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Signs of the Times, Vol. 2, No. 25.

JEREMIAH

Signs of the Times

Jun 1, 1876

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jun 1, 1876

JEREMIAH

By Ellen G. White

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
The Lord gave Jeremiah a message of reproof to bear to his people, charging them with the continual rejection of God's counsel; saying, “I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened. I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers.”
God plead with them not to provoke him to anger with the work of their hands and hearts; “but they hearkened not.” Jeremiah then predicted the captivity of the Jews, as their punishment for not heeding the word of the Lord. The Chaldeans were to be used as the instrument by which God would chastise his disobedient people. Their punishment was to be in proportion to their intelligence, and the warnings they had despised. God had long delayed his judgments, because of his unwillingness to humiliate his chosen people; but now he would visit his displeasure upon them, as a last effort to check them in their evil course.
In these days he has instituted no new plan to preserve the purity of his people. He entreats the erring ones who profess his name, to repent and turn from their evil ways, in the same manner that he did of old. He predicts the dangers before them, by the mouth of his chosen servants now as then. He sounds his note of warning, and reproves sin just as faithfully as in the days of Jeremiah. But the Israel of our time have the same temptations to scorn reproof and hate counsel, as did ancient Israel. They too often turn a deaf ear to the words that God has given his servants for the benefit of those who profess the truth. Though the Lord in mercy withholds for a time the retribution of their sin, as in the days of Jeremiah, he will not always stay his hand, but will visit iniquity with righteous judgment.
The Lord commanded Jeremiah to stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak unto all the people of Judah who came there to worship, those things which he would give him to speak, diminishing not a word; that they might hearken and turn from their evil ways. Then God would repent of the punishment which he had purposed to do unto them because of their wickedness. The unwillingness of the Lord to chastise his erring people is here vividly shown. He stays his judgments, he pleads with them to return to their allegiance.
He brought them out of bondage that they might faithfully serve himself, the only true and living God; but they had wandered into idolatry, they had slighted the warnings given them by his prophets; yet he defers his chastisement to give them one more opportunity to repent and avert the retribution for their sin. Through his chosen prophet, he now sends them a clear and positive warning, and lays before them the only course by which they can escape the punishment which they deserve. This is a full repentance of their sin, and a turning from the evil of their ways.
The Lord commanded Jeremiah to say to the people: “Thus saith the Lord: 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 the city a curse to all the nations of the earth.” They understood this reference to Shiloh, and the time when the Philistines overcame Israel and the ark of God was taken. The sin of Eli was in passing lightly over the iniquity of his sons, who were occupying sacred offices. The neglect of the father to reprove and restrain his sons, brought upon Israel a fearful calamity. The sons of Eli were slain, Eli himself lost his life, the ark of God was taken from Israel, and thirty thousand of their people were slain. All this was because sin was lightly regarded, and allowed to remain in their midst. What a lesson is this to men holding responsible positions in the church of God! It adjures them to faithfully remove the wrongs that dishonor the cause of truth.
Israel thought, in the days of Samuel, that the presence of the ark containing the commandments of God, would gain them the victory over the Philistines, whether or not they repented of their wicked works. Just so the Jews, in Jeremiah's time, believed that the divinely appointed services of the temple, being strictly observed, would preserve them from the just punishment of their evil course.
The same danger exists to-day among that people who profess to be the repository of God's law. They are too apt to flatter themselves that the regard in which they hold the commandments, should preserve them from the power of divine justice. They refuse to be reproved of evil, and blame God's servants with being too zealous in putting sin out of the camp. A sin-hating God calls upon those who profess to keep his law to depart from all iniquity. Neglect to repent, and obey his word will bring as serious consequences upon God's people to-day, as did the same sin upon ancient Israel. There is a limit beyond which he will no longer delay his judgments. The correction of God through his chosen instruments cannot be disregarded with impunity. The desolation of Jerusalem stands as a solemn warning before the eyes of modern Israel.
When the priests and the people heard the message that Jeremiah delivered to them in the name of the Lord, they were very angry, and declared that he should die. They were boisterous in their denunciations of him, crying, “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.” Thus was the message of God despised, and the servant with whom he entrusted it threatened with death. The priests, the unfaithful prophets, and all the people turned in wrath upon him who would not speak to them smooth things and prophesy deceit.
The unfaltering servants of God have usually suffered the bitterest persecution from false teachers of religion. But the true prophets will ever prefer reproach and even death rather than unfaithfulness to God. The Infinite eye is upon the instruments of divine reproof, and they bear a heavy responsibility. But God regards the injury done to them through misrepresentation, falsehood or abuse, the same as though it were done unto himself, and will punish accordingly.
