December 1924
T H E
K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
799
Jesus wept over Jerusalem, but He also predicted its down fall. (1) THE DOMINION OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR, Ch. 24. “ And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes,” v. 14. Read in connection with this chapter 2 Chron. 36:8-21. ' God works out His own good purposes in the nations in His own good way, strange though they may seem to us; but we rest in the consciousness that the God of all the earth doeth right. Chapter 20:17 gives us the prophecy that is here fulfilled: “ Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon; nothing shall be left, saith the Lord.” . The details are all definite and trustworthy. We have emphasized what has been foretold by prophecy and prac tice. The sins of the kings are visited upon the kingdom, and Babylon can boast, but not forever. God’s way! seems long and weary, hut He is working out a program through the centuries which we will be able to understand when from the lofty heights of glory we look through the history of His dealing with a sin-cursed, sin-sick world, and are able to proclaim with the hosts of Heaven: “ Glory be to God in the highest. He doeth all things well” . (2) THE DOWNFALL OF JUDAH, Ch. 25. “ And the city was broken up,” v. 4. Jerusalem was a well fortified, strategic stronghold. (2 Sam. 5:7.) , The king of Babylon had laid siege to it for eighteen months, and we are told in Lamentations 2:20 to 4:10 why it took so long to subdue. The tongues of the children clave to the roofs of their mouths for thirst, and there was no bread. Those brought up in scarlet embraced the dunghill. Mothers ate their own children. The description of a modern bloody battlefield reads Hke the description of a flower garden compared to this descrip tion of the siege of the beloved city of God. Is the Bible true? Did God permit this? Is the wrath of God a ter rible thing? Will God punish sin? Did He pour out His wrath upon His only Son when He was hearing our sin? Is He angry with the wicked? Can the character of God change to meet the sentimental ideas of foolish people? Is every sinner a rebel against God? Here are some definitely important truths which will afford every true teacher an opportunity to drive home the lesson so greatly needed. Neither the king nor his people believed that God would deliver them up to the enemy, and yet ’ God had warned His people of this very thing. (Deut. 28:49-50): “ The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand: “ A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young.” (Also Ezek. 12:3-8.) There are some predictions concerning the days before us also, and we should know them and be governed by them. Every one of them will be as definitely fulfilled as were these predictions concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Peril ous times await our world, and God’s church and people are entitled to the warning. “ Reprove, rebuke and warn with all longsuffering” is the mandate of our Lord. Jerusalem Broken, vs. 4-8. It was night. After the long, weary days of suffering, the enemy had made a breach in the north side of the city wall, and the horde of soldiers poured through the gap. This sudden, and unexpected ap pearance of the enemy in their very midst wrought a panic
make thee no graven imagés” *** “ Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them nor serve them” ** ‘‘The Lord our God is one God” *** “ Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might” *** “ The anger of the Lord was kindled against this land to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this hook” ***“ Thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord and do all His commandments which I command thee this day.” As the young king heard these words, there came into his face a look of despair. Surely the anger of the Lord was upon him and his people, for his father had wickedly set up images and shrines all over the land, and the people were bowing down to them. They had not obeyed the commands which were written in the law of Moses. When Shaphan had finished reading the roll, the king was pacing the floor and tearing his robe in his grief. He bade Shaphan to send Hilkiah the priest and certain others to inquire of the Lord what should be done. “ For great is the anger of the Lord that is poured out upon us because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord to do all that is written in this book” , said the king. King Josiah then gathered all the elders of the people together, and they sent for all the inhabitants to come to the Temple. There, standing before the pillar in the Tem ple, King Josiah read to the people the words written in the old roll which had been found. Then he asked them to make a covenant with God to keep the commandments given. The people all stood up and promised to obey God. King Josiab sent bands of servants over all the country to destroy all the images and altars that had been built by wicked kings. When the Temple was completely re paired, King Josiah and the people gathered there and celebrated the great feast of the Passover in memory of the time when God sent Moses to delive-r the people from Egypt and lead them safely across the Red Sea. And God was pleased that the people had turned their hearts toward him. God is happy today when we obey His Word and give our hearts to the Lord Jesus, for then we are keeping His great est commandment:. “ Thou stalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” DECEMBER 28, 1924 (Lesson 65) JUDAH’S DOWNFALL AND CAPTIVITY 2 Kings. Chapters 24 and 25 Golden Text: “ Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people.” Prov. 14:34. OUTLINE: (1) The Dominion of Nebuchadnezzar, Ch. 24. (2) The Downfall of Judah, Ch. 25. INTRODUCTION: David took the city of Jerusalem from the Jebusites (2 Sam. 5:4-7) and named it the “ City of David” . God was with David, but He was not with Zedekiah, for Zedekiah did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. He had rebelled against the king of Babylon, but LESSON he had done worse than that—he had EXPOSITION rebelled against Jehovah. T. C. Horton God had been long-suffering toward Zed ekiah, as He has been towards every rebel, but “ He will not always chide; neither will He keep His anger forever.” There is a limit to His forbearance, and this is a lesson that should be taken home to every heart.
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