prophets and kings-第66节

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rkened　unto　Me：　therefore　thus　saith　the　Lord　God　of　hosts；　the　God　of　Israel；　Behold；　I　will　bring　upon　Judah　and　upon　all　the　inhabitants　of　Jerusalem　all　the　evil　that　I　have　pronounced　against　them：　because　I　have　spoken　unto　them；　but　they　have　not　heard；　and　I　have　called　unto　them；　but　they　have　not　answered。〃　Verses　14…17。

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When　men's　hearts　are　softened　and　subdued　by　the　constraining　influence　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　they　will　give　heed　to　counsel；　but　when　they　turn　from　admonition　until　their　hearts　become　hardened；　the　Lord　permits　them　to　be　led　by　other　influences。　Refusing　the　truth；　they　accept　falsehood；　which　becomes　a　snare　to　their　own　destruction。

God　had　pleaded　with　Judah　not　to　provoke　Him　to　anger；　but　they　had　hearkened　not。　Finally　sentence　was　pronounced　against　them。　They　were　to　be　led　away　captive　to　Babylon。　The　Chaldeans　were　to　be　used　as　the　instrument　by　which　God　would　chastise　His　disobedient　people。　The　sufferings　of　the　men　of　Judah　were　to　be　in　proportion　to　the　light　they　had　had　and　to　the　warnings　they　had　despised　and　rejected。　Long　had　God　delayed　His　judgments；　but　now　He　would　visit　His　displeasure　upon　them　as　a　last　effort　to　check　them　in　their　evil　course。

Upon　the　house　of　the　Rechabites　was　pronounced　a　continued　blessing。　The　prophet　declared；　〃Because　ye　have　obeyed　the　commandment　of　Jonadab　your　father；　and　kept　all　his　precepts；　and　done　according　unto　all　that　he　hath　commanded　you：　therefore　thus　saith　the　Lord　of　hosts；　the　God　of　Israel；　Jonadab　the　son　of　Rechab　shall　not　want　a　man　to　stand　before　Me　forever。〃　Verses　18；　19。　Thus　God　taught　His　people　that　faithfulness　and　obedience　would　be　reflected　back　upon　Judah　in　blessing；　even　as　the　Rechabites　were　blessed　for　obedience　to　their　father's　command。

The　lesson　is　for　us。　If　the　requirements　of　a　good　and　wise　father；　who　took　the　best　and　most　effectual　means

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to　secure　his　posterity　against　the　evils　of　intemperance；　were　worthy　of　strict　obedience；　surely　God's　authority　should　be　held　in　as　much　greater　reverence　as　He　is　holier　than　man。　Our　Creator　and　our　Commander；　infinite　in　power；　terrible　in　judgment；　seeks　by　every　means　to　bring　men　to　see　and　repent　of　their　sins。　By　the　mouth　of　His　servants　He　predicts　the　dangers　of　disobedience；　He　sounds　the　note　of　warning　and　faithfully　reproves　sin。　His　people　are　kept　in　prosperity　only　by　His　mercy；　through　the　vigilant　watchcare　of　chosen　instrumentalities。　He　cannot　uphold　and　guard　a　people　who　reject　His　counsel　and　despise　His　reproofs。　For　a　time　He　may　withhold　His　retributive　judgments；　yet　He　cannot　always　stay　His　hand。

The　children　of　Judah　were　numbered　among　those　of　whom　God　had　declared；　〃Ye　shall　be　unto　Me　a　kingdom　of　priests；　and　an　holy　nation。〃　Exodus　19：6。　Never　did　Jeremiah　in　his　ministry　lose　sight　of　the　vital　importance　of　heart　holiness　in　the　varied　relationships　of　life；　and　especially　in　the　service　of　the　most　high　God。　Plainly　he　foresaw　the　downfall　of　the　kingdom　and　a　scattering　of　the　inhabitants　of　Judah　among　the　nations；　but　with　the　eye　of　faith　he　looked　beyond　all　this　to　the　times　of　restoration。　Ringing　in　his　ears　was　the　divine　promise：　〃I　will　gather　the　remnant　of　My　flock　out　of　all　countries　whither　I　have　driven　them；　and　will　bring　them　again　to　their　folds。　。　。　。　Behold；　the　days　come；　saith　the　Lord；　that　I　will　raise　unto　David　a　righteous　Branch；　and　a　King　shall　reign　and　prosper；　and　shall　execute　judgment　and　justice　in　the　earth。　In　His　days　Judah　shall　be　saved；　and　Israel　shall

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dwell　safely：　and　this　is　His　name　whereby　He　shall　be　called；　THE　LORD　OUR　RIGHTEOUSNESS。〃　Jeremiah　23：3…6。

Thus　prophecies　of　oncoming　judgment　were　mingled　with　promises　of　final　and　glorious　deliverance。　Those　who　should　choose　to　make　their　peace　with　God　and　live　holy　lives　amid　the　prevailing　apostasy；　would　receive　strength　for　every　trial　and　be　enabled　to　witness　for　Him　with　mighty　power。　And　in　the　ages　to　come　the　deliverance　wrought　in　their　behalf　would　exceed　in　fame　that　wrought　for　the　children　of　Israel　at　the　time　of　the　Exodus。　The　days　were　coming；　the　Lord　declared　through　His　prophet；　when　〃they　shall　no　more　say；　The　Lord　liveth；　which　brought　up　the　children　of　Israel　out　of　the　land　of　Egypt；　but；　The　Lord　liveth；　which　brought　up　and　which　led　the　seed　of　the　house　of　Israel　out　of　the　north　country；　and　from　all　countries　whither　I　had　driven　them；　and　they　shall　dwell　in　their　own　land。〃　Verses　7；8。　Such　were　the　wonderful　prophecies　uttered　by　Jeremiah　during　the　closing　years　of　the　history　of　the　kingdom　of　Judah；　when　the　Babylonians　were　coming　unto　universal　rule；　and　were　even　then　bringing　their　besieging　armies　against　the　walls　of　Zion。

