Blackboard Outline.
I. Gen. Asp. Kin. Jud.1. Terr. Tri. Jud. 3,435 m. 2. Gov. mon. 3. Rel. 1.) Jeh. 2.) Idol.II. Dur. Kin.1. Ret. sit. 2. Un. peo. 3. Conc. Jer. 4. Rev. Ho. Dav. 5. Pur. rel.III. Per. Hist.1. Fir. dec. rev. 1.) Dec. Reho. Abi. 2.) Rev. As. Jehosh.2. Sec. dec. rev. 1.) Dec. 200 y. 2.) Rev. Hez.3. Thi. dec. rev. 1.) Dec. Man. 2.) Rev. Jos.4. Fin. dec. fal. 1.) Ris. Bab. 2.) Des. Jer.
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW.
What was embraced in the kingdom of Judah?What was its area?How was it governed?What was its religion?What was associated with the worship of Jehovah?What was the religious tendency of the people?How long did the kingdom of Judah last?What were the causes of this duration?What were the periods in its history?Under what kings was the first decline?Who led in a revival and reformation?Who was the greatest of the kings of Judah?What took place during the second decline?Who was the usurping queen?What did this queen try to do?Who wrought the second great reformation?What was the character of this king?What great destruction of Judah's enemies took place at this time?Which reign was both longest, wickedest, and most evil in its results?Who attempted a third reformation?What was the result of his endeavor?What was the political cause of the fall of Judah?By what nation and by what king was Jerusalem finally destroyed?
Subjects for Special Papers.
History of the Tribe of Judah.The House of David.The Religion of Judah.The Prophets of Judah.Ancient Jerusalem.The Kingdom of Judah in Relation to Egypt and Assyria.
SOLOMON'S DOMINIONS, THE KINGDOMS OF JUDAH & ISRAEL AND THE LANDS of the CAPTIVITIES
THE CAPTIVITY OF JUDAH.
I. We must distinguish between theCAPTIVITY OF ISRAEL, or the ten tribes, andTHAT OF JUDAH.
1. The captivity of Israel took place B. C. 721, that of Judah B. C. 587. The southern kingdom lasted one hundred and thirty-four years longer than the northern.
2. Israel was taken captive by the Assyrians under Sargon; Judah by the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar.
3. Israel was taken to the lands south of the Caspian Sea (2 Kings 17. 6); Judah to Chaldea, by the river Euphrates (Psa. 137. 1).
4. Israel never returned from its captivity, which was the end of its history; but Judah was brought back from its captivity and again became a flourishing state, though subject to foreign nations during most of its after history.
II. There wereTHREE CAPTIVITIESof Judah, all in one generation and all under one Chaldean king, Nebuchadnezzar:
1.Jehoiakim's captivity.(B. C. 607.) Jehoiakim was the son of Josiah, placed upon the throne after the battle of Megiddo, in which Josiah perished (2 Kings 23. 34). In the war between Pharaoh-nechoh of Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar (then joint king of Babylon with his father Nabopolassar) Jehoiakim, as a vassal of Nechoh, aided the Egyptians. After the defeat of Nechoh, Nebuchadnezzar marched to punish Jehoiakim. He was called away from the siege of Jerusalem by the death of his father and the necessity of hastening to Babylon to assume the government. Jehoiakim was spared, but a number of the nobles of Judah were taken to Babylon, perhaps as hostages for the king's good conduct. For three years Jehoiakim obeyed Nebuchadnezzar; then he rebelled, but was speedily reduced to subjection, and many of theleading people among the Jews were carried captive to Babylon (2 Kings 24. 1, 2). Among these captives was Daniel the prophet (Dan. 1. 1-6). From this event theseventy yearsof the captivity were dated (Jer. 27. 22; 29. 10), though the kingdom of Judah remained for twenty years longer. Jehoiakim, the king, was not taken away, though bound in chains for that purpose (2 Chron. 36. 6); he reigned several years after this event, but under suspicion of the Chaldeans, and his end was ignoble (Jer. 22. 18, 19; 36. 30).
2.Jehoiachin's captivity.(B. C. 598.) Jehoiachin was the son of Jehoiakim (called Jeconiah, 1 Chron 3. 16; Jer. 24. 1; and Coniah, Jer. 22. 24). He reigned only three months, and was then deposed by Nebuchadnezzar and carried to Babylon. With the young king and the royal family were taken thousands of the people of the middle classes, whom the land could ill spare (2 Kings 24. 8-16). Among these captives was Ezekiel, the prophet-priest (Ezek. 1. 1-3).
