prophets and kings-第60部分

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e　lowly；　where　the　counsels　of　a　covenant…keeping　God　were　still　held　in　reverence；　the　words　of　the　prophet　were　repeated　again　and　again。　Even　the　children　were　mightily　stirred；　and　upon　their　young　and　receptive　minds　lasting　impressions　were　made。

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It　was　their　conscientious　observance　of　the　commands　of　Holy　Scripture；　that　in　the　days　of　Jeremiah's　ministry　brought　to　Daniel　and　his　fellows　opportunities　to　exalt　the　true　God　before　the　nations　of　earth。　The　instruction　these　Hebrew　children　had　received　in　the　homes　of　their　parents；　made　them　strong　in　faith　and　constant　in　their　service　of　the　living　God；　the　Creator　of　the　heavens　and　the　earth。　When；　early　in　the　reign　of　Jehoiakim；　Nebuchadnezzar　for　the　first　time　besieged　and　captured　Jerusalem；　and　carried　away　Daniel　and　his　companions；　with　others　specially　chosen　for　service　in　the　court　of　Babylon；　the　faith　of　the　Hebrew　captives　was　tried　to　the　utmost。　But　those　who　had　learned　to　place　their　trust　in　the　promises　of　God　found　these　all…sufficient　in　every　experience　through　which　they　were　called　to　pass　during　their　sojourn　in　a　strange　land。　The　Scriptures　proved　to　them　a　guide　and　a　stay。

As　an　interpreter　of　the　meaning　of　the　judgments　beginning　to　fall　upon　Judah；　Jeremiah　stood　nobly　in　defense　of　the　justice　of　God　and　of　His　merciful　designs　even　in　the　severest　chastisements。　Untiringly　the　prophet　labored。　Desirous　of　reaching　all　classes；　he　extended　the　sphere　of　his　influence　beyond　Jerusalem　to　the　surrounding　districts　by　frequent　visits　to　various　parts　of　the　kingdom。

In　his　testimonies　to　the　church；　Jeremiah　constantly　referred　to　the　teachings　of　the　book　of　the　law　that　had　been　so　greatly　honored　and　exalted　during　Josiah's　reign。　He　emphasized　anew　the　importance　of　maintaining　a　covenant　relationship　with　the　all…merciful　and　compassionate

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Being　who　upon　the　heights　of　Sinai　had　spoken　the　precepts　of　the　Decalogue。　Jeremiah's　words　of　warning　and　entreaty　reached　every　part　of　the　kingdom；　and　all　had　opportunity　to　know　the　will　of　God　concerning　the　nation。

The　prophet　made　plain　the　fact　that　our　heavenly　Father　allows　His　judgments　to　fall；　〃that　the　nations　may　know　themselves　to　be　but　men。〃　Psalm　9：20。　〃If　ye　walk　contrary　unto　Me；　and　will　not　hearken　unto　Me；〃　the　Lord　had　forewarned　His　people；　〃I；　even　I；　。　。　。　will　scatter　you　among　the　heathen；　and　will　draw　out　a　sword　after　you：　and　your　land　shall　be　desolate；　and　your　cities　waste。〃　Leviticus　26：21；　28；33。

At　the　very　time　messages　of　impending　doom　were　urged　upon　princes　and　people；　their　ruler；　Jehoiakim；　who　should　have　been　a　wise　spiritual　leader；　foremost　in　confession　of　sin　and　in　reformation　and　good　works；　was　spending　his　time　in　selfish　pleasure。　〃I　will　build　me　a　wide　house　and　large　chambers；〃　he　proposed；　and　this　house；　〃ceiled　with　cedar；　and　painted　with　vermilion〃　（Jeremiah　22：14）；　was　built　with　money　and　labor　secured　through　fraud　and　oppression。

The　wrath　of　the　prophet　was　aroused；　and　he　was　inspired　to　pronounce　judgment　upon　the　faithless　ruler。　〃Woe　unto　him　that　buildeth　his　house　by　unrighteousness；　and　his　chambers　by　wrong；〃　he　declared；　〃that　useth　his　neighbor's　service　without　wages；　and　giveth　him　not　for　his　work。　。　。　。　Shalt　thou　reign；　because　thou　closest　thyself　in　cedar？　Did　not　thy　father　eat　and　drink；　and　do　judgment　and　justice；　and　then　it　was　well　with　him？　He

