The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1911-08-19
THE INTERNATIONAL. SERIES

Text ct the Iesson, JeF. xxxvii, 4-21.
Memory Verse. Is Golden Text.
Matt. v, 11-commsntary Prepared
by Rev. D. N. Stsarns.
We have not yet reached the end of
the sorrows OF jeremiah. and these o.
today's lesson seem TO hare been some
Of the greatest. but all were because
Of the truth and the God OF truth Qsa
lxv. 1G, whose witness be was. II has
been a long time since he ceased to
complain Of his sufer1ngs for the
truths sake. but he still awaits the
full glory Of the kingdom which by the
spirit he foresaw and predicted Man:
others have come and gone. and tn,
kingdom IS not yet. and the suffering,
continue for the faithful. but the Loru
God OF recompenses shall surely re
quite" fJer. II. J6,. and the sufferings
are not worthy to be compared WITH
the glory that shall be revealed Hom
viii, is: Pet. iv. l3,
1t seems easy to say it. but 1t Is true
that suffering for the truths sake Is &
great privilege and will bring us grea:
glory In His kingdom OPhil. I. %; II
Cor. iv. II. 49,. After Jehoiakim's mis-
erable death and seemingly no burial
or as good as none Jer. xxxvi. 3O,.
bis son. Jeconiah. reigned thee
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
10 ~ tot !, 2 4,
the record Of his deliverance froE
prison after that long period. His
fathers brother. Zedekiah, was thec
made king, and he 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 p. although they professed
to want jeremiah to pray for them
(verse 81. and more than once Zede
kiah consulted him (verse II; xviii
14. The last twenty-five years before
the captivity. the time Of these four
kings. was time Of increasing evil
and specially trying time for faith
full witness like jeremiah. but no one Is
ever tried beyond the grace given to
sustain under the trial Il Cor Z. 49,
The Lords answer to the king who
sent his messengers to inquire of Jere-
miah is found In verses 6 to 10 OF
our lesson with the admonition THUS
saith the Lord. deceive not yourselves"
(verse Oh 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" (Alatt- xiv. A.. He also
added that the wonders and signs OF
false Christs and false prophets at the
end Of this age will. If possible. de-
ceive the very elect (verse 24). Frors
the day on which the devil deceiyed
Eve he has been diligently worEfEs
on that line. perhaps never more 8
than now, but the time draws nea:
when ha~ shall be imprisoned and de
ceive the nations no more for a thou
sand years (Rev. XIX. 49,. One cannc:
but tremble for the multitudes who are
deceiving and being deceived in these
days. but 1t must end soon. The pray
er OF Peter in I Pet. v. 10, II. Is JUST
right for all the faithful witnesses suf
fering for the truth.
We cannot wonder that jeremiah
longed to separate himself from all the
unbelieving ones about him and get
away somewhere alone with God (verse
12). and TO be arrested and falsely ac-
cused and smitten and imprisoned and
like to die in filthy cell (verses 12
16. 20, 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. ii. 49,. Oh, how
great is our need of patience and an
unwavering faith in God that will not
be offended under any circumstances
John xvi. 1-3; Rev. xiii. 10; xiv, 12;
Heb. K. sc. 81.
After many days-how long they
must have seemed-the king sent 70:
jeremiah and inquired. "ls there any
word from the I.ord?" Verse 17.) Their.
was no new word. but just the former
one concerning the captivity in Bah
ylou. jeremiah took occasion to asf
why he had been imprisoned and +,
ask that he might not be sent baci
to where he bad been. SO be was lie;
for q time in the court OF the pris,s
typr9pS 1921 ;ssf y l1re9fhino Sp1.