The Origin of Freemasonry and Knights Templar ... - Lodge Prudentia

FREEMASONRY AND KNIGHTS TEMPLARsacred vessels. And from this date the principalcomputation of the seventy years of captivitybegins.Nebuchadnezzar while at the gateway of Egyptreceives news of his father's death, and, withoutdelay, he, fearing that some rival might usurp thethrone of Babylon, gave orders for his army toAmongretrace its course into upper Syria, and himself,with a detachment, made all speed by the nearestroute across the desert to the capital. Upon hisarrival he was given a triumphant reception, andwas peacefully established on the throne of theempire. His accession, in 604 B. C., marks the eraof Babylonian greatness, before whose victoriousarmies many nations fell. At times insurrectionswould break forth.the first and most importantwas the revolt of Tyre, the chief city ofthe Phoenicians. About the same time Jehoiakim,king of Judah doubtless calling to mind that heowed his own sovereignty to Pharaoh Necho, therival king of Babylon, and believing that the Egyptianswould come to his aid revolted and took uparms. It was to punish these Phoenicians and Jewishrebels that Nebuchadnezzar undertook the firstgreat campaign after his accession. He investedTyre, but that strong city proved for a long timeimpregnable. So the king, without desisting fromiege, divided his forces and with one divisionproceeded against Jerusalem. To the last momentJehoiakim relied upon the Egyptians to come tohis aid, but the Pharaoh held aloof, and Jehoiakimwas left to his fate. He made his submission toNebuchadnezzar, who deliberately put him to death,and he was "buried with the burial of an ass, drawn92