3.Zedekiah's captivity.(B. C. 587.) He was the uncle of Jehoiachin, and the son of the good Josiah (2 Kings 24. 17), and had been made king by Nebuchadnezzar. But he too rebelled against his master, to whom he had taken a solemn oath of fidelity (2 Chron. 36. 13). The Chaldeans were greatly incensed by these frequent insurrections, and determined upon a final destruction of the rebellious city. After a long siege Jerusalem was taken, and the king was captured while attempting flight. He was blinded and carried away to Babylon, the city was destroyed, and nearly all the people left alive were also taken to the land of Chaldea (2 Kings 25. 1-11). After this captivity the city lay desolate for fifty years, until the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus (B. C. 536).
III. Let us ascertain theCAUSES OF THE CAPTIVITY; why the Jews were taken up bodily from their own land and deported to a distant country.
1. Such deportations were a frequentpolicy of Oriental conquerors. The Orientals had three ways of dealing witha conquered people: that of extermination or wholesale butchery, which is frequently described upon the Assyrian monuments; that of leaving them in the land under tribute, as subjects of the conqueror; and that of deporting themen masseto a distant land. Frequently, when the interests of the empire would be served by changing the population of a province, this plan was carried out. Thus the ten tribes were carried to a land near the Caspian Sea, and other people were brought to Samaria in their place (2 Kings 17. 6, 24). A similar plan with respect to Judah was proposed by Sennacherib (2 Kings 18. 31, 32), but was thwarted by the destruction of the Assyrian host.
2. We have already noticed another cause of the captivity in the frequentrebellions of the kings of Judahagainst the authority of Babylon. The old spirit of independence, which had made Judah the leader of the twelve tribes, was still strong, and it was fostered by the hope of universal rule, which had been predicted through centuries, even while the kingdom was declining. The prophets, however, favored submission to Babylon; but the nobles urged rebellion and independence. Their policy was pursued, and the unequal strife was taken up more than once. The rebellions always failed; but after several attempts the patience of Nebuchadnezzar was exhausted, and the destruction of the rebellious city and the deportation of the population was ordered.
3. But underneath was another and a deeper cause—inthe rivalry of Egypt and Babylon. Whenever in history one nation has been dominant there has been another nation, next in strength, as its rival to check its supremacy. Thus Greece stood in the way of Persia, Carthage in the way of republican Rome, and Parthia in the way of imperial Rome. In the earlier days Assyria (and after Assyria Babylon) was the controlling power in the East; but it was always opposed by Egypt, which, though less powerful, was yet strong enough to be dangerous to Assyrian or Chaldean supremacy. Palestinestood on the border of the Assyrian Empire toward Egypt; and in Palestine there were two parties, the Assyrian and the Egyptian; one counseling submission to Assyria, the other seeking alliance with Egypt against Assyria (Isa. 31. 1-3; 37. 6). After Babylon took the place of Nineveh the Chaldean party took the place of the Assyrian, as the Chaldean Empire was the successor of the Assyrian Empire. The prophets, led by Jeremiah, always counseled submission to Babylon, and warned against trusting to Egypt, which had never given any thing more than promises; but the nobles were of the Egyptian party, and constantly influenced the kings to renounce the yoke of Babylon, and to strike for independence by the aid of Egypt. Under Egyptian influence the later kings of Judah made attempt after attempt to rebel against the Chaldean Empire. But the expected help from Egypt never came, and Judah was left again and again to suffer the wrath of Babylon (Jer. 37. 5-9). The necessity of making the frontier of the Chaldean Empire safe on the side toward Egypt was the political cause for the deportation of the tribe of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar dared not to leave a people on the soil who would constantly endanger the entrance to his dominions by plotting with the Egyptians. He therefore took up the Jews bodily, placed them in the center of his empire, and turned the land of Judah into a desolation.
4. There was underlying all these political reasons a moral cause inthe divine purpose to discipline the nation. The captivity was a weeding-out process, to separate the precious from the vile, the false from the true, the "remnant" from the mass. There had always been two distinct elements in Israel and Judah—the spiritual, God-fearing few, and the worldly, idol-worshiping many. The worldly and irreligious took part in the resistance to the King of Babylon; and the worshipers of Jehovah, led by the prophets, urged submission. As a result, the nobles and the warriors, for the most part, perished; while the better part, the strength andhope of the nation, were carried away captive. Notice that the captives were mainly of the middle class, the working element (2 Kings 24. 14-16). Those who had submitted to the Chaldeans were also taken away (2 Kings 25. 11). The prophet expressed greater hope for those taken away than for those left behind (Jer. 24. 1-10). The captives were the root of Judah, out of which in due time a new nation should rise.
IV.THE CONDITION OF THE CAPTIVES IN CHALDEAwas far better than we are apt to suppose.
