ADULT HOLINESS QUARTERLY

Arminian in Theology Wesleyan in Doctrine

Holiness in Experience Scriptural in Standards

THIRD QUARTER JULY, AUG., SEPT. 2018

Table of Contents
1. July 1 JEREMIAH’S CALL ......................................................................... 5
Jeremiah 1:1, 2, 9-17
2. July 8 THEY WOULD NOT HEARKEN.....................................................11
Jeremiah 6:8-17
3. July 15 NO BALM IN GILEAD?...................................................................16
Jeremiah 8:4-9, 18—9:1
4. July 22 JEREMIAH PREDICTS CAPTIVITY ..............................................21
Jeremiah 9:1-9, 13-16
5. July 29 THE TRUE GOD ...............................................................................26
Jeremiah 10:2-13
6. Aug. 5 BLESSED IS THE MAN ...................................................................31
Jeremiah 17:5-14
7. Aug. 12 THE POTTER’S HOUSE ..................................................................37
Jeremiah 18:1-10, 15-17
8. Aug. 19 FALSE PROPHETS ...........................................................................42
Jeremiah 23:21-32
9. Aug. 26 GOD’S WORD TO THE CAPTIVES................................................48
Jeremiah 29:4-14
10. Sept. 2 THE NEW COVENANT ...................................................................53
Jeremiah 31:27-37
11. Sept. 9 JEHOIAKIM’S WICKEDNESS ........................................................59
Jeremiah 36:21-31
12. Sept. 16 THE DOWNFALL OF JUDAH .........................................................64
Jeremiah 39:1-10
13. Sept. 23 JEREMIAH IN EGYPT .....................................................................69
Jeremiah 43:1-11
14. Sept. 30 GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS ....................................................74
Lamentations 3:21-41

Kenneth Wize, Editor-in-Chief Kenneth Wize, Editor

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 Introduction to Jeremiah
Jeremiah ministered to the southern kingdom of Judah approximately fifty
years after the death of Isaiah. Other prophets during his lifetime included: Nahum,
Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Obadiah, Daniel,
and Ezekiel. He began his ministry during Time Line of Jeremiah’s Life
the reign of good King Josiah, and
Dates Rulers of
continued proclaiming the word of the B.C. Judah
Lord for about forty-five years.
It was during Jeremiah’s life that
Nineveh, capital of Assyria, was overrun Amon
640 - Josiah
by the Babylonian forces. Babylon
became the dominant world power. This
nation then defeated the Egyptian forces, 630 -
and took control of Palestine. In the year
The
605 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar marched 620 -
against Jerusalem, and took captives
back to Babylon, among whom was the Life
610 - Jehoahaz
young man Daniel. Twice more, in 597 Jehoiakim
B.C. and 586 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar of
overran Jerusalem, and carried people 600 -
Jehoiachin
away as captives. He then appointed a Jeremiah Zedekiah
governor, Gedaliah, over the land. The 590 -
rebellious Jews murdered Gedaliah, and Gedaliah
fled to Egypt, taking Jeremiah with them.
580 -
Throughout his ministry, Jeremiah
warned the people that their country
would be overrun by Babylon. The
Babylonian oppression would come as a consequence of Judah’s sins. Jeremiah
urged the people to submit to this chastening from God. Because of this, he was
viewed as a traitor, and his message was rejected. Jeremiah suffered much at the
hands of his own people. However, his deepest sorrow was not for himself, but
rather for what his people would suffer for their rejection of God. Jeremiah is also
considered to be the author of the book of Lamentations, which consists of five
poems. He is known today as the “Weeping Prophet.”

Outline of Jeremiah
I. Judgment on Rebellious Judah—During Josiah’s Reign Ch. 1-20
II. Judgments on Rebellious Leaders—Jehoiakim and Zedekiah Ch. 21-39
III. Judgments on the Rebellious Remnant—After Jerusalem’s Fall Ch. 40-45
IV. Judgments on the Rebellious Nations Around Judah Ch. 46-51
V. Judgment on the Rebellious Kings and City Ch. 52
 Jeremiah’s Call
Lesson 1 for July 1, 2018
Golden Text: “For I will give you a mouth and wis-
dom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to
gainsay nor resist” (Lk. 21:15).
Jeremiah 1:1 The words of Jeremiah
the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were
in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
2 To whom the word of the LORD
came in the days of Josiah the son of
Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth
year of his reign.
9 Then the LORD put forth his hand,
and touched my mouth. And the LORD
said unto me, Behold, I have put my
words in thy mouth.
10 See, I have this day set thee over
the nations and over the kingdoms, to
root out, and to pull down, and to de-
stroy, and to throw down, to build, and
to plant.
11 Moreover the word of the LORD
came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what
seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an
almond tree.
12 Then said the LORD unto me,
Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my
word to perform it.
13 And the word of the LORD came
unto me the second time, saying, What
Daily Devotional Readings
Sunday Speak My Words
Monday I Am Not Eloquent
Tuesday Isaiah’s Call
Wednesday I Do Send Thee
Thursday Destruction Forewarned
Friday The Days Are At Hand
Saturday All the Counsel of God
July 1, 2018
Jeremiah
1:1, 2, 9-17
seest thou? And I said, I see a seething
pot; and the face thereof is toward the
north.
14 Then the LORD said unto me, Out
of the north an evil shall break forth
upon all the inhabitants of the land.
15 For, lo, I will call all the families of
the kingdoms of the north, saith the
LORD; and they shall come, and they
shall set every one his throne at the en-
tering of the gates of Jerusalem, and
against all the walls thereof round about,
and against all the cities of Judah.
16 And I will utter my judgments
against them touching all their wicked-
ness, who have forsaken me, and have
burned incense unto other gods, and
worshipped the works of their own
hands.
17 Thou therefore gird up thy loins,
and arise, and speak unto them all that I
command thee: be not dismayed at their
faces, lest I confound thee before them.
Ezekiel 3:4-11
Exodus 4:10-17
Isaiah 6:1-10
Ezekiel 2:1-7
Deuteronomy 28:45-52
Ezekiel 12:22-28
Acts 20:20-27
5
 The Lesson Exposition
By Kenneth Wize

Historical Setting  vv. 1, 2
Jeremiah was a descendant of the priests who lived in Anathoth, a city about
three miles north of Jerusalem. The meaning of his name has been variously given
such as “Jehovah exalts” or “Jehovah has appointed.” At the time of his ministry,
the Northern Kingdom of Israel had already been taken into captivity by the As-
syrian armies. The power of the Assyrian empire was declining, and Assyria
would soon be overthrown by the forces of Babylon.
Jeremiah’s active ministry began during the thirteenth year of King Josiah’s
reign. Josiah was a good king who endeavored to bring religious reform to Judah.
Jeremiah was no doubt a help and encouragement to this king. However, Josiah’s
reforms were only able to deal with the surface issues of idolatry. The hearts of the
people remained unchanged. Judah
soon returned to their sinful practices. The Lesson Outline
Jeremiah warned the people, and told Historical Setting  vv. 1, 2
them of the soon coming destruction. Jeremiah Called  vv. 4-10
His ministry continued through the Jeremiah Confirmed  vv. 11-16
reigns of the next four kings, the fall of Jeremiah Commissioned  vv. 17-19
Jerusalem, and the murder of Gedaliah.
He then was carried away to Egypt by the fleeing Jews.
Jeremiah Called  vv. 4-10
Has God ever spoken directly to you? He did to Jeremiah. Beginning at verse
four, Jeremiah recounts the simple facts of his initial encounter with God. He was
brought face to face with the divine claims upon his life—“I formed thee . . . I
knew thee . . . I sanctified thee . . . I ordained thee.” Jeremiah had been “set
apart,” exclusively devoted to God for public service, “a prophet unto the na-
tions.” Before he was born, he had been ordained for this task in the mind of God.
Obviously, if he was to be used mightily by God, it would necessitate his being
cleansed from sin, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Such a cleansing is symbol-
ized by what takes place in verse nine. “It is impossible for a person to belong to a
holy God without that relationship being reflected in holy living” (C. Paul Gray).
Jeremiah has heard God’s call to a formidable responsibility. His response
expresses his shock, timidity, and sense of inexperience. “Ah, Lord GOD! I can-
not speak: for I am a child.” Jeremiah was perhaps about twenty years of age at
this time, and priests did not enter the ministry until they were thirty. Jeremiah
staggered at the heavy responsibility which faced him. Because of his sensitive na-
ture, he felt ill-fitted for this superhuman task. However, God’s strength is made
6 ADULT
perfect in weakness. He uses those who feel unsuited so that He may reveal His
power through them. Success comes not through human ability, but through God’s
ability. Jeremiah would indeed face opposition, but God assured him of His divine
presence, “I am with thee to deliver thee.” Over against the “I” of Jeremiah’s
fears, Jehovah set the “I” of His own omnipotence.
Jeremiah’s personal experience parallels the “live coal” experience of Isaiah
found in Isaiah chapter six. God touched Jeremiah’s mouth, bestowing His grace,
and removing his lack of eloquence. God said, “I have put my words in thy
mouth.” Jeremiah’s messages would not be the product of his rationalizations, but
of God’s declarations. “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of
man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pet.
1:21). Jeremiah’s message was not his own: he was the “mouthpiece of the Eter-
nal.” Though the task was formidable, and Jeremiah would experience opposition,
God’s word would prevail. “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my
mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I
please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isa. 55:11).
The prophet was set “over the nations,” not as a prince, but as a prophet to
declare God’s judgments. Compare God’s directives in Jeremiah 1:10 with His
statement in 31:28. First will come a period of devastation—“to root out, and to
pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down.” This will be followed by a time
of restoration—“to build, and to plant.” When God moves, evil kingdoms and
wicked people will be rooted up and thrown down. Beyond judgment there is hope
of restoration. Wicked Judah must be swept away so that a purified remnant can
rebuild.
What do you think?
Life, a gift from God, begins at conception, and is sacred. God has a purpose,
a plan, and a work for every individual.
“Those who are really called of God to the sacred ministry are such as have
been brought to a deep acquaintance with themselves, feel their own ig-
norance, and know their own weakness” (A. Clarke).
Jeremiah Confirmed  vv. 11-16
God revealed two visions to Jeremiah as part of his confirmation into the
prophetic office. The first was a vision of a rod of almond wood. In the spring, the
almond tree is the first to blossom and bring forth fruit. It heralds the forthcoming
of the production of the other fruits. This vision of the almond rod would help
Jeremiah to remember that God would certainly bring His word to pass. Jeremiah
would see its fulfillment in his day. God had warned those in Judah of the dreadful
consequences of their sins, but Judah had been living as though God was asleep or
non-existent. God was showing Jeremiah that He would “hasten my word to per-
July 1, 2018 7
form it.” God does not lie. Those who ignore His warnings will experience His
judgment.
The second vision was a “seething pot,” full of boiling content. God gave
Jeremiah insight into the international situation of his day. Babylon was rising in
arms against Assyria, whose domains were to the north of Israel. War was brewing
on a massive scale. A boiling inferno was building. Babylon would triumph, and
then turn its forces southward into Palestine. “An evil shall break forth upon all
the inhabitants of the land.” The words “break forth” can also be read as “be let
loose.” The victorious Babylonian armies would pour southward like a flood re-
leased by a crumbling dam. There would be no stopping them. God would lift His
hand; all hindering restraints would be removed. Evil would break forth upon “all
the inhabitants of the land.” Jeremiah was to bear the tidings of a universal, na-
tional calamity.
Verse fifteen depicts the actual invasion. God says, “I will call [I am calling]
all the families of the kingdoms of the north . . . and they shall come.” God or-
ders the affairs of men and nations. He sets up powers, and removes them. God
tells Jeremiah that He is bringing to pass His judgment upon Judah. The armies of
the north are being gathered, and “they shall come.” The devastation will be so
complete that the invaders will set their thrones in the “gates of Jerusalem.” The
gates of the cities were the places where the rulers sat, and judgments were deter-
mined. Judah’s enemies would take over the reins of govern-
ment, and enforce their own laws. The Jews would be com- They Had
pletely subjected to foreign rule. The walls of any resisting city Forsaken God
would be surrounded, and the city besieged. “All the cities of
Judah” would fall.
Why would God move in such a way against those who had been called “His
people”? God declares that their wickedness was obvious in three areas: 1. They
had deserted the true God—they “have forsaken me.” After a loving God had
protected and prospered them for years, they forgot His laws, and did not return
His love. 2. They had become idolaters—they “have burned incense unto other
gods.” The Hebrew words indicate that meat and drink offerings were also in-
volved. 3. They “worshipped the works of their own hands.” This not only
means the worship of idols, but also the sacrifice of their time and energies to self-
ish pursuits and material gain. Jeremiah was made aware of the corruption of the
people that he might denounce their sins. However, they would not repent. He
would see the ruin of his people as they rushed headlong to their final calamity—
their race to ruin.
What do you think?
“In a day when the word of the Lord seemed to be forgotten entirely, Jehovah
declared, ‘I watch over My word to perform it’ ” (G. Campbell Morgan).
How foolish it is to forsake the true and living God, and to serve dead idols.
8 ADULT
 Jeremiah Commissioned  vv. 17-19
In Jeremiah’s day, when an individual engaged in hard labor or ran a long
distance, he would draw the folds of his robe up in his waistband. Thus, he would
not be hindered in making steady progress. He would “gird up his loins” in prepa-
ration for exertion. The phrase indicates that one is to resolutely prepare for the
appointed task. God’s words to Jeremiah were to “free thyself from all those
things that would unfit thee for or hinder thee in this service; buckle to it with
readiness and resolution, and be not entangled with doubts about it” (M. Henry).
“Speak unto them all that I command thee.” Do not forget or conceal anything.
Do not try to make the message more acceptable to the people; declare the whole
counsel of God. God’s command was that Jeremiah should not give in to his feel-
ing of inadequacy because of his youth, or to his anguish of soul over the judg-
ment on the people. The people would reject God’s message, but Jeremiah must
not be “dismayed at their faces.” Do not cave in to the fear of man, but be faithful
in conveying My message.
God’s command is followed by God’s consolation in verses eighteen and
nineteen. If Jeremiah would be faithful, God would protect him and empower him.
He would be like a “defenced city . . . an iron pillar . . . and brazen walls.” The
rebellion of the people and their fury would not prevail against him. The secret
was Gods assurance, “I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.” “I would
to God a voice like that of Jeremiah might be heard today, calling men back to
recognition of the fact that all ruin and loss and national decay are due first to the
fact that we forget God, and then to the fact that God lifts up or breaks down ac-
cording to whether or not a nation is living in right relation to Himself” (G. Camp-
bell Morgan).
What do you think?
“Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adul-
terous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be
ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy an-
gels” (Mark 8:38).
“No prophet . . . was more like Christ than Jeremiah” (G. C. Morgan).
Golden Text
“For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not
be able to gainsay nor resist” (Lk. 21:15).
“First, A mouth and wisdom together completely fit a man both for services
and sufferings: wisdom to know what to say, and a mouth wherewith to say it as it
should be said. It is a great happiness to have both matter and words wherewith to
honor God and do good; to have in the mind a storehouse well furnished with
things new and old, and a door of utterance by which to bring them forth. Second,
July 1, 2018 9
Those that plead Christ’s cause may depend upon Him to give them a mouth and
wisdom, which way so ever they are called to plead it, especially when they are
brought before magistrates for His name’s sake. Third, When Christ gives to His
witnesses a mouth and wisdom, they are enabled to say that both for Him and
themselves which all their adversaries are not able to gainsay or resist, so that they
are silenced, and put to confusion” (M. Henry).

10 ADULT
 They Would Not Hearken
Lesson 2 for July 8, 2018
Golden Text: “But they refused to hearken, and
pulled away from the shoulder, and stopped their
ears, that they should not hear” (Zech. 7:11).
Jeremiah 6:8 Be thou instructed, O
Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from
thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land
not inhabited.
9 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They
shall throughly glean the remnant of Is-
rael as a vine: turn back thine hand as a
grapegatherer into the baskets.
10 To whom shall I speak, and give
warning, that they may hear? behold,
their ear is uncircumcised, and they can-
not hearken: behold, the word of the
LORD is unto them a reproach; they have
no delight in it.
11 Therefore I am full of the fury of
the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I
will pour it out upon the children
abroad, and upon the assembly of young
men together: for even the husband
with the wife shall be taken, the aged
with him that is full of days.
12 And their houses shall be turned
unto others, with their fields and wives
together: for I will stretch out my hand
upon the inhabitants of the land, saith
the LORD.
Jeremiah
6:8-17
13 For from the least of them even
unto the greatest of them every one is
given to covetousness; and from the
prophet even unto the priest every one
dealeth falsely.
14 They have healed also the hurt of
the daughter of my people slightly, say-
ing, Peace, peace; when there is no
peace.
15 Were they ashamed when they
had committed abomination? nay, they
were not at all ashamed, neither could
they blush: therefore they shall fall
among them that fall: at the time that I
visit them they shall be cast down, saith
the LORD.
16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in
the ways, and see, and ask for the old
paths, where is the good way, and walk
therein, and ye shall find rest for your
souls. But they said, We will not walk
therein.
17 Also I set watchmen over you,
saying, Hearken to the sound of the
trumpet. But they said, We will not
hearken.