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judged　the　cause　of　the　poor　and　needy；　then　it　was　well　with　him：　was　not　this　to　know　Me？　saith　the　Lord。　But　thine　eyes　and　thine　heart　are　not　but　for　thy　covetousness；　and　for　to　shed　innocent　blood；　and　for　oppression；　and　for　violence；　to　do　it。

〃Therefore　thus　saith　the　Lord　concerning　Jehoiakim　the　son　of　Josiah　king　of　Judah；　They　shall　not　lament　for　him；　saying；　Ah　my　brother！　or；　Ah　sister！　they　shall　not　lament　for　him；　saying；　Ah　lord！　or；　Ah　his　glory！　He　shall　be　buried　with　the　burial　of　an　ass；　drawn　and　cast　forth　beyond　the　gates　of　Jerusalem。〃　Verses　13…19。

Within　a　few　years　this　terrible　judgment　was　to　be　visited　upon　Jehoiakim；　but　first　the　Lord　in　mercy　informed　the　impenitent　nation　of　His　set　purpose。　In　the　fourth　year　of　Jehoiakim's　reign　〃Jeremiah　the　prophet　spake　unto　all　the　people　of　Judah；　and　to　all　the　inhabitants　of　Jerusalem；〃　pointing　out　that　for　over　a　score　of　years；　〃from　the　thirteenth　year　of　Josiah；　。　。　。　even　unto　this　day；〃　he　had　borne　witness　of　God's　desire　to　save；　but　that　his　messages　had　been　despised。　Jeremiah　25：2；　3。　And　now　the　word　of　the　Lord　to　them　was：

〃Thus　saith　the　Lord　of　hosts；　Because　ye　have　not　heard　My　words；　behold；　I　will　send　and　take　all　the　families　of　the　north；　saith　the　Lord；　and　Nebuchadnezzar　the　king　of　Babylon；　My　servant；　and　will　bring　them　against　this　land；　and　against　the　inhabitants　thereof；　and　against　all　these　nations　round　about；　and　will　utterly　destroy　them；　and　make　them　an　astonishment；　and　an　hissing；　and　perpetual　desolations。　Moreover　I　will　take　from　them

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the　voice　of　mirth；　and　the　voice　of　gladness；　the　voice　of　the　bridegroom；　and　the　voice　of　the　bride；　the　sound　of　the　millstones；　and　the　light　of　the　candle。　And　this　whole　land　shall　be　a　desolation；　and　an　astonishment；　and　these　nations　shall　serve　the　king　of　Babylon　seventy　years。〃　Verses　8…11。

Although　the　sentence　of　doom　had　been　clearly　pronounced；　its　awful　import　could　scarcely　be　understood　by　the　multitudes　who　heard。　That　deeper　impressions　might　be　made；　the　Lord　sought　to　illustrate　the　meaning　of　the　words　spoken。　He　bade　Jeremiah　liken　the　fate　of　the　nation　to　the　draining　of　a　cup　filled　with　the　wine　of　divine　wrath。　Among　the　first　to　drink　of　this　cup　of　woe　was　to　be　〃Jerusalem；　and　the　cities　of　Judah；　and　the　kings　thereof。〃　Others　were　to　partake　of　the　same　cup〃Pharaoh　king　of　Egypt；　and　his　servants；　and　his　princes；　and　all　his　people；〃　and　many　other　nations　of　earthuntil　God's　purpose　should　have　been　fulfilled。　See　Jeremiah　25。

To　illustrate　further　the　nature　of　the　swift…coming　judgments；　the　prophet　was　bidden　to　〃take　of　the　ancients　of　the　people；　and　of　the　ancients　of　the　priests；　and　go　forth　unto　the　valley　of　the　son　of　Hinnom；〃　and　there；　after　reviewing　the　apostasy　of　Judah；　he　was　to　dash　to　pieces　〃a　potter's　earthen　bottle；〃　and　declare　in　behalf　of　Jehovah；　whose　servant　he　was；　〃Even　so　will　I　break　this　people　and　this　city；　as　one　breaketh　a　potter's　vessel；　that　cannot　be　made　whole　again。〃

The　prophet　did　as　he　was　commanded。　Then；　returning　to　the　city；　he　stood　in　the　court　of　the　temple　and　declared

