1. From the death of King Rehoboam to the year 587 before Christ, eighteen princes of the house of David successively governed Judah. Some of them were men of wisdom, who, fearing God, listened to the prophets that were sent to them; but many of them were wicked and perverse, who gave themselves up to idolatry and led the people into sin.
2. To punish these latter, in the year 606 God permitted Jerusalem to be taken by the Babylonians, and the principal men among the Jews to be led into captivity. Eighteen years afterwards—that is, in the year 5S8 before Christ—the entire population of Judah was carried into Babylon, and the kingdom of Judah destroyed.
3. For seventy years the Jews remained captives in Babylon, until they learned to humble themselves and acknowledge their sins. During their captivity their faith was strengthened by the words of the prophets, and by their piety they edified their conquerors, and spread amongst them a knowledge of the Redeemer.
4. At the end of seventy years—536 before Christ—God led the Jews back to their own country. They immediately rebuilt Jerusalem and the Temple, and for two hundred years lived in peace and contentment.
After the death of Alexander the Great—323 years before Christ—they were again persecuted by different nations, until Herod, a stranger, ascended the throne of David. Then according to the prophecy of Jacob, the time was come when Christ should be horn.
Questions to Consider : 68.—What is said of David's successors? When were the Jews carried into Babylon? How long did they remain in captivity? When did the Jews return? What was rebuilt?
1. Abia, a brave but wicked prince, succeeded his father, Rehoboam, on the throne of Judah. In turn he was succeeded by Asa, who, in the beginning, ruled with justice, and by his many brilliant victories added to the glory of Judah, but at last ended in forgetting God.
2. Josaphat, who succeeded him, was better than any of his three predecessors. He abolished idolatry, and appointed God-fearing men to judge the people and teach them the law of God. For his piety, God gave him the victory over his enemies.
3. Josaphat was succeeded by his son Jehoram, a cruel and idolatrous prince, who, in turn, was succeeded by Ahaziah, as wicked as his predecessor. Ahaziah was succeeded by his wife, Athalia, who, for seven years, committed all kinds of abominations in Judah.
She murdered all the children of the royal family, Jehoash, the grandson of Ahaziah, excepted, who was hidden by Joiada, the high priest. He afterwards ascended the throne, and, during the lifetime of Joiada, was a virtuous and pious prince, but after the death of the high priest, like so many of his predecessors, fell into idolatry.
4. Amasias, Ozias, and Joatham successively reigned in Judah. In some respects they were better than their predecessors; yet they often fell into idolatry.
Once Ozias wished to usurp the duties of the priesthood, and, entering into the Temple, insisted upon burning incense before the Lord. The priest boldly resisted him, and ordered him to leave the sanctuary.
5. Ozias became exceedingly angry, and threatened to strike the priest with the censer he held in his hand. On the instant he was struck by the hand of God, and covered with a leprosy that never left him. Until the day of his death, Ozias remained a public example of how God punishes the presumption of a layman who assumes the duties of 3 priest.
Questions to Consider : 60.—What is said of the successors of Rehoboam? What is said of Ozias?
1. The noble and pious Hezekiah ascended the throne of Judah after the death of Achaz, the wicked and idolatrous son of Joatham. Like David, he was a man according to God's own heart. He purified the Temple and abolished idolatry, for which God blessed him, and Judah rose in power and influence.
2. During his reign, Sennacherib, the King of Assyria, laid siege to Jerusalem, but Hezekiah feared not. While the Assyrians lay round about the city, Hezekiah went to the Temple and prayed to the Lord. He also sent the priests, clad in their robes of mourning, to Isaiah the prophet, begging him also to pray in their behalf. The Lord heard his prayer, and in the night sent His angel into the camp of the Assyrians, and there were slain ere the morning a hundred and eighty thousand of the enemy. The rest perished in their flight.
3. About this time Hezekiah fell seriously ill, and the prophet Isaiah came to him and warned him to arrange his affairs, for he was about to die. When the king heard this he became greatly alarmed, and, turning his face to the Temple, prayed earnestly to the Lord. His prayer was heard, and fifteen years were added to his life. His reign was one of the most glorious in the history of Judah.
Questions to Consider : 70.—What is said of Hezekiah? How was Sennacherib defeated? How many were stilled? What was added to the life of Hezekiah?
