The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-08-18
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson vlll.-Third Quarter, For
Aug. 20, 1911.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Text OF the Lesson, Jer xsoevii. 4-21.
Memory Verse. IS - Golden Text,
Matt. v, 11-commsntary Prepared
by Rev. .. NJ, stsarns.
We have not yet reached the end OF
the sorrows Of jeremiah, and these OF
today's lesson seem to have been some
Of the greatest, but all were because
Of the truth and the God Of truth Qsa
lxv. l6l whose witness be was. 1t has
been a long time since he ceased TO
complain Of his sufferfngs for the
truths sake. but he still awaits the
full glory of the kingdom which by the
spirit he foresaw and predicted Many
others have come and gone, and the
kingdom is not yet, and the sufferings
continue for the faithful, but ''the Lord
God of recompenses shall surely re-
quite" (Jer. II. 56l. and the sufferings
are not worthy to be compared with
the glory that shall be revealed from.
viii, 10; Pet iv, 49,.
1t seems easy to say it, but 1t is true
that suffering for the truths sake is a
great privilege and will bring us great
glory in His kingdom phil. !. 20; II
Cor. Nv. II, 1S). After .Iehoiakim's mis-
cradle death and seemingly no burial
or as good as none der. xxxvi. 30l.
his son. Jeconiah, reigned three
months. which was about the same
as no reign at all. and was then car
ried captive to Babylon, where he was
a prisoner thirty-six years. The books
of ii Kings and of jeremiah end with
the record of his deliverance from
prison after that long period. His
fathers brother, Zedekiah. was then
made king, and be reigned eleven
years. but neither he nor bis serv-
ants nor the people of the land
would hearken to the words of the
Lord (verse q. although they professed
to want jeremiah to pray for them
(verse 81, and more than once Zede-
kiah consulted him (verse II; xxxviii.
IA. The last twenty-five years before
the captivity, the time of these four
kings. was a time OF increasing evil
1h9 "a SPCNsAdAAJ JAAA AAAAdS tOK a 4dAAl~
full witness like jeremiah. but no one Is
ever tried beyond the grace given to
sustain under the trial Il Cor. r. 49,.
The Lords answer TO the king who
sent bis messengers to inquire OF Jere-
miah is found in verses to 10 Of
our lesson with the admonition Thus
saith the Lord. deceive not yourselves"
Verse 81. When the Lord Jesus fore
told in His Olivet discourse the trou.
bles that would come in the approach
ing years and also at the end of this
age, He said. Take heed that no man
deceive you" (Matt xiv. A.. He also
added that the wonders and signs OF
false Christs and false prophets at the
end of this age win, II possible, de-
ceive the very elect (verse 24) From
the day on which the devil deceived
Eve he has been diligently working
on that line, perhaps never more so
than now. but the time draws near
when he shall be imprisoned and de
ceive the nations no more for a thou
sand years (Rev. Xxx, 1-3l One cannot
but tremble for the multitudes who are
deceiving and being deceived in thes,
days, but it must end soon. The pray
er Of Peter in | Pet v. 10, IL. is Jus
right for all the faithful witnesses sui
fering for the truth.
We cannot wonder that jeremiah
longed to separate himself from all the
unbelieving ones about him and &c
away somewhere alone with God (vers'
~. and to be arrested and falsely &C
cused and smitten and imprisoned and
like to die in filthy cell oversees 10
l6. 20l was hard indeed for poor hu-
manity. Even John the Baptist seems
to have grown discouraged under his
Imprisonment and seeming neglect by
Him whom he had pointed out as the
Lamb Of God (Matt. XII. 4-6l. Oh. how
great Is our need of patience and an
unwavering faith In God that will not
be offended under any circumstances
CJohn xvi. 1-3; Rev. xiii, 10; xiv, 10;
Heb. K. SO. 81.
After many days-how long they
must have seemed-the king sent for
Jeremiah and inquired. "Is there any
word from the Lord?" Verse III There
was no new word. but just the former
one concerning the captivity in Bah
ylon. Jeremiah took occasion to ask
why be had been imprisoned and to
ask that be might not be sent back
to where he had been. so he was left
for a time In the court OF the prison
verses 18-21l-just breathing space
ere his prosecutors would again seek
his life. but 1t would be helpful while
II lasted Note the daily piece OF
bread of verse "a. and let us learn the
lesson of daily bread and daily
strength. the matter Of the day In his
day (chapter Iii. "a. margin Jehoia-
chin had no doubt an abundant sup
ply from the kings table. Poor Jere-
nliah had a piece of bread.
The next chapter tells how the
princes. with the kings consent. cast
jeremiah into dungeon. where he
sank in the mire and would have died
of hunger IL be had not been rescued
by an Ethiopian named Ebedmelach.
who. with some other men and by
means Of ropes and some old rags to
put under his arms that the ropes
might not hurt him. drew him up from
the dungeon. and again be is permit
ted to remain in the court Of the pris-
on and was there on the day that the
city was taken chapter xxxviii. Is. 2el.
The sequel to the story OF Jeremiah
and how he was given perfect freedom
to go where be pleased after Jerusa-
lem was taken. but. choosing to remain