The princes of Judah had heard concerning the words of Jeremiah, and came up from the king's house, and sat in the entry of the Lord's house. “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.” 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 words which ye have heard. Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you. As for me, behold, I am in your hand; do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you. But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof; for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.”
Had the prophet been intimidated by the threats of those in high authority, and the clamoring of the rabble, his message would have been without effect, and he would have lost his life. But the courage with which he discharged his painful duty commanded the respect of the people, and turned the princes of Israel in his favor. Thus God raised up defenders for his servant. They reasoned with the priests and false prophets, showing them how unwise would be the extreme measures which they advocated.
The influence of these powerful persons produced a reaction in the minds of the people. Then the elders united in protesting against the decision of the priests regarding the fate of Jeremiah. They cited the case of Micah, who prophesied judgments upon Jerusalem, saying, “Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem become heaps, and the mountains of the house as the high places of a forest.” They put to them the question: Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the Lord, and beseech the Lord, and the Lord repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.
So through the pleading of Ahikam and others, the prophet Jeremiah's life was spared; although many of the priests and false prophets would have been pleased had he been put to death on the plea of sedition; for they could not endure the truths that he uttered exposing their wickedness.
But Israel remained unrepented and the Lord saw that they must be punished for their sin, so he instructed Jeremiah to make yokes and bonds and place them upon his neck, and send them to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, of the Ammonites, of Tyrus and Zidon, commanding the messengers to say that God had given all these lands to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. That all these nations should serve him and his descendants for a certain time, till God should deliver them. They were to declare that if those nations refused to serve the king of Babylon they should be punished with the famine, with the sword, and with the pestilence, till they should be consumed. “Therefore,” said the Lord, “hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, ‘Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon;’ for they prophesy a lie unto you to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish. But
the nations that bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land, saith the Lord; and they shall till it, and dwell therein.”
Jeremiah declared that they were to wear the yoke of servitude for seventy years, and the captives that were already in the hands of the king of Babylon, and the vessels of the Lord's house which had been taken, were also to remain in Babylon till that time had elapsed. But at the end of the seventy years God would deliver them from their captivity, and would punish their oppressors, and bring into subjection the proud king of Babylon.
Ambassadors had come from the various nations named to consult with the king of Judah as to the matter of engaging in battle with the king of Babylon. But the prophet of God, bearing the symbols of subjection, delivered the message of the Lord to these nations, commanding them to bear it to their several kings. This was the lightest punishment that a merciful God could inflict upon so rebellious a people; but if they warred against this decree of servitude, they were to feel the full vigor of his chastisement. They were faithfully warned not to listen to their false teachers who prophesied lies.
The amazement of the assembled council of nations knew no bounds when Jeremiah, carrying the yoke of subjection about his neck, made known to them the will of God. But Hananiah, one of the false prophets against whom God had warned his people through Jeremiah, lifted up his voice in opposition to the prophecy declared. Wishing to gain the favor of the king, and his court, he affirmed that God had given him words of encouragement for the Jews. Said he: “Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the Lord's house, that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon. And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the Lord; for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.”
Jeremiah, in the presence of all the priests and the people, said that it was the earnest wish of his heart that God would so favor his people that the vessels of the Lord's house might be returned and the captives brought back from Babylon. But this could only be done on condition that the people repented and turned from their evil way to the obedience of God's law. Jeremiah loved his country and ardently wished that the desolation predicted might be averted by the humiliation of the people; but he knew the wish was vain. He hoped the punishment of Israel would be as light as possible; therefore he earnestly entreated them to submit to the king of Babylon for the time that the Lord specified.
He entreated them to hear the words that he spoke. He cited them to the prophecies of Hosea, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and others whose messages of reproof and warning had been similar to his own. He referred them to events which had transpired in their history in fulfillment of the prophecies of retribution for unrepentant sins. Sometimes, as in this case, men had arisen in opposition to the message of God, and predicted peace and prosperity, to quiet the fears of the people, and gain the favor of those in high places. But in every past instance the judgment of God had been visited upon Israel, as the true prophets had indicated. Said he, “The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known that the Lord hath truly sent him.” If Israel chose to run the risk, future developments would effectually decide which was the false prophet.
