The Holly chieftain., 1922-06-08
IMPROVED UNlF0RM INTERNATIONAL
Si11nldaySchool .
' Lesson '
(By REV. p. B. FITZwATEk. D. D..
Teacher of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute Of ChicaSo.)
Copyright, is1s. western Newspaper Union
LESSON FOR JUNE II
JEREMIAH CAST INTO PRISON

LESSON TExT-Jeremiah 3s:1-1a
GOLDEN TExT-Be not afraid of their
faces: for am with thee to deliver thee.
saith the Lord.-Jer. 1:S.
REFERENCE MATERIAL = Gen. -:
1s-2s: Jer. 2o:l-ls: Luke s:ls-2o; Acts Il:
Ill; 16:19-A
PRIMARY roPrc-How God Cared for
Jeremiah.
JUNIOR roPIc-Jeremiah's Bold Truth
telling.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Faithful In the Face of Danger.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Lessons From Jeremiah's Character.
I. jeremiah Predicts the Capture Of
Jerusalem (vv. 1-3).
/. To Whom-the People ". ~.
Jeremiah had been taken out Of the
prison by the king 37:17), and
ordered confined to the court Of the
prison (37:2 :2I). The people seem to
have had free access to him in the
court (32:12). From this place Of
limited confinement Jeremiah an
nounced to the people their approach
ing captivity.
2. Counsel Given (vv. 2. 81. ~ All
that remaIneth In the city shall die by
the sword. famine and pestilence. (2)
He that goeth forth to the Chaldeans
shall live. "He shall have his life for
prey" doubtless means that he shall
escape with his life. though losing all
else.
II. Jeremiah Accused by the Princes
(vv. 4, 81.
1. "He weakeneth the hands of the
men and all the people" ". ~. From
human standpoint what they said
was true, but since Jeremiah was but
the interpreter of God to the nation
they ought to have needed his advice
to surrender.
2. "This man seeketh not the well
fare of this people, but the hurt" ".
~. This charge was utterly false.
Jeremiah was the best friend of the
people, for he faithfully proclaimed
to them Gods Judgment upon them for
their sins and advised them how to
make the best of their unfortunate
situation.
8. The Kings Cowardly Act ". 81.
Jeremiah is abandoned by his coward
ly friend The very one whom Jere-
mlah was trying to help deserted him.
The king was afraid of the Chaldeans,
the princes, Jeremiah and God.
III. Jeremiah Cast Into the Dungeon
| ". 81.
This was not regular prison, but
a cistern which had doubtless been
emptied Of Its water during the siege,
leaving only 'mire." Into this mire
he sank. The purpose was to let
Jeremiah die there. There was no
possible way to escape. In this situa-
tion Jeremiah is type of Christ
psalm 69). Jeremiah was one of the
bravest of Gods servants.
w. jeremiah Rescued From the
Dungeon wv. 7-13).
1. By Whom-Ebed-melec an Afrl-
can servant wv. 7-9). The Jewish
prophet whom his own countrymen
tried to destroy is saved by Gentle,
which may be thought of as fore
shadowing the Gentiles' attitude to-
ward Christ. Though Ebed-melech
had co,ored skin he was the whitest
man In Jerusalem. He was not only
sympathetic, but courageous. He went
to the king and boldly declared that
the princes had done evil in imprison-
ing jeremiah.
2. The Method (vv. 1919. The king
yielded to his request and furnished q
guard to prevent Interference with the
work of rescue. He let down soft
rags and worn-out garments by ropes
and instructed jeremiah to put them
under his arms and under the ropes
so as to prevent injury to him as he
was lifted up. They lifted him out
of the dungeon and he was permitted
the freedom of the court of the prison.
| Why did Jeremiah have such hard
timer Why do the purest and best
men and women have to suffer? Why
| are Gods prophets unpopular? Jere.
miah, the prophet who declared Gods
power to deliver, goes to prison and
suffers. "Why do the righteous suf-
Ter" Is an age-old question.
l. The power Of God is more strik-
ingly shown in deliverance than in
keeping from trials. This was SO in
the case Of the Hebrews in the fiery
furnace and Daniel in the den of
lions.
2. Great gain accrues to the suffer-
ers; e. g. the Hebrews in the fiery
furnace were not only kept from being
burned, but had walking with them
the Son of God; Job through his
trials was brought to see himself.
3. Suffering turns out to the further
ance of Gods cause; e. g. Job be-
comes the priest through whose inter-
cession his friends are pardoned !;
Paul's sufferlngs furthered the preach
ing of the gospel: John through BAN
ishment on the Isle of Patmos was
given the vision Of the Revelation.
Zion.
But judah shall dwell for ever, and
| Jerusalem from generation TO genera