The Red Cloud chief., 1911-08-03
JEREMIAH TRIED
AND ACQUITTED
LESSON TExT-Jeren,iah Is.

Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TEXT-Jeremiah 8.
MEMORY VERsES-i3-14
GOLDEN TExT-"The Lord Is my light
and my salvation; whom shall 1 fear?'--
Psa. N:f.
T1ME--Josiah was slain In battle u. c.
COS, in the sist year OF his reign.
Jeho'akim his son began to reign the
same year and reigned eleven years. u. c.
COS TO 597.
Professionalism and Judah.
JEREMIAH began to prophesy B. G.
626 In the 18th year Of Josiah. soon after
Josiah began his first reforms; and he
that the Temple was destroyed and Jeru-
salem burned to the ground.
We turn now from the career and
character Of a good boy who became
q good king, to q bad young man who
became a bad king; while the same
prophet who aided the first for 1S
years tried now to stem the tide of
evil favored by the other during the
IL years Of his reign.
Thirteen years Of labors to make his
people serve and obey God have
passed since Josiah entered upon his
great reform. The Pharaoh Necho of
Egypt marched along the seacoast of
Palestine northward to meet the
armies Of Assyria. Foolishly and need.
lessly espousing the Assyrian cause,
Josiah met him at Megiddo on the
plain Of Esdraelon. was defeated and
killed. Professor Kent calls this dis
aster unquestionably the most tragic
event in Hebrew history. The reform
party at once placed upon the throne
Josiah's third son, Jehoahaz, 90 years
old, evidently because he resembled
his father, but as soon as the victor.
ious Necho returned from the Euphra-
tes he reversed the arrangement, car
ried Jehoahaz In chains to Egypt after
a reign Of only three months, and left
on the throne his elder brother Ella.
kim, 25 years old. rightly judging him
| to be Of a character more suited to
his purpose. In token Of vassalage
Eliakim changed his name Tin form,
but not in signifcance) to Jehoiakim,
Jehovah raiseth up" He proved to
be a tyrant, Of whom jeremiah speaks
always in condemnation. His mag
niflcent palace. built by forced labor.
his murder Of the prophet Uriah and
his persecution Of jeremiah show his
character.
jeremiah was q native Of Anathoth,
little villaeg three and one-half
miles northwest from Jerusalem. His
father was Hilkiah, priest (not the
high priest who was Josiah's add. He
was Of a retiring, exQuisitely sensitive
nature, and yet had spiritual courage
that triumphed over all weakness. and
compelled his body to the most diff.
ficult and dangerous duties. He never
failed. He was the butt of ridicule
and scorn. He was put In the stocks.
He was publicly whipped. He was
misrepresented as an enemy. He was
imprisoned several times. But he kept
right on.
In the beginning OF Jehoiakim's
reign (B. c. COSY jeremiah makes an
earnest appeal to the leaders and the
people, almost like an inaugural ad.
dress, or the annual sermon preached
in Boston on the Inauguration OF the
governor Of the state. The prophet
stands In the court of the temple. The
people not only of the city but OF the
surrounding country are fiocking into
the court to join in the worship. The
reform was halting. The kingdom was
Impoverished by the heavy fine Of 100
talents Of silver and one OF gold
($220,O0O) which Necho had imposed.
Jerusalem was acquitted by the
princes. They realized that he had
been tie spokesman Of God. Then
some of the elders, the leading people
instanced the case of the good king
Hczekiah. He did not slay the prophet
Micah, who boldly threatened the de-
structlon of Jerusalem-that its site
would become O plowed field. and the
temple heap Of ruins, unless they re-
pented. Hezekiah did not kill Micah
but on the contrary he led his people
to repentance. and the Lord averted
the danger.
The verses following tell US Of an
other prophet who ned from danger
to Egypt, was followed by the ennis
saries Of Jehoiakim. brought back and
executed. This story IL meant to show
how serious Jeremiah's danger waa
and perhaps to contrast Jeremiah'i
faith and courage with the timidity oi
Uriah. who yet did not escape hii
enemies. but found sad end.
Il 10 the strong adverse wind that
makes the kite hy high toward heav
On. provided that It Is held fast by
. its cord. without the string the ad
verse winds would simply blow 1t to
its fall and ruin. A heart fixed In
God and duty--held fast to them by q
strong faith-can rise to the highest
usefulness, can overcome every
temptation.
Revival work and decision days
wisely used. are the most effective re-
Inducements Of the common powers
, that move to the choice Of the better
life. One OF the strongest influences
against choosing the right lies In the
, gang spirit. the power of q popula,