prophets and kings-第64节

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But　by　the　great　mass　of　the　people　the　call　to　repentance　and　reformation　was　unheeded。　Since　the　death　of　good　King　Josiah；　those　who　ruled　the　nation　had　been　proving　untrue　to　their　trust　and　had　been　leading　many　astray。　Jehoahaz；　deposed　by　the　interference　of　the　king　of　Egypt；　had　been　followed　by　Jehoiakim；　an　older　son　of　Josiah。　From　the　beginning　of　Jehoiakim's　reign；　Jeremiah　had　little　hope　of　saving　his　beloved　land　from　destruction　and　the　people　from　captivity。　Yet　he　was　not　permitted　to　remain　silent　while　utter　ruin　threatened　the　kingdom。　Those　who　had　remained　loyal　to　God　must　be　encouraged　to　persevere　in　rightdoing；　and　sinners　must；　if　possible；　be　induced　to　turn　from　iniquity。

The　crisis　demanded　a　public　and　far…reaching　effort。　Jeremiah　was　commanded　by　the　Lord　to　stand　in　the　court　of　the　temple　and　speak　to　all　the　people　of　Judah　who　might　pass　in　and　out。　From　the　messages　given　him　he　must　diminish　not　a　word；　that　sinners　in　Zion　might　have　the

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fullest　possible　opportunity　to　hearken　and　to　turn　from　their　evil　ways。

The　prophet　obeyed；　he　stood　in　the　gate　of　the　Lord's　house　and　there　lifted　his　voice　in　warning　and　entreaty。　Under　the　inspiration　of　the　Almighty　he　declared：

〃Hear　the　word　of　the　Lord；　all　ye　of　Judah；　that　enter　in　at　these　gates　to　worship　the　Lord。　Thus　saith　the　Lord　of　hosts；　the　God　of　Israel；　Amend　your　ways　and　your　doings；　and　I　will　cause　you　to　dwell　in　this　place。　Trust　ye　not　in　lying　words；　saying；　The　temple　of　the　Lord；　The　temple　of　the　Lord；　The　temple　of　the　Lord；　are　these。　For　if　ye　thoroughly　amend　your　ways　and　your　doings；　if　ye　thoroughly　execute　judgment　between　a　man　and　his　neighbor；　if　ye　oppress　not　the　stranger；　the　fatherless；　and　the　widow；　and　shed　not　innocent　blood　in　this　place；　neither　walk　after　other　gods　to　your　hurt：　then　will　I　cause　you　to　dwell　in　this　place；　in　the　land　that　I　gave　to　your　fathers；　forever　and　ever。〃　Jeremiah　7：2…7。

The　unwillingness　of　the　Lord　to　chastise　is　here　vividly　shown。　He　stays　His　judgments　that　He　may　plead　with　the　impenitent。　He　who　exercises　〃loving…kindness；　judgment；　and　righteousness；　in　the　earth〃　yearns　over　His　erring　children；　in　every　way　possible　He　seeks　to　teach　them　the　way　of　life　everlasting。　Jeremiah　9：24。　He　had　brought　the　Israelites　out　of　bondage　that　they　might　serve　Him；　the　only　true　and　living　God。　Though　they　had　wandered　long　in　idolatry　and　had　slighted　His　warnings；　yet　He　now　declares　His　willingness　to　defer　chastisement　and　grant　yet　another　opportunity　for　repentance。　He　makes　plain　the　fact　that　only　by　the　most　thorough　heart　reformation　could

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the　impending　doom　be　averted。　In　vain　would　be　the　trust　they　might　place　in　the　temple　and　its　services。　Rites　and　ceremonies　could　not　atone　for　sin。　Notwithstanding　their　claim　to　be　the　chosen　people　of　God；　reformation　of　heart　and　of　the　life　practice　alone　could　save　them　from　the　inevitable　result　of　continued　transgression。

