The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-04


--Ps. 27:1
Historical Setting --Time-Eariy In
the reign of Jenoiakim, who came to
the throne about b. c. SOS. Place
Jerusalem.
Additional information.
l. Jeremiah--Born at .Anathoth, a
village not far from Jerusalem in the
land of Benjamin. Son of Hilkaih
the priest. Called to the prophetic Of
flee in the thirteenth year of Josiah.
in the days OF the prophet Zephaniah.
Prosecuted by the entire village. in
GLIDING his own family for his prophe-
tic utterances, he fled to Jerusalem.
Probably aided Josiah in his religious
reforms. His public ministry lasted
over forty years in the most trying
times of Judah's history. Because of
his boldness In rebuking the people for
their sins and warning them against
the ruin they were bringing upon their
heads, he was subjected to almost
unceasing persecution. Yet his love
for them grew stronger with the pass
ing years. and when he realized that
he WAS unsuccessful In his efforts to
awaken them he was utterly heart
broken. The Jews insist that the man
Of sorrows Of the fifty-third chapter
of Isaiah was none other than Jere-
miah Certainly he suffered enough
and saw enough suffering tfor he
lived until after the fall of Jerusa-
lem) to justify the title. though We
know that Isaiah had in mind One
whose sorrows were infinitely greater.
He has been called the most human
Of the prophets. His feelings were
intense No man loved with deeper
love, vet he was terrible in invective
and in his prayers for divine VEN
geance.
2, The Book of Jeremiah.-After
preaching twenty years jeremiah was
directed by Jehovah to commit hts
prophecies to writing. This was done
by debating them to his friend and
disciple Baruch. who wrote them on
q roll When this roll was read to
Jehoiakin, the king In "a rage cut it
to pieces with his penknife and threw
II into the fire undaunted the proph-
ct prepared another roll. in which he
added many other similar words. In
richness of Imagery, In fuiness or hu~
man interest in ducidity and natural
ness. in his command of the various
resources of poetry. eloQuence, pathos
and practical appeal, he Is the great
est of the writing prophets. The book
Is composed of exhortations. warnings.
prophecies and narratives of his ex-
periences and important events of his
times.
5. Why did they want to XIII Jere-
miah? When men are in power they
are usually pretty well satisfied with
existing conditions. Even the most
enthusiastnc reformers when once In
office have been known TO suddenly
lose all interest in their own reform
measures and to become violent cham
pious of the prevailing order. Judah
was depending on Egypt jeremiah
felt that it would be. better of II 1t
would side with the Chaldeans. That
meant disturbing existing conditions
and that was what nobody In author
itv wanted Moreover. jeremiah was
continually crying oat against the
moral rottenness that was making
Jerusalem a stencil to Jehovah, rms
was q reflection upon the priests and
prophets who were guardians OF ths
public morals, and who were in charge
of religious worship, and who natnr-
ally insisted that things were NOV
ing along as they should. AS con-
sequence they looked upon Jeremiah
as q nuisance. "a breeder or discon-
tent. q troublernaker. who must be got
ten out of the way lest he sAeald ever
turn the existing order ana they
should be overturned with II.
T. The Chaldeans.~Assyria.t the great
power of the East. WAS now passing
away. and the Chaldeans who had
moved from the head OF the Persian
Gulf to the lower Euphrates. were
rapidly gaining the ascendeney, IN
COD r {. the Chaldeans In conjunction
with the Modes captured Ninevah, the
capital of the Assyrtan empire, ana
in the division of the spells, the west
ern part OF the empire fell to the Chai-
deans, who at once started out under
NebuchadneZZar to subdue ii. TWO
years later Gin the fourth year OF
Jehoiakiml Northumberland defeated
Necho. king of Egypt. In the battle or
Carchemish and became master OF
Western Asia.
The Lesson Text in Everyday Dress
jeremiah had been preaching to the
people in the temple court and war n
| ing them of the ruin which their sins
would yet bring upon the temple ana
the city. When he was through Ger
! tain OF the priests. the prophets and
sa4s, usx,rie. greatly lncensed, laid nofs
| on him. You'll die for this they
| cried savagely why nave YOU been
preaching such stuff in the name OF
| ,Te,.avah2" AT this Il great crowd
! swarmed about HIM ana efssi'e 9' was
great excitement.
They dragged jeremiah off for trial
The Judges hurried down from the
| kings palace and took their places In
| the temple gateway to hear the case
| The prisoner was brought before them
and a spokesman Of the priests and
/ the prophets" was put forward to
charge him with the crime of propresy-
| ing against the city. jeremiah stood
among his enemies unafraid. Instead
| of DENYING the charge he said cooliy
Jehovah sent me to speak all the
words easa have heard fran me- on
| had better mend your ways and obey
| him AS for me am In your hands
You can do as you please; only
warn you that If you kill me sou VIII
bring innocent blood upon yourselves
| and upon this city; for tell you the
! truth: Jehovah sent me TO speak the
/ words which You have neard from
me"
This brought many Of the people tc
their senses The judges turned &c
the priests and the prophets and
told them plainly that they had made
| a mistake. the man was not worthy Oh
death for 1t was evident that he had
only spoken the words which Jehovah
| had given him to speak. Also certain
leading men arose and protested. Said
| one Of them: Don't you remember that
| the prophet Micah in the days OF Heze-
kiah uttered similar prophecy. and
| did not Hezekiah go TO Jehovah and
entreat his favor. and di not Jehovah
repent Of the evil which he had pro-
nounced against him. instead OF put
| ting this man to death ana committing
| great evil against our souls, should
! we riot rather as as HezekiafI tffd g
| Thus he went on until rna..y reason
| and Ajustice prevailed and Jeremiah
| was released
The Heart of tho Lesson.
| Tn Jeremiah we have remarkable