Like　sweetest　music　these　promises　of　deliverance　fell　upon　the　ears　of　those　who　were　steadfast　in　their　worship　of　Jehovah。　In　the　homes　of　the　high　and　the　lowly；　where　the　counsels　of　a　covenant…keeping　God　were　still　held　in　reverence；　the　words　of　the　prophet　were　repeated　again　and　again。　Even　the　children　were　mightily　stirred；　and　upon　their　young　and　receptive　minds　lasting　impressions　were　made。

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It　was　their　conscientious　observance　of　the　commands　of　Holy　Scripture；　that　in　the　days　of　Jeremiah's　ministry　brought　to　Daniel　and　his　fellows　opportunities　to　exalt　the　true　God　before　the　nations　of　earth。　The　instruction　these　Hebrew　children　had　received　in　the　homes　of　their　parents；　made　them　strong　in　faith　and　constant　in　their　service　of　the　living　God；　the　Creator　of　the　heavens　and　the　earth。　When；　early　in　the　reign　of　Jehoiakim；　Nebuchadnezzar　for　the　first　time　besieged　and　captured　Jerusalem；　and　carried　away　Daniel　and　his　companions；　with　others　specially　chosen　for　service　in　the　court　of　Babylon；　the　faith　of　the　Hebrew　captives　was　tried　to　the　utmost。　But　those　who　had　learned　to　place　their　trust　in　the　promises　of　God　found　these　all…sufficient　in　every　experience　through　which　they　were　called　to　pass　during　their　sojourn　in　a　strange　land。　The　Scriptures　proved　to　them　a　guide　and　a　stay。

As　an　interpreter　of　the　meaning　of　the　judgments　beginning　to　fall　upon　Judah；　Jeremiah　stood　nobly　in　defense　of　the　justice　of　God　and　of　His　merciful　designs　even　in　the　severest　chastisements。　Untiringly　the　prophet　labored。　Desirous　of　reaching　all　classes；　he　extended　the　sphere　of　his　influence　beyond　Jerusalem　to　the　surrounding　districts　by　frequent　visits　to　various　parts　of　the　kingdom。

In　his　testimonies　to　the　church；　Jeremiah　constantly　referred　to　the　teachings　of　the　book　of　the　law　that　had　been　so　greatly　honored　and　exalted　during　Josiah's　reign。　He　emphasized　anew　the　importance　of　maintaining　a　covenant　relationship　with　the　all…merciful　and　compassionate

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Being　who　upon　the　heights　of　Sinai　had　spoken　the　precepts　of　the　Decalogue。　Jeremiah's　words　of　warning　and　entreaty　reached　every　part　of　the　kingdom；　and　all　had　opportunity　to　know　the　will　of　God　concerning　the　nation。

The　prophet　made　plain　the　fact　that　our　heavenly　Father　allows　His　judgments　to　fall；　〃that　the　nations　may　know　themselves　to　be　but　men。〃　Psalm　9：20。　〃If　ye　walk　contrary　unto　Me；　and　will　not　hearken　unto　Me；〃　the　Lord　had　forewarned　His　people；　〃I；　even　I；　。　。　。　will　scatter　you　among　the　heathen；　and　will　draw　out　a　sword　after　you：　and　your　land　shall　be　desolate；　and　your　cities　waste。〃　Leviticus　26：21；　28；33。

At　the　very　time　messages　of　impending　doom　were　urged　upon　princes　and　people；　their　ruler；　Jehoiakim；　who　should　have　been　a　wise　spiritual　leader；　foremost　in　confession　of　sin　and　in　reformation　and　good　works；　was　spending　his　time　in　selfish　pleasure。　〃I　will　build　me　a　wide　house　and　large　chambers；〃　he　proposed；　and　this　house；　〃ceiled　with　cedar；　and　painted　with　vermilion〃　（Jeremiah　22：14）；　was　built　with　money　and　labor　secured　through　fraud　and　oppression。

The　wrath　of　the　prophet　was　aroused；　and　he　was　inspired　to　pronounce　judgment　upon　the　faithless　ruler。　〃Woe　unto　him　that　buildeth　his　house　by　unrighteousness；　and　his　chambers　by　wrong；〃　he　declared；　〃that　useth　his　neighbor's　service　without　wages；　and　giveth　him　not　for　his　work。　。　。　。　Shalt　thou　reign；　because　thou　closest　thyself　in　cedar？　Did　not　thy　father　eat　and　drink；　and　do　judgment　and　justice；　and　then　it　was　well　with　him？　He

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judged　the　cause　of　the　poor　and　needy；　then　it　was　well　with　him：　was　not　this　to　know　Me？　saith　the　Lord。　But　thine　eyes　and　thine　heart　are　not　but　for　thy　covetousness；　and　for　to　shed　innocent　blood；　and　for　oppression；　and　for　violence；　to　do　it。

〃Therefore　thus　saith　the　Lord　concerning　Jehoiakim　the　son　of　Josiah　king　of　Judah；　They　shall　not　lament　for　him；　saying；　Ah　my　brother！　or；　Ah　sister！　they　shall　not　lament　for　him；　saying；　Ah　lord！　or；　Ah　his　glory！　He　shall　be　buried　with　the　burial　of　an　ass；　drawn　and　cast　forth　beyond　the　gates　of　Jerusalem。〃　Verses　13…19。

Within　a　few　years　this　terrible　judgment　was　to