in
! View of the prOffcrcd aid OF Egypt
| But there was ono fact sufficient to
cover IL with infamy and insure de-
| feat. II was directly contrary to the
| expressed VIII of God. And there is
no concord between impiety ana true
patriotism. The seventy- fourth
| Psalm gives vivid prophetic de-
| sCriptIon of the Siege. There was au
uncarthly din. The noises were much
! NOR" confused and piercing than in
modern warfarc-the shouts OF the
| hand to- hand combatants, the clang
of the Catapult, the whir of it's mis-
siie rhine enemies roar ia the
hrazen columns and vessels. too large
10 lac carried away whole. were
broken in pieces. They broke down
IN, The carved ,r, work with aNes and ham
ignited darts They have east nrc
into Thy sanctuary" II tn. gar
rison had been put jn The sword at
once, ana the city sacked. there would
have been loss refinement OF cruelty.
The princes We're not accorded Z! sol
dier'e death. but were executed like
| criminals: and after whole months
respite the city and temple were de-
llDCratclS ana utterly ruined
Under the study Lamp.
why such cruel fate to such ap-
tenders? Why did God thus dis
grace the throne OF His glory" In
spite OF the prophets prayer" :.
This was no hnsty or irascible judg-
inc and prccept upon nrecept. Israel
had gone into captivity FIRST that
Judah might not go. The part she
took was made hard for her that she
sake II. pestruction had been re-
pcatcdly avertcd. The city had been
previously bcSicEed. partially de-
sr"iled' and some Of The psorl. de-
captivity three prophets siinulta-
n""usly warned and entrcatcd. Gods
! messages were numerous, emphatic,
unmistakahie. One startling object
lesson followed another. What more
could God have done for His vineyard
that II. did not do In order To have 1t
produce the fruits Of repentance and
rcformatioH? But Divine instruc-
ton and discipline were alike un-
availing. There was an obstinate
persistence In the setting IN OF idols
until the very sanctuary was dcf,icd
with the lascivious Adonis Worship.
What Ezekiel saw In the temple.
when by the vision led
Ills eye surveyed the dark idolatries
/ OF alicnatcd Judah"
would Justify the awful cataclysm OF
! the siege and capture. Her cup Of
n nG"'y sn w"s aid f" Il nsn 4 Fnsw M NSr
no alternative. She must be beaten
| with many stripce. Gods naii
fell with, awful and apparently de-
after the. pitiiess threshing the
! wheat of the nation. thoroughly win
I moved from the chaff Of idolatry.
was gathered in the remnant that
| returned from the exile. Thus God
| made the wrath of man to praise Him.
! He brought everlasting good out Of
supcrlatiNc and apparently unmiXcd
/ evil.
Analysis and Key.
I /. The siege of Jerusalem.
Pcrs 'Stcnt endurance OF the gar
rison.
/ lnvinciblc might Of the besiegcrs.
| The CataClS SIN.
.. Cruel fate Of Judah justified.
| Resistance to Babylon contrary
| to Divine command.
Warnings of Providence and
prophets.
Persistence in idolatry.
Cup fun.
3. Providence brings good out Of
| evil.
| ThraShinG OF siege, capture and
captivity.
Prrsent-Dny Applications.
| Tho first quarter Of the twentieth
| century has witnessed the fall OF
more great monarchicS than any
other equal period In modern times.
Autocratic rulers have gone into oh
livion. Maps have had TO he rcmadc.
But there has been nothing hapha2-
ard or accidental about il. II has been
the operation OF inviolabie law. self
ishncss. disregard for Internal ional
equity, substitution OF might for
right have had their penalties melted
ont to them VIII the nations OF to-
ay. observing what has happened,