Arizona sun., 1947-06-20

carries with it the empire, is
Notwithstanding event. The fall OF
Rome shattered the world for a
thousand years. The fall of Berlin
and Tokyo are within the memory
of all of us, and the results are
seen in a disordered world.
The destruction of Jerusalem.
which our lesson presents, was even
more serious; for it was not only a
national tragedy, but also one with
deep religious significance.
The wicked king Jehoiakim was
succeeded by his son Jehoiachin, a
mere boy who reigned only three
months. He gave way to Nebuchad-
nezzar, who appointed as his sue
cessor his uncle Zedekiah.
It is in the verses just preceding
our lesson that we learn that Zede-
kiah turned against Babylon in an
act of
I. Rebellion ". -.
Zedekiah ignored his oath Of alle-
glance (II Chron. 36:13). for which
he was condemned by Ezekiel as a
traitor (Ezek. 17:13-18). Zedekiah
has well been called the vanishing
point in a diminishing line Of kings.
It was an evil thing he did QI Kings
24:1g, and one which showed his
conceit. vanity and rashness.
True it was that he only followed
what he had learned from his pred
ecessors, but that is never good
excuse for a man foolishly to turn
against Gods will.
Observe that God was not just
disinterested spectator, and yet he
had come to the place where he let
Judah 60 down to it's own awful
doom. The worst thing that can hap
pen to a man or a nation is to be
let alone by God!
Zedekiah's act of folly quickly
brought
III. RetributiOn (vv. 2-1O.
jeremiah urged Zedekiah to sur
render (see Jer. 81, 38) in order to
save Jerusalem and himself, but he
refused, and the city was besieged.
The kings refusal to hear Gods
prophet and his turning to Egypt
for help speak to us of the manner
in which unrepentant sinners reject
Gods mercy and then seek help at
the hopeless cisterns of this world
(Jer. 2:10.
The king tried to flee, but was
taken captive. Then came the siege
of Jerusalem. For one and one-haf
years the enemy gradually closed
in, while famine and distress grew
apace in the city. jeremiah went
through this entire period sharing
his peoples trouble. The book Of
Lamentations is the record Of this
eyewitness.
Sin does its terrible work. Even
as it can take great city and turn
it into a plague spot marked by
cruelty, suffering and death, even
so it can bring forth its inevitable
and unspeakable results in the life
of the individual who persists in re-
sisting the voice of God.
Note also that the sin of Zedekiah
brought quick judgment, not only
on himself, but upon his innocent
children ". y, and on many in the
besieged city who were equally
guiltless of wrongdoing. It is again
a picture of what sin does today in
the homes and communities of our
nation.
III. Removal (vv. IL, 1O.
The fall of Jerusalem prepared
the way for the closing scene Of the
immediate history of the nation as
the people went into captivity. 1t
also ended for the time being the
history of the city that had once so
proudly held position of privilege
and power. but was now brought
down by it's sin and rebellion
against God.
We say rightly that history re-
p6dCS lLSSA. we sec tI1dC dIAy I1oIIOA
that lifts itself up in pride and for
gets God will inevitably perish. We
ask ourselves where our beloved
country stands. AS we consider its
debauchery and drunkenness, its
disregard Of moral standards, its
indifference to the things of God, we
feel that instead of pointing finger
of scorn at Judah, we ought to be on
our faces before God in penitence
and shame.
Let us not assume that we hold a
place of favor with God, which
exempts us from the certainty Of
judgment. Israel was his chosen,
and they still are, for his promises
of ultimate blessing to them have
never been withdrawn. But their
sin brought certain punishment, and
the same is true today not only of
the nation but Of the individual
The Sunday school lessons will
take up the history of Israel again
at this point in April, 1948, when we
consider the captivity and the par
tial return Of the people to their
land