Daily Devotional Readings

Sunday I Sought for a Man Ezekiel 22:24-31
Monday To Whom Shall I Speak Isaiah 28:9-18
Tuesday A Watchman Ezekiel 3:17-21
Wednesday Who Will Hearken Isaiah 42:18-25
Thursday His Hand Stretched Out Lamentations 2:1-9
Friday Corrupt Princes and Prophets Micah 3:1-7
Saturday They Obeyed Not His Voice Zephaniah 3:1-8
July 8, 2018 11
 The Lesson Exposition
By Kenneth Wize

Introduction
Chapter six is the conclusion of Jeremiah’s second message to the people of
Judah. It was delivered during the reign of Josiah, possibly prior to the discovery
of the book of the law in 621 B.C. In the early portion of the chapter, Jeremiah
warns the people to flee away from Jerusalem, for it would be destroyed. The
enemy forces would come against her “at noon” and “by night.” In their relent-
less attack, they would “cast a mount” against the city. In this sixth chapter,
Jeremiah endeavors to warn the people,
but they would not listen. He pleads with The Lesson Outline
them to return to the “old paths,” but they Be Thou Instructed  vv. 8-12
refuse to hearken. This chapter records the Were They Ashamed?  vv. 13-15
first of more than three dozen times that Ask for the Old Paths  vv. 16, 17
the Israelites refuse to listen to Jeremiah.
Be Thou Instructed  vv. 8-12
It was God’s desire that the people of Judah would turn from their sins, and
return to Him. God does not delight in the death of the wicked; He would prefer
that they repent. “Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem.” “Take the advice, learn the
lesson, and be corrected.” There was still opportunity for them to avert judgment.
If they continued on in their wickedness, God would “depart” from them. Their
land would become “desolate, a land not inhabited” so that no man should dwell
in it. Verse eight expresses God’s grief at having to withdraw from them. It re-
minds us of His words to the northern tribes, “How shall I give thee up, Ephra-
im? How shall I deliver thee, Israel?” (Hos. 11:8).
The people in the land of Judah were the “remnant of Israel.” The Israelites
to the north had been deported by the Assyrians. The collapse of their country
should have stood as a stark warning to those in Judah. God portrays in symbolic
language what would happen to Judah. They would be like a vine from which the
fruit was plucked. Then the “grape gatherer” would go over the vine again; no
fruit would be left. History records that after Nebuchadnezzar’s initial invasion,
his forces returned two more times (Jer. 52:28-30). Each time he carried away per-
sons and spoil.
Would the people of Judah take heed to this warning? Would they listen to
God’s prophet? “To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear?”
Sadly the prophet notes that the people had shut their ears to the truth. By their own
choice, they were spiritually deaf. The individual who consistently refuses to heed
God’s call becomes hardened in his soul and, eventually, even loses the ability to
hear God’s voice. The people of Judah had become so universally depraved that no
12 ADULT
one would listen. In Acts 7:51, Stephen addressed a group of men who had become
hardened to God’s voice, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye
do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.” It is a serious mat-
ter to refuse to listen to God’s voice. To such individuals, God’s word becomes a
“reproach,” an object of ridicule, a source of irritation. They reckon themselves to
be wronged and affronted by the message, and they refuse to give heed.
Like the God whom he served, Jeremiah’s patience was drawing to an end.
Jeremiah had no delight in delivering threatening messages, but he could no
longer forebear. “I am weary with holding in.” God’s message burned upon his
heart. “His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I
was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay” (Jer. 20:9). God’s wrath would
be poured out on all levels of society—the children in the street, the circle of
young men, husband and wife, and the elderly. None would be pitied by the Baby-
lonian forces. None would escape.
Their property would be “turned unto others,” violently transferred into the
hands of their enemies. Houses, fields, wives—all would become the property of
the Chaldeans. God would “stretch out his hand upon the inhabitants of the
land.” He would reveal His omnipotent power in destroying them.
What do you think?
“If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him” (Heb. 10:38).
May we be like Jeremiah who said, “Thy words were found . . . and thy word
was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” (Jer. 15:16).
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD” (Psa. 33:12), but woe be to
the nation that has turned their back on God and His laws.
Were They Ashamed?  vv. 13-15
How does God describe the spiritual condition of these people? First, He
states that they were “given to covetousness.” The vice of greed was not just
among a few of the people. It had infected “from the least of them even unto the
greatest of them”—persons of every station, the young and old, the rich and poor,
the high and low. No wonder that Paul warned Timothy—“For the love of money
is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the
faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:10).
In the second place, the spiritual leaders were not being truthful with the peo-
ple. “From the prophet even unto the priest, every one” was dealing falsely, de-
ceiving the people. As spiritual leaders they had not been true to their trust to de-
liver the word of God. They did not condemn the people for their sins. Instead,
they lulled the people to sleep with a false sense of security, saying, “Peace,
peace.” The spiritual malady of the people had been “healed . . . slightly.” Like
“rose-water” physicians, the leaders downplayed the seriousness of the people’s
spiritual condition. Assuring them that all would be well in the end, they allowed
July 8, 2018 13
them to continue in their sins. There are too many preachers who deal only with
the symptoms of carnality, encouraging people to try to use a little more self-con-
trol. Instead, they should get to the root of the matter, and insist on the eradication
of the “old man.”
The third indictment was “they were not at all ashamed.” The spiritual lead-
ers and the people had engaged in vile, idolatrous practices. Rather than being
humbled because of their guilty conduct, they were impudent, “neither could they
blush.” In place of chagrin was brash arrogance. “Those that are shameless are
graceless, and their case is hopeless” (M. Henry). Therefore, “they shall fall
among them that fall.” The spiritual leaders would not be exempt because of their
office. They would be removed from their position of influence, and perish along
with the common people.
What do you think?
“The temper of mind which gains the world is not that which gains heaven”
(A. Barnes).
Rather than face their sin, people will find a preacher who preaches what
they want to hear.
“For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh
upon them” (1 Thess. 5:3).
Ask for the Old Paths  vv. 16, 17
Jeremiah prescribes a remedy. He uses the analogy of a traveler seeking the
proper road to arrive at a desired destination. The people of Judah should naturally
desire the destination of national peace and prosperity. How should they get there?
“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see.” Call a halt to the mad rush
of your daily activities, and consider your ways. What will be the end result of the
way you are currently living? What instruction has God given for you to amend your
ways? Make an honest inquiry. Is what the priests have told you the right way?
Those who would know the right way must give careful consideration to the Word
of God. Doctrines which are not in harmony with Biblical truth must be discarded.
“Ask for the old paths.” What are the time-tested paths which lead to full de-
liverance from sin, and a life which is blessed of the Lord? Consult with those
who have gone before, and who know what is required. Too many people want a
modern way, a way of convenience, a way of blending with
the world so as to avoid social criticism. However, the “old This is the way,
paths” are those of righteousness and true holiness. To walk walk ye in it.
there requires a death to sin, and a death to self. This is the
“good way,” that which has been ordered by God. It is the more excellent way of
1 Corinthians 13. When a person knows this truth, he should “walk therein,” obey
the truth. Those who take the old paths “shall find rest for your souls.”
What clear direction and what an assuring promise Jeremiah gave to these
erring people! Their response is startling—“We will not walk therein.” Their per-

14 ADULT
sonal choice was to gratify their own desires and ambitions even though it would
not give them soul rest. The same response had been given by those in the northern
kingdom to whom God said, “This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary
to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear” (Isa. 28:12). God will
not violate the free moral agency of the individual. God had sent His “watchmen,”
the prophets to warn the people, and to turn them from destruction. But the people
turned a deaf ear, and declared, “We will not hearken.” They put away the evil day
far from them and said there was no cause for alarm. They thought they would con-
tinue living as they always had, and everything would turn out fine. “There shall
come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is
the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue
as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Pet. 3:3, 4).
What do you think?
Stay with God’s unchanging truths revealed in the Bible.
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest” (Matt. 11:28).
“What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godli-
ness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God” (2 Pet.
3:11, 12).
Golden Text
“But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped
their ears, that they should not hear” (Zech. 7:11).
“Zechariah describes the willfulness and disobedience of their fathers, who
persisted in all manner of wickedness and injustice, notwithstanding the exhorta-
tions and admonitions frequently given them in God’s name . . . setting forth the
stubbornness of that carnal mind which is enmity against God, and is not in sub-
jection to the law of God, neither indeed can be. They were obstinate and persisted
in their transgressions of the law purely from a spirit of contradiction to the law.
(1) They would not, if they could help it, come within hearing of the prophets, but
kept at a distance; or if they could not avoid hearing what they said, yet they re-
solved they would not heed it. They refused to hearken, and looked another way as
if they had not been spoken to. (2) If they did hear what was said to them, and
seemed inclined at first to comply with it, yet they flew off when it came to the
setting-to. Like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, they pulled away the shoul-
der, and would not submit to the easy yoke and the light burden of God’s com-
mandments. They were like that son that said, “I go, sir,” but went not. (3) They
filled their own minds with prejudices against the word of God, and had some ob-
jection ready wherewith to fortify themselves against every sermon they heard.
They stopped their ears that they should not hear, and none are so deaf as those
that will not hear” (M. Henry).
July 8, 2018 15
 No Balm in Gilead Jeremiah
8:4-9, 18—9:1
Lesson 3 for July 15, 2018
Golden Text: “Come unto me, all ye that labour
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt.
11:28).

Jeremiah 8:4 Moreover thou shalt say
unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall
they fall, and not arise? shall he turn
away, and not return?
5 Why then is this people of Jerusa-
lem slidden back by a perpetual back-
sliding? they hold fast deceit, they
refuse to return.
6 I hearkened and heard, but they
spake not aright: no man repented him
of his wickedness, saying, What have I
done? every one turned to his course, as
the horse rusheth into the battle.
7 Yea, the stork in the heaven know-
eth her appointed times; and the turtle
and the crane and the swallow observe
the time of their coming; but my people
know not the judgment of the LORD.
8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the
law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly
in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes
is in vain.
9 The wise men are ashamed, they
are dismayed and taken: lo, they have
rejected the word of the LORD; and
what wisdom is in them?
18 When I would comfort myself
against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.
19 Behold the voice of the cry of the
daughter of my people because of them
that dwell in a far country: Is not the
LORD in Zion? is not her king in her?
Why have they provoked me to anger
with their graven images, and with
strange vanities?
20 The harvest is past, the summer is
ended, and we are not saved.
21 For the hurt of the daughter of my
people am I hurt; I am black; astonish-
ment hath taken hold on me.
22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there
no physician there? why then is not the
health of the daughter of my people
recovered?
9:1 Oh that my head were waters,
and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I
might weep day and night for the slain
of the daughter of my people!

Daily Devotional Readings

Sunday Harden Not Your Heart Hebrews 3:7-15
Monday They Hearkened Not Jeremiah 7:19-28
Tuesday They Know Not the Way of the Lord Jeremiah 5:1-6
Wednesday Boasting in the Law Romans 2:17-29
Thursday Man’s Wisdom vs. God’s Wisdom 1 Corinthians 1:18-29
Friday There Is No Peace Ezekiel 13:10-16
Saturday For Lack of Knowledge Hosea 4:1-9
16 ADULT
 The Lesson Exposition
By Kenneth Wize

Introduction
Chapters 7—10 comprise what has been termed Jeremiah’s “Temple Ser-
mon.” At the start of chapter seven, God instructs Jeremiah to “stand in the gate
of the Lord’s house and proclaim there this word.” The people of Judah were
gathering in Jerusalem for one of the feast days, so this message would have a
wide audience. Jeremiah’s message can be divided into three parts: A. The folly of
trusting in the temple while living contrary to God’s laws (7:2—8:3); B. The
wickedness of the people and their leaders (8:4—9:24); C. The folly of idolatry
(9:25—10:25).
Chapter seven also starts the series
of messages which were delivered dur- The Lesson Outline
ing the reign of Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim Unnatural Prosperity  vv. 4-7
was the son of good King Josiah, but he Unfounded Wisdom  vv. 8, 9
was vastly different from his father (Jer. Unmitigated Anguish  vv. 18—9:1
22:15-19). Pharaoh Necho dominated
Palestine at this time, and it was he who placed Jehoiakim on the throne of Judah.
The people were put under heavy tribute, and they looked to Egypt for protection
from the Babylonian armies. Jehoiakim turned his back on God, and led the peo-
ple in idolatrous practices.
Unnatural Propensity  vv. 4-7
A person who falls on the ground does not remain there. He gets up. “Shall
they fall, and not arise?” When a person realizes that he is on the wrong path, he
returns to the place where he last knew he was on the right path. “Shall he turn
away, and not return?” The people of Judah had fallen into deep sin. They had
wandered far from God on the wrong path. The logical thing for them to do was to
turn around and to get out of sin. They had heard God’s call through the prophet
Jeremiah, “Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not
cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I
will not keep anger forever” (3:12).
Since God would be so gracious, “why then is this people of Jerusalem slid-
den back by a perpetual backsliding?” In the original Hebrew, there is a unique
play on words. “Slidden back” means “turned back,” and “perpetual backsliding”
means a “continual turning, or apostasy.” They fall into sin, but do not get up; they
turn from the good way, but do not return. What is the reason for such deviant be-
havior? “They hold fast [to] deceit.” They cling to falsehood, and deceive them-
selves into believing that no harm would come upon them. Thus, “they refuse to
July 15, 2018 17
return.” They hardened their hearts, and determined that they would not return.
(Read Jer. 5:3.)
Jeremiah had preached messages of warning and of mercy if the people would
repent. Now, God was listening for their response, seeing if there was any tendency
to repentance among them. “But they spake not aright.” There were no words of
repentance; God’s expectations were disappointed. “No man repented him of his
wickedness, saying, What have I done?” Jeremiah had preached straight, and ex-
posed their sins, but they denied any wrongdoing. Instead, they went resolutely on
in their own path of rebellion, and disregarded the warnings of inevitable doom.
They rushed headlong into sin as a horse rushing into battle. The people were set in
their way of habitually sinning, irrationally pursuing their own destruction.
The people of Judah appeared to lack even the common sense of the migrato-
ry birds. The birds know their “appointed times,” and “observe the time of their
coming.” Their actions are a natural response to the changing seasons and climates.
“But my people know not the judgment of the LORD.” They had every advantage
of knowing the truth, but they seemed totally oblivious of God’s law and judg-
ments. They acted as if they were ignorant of what was just and good, and how
they ought to live. They had done wrong so long that it now seemed to be right.
What do you think?
“Sinners would become saints if they would but show themselves men, and
religion would soon rule them if right reason might” (M. Henry).
God is the unseen Listener to every conversation.
What would cause men to become dumber than birds?
Unfounded Wisdom  vv. 8, 9
“We are wise.” What an impertinent statement! How could they say that?
They acted more ignorantly than the stork, the turtledove, and the crane. The basis
for their claim was “the law of the LORD is with us.” The Israelites had received
the laws of God when they had encamped at Mount Sinai. Instead of acknowledg-
ing their unworthiness of such favor, they became spiritually proud. In regard to
these laws, Moses told the people to “keep therefore and do them; for this is your
wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations” (Deut. 4:6). Their
wisdom was not in the receiving of the law, but in keeping the law. Their scribes
had busied themselves in making copies of God’s commands so that the people
would know the law. However, God said, “The pen of the scribes is in vain.”
Why? Because the people were not obeying the law. Why keep copying out the
law when people are refusing to walk in it?
Thus, those who profess themselves to be wise (to have all the answers for
society) are put to shame. Human wisdom proves inadequate. At the approach of
Judah’s destruction, “they are dismayed [terrified] and taken [captured].” They
had “rejected the word of the LORD” when they should have meditated in it day
and night (Psa. 1). Rather than obeying God’s moral precepts, they had fashioned
18 ADULT
their own religion of external, ceremonial observances. Therefore, “what wisdom
is in them?” How foolish it is to reject God’s directives which would have result-
ed in blessing and safety.
What do you think?
There are multiplied millions of copies of the Bible, but who is obeying its
precepts, and believing its promises?
Many people go to church on Sunday, but forget God’s laws on Monday.
Is America the “Christian” land of unread Bibles?
Unmitigated Anguish  vv. 18—9:1
Verse eighteen begins a section in which Jeremiah mourns over the fate of
his countrymen. It appears that every attempt to alleviate his grief only aggravated
it. He cries out, “From desolation I suffer, beyond grief, my heart is sick within
me!” (Compare 4:19.) Already in his ears he could hear the cry of those in captivi-
ty, “Is not the LORD in Zion? Is not her king in her?” If the Lord is in Zion,
why is He not protecting the city? They thought that because Jerusalem was the
center of Jehovah worship, and because the temple was located there, therefore no
evil could come upon them (Mic. 3:11). They could live as they pleased, and mis-
fortune or disaster would never be their lot.
God responds to their cry with a probing question, “Why have they provoked
me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?” Jerusalem
was not overrun because God had failed to keep His promises. God is never un-
faithful; destruction came because they were unfaithful!
Harvest was a special time in Palestine. It was the time when the crops would
be gathered in so that life could be preserved through the winter months. A failed
harvest only signified difficult days ahead. The summer sun provided the warmth
for the growing and maturing of the fruit. However, now the
“harvest is past, the summer is ended.” The time for them to They closed the
experience God’s life sustaining help was over. They had door on their
failed to humble their hearts in obedience, and now the time opportunity.
to reap God’s mercy had passed. The author, Lange, states that
verse twenty contains the “acknowledgement of opportunity, confession of ne-
glect, anticipation of doom.” “We are not saved.”
Jeremiah had prophesied the destruction, but he did not rejoice over the fulfill-
ment of his prophecy. He did not have an “I told you so” attitude. Rather, he was
deeply grieved that it was coming to pass. “For the hurt [breaking] of the daughter
of my people am I hurt [broken].” He was clothed in “black” garments of mourning.
“Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there?” Jeremiah uses
the arts of healing physical maladies to symbolize the need for the spiritual heal-
ing of the people. “Does God not have a balm to restore the soul? Has He not sent
prophets and priests to turn the people back to God?” “Why then is not the health
July 15, 2018 19
of the daughter of my people recovered?” The answer is that they would not fol-
low the instructions of the Doctor. The people ignored and resisted God’s remedy.
“The blood of Christ is the balm in Gilead; His Spirit is the Physician there, both
sufficient, all-sufficient, so that they might have been healed, but they would not”
(M. Henry). “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation” (Heb. 2:3).
Could they have avoided the destruction? Yes, God had told them of the remedy.
Jeremiah’s grief caused him to weep over the condition of his people. It is his
cry in 9:1 which gained for Jeremiah the title of “the weeping prophet.” It appears
that Jeremiah had exhausted the source of his tears, but it was not enough to ex-
press his inward grief and sorrow. If only his head was filled with water so that he
“might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!” Isaiah
had had the same heartache and experience (Isa. 22:4). And the Apostle Paul wept
over the “enemies of the cross of Christ” (Phil. 3:18). One author asked the ques-
tion, “How does a person discern a true pastor from a hireling? It is by the pastor’s
cry for a wayward people.”
What do you think?
“Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his
ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated be-
tween you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that
he will not hear” (Isa. 59:1, 2).
What is your response when calamity befalls the sinner?
People die because they will not use the remedy. There is no healing for the
soul if people refuse to repent, and continue on in sin.

