prophets and kings-第80章
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n。
Once more the king sent privately for Jeremiah； and bade him faithfully relate the purpose of God toward Jerusalem。 In response； Jeremiah inquired； 〃If I declare it unto thee； wilt thou not surely put me to death？ and if I give thee counsel； wilt thou not hearken unto me？〃 The king entered into a secret compact with the prophet。 〃As the Lord liveth； that made us this soul；〃 Zedekiah promised； 〃I will not put thee to death； neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life。〃 Verses 15； 16。
There was still opportunity for the king to reveal a willingness to heed the warnings of Jehovah； and thus to temper with mercy the judgments even now falling on city and nation。 〃If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes；〃 was the message given the king； 〃then thy soul shall live； and this city shall not be burned with
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fire； and thou shalt live； and thine house： but if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes； then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans； and they shall burn it with fire； and thou shalt not escape out of their hand。〃
〃I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans；〃 the king replied； 〃lest they deliver me into their hand； and they mock me。〃 But the prophet promised； 〃They shall not deliver thee。〃 And he added the earnest entreaty； 〃Obey； I beseech thee； the voice of the Lord； which I speak unto thee： so it shall be well unto thee； and thy soul shall live。〃 Verses 17…20。
Thus even to the last hour； God made plain His willingness to show mercy to those who would choose to submit to His just requirements。 Had the king chosen to obey； the lives of the people might have been spared； and the city saved from conflagration； but he thought he had gone too far to retrace his steps。 He was afraid of the Jews； afraid of ridicule； afraid for his life。 After years of rebellion against God； Zedekiah thought it too humiliating to say to his people； I accept the word of the Lord； as spoken through the prophet Jeremiah； I dare not venture to war against the enemy in the face of all these warnings。
With tears Jeremiah entreated Zedekiah to save himself and his people。 With anguish of spirit he assured him that unless he should heed the counsel of God； he could not escape with his life； and all his possessions would fall to the Babylonians。 But the king had started on the wrong course； and he would not retrace his steps。 He decided to
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follow the counsel of the false prophets； and of the men whom he really despised； and who ridiculed his weakness in yielding so readily to their wishes。 He sacrificed the noble freedom of his manhood and became a cringing slave to public opinion。 With no fixed purpose to do evil； he was also without resolution to stand boldly for the right。 Convicted though he was of the value of the counsel given by Jeremiah； he had not the moral stamina to obey； and as a consequence he advanced steadily in the wrong direction。
The king was even too weak to be willing that his courtiers and people should know that he had held a conference with Jeremiah； so fully had the fear of man taken possession of his soul。 If Zedekiah had stood up bravely and declared that he believed the words of the prophet； already half fulfilled； what desolation might have been averted！ He should have said； I will obey the Lord； and save the city from utter ruin。 I dare not disregard the commands of God because of the fear or favor of man。 I love the truth； I hate sin； and I will follow the counsel of the Mighty One of Israel。
Then the people would have respected his courageous spirit； and those who were wavering between faith and unbelief would have taken a firm stand for the right。 The very fearlessness and justice of this course would have inspired his subjects with admiration and loyalty。 He would have had ample support； and Judah would have been spared the untold woe of carnage and famine and fire。
The weakness of Zedekiah was a sin for which he paid a fearful penalty。 The enemy swept down like a resistless avalanche and devastated the city。 The Hebrew armies
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were beaten back in confusion。 The nation was conquered。 Zedekiah was taken prisoner； and his sons were slain before his eyes。 The king was led away from Jerusalem a captive； his eyes were put out； and after arriving in Babylon he perished miserably。 The beautiful temple that for more than four centuries had crowned the summit of Mount Zion was not spared by the Chaldeans。 〃They burnt the house of God； and brake down the wall of Jerusalem； and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire； and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof。〃 2 Chronicles 36：19。
At the time of the final overthrow of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar； many had escaped the horrors of the long siege； only to perish by the sword。 Of those who still remained； some； notably the chief of the priests and officers。
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and the princes of the realm； were taken to Babylon and there executed as traitors。 Others were carried captive； to live in servitude to Nebuchadnezzar and to his sons 〃until the reign of the kingdom of Persia： to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah。〃 Verses 20； 21。
Of Jeremiah himself it is recorded： 〃Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuchadnezzar…adan the captain of the guard； saying； Take him； and look well to him； and do him no harm； but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee。〃 Jeremiah 39：11； 12。
Released from prison by the Babylonian officers； the prophet chose to cast in his lot with the feeble remnant； 〃certain poor of the land〃 left by the Chaldeans to be 〃vinedressers and husbandmen。〃 Over these the Babylonians set Gedaliah as governor。 Only a few months passed before the newly appointed governor was treacherously slain。 The poor people； after passing through many trials； were finally persuaded by their leaders to take refuge in the land of Egypt。 Against this move； Jeremiah lifted his voice in protest。 〃Go ye not into Egypt；〃 he pleaded。 But the inspired counsel was not heeded； and 〃all the remnant of Judah； 。 。 。 even men； and women； and children；〃 took flight into Egypt。 〃They obeyed not the voice of the Lord： thus came they even to Tahpanhes。〃 Jeremiah 43：5…7。
The prophecies of doom pronounced by Jeremiah upon the remnant that had rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar by fleeing to Egypt were mingled with promises of pardon to those who should repent of their folly and stand ready to return。 While the Lord would not spare those who turned
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from His counsel to the seductive influences of Egyptian idolatry； yet He would show mercy to those who should prove loyal and true。 〃A small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah；〃 He declared； 〃and all the remnant of Judah； that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there； shall know whose words shall 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。
