Middletown transcript., 1922-06-03
LESSON FOR JUNE 4
JEHoIAkiM TRIES TO DESTROY
GODS WORD

GOD'S WOHD
LESSON TEXT-Jeremiah 36.
GOLDEN TEXT-The Word of our God
shall stand forever-Isa. 40:S.
REFERENCE MATERIAL-Isa. SSH;
Matt. 5:17-l9.
PRIMARY ToPIC-The Burning Of
Good Book.
JUNO TOPIC-Jeholakim Burns the
Prophets Book.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
"A King Who Scorned Gods Word.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
How to Meet the Forces Antagonist"
to Gods Word.
!. The BooIs Being Written tvv.
1-4).
l. The Time of ". ~. In the
fourth year of Jehoiaiim, Jeremiah
had been exercising the prophetic min
istry some thirty years.
2. Against Whom Spoken ". p.
They were directed against Israel,
Judah and all the nations from the
time he began his ministry to the time
of the utterance of this prophecy.
3. The Purpose Of ". 81. The
grand object of the Lord in sending
this message by the prophet was
Judah's repentance. Tho purpose back
Of all Gods utterances of judgment
is the repentance of His people in or
der that He might forgive their
iniquity and their sin (II Pet. 3:9).
4. Method of ". ~. Jeremiah die
| tated the words of the Lord to Ba-
| ruch the Scribe. who wrote them upon
| n roll of book. This roll was parch-
ment usually attached at both ends to
| a roller of wood.
u. The Book Being Read wv. 5-21).
Jeremiah was unable to speak the
message of the Lord to the people,
US he was "shut up" ". 81. "Shut
up most likely means royal ban
against Jeremiah's proclamation Of
Gods Word to the people or against
his entering the temple. From verse
10 it seems that he was free to go
about among the people.
| !. To the People wv. 6-10). The
occasion which brought the people
together was day of fasting ". O.,
because of the threatening of the
Babylonians. Jeremiah directed Ba-
ruch to read to the people the words
| of the Lord which he had dictated
to him, with the hope that the people
would present their supplication be-
fore the Lord and return every one
from his evil way.
3. To the Princes CIV. lid. While
the reading of the book unto the peo-
pie seemingly created no great i'm
preston, yet Michaiah was so deeply
moved that he went to the scribes
chamber where the princes We're as
sembed and declared unto them
all the words which he had aheard
Baruch read. The princes sent for
Baruch to come and bring the roll
with them. Baruch came and read to
them with the result that G) they
were aroused with fear ". 16). (2)
ten the words wv. II, 1S). To this he
replied that he had written in the
book the words which jeremiah had
dictated to him. 60 Their concern
for the safety of Jeremiah and
Baruch ". 19). They We're instruct
ed to hide themselves from mans
sight.
3. To the King wv. 20, 21). The
princes regarded the words of the
Lord to be of such importance that
they should be read In the hearing of
the king, for he was mainly involved
In the judgments pronounced. Upon
their report Of the matter to the king,
he had Jehudi bring the roll and read
it to him in the presence Of the
princes.
III. The King Destroying the Roll
wv. 22-26).
Instead Of becoming penitent and
roll leaf by leaf and threw 1t into the
fire until it was consumed. This he
did against the intercession of some
Of the princes. When the roll was
destroyed he ordered jeremiah and
Baruch arrested.
w. The Roll Rewritten {vv. 27-3o).
The burnt roll was reproduced by
the command Of the Lord, and many
like words were added unto them. We
should learn from this Incident
1. The Indestructibility of Gods
Word. Men may cut it to pieces and
Eurn Il, but the Word of God shall
stand forever. 1t comes to light again
with woes added to be visited upor
its would-be destroyers.
2. The reason men attempt to de
stroy Gods Word. 1t Is because of the
authoritative rebuke of their sins. The
Bible arraigns man for his pride ant
wlckedness and asserts Gods sover
eign power over man and his demand
for personal surrender unto Hin
and worship of Him.
3. The Method of Attempted De
struction of Gods Word. 1t was par
by part. "When Jehudi had reat
, three or four leaves he cut it with
penllnife." The nationalist today cut
out the biblical conception of God a
, being whose essential nature de
, mands punishment of sin; therefor
!: he cuts out the Bible doctrine of maj
/ as created of God in His likeness an,
image. Instead of that he make
t man product of evolution; therefor