King's Business - 1924-12

December 1924

T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S

800

Topics for Study (1) While it is true that God is “ slow to anger” , is it also equally true that He is “ sure to wrath” ? (Rom. 2 :5). (2) Will the sins of a city cause its walls to crumble? (3) Was the famine of food in Jerusalem due primarily to a “ famine of the Word of God” ?, (4) If we flee to God for forgiveness, will we flee from His wrath? (5) Was it for lack of soldiers that Judah suffered defeat at this time? (2 Chron. 16:8). ( 6 ) Will any prophecy of Scripture ever fail of fulfillment? 24:2. Not an organized army, btit a congregated host from various nationalities. These, doubtless, had been compelled to own Nebuchadnezzar’s supremacy, and now, in attacking Judah, they both gratified thei’~ own hostility against this kingdom and fulfilled Nebuchadnezzar’s COMMENTS commands.—Horn. Com. FROM THE 24:13. (cf. ch. 20:17; Isa. 39:6; Jer. COMMENTARIES 15:13; 17:3). V. V. Morgan 24:14. In all, about 10,000 exiles. Only “ the poorest of the people” (v. 15) were left. Every article of worth in palace and temple was seized. The land was thus bereft of all those inhabitants who were of value to Jerusalem or useful to Babylon. Jere­ miah (29:1) records that priests and prophets were in­ cluded; and Josephus tells us that Ezekiel was among the prophets who were carried away with these exiles (cf. Ezek. 1:1-3) .jj-Hom. Com. 24:20. Instigated by ambassadors from the neighboring states who came to congratulate him on his ascension to the throne (cf. Jer. 17:3 with 2 8 :1 );’and at the same time get him to join them in a common league to throw off the Assyrian yoke. Though warned by Jeremiah against this step, the infatuated and perjured (Ezek. 17:3) Zedekiah persisted in his revolt.— J. F. & B. 25:1. For a comment on this chapter, read Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Jeremiah 21, 27, 32, 34, 37, 40 and 41 cover this period pretty thoroughly, and also the first twenty-four chapters of Ezekiel. 25:3. In consequence of the close and protracted block­ ade, the inhabitants were reduced to dreadful extremities; and under the maddening influence of hunger, the most in­ human atrocities were perpetrated (Lam. 2:20, 22; 4:9, 10; Ezek. 5:10);— J. F. & B. 25:4. The manner of his flight was an exact and literal fu l­ fillment of prophecy (Ezek. 12:12; cf. Lev.' 26:36; ¡Deut. 28:35). There was no use in his fleeing; he might have known that he could not escape (Jer. 32:45). He certainly ought to have believed God’s word by this time.— Torrey. 25:7. God Spoke by the tongue of Ezekiel one of the most mysterious and curious predictions in the entire Bible. He declared that King Zedekiah should be led into Babylon a captive, should there live and die, and yet should never see the city. So singular is this’ record that we must read the verses just as he wrote them out (Ezek. 12:10-13), that Zedekiah should speak with Nebuchadnezzar mouth to mouth, and see his eyes. Find the exact words (Jer. 32: 3-5). The history we have just considered shows how these prophecies were fulfilled. Zedekiah saw Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah, and spoke to him. His eyes were put out at Riblah. He was carried captive to Babylon, and lived and died in the prison there. But he never saw the city.— Peloubet. 25:8-21. This was all according to God’s warnings and prophecies (Isa. 64:10, 11; Jer. 7:14; 17:27; 21:10; 26:9; 32:29; 34:2, 22; 37:10; 38:18; Micah 3:12; Amos 2:4, 5). If ever a people had abundant warnings of coming doom and consequent opportunity for repentance, it was the peo­ ple of Jerusalem. The desolation of the house of the Lord had first been predicted at the very time of its dedication (1 Kgg. 9:8, 9).—Torrey. In conclusion let it again be emphasized that the fall of Judah was God’s judgment upon her faithlessness as a wit­ ness to Him. All the prophets testify to this. But, let it also be noted that it was His purpose that Judah should be restored after a period of time (70 years, Jer. 25:12). Her land was not populated by other peoples, a striking ful­ fillment of prophecy in itself. She must needs give birth to the Messiah there as the prophecy had foretold, and so, when her captivity brought her to her senses she repented, and returned to Jehovah with a sincerity she had not before shown.—Gray.

among the emaciated people. The city was broken up or broken into, as the prophet Ezekiel had predicted, foretell­ ing the very day (Ezek. 4:1-8). The king was terrified, and so were the men of war, and they fled from the garrison. IVhy did they? Had Judah diminished the number of her soldiers since she had re­ pulsed Zerah, the king of Egypt, with his million men? (2 Chron. 14:9): “ And there came out against them Zerah, the Ethiopian, with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah.” No, it was not for this- nor for any other reason than that they had departed from God. “ They had done evil in the sight of God” . When a nation or an individual can cry as did Asa, God will respond to them as He did to Asa (2 Chron. 14:11-12): “ And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Eord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God, let not man prevail against thee. “ So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.” Zedekiah fled, not to safety, but into the arms of tho foe (Jer. 32:4-5). “ And Zedekiah, king of Judah, shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes: “ And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the Lord; though ye fight with the Chaldeans,, ye shall not prosper.” Then he was compelled to witness the slaying of his own son as the last earthly scene which he should gaze upon before his own eyes were put out, fulfilling another predic­ tion (Deut. 2'8:34). Then the sightless, guilty rebel king was led to captivity, and the prediction of Ezek. 12:13 fulfilled. “My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare; and I will bring him to Babylon'to the landi of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.” Jerusalem Burned and Bereaved, vs. 9-12. The rest of the story is fully set forth in the Scriptures. Prediction after prediction was literally fulfilled (Jer. 52:13). Moses sums it all up in Deut. 28:32-37, and Isaiah says (64:11): “ Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire; and all our pleasant things are laid waste.” The walls of the city were broken down and the people were carried away captive. (Deut 4:27 ): “ And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number, among the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead you.” (Also 2 Kings 20:18.) The story of their long captivity and wanderings is given us as a never-failing proof of the truth of God’s unfailing Word. We know why the Jews are scattered abroad in every nation. We know why they are now being gathered back into Palestine; -and we know what fearful times yet await them in that land. We know what God’s .eternal purpose is concerning their final Victory, the restoration of the temple and the rule of our Lord Jesus Christ over them. And best of all, we know the joy that is to be ours, who are His own heavenly people, when He comes and we come with Him to rule and reign for a thousand years.

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