_His acts._ "Did evil," but had not always been altogether evil. Had made covenant with nobles and priests to abolish slavery (xxxiv. 8-10). But his great wrong was breaking his solemn oath of allegiance to king of Babylon (2 Chron. xxxvi. 13). This looked upon as his crowning vice (Ezek. xvii. 8), for which God's anger was upon him (ver. 3). =Lesson.= When thou vowest a vow defer not to pay it. II. =The Siege= (4-7). City besieged for last time. Jews never forgot day it began. Was January--tenth day of their tenth month. Great mounds or (earth-works) outside walls to shoot burning arrows, etc.; houses outside thrown down (Jer. xxxiii. 4). Famine and pestilence soon ravaged crowded population inside. _The assault._ City, after eighteen months, taken by assault at northern gate (B.C. 587). King and his family and royal guard escaped by passage between two walls (Jer. xxxix. 4), by royal gardens, down steep descent towards Jericho. There he was overtaken and made prisoner. His broken oath caused his destruction (Ezek. xvii. 20). =Lesson.= Evil shall hunt the wicked to overtake him. III. =Babylon.= He was taken to Babylon. His sons killed in his sight, then his eyes put out, bound with chains, kept in prison till death. Feeble in will, faithless in promise, judgment came upon him. =Lesson.= 1. The word of the Lord standeth sure. Bargains. He who buys the truth makes a good bargain. Zedekiah dealt in falsehood and lost his throne. Esau sold his birthright for a basin of soup. Judas made a bad bargain when he sold his Lord for the price of a slave. Take heed to the thing that is right, for that alone shall bring peace at the last. DECEMBER 25TH.--=A Christmas Lesson.= _To read--Hebrews i. 1-9. Golden Text--St. Luke ii. 11._ This letter written to the Hebrews, i.e. Christians of Jewish birth who clung to the priesthood and services of the Temple as well as to Christianity. St. Paul shows how far the Christian system was superior to and superseded the Jewish. The types and ceremonies of the Law fulfilled in Christ, whose birthday is kept at Christmas. I. =God's Revelation= (1-2). _Past._ God revealed or unveiled Himself of old. This revelation inferior in three ways, viz. (1) It was given gradually, in portions, a part at a time. (2) Given in divers manners, under many figures and types. (3) Given by prophets, only human. _Present._ Final revelation of God's truth--once for all given to the saints (Jude 3). Given by His Son--the Word of God (St. John i. 1, 2); heir of all things--God's agent in creation of the universe. II. =God's Son= (3-9). _Great in Himself._ Has Divine glory--the outshining of the Father's glory. He is God's image, the counterpart of the Father. To see Christ is to see God (St. John xiv. 9). _Great in His work._ (1) _Upholder_ of the universe as well as its Creator. (2) _Saviour._ Came not only as prophet to reveal God's will, but to purge man's sin. This He did by Himself with His own blood (ix. 12, 14).