The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1892-03-05

01Ier them, q overlook Z00eklah In n
plains of Jericho and brought him to Neb-
uchadnezzar." It being the purpose of
God that zedekiah should be taken, it was
therefore impossible for him to escape.
Perfectly safe even amidst the greatest
dangers are all whom God promises to pro-
tect, but there Is no hiding place and no
safety for any who rebel against Him.
They may be sure that their sin will find
them out. (Num. xxi, 23.)
70 g. "Then the king of Babylon slew the
IONS Of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes;
also the king Of Babylon slew all the mobiles
of Judah" II the children follow the sins
of their father and walk in his ways they
will suffer punishment with their father;
but who can describe the feelings of q fa-
Their compelled to witness the sufferings of
his children because Of sins into which he
led themi Let ungodly parents consider
this ere it be too late.
I. Moreover, he put out Zedekiah's eyes
and bound him with chains, to carry him
to Babylon" Thus was Jer. xxi, 4, and
Eek. xii, IS, literally fulfilled, although
at first sight it might seem difficult for
them to have a literal fulhllment. Zede-
kiah went to Babylon, he saw the king of
Babylon, but he never saw Babylon. It is
always lVIACSkAy CbxC W tfhA6 OOu 6U Ills
word, and take Him to mean just what He
says. As soon as we begin to give His
word some other meaning than that con-
veyed by the plain grammatical sense of
the words, we are in danger of perverting
it (xxiii, 36).
& "And the Chaldeans burned the kings
house, and the houses of the people, with
fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusa-
LAM - ThVa tho T4~H av1ullo,rol ,~ 49,
habitations of Jacob, and cast down the
beauty of Israel; thus He did what He had
devised, and fulfilled His word commanded
in the days Of old Liam. ii, l, Q, ~. Al
though 1t was apparently the hand of the
king Of Babylon, it was really the hand of
the Lord upon His rebellious people. Nehe-
miah, speaking of the testimony of the
Spirit Of God in the prophets against
Israel, says that God gave them into the
enemy's hands because they would not
hear (Neh. tx, 30).
9. "Then N~ebuzar-adan, the captain of
the guard, carried away captive into Bah
ylon the remnant of the people" Some
had been taken to Babylon for their good,
such as Daniel, Ezekiel and others, but
these for their hurt, to be a reproach and q
proverb, q taunt and . curse in all places
der. xiv, $40. The same event may
prove to some q blessing and to others q
curse. "All things work together for good
to them that love God" (Rom. viii, %, 90).
10 But Nabuzar-adan, the captain Of
the guard, left of the poor Of the people,
which had nothing, in the land of Judah,
and gave them vineyards and fields ut the
same time" Or, as in the margin, '.ir
that day." It is evident, then, that there
may be q time when 1t is blessed to shave
nothing" We are reminded of Zeph. iii.
u, II will also leave in the midst of thee an
afflicted and poor people, and they shall
trust In the name Of the Lord.n Also.
Luke vi, 90, blessed he ye poor, for yours
IL the kingdom Of God" Though we may
not have this worlds goods, IL we have Je.
we are rich for time and eternity, and
are heirs with Him; and when the unbe-
levers are cast out we shall inherit all.
Even the captain of the guard (''chief exc
cutioner"-see margin), cruel to many. can
only bring Us blessing. May Jesus be
|, oil to Us; then we will be we'll content
to wait and suffer with Him this lit
tie while, proving ourselves pilgrims
and strangers here. Like Abraham
We will contentedly ~sojotrn in the land OF
promise, owning n0t = foot Of it except
perhaps . burial place, while we look for
the city which hath foundations, whose
| builder and maker is God. Or, like Moses,
having respect unto the recompense of the
reward, we will esteem the reproach Of
Christ greater riches than the treasures In
Egypt {Heb. H, Q, 10, 26; Acts vii, y. There
= such . thing a. laying mp treasure in
heaven whether we have much or little
here, and there Is such a thing as being
rich here and awfully poor In eternity
(Math. VI, 10, 20; Luke xii, 40, 2I). The
writer earnestly desires for all who read
these notes that the spirit and purpose OF
Jeremiah and Of Paul may be In them: OF.
better still, the spirit Of Christ himself.
for that Is the fullest measure. that God
may be gloriied.