Thus　it　was　that　〃in　the　cities　of　Judah；　and　in　the　streets　of　Jerusalem〃　the　message　of　Jeremiah　to　Judah　was；　〃Hear　ye　the　words　of　this　covenant；〃the　plain　precepts　of　Jehovah　as　recorded　in　the　Sacred　Scriptures；〃and　do　them。〃　Jeremiah　11：6。　And　this　is　the　message　he　proclaimed　as　he　stood　in　the　temple　courts　in　the　beginning　of　the　reign　of　Jehoiakim。

Israel's　experience　from　the　days　of　the　Exodus　was　briefly　reviewed。　God's　covenant　with　them　had　been；　〃Obey　My　voice；　and　I　will　be　your　God；　and　ye　shall　be　My　people：　and　walk　ye　in　all　the　ways　that　I　have　commanded　you；　that　it　may　be　well　unto　you。〃　Shamelessly　and　repeatedly　had　this　covenant　been　broken。　The　chosen　nation　had　〃walked　in　the　counsels　and　in　the　imagination　of　their　evil　heart；　and　went　backward；　and　not　forward。〃　Jeremiah　7：23；　24。

〃Why；〃　the　Lord　inquired；　〃is　this　people　of　Jerusalem　slidden　back　by　a　perpetual　backsliding？〃　Jeremiah　8：5。　In　the　language　of　the　prophet　it　was　because　they　had　obeyed　not　the　voice　of　the　Lord　their　God　and　had　refused　to　be　corrected。　See　Jeremiah　5：3。　〃Truth　is　perished；〃　he　mourned；　〃and　is　cut　off　from　their　mouth。〃　〃The　stork　in　the　heaven　knoweth　her　appointed　times；　and　the　turtle　and　the　crane　and　the　swallow　observe　the　time　of　their

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coming；　but　My　people　know　not　the　judgment　of　the　Lord。〃　〃Shall　I　not　visit　them　for　these　things？　saith　the　Lord：　shall　not　My　soul　be　avenged　on　such　a　nation　as　this？〃　Jeremiah　7：28；　8：7；　9：9。

The　time　had　come　for　deep　heart　searching。　While　Josiah　had　been　their　ruler；　the　people　had　had　some　ground　for　hope。　But　no　longer　could　he　intercede　in　their　behalf；　for　he　had　fallen　in　battle。　The　sins　of　the　nation　were　such　that　the　time　for　intercession　had　all　but　passed　by。　〃Though　Moses　and　Samuel　stood　before　Me；〃　the　Lord　declared；　〃yet　My　mind　could　not　be　toward　this　people：　cast　them　out　of　My　sight；　and　let　them　go　forth。　And　it　shall　come　to　pass；　if　they　say　unto　thee；　Whither　shall　we　go　forth？　then　thou　shalt　tell　them。　Thus　saith　the　Lord；　Such　as　are　for　death；　to　death；　and　such　as　are　for　the　sword；　to　the　sword；　and　such　as　are　for　the　famine；　to　the　famine；　and　such　as　are　for　the　captivity；　to　the　captivity。〃　Jeremiah　15：1；　2。

A　refusal　to　heed　the　invitation　of　mercy　that　God　was　now　offering　would　bring　upon　the　impenitent　nation　the　judgments　that　had　befallen　the　northern　kingdom　of　Israel　over　a　century　before。　The　message　to　them　now　was：　〃If　ye　will　not　hearken　to　Me；　to　walk　in　My　law；　which　I　have　set　before　you；　to　hearken　to　the　words　of　My　servants　the　prophets；　whom　I　sent　unto　you；　both　rising　up　early；　and　sending　them；　but　ye　have　not　hearkened；　then　will　I　make　this　house　like　Shiloh；　and　will　make　this　city　a　curse　to　all　the　nations　of　the　earth。〃　Jeremiah　26：4…6。

Those　who　stood　in　the　temple　court　listening　to　Jeremiah's　discourse　understood　clearly　this　reference　to　Shiloh；