Golden Text
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28).
“The Jews, heavily laden with the burdensome rites of the Mosaic institution .
. . are here invited to lay down their load, and receive the salvation procured for
them by Christ. Sinners, wearied in the ways of iniquity, are also invited to come to
this Christ, and find speedy relief. Penitents, burdened with the guilt of their
crimes, may come to this Sacrifice, and find instant pardon. Believers, sorely
tempted, and oppressed by the remains of the carnal mind, may come to this blood,
that cleanseth from all unrighteousness; and, purified from all sin, and powerfully
succored in every temptation, they shall find uninterrupted rest in this complete
Saviour. All are invited to come, and all are promised rest. If few find rest from sin
and vile affections, it is because few come to Christ to receive it” (A. Clarke).
“I alone (for none else can) will freely give you (what ye cannot purchase)
rest from the guilt of sin by justification, and from the power of sin by sanctifica-
tion” (J. Wesley).
20 ADULT
 Jeremiah Predicts Captivity
Lesson 4 for July 22, 2018
Golden Text: “How shall we escape, if we neglect
so great salvation” (Heb. 2:3).
Jeremiah 9:1 Oh that my head were
waters, and mine eyes a fountain of
tears, that I might weep day and night for
the slain of the daughter of my people!
2 Oh that I had in the wilderness a
lodging place of wayfaring men; that I
might leave my people, and go from
them! for they be all adulterers, an as-
sembly of treacherous men.
3 And they bend their tongues like
their bow for lies: but they are not val-
iant for the truth upon the earth; for
they proceed from evil to evil, and they
know not me, saith the LORD.
4 Take ye heed every one of his neigh-
bour, and trust ye not in any brother: for
every brother will utterly supplant, and
every neighbour will walk with slanders.
5 And they will deceive every one his
neighbour, and will not speak the truth:
they have taught their tongue to speak
lies, and weary themselves to commit
iniquity.
6 Thine habitation is in the midst of
deceit; through deceit they refuse to
know me, saith the LORD.
Daily Devotional Readings
Sunday I Have Called and Ye Refused
Monday A Desire To Depart
Tuesday A Corrupt Society
Wednesday A Tongue Like a Sword
Thursday So Shall Ye Be Melted
Friday Wherefore—Because
Saturday Accomplished My Fury
July 22, 2018
Jeremiah
9:1-9, 13-16
7 Therefore thus saith the LORD of
hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try
them; for how shall I do for the daughter
of my people?
8 Their tongue is as an arrow shot
out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh
peaceably to his neighbour with his
mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.
9 Shall I not visit them for these
things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul
be avenged on such a nation as this?
13 And the LORD saith, Because they
have forsaken my law which I set before
them, and have not obeyed my voice,
neither walked therein;
14 But have walked after the imagina-
tion of their own heart, and after Baalim,
which their fathers taught them:
15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of
hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will
feed them, even this people, with worm-
wood, and give them water of gall to
drink.
16 I will scatter them also among the
heathen, whom neither they nor their fa-
thers have known: and I will send a
sword after them, till I have consumed
them.
Proverbs 1:24-31
Psalm 55:1-7
Micah 7:1-8
Psalm 64:1-10
Ezekiel 22:17-22
Jeremiah 16:6-13
Ezekiel 5:5-13
21
 The Lesson Exposition
By Kenneth Wize

Introduction
For the Jews, the time of harvest had past. Winter was coming on, and their
food supplies were running low. They faced the bleak reality of starvation. What
they faced materially only prefigured their spiritual condition. They had foolishly
passed by the opportunities which God had given them to repent and to amend
their lives. Now they were face to face with the consequences. The armies of
Babylon were marching through the land.
Jeremiah had tried to warn them, but the “healing” had not occurred because
the people had refused to take the medicine.
God’s instructions had been cast aside. The The Lesson Outline
spiritual condition of the people had deterio- Treacherous Men  vv. 1-6
rated until they were beyond recovery. I Will Melt Them  vv. 7-9
(Com pare Isaiah 1:4-6.) Jeremiah’s heart The Land Perisheth  vv. 13-16
was broken; his tears flowed freely.
Treacherous Men  vv. 1-6
Jeremiah’s agony for the condition of the people was so great that he pre-
ferred to withdraw from their presence. He would rather live in a traveler’s hut
without food and furniture than to be among them. Those who are living for God
are naturally repulsed by the corruption of those who are still living in sin. This
was the case with Jeremiah. In these verses he relates the wickedness of the peo-
ple. God further unfolds their condition until we have a graphic picture of their
sins. Jeremiah starts by saying they were adulterers. (Read his description in 5:6-
8.) Though these verses deal with marital unfaithfulness, they also reveal their
spiritual unfaithfulness to God. These people had departed from God, yet still
claimed His name and blessings. They were “treacherous men,” dangerous men
who would betray others’ trust. They drew support from each other to continue in
their diabolical ways.
Their tongue was like an arrow. Verses three, five, and eight speak of their
use of the tongue. They taught their tongue to speak lies, and used it like a bow to
shoot at people. Their words were as arrows “shot out” to murder others. To
“slander” another person was common. They would spread rumors to tear down
the name and reputation of those they despised. They were not “valiant for the
truth,” but were characterized as deceivers. It had become so bad that no one
could trust his neighbor. Even brothers in the same family could not trust each
other. Their conscience had been overridden until they could “proceed from evil
to evil,” and they wearied “themselves to commit iniquity.” They expended their
22 ADULT
physical and mental strength to press deeper into sin. Because of their deceitful
natures, they refused to know the Lord. They doubted His word, maligned His
character, and would not trust Him. They had schooled themselves in deception,
and would not face the truth.
What do you think?
Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem and what they were about to face.
Is our heart broken over the condition of people who are bound in sin? Do we
know what it means to intercede for the lost?
Jacob was known as the “heel grasper,” “supplanter,” or “deceiver.” Evident-
ly there were many “Jacobs” during the days of Jeremiah. It is regret-
table that they refused to come face to face with God, and allow Him to
transform them into “Israels.”
In James chapter three, we are told that the tongue can be a very powerful in-
strument for good or for evil.
One of the characteristics of carnality is deception. Notice how infants, with-
out being trained, can be so deceitful. Carnality will deceive the very
person who has it, causing him to think he can make it through life with-
out God.
Sin is a taskmaster. It drives the person, and enslaves him. It saps him of his
physical, mental, and emotional strength. He becomes weary of life, but
is unable to break free from sin’s bondage. What a change occurs when
men meet Jesus, the Mighty Conqueror, who sets the captive free!
I Will Melt Them  vv. 7-9
God had faithfully dealt with these people to bring them to a realization of
their sins, and to lead them to repentance. Their stubborn refusal to listen to Him
had caused them to be hardened in sin. What was God to “do for the daughter of
my people?” He determines that He will put them through the furnace of afflic-
tion. God in His love deals with mankind, not to destroy them, but to salvage them
for eternity. The figure in these verses is that of a refiner of ore. God says that He
will melt them down so that the dross may be removed, and that which is pure
may be salvaged. (Compare Mal. 3:3.)
Part of that which God will purge away is the deceitful nature. “One speak-
eth peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.”
The phrase “layeth his wait” means to set an ambush or snare. It reminds one of
Cain who spoke peaceably to Abel before Cain slew him, or of Judas who kissed
the Saviour in order to betray Him. “The words of his mouth were smoother than
butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they
drawn swords” (Psa. 55:21). God will not tolerate such deception. God is holy;
His words are always true, and His motives are always pure.
July 22, 2018 23
What do you think?
God will not overlook sin. We will either walk in His laws, or be judged by
them. We cannot go indifferently on thinking we will get by.
Joab embraced Abner with one hand while drawing a sword with the other.
“They shall evidence their godly walk by avoiding evil of every kind includ-
ing: gossiping, slandering, spreading surmises injurious to the good
name of others” (B.M.C. Manual).
The Land Perisheth  vv. 13-16
We now hear again from the weeping prophet. He is viewing the countryside.
Once it was covered with lush grass and grazing flocks. Now the pastures have be-
come a wasteland. When foreign armies invade a country, they often will burn and
destroy everything in their path; such had happened to Judah. The land was deso-
late. No one ventured to travel across it. The animals and birds were gone. As he
weeps, Jeremiah hears a voice. “I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a
dwelling place of jackals. I will make the cities of Judah a desolation.” In the
original, verse twelve contains three questions followed by a statement. The ques-
tions are a call for someone with spiritual understanding to make known to the
people the reasons for the destruction. The statement is,
“The land is laid waste like a wilderness, so that none pass- Why has this
eth through.” Since the inhabitants of Judah are so lacking happened to us?
in spiritual understanding, God gives them the reasons in
verses thirteen and fourteen. Why is the land desolate? Because they have “for-
saken my law.” They no longer allow it to guide their thinking, and submit to its
directives. They “have not obeyed,” and have refused to listen and respond to
God’s commands. We can only claim the blessings of God’s promises as our will
is submitted to Him. Judah was desolate because they were rebelling against
God’s authority.
Since they refused to follow God’s commands, what did they follow? The
“imagination of their own heart,” their own fleshly and carnal desires. They also
walked after “Baalim.” (This is the plural word for “Baal.”) So the Israelites pur-
sued the gods of material gain and pleasure. How sad that it was “their fathers”
who taught them this worship. Children most often adopt the values and lifestyles
of their parents. It is not so much what the parents say as what the parents do that
impacts the child. There may have been Jewish fathers who were telling their chil-
dren to serve Jehovah, while “dad” was lying to his neighbor on a business deal so
he could get more money. “Dad” was saying one thing with his lips, but serving
“Baal” with his acts.
In contrast to the “Baalim” is the “LORD of hosts, the God of Israel.” Israel
may have ignored and shunned the One True God, but they cannot escape their ac-
countability to Him. Because of their failure and rebellion, God makes four state-
ments of what He intends to do to them. 1) I will feed them (make them eat)

24 ADULT
wormwood. This was a bitter plant which represents sorrow and pain. 2) I will
give them (make them drink) water of gall. Gall was a poisonous herb. 3) I will
scatter them among the heathen (nations). 4) I will send a sword after them. All
four statements were fulfilled.
What do you think?
A people in rebellion cannot claim the blessings of their sovereign.
Read of the blessing which God promised the Israelites if they would keep His
commandments. They are listed in Lev. 26. But notice that the last part
of the chapter tells them what will happen if they forsake the Lord. Note
verse thirty-three: “And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will
draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your
cities waste.” God did not leave them guessing about what would happen.
How can we teach our children that serving God and keeping the Sabbath are
important?
Golden Text
“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation” (Heb. 2:3).
“If they who had fewer privileges than we have, to whom God spoke in
divers manners by angels and prophets, fell under the displeasure of their Maker,
and were often punished with a sore destruction; how shall we escape wrath to the
uttermost if we neglect the salvation provided for us, and proclaimed to us by the
Son of God? Their offense was high; ours, indescribably higher. The salvation
mentioned here is the whole system of Christianity, with all the privileges it con-
fers; properly called a salvation, because, by bringing such an abundance of heav-
enly light into the world, it saves or delivers men from the kingdom of darkness,
ignorance, error, superstition, and idolatry; and provides all the requisite means to
free them from the power, guilt, and contamination of sin.
“Those who neglect it are not only they who oppose or persecute it, but they
who pay no regard to it; who do not meddle with it, do not concern themselves
about it, do not lay it to heart, and consequently do not get their hearts changed by
it. Now these cannot escape the coming judgments of God; not merely because
they oppose His will and commandment, but because they sin against the very
cause and means of their deliverance. As there is but one remedy by which their
diseased souls can be saved, so by refusing to apply that one remedy they must
necessarily perish” (A. Clarke).

July 22, 2018 25

 The True God
Lesson 5 for July 29, 2018
Golden Text: “For all the gods of the nations are
idols: but the LORD made the heavens” (Psa. 96:5).
Jeremiah 10:2 Thus saith the LORD,
Learn not the way of the heathen, and
be not dismayed at the signs of heaven;
for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people are
vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the
forest, the work of the hands of the
workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with
gold; they fasten it with nails and with
hammers, that it move not.
5 They are upright as the palm tree,
but speak not: they must needs be
borne, because they cannot go. Be not
afraid of them; for they cannot do evil,
neither also is it in them to do good.
6 Forasmuch as there is none like
unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and
thy name is great in might.
7 Who would not fear thee, O King of
nations? for to thee doth it appertain:
forasmuch as among all the wise men of
the nations, and in all their kingdoms,
there is none like unto thee.
8 But they are altogether brutish and
foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.
Daily Devotional Readings
Sunday Who Can Compare to the Lord?
Monday He Feedeth On Ashes
Tuesday Trusts in the Lord
Wednesday There Is None Like Me
Thursday Thou Art God Alone
Friday The Lord Shall Reign
Saturday King For Ever
26
Jeremiah
10:2-13
9 Silver spread into plates is brought
from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the
work of the workman, and of the hands
of the founder: blue and purple is their
clothing: they are all the work of cun-
ning men.
10 But the LORD is the true God, he is
the living God, and an everlasting king: at
his wrath the earth shall tremble, and
the nations shall not be able to abide his
indignation.
11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The
gods that have not made the heavens
and the earth, even they shall perish
from the earth, and from under these
heavens.
12 He hath made the earth by his
power, he hath established the world by
his wisdom, and hath stretched out the
heavens by his discretion.
13 When he uttereth his voice, there
is a multitude of waters in the heavens,
and he causeth the vapours to ascend
from the ends of the earth; he maketh
lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth
the wind out of his treasures.
Psalm 89:6-16
Isaiah 44:10-20
Psalm 115:1-11
Isaiah 46:1-10
Psalm 86:3-12
Psalm 146:1-10
Psalm 29:1-11
ADULT
 The Lesson Exposition
By Kenneth Wize

Introduction
Chapter ten opens with the prophet addressing the “house of Israel.” Is he
addressing those who had already been taken into captivity by the Assyrians, or is
he using the term as applicable to all of the Jews? Jeremiah is probably speaking
to those who were already in foreign lands. In those lands they would be subject to
the social pressure to worship heathen idols. The heathen made idols to give a tan-
gible form to intangible spiritual realities.
The heathen also gave significance to the The Lesson Outline
heavenly bodies, and gave various interpre-
tations to their movements. Jeremiah was A Heathen Way  vv. 2-5
The Everlasting King  vv. 6-10
urging the deported Jews to be faithful to The Eternal Creator  vv. 11-13
the true God, the God who had the power to
create and sustain the universe.
A Heathen Way  vv. 2-5
“Learn not the way of the heathen.” One translation of the original Hebrew
words reads, “To the way of the nations you shall not be goaded.” The Jews who
were in captivity would be surrounded by the idolatry of the heathen, and would
face constant pressure to conform to the social norm. They faced the danger of be-
coming accustomed to, and then losing any repulsion of, the abominations around
them. As pilgrims and strangers in this world, we must ever be alert to the things
which would “goad” us into its conformity. We must “watch and pray” in regard
to music, attire, entertainments, and technology. Because the Jews kept a continu-
ous guard against heathen practices, when the seventy years of captivity came to
an end, they were cured of the idolatry which had caused them to backslide prior
to their captivity.
Psalm 19:1 states, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firma-
ment sheweth his handywork.” The power and glory of God are made manifest
by the things which He has made (Rom. 1:20). Because of men’s corrupt natures,
they have “changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the
creature more than the Creator” (Rom. 1:25). The heathen placed great signifi-
cance in the signs of the heavens—eclipses, comets, the conjunctions of stars and
planets. They ascribed certain omens or blessings to these things, and said that
they were also indicators of national calamities. The stars were supposed to have
an effect on births, deaths, and individual actions and choices. Does this sound fa-
miliar? Today, we call such practices “astrology.” The Chaldeans and Egyptians
were addicted to astrology, and went so far as to worship the stars as deities, and
to claim that the stars had supernatural powers and volition. Thus the heathen were
July 29, 2018 27
“dismayed” at the stars. Jeremiah told the Jews to “not be dismayed at the signs
of the heavens.” Instead, they were to worship the God who made the heavens,
and who controls the movements of all the heavenly bodies.
The rituals, ceremonies, and institutions which related to the idolatry of the
heathen were “vain.” God had specifically warned His people not to get involved
in such “customs” (Deut. 12:29-31). Such practices were absurd, contrary to com-
mon sense, empty, and worthless.
Jeremiah depicts this absurdity in verses three through five. First we see a
woodsman going into the forest, and there with his axe, he cuts down a tree. He
then hauls the tree into town, where they “deck it with silver and with gold.”
Thus, they disguise its true character—the trunk of a tree, a chunk of wood. The
external covering gives it the appearance of majesty. But there is always the dan-
ger that the idol might fall over, so “they fasten it with nails . . . that it move not
[will not wobble].” Idols stand in an upright position like a man, but they “speak
not”; they cannot give an answer to their worshipers. And if the people want their
idols at a different location, “they must needs be borne, because they cannot go
[walk].” They are incapable of motion; they cannot act in behalf of those who
worship them. The idols “cannot do evil,” inflict any form of judgment, such as
famine, drought, or pestilence. “Neither also is it in them to do good,” to give
rain, harvest, or help in time of danger. It simply is not “in them.” They have no
inherent ability.
At this point a person has simply to ask, “Which is mightier: the tree, or the
woodsman who chopped down the tree? The idol, which can’t even talk, or the
people who have to carry it from place to place?” The answer is obvious. It is no
wonder that God tells His people, “Be not afraid of them.”
What do you think?
What a sad day when the professed church has taken on the adornment of the
world.
What are some of the “customs of the people” which we should guard
against? Buying and selling on Sunday? Video entertainment? Card
playing? Use of the internet?
The Everlasting King  vv. 6-10
In contrast to the false idols, Jeremiah now sets forth the true God. “There is
none like unto thee, O LORD; thou are great.” Idols are the epitome of weak-
ness, but our God is “great,” having all power (Matt. 28:18). He is the Creator and
Sustainer of all things—the Omnipotent God. Who would not choose to worship
the God who can do anything, as compared to a dead idol that can do nothing?
“Who would not fear thee,” the Author and Giver of life? The writer of Ecclesi-
astes declared that the whole duty of man was to “fear God, and keep his com-
mandments” (12:13). There is no need to fear dead idols. Since God is the “King
28 ADULT
of nations,” it is only fitting that He receives the reverence and worship of all
mankind. Compile the wisdom of the greatest philosophers and statesmen of all
time, yet it would be but a flickering candle compared to the omniscience of God,
for “there is none like unto thee.” “It is fit that He who is God alone should alone
be served, that He who is Lord of all should be served by all, that He who is great
should be greatly feared and greatly praised” (M. Henry).
They who worship idols are like their idols—“brutish
and foolish,” senseless and stupid (Psa. 115:8). “The stock They that make
[idol worship] is a doctrine of vanities [instruction of empty them are like
unto them.
falsehoods].” The idol itself testifies to the vanity of wor-
shiping it. Men may cover it with silver and gold from dis-
tant lands, and may clothe it in royal apparel of “blue and purple.” But even with
all of their skill, men cannot make a living and intelligent idol. They can be
dressed up, but they are still empty and worthless. It is the grossest of falsehoods
to worship an idol. They are the “work of cunning men,” a mere human creation,
the result of human effort.
Idols are nothing in comparison to the might, glory, wisdom, and power of
God. “The LORD is the true God, he is the living God.” Men cannot approach the
true God through the worship of idols, for “God is a Spirit: and they that worship
him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:24). As the “true God,” He
deals only in truth. Here we see the veracity of God as compared to the vanity of
the idol. God does not deceive, but is exactly what He has revealed Himself to be.
Our God is the “living God,” the self-existent One who gives life to all (Acts
17:28). He is the “everlasting King,” in contrast to temporary idols. His throne is
forever because there is no one capable of being His successor. Before His
majesty the “earth shall tremble,” and the governments of men will be dissolved
by His indignation.
What do you think?
“Man divests himself of his true humanity, and sinks to the level of the brute,
when he severs his connection with God” (J.F.B. Commentary).
Jehovah is the true God, without beginning and without end.
May the day hasten when Christ shall reign on earth.
The Eternal Creator  vv. 11-13
Verse eleven is unique in the book of Jeremiah. It is the only verse to be writ-
ten in Aramaic, the language used by the Chaldeans. God wanted these people to
know that their idols would “perish from the earth.” Perhaps God gave this verse
to the Jews who were in captivity for them to use when they were enticed to idola-
try. Let the gods perish who have not made the heavens and the earth. The same
thought of the idols’ destruction is repeated in verse fifteen.
July 29, 2018 29
 It is Jehovah who has “made the earth by his power.” Three attributes of
God are given in verse twelve. God’s power speaks of His creative ability. By His
wisdom He made the world a proper habitation for man and all living things. The
expanse of the heavens was “stretched out” according to His discretion—under-
standing and skill. There is no creature or false god who could have even begun to
do what God has done.
Not only did God create all things, but He is also the Sustainer of all things.
He has control over the natural elements and cycles of the weather. The clouds
which He sends water the earth, and the moisture returns to the heavens in the
form of vapor. Daily the weather furnishes proof of the power and wisdom of
God. We are the objects of His providential care. Truly we are blessed to have
such a wonderful and loving God to worship.
What do you think?
“The earth is the LORD’S, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that
dwell therein” (Psa. 24:1).
“While the heathen worship gods that they made, we worship the God that
made us and all things” (M. Henry).
“My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth” (Psa.
121:2).
Golden Text
“For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens”
(Psa. 96:5).
“All the earth being called to sing the new song, they must be convinced that
the Lord Jehovah, to whose honor they must sing it, is the one only living and true
God, infinitely above all rivals and pretenders. He is great, and they are little; He
is all, and they are nothing (so the word used for idols signifies). He is great in His
right, even to the noblest part of the creation; for it is His own work, and derives
its being from Him. The Lord made the heavens and all their hosts; they are the
work of His fingers (Psa. 8:3). The gods of the nations were all made-gods, the
creatures of men’s fancies; but our God is the Creator of the sun, moon, and stars,
those lights of heaven which they imagined to be gods and worshipped as such”
(M. Henry).