But Hananiah, incensed at this, took the yoke from Jeremiah's neck and broke it. “And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith the Lord: Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the necks of all nations within the space of two full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.”
He had done his work, he had warned the people of their danger, he had pointed out the only course by which they could regain the favor of God. But they had mocked his words; men in responsible positions had denounced him, and tried to arouse the people to put him to death. Yet his only crime was in faithfully delivering the message of God to an unbelieving people.But another message was given to Jeremiah. “Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord: Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron. For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him; and I have given him the beasts of the field also.” Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The Lord hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie. Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth. This year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord. So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.” This false prophet had strengthened the unbelief of the people in Jeremiah and his message. He had wickedly declared himself to be the Lord's messenger, and he suffered death in consequence of his fearful crime.
In the fifth month Jeremiah prophesied the death of Hananiah, and in the tenth month his death proved the words of the prophet true.
God had said that his people should be saved, that the yoke he would lay upon them should be light, if they submitted uncomplainingly to his plan. Their servitude was represented by the yoke of wood, easily borne. But resistance would be met with corresponding severity, represented by the yoke of iron. God designed to hold the king of Babylon in check that there should be no loss of life nor galling oppression. But by scorning his warning and commands, they brought upon themselves the full rigor of bondage. It was far more agreeable to the people to receive the message of the false prophet, who predicted prosperity. Therefore they received the counsel which pleased them best. It wounded their pride to have their sins brought continually before their eyes; they would much rather put them out of sight. They were in such moral darkness that they did not realize the enormity of their guilt, nor appreciate the messages of reproof and warning given them of God.
Had they had a proper sense of their disobedience, they would have acknowledged the justice of the Lord's course, and recognized the authority of his prophet. God entreated them to repent that he might spare them humiliation, and that a people called by his name should not become tributary to a heathen nation; but they scoffed at his counsel and went after false prophets.
The Lord then commanded Jeremiah to write letters to the captains, elders, priests, prophets, and all the people who had been taken as captives to Babylon, bidding them not to be deluded into believing their deliverance nigh, but to quietly submit to their captors, quietly pursue their avocations, and make for themselves peaceful homes among their conquerors. He bade them not to allow their prophets or diviners to deceive them with false expectations. But the Lord assured them by the words of Jeremiah that after seventy years of bondage they should be delivered and return to Jerusalem. He would listen to their prayers and give them his favor when they turned to him with all their hearts. “And I will be found of you, saith the Lord; and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.”
With what tender compassion did God inform his captive people in regard to his plans for Israel. He knew what suffering and disaster they would experience, were they led to believe that they should speedily be delivered from bondage and brought back to Jerusalem, according to the prediction of the false prophets. He knew that this belief would make their position a very difficult one. Any demonstration of insurrection upon their part would have awakened the vigilance and severity of the king, and their liberty would have been restricted in consequence. He desired them to quietly submit to their fate and make their servitude as pleasant as possible.
There were two other false prophets, Ahab and Zedekiah, who prophesied lies in the name of the Lord. These men professed to be holy teachers, but their lives were corrupt,
and they were slaves to the pleasures of sin. The prophet of God had condemned the evil course of these men, and warned them of their danger; but instead of repenting and reforming, they were angry with the faithful reprover of their sins, and sought to thwart his work by stirring up the people to disbelieve his words, and act contrary to the counsel of God, in the matter of subjecting themselves to the king of Babylon. The Lord testified through Jeremiah that these false prophets should be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon and slain before his eyes, all of which prediction was fulfilled in good time.
Other false prophets arose to sow confusion among the people, by turning them away from obeying the divine commands, given through Jeremiah; but God's judgments were pronounced against them in consequence of their grievous sin of bringing rebellion against him.