1. Manasses succeeded his father, Hezekiah, on the throne of Judah. He was a wicked prince, and wantonly shed the blood of the innocent. He rebuilt the altars of the false gods which his father had destroyed; and, influenced by his bad example, the people became more sinful than even the pagans. Asa punishment for his crimes, God permitted this wicked king to fall into the hands of the Assyrians, who led him a captive to Babylon.
2. In his captivity he learned to acknowledge his faults and to do penance for his sins. God took compassion on him and brought him back to Jerusalem, where, in his latter days, he strove to repair the scandals of his early reign.
3. His son Amon succeeded him, only to imitate him in his wickedness; but his grandson Josias strove to follow the example of his latter days. During the reign of Josias, idolatry was rooted out and religion restored. That he might not see the evils that were about to come upon the kingdom of Judah, God took him to Himself after a short reign of nine years.
4. He was succeeded by Joachaz, Joachim, and Sedecias, all wicked princes, who led the people away from God, and, by their idolatries, brought about the captivity of Babylon. With but few exceptions, Judah was cursed with bad kings. Her history is sin and its punishment, until, at length, she ended in crucifying Jesus Christ and being cast off by God.
Questions to Consider : 71.—What is said of Manasses? How did God punish him? How did he end his days? What is said or Josias? What is said of Judah?
1. From the beginning of the reign of Rehoboam to the captivity of Sedecias, God raised up men gifted with special powers, and into whom He breathed His own Spirit. These were the prophets, whom He sent to preach penance to the people, and to threaten kings with the judgments that awaited them if they continued to forget God.
2. The most renowned of the prophets who arose during the early history of Judah were Joel, Micah, and Isaiah. These prophets were generally poor men, but bold in the power of God; nor did they fear to resist kings, or to cry out against their sins.
3. At their preaching many repented and for a while returned to God. For their fearless war against sin, and their open denunciations of both kings and people, some of them were put to death. Though dead, their words lived in the hearts of the just, among whom the true faith was preserved, and by whom the hopes and promises that had been made of the Redeemer that was to come were handed down to cheer the world.
Questions to Consider : 72.—Who were the Prophets? Who were much renowned? What did they preach? How did some of them die?
1. After the death of the pious King Josias, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, came and besieged Jerusalem. When he had taken the city he carried back with him to Babylon the principal men of the nation, together with a part of the sacred vessels of the Temple. This happened in the year 606 before Christ, and was the beginning of what in history is known as the "Babylonian Captivity."
2. Three years after this Nebuchadnezzar returned to Jerusalem, and carried Jechonias, the king, back with him to Babylon. He also, on this occasion, carried with him into captivity a great part of the people, besides immense treasures. He left Sedecias to rule over the remnant of Judah.
3. Sedecias revolted, and Nebuchadnezzar returned for the third time, and destroyed Jerusalem, and burned the gorgeous and magnificent Temple of Solomon, carrying with him nearly the entire Jewish people. He put out the eyes of Sedecias, and, loading him with chains, carried him a captive to Babylon. This happened in the year 587 before Christ.
4. At this time lived Jeremiah the prophet, who, long before, had warned the people of the destruction that was about to come upon them. Alone and in sorrow, he continued to weep over Jerusalem, and at times presented himself to the people with a chain round his neck, as a sign of the captivity that was near at hand. But his warnings were received with curses and persecutions.
5. When at length Jerusalem was destroyed, Jeremiah remained to console the remnant of the nation that was left, and to weep amid the ruins of the once glorious city.
In his grand Lamentations, Jeremiah cries out from the depth of his sorrow: "How sorrowful, alas! are the ways that lead to Mount Moria; there are now none to come to the feast. The gates of the city are destroyed; the priests weep; the virgins are without ornament. O you who pass by the way, see if there is sorrow like unto my sorrow! Alas! is this the city of magnificence, the perfect in beauty, the joy of the world?"
6. During their captivity the Jews did penance for their sins and became sincerely converted to the Lord. Nebuchadnezzar was kind and considerate to them; but they wept and sighed to return to their country. "By the rivers of Babylon," cried they, "we sat, and wept when we remembered Sion. On the branches of the willow-trees we hung up our harps; for how could we sing the songs of Sion in a strange land?"
Questions to Consider : 73.—What is said of Nebuchadnezzar? When did he return? What did he carry back with him? Who was left? What happened to Jerusalem and the Temple? What is said of Jeremiah? What Is said of the Lamentations? What is said of the Jews in Captivity.