Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-12-14

Os Wa CSc0Fhos
copyright. 1898. by d. M. Stearns.l
l. "Zedekiah was one and twenty years
old when he began to reign, and he reigned
IL years in Jerusalem. After the death
of Josiah, the good king, three of his sons
and one grandson succeeded him, reigning
altogether 90 years Jehoahaz, or Stadium,
three months; Eliakim, or .Jehoiakim, IL
years; Coniah, or .Jeconiah, or Jehoiachin,
three months and Zedekiah II years The
first two and the last were sons of Josiah,
the third was his grandson and was 81
years a captive in Babylon (.Jer. lii, 81.
The story of the final captivity of Judah,
the topic of this lesson, is found in three
other places (Jer. xxx, ii Kings XIV, II
Chron. xxxvi) and must therefore be some
thing to be prayerfully pondered by us.
Q. He did that which was evil in the
eyes of the Lord, according to all that Je-
hoiakim had done" What brief but
comprehensive summary of a mans life
"evil in the eyes of the Lord, '" and how it
confirms the statement that the carnal
mind is enmity against God" (Rom. viii,
~ The eyes of the Lord are running to
and fro throughout the whole earth and
wherever there is heart trusting In Him
He will show himself strong on behalf of
such uI Chron. xvi, o. The devil is also
going to and fro in the earth seeking to
destroy man and turn him from God.
8. He cast them out from His pres
ence." Thus the Lord did to Jerusalem
and Judah because of their sins, for they
Knocked the messengers of God and de-
spised His words and misused His proph
cts, until the wrath of the Lord arose
against His people, till there was no rem
edy (II Chron. xxxvi, 1917. He earnestly
protested unto them, rising early and pro-
testing, but they obeyed not nor inclined
their ear and continued walking in the
imagination of their evil hearts (Jer. XII,
2, 81. 1t is impossible to go where God
cannot see us, but it is possible to lose the
sense of His presence, as when Cain went
out from the presence of the Lord FPS.
cxxxix, IA; Gen. iv, 16). The presence of
the Lord is the assurance of all sure guild
ance and blessing Eek. xxxiii, IA; xiii,
20).
4, 8. $50 the city was besieged unto the
eleventh year of King Zedekiah." The
Lord had said through jeremiah that the
king of Babylon would take the city ard
destroy it, and for this testimony tho
prophet was put in prison (.Jer. xxxiv, Q;
xxi, 81, but shutting up u messenger OF
the Lord or stopping his mouth or even
killing him or burning up his message
will not prevent the purpose of the Lord
from being fulfilled. All Scripture shall
surely and literally be fulfilled, and even
the enemies of God can only fulfill His
pleasure, for He maketh even the wrath
of man to praise Him, and the remainder
doth He restrain. The king of Babylon
was unconsciously Gods instrument in
Christening His people of Judah and Jeru-
salem. Even Herod and Pontius PLATE
and the gentiles and Israel when they
combined against Christ were only bring
ing TO pass what God foresaw would be
(Acts iv, 81, 2S).
6. 1.-THE famine was sore in the city, so
that there was no bread for the people Of
the land" The study Of the famines of
Scripture, with their reasons and results
as far as we can judge of the same, is a
most profitable study, for example, the
famine OF Gen. xii and its results to Abra-
ham, tho famine in Bethlehem and its
effect upon Elimelech and Naomi as re-
corded in Ruth In Eek. xiv, 81, famine
is called one OF Gods four sore judgments,
but in Amos viii, IL, we read of the worst
kind of famine, even n famine of hearing
the words of the Lord
2. "All the men of war fed and went
forth out Of tho city by night. In chap
ter xxx, i, we read that Zedekiah went
with them. Ezekiel was at this time a
captive in Babylon, but God showed him
and he by an object lesson showed the peo-
pie just what was going on in Jerusalem
at this time, SO that even without tele-
phone or telegraph the Jews at Babylon
knew OF events at Jerusalem the very day
they happened (Ezek. xii, etc.. God has
permitted man to bring TO pass most won
derful things in these days in which we
live, but never in any nation has been
seen or heard such wonderful things as
God has done and will yet do in and for
Israel, His chosen people.
s. THE army of the Chaldeans pursued
after the king and overlook Zedekiah in
the plains of Jericho" When Jonah would
flee from the presence of the Lord, al
though he got off 20 sea and possibly fan
cied he was really ON his way to Tarshish,
the Lord wanted him at Nineveh and so
sent two detectives after him, storm to
stop the vessel and fish specially pre-
pared TO bring him ashore. The king
may have thought himself safely
away from the king of Babylon and pos
sibly have ridiculed the words of Jere-
miah, but il SO it only proved that he did
not know the Lord nor that every purpose
of the Lord must be performed
8. "Then they took the king and car
ried him up unto the king of Babylon to
Riblah, in the land OF Klamath, where he
gave Judgment upon him" Thus it camo
to pass as it had been foretold but the
most pitiful thing about it all, as it seems
to me, was that one who should have been
an honor TO the Lord, on the throne of the
Lord at Jerusalem, is found a prisoner in
the hands of an enemy OF God, and this
enemy sitting in Judgment upon him. IL
was sorry sight when Abraham was re-
proved by Abimelech because he for fear
Of his life told a lie about his wife. twas
q fearful thing when David by his great
sin gave occasion to the enemy TO bias.
pheme; when Simon Peter by his self con
fidence and following afar off denied his |
Lord But all these arc written for our in. |
struction that we may not sin as they did
10 And the king Of Babylon slew the |
sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. This !
might have been avoided If Zedekiah had |
only been obedient TO the word of the l
Lord by jeremiah and had surrendered TO |
the king Of Babylon, but he thought he |
knew better than Jeremiah, and he would |
not believe God, but hardened his heart |
and went his own way until all this came |
upon him 1t is bad enough to suffer |
l.x,s III