The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-06-15
LESSON FOR JUNE IS
the DOWNFALL OF JUDAH

/
LESSON TFxT-II Kings 8i-,.
GOLDEN TExT-Be not deceived; God
10 not Knocked. for Whatsoever . man
soweth that shall he also reap.-Gai 81
REFERENCES MATERIAL-Deut s:is-
-. d. n. 81. II chron. MILF; Luke -:
| u-u
PRIMARY roPIc-ood Furnishing Dis
obsdient People.
JUNIOR TOPIc-Tns Capture Of Jeru-
| salem
TNTERMEDIArE AND SENIOR TOPIC
| A Nation That Dtsobeyed God
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Results Of National Disobcdience to God
| Zedekiah was made king Of judah
by the king Of Babylon (24:i7), but In
spite Of this Kindness and the word
Of the Lord spoken to him by jeremiah
tJer. 3S:i7. IS: Ct. Jer. $3.50. he re
belied against the king Of Babylon. He
relied upon the help Of Egypt. but all
that Egypt could do was to cause
temporary interruption Of the siege of
Jerusalem.
I. The Ssigs Of jerusalem (vv. f-3).
I. Time OF tvv. I. y. II began on
the tenth day " the tenth month Of
the ninth year Of Zedekiahs reign and
lasted about eighteen months. The
tenth month according to the Jewish
calendar corresponds 10 our December
January. as their calendar year began
about the middle " March. The reason
the exact time Is given Is that this
was to be an event ~ great Importance
TO the Jews In their exile.
| 2. The Method ". -. Nebuchadne
zar came In person with large army
and encamped against Jerusalem and
tuilt forts against II round about. II
Is thought that siege walls were built
around the city. shutting II in. ON
the tops Of these walls forts were built
from which missiles OF destruction
could be hurled by their engines Of
war against the city. With the city
shut In its fall was only question
OF time.
3. The Famine ". ~. II Is estimat-
ed that one-third ~ the people Of Jeru-
salem died Of starvation.
%. Zsdskish's Flight and Fate wv.
40.
I. The City was Broken Up" ". ~.
The Cbaldeans had succeeded In max
ing IN opening In the wall 81 large
that they could make their way Into
the city In spite Of all that the He
brews could do. Resistance was car
ried on 10 the bitter end.
| 2. Zedekiah's Flight ~. ~. The king
with his men Of war ied by night to-
ward the plain. His object. no doubt.
was to cross the Jordan at Jericho
| and hide In the mountains east OF
| Jordan.
3. Zedekiah's Fate (vv. SD. m He
was overtaken In the plains OF Jericho
| ". 80. when his flight was discovered
the Chaldean army pursued and cap
tured him. (2) He was brought Ia
the king OF Babylon at Rlblsh ". 81.
Riblah was a town north Of Damascus
1t was the kings headquarters from
which he directed his armies against
Tyre and Jerusalem. Before Neb-
hadnezzar, Zedekiah was tried as
criminal (3) His fate ". y. His
sons were slain In his sight: his eyes
were put out he was bound with fet-
tiers Of brass: and they carried him
20 Babylon where he remained pris-
Oner until the day Of his death der.
Sid.
~. Jerusalem Destroyed wv. 800.
The dismantiing OF the city was de
layed a month, perhaps awaiting In
structions from Nebuchadnezzar. who
| was at Riblah.
| I. They Burnt the House Of the Lord
". o. This was the sacred temple
built by solomon with additions and
notifications. Before burning II they
| plundered II Of all Its sacred contents.
2 Burnt the Kings House ". ~.
! This was doubtless the palace built
by Solomon.
3. Burnt All the Houses OF Jeru.
salem ". 81. The implication Is that
| the common houses were left for the
! people ". 1O.
4. They Broke Down the Walls of
Jerusalem. The aim was TO render
the walls useless as 4 means Of de
Tense.
~. The Disposition Of the People
wv. III, ~.
I. Carried Them into Captivity w.
IL. The people who were left In the
city and those who had deserted Ia
the Babylonians were carried TO Baby
| Ion; all such as would be OF use In
Babylon.
2. The Poorest OF the Land Were
Left ". l2). The people who would
not likely make any trouble were left
as vine-dressers and husbandmen
Doubtless they were looking forward
to colonization by foreign peoples. The
object In leaving these people was that
the country might be ready for their
coming. over thsse people Gedaliah
was appointed AS governor. with head.
quarters at Mizpah.
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