1. They receivedkind treatment; were regarded not as slaves or prisoners, but as colonists. At a later captivity by the Romans the Jews were sold as slaves and dispersed throughout the empire. Such wholesale enslavement was common after a conquest. For some reason the Chaldeans did not enslave the Jews at the time of their conquest, but colonized them as free people. This may have been because the captives as a class were of the "Chaldean party" among the Jews, and hence were treated in a measure as friends. The letter of Jeremiah to the exiles (Jer. 29. 1-7) shows that they were kindly dealt with in Chaldea. Some of them were received at the court and rose to high station in the realm (Dan. 1. 1-6).
2.Their organization was maintained.The exiles were not merged into the mass of the people where they were living, but retained their own system, and were recognized as a separate colony. Their dethroned kings had a semi-royal state, and at death an honorable burial (Jer. 52. 31-34; 34. 4, 5). The captives were governed by elders, rulers of their own nation (Ezek. 8. 1; 14. 1; 20. 1). Such a system is still pursued in the East, where the government is according to race as well as according to locality; that is, the different races in one province will each have separate rulers. There was a "prince of Judah" at the close of the captivity (Ezra 1. 8). This fact of a national organization was a fortunate one for the exiles. If they had been dispersed as slavesthroughout the empire, or even had been scattered as individuals, they would soon have been merged among the Gentiles, and would have lost their identity as a people. But maintaining as a separate race, and in Jewish communities, they were readily gathered for a return to their own land when the opportunity came.
3.Their law and worship were observed.There were no sacrifices, for these could be offered only at Jerusalem in the temple. But the people gathered for worship and for the study of the law far more faithfully than before the exile; for adversity is a school of religious character far more than prosperity. The exile would naturally exert an influence in the direction of religion. While the irreligious and idolatrous among the captives would soon drop out of the nation and be lost among the Gentiles, the earnest, the spiritual, and the God-fearing would grow more intense in their devotion. The institutions which date from the captivity (noticed below, under "Results of Captivity") are an evidence of this fact.
4.They were instructed by prophets and teachers.Jeremiah lived for some time after the beginning of the captivity, made a visit to Babylon, and wrote at least one letter to the exiles (Jer. 13. 4-7; 29. 1-3). Daniel lived during the captivity, and, though in the court, maintained a deep interest in his people, and comforted them by his prophecies. Ezekiel was himself one of the captives, and all his teachings were addressed to them (Ezek. 1. 1-3). Many evangelical and eminent Bible scholars are of the opinion that the latter part of Isaiah, from the fortieth chapter to the end, was given by a "later Isaiah" during the exile; but whether written at that time or earlier, it must have circulated among the captives and given them new hope and inspiration. The radical change in the character of the Jews which took place during this period shows that a great revival swept over the captive people and brought them back to the earnest religion of their noblest ancestors.
5.Their literature was preserved and enlarged.Internal evidence shows that the Books of the Kings were finished and the Books of the Chronicles written at this time or soon afterward; the Books of Daniel, Ezekiel, Habakkuk, and other of the minor prophets were given; and a number of the best psalms were composed during this epoch, as such poems are likely to be written in periods of trial and sorrow. Out of the many psalms we cite Psalms 124, 126, 129, 130, 137, as manifestly written during the captivity. The exile was an age of life and vigor to Hebrew literature.
V.THE RESULTS OF THE CAPTIVITY.In the year 536 B. C. the city of Babylon was taken by Cyrus, King of the combined Medes and Persians. One of his first acts was to issue an edict permitting the exiled Jews to return to their own country and rebuild their city. Not all the Jews availed themselves of the privilege, for many were already rooted in their new homes, where they had been for two generations. But a large number returned (Ezra 2. 64), and re-established the city and state of the Jews. The captivity, however, left its impress upon the people down to the end of their national history, and even to the present time.
1.There was a change in language, from Hebrew to Aramaic or Chaldaic. The books of the Old Testament written after the restoration are in a different language from the earlier writings. After the captivity the Jews needed an interpreter in order to understand their own earlier Scriptures. Allusion to this fact is given in Neh. 8. 7. The Chaldee of Babylon and the Hebrew were sufficiently alike to cause the people during two generations to glide imperceptibly from one to the other, until the knowledge of their ancient tongue was lost to all but the scholars.
2.There was a change in habits.Before the captivity the Jews were a secluded people, having scarcely any relation with the world. The captivity brought them into contact with other nations, and greatly modified their mannerof living. Hitherto they had been mostly farmers, living on their own fields; now they became merchants and traders, and filled the world with their commerce. Rarely now do we find a Jew who cultivates the ground for his support. They are in the cities, buying and selling. This tendency began with the Babylonian captivity, and has since been strengthened by the varied experiences, especially by the persecutions of the Jews during the centuries.