Just such men rise in these days and breed confusion and rebellion among the people who profess to obey the law of God. But just as certainly as divine judgment was visited upon the false prophets, just so surely will these evil workers receive their full measure of retribution; for the Lord has not changed. Those who prophesy lies encourage men to look upon sin as a small matter. When the terrible results of their crimes are made manifest, they seek, if possible, to make the one who has faithfully warned them responsible for their difficulties, even as the Jews charged Jeremiah with their evil fortunes.
Those who pursue a course of rebellion against the Lord can always find false prophets who will justify them in their acts and flatter them to their destruction. Lying words often make many friends, as in the case of Ahab and Zedekiah. These false prophets, in their pretended zeal for God, found many more believers and followers than the true prophet who delivered the simple message of the Lord.
God commanded Jeremiah to gather the Rechabites into the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers, and set wine before them, and invite them to drink. Jeremiah did as the Lord commanded him. “But they said, We will drink no wine; for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons, forever.”
“Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the Lord. The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment.”
Here God contrasts the obedience of the Rechabites with the disobedience and rebellion of his people who will not receive his words of reproof and warning. The Rechabites obeyed the commandment of their father, and refused to be enticed into transgression of his requirements. But Israel refuses to hearken unto me, saith the Lord, “notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.”
“I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from the evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers; but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me. Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened 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.”
“And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandments 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.”
The Rechabites were commended for their ready and willing obedience, which God's people refused to be reproved by their prophets. “Because I have spoken unto them, and they have not heard; but I have called unto them and they have not answered,” for this God pronounced judgment against them. Jeremiah repeated the words of commendation
from the Lord to the faithful Rechabites, and pronounced blessings upon them in his name. Thus God taught his people that faithfulness and obedience of his requirements would be reflected back upon them in blessings, as the Rechabites were blessed for their obedience to their father's command.
If the directions of a good and wise father, who took the best and most effectual means to secure his posterity against the evil of intemperance, were to be so strictly obeyed, in as much greater reverence should God's authority be held as he is holier than man. He is our Creator and Commander, infinite in power and terrible in judgment. In mercy he employs a variety of means to bring men to see and repent of their sins. If they will continue to disregard the reproofs he sends them, and act contrary to his declared will, ruin must follow, for God's people are kept in prosperity only by his mercy, through the care of his heavenly messengers. He will not uphold and guard a people who disregard his counsel and despise his reproofs.
Jeremiah was already deprived of his liberty because he would obey God and give to the king and others occupying responsible positions in Israel, the words of warning which he had received from the mouth of God. The Israelites would not accept these reproofs, nor allow their course to be questioned. They had manifested great anger and contempt at the words of rebuke and the judgments which were predicted to come upon them if they continued in rebellion against the Lord. Although Israel would not hear the words of divine counsel, it did not make that word of less effect, neither did God cease to reprove and threaten with his displeasure and his judgments those who refused to obey his requirements.
The Lord directed Jeremiah saying, “Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day. It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”
Here the Lord is shown as reluctant to give up his sinning people. And lest Israel had so far neglected his reproofs and warnings as to let them pass from their memory, he delays his judgments upon them and gives them a full rehearsal of their disobedience and aggravating sins from the days of Josiah down to their own time, and of the judgments he had pronounced in consequence of their transgression. Thus they had another opportunity to see their iniquity and repent. In this we see that God does not delight in afflicting his people. But with a care which surpasses that of a pitying father for a wayward child, he entreats his wandering people to return to their allegiance.
*(To be Continued.)

The Signs of the Times

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Fear Not Daughter of Zion.

By Bonar

Fear not, thou daughter of Zion, He cometh, he cometh, thy King! He cometh in lowly greatness; Lift up thy voice and sing!
He hasteth with love and blessing, With glory and light to thee; 'Tis the day of the great salvation, 'Tis the year of jubilee.
As the Prince of peace he cometh, The Desire of nations he; As the Bridegroom he appeareth At midnight; awake and see.
As the King of earth he cometh, As the theme of creation's song; Let heaven begin the chorus, And earth its notes prolong.
He cometh to spoil the spoiler, To avenge and judge and reign; He cometh to bind the strong one In the everlasting chain.
He came once in shame and weakness, As the bearer of human sin, He cometh in royal splendor His kingdom to begin.
He has gone to receive his sceptre, He returns as the crowned King; Break forth, O creation, in triumph, Oh, lift up thy voice and sing!
Fear thou not, daughter of Zion, And fear not, thou burdened earth; The day of redemption cometh, The day of thy second birth!
—Bonar.
Continue reading: The Inquisition and Papal Interference