T H E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S ing the streets of Jerusalem. Moreover, there is compensation as well as secur ity. What joyful fellowship Daniel must have had with the celestial visitor who shut the lions’ mouths! The grow! of the lions is unheeded and unheard when . the songs of heaven fill the soul with music. “ This is the victory that over- cometh the world even our faith.” MONDAY, July 24. Ezra 1:1-11. The Return From Exile. The prophecy of Jeremiah, ch. 29:10- 14, definitely fixes the date from which to reckon the seventy years of the cap tivity. False prophets had predicted an early return. Jeremiah denies it and even adds that those who remained in Jerusalem would be carried away into captivity. The exile began in 606 B. C. and was completed when Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 B. C. The return from exile began in 536 B. C. and the re building of the temple was completed in 516 B. C., seventy years-after its de struction. God’s clock keeps perfect time. The book of Ezra is closely re lated to the Chronicles and is a continu ation of the history recorded therein. It covers a period of about eighty years and describes more fully than any other Scripture the return of the Jews from captivity and the rebuilding of the tem ple in Jerusalem. TUESDAY, July 25. Isaiah 44:22-28. Divine Instruments. Cyrus is mentioned by name before his birth. This is a detail of predictive utterance distinctively supernatural. He was the ruler of a world kingdom. “ The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus.” Ezra 1:1. It may be that Daniel called the attention of Cyrus to the prophecy of Jeremiah. The prophets of the cap- tivity had been preparing the way for the return by fervent appeals to turn to the Lord and by prophecies of bless ings in store for Israel. Tablets have been found recording the part of Cyrus in the restoration of the Jews to their own country. Cyrus believed in and acknowledged Jehovah the God of Israel. He believed the prophecies that had I been uttered concerning himself. The end in view of the restoration was not social, industrial nor political. It was distinctively religious. The exiles re turned as the people of God. The goal of their pilgrimage is the city and tem ple of God. Their one and only desire is to worship and obey their God.
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WEDNESDAY, July 26. Ezra 2:61-70. The Return a Test of Devotion. The privilege of a return to Judah was freely offered to the exiles for their acceptance. It became a test of their piety and patriotism. The best of the Jews had been taken into captivity. There had been a seventy years’ test to prove their devotion to Jehovah, and now at its close the opportunity - was given them to endure the trials and hardships of a journey to Jerusalem and to undertake the arduous labor neces sary for rebuilding the temple and city which had been in ruins all this time. It is estimated that only one in six took advantage of this opportunity. Some were too old and feeble to make the journey, others were unwilling to pay the price. The king exhorted all who could not go to help those who could and would that the nation might be re established. They were asked to give largely and willingly. The cause was one that appealed to all. The house of God was the visible symbol that bound the nation together. THURSDAY, July 27. Lev. 26:27-36. The Captivity Foretold. The literal fulfilment of prophecy is an unanswerable argument for the in spiration of the Scriptures. The cap tivity of God’s people was not only pre dicted and retributive, it was remedial. In all their later history they never lapsed again into heathen idolatry. The' story is told of two rabbis who were crossing the hill of Zion when they saw a fox run by. Lam. 5:18. One wept at the sight, while the other smiled. He who laughed asked why the other wept. “ How can I keep from tears,” he an swered, “ when I see the Divine threat- enings against our holy city so exactly fulfilled?” “ For that reason I rejoice,” replied the other, “ for the promises of its restoration are equally plain and many. As the penalty has been literally- accomplished, we may certainly expect the fulfilment of the promises.” God’s mercies are sure and His foreknowl edge and man’s free agency work in perfect harmony, each contributing to the execution of His sovereign purpose. FRIDAY, July 28. Ezra 3:1-7. The Renewal of Sacrifice. About 50,000 exiles composed the ¿reat caravan that wended its way from Babylon to Jerusalem. Some years
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