International S. S. Lessons.
"So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading."
—Neh. 8:8 LESSON VI.—SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1893.
[NOTE.—The questions which follow are merely suggestive for the student on the leading points of the lesson; it is presumed that the thorough student will think of many more as he studies the subject. References, where verses alone are given, always refer to the lesson scripture printed above. All other references are given in book, chapter, and verse. The text printed is that of the Revised Version, not because it is especially preferred, but because it is not found in every family, as is the common version.] 14. And the elders of the Jews builded and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
15. And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
16. And the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.
17. And they offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
18. And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.
19. And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.
20. For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure; and they killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.
21. And the children of Israel, which were come again out of the captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord, the God of Israel, did eat.
22. And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; for the Lord had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. Golden Text.—"I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of the Lord." Ps. 122: 1. - Under what prophets did the Jews finish the building of the temple? Verse 14, first part.
- What was the result of their heeding the prophets' advice?—Id. Note 1.
- According to what did they build and finish it? Verse 14, last part. Note 2.
- When was the temple finished? Verse 15. Note 3.
- How was its dedication kept? Verse 16.
- What were their offerings? Verse 17. Note 4.
- According to what did they appoint their service? Verse 18. See Numbers 3 and 8.
- What great feast was soon kept? and at what time? Verse 19.
- In what condition were they? Verse 20, first part.
- For how many did they have a burden? Verse 20, last part.
- How many kept the feast? Verse 21.
- How and how long did they keep this feast? Verse 22, first part. Note 5.
- What special occasion did they have for joy? Verse 22, last part. The Persian Empire had absorbed the Assyrian.
- What could they well sing? Memory verse. Note 6.
1. Prospered.—The prophet is God's especial messenger to the people. We learned in our last lesson of the assurances given by Zechariah to Zerubbabel and the Jews if they would only build. Another prophet had before told their fathers, "Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper." 2 Chron. 20: 20. And so they did. Again the Lord has said, of the man who delights in the law of God, "And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." Ps. 1: 3.
2. According to the commandment.—The student will notice that the commandment is that of the God of heaven, while the decree which carried out, executed, or fulfilled that command included those of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, the fullest of which is that of Artaxerxes, given in Ezra 7: 12-26. "The commandment of the God of Israel" was "to restore and to build Jerusalem" (Dan. 9: 25; Isa. 44: 24-26), while the decree of Cyrus was simply to rebuild the temple (Ezra 1: 2). Darius simply renewed the decree of Cyrus, while Artaxerxes Longimanus, nearly sixty years later, gave much fuller privileges and powers, restoring the temple and city and civil polity, even to the infliction of the death penalty for crime. Our lesson to-day, however, takes in only the building of the temple. The last emperor added much, no doubt, to its beauty, and helped in carrying out the command of God. For a description of the temple see any good Bible dictionary.
3. Sixth year of Darius.—This was a little over four years after our last lesson. See Zech. 1: 7. Peloubet gives the time as February, 515 B.C. This building began in 536 B.C., and was therefore twenty years in building; but for fifteen years of this time nearly nothing was done, because of the opposition of their enemies, and the discouragement of the Jews. See Ezra 5 and 6: 2-13.
4. For all Israel.—The Jews at that time considered that all Israel was there represented. The Bible nowhere speaks of "ten lost tribes," as many theologians do of the present day. Those that were carried captive were rejected of God. See Deut. 8: 19, 20, where the Lord told them that they should come to naught if they rejected him, as surely as did the inhabitants of Canaan. See also 2 Kings 17: 20, 23. And yet there was remnants of the ten tribes left. 2 Chron. 30: 5-11, 18; 35: 18. In the decree of Cyrus to all who were in his realm, and he ruled over the territory of those who carried Israel captive, privilege was given for all to return (Ezra 1: 1-4); among these all Israel is spoken of (Ezra 2: 70); in our lesson we have the twelve he goats for the twelve tribes represented as at the beginning; in verse 21 is mentioned "the children of Israel, which were come again out of the captivity." See also Ezra 8: 35. The only Israel now recognized is Israel by faith. Gal. 3: 29.
5. Unleavened bread.—The passover and the feast of unleavened bread was a fitting feast to follow the dedication of the temple. The passover was both a memorial of their deliverance from Egypt and the type of the coming Deliverer from all sin. Leaven is a symbol of corruption; unleavened bread symbolizes sincerity and truth. See 1 Corinthians 5. Clean doubtless were most of the Israelites at that time; God had forgiven and accepted them.
6. Side lights.—The last part of the forty-fourth chapter of Isaiah, and the first part of the forty-fifth chapter, the book of Haggai, and Ps. 137, 121, 126, and others. The temple now being built by Christ, of which he is the chief corner stone (Eph. 2: 20-22), and in which we are living stones (1 Peter 2: 5, 6), is worthy of reference in this connection, as is also ourselves as temples of the Holy Spirit, built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 6: 19, 20; Matt. 7: 24, 25), and built up by his truth (Acts 20: 32).