3.There was a change in character.This was the most radical of all. Before the captivity the crying sin of Judah, as well as of Israel, was its tendency to idolatry. Every prophet had warned against it and rebuked it; reformers had risen up; kings had endeavored to extirpate, but all in vain; the worshipers of God were the few, the worshipers of idols were the many. After the captivity there was a wonderful transformation. From that time we never read of a Jew bowing his knee before an idol. The entire nation was a unit in the service of Jehovah. Among all the warnings of the later prophets, and the reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah, there is no allusion to idolatry. That crime was utterly and forever eradicated; from the captivity until to-day the Jews have been the people of the one, invisible God, and intense in their hatred of idols. We may not know all the causes of this change, but some of them were: 1.) The fact that the idolatrous element largely perished, and the spiritual element formed the bulk of the captives. 2.) The idol-worshipers among the captives would naturally be less loyal to the national ideas, and would more readily assimilate with the heathen; while the religious among the exiles would grow all the more devoted to their religion as their only hope in trial. 3.) The most ardent lovers of their country and their religion would be the most eager to return after the exile; hence, the new state was founded by zealous Jews, who gave it religious spirit. So in modern times the spirit of the Pilgrims and the Puritans gave tone to New England, and through New England to America.
4.There were new institutionsas the result of the captivity. Two great institutions arose during the captivity:
1.) Thesynagogue, which grew up among the exiles, was carried back to Palestine, and was established throughout the Jewish world. This was a meeting of Jews for worship, for reading the law, and for religious instruction. It had far greater influence than the temple after the captivity; for while there was but one temple in all the Jewish world, there was a synagogue in every city and village where Jews lived; and while the temple was the seat of a priestly and ritualistic service, the synagogue promoted freedom of religious thought and utterance. Out of the synagogue, far more than the temple, grew the Christian Church.
2.)The order of scribeswas also a result of the captivity. The days of direct inspiration through prophets were passing away, and those of the written Scripture, with a class of men to study and interpret it, came in their place. During the captivity the devout Jews studied the books of their literature, the law, the psalms, the histories, and the prophets. After the captivity arose a series of scholars who were the expounders of the Scriptures. Their founder was Ezra, at once a priest, a scribe, and a prophet (Ezra 7. 1-10), who arranged the books and in a measure completed the canon of Old Testament Scripture.
5.There was a new hope, that of a Messiah.From the time of the captivity the Jewish people looked forward with eager expectation to the coming of a Deliverer, the Consolation of Israel, the "Anointed One" (the word Messiah means "anointed"), who should lift up his people from the dust, exalt the throne of David, and establish an empire over all the nations. This had been promised by prophets for centuries before the exile, but only then did it begin to shine as the great hope of the people. It grew brighter with each generation, and finally appeared in the coming of Jesus Christ, the King of Israel.
6. From the captivity therewere two parts of the Jewish people; the Jews of Palestine, and the Jews of the dispersion. 1.) The Jews of Palestine, sometimes called Hebrews (Acts 6. 1), were the lesser in number, who lived in their own land and maintained the Jewish state. 2.) The Jews of the dispersion were the descendants of those who did not return after the decree of Cyrus (Ezra 1. 1), but remained in foreign lands and gradually formed Jewish "quarters" in all the cities of the ancient world. They were the larger in number, and later were called "Grecian Jews," or Hellenists, from the language which they used (Acts 6. 1). Between these two bodies there was a close relation. The Jews of the dispersion had synagogues in every city (Acts 15. 1), were devoted to the law, made constant pilgrimages to Jerusalem, and were recognized as having one hope with the Jews of Palestine. The traits of the two bodies were different, but each contributed its own element toward the making of a great people.
Blackboard Outline.
I. Cap. Isr. Jud.1. Isr. 721. Jud. 587. 2. Ass. Sar.—Chal. Neb. 3. Cas. Sea.—Riv. Eup. 4. Nev. ret.—Bro. b.II. Thr. Cap. Jud.1. Jeh. cap. 607. 2. Jehn. cap. 598. 3. Zed. cap. 587.III. Caus. Cap.1. Pol. Or. conq. 2. Reb. kgs. Jud. 3. Riv. Eg. Bab. 4. Div. pur. dis.IV. Con. Cap.1. Kin. tre. 2. Org. main. 3. La. wor. obs. 4. Ins. pro. tea. 5. Lit. pre. enl.V. Res. Cap.1. Ch. lan. 2. Ch. hab. 3. Ch. char. 4. Ne. ins. (syn. scr.) 5. Hop. Mess. 6. Two. par. peo.
