The Dolores star., 1924-05-30
Lesson for June l
THE BAsYLoNiAN EXILE OF
JUDAH

JUDAH
LESSON TExT-II Chron. 3s:11-2l.
GOLDEN TEXT-"Righteousnes ex-
alteth nation: but sin is a reproach
to any people."-Prov. 14:34.
PRIMARY TOPIC-What Boy King
Did.
JUNIOR ToPIC-The Destruction of
Jerusalem.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-The Last Days of Jerusalem.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
Ic-A Nation in Ruins.
I. The Sins Of the Nation wv.
11-16).
/. Zedeliah. the King wv. 11-13).
"a Insubordinatlon to Gods prophet
". 12). In the theocratlc government
of Israel Gods prophet occupied
higher place than the king himself.
The prophet was Gods messenger. In
stead of receiving jeremiah as Gods
messenger and conforming his life to
Gods will, as made known by the
prophet he refused to humble him
self before God.
(2) Rebellion against Nebuchadnez-
zar ". 13). Zedekiah was made king
VI ny tilt ming VI lhng loh buls
in spite of this kindness and the word
of the Lord spoken to him by Jere-
miah Ger. S:17, 1S; 52:3), he re-
beIled against the king Of Babylon.
(3) He stiffened his neck and
hardened his heart against God ".
13). Those who rebel against rightly
constituted authority soon are resist
fnp tho Will nF Cod
9. The Priests and People wv.
14-16).
G) They followed the heather (v.
14). Even the priests who ministered
In the house of God were practicing
the sins of the heather nations sur
rounding them.
(2) They polluted the house of the
Lord ". 14). The house of the Lord
was sacred. having been dedicated to
the Lord and consecrated to His serv-
ice. For priests to ofliciate while liv-
ing lives of impurity was pollution to
Gods house.
(3) They Knocked Gods messengers
". 16). Instead of receiving them as
from God, they Knocked them.
(D They despised Gods word ".
| ICY. To set at naught Gods counsel
| Is to despise His word (Prov. :25).
(5) Misused Gods prophets ". 1G).
| They not only Knocked them but i'm
prisoned some and slew others. This
they persisted in until God could no
| longer restrain His wrath.
u. The Judgment Falls wv. 17-2D.
| /. Slaughter by the Sword ". 1D.
So severe did this judgment fall that
the King OF the Chaldees slew young
men even In the house of the sanctu-
ary and "had no compassion upon
| young man or maiden. old man or him
that stopped for age"
2. The Treasures and Sacred YES
sells Carried to Babylon ". 1S). This
/ included, not only the treasures of the
house of the Lord, but of the king and
his princes.
O. Burned the House Of God ". 19).
This was the sacred temple built by
Solomon with certain additions and
notifications.
4. Broke Down the Walls of Jerusa-
lem ". 19). The aim in this was to
render the walls useless as n means of
|
| defense.
5. Burned the Palaces ". 10Y. 1t
would seem that the common houses
were left for the poor people who re-
manned in the land.
| G. Destroyed All the Goodly Vessels
". 19). This would mean that the
| palaces were plundered of oil that was
valuable.
| Z. Carried the People Into Captivity
and Made. Slaves of Them w. 20).
Those who had escaped the sword
were now carried away and enslaved.
1t would seem that number of peo-
pie had deserted to the Babyloniuns
From II Kings 25:12 we learn that
| the poorest of the people were left in
the land Those who would not like.
ly make any trouble were left as vine-
dressers and husbandmen. Since the
custom was to colonize conquered ter
ritory by foreign peoples, the object
in leaving the poor people was that
the country might be ready and over
these people Gedallah was appointed
with headquarters at Mizpeh. When
| the walls were broken Zedekiah fled
by night, his object being doubtless to
cross the Jordan at Jericho and hide
In the mountains east of Jordan. He
was overtaken In the plains of Jericho
U1 Kings $3.50 by the Chaldean
army. He was captured and taken tc
the king of Babylon who was at Rib
lah. town north of Damascus. Zede.
kinh was tried before Nebuchadnez
znr, his eyes were put out, he was
bound with fetters Of brass, and car
red away to Babylon, where he re
manned a prisoner until the day OF
| bis danth (Jer 6o.11l