The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-11-14
IMPROVED "
UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
CUNDAyH
OCHOOL Lesson
BY REV. p. B. FITZWATER. D. D.,
Member of Faculty, Moody Bible
Institute of Chicago.
g Western Newspaper Union.
Lesson for November II
THE RETURN FROM CAPTIVITY

IZO.1-Os
GOLDEN TEXT-The Lord hath done
great things for US, whereof we are
glad. Psalm 1868.
PRIMARY TOPIC-A New Song.
JUNIOR FORTHCOMING Home Re-
joicing.
TOPIC-Making a Fresh Start.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT
TOPIC-Thanksgivi for Gods Care.
1. The Return Predicted Ger. 29:1-
14).
1t seems that false prophets were
fourishing in Babylon telling the peo-
pie that they would speedily be re-
stored to their own land. 10 coun-
teract this the Lord moved jeremiah
to send this letter to the captives in
Babylon wv. s, 81. In this letter he
advised them to settle down and
quietly pursue their regular callings
of life and not to be led astray by the
false prophets wv. 6, y.
1. The length of the captivity ".
10Y. Their coming back was to be
"after seventy years." From Daniel
90 it is clear that seventy years
means a definite time. 1t dates from
the time when the first company was
taken captive, among which Daniel
was found.
2. Recovered by God wv. 1910.
Gods purpose in the captivity was to
cure them of their idolatrous practices.
He assured them that when his pur-
pose was accomplished he would visit
them and convince them Of his good
purpose toward them. Their captivity
he would turn away, gather them from
all the nations, and bring them into
their own land.
II. The Predicted Captivity Fulfilled
ezra :1-6).
l. The proclamation Of Cyrus wv.
1-4).
a. This was not by accident, but
that the word of the Lord might be
fulfilled ". u. What God has prom
ised he will do; he never forgets.
b. By divine initiation ". y. "The
Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus"
How this was done we do not know.
Possibly Daniel brought to his atten-
ton the prophecy of Isaiah and Jere-
miah Elsa. A :2S; Jer. % :12). Every
impulse to do good in all men is caused
by the Lord. 1t may have been that
Cyrus only saw his own action as
piece of statecraft-the creation of a
buffer nation between his kingdom
and that Of Egypt.
C. The content of his proclamation
wv. 2-4).
Cd 1.-The Lord God of heaven hath
charged me to build him a house in
Jerusalem" ". y. This makes clear
that he had some impression of Gods
hand upon him.
(2) Appeal to Jewish, patriotism ".
81. He inyokes upon such as possess
the national religious feeling, the
blessing of God, and commands them
to 20 and build the house of the Lord
God.
(3) Lend assistance ". ~. Many of
the Jews were established in business
and therefore were not free to go.
Many, no doubt, had lost their nation
al spirit and therefore did not desire
to 90. All such were to lend friendly
assistance in silver, gold, and beasts.
2. The response to Cyrus proclama-
ton wv. 5. g.. The chief Of the IA
theirs of Judah and Benjamin and the
priests and Levites presented them
selves as willing and ready to go.
The company which returned was
largely made up of representatives of
Judah and Benjamin.
3. The royal favor tvv. 7-11). Cyrus
brought forth the vessels Of the house
of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar
had carried away from Jerusalem and
put into the house of his gods. Now
to have 5,40O Of these vessels returned
to their owners and sent back to Jeru-
salem to be put to their original use.
met hearty response by the Jews.
III. The Gladness and Rejoicing Of
the Returning Exiles FPS. 126:1-6).
1. The proclamation Of Cyrus as
dream ". ~. They recognized that
their going back was through the favor
of the Lord.
2. Their laughter and singing wv.
2, 81. They not only recognized this
as the favor of the Lord upon them,
but testified thereof in the hearing of
the heather round about them.
8. Their prayer for prosperity in the
land ". ~. They were not only going
back with the consciousness Of the
good hand of the Lord upon them, but
were trusting him for fruitfulness Of
the land.
a. Sowing in tears wv. 5, g.. The
seed which they were to SOW in the
land was so precious that they seemed
to have hesitated as to sowing, and
yet they recognized that Joy would
follow their sorrow as they brought
Al