Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-02-25
JEREMIAH PROSECUTED.
LESSON TX, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, FEB. 2e.

Jer. /, I0-Commentary by the Rev.
u. NJ. stearns.
II. "And it came to pass, that when the
army of the Cbaldeans was broken up
from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's
army" We are now in the reign Of Xede-
kiab. son Of Josiah, he last of the kings of
Judah. He, like the three who preceded
him. would not listen to the words of .Ie-
hovah, although at times he seemed in
clined to do differently, as we shall see, and
even asked the prophet to pray for him and
for the people; verses Is But the end was
now near; the city is besieged, and God IS
about to give "The dearly beloved of His
SOUP into the hand of her enemies CHAP
ter xii, ~ There is, however, n little re-
spite, for Pharaoh's army comes forth out
of Egypt, and the Chaldeans depart from
! Jerusalem oversees 5, 10y.
~ Then jeremiah went forth out OF
| Jerusalem to 70 into the land of Benz amip
to separate himself thence in the midst Of
the people" The Revised Version says, &c
receive his portion there" Anathoth, i'll
the land of Benjamin, was his home Chap
ter i, II. He had been Il faithful witness
for God in the holy city. and his testimony
| had been rejected. 1t was most natural
that he should desire 10 take advantage of
this lull in the siege to retire if possible
to the quiet of his own town.
10. "Aud when he was in the gate of
Benjamin a captain of the ward took .lcre-
| miah, the prophet, saying Thou lall"~t
away to the Chaldesns. That the right
eous should be falsely accused, prosecuted
and even slain by the unrghteous seems a
strange thing to many. 1t troubled David
and Asaph and even Jeremiah himself
See the experiences of the first two in
Ps. xXxvi and lNXili. In Jer Nil | we lind
the prophet talking with God after this fash
ion. 81 know, O Lord, that thou art right
eous, but why do the wicked prosper and
why are they happy that deal treacherous-
W." The admOntion to all in similar
circumstances is found in Heb. xii, ID.
H. "Then said jeremiah, 1t is false, but
be hearpened not to him; SO Irijah took
Jeremiah and brought him to the princess"
If the prophet saw only Irijah he would
naturally be greatly provoked, but if he
saw the hand of God he would be quiet.
When job lost his family and his property
through the malice Of Satan he said, The
Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away;
blessed be the name of the Lord" dob i, 2D.
10. Wherefore the princes were wroth
with Jeremiah and smote him, and pat
him in prison" Jesus forewarned His
apostles that thus would they be treated
aud worse, hut that they must not he OF
Tended (Math. X, 2S; John xvi, l, .: Acts VI
IS, 40 xvi, 23). And from the glory He
sent word to one of the churches that the
devil would cast some of them into prison
and that they would have tribulaton ter
days, but they must be faithful ever
though slain for Him (Rev. ii, 10)
lG ''When Jeremiah was entered into
the dungeon and had remained there many
DAYS" Blessed is the man that endurett
trial GAS. j, l2). We cannot endure what
does not continue, and yet that is JUS
what we are apt to wonder at that "A tria
should continue instead of being quickly
removed in answer to prayer. Consde
l Pauls prayer and testimony in ii Cor. xii
=, $40. and remember the same grace il
yours.
II. Then Zedekiah, the king, sent ant
took him out. and the king asked him sc
n cretlv in his house and said, Is there an
word from the Iord;" This was one o
those secret interviews which the king haC
I with the prophet, apparently willing to d.
t right, but really afraid Of his own people.
s. Is. Moreover, jeremiah said unto Kin
Zedekiah, What have | offended agains
: theeY" In somewhat similar form, Pau
the prisoner, appealed to Festus (Acts
u xxv, H. Both jeremiah and Paul ha
Il only spoken the words and done the work
Of Jehovah, and that was just what Jesu
did, and for that they cruclied Him. Th
s way of God being contrary to mans wa
Z provokes the evil that is in man and stir
up his wicked heart. "1'he carnal or natul
: al mind is enmity against God
, 49, "Where are now your prophets whic
d, prophesied unto you, saying, The king {
u Babylon shall not come against you, no
against this land" There We're falls
prophets who taught the people that tn
II king of Babylon would not come agains
II the CITY, and that what he had alread
taken he would restore in two years (chal
ter xviii "a, but they were lying propl
+ cts, and their words were vain words.
90. Therefore, hear now. pray thee,
my Lord the King, cause me not % return I
the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest Ill
there" While we are not to fear deati
but rejoice TO die to gain" and so depal
d is to he with Christ" phil. i, n, 23), y,
we are not 10 throw away our lives III
necessarily but take all possible care
our mortal bodies, which are temples
H. the Holy Ghost, aiming only to glorii
God in life or death phil. j. 2O).
~ 81. "'rhcu Icdekiah, the king, commaut
l. ed that they should commit Jeremiah I'M
:, the court Of tho prison and that tn,
SnnulV give MN NtlIA IL pItCc VI DItU
u Thus jeremiah remained in the court
the prison" Although after This he WI
IL for short time in most filthy dungeo
70 from which he was delivered by EDe
Melech, the Ethiopian, with ropes and re
20 ten rags, yet the court of the prison w
- his lodging, and there he was when Il
70 city was taken Chapter XXXviii, Il, IL, y
There the captain of the guard Of the Bah
~ lonian army found him, and by commal
- of the king did well by him. See chapte
y xxx, II, T.: xl, 4, }. so God kept h
~ promise to Jeremiah Chapter i, 49, N
delivered him, though many a time tn
III sought his life So will He keep his wo
% always, and we may unwaveringly tru
Him and rely upon Him. See, also, II
= promises to Ebed- Melech in chapter XXXi
l6-lS, and remember that the same G
~ nakes equally great promises to all w
-, put their trust in Him. In reference
~ Daniel it is written $50 Daniel was tax
% up out of :he den, and no mann
y OF hurt was found upon him, because
> 4 IL 4 al.