Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 August 1911 — OLD TESTAMENT TIMES BROOKLYN TABERNACLE BIBLE-STUDIES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OLD TESTAMENT TIMES BROOKLYN TABERNACLE BIBLE-STUDIES

DARK PROPHECIES FULFILLED Jeremiah 39—Aug. 27 "Be sure your sin will find you out.”— Numbers 32:23. CHE dark prophecies which the Lord sent through Jeremiah the Prophet finally reached fulfillment. The besieging army of the Chaldeans, after a year and a half of siege, finally, with battering rams, succeeded In making a breach in the wall through which an entrance was effected and the city forced to capitulate. King Zedekiah and his small army escaped toward the south in the direction of the Jordan, but were soon overtaken by the Chaldeans. Nebuchadnezzar, in person, was some miles distant from Jerusalem, at Riblah, and thither Zedekiah was taken. The punishment was after the man ner of the time, illustrated on some of

the victory tablets which still remain. The king’s eyes were put out and, a blind prisoner, he was taken to Babylon. Th u s was fulfilled two very str 1k i n g prophecies which, until fulfilled, seemed quite contradictory. In this

we get a lesson of how carefully we should study Divine prophecy, and how faithfully we should trust its every detail if we would receive light instead of darkness. One of these prophecies respecting Zedekiah is found in Ezekiel xii, 10-13. The other is found in Jeremiah xxxii, 3-5. Ezekiel declared that King Zedekiah would be taken to Babylon a captive, and that there he would live and die; yet he again declared that fie would never see the city, apparently a contradiction, Jeremiah predicted the downfall of Jerusalem, declaring that Zedekiah would speak with Nebuchadnezzar mouth to mouth and see his eyes. This seemed to contradict Ezekiel’s statement, for if he would speak with the king mouth to mouth and see him eye to eye, how would it be possible that he would not see the city qf Babylon? ' The fulfillment met all the requirements. Zedekiah saw Nebuchadnezzar and spoke to him at Riblah in Palestine. His sight was there taken from him and he was taken a prisoner to Babylon. He lived and died in Babylon but saw it not Cruelties of the Past In the Bas Reliefs, representing the capture of Lachish by Sennacherib, the prisoners are represented, some pegged down to the ground to be flayed alive —others having their eyes put out In one of the sculptures at Khossabad, Sargon represents himself in person holding a prisoner by a thong attached to a ring passed through his under lip. The victim kneels before him, while with a spear he pierces his eyes. To what shall we give the credit of dur modern progress ahd civilization? We cannot give the credit to any

church, sect or party. We must h < nes 11 y acknowledge that '-every sect, in its turn, has displayed more or less of bitterness, bigotry, superstition and persecution —contrary even to its own standards. In the last analysis we must admit that the

great influence which has moulded the civilization of our day has come to us from the words and example of “the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time” (I Timothy ii, 6). The great truths which he uttered have come echoing down the centuries, speaking righteousness, peace and love, even for our enemies. Everywhere His “Wonderful Words of Life” have made an impression, and here and there have effected the transformation of character. • We should more and more feel our obligation to the great truths which came to us from the Bible, and less less obligation to the sects and parties which have quarrelled'and battled over those Words of Life. Thus, gradually, we will come to discern the truth of the Bible declaration that there is but one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, and one Church of the living God, the Church of the FirstBorns, whose names are written in heaven. These, found scattered in all the denominations and outside of all, constitute the saintly few who have the promise of the First Resurrection, as joint-heirs with Messiah in Hls glorious Kingdom which will soon be established in the earth and enforce righteousness. » . Jesus was the great Light which came into the world, and His followers were to be > lights or candles also. “As He was. so are we in this world”'—light-bearers. The Church is not of. the world. As Jesus said, “Ye are not of the world,” Yet the Church is the light of the world. Each individual Christian should let his light shine before men, and the Church as a whole is to be like “a city set on a Jrtll which cannot be hid”“ (Matthew T. 14-1 C). • r

Blinding a prisoner.

Jerusalem captured.