THE MESSAGE OF JEREMIAH

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HERE is no prophetic book concerning which it is more necessary that we have. in mind the times and the man if we are to discover its permanent value and its living message.

These general facts are indicated in the opening sentences of our lecture upon the content of the book, "Jeremiah was Jehovah's spokesman in days of darkness and disaster." That is a very brief, but all-inclusive sentence reminding us of the times in which these words were uttered, and revealing the authority of the man who uttered them. The times were days of darkness and disaster. The man was Jehovah's spokesman. Let us then remind ourselves of the times which in a sentence are described as days of darkness and disaster. Jeremiah exercised his prophetic ministry in Judah about a century after Isaiah had delivered his last message. The Northern kingdom of Israel had passed away, and the whole attention is centred upon Judah. Two

nations affected her at the time; on the south, Egypt, and on the east, Assyria. During the time that Jeremiah exercised his ministry Judah was attempting either to play these off one against the other, or was hesitating as to which she should make an alliance with, in order to protect herself from the enmity of the other. A recognition of these facts will enable us to understand the reason of the terrible condition in which she found herself. Her vision of God was dimmed, if she had not lost it altogether. Her hope lay not in Him, her one and only King, but in her ability either to stir up strife between these two nations, or to secure the aid of one against the other. Her internal condition was equally terrible. Isaiah had delivered his great messages in Hezekiah's reign. Immediately succeeding Hezekiah Manasseh came to the throne. Notwithstanding the fact that there was a place of repentance found for him, his reign was characterized by reaction from the influence of Hezekiah; he set up altars and idolatry even in the courts of the house of the Lord. The nation sank lower and lower. The brief reign of Amon was a failure. Then followed the period of Josiah. When he had been upon the throne

for twelve or thirteen years Jeremiah commenced his ministry, which lasted at least forty-six years, being exercised through the reigns of Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah, and during the early part of the exile. It is but to name these kings to be reminded of the darkness of the days. The national movement was downward, the people sinking ever lower. The reform under Josiah was entirely upon the surface of things so far as the people were concerned. There was no vital change wrought in their character. Jehoahaz reigned for thirteen months in the midst of evil of every description. Under Jehoiakim, evil became even more widespread, and deeper. Jehoiachin reigned briefly and was deposed. Then came Zedekiah, a man meaning well, but preeminently weak, and the vassal of another nation. Never for one single moment during the forty or more years of his ministry did Jeremiah arrest the downward progress of the people; never by anything he said, never by anything he suffered, never by anything he did was he able to check that deterioration. The description of the darkness of the times has thus been given by Dr. Moorehead :