I. Cap. Isr. Jud.1. Isr. 721. Jud. 587. 2. Ass. Sar.—Chal. Neb. 3. Cas. Sea.—Riv. Eup. 4. Nev. ret.—Bro. b.
II. Thr. Cap. Jud.1. Jeh. cap. 607. 2. Jehn. cap. 598. 3. Zed. cap. 587.
III. Caus. Cap.1. Pol. Or. conq. 2. Reb. kgs. Jud. 3. Riv. Eg. Bab. 4. Div. pur. dis.
IV. Con. Cap.1. Kin. tre. 2. Org. main. 3. La. wor. obs. 4. Ins. pro. tea. 5. Lit. pre. enl.
V. Res. Cap.1. Ch. lan. 2. Ch. hab. 3. Ch. char. 4. Ne. ins. (syn. scr.) 5. Hop. Mess. 6. Two. par. peo.
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW.
From what earlier captivity must that of Judah be distinguished?What were the dates of these two captivities?By whom was each nation taken captive?Where was each nation carried captive?What followed the captivity in each nation?What were the three captivities of Judah?What were the events of the first captivity of Judah?Who were carried away at this time?What date is connected with this captivity?What were the events of the second captivity of Judah?Who were then taken away?What were the events of the third captivity?How long was Jerusalem left in ruins?By whom, and when, were the Jews permitted to return from captivity?What causes may be assigned for the carrying away of the Jews?What were the customs of ancient Oriental conquerors?How did the conduct of the kings of Judah bring on the captivity?What rivalry between nations was a cause of the captivity?What were the two parties in the kingdom of Judah?How was the carrying away of the Jews a political necessity?What was the moral cause of the captivity?How were the captive Jews treated?What evidences show that their national organization was continued during the captivity?Why was this fact a fortunate one for the exiles?What customs of the Jews were observed during the captivity?What instructors did the Jews have during this period?What was the condition of Jewish literature during the captivity?What events followed the decree of Cyrus?Did all the exiles of the Jews return?What change in language was wrought by the captivity?What change in habits followed the captivity?What great change in religion came as the result of the captivity?How can that change be accounted for?What two institutions arose during the captivity?What new hope arose at this time?How were the Jews divided after the captivity?
Subjects for Special Papers.
The Great Oriental Empires.The City of Babylon.The Prophets of the Captivity.The Psalms of the Captivity.The Reign of Nebuchadnezzar.The Fall of Babylon.
The Jewish Province.
From the return of the exiles, B. C. 536, to the final destruction of the Jewish state by the Romans, A. D. 70, the history of the chosen people is closely interwoven with that of the East in general. During most of this time Judea was a subject province, belonging to the great empires which rose and fell in succession. For a brief but brilliant period it was an independent state, with its own rulers. As most of this period comes between the Old and New Testaments its events are less familiar to Bible readers than the other portions of Israelite history. We therefore give more space than usual to the facts, only selecting the most important, and omitting all that have no direct relation with the development of the divine plan in the Jewish people.
I. The history divides itself intoFOUR PERIODS, as follows:
1.The Persian period, B. C. 536 to 330, from Cyrus to Alexander, while the Jewish province was a part of the Persian Empire. Very few events of these two centuries have been recorded, but it appears to have been a period of quiet prosperity and growth. The Jews were governed by their high-priests under the general control of the Persian government. The principal events of this period were:
1.)The second temple.(B. C. 535-515.) This was begun soon after the return from exile (Ezra 3. 1, 2, 8), but was not completed until twenty-one years afterward (Ezra 6. 15, 16). It was smaller and less splendid than that of Solomon, but was built upon the same plan.
2.)Queen Esther's deliverance.(B. C. 474.) This took place, not in Judea, but in Shushan (Susa), the capital of the Persian Empire. The king referred to as Ahasuerus was probably Xerxes, and the events of Esther's elevation and intercessiontook place after the defeat of his invasion of Greece. The whole story is in accord with both Persian customs and the character of Xerxes.
3.)Ezra's reformation.(B. C. 450.) The coming to Jerusalem of Ezra the scribe was a great event in Israelite history; for, aided by Nehemiah, he led in a great reformation of the people. He found them neglecting their law and following foreign customs. He awakened an enthusiasm for the Mosaic law, aroused the patriotism of the people, and renewed the ancient faith. His work gave him the title of "the second founder of Israel."
4.)The separation of the Samaritans.(B. C. 409.) For the origin of the Samaritans, see 2 Kings 17. 22-34. They were a mingled people, both in race and religion; but until the captivity were permitted to worship in the temple at Jerusalem. After the return from Babylon the Samaritans and the Jews grew further and further apart. The Samaritans opposed the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 4. 9-24), and delayed it for many years; and a century later strove to prevent Nehemiah from building the wall of Jerusalem (Neh. 4. 2). Finally they established a rival temple on Mount Gerizim, and thenceforth the two races were in bitter enmity (John 4. 9).
