In the year 606 before Christ, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took Jerusalem. He destroyed the temple, and carried the principal people captive to Babylon. 7. Afterwards, when Zedekiah was king, Jerusalem was again besieged and taken by Nebuzaradan, a general under Nebuchadnezzar. He broke down the walls of the city, and left nothing standing that could be destroyed. The Jews remained captive in Babylon seventy years. 8. When Babylon was taken by Cyrus, king of Persia, the Jews were permitted to return to their own country. They rebuilt the temple, and resumed their ancient manner of worship. Till the time of Alexander the Great, about 330 years before Christ, the nation was dependent on the kings of Persia. 9. It is said that Alexander the Great intended to take Jerusalem. But, as he advanced with his army, the high priest came forth to meet him, in his robes of office, at the head of a long train of Levites and people. Alexander was so struck with their appearance that he agreed to spare the city. 10. In the course of the two next centuries the Egyptians invaded the Jewish kingdom, and afterwards the Syrians reduced the inhabitants to bondage. They suffered great calamities from the tyranny of these conquerors. 11. But, in the year 166 before the Christian era, Judas Maccabæus, a valiant Jewish leader, drove the Syrians out of the country. When the king of Syria heard of it, he took an oath that he would destroy the whole Jewish nation. But, as he was hastening to Jerusalem, he was killed by a fall from his chariot. 12. The descendants of Judas Maccabæus afterwards assumed royal authority, and became kings of the Jews. In less than a century, however, the country was subdued by Pompey, a celebrated Roman general. He conferred the government on Antipater, a native of Edom. 13. In the year 37 before the Christian era, the Roman E senate decreed that Herod, the son of Antipater, should be king of the Jews. It was this Herod who commanded that all the young children of Bethlehem should be slain, in order that the infant Jesus might not survive. The period of that blessed Infant's birth was now at hand. QUESTIONS. Who was Rehoboam? Into what two kingdoms was the Hebrew nation divided during his reign? What name was given to the ten tribes which revolted? What name was given to the two tribes? What of Shishak ?2. How was the kingdom of Israel governed? In what part of Canaan were the ten tribes ? In which part was the kingdom of Judah? What of the kings of Israel? Where did these kings dwell? Where was Samaria? How far from Jerusalem? ANS. Forty miles.-3. What of Salmaneser ? 4. What were the people of Judah now called? Where was the seat of government? What of the kings of Judah?- -5. What of the Jewish nation? What of Nebuchadnezzar ?- -6. What of Nebuzaradan? How long did the Jews remain captive in Babylon ? -7. What of Cyrus? What did the Jews do on their return from captivity? How long was the nation dependent upon Persia ? -8. What of Alexander the Great?-9. What happened after the time of Alexander?-10. What of Judas Maccabæus? What of the king of Syria? In which direction was Syria from Canaan ? -11. What of the descendants of Judas Maccabæus? What of Pompey? Whom did he appoint to govern Judæa ?—12. When did the Roman senate appoint Herod king of the Jews? What of Herod ? The Prophet Elijah raised a Widow's Son to life. 1. I MUST now glance backward, and say a few words respecting a class of men who had appeared at various times among the Hebrews; these men were called Prophets. They held intercourse with God, and he gave them the knowledge of things that were to happen in future years. 2. One of the most remarkable of the prophets was named Elijah, of whom many wonderful things are recorded in the Bible. While dwelling in a solitary place, the ravens brought him food, and, on another occasion, he restored the son of a poor widow from death to life. 3. He denounced God's vengeance against the wicked king Ahab, and foretold that the dogs should eat the painted Jezebel, his queen. And all this happened. He caused fire to come down from heaven, and consume three captains, with their soldiers, and he divided the river Jordan by smiting it with his mantle, and passed over on dry ground. 4. At last, when his mission on earth was ended, there came a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and carried Elijah by a whirlwind up to heaven. Elijah's mantle fell from the fiery chariot, and it was caught up by Elisha, and he likewise became a very celebrated prophet. 5. Jonah was another prophet. A great fish swallowed him, and kept him three days in the depths of ocean, and then vomited him safely on dry land. Isaiah was also a prophet, who foretold many terrible calamities that were to befall Israel and Judah, and the surrounding nations. Jeremiah, another of the prophets, bewailed in plaintive accents the sins and misfortunes of God's people. 6. The prophet Daniel foretold the downfall of Belshazzar, king of Babylon. He was afterwards cast into a den of lions in Babylon, at the command of king Darius, but the next morning the king looked down into the den, and there was Daniel, alive and well. King Darius then ordered Daniel to be drawn out of the den, and his false accusers to be thrown into it. The moment that these wicked persons touched the bottom, the lions sprang forward and tore them limb from limb. 7. Numerous other prophets appeared at various times, and most of them performed such wonderful works that there could be no doubt of their possessing power from on high. Now it was remarked that all these prophets, or nearly all, spoke of a King, or Ruler, or other illustrious Personage, who was to appear among the Jews. 8. Although they foretold the most dreadful calamities to the people, still there was this one thing to comfort them. A descendant of king David was to renew the glory of the Jewish race, and establish his sway over the whole world. 9. This great event was expected to happen in about fifteen hundred years after Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. And it did then happen. When the appointed period had elapsed, there appeared a star in a certain quarter of the heavens. |