30 ADULT
 Blessed Is the Man Jeremiah
17:5-14
Lesson 6 for August 5, 2018
Golden Text: “O taste and see that the LORD is
good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Psa.
34:8).

Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the LORD;
Cursed be the man that trusteth in man,
and maketh flesh his arm, and whose
heart departeth from the LORD.
6 For he shall be like the heath in the
desert, and shall not see when good
cometh; but shall inhabit the parched
places in the wilderness, in a salt land
and not inhabited.
7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in
the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
8 For he shall be as a tree planted by
the waters, and that spreadeth out her
roots by the river, and shall not see
when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be
green; and shall not be careful in the
year of drought, neither shall cease
from yielding fruit.
9 The heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked: who can
know it?
10 I the LORD search the heart, I try
the reins, even to give every man ac-
cording to his ways, and according to
the fruit of his doings.
11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs,
and hatcheth them not; so he that get-
teth riches, and not by right, shall leave
them in the midst of his days, and at his
end shall be a fool.
12 A glorious high throne from the
beginning is the place of our sanctuary.
13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that
forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they
that depart from me shall be written in
the earth, because they have forsaken
the LORD, the fountain of living waters.
14 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be
healed; save me, and I shall be saved:
for thou art my praise.

Daily Devotional Readings

Sunday God Is a Refuge Psalm 62:1-8
Monday They Trust in Egypt Isaiah 30:1-9
Tuesday Trust Ye in the Lord Isaiah 26:1-9
Wednesday Thou Hast Searched Me Psalm 139:1-10
Thursday The Judgment of God Romans 2:1-11
Friday The Fountain of Life Psalm 36:1-10
Saturday The Righteous Shall Flourish Psalm 92:7-15
August 5, 2018 31
 The Lesson Exposition
By Kenneth Wize

Introduction
A foundational principle of human existence is faith. The question to be an-
swered is, in whom should we trust? For life to be fulfilling and worthwhile, faith
must be grounded on that which is certain and unshakable. To place one’s faith in
the unstable or perishable only produces uncertainty and anxiety. Ultimately there
is only one sure foundation for our faith, and that is the Lord God. If a person for-
sakes the Lord, and looks to any other
person or thing for his confidence, he
The Lesson Outline
will be sadly disappointed. “For my
people have committed two evils; they Whom Do You Trust?  vv. 5-8
have forsaken me the fountain of living The Untrustworthy Heart  vv. 9-11
waters, and hewed them out cisterns, The Reliable God  vv. 12-14
broken cisterns, that can hold no
water” (Jer. 2:13). God wants to be our sustenance

Whom Do You Trust?  vv. 5-8

God issues a warning regarding misplaced confidence—“Cursed be the man
that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm.” When the Jews were threatened
with the invasion of the Babylonian forces, instead of turning to God they relied
upon Egypt for help. But the Egyptians were “men, and not God; and their horses
flesh, and not spirit” (Isa. 31:3). Egypt proved to be weak and ineffectual against
the Babylonians. The spirit is superior to the flesh and so the One Who IS Spirit is best to rely on
In Luke eighteen, Jesus spoke a parable against those “which trusted in them-
selves that they were righteous, and despised others.” Their faith was in them-
selves and what they could do. They were not trusting in God for their salvation.
By an act of their will, they turned aside their heart “from the Lord.” When a per-
son relies on human effort, he causes his heart to depart from the Lord. However,
only God can deliver.
Those who trust in the arm of flesh “shall be like the heath in the desert.”
The heath was a low, fruitless shrub which was useless and without moisture. It
lived in the dry, parched wilderness. Because of its nature and place of existence,
“a salt land,” it could not benefit from any good. “Those that trust to their own
righteousness and strength, and think they can do well enough without the merit
and grace of Christ, thus make flesh their arm, and their souls cannot prosper in
graces or comforts; they can neither produce the fruits of acceptable services to
God nor reap the fruits of saving blessings from Him; they dwell in a dry land”
(M. Henry). Man Dry, unfruitful, unsatisfying is the world. The devil is a master of "mirages"

32 ADULT
looks to man, competes with man, idolizes man, whose chiefest worldly accomplishments are worthless
compared to God.
 But “blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the
The blessing is in the "trust" and in the "hope". The answered prayers that follow are added blessings to a Treasure worth more

LORD is.” Those who place their confidence in the Lord are blessed. He is the
Author and Giver of hope (Psa. 146:5). In the Lord there is power, protection, and
preservation. He is our Saviour and our Refuge. He gives grace here for every cir-
cumstance, and will give glory hereafter when this life is over.
Verse eight reminds us of the righteous man in Psalm 1. He is not like a
dried-up shrub in the desert, but is “as a tree planted by the waters.” He is not
growing wild, but has been planted with great care where he is supplied with suffi-
cient moisture. Because his roots go deep into the soil “by the river,” he does not
fear when “heat cometh.” God’s river never dries up. The blessed man draws
from God’s grace, God’s love, and God’s Word all the resources he needs to make
it through every difficulty. God’s people have confidence in His goodness and
providence (Rom. 8:28). Such a tree need not search or run after its sustenance, it just rests where it is planted.
The leaf of the blessed man, the man who is trusting in the Lord, shall be
green. His testimony and outward life are beautiful to behold. He is a blessing to
those about him. He is not “careful [anxious] in the year of drought.” He can cast
all of his care upon the Lord, for he knows that God is taking care of him (1 Pet.
5:7). Even in times of adversity, he has an inner resource which makes up for the
lack of creature comforts. He continues to be fruitful in holiness and all good
works because he trusts in God and His grace. God does not want His children to panic but trust
What do you think?
“We must not think to make any creature to be that to us which God has un-
dertaken to be” (M. Henry).
“With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us,
and to fight our battles” (2 Chr. 32:8). Hezekiah - when the Angel slew 185,000 Assyrians
Those who trust in the works of man are fruitless in the things of God. The just shall....
The blessed man flourishes in adverse circumstances, has hidden resources,
lives without anxiety, and continues producing fruit.
The Untrustworthy Heart  vv. 9-11
Why do men make the “arm of flesh” their confidence? Because of their de-
praved natures. Carnality causes men to separate themselves from God and to be
self-reliant. “I don’t need God: I can do it myself.” The carnal heart is “deceitful
above all things, and desperately wicked.” The word “deceitful” and the word
“Jacob” both come from the same Hebrew root word meaning “heel grasper,” one
who trips, restrains, and supplants. Thus, the “heart” of the unsanctified individu-
al causes him to trip, to hold back from doing right, to assert self ahead of others.
It can never be satisfied, but strives to avail itself of every favorable circumstance.
It calls good evil, and evil good. It is “desperately wicked,” treacherous, incur-
able, mortally sick, rotten, and putrefies the soul. Carnality is "enmity" against God and not subject....
August 5, 2018 33
 Who can know the depths of the depravity of the human heart? No man can
discern the extent of his inner corruption. It causes the man to be filled with con-
tradictions so that he does not even understand himself. “Its owner knows not
what is in him till it boils over” (A. Clarke). However, there is One who knows
what is the condition of the heart. “I the LORD search [am constantly searching]
the heart, I try [am constantly examining] the reins.” God knows man’s thoughts,
purposes, intents, designs, and imaginations. Though the heart is deceitful, it can-
not deceive Him. Because God searches and knows the heart, He can give proper
judgment upon every man “according to his ways, and according to the fruit of
his doings.” Only the omniscient Lord is fit to serve as the Judge. ...through
Jeremiah now cites a Jewish proverb to illustrate the fact that men will re-
the foolishness of
preaching too.....

ceive a just recompense as their reward. The man who acquires riches, and that
“not by right,” is like a partridge sitting on eggs which do not hatch. In Jeremiah’s
day, a prevalent sin among the Jews was to oppress the poor, and by fraud to take
their substance. Jeremiah tells them that their ill-gotten riches will be taken away
in the “midst” of their days. Because of their sins, they will be taken into captivity.
Then they shall know how foolish they have been. How do we acquire money, etc, "by right"? -God's
However, so is everyone who places his trust in riches and material gain. “At
By seeking
will

his end [he] shall be a fool.” Do you recall the rich man in the New Testament
who had a great harvest, and decided to build bigger barns? His heart was set on
his accumulated wealth, but God said, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be re-
quired of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?”
(Lk. 12:20). What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his
soul? “Those that place their happiness in the wealth of the world . . . will rue the
folly of it when it is too late to rectify the fatal mistake” (M. Henry).
What do you think?
Trust not in the arm of flesh, which is deceitful, and acts only by motives of
self-interest.
“Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the
heart” (1 Sam. 16:7).
“I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one
of you according to your works” (Rev. 2:23).
Every secret thing will be manifest and brought into account.
The man who sells himself for earthly gain will ultimately suffer eternal loss.
“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor
trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all
things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17). "All things cannot be utilized at once, so this verse implies we will enjoy any
The Reliable God vv. 12-14
thing that we need at the time (the only limit is sin)

How wonderful it is to be able to place our confidence in the Almighty, the

unfailing God. In verses twelve and thirteen, Jeremiah gives an apt description of
34 ADULT
the One who is worthy of our trust. First, God reigns on a “glorious high
throne.” He is the Sovereign of the universe which He has created. There is none
higher or more glorious than He. He has all power, and is the final Authority. Sec-
ond, He has been the Sovereign Ruler “from the beginning.” He did not take an-
other’s throne; His rule is from everlasting to everlasting. Third, He is our Sanc-
tuary, a refuge from the cares of life. He provides a safe place, a place where we
may worship and adore Him. Fourth, He is the “Hope of Israel.” God’s people
have a forward look, an anticipation of God’s ultimate triumph over all evil. Fi-
nally, God is the “fountain of living waters.” In Him is found everything needed
to sustain life and to refresh the soul. If God is all these to us, then to look to anything else chiefly is idolatry
God is the true Object of our confidence, but “all that forsake [Him] shall be
ashamed.” Individuals who place their hope in depraved mankind, material
wealth, or deeds of self-righteousness shall at the last be put to shame, confound-
ed. “They that depart from [thee] shall be written in the earth.” Children often
write their names in the sand of the seashore, or in the dust on the ground. How
quickly the waves or the wind erase the letters, and the name is gone. So is the end
of those who “have forsaken the Lord.” They pass from the scene, and are soon
forgotten. Their names are not written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Because of his messages, Jeremiah was the object of persecution and public
disdain. His life had been threatened, and he was in anguish of soul. Thus, he cries
to the Lord, “Heal me . . . save me.” Deliver me from the malice of wicked men.
Preserve me that I do not succumb to the social pressure, but remain true to Thee.
The prophet’s faith was in God alone, and he was thoroughly convinced of God’s
ability. “I shall be healed . . . I shall be saved.” God does not do half miracles—
He is all-sufficient. “Thou art my praise”—the One that I glory in for on Thee I
depend. “So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for
ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations” (Psa. 79:13).
What do you think?
Moses predicted that in Mount Zion would be the Sanctuary of the Lord (Ex.
15:17).
“Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Lk. 10:20).
“All that shall be saved hereafter are sanctified now; unless the disease of sin
be purged out, the soul cannot live” (M. Henry). Holiness or Hell
Golden Text
“O taste and see that the LORD is good:
blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Psa. 34:8).
“Apply to Him by faith and prayer; plead His promises, He will fulfill them;
and you shall know that the Lord is good. God has put it in the power of every
man to know whether the religion of the Bible be true or false. The promises . . .
August 5, 2018 35
must be fulfilled to all them who with deep repentance and true faith turn unto the
Lord. . . . Let any man in this spirit approach his Maker, and plead the promises
that are suited to his case, and he will soon know whether the doctrine be of God.
He shall taste, and then see, that the Lord is good, and that the man is blessed who
trusts in Him. This is what is called experimental religion; the living, operative
knowledge that a true believer has that he is passed from death unto life; that his
sins are forgiven him for Christ’s sake, the Spirit Himself bearing witness with his
spirit that he is a child of God. And, as long as he is faithful, he carries about with
him the testimony of the Holy Ghost; and he knows that he is of God, by the Spirit
which God has given him” (A. Clarke).

36 ADULT
 The Potter’s House
Lesson 7 for August 12, 2018
Golden Text: “But now, O LORD, thou art our fa-
ther; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we
all are the work of thy hand” (Isa. 64:8).
Jeremiah 18:1 The word which came
to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Arise, and go down to the potter's
house, and there I will cause thee to
hear my words.
3 Then I went down to the potter's
house, and, behold, he wrought a work
on the wheels.
4 And the vessel that he made of clay
was marred in the hand of the potter: so
he made it again another vessel, as
seemed good to the potter to make it.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to
me, saying,
6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with
you as this potter? saith the LORD. Be-
hold, as the clay is in the potter's hand,
so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
7 At what instant I shall speak con-
cerning a nation, and concerning a king-
dom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and
to destroy it;
8 If that nation, against whom I have
pronounced, turn from their evil, I will
Daily Devotional Readings
Sunday Amend Your Ways
Monday If Ye Be Willing
Tuesday God Forsaken
Wednesday The Way of the Lord
Thursday A Desolate Land
Friday God’s Mercy
Saturday Israel Restored
August 12, 2018
Jeremiah
18:1-10, 15-17
repent of the evil that I thought to do
unto them.
9 And at what instant I shall speak
concerning a nation, and concerning a
kingdom, to build and to plant it;
10 If it do evil in my sight, that it
obey not my voice, then I will repent of
the good, wherewith I said I would ben-
efit them.
15 Because my people hath forgotten
me, they have burned incense to vanity,
and they have caused them to stumble in
their ways from the ancient paths, to
walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
16 To make their land desolate, and a
perpetual hissing; every one that pas-
seth thereby shall be astonished, and
wag his head.
17 I will scatter them as with an east
wind before the enemy; I will shew them
the back, and not the face, in the day of
their calamity.
Jeremiah 7:1-7
Isaiah 1:11-20
Jeremiah 2:1-13
Ezekiel 18:20-28
Leviticus 26:27-35
Ephesians 2:1-10
Amos 9:9-15
37
 The Lesson Exposition
By Kenneth Wize

Introduction
The events of chapter eighteen probably occurred during the early years of
King Jehoiakim’s reign. Good King Josiah had been slain in battle, and now an
evil ruler sat upon the throne. God has a message for Jeremiah to deliver to His
people. G. Campbell Morgan has written, “There is no figure in the Bible that sets
forth the sovereignty of God so uncompromisingly as that of the potter and the
clay.” God, as the Sovereign, has a right to deal with men and nations according to
their conduct toward Him. The
Man was formed from the dust of the earth, and at death our physical bodies
Potter has all power over the clay, yet the clay couldv'e been "marred" in His hands
(freedom of choice)

will return to the dust. In the Scriptures men are also referred to as clay (Job 10:9
and 33:6). References to the potter fashioning the clay can also be found in Isa.
29:16 and 45:9. In verses five through ten of
our lesson, we see that the clay (men and na- The Lesson Outline
tions) have the ability to respond to God’s
warnings and blessings. This ability to respond A Potter’s Touch  vv. 1-4
God’s Methods  vv. 5-10
indicates that individuals have free moral agen-
A Settled Resolve  vv. 15-17
cy. They are not like lifeless clay; they may
choose to obey or disobey God.
A Potter’s Touch  vv. 1-4
Jesus: "If any man will do his will, he shall
know..." (Obedience before Revelation for

God instructs Jeremiah to “go down to the potter’s house, and there I will
seekers)

cause thee to hear my words.” Obedience opens the door to revelation. Several
commentators believe that the “potter’s house [workshop]” was to the south of
Jerusalem across the valley of Hinnom. It was in this workshop that God used a vi-
sual aid to instruct His prophet. There Jeremiah observed a potter at work on the
wheels, fashioning some clay into a vessel. As the potter worked, something in the
clay was unyielding. Perhaps it lacked moisture, or maybe there was grit or rocks
beneath the surface. Because of its condition, the vessel was “marred in the hand of
the potter,” making it unfit for the intended purpose. Thus, he had to take the clay
from the wheel, and rework it, removing the impurities, and making it moldable.
Then he placed the clay back on the wheel, and “made it again another vessel.”
As Jeremiah watched and pondered the activity of the potter, the truths which
the work symbolized began to take form. The lump of clay was like the nation of
Israel. God had endeavored to form it into a vessel of honor, a nation that would
glorify Him. But instead of yielding to God’s touch, they had resisted, broken His
laws, and worshiped false gods. Again and again they had refused to give heed to
His warnings, and to obey. Thus, the response of the clay had thwarted the Potter’s
purpose. Now it would be necessary for God to take them from the “wheel,” and
38 ADULT
to rework the clay until it would be pliable in His hands. Captivity was inevitable,
but afterward God would be able to remake them “again another vessel, as
seemed good to the potter to make it.”
This is the message which Jeremiah received. Ultimately God would work
out the purposes of His love and of His grace. Here is the declaration of the ulti-
mate activity of sovereignty—“he made it again.” God is not willing that any
should perish, and will do all He can to form individuals into vessels of honor. Yet,
at the same time, God does not thwart the free moral agency of men. He has
power over the clay to mold it as He chooses, and He will eliminate that which re-
fuses to yield to His touch. “If on the wheel of life, men and nations resist God’s
will, the breaking process ensues. This is never a pleasant moment for either the
Potter or the clay, although there is an element of hope in the fact that another ves-
sel will be formed” (C. Paul Gray).
What do you think?
Can

There are many lessons which God can teach us if we will be obedient and ob-
servant.
God, the Potter, can remake a ruined life.
God controls the movement of the “wheels” of time, and works out His pur-
poses in the history of men. God is still sovereign.
God’s Methods  vv. 5-10
“O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter?” As the Creator,
God has the ultimate right to do with people as He sees fit. “Hath not the potter
power over the clay?” (Rom. 9:21). As the God of love and mercy, His purpose is
to redeem fallen mankind. God has not purposed that any should be lost. However,
God’s holiness and justice will not overlook or leave unpunished those who refuse
to serve Him. The unyielding portion of the clay will be removed. “If they do not
answer My intentions, may I not reject and destroy ?” (A. Clarke). God’s will shall
ultimately be accomplished, and no man can escape from His hand.
As the clay was “in the potter’s hand,” so was Israel in the hand of God.
They tried to bolster their confidence by saying that they would not be overthrown
by the Babylonian armies. They persecuted Jeremiah, trying to silence his mes-
sages of warning. But God is still sovereign in the affairs of men and nations. God
would scatter the Israelites among the nations, cure them of idolatry, and after sev-
enty years, restore them to their land. They would then provide the social and reli-
gious backdrop for the coming of His , and the start of Christianity. God’s ultimate
purpose would be realized. The Israelites were careless in not realizing God was preparing to
Verses seven through ten help us to understand how God deals with men and
send their Messiah and the Savior of the world

nations. God warns a wicked and perverse nation of impending destruction, that
He is about “to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it.” That nation then
has the opportunity to respond. Remember how God sent Jonah to Nineveh to
August 12, 2018 39
 Not all waste the warnings of God

warn them that in forty days the city would be destroyed? The people of Nineveh
repented, and God spared the city. “As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no
pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and
live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Is-
rael?” (Ezek. 33:11). True repentance for sin is more than feeling sorrow; it is
turning the back on sin, being done with it. When men repent, God will pardon
and spare. As moral creatures, men have free will, and they respond to God’s reve-
lation. God in turn deals with them as they respond to Him. God offers mercy if
they turn from their evil ways. If men refuse God’s mercy, and continue in a state
of rebellion, then they bring upon themselves the wrath of God.should repent
Num 23:19-God is not man ...that He

In verses eight and ten, God states that He “will repent.” This indicates a
change in God’s course of action. God is not fickle with a vacillating will. His pro-
ceedings may change, but His will is constant. His change in dealing with men is be-
cause of their response to His mercy. The change is not in God, but in the circum-
stances which regulate God’s dealings. (Read 2 Chr. 7:14.) On those who obey, God
pronounces blessings “to build and to plant.” The disobedient forfeit God’s bless-
ings. “This unlimited power of God over mankind is exercised according to man’s
conduct, not according to an unchangeable determination” (Keil and Delitzsch).
What do you think?
God can change our state and circumstances as He pleases in order to form
us according to His own desires.
God uses circumstances to teach lessons and get our

God wants us to be conformed to the likeness of His Son.

attention

Our times are in God’s hands.