5.)The completion of the Old Testament canon.The prophets after the restoration were Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi; but the author of most of the latest books was Ezra, who also arranged the Old Testament nearly, perhaps fully, in its present form. Thenceforward no more books were added, and the scribe or interpreter took the place of the prophet.
ALEXANDER'S EMPIRE.
2.The Greek period.(B. C. 330-166.) In the year 330 B. C. Alexander the Great won the empire of Persia in the great battle of Arbela, by which the sovereignty of the East was transferred from Asia to Europe, and a new chapter in the history of the world was opened. Alexander died at the hour when his conquests were completed, and before they could be organized and assimilated; but the kingdoms intowhich his empire was divided were all under Greek kings, and were all Greek in language and civilization. Judea was on the border between Syria and Egypt, and belonged alternately to each kingdom. We divide this period into three subdivisions.
1.)The reign of Alexander.(B. C. 330-321.) The Jews had been well treated by the Persian kings and remained faithful to Darius, the last King of Persia, in his useless struggle. Alexander marched against Jerusalem, determined to visit upon it heavy punishment for its opposition, but (according to tradition) was met by Jaddua, the high-priest, and turned from an enemy to a friend of the Jews.
2.)The Egyptian supremacy.(B. C. 311-198.) In the division of Alexander's conquests Judea was annexed to Syria, but it soon fell into the hands of Egypt, and was governed by the Ptolemies (Greek kings of Egypt) until 198 B. C. The only important events of this period were the rule of Simon the Just, an exceptionally able high-priest, about 300 B. C., and the translation of the Old Testament into the Greek language for the use of the Jews of Alexandria, who had lost the use of Hebrew or Chaldee. This translation was made about 286 B. C., according to Jewish tradition, and is known as the Septuagint version. It was regarded as an act of sacrilege by the Palestinian Jews to translate their Holy Scriptures into the language of heathens, and for centuries the anniversary of the completion of the Septuagint was observed as a day of humiliation and prayer.
3.)The Syrian supremacy.(B. C. 198-166.) About the year 198 B. C. Judea fell into the hands of the Syrian kingdom, also ruled by a Greek dynasty, the Seleucidæ, or descendants of Seleucus. This change of rulers brought to the Jews a change of treatment. Hitherto they had been permitted to live undisturbed upon their mountains, and to enjoy a measure of liberty, both in civil and ecclesiastical matters. But now the Syrian kings not only robbed them of their freedom,but also undertook to compel them to renounce their religion by one of the most cruel persecutions in all history. The temple was desecrated and left to ruin, and the worshipers of Jehovah were tortured and slain, in the vain endeavor to introduce the Greek and Syrian forms of idolatry among the Jews. Heb. 11, 33-40, is supposed to refer to this persecution. When Antiochus, the Syrian king, found that the Jews could not be driven from their faith, he deliberately determined to exterminate the whole nation. Uncounted thousands of Jews were slaughtered, other thousands were sold as slaves, Jerusalem was well nigh destroyed, the temple was dedicated to Jupiter Olympius, and the orgies of the Bacchanalia were substituted for the Feast of Tabernacles. The religion of Jehovah and the race of the Jews seemed on the verge of utter annihilation in their own land.
3.The Maccabean period.(B. C. 166-40.) But the darkest hour precedes the day; the cruelties of the Syrians caused a new and splendid epoch to rise upon Israel.
1.)The revolt of Mattathias.In the year 170 B. C. an aged priest, Mattathias, unfurled the banner of independence from the Syrian yoke. He did not at first aim for political freedom, but religious liberty; but after winning a few victories over the Syrian armies he began to dream of a free Jewish state. He died in the beginning of the war, but was succeeded by his greater son, Judas Maccabeus.[I]
2.)Judas Maccabeusgained a greater success than had been dreamed at the beginning of the revolt. Within four years the Jews recaptured Jerusalem and reconsecrated the temple. (The anniversary of this event was ever after celebrated in the Feast of Dedication, John 10. 22.) Judas ranksin history as one of the noblest of the Jewish heroes, and deserves a place beside Joshua, Gideon, and Samuel as a liberator and reformer.
3.)The Maccabean dynasty.Judas refused the title of king, but his family established a line of rulers who by degrees assumed a royal state, and finally the royal title. In the year 143 B. C. Jewish liberty was formally recognized, and the Maccabean princes ruled for a time over an independent state. Between 130 and 110 B. C. Edom, Samaria, and Galilee were added to Judea. The latter province had been known as "Galilee of the Gentiles" (Isa. 9. 1); but by degrees the foreigners withdrew, and the province was occupied by Jews who were as devoted and loyal as those of Jerusalem.