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and　to　the　time　in　the　days　of　Eli　when　the　Philistines　had　overcome　Israel　and　carried　away　the　ark　of　the　testament。

The　sin　of　Eli　had　consisted　in　passing　lightly　over　the　iniquity　of　his　sons　in　sacred　office；　and　over　the　evils　prevailing　throughout　the　land。　His　neglect　to　correct　these　evils　had　brought　upon　Israel　a　fearful　calamity。　His　sons　had　fallen　in　battle；　Eli　himself　had　lost　his　life；　the　ark　of　God　had　been　taken　from　the　land　of　Israel；　thirty　thousand　of　the　people　had　been　slainand　all　because　sin　had　been　allowed　to　flourish　unrebuked　and　unchecked。　Israel　had　vainly　thought　that；　notwithstanding　their　sinful　practices；　the　presence　of　the　ark　would　ensure　them　victory　over　the　Philistines。　In　like　manner；　during　the　days　of　Jeremiah；　the　inhabitants　of　Judah　were　prone　to　believe　that　a　strict　observance　of　the　divinely　appointed　services　of　the　temple　would　preserve　them　from　a　just　punishment　for　their　wicked　course。

What　a　lesson　is　this　to　men　holding　positions　of　responsibility　today　in　the　church　of　God！　What　a　solemn　warning　to　deal　faithfully　with　wrongs　that　bring　dishonor　to　the　cause　of　truth！　Let　none　who　claim　to　be　the　depositaries　of　God's　law　flatter　themselves　that　the　regard　they　may　outwardly　show　toward　the　commandments　will　preserve　them　from　the　exercise　of　divine　justice。　Let　none　refuse　to　be　reproved　for　evil；　nor　charge　the　servants　of　God　with　being　too　zealous　in　endeavoring　to　cleanse　the　camp　from　evil…doing。　A　sin…hating　God　calls　upon　those　who　claim　to　keep　His　law　to　depart　from　all　iniquity。　A　neglect　to　repent　and　to　render　willing　obedience　will　bring　upon　men　and　women　today　as　serious　consequences　as　came

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upon　ancient　Israel。　There　is　a　limit　beyond　which　the　judgments　of　Jehovah　can　no　longer　be　delayed。　The　desolation　of　Jerusalem　in　the　days　of　Jeremiah　is　a　solemn　warning　to　modern　Israel；　that　the　counsels　and　admonitions　given　them　through　chosen　instrumentalities　cannot　be　disregarded　with　impunity。

Jeremiah's　message　to　priests　and　people　aroused　the　antagonism　of　many。　With　boisterous　denunciation　they　cried　out；　〃Why　hast　thou　prophesied　in　the　name　of　the　Lord；　saying；　This　house　shall　be　like　Shiloh；　and　this　city　shall　be　desolate　without　an　inhabitant？　And　all　the　people　were　gathered　against　Jeremiah　in　the　house　of　the　Lord。〃　Jeremiah　26：9。　Priests；　false　prophets；　and　people　turned　in　wrath　upon　him　who　would　not　speak　to　them　smooth　things　or　prophesy　deceit。　Thus　was　the　message　of　God　despised；　and　His　servant　threatened　with　death。

Tidings　of　the　words　of　Jeremiah　were　carried　to　the　princes　of　Judah；　and　they　hastened　from　the　palace　of　the　king　to　the　temple；　to　learn　for　themselves　the　truth　of　the　matter。　〃Then　spake　the　priests　and　the　prophets　unto　the　princes　and　to　all　the　people；　saying；　This　man　is　worthy　to　die；　for　he　hath　prophesied　against　this　city；　as　ye　have　heard　with　your　ears。〃　Verse　11。　But　Jeremiah　stood　boldly　before　the　princes　and　the　people；　declaring：　〃The　Lord　sent　me　to　prophesy　against　this　house　and　against　this　city　all　the　wo