“It is an undoubted truth that a sincere conversion from the evil of sin will be
an effectual prevention of the evil of punishment” (M. Henry).
A Settled Resolve  vv. 15-17
In verse eleven, God calls the people to repentance, but they refuse God’s
mercy. Their response is, “We will walk after our own devices, and we will every
one do the imagination of his evil heart.” They refused to look to God for the
strength to overcome evil and do the right. Israel has done a “very horrible thing”
(v. 13). They have “forgotten” and forsaken the true and living God. They once
knew God, but have willfully put Him out of their memory, disobeyed His laws,
and tried to silence His prophets (Jer. 2:32). Oh the lengths God rejecters go to
Instead, they embraced “vanity.” The Hebrew word stands for vain idols,
idols which cannot help or perform what is expected of them. The people left cer-
tainty for uncertainty, the Fountain of living water for broken cisterns. The idols
and the false prophets caused the people to “stumble in their ways.” The people
departed from the “ancient paths,” and began to walk “in a way not cast up.”
The “old” path was the way in which the righteous patriarchs walked, the way of
truth and moral uprightness. This path would eventually end in eternal life. The
40 ADULT
way “not cast up” was an unprepared way, untried, and unsafe. It could only end
in desolation and loss.
The result of their forsaking God would be the coming invasion of the Baby-
lonians. The land of Israel would be made “desolate and a perpetual hissing.”
The “hissing” would be an expression of derision and contempt. Those who
passed through the land would be “astonished,” filled with dismay at the destruc-
tion. They would shake their head in disbelief and pity (Lam. 2:15). “Those that
revolt from God will justly be made the scorn of all about them, and, having re-
proached the Lord, will themselves be a reproach” (M. Henry).belong to God
Astonished because they believed Israel

The Jewish people would be scattered “as with an east wind.” The wind
from the east came off of the desert regions of Arabia. It was a parching, destroy-
ing, death-dealing wind. Just as no one can stop the wind from blowing, so no one
would stop the advancing Babylonian forces. The Jews would be dispersed among
the nations. “Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by
the wind of the wilderness” (Jer. 13:24).
In the “day of their calamity,” God would turn His back upon them. They
would no longer see His face. “The hiding of God’s face is the sure sign of His
displeasure” (A. Barnes). If God’s face is toward us, we can bear the calamities of
life; but if His ear is not open to our prayers, we have no hope. The people of Is-
rael had turned their back on God (Jer. 2:27); and now, after making repeated en-
treaties, God has at last turned His back upon them. In their distress they would
call upon Him, but He would no longer hear their prayers.
What do you think?
“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old
paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for
your souls” (Jer. 6:16).
“But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins
have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isa. 59:2).
How much better it is to yield to the Potter’s touch, and to let Him mold us as
He sees best.
Golden Text
“But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter;
and we all are the work of thy hand” (Isa. 64:8). We yield ourselves to be the

“The idea seems to be, that their condition then had been produced by Him
work of Thy hands

as clay is molded by the potter, and that they were to be returned and restored en-
tirely by Him—as they had no more power to do it than the clay had to shape it-
self. They were wholly in His hand, and at His disposal. Thou hast power to mold
us as the potter does the clay. We have been formed by Thee, and we are depen-
dent on Thee to make us what thou wilt have us to be. This whole verse is an ac-
knowledgment of the sovereignty of God” (A. Barnes).
August 12, 2018 41
 False Prophets
Lesson 8 for August 19, 2018
Golden Text: “Prove all things; hold fast that
which is good” (1 Thess. 5:21).
Jeremiah 23:21 I have not sent these
prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken
to them, yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my coun-
sel, and had caused my people to hear
my words, then they should have turned
them from their evil way, and from the
evil of their doings.
23 Am I a God at hand, saith the
LORD, and not a God afar off?
24 Can any hide himself in secret
places that I shall not see him? saith the
LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth?
saith the LORD.
25 I have heard what the prophets
said, that prophesy lies in my name, say-
ing, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
26 How long shall this be in the heart
of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea,
they are prophets of the deceit of their
own heart;
27 Which think to cause my people to
forget my name by their dreams which
they tell every man to his neighbour, as
Daily Devotional Readings
Sunday Beware of False Prophets
Monday False Prophets Denounced
Tuesday The Omniscient God
Wednesday Unfaithful Shepherds
Thursday The People Deceived
Friday Modern Day False Prophets
Saturday Prophets Must Be Faithful
42
Jeremiah
23:21-32
their fathers have forgotten my name for
Baal.
28 The prophet that hath a dream,
let him tell a dream; and he that hath
my word, let him speak my word faith-
fully. What is the chaff to the wheat?
saith the LORD.
29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith
the LORD; and like a hammer that break-
eth the rock in pieces?
30 Therefore, behold, I am against
the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal
my words every one from his neighbour.
31 Behold, I am against the prophets,
saith the LORD, that use their tongues,
and say, He saith.
32 Behold, I am against them that
prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD,
and do tell them, and cause my people
to err by their lies, and by their light-
ness; yet I sent them not, nor command-
ed them: therefore they shall not profit
this people at all, saith the LORD.
Matthew 7:15-23
Jeremiah 23:9-20
Psalm 94:1-10
Ezekiel 34:7-16
Jeremiah 14:11-16
2 Peter 2:9-19
Jude 3, 4, 17-21
ADULT
 The Lesson Exposition
By Kenneth Wize

Introduction
Blights on the church are pastors who do not care for their flocks, and
prophets who overlook sin and proclaim peace. Chapter twenty-three of Jeremiah
deals with both of these groups. The first eight verses address the pastors who had
scattered the sheep. God pronounces His woe upon them, and states that He will
gather the sheep, and give them faithful shepherds. This section also contains glori-
ous predictions of the coming Messiah. (See verses five and six.) In verses 9-32,
the false prophets of Judah are dealt with. Their sins are exposed, and they are con-
demned. The last eight verses of the chapter (33-40) deal with those who make a
mockery of Jeremiah and the “burden of the LORD.” Jeremiah’s message was not
welcomed by his people. Many times it
seemed that he had to stand alone against The Lesson Outline
the entire backsliding nation. His major I Have Not Sent Them  vv. 21, 22
opposition came from the false prophets. I Have Heard Them  vv. 23-27
They said that God’s blessing was still Is It Chaff or Wheat?  vv. 28, 29
upon Judah, and that the nation would be I Am Against Them  vv. 30-32
delivered from Babylon’s armies.
I Have Not Sent Them  vv. 21, 22
False prophets are individuals who appear to be spiritual and in touch with
God, but in reality they are neither. They put on a religious front to impress others
and to gather a following. They shy away from addressing the real issues of sin,
preferring to say things which are pleasing to the ear. There were many false
prophets in Jeremiah’s day. They were filling the people’s minds with untruth, and
leading them away from God. God, through Jeremiah, exposed these false teach-
ers and leaders. First, He said that He had “not sent these prophets.” They, on
their own, assumed the office, and “ran” with much fervor to instruct the people.
These false prophets, with their “intellectual” abilities, considered themselves well
qualified to be spiritual counselors. Furthermore, God said, “I have not spoken to
them.” Communion with God was foreign to these prophets. They did not talk
with God, nor hear from Him. They were not men of true prayer and the study of
God’s word. “Yet they prophesied” without Divine leadership or inspiration.
To stand in the “counsel” of the Lord expresses the concept of meeting in as-
sembly with God to receive His instruction and advice (v. 18). Abraham was a
man who stood in the counsel of the Lord, and God revealed to him the plans re-
garding Sodom and Gomorrah. Moses stood in the counsel of the Lord, and made
intercession for the children of Israel. The true prophets knew the mind of the
Lord, and declared God’s word to the people. These false prophets had not stood
August 19, 2018 43
in God’s presence, did not know the mind of the Lord, and had not received in-
struction from Him. Thus, their advice to the people was contrary to God’s actual
message for His people. The evil ways of the people were not corrected by the
prophet’s speeches. They continued on in their sin. The true prophet’s message,
the one who knows the counsel of God, is a message against sin. If heeded, that
message will result in repentance and a transformed life.
What do you think?
Is being a preacher just another occupation, a job for which one prepares,
and then is hired? What does God have to do with an individual becom-
ing a preacher?
What are the qualifications of a true prophet?
To seek counsel is good, but counsel flowing from mere human wisdom is
often the wrong advice. Counsel should be sought from saints who have
walked with God, and know the mind of the Lord.
I Have Heard Them  vv. 23-27
God is not a local deity who sees and hears only what is near. He is om-
nipresent and omniscient. Man cannot hide from God (Psa. 139:7-12). Because
men have a warped or limited concept of God, they think that they can hide their
wicked deeds from Him. They fail to realize that God not only sees everything
they do, but He also knows their very thoughts. Nothing is hidden from Him.
Thus, God said, “I have heard what the prophets said.” They had proclaimed that
which was inconsistent with the character of God. They had prophesied “lies” in
His name. A prosperity gospel is popular with people who are living contrary to
the laws of God.
In the Old Testament, dreams were a legitimate source of Divine revelation.
Remember Jacob’s ladder to heaven, and Joseph’s dreams of bowing sheaves and
stars. But dreams were also easy to imitate. A case of stomach indigestion can pro-
duce a dream! The dreams of these prophets were self-induced; they came from
“their own hearts.” The source of their inspiration was their own depraved na-
tures. A. R. Fausset called these men “peddlers” of prophecy. They were prophets
because of their greed for money or social recognition. Their purpose was to get
people to follow them, and to “forget” the name of God. These prophets catered to
the depravity of the people by portraying God as one who overlooked sin. Their
message was, “The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto
every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall
come upon you” (Jer. 23:17). The “dreams” of the false prophets were more im-
portant than conformity to God’s law and nature. Forgetting the name of God
caused their fathers to turn to Baal worship.
What do you think?
Thou understandest my thought afar off (Psa. 139:2b).
44 ADULT
In Deut. 13:1-5, God told His people what would be the marks of a false
prophet or dreamer of dreams.
Beware of “super-spiritual saints,” people who promote their superiority over
the pastor or evangelist. “You don’t have to follow the counsel of the
man of God; I know better. What you are doing is all right.”
Is It Chaff or Wheat? vv. 28, 29
God declares, “If a man wants to tell his dream, let him tell it, but make it
clear that it was nothing more than a dream. Don’t claim Divine authority for the
work of your own imagination.” However, the man who has the Word of God is to
declare it “faithfully.” God’s message is not always pleasing to the ear, but it must
be delivered. Jeremiah faced much public opposition, but he was faithful to de-
clare God’s word. So must the faithful pastor be today. God’s objective is to keep
people from perishing in hell, so He sends faithful servants to warn of sin and its
consequences. Their message is not always well received. At times they become
the object of ridicule and rejection. Like Jeremiah, they serve with a broken heart,
a heart of compassion, but they do not dilute the message.
As wheat is ground and made into bread, it becomes food to the body. So the
Word of God is that which brings nourishment to the souls of men. It is life-pro-
ducing and life-maintaining. At harvest time, the grain would be gathered into the
threshing floor, and the process begun of separating the chaff from the wheat. The
chaff was worthless in comparison to the wheat. The good grain was stored away,
and the chaff consumed in fire. God compares the dreams of the false prophets to
worthless chaff deserving only to be destroyed. He then uses the type of “fire.”
The worthless dreams are chaff; God’s Word is a fire. Its heat and power will re-
duce falsehood to ashes of nothingness. God’s Word is also like
“a hammer.” It breaks into pieces that which appears to be solid. God’s Word:
Men’s carnal security and indifference is “shattered” by the unre- wheat
lenting blows of the Word of God. God’s truth will prevail. When a fire
men turn loose of the worthless, and submit to God’s authority, a hammer
then they find God’s Word to be food to their souls.
What do you think?
There is much in the religious world today that has the appearance of wheat,
but is really only chaff. People will often “swallow” the sensational, the
emotional, or the intellectual; but they are still spiritually hungry.
Is God’s Word in your heart as a fire? Don’t try to contain it (Jer. 20:9). Let it
burn and radiate to others who are in need of its warmth and light.
The Word of God has tremendous, irresistible power when it is proclaimed.
I Am Against Them  vv. 30-32
Each of these three verses opens with the phrase “I am against” the proph-
ets. God gives three reasons for His hatred of those who claim to be His messen-
August 19, 2018 45
gers, but are not. In the parable of the sower (Matt. 13), the fowls of the air de-
voured the seed before it had an opportunity to germinate. As Jeremiah proclaimed
the truth, these false prophets would refute it and remove it from the people’s
thinking. They mixed error with the Word of God, causing it to lose its life-giving
power. The false prophet would mimic the language and expressions of the true
prophet; but they replaced the life-giving Word with their dreams, notions, and
philosophies. God not only condemned these false prophets for their activities, but
He also condemns anyone who adds to or takes away from His revealed truth
(Rev. 22:18, 19).
In the second place, God is against the false prophets for they “use [make
smooth] their tongues,” and claim Divine authority. In the Scripture, a smooth
tongue portrays an individual who is deceitful and uses flattery to gain advantage.
These prophets, instead of rebuking people for their sins, soothed the people, and
left them in their sin. They “handl[ed] the Word of God deceitfully” (2 Cor. 4:2).
The people could have carnal blowups, live sensual lifestyles, cheat, lie, and spend
themselves pursuing material gain. The prophet said it was all right, for “He
saith” that we are all “weak worms in the dust.” They made solemn assertions
contrary to God’s moral code, and claimed, “The Lord told me so.” They set forth
their own thoughts and doctrines as being of Divine origin.
Verse thirty-two contains God’s third reason that He is against the prophets.
Because of their activities, they have caused the “people to err” (go astray). What
had the false prophets done? They prophesied false dreams. These dreams were
not from God; they were misguided visions. The prophets lied to the people,
telling them what they wished to hear instead of telling them the truth. The proph-
ets manifested lightness in the way they lived. They were careless, frivolous. They
set an example before the people of shallow, chaffy living. The people had become
like them. These men had taken the ministry lightly, as a mere occupation to make
money. Moral codes could be ignored if they proved inconvenient. “Live however
you want to! After all, God is merciful and gracious, and we are all going to heav-
en anyway.” That was the message of the false prophets. God said their message
“shall not profit this people.” They shall be overcome in war despite the false
prophets’ message of peace. But even more dreadful is the fact that they shall face
the judgments of God while they cling to the words of the preacher, “Everything is
all right.”
What do you think?
Those who make merchandise of the Word of God by twisting it to please
people, face God’s condemnation.
We teach more by what we are and do than by what we say. It is no surprise
that people get hooked on drugs whose pastors are hooked on sports. As
the pulpit, so the pew.
How powerful is influence, particularly of those in leadership positions?
46 ADULT
 Golden Text
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thess. 5:21).
May God grant us spiritual discernment. Our spiritual senses can be sharp-
ened by walking close to the Lord, studying His Word, and spending time with
Him in prayer. Like the Bereans, we can compare what we hear with that which
we already know to be the truth, the Word of God. Jesus told us that we could also
know a false prophet according to his fruits. Oswald Chambers states, “The test
that prophets preach from the presence of God is that fruit appears, not in the
shape of converts, but in the shape of godly living. . . . The test is—How many
people stop being mean, being impure, stop committing sin? How many people
learn to live rightly? The sign that God is in the word, and making it living, is the
fruit of godliness in the lives of those who speak it, and in the lives of their
hearers.”
When we are assured that we have heard “that which is good,” we need to
hold it fast. Keep it in our memory. Let it mold our lives. We must not allow the
truth to be diluted, or our faith in the truth to be shaken by that which is contrary.
We need to be adamant for the truth, intolerant of sin and compromise. Those who
hold fast to the truth will be held fast by the truth.

