The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-08-25
JEREMIAH in
the DUNGEON
Sunday School Lesson for Aus. y. 1905
Specially Prepared for This Paper.


DRY Verses. $40
GOLDEN TEXT.-"Biessed are they
which are prosecuted for riehteousness
sake, for theirs 10 the kingdom " Heaven
Matt. $40
TIME.-During the year and one-haif
siege which preceded the capture or
Jerusalem, Il c. 5ss.
PLACE.-Jerusalem.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCEs.-J I'll.
compare with 2 Kings z4.S-lG. q .I-sO.
Chron. 1913. 10. Accounts OF Zedekiah's re-
beliiOn and the siege Of jerusalem. Jer.
52l-5, Kings "a. -; 25.l. 2. Chron. 55.l7.
See Jer g7.ll-le for the story Of Jeremlah's
arrest and imprisonment Various com
mGnications between Zedekiah and Jere-
miah.-Jer. I1.li; H.3 10. &C. Il: %. N.l6.
Compare vs.. Ia OF the lesson with Jere
m.ahs words In Jer. 2l.1-l4 and with Jer. "A
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
V. i. Then" When the Chaldean
army had for a time withdrawn from
he city OF Jerusalem, the prophet
Jeremiah seized the opportunity 10
leave the city on some business con-
aected with his patrimonial estate. He
was. however, arrested as a deserter.
and brought back and imprisoned But
he was allowed the privilege of the
courtyard. and there, to all who would
u
cages of warning. This aroused the
/ princes here named. who evidently
were officers holding positions near the
king. Had spoken" Spake. or had
been in the habit of speaking.
V. q Thus saith the Lord" When
the princes tried to silence jeremiah.
they were shutting their ears. and the
.ars OF the people, to Gods kindly warn
ing. He that remaineth =. shall
die" Some persisted by the sword OF
the enemy. others from lack OF food.
and still others from diseases caused by
the hard conditions OF their life. That
goeth forth" Not as a traitor but in
honorable surrender.
V. 4. Let this man be put 10 death"
Princes desired the death Of Jeremiah.
because that they could silence him in
no other way. "Weakeneth the hands,"
etc. From one point Of view the princes
had a good case against couraging
the warriors. for he made them feel
that they were the prophet His words
undoubtedly had the effect OF dis
wasting their energy in the losing
cause. That remain in this city,
Already some had followed Jeremiah's
advice and escaped TO the Chaldeans
tSee V. 1877.
v 8. "Zedelliah the Ring said" etc.
This was a most unkind speech. show
ing that the man. whom one calls "a
phantom king" was a mere puppet
in the hands az his couriers. Like
PLATE. of later day. he could not find
courage to do what he knew TO be just
and right.
V. 6. Cast him into the dungeon"
They we're too superstitious TO kin
, him. Cowardice and cruelty were
combined in their casting him into
the dungeon. to perish from its foul
gases or die by slow starvation. The
dungeon was probably cistern. quite
similar 10 the one into which Joseph
was cast by his brothers See Gen
1920. Many 4 house in Jerusalem
had subterranean cistern in which
water was collected. The one here
alluded to was in charge OF one Nal
chiah." and being in the court OF the
prison. had quite probably been used
before as a dungeon for receiving
; prisoners. mo water, but mire;' The
water in this cistern had dried out.
leaving a great collection OF mud at
! its bottom. Ps. GO reads as II II might
have been written by jeremiah OF this
occasion.
V. 7. "Ebed-melech the Ethiopian
The negro eunuch. probably was the
, keeper of the kings harem
y s. Went forth out Of the kings
, house" Left apartments oil the women
over which he had charge. His manner
OF Speaking to the king indicates that
the eunuch went in great haste He was
indeed running to save the prophets
life for il he were not rescued speedily.
he must perish.
ya These men have done evil" The
princes had acted unjustly In persecat-
ing the truest patriot in the city; they
had acted cruelty and cowardly. as Is
, shown above. Like TO die for hunger. :"
\ The prophet would soon perish for lack
> Of food. for no one had been directed to
2. feed him
. T. 10 The king is as easily enlisted
\ In the effort to save Jeremiah as he had
. heen in the effort to get rid of him. He
was wont during all this time to coun-
/ sci privately with jeremiah.
r v. IL. House Of the king under the
a treasury" The eunuch knew Of GER
A tain room in the palace. under the store
chamber. where old clothes and possibly
a other discarded things were thrown
&. 12-"Put now under thine
a. a. s..fa- Ion
= the ropes under Jeremiahs arms wcul
have sorely hurt and probably would
lave injured him.
:, Y. IL. Remained in the court OF the
orison." lust where he had been be-
!. fore the new persecution by the princes,
!, Here. the prophet was given daily ra-
tions such as were furnished the soldiers
"a (chapter 37:2D.
Ia Practical Points.
. - un Who would be gpOl eSman for