_Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord._ THE DISCIPLINE OF THE CAPTIVITY The captivity is clearly represented as God’s judgment upon His people for their sins, but it was a judgment so tempered with mercy that it brought them much of blessing in the way of spiritu... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let him go up to Jerusalem._ THE RELEASE OF THE JEWS FROM BABYLON AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE REDEMPTION OF MAN FROM SIN We discover an analogy in these two things as regards-- I. The subjects. The Jews were exiles and captives in Babylon. “Whosoever committeth sin is the slave of sin” (John 8:34). I... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let the men of the place help him with silver._ SPONTANEOUS OFFERING “Not many years since,” writes a clergyman, “I had occasion to solicit funds to aid in the prosecution of a work of benevolence. I stepped into the office of a Christian friend, with whom I had a partial acquaintance, and inciden... [ Continue Reading ]
_Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord._ THE RESTORATION OF THE SACRED VESSELS I. The preservation of the sacred vessels (Ezra 1:7). These are the vessels which are mentioned in 2 Chronicles 36:7 and Daniel 1:2. In the providence of God most of these vessels were r... [ Continue Reading ]