198. A LETTER TO HOMESICK EXILES

This is the letter which the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the elders of the exiles, to the priests, to the prophets, and to all the people by Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah whom Zedekiah the ruler of Judah sent to Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon:

'Jehovah the God of Israel says to the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem: "Build houses and dwell in them and plant gardens and eat the fruit from them. Marry and let your sons and daughters marry, that you may increase rather than grow less. Also work for the prosperity of the land where I have sent you into exile and pray to Jehovah in its behalf, for your own prosperity depends upon its prosperity." Jehovah also commands: "Let not the prophets who are among you deceive you, and pay no attention to the dreams which they dream. For they prophesy falsely in my name, and I have not authorized them."

'Jehovah declares, "After seventy years of Babylonian rule have passed, I will remember you and fulfil my promises to you by bringing you back to this place. For I cherish plans for your prosperity and not for evil, that I may give you a future and a hope. Pray to me and I will hear you; seek me and you shall find me; if you search for me with all your heart, I will reveal myself."

199. JEHOVAH'S EAGERNESS TO RESTORE HIS AFFLICTED PEOPLE

Jehovah declares:

Once in the wilderness I found a people escaped from the sword;

When Israel went to seek rest, from afar I, Jehovah, appeared to him.

I have loved you with love everlasting; with tender love I have led you.

Again I will build you up and you shall be built, virgin Israel;

You shall deck yourself with timbrels and go out in the merry dances.

Again shall you plant vineyards on the hilltops of Samaria,

The planters shall plant and enjoy the fruit, and praise Jehovah;

For the day is coming when the watchman shall cry on the hills of Ephraim:

'Arise, and let us go up to Zion to Jehovah our God.'

Then they shall come and sing on Mount Zion and rejoice in Jehovah's goodness,

Over the grain, the new wine, the oil, and the young of the flock and the herd;

Their soul shall be as a well-watered garden, and they shall sorrow no more.

Then shall the maidens rejoice in the dance, the young men and the old together;

For I will turn their mourning into joy, and make them happy instead of sad.

A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping,

Rachel weeping for her children; she refuses comfort for they are no more.

Refrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from

tears;

For your work shall be rewarded, and they shall return from the hostile land,

There is hope for your future, and your children shall

return.

I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning his lot: "Thou hast chastened me and I bore it like a calf un

taught.

Restore me that I may return, for thou art Jehovah my God!

For after my chastening I have repented, I smite my breast,

I am shamed and humbled, for I bear the disgrace of my youthful folly.'

Is not Ephraim my dear son, my darling child,

So that as oft as I speak of him, I remember him still? Therefore my heart yearns for him, I must be merciful to him:

200. THE NEW ERA THAT IS TO COME

'Behold, the days are coming,' Jehovah declares, "When I will sow Israel and Judah with man and beast. As once I watched over them to tear down and afflict, So then will I watch over them to build up and plant.

'In those days they shall never say again: "The fathers have eaten sour grapes,

And the children's teeth are set on edge."

But the teeth of him who eats them shall be set on edge.'

'Behold, the days are coming,' Jehovah declares,

'When I will make a new covenant with Israel and

Judah,

Not like the covenant which I once made with their

fathers,

When I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt

For they themselves broke my covenant, and I rejected them

But this is the covenant which I will make with the

house of Israel:

In the latter days,' Jehovah declares,

'I will put my teaching in their breast, on their heart I will write it;

And I will be their God and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no longer, every man his neighbor, Nor each one teach his brother, saying, "Know Jehovan,' For they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest;

For I will forgive their wrongdoing and remember their sins no more.'

EZEKIEL

201. EZEKIEL'S VISION OF JEHOVAH

While I was among the Jewish captives beside the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. And as I looked I saw a storm wind coming from the north, a huge cloud surrounded by brightness and shot through with fire; and from the midst of the fire something gleamed like shining metal. From the midst of the storm cloud appeared the forms of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had the form of a man, but each had four faces and four wings; their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf's foot. They shone like polished bronze. Under their wings on the four sides were human hands, and the wings of each touched each other; each went straight forward, without turning his face. All four had in front the face of a man, on the right the face of a lion, on the left the face of a bull, and behind the face of an eagle. Their wings were separated above, the one from the other; each pair of wings was joined together, and one pair of wings covered the upper part of the body. Each went straight forward as the spirit impelled him to go, and they did not turn as they advanced. In the midst of the living creatures was what appeared like glowing coals of fire, like torches; and it moved up and down among the living creatures, and the fire gleamed, and from it lightning flashed forth. And as the living creatures moved to and fro, their movements had the effect of lightning.

Over the heads of the creatures was a vaulted ex