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in　the　hearing　of　all　the　people。　〃Thus　saith　the　Lord　of　hosts；　the　God　of　Israel；　Behold；　I　will　bring　upon　this　city　and　upon　all　her　towns　all　the　evil　that　I　have　pronounced　against　it；　because　they　have　hardened　their　necks；　that　they　might　not　hear　My　words。〃　See　Jeremiah　19。

The　prophet's　words；　instead　of　leading　to　confession　and　repentance；　aroused　the　anger　of　those　high　in　authority；　and　as　a　consequence　Jeremiah　was　deprived　of　his　liberty。　Imprisoned；　and　placed　in　the　stocks；　the　prophet　nevertheless　continued　to　speak　the　messages　of　Heaven　to　those　who　stood　by。　His　voice　could　not　be　silenced　by　persecution。　The　word　of　truth；　he　declared；　〃was　in　mine　heart　as　a　burning　fire　shut　up　in　my　bones；　and　I　was　weary　with　forbearing；　and　I　could　not　stay。〃　Jeremiah　20：9。

It　was　about　this　time　that　the　Lord　commanded　Jeremiah　to　commit　to　writing　the　messages　he　desired　to　bear　to　those　for　whose　salvation　his　heart　of　pity　was　continually　yearning。〃Take　thee　a　roll　of　a　book；〃　the　Lord　bade　His　servant；　〃and　write　therein　all　the　words　that　I　have　spoken　unto　thee　against　Israel；　and　against　Judah；　and　against　all　the　nations；　from　the　day　I　spake　unto　thee；　from　the　days　of　Josiah；　even　unto　this　day。　It　may　be　that　the　house　of　Judah　will　hear　all　the　evil　which　I　purpose　to　do　unto　them；　that　they　may　return　every　man　from　his　evil　way；　that　I　may　forgive　their　iniquity　and　their　sin。〃　Jeremiah　36：2；3。

In　obedience　to　this　command；　Jeremiah　called　to　his　aid　a　faithful　friend；　Baruch　the　scribe；　and　dictated　〃all　the　words　of　the　Lord；　which　He　had　spoken　unto　him。〃

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Verse　4。　These　were　carefully　written　out　on　a　roll　of　parchment　and　constituted　a　solemn　reproof　for　sin；　a　warning　of　the　sure　result　of　continual　apostasy；　and　an　earnest　appeal　for　the　renunciation　of　all　evil。

When　the　writing　was　completed；　Jeremiah；　who　was　still　a　prisoner；　sent　Baruch　to　read　the　roll　to　the　multitudes　who　were　assembling　at　the　temple　on　the　occasion　of　a　national　fast　day；　〃in　the　fifth　year　of　Jehoiakim　the　son　of　Josiah　king　of　Judah；　in　the　ninth　month。〃　〃It　may　be；〃　the　prophet　said；　〃they　will　present　their　supplication　before　the　Lord；　and　will　return　everyone　from　his　evil　way：　for　great　is　the　anger　and　the　fury　that　the　Lord　hath　pronounced　against　this　people。〃　Verses　9；　7。

Baruch　obeyed；　and　the　roll　was　read　before　all　the　people　of　Judah。　Afterward　the　scribe　was　summoned　before　the　princes　to　read　the　words　to　them。　They　listened　with　great　interest　and　promised　to　inform　the　king　concerning　all　they　had　heard；　but　counseled　the　scribe　to　hide　himself；　for　they　feared　the　king　would　reject　the　testimony　and　seek　to　slay　those　who　had　prepared　and　delivered　the　message。

When　King　Jehoiakim　was　told　by　the　princes　what　Baruch　had　read；　he　immediately　ordered　the　roll　brought　before　him　and　read　in　his　hearing。　One　of　the　royal　attendants；　Jehudi　by　name；　fetched　the　roll　and　began　reading　the　words　of　reproof　and　warning。　It　was　the　time　of　winter；　and　the　king　and　his　companions　of　state；　the　princes　of　Judah；　were　gathered　about　an　open　fire。　Only　a　small　portion　had　been　read；　when　the　king；　far　from　trembling

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at　the　danger　hanging　over　himself　and　his　people；　seized　the　roll　and　in　a　frenzy　of　rage　〃cut　it　with　the　penknife　and　cast　it　into　the　fire　that　was　on　the　hearth；　until　all　the　roll　was　consumed。〃　Vers