ROMAN EMPIRE
4.)The rise of the sects.About B. C. 100 the two sects, or schools of thought, the Pharisees and Sadducees, began to appear, though their principles had long been working. The Pharisees ("separatists") sought for absolute separation from the Gentile world and a strict construction of the law of Moses, while the Sadducees ("moralists") were liberal in their their theories and in their lives.
4.The Roman period.(B. C. 40-A. D. 70.) It is not easy to name a date for the beginning of the Roman supremacy in Palestine. It began in B. C. 63, when Pompey the Great (afterward the antagonist of Julius Cæsar) was asked to intervene between two claimants for the Jewish throne, Hyrcanus and Aristobulus. Pompey decided for Hyrcanus, and aided him by a Roman army. In his interest he besieged and took Jerusalem, and then placed Hyrcanus in power, but without the title of king. From this time the Romans were practically, though not nominally, in control of affairs.
1.)Herod the Great.We assign as the date of the Roman rule 40 B. C., when Herod (son of Antipater, an Edomite, who had been the general of Hyrcanus) received the title of king from the Roman Senate. From this time Palestine was regarded as a part of the Roman Empire. Herod was the ablest man of his age, and one of the most unscrupulous. He ruled over all Palestine, Idumea (ancient Edom), and the lands south of Damascus.
PALESTINE IN THE TIME OF CHRIST
2.)Herod's temple.Herod was thoroughly hated by the Jews, less for his character than for his foreign birth. To gain their favor he began rebuilding the temple upon a magnificent scale. It was notcompleted until long after his death, which took place at Jericho about the time when Jesus Christ, the true King of the Jews, was born (Matt. 2. 1, 2).
3.)The tetrarchies.By Herod's will his dominions were divided into four tetrarchies ("quarter-rulings," a title for a fourth part of a kingdom). Three of these were in Palestine—Archelaus receiving Judea, Idumea, and Samaria; Antipas (the Herod of Luke 4. 19, 20; 23. 7-11) receiving Galilee and Perea; and Philip (Luke 3. 1) having the district of Bashan. About A. D. 6 Archelaus was deposed, and a Roman, Coponius, was appointed the first Procurator of Judea, which was made a part of the prefecture of Syria. The rest of Jewish annals belongs properly to the New Testament history.
II. Through these periods we notice the gradualPREPARATION FOR THE GOSPEL, which was steadily advancing.
1.There was a political preparation.Six centuries before Christ the world around the Mediterranean was divided into states, whose normal condition was war. At no time was peace prevalent over all the world at once. If Christ had come at that time it would have been impossible to establish the Gospel except through war and conquest. But kingdoms were absorbed into empires, empires rose and fell by turns, each with a larger conception of the nation than its predecessor. From the crude combination of undigested states in the Assyrian Empire to the orderly, assimilated, systematic condition of the Roman world was a great advance. Christ appeared at the only point in the world's history when the great nations of the world were under one government, with a system of roads such that a traveler could pass from Mesopotamia to Spain and could sail the Mediterranean Sea in perfect safety.
2.There was a preparation of language.The conquests of Alexander, though accomplished in ten years, left a deeper impress upon the world than any other two centuriesof history. They gave to the whole of that world one language, the noblest tongue ever spoken by human lips, "a language fit for the gods," as men said. Through Alexander Greek cities were founded every-where in the East, Greek kingdoms were established, the Greek literature and the Greek civilization covered all the lands. That was the language in which Paul preached the Gospel, and in which the New Testament was written—the only language of the ancient world in which the thoughts of the Gospel could be readily expressed. While each land had its own tongue, the Greek tongue was common in all lands.
3. While these preparations were going on there was another in progress at the same time,the preparation of a race. We might point to the history of the Israelites from the migration of Abraham as a training; but we refer now to their special preparation for their mission after the restoration, B. C. 536. There was a divine purpose in the division of Judaism into two streams; one a little fountain in Palestine, the other a river dispersed over all the lands. Each branch had its part in the divine plan. One was to concentrate its energies upon the divine religion, to study the sacred books, to maintain a chosen people, whose bigotry, narrowness, and intolerance kept them from destruction; the other branch was out in the world, where every Jewish synagogue in a heathen city kept alive the knowledge of God, and disseminated that knowledge, drawing around it the thoughtful, spiritual minds who were looking for something better than heathenism. Palestine gave the Gospel, but the Jews of the dispersion carried it to the Gentiles, and each synagogue in the foreign world became the nucleus of a Christian Church, where for the first time Jew and Gentile met as equals.
