The Dolores star., 1924-05-23
Lesson for May Is
JEREMIAH AND THE sAsYLoNIAN
CRISIS

LESSON TEXT-Jer &c
GOLDEN TEXT-"Amend your ways
! and your doings. and obey the voice of
the Lord your God"-Jer. 25;15.
PRIMARY TOPIC-God Saves a Brave
Prophet.
JUNIOR ToPIc-The story of
| Brave Prophet.
| INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
lC-standIng Bravely for the Right
| YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-Jeremiah's Message to His People.
!, Jeremiah's Solemn Warning to
Judah wv. 10.
The Lord commanded him to stand
in n conspicuous place in the Temple
and proclaim the judgment which was
about TO fall upon them because of
their sins. The object was to provoke
| them to repentance ". -. If they
| would not repent. God would make
| the Temple as Shiloh ". G). Just as
| Shiloh was once the dwelling place
! Of the Lord and now fallen into decay
and abandoned SO Will 1t be with the
Temple. jeremiah was sent to speak
! the words which the Lord had told
him and not to diminish word.
II. Jeremiah on Trial wv. SID.
| l. Cause of Arrest ". 81. 1t was
for faithfully speaking all the Lord
! had commanded. The one who speaks
! boldly what God commands shall be
opposed. The time-server and self
| seeker will not stand for such a min
istry The Isaiahs and Jeremiahs
must suffer.
> The Charge wv. 8. %. II was "A
capital crime. They said, Thou shalt
surely die" His guilt according TO
their charge was twofold: ~ Pre-
tending to speak for God; (2) Speak
ing against tie temple and the city.
| According to their charge he was
guilty of blasphemy and sacrilege.
The one who prophesied without
Gods command was to be punished
by death (Deut. 49, :2o). Blasphemy
was also punished by death uev.
"a :16). Both Jesus and stephen were
accused of blespuemy.
g. The Princes Sit in Judgment wv.
10.1D. When the excitement reached
the ears of the princes they came to
Judge of the merits of the case. Mat
ters of state We're not entirely in the
hands of the priests and elders. but
were partly controlled by members of
the royal family.
III. Jeremiah's Defense wv. 12-1O.
Threats of death did not deter him
from preaching, but only made him re-
peat his message.
/. Reiterates His Divine Commits
sion ". l2). He had nothing to deny,
but to repeat what he had said. He
| Int In i'm,
they were opposing God, for he was
Gods messenger.
2. His Exhortation ". 13). He
urged them to amend their ways and
obey God, and God would not bring
upon them judgment.
3. He Gave Himself Up ". 14). He
did not resist the powers of govern
ment (Rom. 13:D. Knowing that he
was sent of God he was content to
trust God for deliverance.
4. Warns of Fatal Consequence ".
15). He frankly told them that God had
sent him, and If they killed him they
would be guilty of defying God. Woe
would not only fall upon them, but
the nation and city would suffer.
~. jeremiah Saved wv. 1920.
He was acquitted. God is able to
raise up friends and advocates from
the ranks of those who oppose us.
1. Judgment of the Princes ". 16).
They pronounced him not guilty, as he
had spoken in the name Of the Lord
Jeremiah's words convinced them that
he was speaking the truth.
2. Speech Of the Elders wv. 1929.
AS the princes probably represented
the king, so the elders represented the
people. The elders pleaded for Jere-
miah and adduced several cases in
Illustration:
az Micah wv. 1S. 19). Micah had
prophesled against Jerusalem, but King
Hezekiah instead of putting him to
death, repented and thus turned aside
the punishment which was impending.
(2) UrIjah wv. 20-23). Nrijah
prophesied against the city and land
and thus incurred the wrath of
.Jehoiakim. who even brought him back
from Egypt whence he had fled and
slew him.
Though all this was done, Judgment
was not thus thwarted. Killing Gods
prophets does not prevent Gods judg-
ment, but intensif1es IT. In the case
of Hezekiah Gods judgments were
turned aside through needing the words
of the prophet, and in the case of
Jehoinkim Judgment fell upon the ma
tion because of refusal and maltreat-
ment of the prophet.
3. Rescued by Ahikam ". 24. Ahi-
kan must have been man of influence
to be able to interfere at such a time.