August 19, 2018 47

 God’s Word to the Captives
Lesson 9 for August 26, 2018
Golden Text: “He shall call upon me, and I will an-
swer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver
him, and honour him” (Psa. 91:15).
Jeremiah 29:4 Thus saith the LORD of
hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are
carried away captives, whom I have
caused to be carried away from Jerusa-
lem unto Babylon;
5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them;
and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of
them;
6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and
daughters; and take wives for your sons,
and give your daughters to husbands,
that they may bear sons and daughters;
that ye may be increased there, and not
diminished.
7 And seek the peace of the city
whither I have caused you to be carried
away captives, and pray unto the LORD
for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye
have peace.
8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts,
the God of Israel; Let not your prophets
and your diviners, that be in the midst of
you, deceive you, neither hearken to
your dreams which ye cause to be
dreamed.
Daily Devotional Readings
Sunday Live in Peace
Monday Good Figs—Evil Figs
Tuesday Seek Ye the Lord
Wednesday My Covenant
Thursday God Will Turn Thy Captivity
Friday I Will Gather
Saturday To Do Them Good
48
Jeremiah
29:4-14
9 For they prophesy falsely unto you
in my name: I have not sent them, saith
the LORD.
10 For thus saith the LORD, That after
seventy years be accomplished at Baby-
lon I will visit you, and perform my good
word toward you, in causing you to re-
turn to this place.
11 For I know the thoughts that I
think toward you, saith the LORD,
thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to
give you an expected end.
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye
shall go and pray unto me, and I will
hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find
me, when ye shall search for me with all
your heart.
14 And I will be found of you, saith
the LORD: and I will turn away your cap-
tivity, and I will gather you from all the
nations, and from all the places whither I
have driven you, saith the LORD; and I
will bring you again into the place
whence I caused you to be carried away
captive.
1 Peter 2:9-17
Jeremiah 24:1-10
Isaiah 55:1-13
Leviticus 26:40-45
Deuteronomy 30:1-10
Jeremiah 23:3-8
Jeremiah 32:37-44
ADULT
 The Lesson Exposition
By Kenneth Wize

Introduction
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had invaded Palestine, and had taken
many Jews captive. He resettled them in the east, not as slaves but as exiles. There
they were given a measure of freedom, and allowed to congregate in their own set-
tlements. One large settlement was Tel-abib on the river Chebar. Those who had
been taken captive would feel condemned because they had not been allowed to
remain in Palestine. Surely God was favoring the other members of their families
who were still in the homeland. Those in Babylon longed to be able to return to
the land of their nativity.
Last Sunday, we learned how
Jeremiah had to stand up against the The Lesson Outline
false prophets who were telling the Dwell in the Land  vv. 4-7
people in Palestine that there would Don’t Be Deceived  vv. 8, 9
be no invasion of their land. At the Depend on God’s Promises  vv. 10-14
same time, they did not rebuke the
sins of the people. Now, Jeremiah learns that there are false prophets among the
captives in Babylon. These false prophets were telling the captives that they would
soon be returning to Palestine. God directs Jeremiah in composing a letter which
is sent to those in captivity—the elders, the priests, the prophets, and all the peo-
ple. This letter would not only serve as a condemnation of the false prophets, but
would also be an encouragement to the exiles. God was not through with them;
they would at last be restored to their homeland.
Dwell in the Land  vv. 4-7
Verse four serves as the introduction of the letter. It identifies the Sender and
the recipients. The Sender is “the LORD [Jehovah] of hosts, the God of Israel.”
God has made Himself known by many names. His name “Jehovah” identifies
Him as the God of revelation and grace, guiding and delivering His people, and
receiving their worship. He is the “LORD of hosts.” All of the armies and powers
in heaven and earth are at His command. No power can successfully stand against
Him. He is also the “God of Israel.” He is the covenant-keeping God who made
promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He promised them an enlarged posterity,
and that their children would inhabit the land of Palestine. (Read Lev. 26:40-45.)
Thus, God encourages these captives that they are still in a covenant relationship
with Him. He would keep them even in a foreign land, and they must not be over-
come by the idolatry around them.
The recipients of the letter are “all that are carried away captives, whom I
have caused to be carried away.” God allowed Nebuchadnezzar to make the inva-
August 26, 2018 49
sion of Palestine, and to carry the Jewish people away as captives. Though God
used the secondary means of the Babylonian armies, He was the Director of it all.
What had happened to the Jews was of His purposes. God was still in control of
their lives and destiny.
After the letter’s introduction, follows God’s directives to these captives,
these who hoped to be soon returning to their homeland. First, He instructs them
to build houses and to “dwell in them,” to take up residence. They were to prepare
for a captivity which would be of long endurance. If the people were anticipating a
soon return to Palestine, they would not settle down, multiply, acquire wealth, and
become a powerful people. The people were to “plant gardens and eat the fruit of
them.” God’s purpose was to rebuild and retrain this people while they were in a
foreign land.
Next God tells them to “take wives and beget sons and daughters,” and to
give their children in marriage. He did not sanction marriage among the heathen,
but rather, they were to marry among their own Jewish race. Remember how God
multiplied the children of Israel when they were in Egyptian bondage. They be-
came an exceeding great people. God would again bless His people, even in Baby-
lonian captivity, that they “may be increased there, and not diminished.”
Then the captives were to “seek the peace of the city . . . and pray unto the
LORD for it.” They were to be upright, law-abiding citizens. They were not to be
conspirators trying to overthrow their captors, and causing social disorder. Rather,
they were to be submissive to the laws of the land (Rom. 13). The Jews were to
pray for common rest and quietness among the inhabitants, for “in the peace
thereof shall ye have peace.” Recognize that it is God who has “caused you to be
carried away captives.” I have sent you into exile for a purpose; do not endeavor
to frustrate My will for you. “If the earth be the Lord’s, then, wherever a child of
God goes, he does not go off his Father’s ground” (M. Henry).
What do you think?
Our Sovereign God controls the affairs of men and nations, even the affairs of
our daily lives. Nothing happens by chance or because of “good luck.”
Praise Him for blessings; trust Him in adversity.
The covenant-keeping God will bless His people, even in captivity.
“True religion teaches patient submission, not sedition, even though the
prince be an unbeliever” (J.F.B. Commentary).
Don’t Be Deceived  vv. 8, 9
At the beginning of verse eight, God reasserts His name—the all-powerful,
covenant-keeping God. He warns the captives of a danger. Among the exiles were
false prophets and diviners. A person would think that the people would have
learned not to listen to the false prophets since they had said there would be no
captivity. However, the people’s strong desire to return to their land caused them
50 ADULT
to be susceptible to being misled again. Their meditation during the daylight hours
replayed itself during the nighttime in the form of dreams. The “diviners” were
ever ready to give a favorable interpretation to the people’s dreams. God said,
“Don’t let these false prophets ‘deceive you,’ cause you to build false hopes.”
Don’t assume that your dreams are from God. They are merely the product of your
longings and emotions.
These prophets were again claiming divine authority; but God said, “I have
not sent them.” Instead of listening to these prophets, the people were to get their
directions from, and build their hopes on, the Word of God. “Beloved, believe not
every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false
prophets are gone out into the world” (1 Jn. 4:1).
Depend on God’s Promises  vv. 10-14
Jeremiah had already foretold that Babylon would be destroyed after a period
of seventy years (Jer. 25:11, 12). God now further discloses that the captives
would return to their homeland at that time. They should expect no deliverance be-
fore that time. God had a purpose in leaving them in captivity. After seventy years,
they would be cured of their waywardness and tendency to engage in idol wor-
ship. God was more concerned with their moral condition than their political con-
dition. When their moral condition was rectified, God would “visit” them, move
in their behalf, and stir up the mind of Cyrus to issue a decree for them to return.
I will “perform my good word toward you, . . . saith the LORD.” The false
prophets are saying that you will soon return. When that does not come to pass, do
not become discouraged, for I will keep the promises which I have made to you.
Verse eleven is often quoted, but it can also be translated as, “I know the plans that I
am planning for you, saith the Lord, plans of peace, and not for evil, to give you a
future and a hope.” They may be disappointed that they would not soon be returning
home, but God assures them that He is acting in kindness toward them, and for their
best. Even their Babylonian captivity would ultimately work for their good. We may
not understand why it seems that God delays in answering our prayers. But we know
that because of His heart of love, He only acts for our good and His glory.
Israel’s “expected end” not only included
their deliverance from captivity, but also God’s I will hearken.
long range plans for His people. Among them the I will be found.
Messiah would be born, and give His life to deliv- I will turn your captivity.
er them from sin. At His second coming, Christ I will gather you.
will establish His worldwide rule from the city of I will bring you again.
Jerusalem. Israel will be the favored nation of all
the earth. God controls history, and is moving all things toward the end which He
has established.
“Then shall ye call upon me . . . and pray unto me, and I will hearken.”
When the seventy years were nearing completion, God stirred His people to pray
August 26, 2018 51
that He might fulfill His promise. Daniel’s prayer is an example (Dan. 9:2). God’s
“promises are given to quicken and encourage prayer” (M. Henry). What does it
mean to search for God “with all your heart”? Obviously, “halfhearted” seeking
is pointless. The Jews’ affliction in captivity caused them to be sincere and fervent
in their seeking after God. God promised when they sought Him in that manner,
then “I will be found of you.” God is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him
(Heb. 11:6). Even in a heathen land, God would hear their prayers, and they would
find Him. “The worship of God is not bound to any particular time or building”
(C. Paul Gray). God would hear their prayers, and “turn away [their] captivity.”
He would gather them from the nations where they had been scattered, and return
them to their own land.
What do you think?
When uncertain about the future or a decision, take it to God in prayer, and
read His Word. God gives clear direction to His children.
Let God accomplish what He purposes; do not try to speed up the process,
and thus get out of God’s time frame.
Are you fully persuaded that what God has promised, He is able also to per-
form? (Rom. 4:21).
“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should
repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall
he not make it good?” (Num. 23:19).
The steps of a good man, and the stops of a good man, are both ordered of the
Lord.
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be
opened unto you” (Matt. 7:7).
Golden Text
“He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him, and honour him” (Psa. 91:15).
“The person who has known Me; that is, he understands My true character,
and has learned to love Me, ‘shall call upon me.’ He shall have the privilege of
calling on Me in prayer; and he will do it. And I will regard his supplications, and
will grant his requests. There could be no greater privilege—no more precious
promise—than this. ‘I will be with him in trouble.’ I will stand by him; I will not
forsake him. ‘I will deliver him, and honour him.’ I will not only rescue him
from danger, but I will exalt him to honor. I will recognize him as My friend, and
will regard and treat him as such. On earth he shall be treated as My friend; in an-
other world he shall be exalted to honor among the redeemed, and become the as-
sociate of holy beings forever” (A. Barnes).

52 ADULT
 The New Covenant
Jeremiah
31:27-37
Lesson 10 for September 2, 2018
Golden Text: “And I will put my spirit within you,
and cause you to walk in my statutes” (Ezek. 36:27).

Jeremiah 31:27 Behold, the days come,
saith the LORD, that I will sow the house
of Israel and the house of Judah with the
seed of man, and with the seed of beast.
28 And it shall come to pass, that like
as I have watched over them, to pluck
up, and to break down, and to throw
down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so
will I watch over them, to build, and to
plant, saith the LORD.
29 In those days they shall say no
more, The fathers have eaten a sour
grape, and the children's teeth are set on
edge.
30 But every one shall die for his
own iniquity: every man that eateth the
sour grape, his teeth shall be set on
edge.
31 Behold, the days come, saith the
LORD, that I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel, and with the
house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant
that I made with their fathers in the day
that I took them by the hand to bring
them out of the land of Egypt; which my
covenant they brake, although I was an
husband unto them, saith the LORD:
33 But this shall be the covenant that
I will make with the house of Israel; After
those days, saith the LORD, I will put my
law in their inward parts, and write it in
their hearts; and will be their God, and
they shall be my people.
34 And they shall teach no more
every man his neighbour, and every
man his brother, saying, Know the
LORD: for they shall all know me, from
the least of them unto the greatest of
them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive
their iniquity, and I will remember their
sin no more.
35 Thus saith the LORD, which giveth
the sun for a light by day, and the ordi-
nances of the moon and of the stars for a
light by night, which divideth the sea
when the waves thereof roar; The LORD
of hosts is his name:
36 If those ordinances depart from
before me, saith the LORD, then the
seed of Israel also shall cease from
being a nation before me for ever.
37 Thus saith the LORD; If heaven
above can be measured, and the founda-
tions of the earth searched out beneath,
I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for
all that they have done, saith the LORD.

Daily Devotional Readings

Sunday God’s Law in the Heart Mark 12:28-34
Monday Keeping Covenant With God 2 Chronicles 7:14-20
Tuesday The Promise of a Rainbow Genesis 9:8-17
Wednesday The Covenant of the Supper Luke 22:14-20
Thursday The Mediator of the New Covenant Hebrews 9:11-15
Friday Privileges of This Covenant Hebrews 10:19-25
Saturday The Unbroken Covenant Jeremiah 33:19-26
September 2, 2018 53
 The Lesson Exposition
By Kenneth Wize

Introduction
Jeremiah had preached against the sins of the people, warning them of the
coming captivity. The armies of Babylon had invaded the land, and the collapse of
Judah was imminent. In the midst of this darkness, a ray of light broke forth; chap-
ters 30-33 shone as a beacon of hope. Jeremiah told the people there would be a
day when their captivity would end. After their tribulation, there would be a
restoration. There are many wonderful
verses in these chapters. Perhaps you The Lesson Outline
have already memorized some of the
Israel’s New Start  vv. 27-30
following: 31:3 and 33, 32:17-19 and Israel’s New Covenant  vv. 31-34
27. We all should know God’s phone Israel’s Permanent Favor  vv. 35-37
number—Jeremiah 33:3. Our lesson
this Sunday deals with the “New
Covenant” which God was making with His people. This passage is also quoted in
the book of Hebrews (chs. 8 and 10).
Israel’s New Start  vv. 27-30
God promised Israel that there was coming a day when they would have a
new start. Following the captivity, they would return to the land. Though the land
now lay barren and desolate, it would be made productive again. The prophet
Ezekiel conveyed the same message (Ezek. 36:8-11). God said that He would
watch over them “to build” and “to plant.” He would search out means to estab-
lish and prosper the nation. God ultimately controls what befalls an individual or a
nation. In His love and providential care, He orders affairs to bring men to repen-
tance and into His fellowship. (Read Acts 17:26, 27.)
Children often follow and persist in the sins of their fathers, and thus, they
share in their punishment. The people in Jeremiah’s day complained against God,
saying that they were suffering because of the sins of King Manasseh. The truth
was that they themselves were worshiping idols and living in sin. Instead of ac-
knowledging their sins, they were blaming God. The proverb recorded in verse
twenty-nine became common among the people. “What mean ye, that ye use this
proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour
grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? As I live, saith the Lord GOD,
ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel” (Ezek. 18:2,
3). There was coming a day when individuals would acknowledge that they were
personally accountable for their actions. Sin involves a personal choice. Therefore,
“every one shall die for his own iniquity.”
54 ADULT
What do you think?
Whom did Adam blame for his transgression? Note his words, “The woman
whom thou gavest to be with me. . . .”
People today accuse God of not caring when they encounter the consequences
of their sin. But God has warned us of the results of a sinful life (Gal.
6:8, Rom. 6:23).
Israel’s New Covenant vv. 31-34
A covenant is a binding agreement between two parties. It contains state-
ments of purposed actions and promises to be kept. When God brought the chil-
dren of Israel out of Egypt, He formed them into a nation, and entered into a
covenant relationship with them. He gave them His laws, and promised blessings
upon them for obedience. They promised to obey Him and to give Him their devo-
tion. But even before Israel had entered the Promised Land, they were violating
the law of God. Once in the land, they failed to keep their part of the covenant.
Pagan practices and idolatry sprang up among them. (Read Jer. 11:1-8.) The north-
ern tribes gave themselves over to the worship of false gods. The southern king-
dom of Judah wavered, following the example of good kings and then evil kings.
Throughout this time God manifested the love of a faithful husband whose wife
had gone astray. The life and message of the prophet Hosea illustrate God’s love
for His people.
God tells the people that He is going to enter into a new covenant relation-
ship with them. This new covenant will not do away with God’s laws. God will
now write His laws upon the tables of their hearts. They will not have new laws;
they will have new hearts. The purpose of the new covenant was to bind together
the Lord and His people, making them one in nature. Second Peter 1:4 states,
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by
these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.” Paul says that we are to be
“conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8.29). The reason for Israel’s failure
under the first covenant was the condition of their hearts. It is God’s design to
transform the heart, removing the impurity and the sinful affections. “And I will
give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD” (Jer. 24:7). Thus, man
would instinctively know the will of God. God accomplishes this transformation
of the heart when men abandon themselves entirely to Him. He then cleanses the
heart, filling it with Divine love. With the Spirit of God indwelling the life, a per-
son is in harmony with God, obeying His commands.
The disciples of Christ received this blessing on the day of Pentecost. They
were sanctified (cleansed) by the baptism of the Holy Ghost. After this experience,
they were consistent in their walk with the Lord, and fervent in their testimony of
His power to deliver from all sin. Though certain features of the new covenant
have been fulfilled in the church age, God said that this covenant was “with the
September 2, 2018 55
house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.” When Jesus returns to establish
His millennial reign on earth, the Jews will acknowledge Him as the true Messiah
(Zech. 12:10—13:1). Then will be brought to full realization the fulfillment of the
new covenant. Men will know the Lord, “from the least of them to the greatest of
them.” How will they come to know the Lord? Through the Saviour, Jesus Christ.
It is through the blood of Christ that our iniquities are forgiven, and our sins re-
membered no more. Jesus said, “This is my blood of the new testament [cove-
nant], which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:28). Thank
God for the new covenant, for the atoning blood of Jesus, and for the indwelling
Spirit of God!
What do you think?
Christ said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I
am not come to destroy, but to fulfill” (Matt. 5:17).
Read Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian believers (Eph. 1:16-20). What things
does Paul desire that they may know?
Have you experienced the transformation of your nature?
Israel’s Permanent Favor  vv. 35-37
Would you be surprised if the sun did not come up in the morning? Would
you be shocked if the moon began crossing the sky from north to south instead of
from east to west? When God created the heavenly bodies (Gen. 1), He set them in
their place, and established their order (ordinance). God governs the movement of
the stars. (Read Job 38:31-33.) All of these majestic bodies are controlled by Him,
and function in an orderly manner consistent with God’s own nature. God controls
the oceans and seas. This is the Mighty God who regulates all the powers of na-
ture, causing them to function according to His will. “Thy faithfulness is unto all
generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this
day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants” (Psa. 119:90, 91). All
of God’s ordinances (laws) are consistent with His nature. His nature is unchang-
ing; therefore, His ordinances are unchanging.
God entered into a covenant relationship with Abraham, making promises re-
garding Abraham’s seed. Israel became the chosen people of God. He delivered
them from Egyptian bondage, and settled them in Palestine as their land. Just as
the forces of nature will always be subject to God’s authority, so the nation of Is-
rael shall never cease to exist. God has decreed it. Across the centuries, men have
tried to exterminate the nation of Israel. The Jews have been hated, persecuted,
and slain by the hundreds of thousands. Yet, they still exist. Other nationalities
have been lost by blending with other races, but the Jews remain a distinct people.
The Jews will always be God’s chosen people.
Scientists attempt to measure the heavens by the use of a unit called a “light
year,” the distance which light would travel in one year. That is equal to approxi-
56 ADULT
mately 5.88 trillion miles. Our Milky Way Galaxy is composed of billions of stars,
spheres like our sun. Our sun’s nearest star, Alpha Centauri, is 4½ light years
away. So the nearest star is about 26,460,000,000,000 miles away. But that is just
the beginning. In the universe there are billions of galaxies. The nearest one can be
seen with the eye. It is in the constellation Andromeda. That galaxy is 184,000
light years away from the earth. (184,000 x 5.88 trillion = ?) And that is just one
of billions of galaxies. Who can measure the heavens?
Where are the foundations of the earth? In Job we read, “He stretcheth out
the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing” (Job 26:7).
When men build a house, they make sure that its foundation rests on something
solid. God set the earth on “nothing.” Scientist would tell us that it is held in place
by the gravitational pull of other heavenly bodies, but what holds those bodies in
place? And how do we account for the energy exerted on those bodies by rotation,
revolution, and centrifugal forces? The foundations of the earth, the underlying
bedrock, which holds the earth in place, have not been found. Therefore, God will
never cast away His people. The Apostle Paul declares, “Hath God cast away his
people? God forbid. . . . God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew”
(Romans 11:1, 2). Why will He not cast them off? Because of His grace and
mercy made known in the death of God’s Son. As the heavens cannot be mea-
sured, and the foundations of the earth cannot be found out, so the extent of God’s
grace is beyond human comprehension. His “compassions fail not”; His mercies
are “new every morning” (Lam. 3:22, 23).
What do you think?
God the Creator established the laws of nature; they are fixed, flowing from
the unchanging nature of God.
God the Redeemer established the laws of grace; they are fixed, flowing from
the unchanging nature of God.
Look up. See the moon, and know that Israel will always exist as a nation.
Consider the vastness of the universe. God’s grace is immeasurable.
God will always have a people. Jesus said, “I will build my church; and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Golden Text
“And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes”
(Ezek. 36:27).
“ ‘I will put my Spirit within you’ to keep the heart of flesh alive, the feeling
heart still sensible, the loving heart still happy. I will put My Spirit, the great prin-
ciple of light, life, and love, within you, to actuate the new spirit, and to influence
the new affections and passions; that the animal spirit may not become brutish,
that the mental powers become not foolish. I will put My Spirit within you, so that
September 2, 2018 57
as the new spirit may influence the new heart, so will My Spirit influence your
new spirit, that each may have a proper mover; and then all will be pure, regular,
and harmonious, when passion is influenced by reason, and reason by the Holy
Ghost.
“Here is the salvation that God promises to give to restored Israel; and here is
the salvation that is the birthright of every Christian believer: the complete de-
struction of all sin in the soul, and the complete renewal of the heart; no sin having
any place within, and no unrighteousness having any place without” (A. Clarke).

