Lesson 375 - Junior

Memory Verse

"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart"  (Jeremiah 29:13).

Notes

Evil Conditions in Judah

Jeremiah was known as the Weeping Prophet. He was a man who had a burden on his heart for God's people. He gave his whole life to try to help others, and lived in such a way that God could talk to him and tell him things that would happen in the future.

God had promised the Israelites when they came out of Egypt that He would be with them so long as they stayed with Him, or obeyed Him. But He had also promised punishment to those who did not obey. Many generations of Israelites had lived and died since then, who had proved that God meant what He said: the good had enjoyed His blessings, and the bad had suffered His punishments.

Because of the wickedness of the people, the twelve tribes had been divided at the time of the death of Solomon. Ten tribes were called Israel and the other two were called Judah. Israel had no good kings; so the ten tribes had been taken captive, and their land inhabited by heathen people.

There had been some good kings in Judah, such as Asa, Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat, Uzziah, and Josiah. For their sakes God had spared the nations of Judah a while longer. The great reformation under King Josiah had brought the blessing of God for a time; but when Josiah died, the last hope of Judah's becoming a great nation was gone until the time of the Millennium. Josiah's sons and nephew, who succeeded him, were all wicked and did no good for the people. The whole nation of Judah sat in their iniquity and misery, awaiting the captivity.

Nebuchadnezzar's Rule

It was at this time that Nebuchadnezzar became the king of Babylon, a great heathen nation. God called Nebuchadnezzar His servant, and used him to punish Judah.

When the armies of Nebuchadnezzar came against Judah, the best people were carried into Babylon. (Among them we find Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.) The poorer people were left in the land, and Josiah's descendants were placed over them as rulers.

Jeremiah warned the people to be obedient to Nebuchadnezzar and live at peace under their foreign rulers, but Zedekiah broke his promises to the Babylonian king and also continued to turn his back upon God. He would not listen to the advice of anyone.

Prophesying "Smooth" Sayings

In spite of the fact that God had told Jeremiah that the captivity would continue for seventy years, a prophet, Hananiah, now arose and said that the captivity would end within two years. People like to hear "good tidings" whether they are true or not. Many times people have been lulled by promises of peace until the sword was upon them and it was too late to avoid it. The Apostle Paul wrote that there would be people in our day who would turn away their ears from the truth, and would be turned unto fables, because they would not "endure sound doctrine."

Jeremiah would have been happy to have the captivity last only two years, but he knew that those were not the words of God. He prophesied that Hananiah would soon die, and he did. But Jeremiah lived on to tell the people the Word of God.

Sabbaths Ignored

When the Israelites had come out of Egypt, God had made a rule that every seventh year should be a Sabbath for the land. No crops were to be planted, and that which grew of itself was to be given to the poor. In the sixth year the crops would be so great that there would be plenty for the following year. We have no record that the Israelites ever kept this rule and let the land rest throughout the 490 years that they had been free. It would take 70 years to make up for the neglected Sabbaths, just the time prophesied for the captivity.

If God is so particular in seeing that His laws are obeyed in things in nature that seem unimportant, how much more so will He be particular concerning our soul's salvation! He has promised eternal life to all who live according to the Bible; but eternal punishment awaits those who refuse to come His way, regardless of the "smooth things" that some people preach in denying that there is an eternal hell.

Jeremiah's Yoke

Jeremiah had been wearing a wooden yoke around his neck as an object lesson to show the Jews of their captivity, reminding them that they were under the yoke of the enemy. They had been living pleasantly enough under Nebuchadnezzar's rule so long as they behaved. Hananiah broke that yoke of wood to try to prove to the people that their captivity would soon end. This was a lie, and God sent Jeremiah to say: "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" [JER:28:14]). Because of their rebellion, the captivity of the Israelites would become more burdensome.

When Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem, the people inside the city could not get food. (They had always had enough to eat before.) None of the nations round about them would help. They could not, for they had been conquered by Nebuchadnezzar themselves. Besides, there had been times in the history of the Israelites when they had conquered those nations, so this would be a good chance for them to even the score, if they could. So we see that all the world was against the Jews, and they must suffer for turning from God and worshiping idols.

Faithful Prophets

God wanted to do good to the people. He had sent faithful prophets who continued daily to warn the people of judgment. But the people "mocked and messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till thee was no remedy" [2CH:36:16]).

God said that He would make the Israelites a "hissing." Other nations would pass by their country and hate them so greatly that they would sneer at those who were supposed to be God's chosen people. What a dreary land it would be!

Strangers also would wonder why this desolation had come upon Israel. "And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city? Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them" [JER:22:8-9]).

We do not live to ourselves alone. Others are watching our lives. If we serve God faithfully, that is noticed. And if we backslide, the sinners will notice it immediately and wonder what has happened. Every backslider brings disgrace upon the name of Jesus. He dishonours the cause of Christ. God is merciful, and tries to cause all sinners, including the backsliders, to return to Him. But many people become so much interested in their work, their ambitions for wealth and fame, that they do not have time for God.

God told the people of Judah, "I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice" [JER:22:21]). God has warned the people of Africa as much as He ever warned the people of the Old Testament time, but in their prosperity they do not feel their need of a Saviour. Though many have a form of godliness, and go to church on Sunday, they do not repent of their sins. People still do worship idols, while many do worship the works of their own hands. They will do everything else first; and then if there is time left, they may offer a little to God. When people stand in the judgment, God will remind them of the many warnings He gave.

Babylon Destroyed

God used Nebuchadnezzar to bring judgment upon Judah; but later Nebuchadnezzar suffered, too, because he did not honour God. The Babylonian dynasty flourished for a while, and the hanging gardens that Nebuchadnezzar built were one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. But God said that He would make of Babylon "perpetual desolations." Today the mighty Babylon that once had double walls more than 300 feet high, sixty gates, beautiful bridges, mosques, temples, gardens and fountains, lies buried under the debris of centuries. Only a few mounds of dirt indicate where the capital city once stood.

God's Mercy

Jeremiah wept much because of the messages of doom he had to bring, but he also had hope to offer to the poor captives. After the seventy years of punishment, God would again listen to their prayers for deliverance from captivity if they would call upon Him. "Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart" [JER:29:12-13]).

That same message comes to us today from God's Word. If we search for our Saviour with all our heart He will be found of us. We cannot cover up sin and find favour with God. But if we repent, confess, and believe, we shall be saved. The promise is the same to everyone: "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" [REV:22:17]).

Questions

1. Who was the king of Babylon? What did God call him?

2. Why was captivity to come upon Judah?

3. How long did God say that the captivity would last?

4. What was God's law concerning the Sabbath of the land?

5. Why did Jeremiah wear a wooden yoke?

6. What did the iron yoke mean?

7. What had the faithful prophets told the Israelites?

8. What happened to Babylon after Israel was punished?

9. What hope did Jeremiah offer to the Israelites?

10. How can we find the Saviour?