The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-08-23
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST az.
Subject. Jeremiah in the Dungeon. Jer.
xxxviii., 1-13-Goideu Text, Matt. w..
10-Mcmory. Verses, s-1O--Commcn.
tnry on the Days Lesson.

10-Memory. Verses, S-1O-Commen.
tsry on the Days Lesson.
I. Jeremiaifs enemies Tvs. 1-4). /.
"Then." After the events referred to
in chapter 81, where Jeremiah was de
livered from the dungeon. "Shepha.
tiah," etc. Some Of Jeremiah's enemies
who were seeking his life. "All the
people," They had free access to him
In the court of the prison. .. Life for
prey" A proverbial expression. TIC
make ones escape with life like valti.
able spoil or prey that one carries off;
the narrowness of the escape, and the
Joy felt at It are included In the idea.
He shall carry Off his life as his gain,
saved by his going over TO the Chal'
deans. Had jeremiah not had divine
commission he might justly have been
accused OF treason, but having one
which made the result Of the Siege Ger.
tain he acted humanely as interpreter
Of Gods will under the theocracy in
advising surrender. 3. "Surely be
given" This was testimony that he
constantly bore; he had the authority
Of God for 1t. He knew 1t was true
and he never wavered or equivocated.
4. "The princes said" Their reasons
were plain enough. but the proof was
wanting. "Seeketh the hurt" An
unjust insinuatlon, for no man had
done more for this people than had
jeremiah. His preaching was calcu.
lated to arouse them to Il sense of their
sins and cause them to turn TO God.
One OF the commonest ways of injuring
Others Is to misunderstood and misin-
terpret their motives, as Jeremlah's
motives were maligned because it was
possible for him to have done what he
did with bad motives. When there are
two possible motives for the conduct
of another, it is not only a more char.
table, but probably more truthful
judgment to impute the better motives.
Judge not that ye be not judged"
should be written in capital letters,
yea. in flaming letters, before us all.
III. Jeremiah in the dungeon Tvs. 8,
O.. 8. king is not he" Zedekiah was
a weak king. He had conviction that
Jeremiah was phophet of the Lord,
and yet he dared not oppose his states
men, but yielded to their will without
n question. An innocent man was thus
sacrificed to their malice. These
princes were wroth with Jeremiah
(chapter 81: 15); "he had compared
them TO rotten figs" (chapter 24). But
for him they would have had affairs
all their own way, they were anxious
to be rid of him.
g. "Then took they jeremiah" Jere-
miah was the butt of ridlcule and
scorn. He was put in the stocks, was
publicly whipped, was misrepresented
as an enemy, was imprisoned several
times. but he kept right on. 'The dun
geon." Literally "the cistern." 1t was
not a subterranean prison as that in
Jonathan's house (chapter 81: 49, but
pit or cistern, which had been full of
water, but was emptied Of it during
the siege so that only mire remained.
Such empty cisters were often used as
prisons Zach. 0: 1D: the depth forbade
hope Of escape. Sunk in the mire."
They evidently expected that he would
die in that place.
III. Jeremiah's friend Tvs. 7-9). Z.
"Ebedmelech." The servant of the
king. He probably was keeper of the
royal harem. and so had private nc
cess to the king. Already even ut this
early time, God wished 10 show what
good reason there was for calling the
Gentiles to salvation. An Ethiopian
stranger saves the prophet whom his
own countrymen, the Jews, tried to
destroy. So the Gentiles believed in
Christ whom the Jews crucitied, and
Ethiopians were among the earliest
converts (Acts .: 10; s: 2I-39D. sitting
in the gate" The gates of cities were
the places where justice was admin
istered. s "Went forth" The servant
went Immediately to the king. There
was no time to lose, for If he delayed
the prophet might perish. What a
bold, courageous act this was. 1t ought
to put many of us to shame.
o. "These men," etc. He must have
been in the kings confidence or he
would not have dared raise his voice
against the action of the princes. The
Lord can raise up friends for His peo-
pie where they are least expected mo
more bread" That is, no more bread
left of the public store in the city
chapter 81: 21; or, all but no bread
left anywhere. This shows to what
straits the city was reduced.
". Jeremiah rescued Tvs. 1913. TO-
"I<ing commanded" Zedeklah's better
nature was stirred. "Thirty men," Not
merely to draw up jeremiah, but to
guard Ebed-melech If the princes
should oppose him. The king was de-
termlned that he should be rescued by
force IL necessary. Ebed-melech was
rewarded Tor MS raltn, love ana cOuF-
age, exhibited at time when he might
well fear the wrath of the princes.
lib. Ebed-melech took the men as
the king had commanded and rescued
Jeremiah. He let down into the pit
some torn clothes and worn out gar
ments and instructed Jeremiah to roll
them around the ropes and place them
under his armplts, so as not to suffer
injury from the ropes when he was
drawn up. Although jeremiah was
thus rescued from terrible death, he
was not set at liberty, but remained In
the court of the prison. He was still
in prison when the ARMIES OF Babylon
took Jerusalem. He was found in
chains and carried with other captives
on the way to Babylon. but was re-
leased at Ramah, six miles from Jeru-
salem. Thus ended the prison life OF
the prophet. How long he was in
prison it is difficult to determine, prob
ably for years. The Lamentations
which he wrote nfter the destruction of
Jerusalem must have been his frequent
meditation while in confinement.