The Washington herald., 1911-08-26
LESSON EXPOSITION.
BY G. CAMPBELL MORGAN, d. d.

Words spoken by Moses to Reuben and
Cad on the margin Of the land are Sc
lected as the golden text for this lesson.
The sin against which he warned them
was that Of the breaking Of a definite
covenant It Is well chosen for this
final chapter in the history of the de-
terioration and downfall of the people
Of God. They had broken their covenant
with Jehovah by unbelief, persuading
themselves that they could outwit God,
or that the declarations made by his
prophets were untrue. Thus they learned
at any rate that the laws of life are
irrevocable. To sow evil acts is to reap
a harvest in kind.
jeremiah continued his almost monoto-
nous declaration Of impending doom. de-
claring to the people that those who re-
mained in Jerusalem would inevitably
die by sword or famine or pestilence. and
that those who went out to the Chaldeans
would save their lives
A ministry such as this naturally stir
red the anger of the princes, and they
complained to the king, declaring that
Jeremiah was filling the hearts Of the
people with fear. and that his purpose
was to harm rather than to help. re-
questing that he might be put to death.
The answer of Zebekiah Is a somewhat
remarkable revelation of the weakness
of Zedekiah, and of the fact that he had
become a tool in the hands of these
rulers. Zedekiah was in fear Of the
men who occupied the position Of
princes about his throne. AS a result.
fah uyao etaI
however, take his life, but incarcerated
him in a filthy dungeon. No reason is
assigned for their sparing of his life.
but II Is quite evident in view Of all
this history that the overruling God pre-
vented their carrying out their first in
tention. By this overruling, too, Jere-
miah was released. The instrument was
Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian eunuch. who
pleaded with Zedekiah on his behalf, and
was instrumental In having him released
and once again imprisoned in the court
Of the guard.
Here again Zedekiah sought him, the
king urging him to tell him the truth |
and to hide nothing from him. jeremiah |
still insisted on what he had been pro- !
claiming consistently. that the city would |
be taken and destroyed by the Chaldeans;
and he urged the King to surrender, and |
so to save the city from burning and his |
own life from destruction. Filled with |
fear, Zedekiah suggested that IL he did |
this. those Of the Jews who had already |
gone to the camp of the Chaldeans would |
betray him jeremiah assured him that
this would not be so, and then solemnly |
warned him again that If he failed to |
obey, the destruction Of the city could |
not be averted. After making a compact |
OF secrecy concerning the interview, |
Zedekiah left the presence Of jeremiah. |
The prophets advice was not taken. |
Either from unbelief. or more probably |
from fear, Zedekiah let things drift on, |
until, the siege having lasted eighteen |
months, the King Of Babylon and his
princes succeeded in forcing an entrance,
and took possession of the city. Zedekiah
sought refuge in flight, but was pursued. |
and was overtaken in the plains of
Jericho and brought before Nebuchadrez- |
Ear, who wreaked his vengeance on him |
by first compelling him to witness the |
slaughter Of his sons and Of the mobiles !
Of Judah: and then having put out his |
eyes, carried him in fetters to Babylon. |
The Chaldeans took away with them the |
people who remained in the city, leaving |
cnly the poor people. who had nothing, |
in the land Of Judah, giving them the |
vineyards and fields. |
By the strict instruction Of the king, |
jeremiah was preserved from destruction |
and committed to the care of Gedaliah. !
who was made governor Of the district |
under the rule of Babylon.
This final scene in the history Of
Judah first brings out into clear relief |
the cost Of loyalty amid circumstances |
of disloyalty. Through all these final
days of commotion and panic, jeremiah, |
the servant Of the Lord, was a man of
sorrows. There were first the actual /
physical sufferings inflicted on him by |
his Incarceration in a loathsome dungeon, |
and his Imprisonment until the end in |
the court Of the guard. Beyond this, and |