Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-05-31
] IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
.Sil19ldayScllool
Lesson '
Thy REV. p. b. FITZWATER, d. D..
Teacher of English Bible In the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago.)
Copyright. 1898. western Newspaper Union.
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
LESSON FOR JUNE 8

LESSUN run JUNE 5
JEREMIAH, THE PROPHET OF
COURAGE
LESSON TExT--Jeremiah 1:1-is.
GOLDEN TExT-Watch We, stand fast
in the faith, quit ysu like men. be strong.
- Corinthians 1918.
REFERENCE Acknowledgement
s:1-9; 1919; 16:1-4. Matthew 2:17, IS.
PRIMARY TOPIc-Sons Who Honor
Their Father
JUNIOR ToPIc-The Story Of the
Rechabites.
INTERMEDIARY AND SENIOR TOPIC
Jeremiah, the Courageous Prophet.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
--Jeremiahs Service to His Nation.
Jeremiah was one Of the last proph-
cts Of Judah. He saw the nation 60
int the Babylonian Captivity and Je-
rusalem destroyed after which he
went into Egypt He was a lonely,
misunderstood and unpopular prophet.
He was most bitterly hated and per-
secuted. His own countrymen turned
against him. He was placed in stocks
and then thrown into horrible dun
geon from which he narrowly escaped
with his life The teacher should give
little sketch of his life. The fol-
lowing is suggested:
q. His Call q :2-10).
2. His Commission (1:11-19).
3. His Sympathetic Heart (4:10).
A His Great Sorrows 40 :15-2D.
S. The Divine Power Which Urged
Him Forward and Sustained Him
(1O7-9).
Because he was called upon to
prophesy against bis own nation and
at the command Of God urged them to
surrender to the Babylonians, he was
regarded as traitor guilty Of treason
against his own nation.
|. The Rechabites' Test wv. I'D.
In the days of Jehoiakim, the Lord
charged Jeremiah to bring the Recha-
bites into the house of the Lord and
test them regarding the drinking Of
wine. This he did in a place where
the people might behold them, the aim
being to teach Judah by example.
The father of the Rechabites had
given command that they should not
drink wine Their filial obedience
put to shame the children of Judah
for their lack Of obedience. Jonadab,
the father of the Rechabites, was only
a man but the one whose commands
Judah disregarded was the Almighty
God their Creator and Savior. 1t Is
Gods plan that every man be tested.
Being free agent, he can have char
acter only through testing.
II. The FIIial Loyalty Of the Rec
habites wv. 6-1I.
Though they were out of their own
country In the midst of a foreign peo-
pie they refused to drink wine, de-
claring that they had been true to the
Instructions of Jonadab all their lives.
1t Is fine thing when children re-
member their fathers and render
obedience to their commands.
III. The Loyalty Of the RechabItes
In Contrast With the DisloyaIty Of
Judah (vv 12-l6).
1. The Appeal (vv. IS, 14). He
made the appeal on the basis Of the
filial loyalty Of the Rechabites He
also reminded them that he had
spoken to them In person, rising up
early to do So
2. The Ministry Of the Prophets
wv. 10, 1877. When the people failed
to render obedience to God, he sent
to them the prophets, who pleaded
with them to amend their ways by
turning away from their idols. Mat
thew Henry indicates the points Of
contrast somewhat as follows: ~
The Rechabites were obedient to one
who was but man; the Jews dis
obeyed the infinite and eternal God.
(2) Jonadab was dead and could not
know of their disloyalty or correct
them for it. God is all-knowing and
lives forever and will punish for dis
obedience (3) The Rechabites were
never reminded of their obligations.
but God sent His prophets to speak
to His people. az Jonadab left the
charge but no estate to support the
charge, but God gave the people
g00dly land and pr0spered them In 1t.
(5) God never assigned His people a
task as hard as Jonadab's, but Gods
people disobeyed Him while the
Rechabites obeyed their father.
~. Judgment Upon the Jews for
Disobedience ". ~.
God declared that He would bring
Judgment upon them according to
what He had said. Judgment is laid
upon those who disobey and rebel
against God.
v. Reward Of the Rechabltes for
Their Loyalty wv. Is, 19).
Because they had been true to the
commands Of Jonadab, they should
always have representative before
God. God has such regard for f1lial
obedience that He lets no act go un-
rewarded.