Evening star., 1924-05-31

JuoanS death knell was sounded
l35 years after Israel had met its
doom. During that period seven
kings of the Davidic line had ruled
the southern kingdom. In the near
east the potentate determines by his
personality the character of the
people. The last four, Jehoaz. Jehoi-
AKIN, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah, were
mere youths when they commenced to
reign. Although men grow older
quicker in the orient than in our land,
none Of these possessed the ripened
religious spirit that was needed to
save the nation from destruction.
They were Influenced by some design
ing minister or through their self
confidence, so that they did that
which was evil in the sight of the
Lord"
Zedekiah was placed upon the
throne as the vassal king of Babylon
when Jerusalem was captured in 597
B. c. jeremiah had tried to per-
suade the king and nation to return
to Jehovah and do His will in a final
effort to save Judah Ezekiel has
pointed out that the capture of Jeru-
salem and the carrying of some OF
their leaders into exile had shaken
the peoples faith in Jehovah. so that
Of idolatries, consisting of Phoeni-
clan, Syrian and Chaldean supersti-
tions. Hananiah represented the
group of priests and princes who,
chatting under the foreign control
opposed Jeremiah's advice that Zede-
kiah remain loyal to Nebuchadn dnezzar.
The spirit of nationalism become so
strong that jeremiah became un-
popular with the court and his coun-
trymen. until at last Zedekiah VIII
ings by making an offensive and de-
fensive alliance with Egypt and with
the rebellious cities of Palestine for
the purpose of throwing off the yoke
of Babylon. 1t was an lmpolltlc ana
unwise decision. The new empire OF
Babylon had already attained great
power and proved it's mastery over
Jerusalem Zedekiah's defeat meant
personal punishment and JudahS an
Inhalation as a rebel nation. Inere
was no help open for Judah, because
she had arrayed Jehovah against her
through her deepening depravity.
Judah's Deepening Depravity.
Judah will differ owing to their view
point. Probably any Babylonlan
would have assigned it to the su-
premacy of their army, while po-
litical economist would tell us that
the end came through bad economic
their subjects, and they gave no at
tention to what we recognize as one
of the foundations of the nations
progress-fnance. The Mosaic law
into disuse. The wealthy built up
enormous estates, joining field to
field in disregard of the ancient land
marks Monopolies We're built up in
fax and linens by sacrificing the in
terests of the poorer classes. IN,
burdens, and the control of grain
was held unrighteously by the king
and his court.
Back of every economic policy is
a moral question. The lesson pre-
sents an Indictment of the nation.
They had lost all moral restraints
when they turned from the worship
of Jehovah to practice the licent1ous
and degrading forms of the heather.
The chronicler notes the spirit of the
king whose sin was aggravated by
his refusal to worship God and by
his attitude toward jeremiah, which
was a sign of disrespect for Jehovah.
His evil doings Influenced the people
until their sins reached climax by
their knocking" and "scoffing' at the
true prophets and despising the di-
vine messages. Judah had lost the
righteousness that exalteth a nation"
and was full of sin that as re-
proach to any people"
"
Jerusalem refused to listen to Gods
word when 1T condemned their in
iquity, immortality and indifferences
to treaty obligations judah was
Lords appeal for them to repent and
sought to reform their ways, so as
to do His will, the nation would
have been able to endure longer
The country would have weathered
it's financial distress and been cured
Of it's sin If they had listened to the
prophets of Jehovah. Her destruc-
tion was due to the fact that Judah
refused to apply the principles of re-
vealed religion to the solution of
fairs. Every modern nation will fall,
as Jerusalem did, II it is unwilling to
mold its national life by the principles
of the Lord.
Jerusalem's Destruction.
Jerusalem's destruction is one of
the most tremendous object lessons
the world has ever seen Of the, re-
been other great and appalling catas-
trophies in the worlds history, but
this one has been interpreted to us
by the teachings of the prophets,
whose predictions were fulfilled and
whose hearts were crushed by their
fulfillment. There is no question that
the city Of Jerusalem fell when the
hand Of Jehovah, Who had protected
her from Sennacherib, was with
drawn. because there was no other
remedy" that He could use except ex-
lie to save His chosen nation for
service among men.
jeremiah was vindicated when,
after a prolonged siege of eighteen
months, the city fell. The end came
after period of indescribable suffer-
ing and horrors within the city, that
have been mirrored forth in the La
mentations Of jeremiah. Famine
drove the Hebrew mothers to such a
pitch OF madness that they did not
hesitate to eat their own children.
The heroic defense of the city by an
armE that was weakened by want of
foodreveals the strength. strategy
and Observation-Disclosures Of the Iewash