4. Finally, there was thepreparation of a religion. The Gospel of Christ was not a new religion; it was the new development of an old religion. As we study the Old Testament we see that each epoch stands upon a higher religiousplane. There is an enlargement of spiritual vision between Abraham and Moses; between Moses and David; between David and Isaiah; between Isaiah and John the Baptist. Pharisee and Sadducee each held a share of the truth which embraced the best thought of both sects. The work of many scribes prepared the way for the coming of the Lord, and just when revelation was brought up to the highest level, when a race was trained to apprehend and proclaim it, when a language had been created and diffused to express it, when the world was united in one great brotherhood of states, ready to receive it—then, in the fullness of times, the Christ was manifested, who is over all, God blessed forever.
Blackboard Outline.
I. Four Per.1. Per. per. 1.) Sec. tem. 2.) Q. Es. del. 3.) Ez. ref. 4.) Sep. Sam. 5.) Com. O. T. can.2. Gk. per. 1.) Rei. Alex. 2.) Eg. sup. 3.) Syr. sup.3. Macc. per. 1.) Rev. Mat. 2.) Jud. Macc. 3.) Macc. dyn. 4.) Ri. sec.4. Rom. per. 1.) Her. Cr. 2.) Her. tem. 3.) Tetr.II. Prep. Gosp.1. Pol. prep. 2. Prep. lan. 3. Prep. rac. 4. Prep. rel.
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW.
With what history is that of the Jews interwoven during this period?What was the political condition of the Jews at this time?What are the four periods of this history?Who were the rulers of the Jews during the first period?What building was erected after the return from captivity?What great deliverance was effected by a woman?What great reforms were effected by a scribe?What title has been given to him?What were the events connected with the separation of the Samaritans?Who were the prophets of the restoration?By whom was the Old Testament canon arranged?What brought on the Greek period?What events of Jewish history were connected with Alexander the Great?Under what people did the Jews fall afterward?What were the events of the Egyptian rule?What is the Septuagint?How was its translation regarded by the Jews of Palestine?In what kingdom, after Egypt, did Judea fall?How was it governed by its new masters?Who instituted a great persecution?What was the effect of this persecution?Who led the Jews in revolt?What great hero arose at this time?What line of rulers arose in his family?What was the growth of the Jewish state at this time?What sects of the Jews arose?How did Judea fall under the Roman power?Whom did the Romans establish as king?What were his dominions?What building did he erect?How was his kingdom divided after his death?What finally became of Judea?
Subjects for Special Papers.
Cyrus the Emancipator.The Conquests of Alexander.Judas Maccabeus.The Jewish Sects.Herod the Great.The Jews of the Dispersion.
FOOTNOTES:[I]The origin of this title is obscure. Some regard it as meaning "the hammer," like a similar name in the Middle Ages, Charles Martel. Others say that it was a part of the Hebrew inscription on the banner of Judas, "Micamo Ka Baalim Jehovah," "Who is like unto thee among the gods, O Jehovah?" Still others that it was made up as a sort of charm from the last letters of the words Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. The Maccabean princes were also called Asmoneans.
[I]The origin of this title is obscure. Some regard it as meaning "the hammer," like a similar name in the Middle Ages, Charles Martel. Others say that it was a part of the Hebrew inscription on the banner of Judas, "Micamo Ka Baalim Jehovah," "Who is like unto thee among the gods, O Jehovah?" Still others that it was made up as a sort of charm from the last letters of the words Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. The Maccabean princes were also called Asmoneans.
[I]The origin of this title is obscure. Some regard it as meaning "the hammer," like a similar name in the Middle Ages, Charles Martel. Others say that it was a part of the Hebrew inscription on the banner of Judas, "Micamo Ka Baalim Jehovah," "Who is like unto thee among the gods, O Jehovah?" Still others that it was made up as a sort of charm from the last letters of the words Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. The Maccabean princes were also called Asmoneans.
The Ten Minute Series
—FOR—The Sunday School,—BY—LORANUS E. HITCHCOCK.
T
HEnecessity of some instruction in the Bible, in order to supply the deficiencies which are unavoidable to any system of uniform lessons, is realized in every Sunday school. The International Lessons can only give detached portions of Scripture, and a supplemental lesson must be added to impart a general knowledge of the book as a whole.
The full course of study includes five series of lessons, adapted to be used in any denomination.
sun burstI.The Life of Jesus.II .Studies about the Bible.III.Bible Geography.IV.Bible History.V.History of the Christian Church.
I.The Life of Jesus.II .Studies about the Bible.III.Bible Geography.IV.Bible History.V.History of the Christian Church.
Two additional series of special interest to the Methodist Episcopal Church have been prepared, namely: