prophets and kings-第72节
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l stand； Mine； or theirs。〃 Jeremiah 44：28。
The sorrow of the prophet over the utter perversity of those who would have been the spiritual light of the world； his sorrow over the fate of Zion and of the people carried captive to Babylon； is revealed in the lamentations he has left on record as a memorial of the folly of turning from the counsels of Jehovah to human wisdom。 Amid the ruin wrought； Jeremiah could still declare； 〃It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed；〃 and his constant prayer was； 〃Let us search and try our ways； and turn again to the Lord。〃 Lamentations 3：22； 40。 While Judah was still a kingdom among the nations； he had inquired of his God； 〃Hast Thou utterly rejected Judah？ hath Thy soul loathed Zion？〃 and he had made bold to plead； 〃Do not abhor us； for Thy name's sake。〃 Jeremiah 14：19； 21。 The prophet's absolute faith in God's eternal purpose to bring order out of confusion； and to demonstrate to the nations of earth and to the entire universe His attributes of justice and love； now led him to plead confidently in behalf of those who might turn from evil to righteousness。
But now Zion was utterly destroyed； the people of God were in their captivity。 Overwhelmed with grief； the
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prophet exclaimed： 〃How doth the city sit solitary； that was full of people！ how is she become as a widow！ she that was great among the nations； and princess among the provinces； how is she become tributary！ She weepeth sore in the night； and her tears are on her cheeks： among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her： all her friends have dealt treacherously with her； they are become her enemies。
〃Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction； and because of great servitude： she dwelleth among the heathen； she findeth no rest： all her persecutors overtook her between the straits。 The ways of Zion do mourn； because none come to the solemn feasts： all her gates are desolate： her priests sigh； her virgins are afflicted； and she is in bitterness。 Her adversaries are the chief； her enemies prosper； for the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions： her children are gone into captivity before the enemy。〃
〃How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in His anger； and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel； and remembered not His footstool in the day of His anger！ The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob； and hath not pitied： He hath thrown down in His wrath the strongholds of the daughter of Judah； He hath brought them down to the ground： He hath polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof。 He hath cut off in His fierce anger all the horn of Israel： He hath drawn back His right hand from before the enemy； and He burned against Jacob like a flaming fire； which devoureth round about。 He hath bent His bow like an enemy： He stood with His right hand as an adversary； and slew all
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that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion： He poured out His fury like fire。〃
〃What thing shall I take to witness for thee？ what thing shall I liken to thee； O daughter of Jerusalem？ what shall I equal to thee； that I may comfort thee； O virgin daughter of Zion？ for thy breach is great like the sea： who can heal thee？〃
〃Remember； O Lord； what is come upon us： consider； and behold our reproach。 Our inheritance is turned to strangers； our houses to aliens。 We are orphans and fatherless； our mothers are as widows。 。 。 。 Our fathers have sinned； and are not； and we have borne their iniquities。 Servants have ruled over us： there is none that doth deliver us out of their hand。 。 。 。 For this our heart is faint； for these things our eyes are dim。〃
〃Thou； O Lord； remainest forever； Thy throne from generation to generation。 Wherefore dost Thou forget us forever； and forsake us so long time？ Turn Thou us unto Thee； O Lord； and we shall be turned； renew our days as of old。〃 Lamentations 1：1…5； 2：1…4； 13； 5：1…3； 7； 8； 17； 19…21。
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Chapter 38
Light Through Darkness
The dark years of destruction and death marking the end of the kingdom of Judah would have brought despair to the stoutest heart had it not been for the encouragements in the prophetic utterances of God's messengers。 Through Jeremiah in Jerusalem； through Daniel in the court of Babylon； through Ezekiel on the banks of the Chebar； the Lord in mercy made clear His eternal purpose and gave assurance of His willingness to fulfill to His chosen people the promises recorded in the writings of Moses。 That which He had said He would do for those who should prove true to Him； He would surely bring to pass。 〃The word of God 。 。 。 liveth and abideth forever。〃 1 Peter 1：23。
In the days of the wilderness wandering the Lord had made abundant provision for His children to keep in remembrance the words of His law。 After the settlement in Canaan the divine precepts were to be repeated daily in every home； they were to be written plainly upon the doorposts and
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gates； and spread upon memorial tablets。 They were to be set to music and chanted by young and old。 Priests were to teach these holy precepts in public assemblies； and the rulers of the land were to make them their daily study。 〃Meditate therein day and night；〃 the Lord commanded Joshua concerning the book of the law； 〃that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein： for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous； and then thou shalt have good success。〃 Joshua 1：8。
The writings of Moses were taught by Joshua to all Israel。 〃There was not a word of all that Moses commanded； which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel； with the women； and the little ones； and the strangers that were conversant among them。〃 Joshua 8：35。 This was in harmony with the express command of Jehovah providing for a public rehearsal of the words of the book of the law every seven years； during the Feast of Tabernacles。 〃Gather the people together； men； and women； and children； and thy stranger that is within thy gates；〃 the spiritual leaders of Israel had been instructed。 〃that they may hear； and that they may learn； and fear the Lord your God； and observe to do all the words of this law： and that their children； which have not known anything； may hear； and learn to fear the Lord your God； as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it。〃 Deuteronomy 31：12； 13。
Had this counsel been heeded through the centuries that followed； how different would have been Israel's history！ Only as a reverence for God's Holy Word was cherished in the hearts of the people； could they hope to fulfill the divine
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purpose。 It was regard for the law of God that gave Israel strength during the reign of David and the earlier years of Solomon's rule； it was through faith in the living word that reformation was wrought in the days of Elijah and of Josiah。 And it was to these same Scriptures of truth； Israel's richest heritage； that Jeremiah appealed in his efforts toward reform。 Wherever he ministered he met the people with the earnest plea； 〃Hear ye the words of this covenant；〃 words which would bring them a full understanding of God's purpose to extend to all nations a knowledge of saving truth。 Jeremiah 11：12。
In the closing years of Judah's apostasy the exhortations of the prophets were seemingly of but little avail； and as the armies of the Chaldeans came for the third and last time to besiege Jerusalem； hope fled from every heart。 Jeremiah predicted utter ruin； and it was because of his insistence on surrender that he had finally been thrown into prison。 But God left not to hopeless despair the faithful remnant who were still in the city。 Even while Jeremiah was kept under close surveillance by those who scorned his messages； there came to him fresh revelations concerning Heaven's willingness to forgive and to save； which have been an unfailing source of comfort to the church of God from that day to this。
Laying fast hold on the promises of God； Jeremiah； by means of an acted parable； illustrated before the inhabitants of the fated city his strong faith in the ultimate fulfillment of God's purpose for His people。 In the presence of witnesses； and with careful observance of all necessary legal forms； he purchased for seventeen shekels of silver an
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ancestral field situated in the neighboring village of Anathoth。
From every human point of view this purchase of land in territory already under the control of the Babylonians； appeared to be an act of folly。 The prophet himself had been foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem； the desolation of Judea； and the utter ruin of the kingdom。 He had been prophesying a long period of captivity in faraway Babylon。 Already advanced in years； he could never hope to receive personal benefit from the purchase he had made。 However； his study of the prophecies that were recorded in the Scriptures had created within his heart a firm conviction that the Lord purp