58 ADULT
 Jehoiakim’s Wickedness
Lesson 11 for September 9, 2018
Golden Text: “Today if ye will hear his voice, hard-
en not your hearts” (Heb. 3:15).
Jeremiah 36:21 So the king sent Jehu-
di to fetch the roll: and he took it out of
Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehu-
di read it in the ears of the king, and in
the ears of all the princes which stood
beside the king.
22 Now the king sat in the winter-
house in the ninth month: and there was
a fire on the hearth burning before him.
23 And it came to pass, that when Je-
hudi had read three or four leaves, he
cut it with the penknife, and cast it into
the fire that was on the hearth, until all
the roll was consumed in the fire that
was on the hearth.
24 Yet they were not afraid, nor rent
their garments, neither the king, nor
any of his servants that heard all these
words.
25 Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah
and Gemariah had made intercession to
the king that he would not burn the roll:
but he would not hear them.
26 But the king commanded Jerah-
meel the son of Hammelech, and Sera-
iah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the
son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe
and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD
hid them.
Daily Devotional Readings
Sunday Be Swift To Hear
Monday Hezekiah Heeds the Word
Tuesday Hear Ye and Give Ear
Wednesday Jeremiah Threatened
Thursday Jehoiachin Taken Captive
Friday Wisdom’s Advice
Saturday Two Responses to the Word
September 9, 2018
Jeremiah
36:21-31
27 Then the word of the LORD came to
Jeremiah, after that the king had burned
the roll, and the words which Baruch
wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying,
28 Take thee again another roll, and
write in it all the former words that
were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim
the king of Judah hath burned.
29 And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim
king of Judah, Thus saith the LORD; Thou
hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast
thou written therein, saying, The king of
Babylon shall certainly come and destroy
this land, and shall cause to cease from
thence man and beast?
30 Therefore thus saith the LORD of
Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have
none to sit upon the throne of David:
and his dead body shall be cast out in
the day to the heat, and in the night to
the frost.
31 And I will punish him and his seed
and his servants for their iniquity; and I
will bring upon them, and upon the in-
habitants of Jerusalem, and upon the
men of Judah, all the evil that I have pro-
nounced against them; but they heark-
ened not.
James 1:19-25
2 Kings 22:10-20
Jeremiah 13:13-19
Jeremiah 26:8-16
2 Kings 24:6-15
Proverbs 8:27-36
Acts 13:42-50
59
 The Lesson Exposition
By Kenneth Wize

Introduction
Good king Josiah had been slain in battle by Pharaoh Necho of Egypt. The
people of Judah then made Josiah’s son, Jehoahaz, the king. Jehoahaz had reigned
only three months when Necho invaded the land, and placed Jehoiakim on the
throne. Jehoiakim forsook the ways of his father, and engaged in idolatry.
Jeremiah warned Jehoiakim of the danger from the rising power of Babylon.
About three years after Jehoiakim became king, the Babylonians and Medes de-
stroyed Nineveh. Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Egyptians at Carchemish, and after
driving the Egyptians before him, he began the siege of Jerusalem. He did not de-
stroy the city, but he took much wealth and many captives, including Daniel. He
then returned to Babylon. It was at this time that Jeremiah made one more effort to
save his people, and to convince the king that his only way of safety would be to
turn back to God.
Jeremiah had been prophesying for twenty-three years, trying to persuade the
people to repent and return to God. However, his efforts had failed in accomplish-
ing their purpose. Now, as a last resort, he is commanded by God to write out the
substance of all these warnings in a scroll. Perhaps the whole mass of warnings
concentrated in one mighty blow might move them to repent. However, Jeremiah
was prevented from reading the book pub-
licly because he had been “shut up,” for- The Lesson Outline
bidden to preach to the people. According- God’s Word Rejected  vv. 21-26
ly, on a special fast day, Jeremiah sent God’s Word Restored  vv. 27-31
Baruch to the temple to read the book to
the assembled crowds.
One listener was deeply impressed by what he heard. He went to the princes,
and told them of the solemn and terrible truths. They at once sent for Baruch, who
came with the scroll. They said, “Sit down now and read it in our ears.” So
Baruch read it in their ears (36:11-15). They determined to make the words known
to the king. However, they were uncertain as to how the king would receive the
words of the book, so they advised Baruch to go and hide himself and Jeremiah.
They then placed the roll (scroll) in the “chamber of Elishama the scribe,” and
went and told the king what they had heard. A proper response on his part could
divert the impending destruction of the nation.
God’s Word Rejected vv. 21-26
A second-hand report did not satisfy the king, so he sent Jehudi to “fetch the
roll.” Jehudi read the book to the king while the princes stood by and heard it for
60 ADULT
the second time. These events occurred during the winter, “in the ninth month,”
which corresponds nearly with our December. Because of this “there was a fire in
the hearth burning” before the king.
After Jehudi had read three or four pages of the roll, either the king, or Jehu-
di by the king’s orders, took a penknife and cut up the roll. Thus, only three or
four pages were read. The anger of the king permitted no further reading. He
caused the entire roll to be cut into pieces, and bit by bit to be cast into the fire.
Thus, the king lost the hope, the comfort, and the means of escape by reading only
a part, and burning the whole. While the king was doing this, three of the princes
pled with the king that “he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear
them.” The king and his servants continued to destroy God’s message. “They
were not afraid, nor rent their garments.” This reveals the depth of their depravi-
ty, the intense hardness of their heart, and their mental blindness. They seemed to
think that burning the roll would destroy the Word of God. In like manner, people
today vainly imagine that ignoring the Bible will destroy its effectiveness. Howev-
er, shutting the eyes will not ward off the lightning stroke.
The king then gave orders to arrest Baruch and Jeremiah, whom he probably
intended to kill. He would not only destroy the prophet’s book, but also the source
from whence it came. Thus, no more prophecies could be written by them, and no
one else would dare to write such prophecies. But by some unknown providence,
“the LORD hid them.”
It is interesting to notice the contrast between the way Jehoiakim treated
God’s Word, and the way his father Josiah treated it. During Josiah’s reign, Hilki-
ah found in the temple the Book of the Law of Moses containing the promises and
threatenings of Deuteronomy. These were read to Josiah. He repented and did all
that was possible to turn the people. Because of his actions, the danger was avoid-
ed. Jehoiakim refused to hear, would not repent, and calamity fell swiftly and
terribly upon him. Jehoiakim was a bad man at heart, with no faith in God. He
was determined to go on in his evil way, and would allow nothing to disturb his
plans.
Jehoiakim had but a brief time on his throne, but he has had a long line of
successors in his policy. Great numbers have imitated his vain attempt to destroy
the truth, and to escape the power of God’s Word. They have attempted to destroy
it: (1) By rejecting the Bible as the Word of God, hating it, ridiculing it, perverting
it, and denying it. (2) By neglecting it, treating it as though it did not exist, and al-
lowing it to remain unread. (3) By persecuting those who read and teach it. (4) By
faulty translations and perverting its meaning. (5) By denying or softening its
warnings. (6) By applying to others what was meant for themselves. (7) By pass-
ing over unwelcome truths, and neglecting unpleasant duties. (8) By declaring that
the Bible is not the Word of God—it only contains the Word of God, thus destroy-
ing it in its entirety.
September 9, 2018 61
What do you think?
Why was Jeremiah told to write his message instead of giving it orally?
Did the king hear all of the roll read? Why?
There is no greater folly than to expect to destroy an unwelcome truth by re-
fusing to hear it.
Why would Jehoiakim not listen to advice?
Why should the king wish to kill Jeremiah and Baruch?
What are some modern ways of destroying God’s Word?

God’s Word Restored  vv. 27-31

Though the scroll had been burned on the hearth, the Word of the Lord had
not perished; nor was Jeremiah hidden from the eyes of the Lord. God instructed
Jeremiah that the entire book was to be rewritten; and the record states, “there
were added besides unto them many like words” (v. 32). Jeremiah was also to
personally face Jehoiakim. “And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah,
Thus saith the LORD. . . .” The message was one of doom. We must assume that
in obedience to God, Jeremiah delivered the message.
What a contrast between this prophet and the morally hardened, impious
king, boiling with wrath against the prophet and against God. The heroic prophet,
bearing the message of God to the royal tyrant, faced death firmly, and never
shrank from duty. These two men seem scarcely to be-
long to the same human race. God’s grace had made and A Heroic Prophet
molded the one; Baal and the devil seem to have had the A Depraved King
making and shaping of the other.
Jehoiakim is warned that “the king of Babylon shall certainly come and de-
stroy this land.” Nebuchadnezzar had been there once, collected tribute, and had
gone away. But he would return and destroy the land. Nothing but repentance on
the part of Jehoiakim and his people could prevent it. “But they hearkened not.”
This implies that they might have been saved from the evil if they had repented.
Otherwise, it would have been useless to warn them. Warnings from God are al-
ways intended to keep the warned from ruin.
If the people failed to repent, there would be no successor to occupy “the
throne of David.” Jehoiakim’s eighteen-year-old son, Jehoiachin, attempted to do
so for three months; but the whole time the land was occupied by Nebuchadnez-
zar’s army, and Jerusalem was under siege (2 Kgs. 24:8-17). Jehoiakim was slain;
his kingdom was destroyed; his son was taken in chains to Babylon.
Only fools imagine that stopping the fire whistle will put out the fire, or tear-
ing up the doctor’s prescription will cure the disease. Refusing to hear God’s
warnings against an evil way will not prevent future consequences.

62 ADULT
What do you think?
God’s Word abides forever against every effort to destroy it or to prevent its
fulfillment.
The Word of God is like the burning bush that Moses saw. The flames trans-
figure it, draw men toward it, but do not consume it.
God’s words of warning and His words of promise are certain to be fulfilled.
“God’s Word is not bound” (2 Tim. 2:9). Paul wrote his most beautiful epis-
tles from prison.
Golden Text
“Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb. 3:15).
“The apostle quotes from Psa. 95:7, 8, and applies it closely to those of that
generation. As if he should say, ‘What was recited before from that scripture be-
longed not only to former ages, but to you now, and to all who shall come after
you; that you take heed you fall not into the same sins, lest you fall under the same
condemnation.’ The apostle tells them that though some who had heard the voice
of God did provoke Him, yet all did not so. Observe: (1) Though the majority of
hearers provoked God by unbelief, yet there were some who believed the report.
(2) Though the hearing of the word be the ordinary means of salvation, yet, if it be
not hearkened to, it will expose men to the anger of God. (3) God will have a rem-
nant that shall be obedient to His voice, and He will take care of such, and make
mention of them with honor. (4) If these should fall in a common calamity, yet
they shall partake of eternal salvation, while disobedient hearers perish forever”
(M. Henry).

September 9, 2018 63
 The Downfall of Judah Jeremiah
39:1-10
Lesson 12 for September 16, 2018
Golden Text: “For the wages of sin is death; but
the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ
our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).

Jeremiah 39:1 In the ninth year of uchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in

Zed e kiah king of Judah, in the tenth
month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of
Babylon and all his army against Jerusa-
lem, and they besieged it.
2 And in the eleventh year of Zedeki-
ah, in the fourth month, the ninth day
of the month, the city was broken up.
3 And all the princes of the king of
Babylon came in, and sat in the middle
gate, even Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo,
Sarsechim, Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer,
Rab-mag, with all the residue of the
princes of the king of Babylon.
4 And it came to pass, that when
Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them,
and all the men of war, then they fled,
and went forth out of the city by night,
by the way of the king's garden, by the
gate betwixt the two walls: and he went
out the way of the plain.
5 But the Chaldeans' army pursued
after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the
plains of Jericho: and when they had
taken him, they brought him up to Neb-
the land of Hamath, where he gave judg-
ment upon him.
6 Then the king of Babylon slew the
sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his
eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all
the nobles of Judah.
7 Moreover he put out Zedekiah's
eyes, and bound him with chains, to
carry him to Babylon.
8 And the Chaldeans burned the
king's house, and the houses of the peo-
ple, with fire, and brake down the walls
of Jerusalem.
9 Then Nebuzar-adan the captain of
the guard carried away captive into Baby-
lon the remnant of the people that re-
mained in the city, and those that fell
away, that fell to him, with the rest of the
people that remained.
10 But Nebuzar-adan the captain of
the guard left of the poor of the people,
which had nothing, in the land of Judah,
and gave them vineyards and fields at
the same time.

Daily Devotional Readings

Sunday Moses Warned Them Deuteronomy 4:23-31
Monday Destruction Foretold Jeremiah 21:3-10
Tuesday If Ye Will Not Hearken Leviticus 26:13-24
Wednesday Zedekiah Warned Jeremiah 38:14-23
Thursday Zedekiah Breaks the Covenants Ezekiel 17:11-20
Friday God Orders the Destruction Jeremiah 34:12-22
Saturday Jeremiah and Ebedmelech Spared Jeremiah 39:11-18
64 ADULT
 The Lesson Exposition
By Kenneth Wize

Introduction
The way of the transgressor is hard. The king of Judah and his princes paid
dearly for their rebellion against God and God’s prophet. In our lesson for today,
we have only a part of the price their rebellion cost them.
God had done everything that an All-Wise God could do to prevent His people
from rushing to their own destruction. (1) He had laid upon them several lesser evils
as warnings. Jerusalem had been invaded, and part of its treasures removed. Howev-
er, the city was not destroyed, and the temple was left standing. Kings and leaders of
the people had been carried away captive to Babylon. (2) The different sieges had
come at intervals of six to twelve years. God gave them space to repent. (3) Prophets
were sent to warn and entreat. Jeremiah
had been speaking God’s word to them The Lesson Outline
for forty years. For nearly ten years, The Siege of Jerusalem  vv. 1-3
Ezekiel, a captive in Babylon, had been The Capture of the King  vv. 4-7
sending earnest words of warning to the The Destruction of the City  vv. 8-10
Jews in Palestine.
The Siege of Jerusalem  vv. 1-3
When? “In the tenth month” of the Jewish year, corresponding to parts of
our December and January. Who? Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was the son of
Nebopolassar, who destroyed Nineveh in 612 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar made Baby-
lon glorious during his reign of forty-three years.
How? He used “all his army,” which consisted of the fierce and cruel Chal-
deans; as well as warriors from the surrounding nations, which were the enemies of
the Hebrews. With these he surrounded Jerusalem, and besieged it to starve the peo-
ple into submission. They also built around the city movable wooden towers, pro-
vided with battering rams. Constant showers of arrows from these high wooden forts
made the defense more difficult. Stones were hurled into the city with catapults.
Jerusalem was at this time a city of about twenty thousand inhabitants. They
demolished their houses so that new walls might be built inside of those spots that
had been weakened by the battering rams. Archers and slingers vigorously defend-
ed the ramparts. Famine within the city aided the besiegers. Pestilence quickly fol-
lowed the famine. The people were without bread (Jer. 37:21; 38:9; Ezek. 5:10).
Mothers were driven to murder and eat their own children. Rich and poor wan-
dered about searching for scraps in the dunghills (Lam. 4:5-10). Houses were full
of the sick and wounded. (Read Lamentations for particulars of the siege). The
siege lasted almost exactly one and a half years.
September 16, 2018 65
 The city was broken into by breaches made in the walls. In the twenty-fifth
chapter of Second Kings, we are told there was no bread. The defenders yielded
only when starved into weakness. Nebuchadnezzar himself was not present at the
capture. He was at Riblah (2 Kgs. 25:6), from which center he conducted the siege
of Tyre, as well as Jerusalem. When the walls of Jerusalem collapsed, the princes
of Babylon came in and “sat in the middle gate.” They assumed control of the
city.
What do you think?
What had God done to try to keep Judah from going to destruction?
How was Jerusalem besieged?
Was the siege severe? Explain.
How did the besiegers get into the city?
The Capture of the King  vv. 4-7
Zedekiah and his captains fled. Their path led to the plain, the part of the
country along the Jordan and the Dead Sea. The Chaldeans’ army, which sur-
rounded the city, soon discovered the flight of the king, and they pursued him.
They overtook him near Jericho, and then “brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar”
at Riblah. Here he passed judgment upon Zedekiah. He was brought to trial as a
common criminal, not as a king, because he had been a secret traitor to the king
who had placed him on the throne (2 Kgs. 24:20; 2 Chr. 36:13).
Nebuchadnezzar slew the sons of Zedekiah before his very eyes. Then he put
to death “all the nobles of Judah.” Zedekiah’s eyes were then “put out,” leaving
the last scenes he beheld to be the death of his sons and his leaders. These never-
to-be forgotten images would be a doubly cruel punishment. After this terrible or-
deal, he was bound with chains and carried away to Babylon, where he was kept
in prison until the day of his death.
God spoke by Ezekiel one of the most mysterious predictions of the Bible.
He declared that King Zedekiah should be led into Babylon as a captive, should
live and die there, and yet should never see the city (Ezek. 12:10-13). While Jere-
miah was in prison, he also prophesied the downfall of Jerusalem, and he said that
Zedekiah should speak with Nebuchadnezzar mouth to mouth, and behold his
eyes. (Jer. 32:3-5). Notice in verses six and seven of our lesson how the provi-
dence of God worked out the details of these almost contradictory prophecies.
Zedekiah continued in a wrong course against the Word of God, the warnings
of the prophet, and the experiences of his brothers. God made the way of the trans-
gressor hard by the obstacles He placed in his downward course. The opportunity
to be saved was frequently given him, but he failed to respond. He was afraid to
do right because of his companions, but they perished with him. There comes a
sad “too late” when all efforts to escape are useless.
66 ADULT
What do you think?
What was Zedekiah’s fate?
“Never was a truer saying; most sinners have more pain and difficulty to get
their souls damned, than the righteous have, with all their cross bear-
ings, to get to the kingdom of heaven” (Adam Clarke).
The Destruction of the City  vv. 8-10
Nebuchadnezzar ordered the king’s palace and the homes of the people to be
burned. The temple was destroyed, and the walls of the city were broken down.
Thus, the whole city was a mass of ruins. The people who had survived the horror
of the siege were “carried away captive into Babylon.” Yet, Nebuzaradan, the
captain of the guard, “left the poor of the people” to tend the vineyards and fields.
They had been oppressed by the rich, but now their oppressors were ruined cap-
tives. Jeremiah was among those that remained.
God had various purposes which would be accomplished by the people going
into captivity. The first was to cure the people of the sin of idolatry. Following the
captivity, they never returned to this sin. The second was to cure them of their re-
liance upon the rituals, forms, and externals in religion. Thus, God allowed even
the glorious temple, dedicated to His worship, to be destroyed. The rituals had be-
come a substitute for true religion instead of an aid to it. The
third purpose was to have a people of strong character and of God will
religious zeal. This purpose was accomplished first by Neb- accomplish
uchadnezzar’s taking the strongest sectors of society as cap- His sovereign
tives. After seventy years of captivity, those who had a heart purposes.
for the worship of God were allowed to return to Palestine.
We also see here an illustration of the justice of God. It is slow but sure. The
wicked cannot go unpunished, but God’s justice is ever tempered with mercy and
love. The punishment may come slowly at first in order to give opportunity for re-
pentance. It is accompanied by earnest warnings and entreaties. But if individuals
persist in going on in sin, they choose their own final doom. There is no escape
except by repenting, forsaking sin, and having the carnal mind eradicated from the
heart.
The way of the transgressor is hard because of the sorrows and troubles in his
way. The transgressor must trample on the love and goodness of God, and resist
all the influences God puts in his way to keep him from sin, death, and hell.
What do you think?
Did Nebuchadnezzar take all the people into captivity? Explain.
What did the captivity accomplish?
Fools make a mock of sin, and ONLY fools.

September 16, 2018 67

 Golden Text
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).
“For the wages of sin is death—‘The second death, everlasting perdition.
Every sinner earns this by long, sore, and painful service. Oh! What pains do men
take to get to hell! Early and late they toil at sin; and would not Divine justice be
in their debt, if it did not pay them their due wages?
“The word we here render ‘wages’ signified the daily pay of a Roman sol-
dier. So every sinner has a daily pay, and this pay is death; he has misery because
he sins . . . all is confusion and disorder where God does not reign. Every indul-
gence of sinful passions increases the disorder and consequently the misery of a
sinner. If men were as much in earnest to get their souls saved as they are to pre-
pare them for perdition, heaven would be highly peopled, and devils would be
their own companions. And will not the living lay this to heart?
“But the gift of God is eternal life—‘A man may merit hell, but he cannot
merit heaven. The apostle does not say that the wages of righteousness is eternal
life: no, but that this eternal life, even to the righteous, is the gracious gift of God.
And even this gracious gift comes through Jesus Christ our Lord. He alone has
procured it; and it is given to all those who find redemption in His blood. A sinner
goes to hell because he deserves it; a righteous man goes to heaven because Christ
has died for him, and communicated that grace by which his sin is pardoned and
his soul made holy” (A. Clarke).

68 ADULT
 Jeremiah in Egypt
Lesson 13 for September 23, 2018
Golden Text: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be
in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing
from the living God” (Heb. 3:12).
Jeremiah 43:1 And it came to pass,
that when Jeremiah had made an end of
speaking unto all the people all the
words of the LORD their God, for which
the LORD their God had sent him to
them, even all these words,
2 Then spake Azariah the son of
Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kare-
ah, and all the proud men, saying unto
Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the
LORD our God hath not sent thee to say,
Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:
3 But Baruch the son of Neriah set-
teth thee on against us, for to deliver us
into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they
might put us to death, and carry us away
captives into Babylon.
4 So Johanan the son of Kareah, and
all the captains of the forces, and all the
people, obeyed not the voice of the
LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah.
5 But Johanan the son of Kareah, and
all the captains of the forces, took all the
remnant of Judah, that were returned
from all nations, whither they had been
driven, to dwell in the land of Judah;
Jeremiah
43:1-11
6 Even men, and women, and chil-
dren, and the king's daughters, and
every person that Nebuzaradan the cap-
tain of the guard had left with Gedaliah
the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan,
and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch
the son of Neriah.
7 So they came into the land of Egypt:
for they obeyed not the voice of the
LORD: thus came they even to Tahpanhes.
8 Then came the word of the LORD
unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,
9 Take great stones in thine hand, and
hide them in the clay in the brickkiln,
which is at the entry of Pharaoh's house
in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of
Judah;
10 And say unto them, Thus saith the
LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Be-
hold, I will send and take Nebuchadrez-
zar the king of Babylon, my servant, and
will set his throne upon these stones
that I have hid; and he shall spread his
royal pavilion over them.
11 And when he cometh, he shall
smite the land of Egypt, and deliver such
as are for death to death; and such as are
for captivity to captivity; and such as are
for the sword to the sword.

Daily Devotional Readings

Sunday God’s Directive to His People Jeremiah 42:7-16
Monday Idol Worship Condemned Jeremiah 44:1-11
Tuesday God’s Message to Baruch Jeremiah 45:1-5
Wednesday Rejoice When Persecuted Matthew 5:10-16
Thursday The Proud Humbled Isaiah 2:10-18
Friday Nebuchadnezzar, My Servant Jeremiah 27:5-11
Saturday Think It Not Strange 1 Peter 4:12-19
September 23, 2018 69
 The Lesson Exposition
By Kenneth Wize

Introduction
After Jerusalem was destroyed, Nebuzaradan gave Jeremiah the choice of
going to Babylon, or remaining in the land. Jeremiah chose to remain and to min-
ister to his people. The Babylonians appointed Gedaliah to be the governor of
Palestine, which was now under their authority. Things seemed to be settling
down, but then the Ammonites caused Ishmael to rise up against the governor, and
Gedaliah was slain. When word got out of the death of Gedaliah, a military leader
by the name of Johanan pursued Ishmael, who escaped into the land of the Am-
monites. Now the Jews were faced with the question of what to do? Nebuchadnez-
zar would not be happy about the uprising which caused the death of his appointed
governor. So Johanan and the people
asked Jeremiah to get direction from The Lesson Outline
God, and they promised to obey what- Slandering the Prophet  vv. 1-3
ever God directed. After ten days of Returning to Bondage  vv. 4-7
prayer, Jeremiah had God’s answer. Foretelling of Destruction  vv. 8-11
They were to stay in the land, and God
would protect them (42:9-12). It was coupled with a warning that if they went to
Egypt, the very things which they feared (war and famine) would overtake them
there.
However, the people had been deceptive when they sent Jeremiah to inquire
of the Lord. They had already “wholly set [their] faces to enter into Egypt”
(42:15). Instead of believing God’s promise of protection, they leaned on their
own reasoning. In the sovereign government of God, they would have been safe.
By following their own reasoning and rejecting God’s council, they placed them-
selves in the path of destruction.
Slandering the Prophet  vv. 1-3
When Jeremiah finished delivering God’s message to the people, he was im-
mediately challenged. Azariah, Johanan, and all the proud men declared, “Thou
speakest falsely.” They basically called him a liar. Since the message was contrary
to their own desires and plans, they decided to refute the validity of the message,
and to disgrace the messenger. They accused him of being a false prophet. They
had said they would obey the voice of the Lord, but because they were unwilling
to do so, they simply said that Jeremiah’s message was not from God. Thus, they
had an excuse to disregard the message.
These were “proud men.” But what did they have to be proud of? The peo-
ple who had been left in the land after the Babylonian invasion were the poorest of
the population. They were not royalty, artisans, or skilled craftsmen. However, the
70 ADULT
depraved heart does not need favorable circumstances or social standing to bla-
tantly manifest pride. Pride is self-exalting, insolent, and self-reliant. As such, it
will not be humble, God-dependent, and obedient. They had sent Jeremiah to in-
quire of the Lord, but now they refused to receive the message of God. “The
LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there.”
They claimed submission to God, “our God,” but they rejected His directives.
“The reason why men deny the scriptures to be the Word of God is because they
are resolved not to conform to scripture-rules” (M. Henry).
It would be difficult for them to completely discredit Jeremiah whose
prophecies had come to pass over the last forty years. So these men also accused
Baruch of influencing Jeremiah and of being in league with the Chaldeans. How-
ever, consider how improbable it would be for the prophet’s secretary to influence
the prophet to be deceitful. Baruch had stood beside the man of God through all of
the hardships of the past. He had not allowed the trouble to sever their relation-
ship. Now, because he was identified with Jeremiah, he also is slandered.
Over all of the years, and after all of the fulfilled prophecies, the people still
accused Jeremiah and Baruch of wrong motives. If the prophet and his secretary
were of such a mind-set, why had they not gone to Babylon when Nebuzaradan
made them such a kind offer? Why were the people still finding fault? Because of
their evil heart of unbelief. The carnal mind is suspicious of the very ones who
would guide the individual aright. Jeremiah did not even attempt to reply to their
accusations. He knew that their minds were already made up, and that to make a
defense would be senseless.
What do you think?
Carnal reasoning thinks it knows better than God.
“The proud, unhumbled heart of man is one of the most daring enemies God
has on this side of hell” (M. Henry).
Pride is the root of rebellion and of contempt for God’s ministers.
Are you willing to stand up for the truth, and to stand beside the man of God
who preaches the truth?
“Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee” (Prov. 9:8).
Returning to Bondage  vv. 4-7
While Judah had been under the attack of the Babylonian forces, many Jews
had fled to surrounding countries. Now that the invasion was over, these Jews re-
turned to their homeland (40:11, 12). However, fearing the possibility of another
invasion as a reprisal for the death of Gedaliah, these people were ready to flee
again. Thus, Johanan found it easy to influence the people to prepare to depart for
Egypt. Thus, he “took all the remnant of Judah . . . even men, women, and chil-
dren . . . every person that Nebuzaradan . . . had left with Gedaliah.” Once
again, a prophecy made by Jeremiah (24:8-10) would be fulfilled—the total de-
September 23, 2018 71
population of the land. But this time the people would be carried captive by their
own brethren. They thought that in Egypt they would find safety, but “real security
is found alone in obeying and serving God” (C. Paul Gray).
In the providence of God, Jeremiah and Baruch were also taken along. Per-
haps they forced the prophet to go so as to give them an appearance of having
God’s approval. They did not anticipate that Jeremiah would continue to give
them God’s messages of warning and condemnation. Thus, they would have no
excuse—“We didn’t know we were doing wrong.”
In scripture, Egypt is a type of the world and sin. It was a land of idolatry,
and the place of the Jews’ former enslavement. How strange that these people
would return to the land of bondage. Tahpanhes was a fortified city in the eastern
portion of the Nile’s delta region. Though it was not the political center of Egypt,
it was an important city, having one of Pharaoh’s personal residences there (v. 9).
The people chose to settle in a place that was under the direct influence of the
ruler. “If they had had the spirit of Israelites, they would have chosen rather to
dwell in the wilderness of Judah than in the most pompous populous cities of
Egypt” (M. Henry).
What do you think?
“In fleeing to Egypt they had sought the help of man, rather than the help of
God” (C. Paul Gray).
“But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how
turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire
again to be in bondage?” (Gal. 4:9).
Foretelling of Destruction  vv. 8-11
The spirit of prophecy was not confined to the land of Israel. When the peo-
ple arrived in Egypt, “then came the word of the LORD to Jeremiah.” Because it
was not the prophet’s choice to be in Egypt, he was still in favor with God, and
could hear God’s voice. God knew that Jeremiah would be faithful even though he
was in the midst of idolatrous Egyptians and treacherous Israelites. Two messages
which Jeremiah delivered to the Jews in Egypt are recorded (chs. 43, 44).
Jeremiah is instructed to take “great stones” and to bury them in the “clay”
(mortar) in the “brick kiln” (brick work) “at the entry of Pharaoh’s house.” This
was the pavement which led into Pharaoh’s courtyard. The burying of these stones
was symbolic. Jeremiah was to bury them “in the sight of the men of Judah.”
They would naturally inquire about these stones, and the stones set in mortar
would serve as a reminder. They would not be able to shake the truth. Like the
stones hidden in the mortar, the Jews were trying to hide in Egypt. But this would
be the very place where Nebuchadnezzar would set up his throne. “Say unto
them”—this was not a message they would like to hear; still Jeremiah was faithful
to deliver it, even if it meant opposition and possible persecution.
72 ADULT
 Who was speaking through Jeremiah to these people? “The LORD of
hosts”—the Omnipotent God who possesses all the resources necessary to accom-
plish His purposes. “The God of Israel”—the God who keeps His covenant which
He made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God would still have a chosen people.
In chapter forty-six, Jeremiah foretells the overthrow of Egypt, but notice verses
twenty-seven and twenty-eight. They contain God’s gracious promise to the Jew-
ish remnant which had been scattered abroad among the nations.
Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed Jerusalem just as was prophesied by Jeremi-
ah. Now it is foretold that Egypt would be conquered by this same ruler, the one
whom the Jews had fled to Egypt to escape. Though Nebuchadnezzar was a hea-
then ruler, he realized that the Sovereign God ruled in the affairs of men and na-
tions (Dan. 4:34-37). God would again use this ruler to accomplish His own pur-
poses. Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion of Egypt occurred in 568 B.C. From his throne
in Tahpanhes, he directed the overthrow of Egypt’s cities, people, and sojourners
(including the Jews). The people were slain by the means which God appointed.
Some would die by famine and pestilence. Some would be taken away as captives
to die in slavery. Others would die by the sword in battle.
Jeremiah chapter forty-four is apparently his last message delivered to the
Jews in Egypt. In the chapter he condemns them for continuing to engage in idola-
try. They resisted the prophet, and hardened their hearts. “As for the word that
thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto
thee” (v. 16). The Bible translator, Jerome, wrote that Jeremiah was stoned to
death in Tahpanhnes.
What do you think?
Why can some people no longer hear from God?
God keeps His word.
God’s man must be faithful to deliver God’s truth regardless of the cost.
Golden Text
“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief,
in departing from the living God” (Heb. 3:12).
“Take warning by those disobedient Israelites; they were brought out of the
house of bondage, and had the fullest promise of a land of prosperity and rest. By
their disobedience they came short of it, and fell in the wilderness. Ye have been
brought from the bondage of sin, and have a most gracious promise of an everlast-
ing inheritance among the saints in light; through unbelief and disobedience they
lost their rest, through the same ye may lose yours. An evil heart of unbelief will
head away from the living God. What was possible in their case is possible in
yours. He who begins to give the least way to sin is in danger of final apostasy;
the best remedy against this is to get the evil heart removed” (A. Clarke).
September 23, 2018 73
 Great Is Thy Faithfulness Lamentations
3:21-41
Lesson 14 for September 30, 2018
Golden Text: “I waited patiently for the LORD, and
he inclined unto me, and heard my cry” (Psa. 40:1).

Lamentations 3:21 This I recall to my
mind, therefore have I hope.
22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we
are not consumed, because his compas-
sions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great
is thy faithfulness.
24 The LORD is my portion, saith my
soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25 The LORD is good unto them that
wait for him, to the soul that seeketh
him.
26 It is good that a man should both
hope and quietly wait for the salvation
of the LORD.
27 It is good for a man that he bear
the yoke in his youth.
28 He sitteth alone and keepeth si-
lence, because he hath borne it upon
him.
29 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if
so be there may be hope.
30 He giveth his cheek to him that
smiteth him: he is filled full with re-
proach.
31 For the Lord will not cast off for
ever:
32 But though he cause grief, yet will
he have compassion according to the
multitude of his mercies.
33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor
grieve the children of men.
34 To crush under his feet all the
prisoners of the earth,
35 To turn aside the right of a man
before the face of the most High,
36 To subvert a man in his cause, the
Lord approveth not.
37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh
to pass, when the Lord commandeth it
not?
38 Out of the mouth of the most
High proceedeth not evil and good?
39 Wherefore doth a living man com-
plain, a man for the punishment of his
sins?
40 Let us search and try our ways,
and turn again to the LORD.
41 Let us lift up our heart with our
hands unto God in the heavens.

Daily Devotional Readings

Sunday I Will Remember Psalm 77:7-15
Monday I Wait for the Lord Psalm 130:1-8
Tuesday Despise Not the Chastening Hebrews 12:1-13
Wednesday Bless the Lord Psalm 103:1-11
Thursday The Word of the Lord Psalm 33:1-11
Friday Consider Your Ways Haggai 1:3-11
Saturday Turn to the Lord Hosea 14:1-9
74 ADULT
 The Lesson Exposition
By Kenneth Wize

Introduction
In the book of Lamentations, there is not a statement regarding the book’s au-
thorship. Jewish tradition attributes its writing to Jeremiah. The word “lament”
means to express sorrow, to mourn, to wail. It was probably written at the time of
the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 586 B.C. The book consists of five
poems, one for each of the five chapters.
Verses 22-42 are the center of this
third poem, and it also holds the central
The Lesson Outline
place in the whole series of the Lamen-
tations. In these verses the riches of I Have Hope  vv. 21-24
It Is Good  vv. 25-27
God’s grace and mercy are set forth. In On Receiving Correction  vv. 28-30
the Hebrew, the verses are set in groups The Lord Will Not . . .  vv. 31-33
of three, each verse in the set beginning The Lord Approveth Not  vv. 34-36
with the same letter of the Hebrew al- Why Complain?  vv. 37-39
phabet. Our lesson starts with the last Let Us . . .  vv. 40, 41
verse of the seventh set, and concludes
with the first two verses of the fourteenth set.
I Have Hope  vv. 21-24
The writer describes a man in verses one through twenty who is completely
overcome with what has happened to his nation and to himself. It is a depressing
picture. Verse twenty-one opens with his remembering the past and the goodness
of God, and saying, “Therefore have I hope.” Thinking back on God’s blessings
inspires hope, and “but for hope the heart would break” (M. Henry).
What aspects of God’s person does he meditate on? First, he thinks of God’s
mercies. Because of God’s mercies “we are not consumed.” Though the nation of
Israel had been destroyed, a remnant still remained. God said, “Though I make a
full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full
end of thee” (Jer. 30:11). It is only of God’s mercies that fallen man remains alive
and is given opportunity to repent. Next the writer recalls that God’s “compas-
sions fail not.” “If, indeed, any sinner be kept out of hell, it is because God’s com-
passion faileth not” (A. Clarke). Indeed, God’s mercies and compassions are “new
every morning.” Who can begin to comprehend the extent of God’s compassion
for mankind? Every day is filled with the manifestations of God’s faithfulness. He
is faithful to Himself, His covenants, His promises, His purposes, and His Son.
Life would be impossible were it not for the faithfulness of God.

September 30, 2018 75

 Do you remember that the Levites did not inherit property in the Promised
Land? God told them that He would be their Portion. All He is and has was theirs,
and God is the Source of all-sufficient happiness regardless of our material posses-
sions or social standing. Though we may have lost all, we have all we need if we
have Him. When all other sources of comfort fail, He provides deliverance from
evil, supplies of grace, future glory, and heartfelt happiness. “Therefore, will I
hope in him.”

It Is Good  vv. 25-27
In the Hebrew text, verses twenty-five through twenty-seven all start with the
word “good.” All three verses also express the concept of quietly waiting on God.
When a person is experiencing hardship, there is the temptation to escape and run.
The writer says that it is much better to seek God and to “wait for him.” God is a
“rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6). Under trial, if deliver-
ance be deferred, patiently wait for God. To “quietly wait” is to abstain from all
complaining, and to accept the providence of God. Your hope is in Him. Remem-
ber His mercy, compassion, and faithfulness. We can be “followers of them who
through faith and patience inherit the promise.” (Heb. 6:12).
Individuals who have experienced hardships while they are young, often
have a head start in learning endurance and patience. “If God tame us when
young, by His word or by His rod, it is an unspeakable advantage” (J. Wesley).
Early discipline is invaluable, for it conditions the person to be submissive to
God’s laws and authority. “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joy-
ous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of right-
eousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Heb. 12:11). Jesus told us,
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:
and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matt. 11:29).

On Receiving Correction  vv. 28-30

The captivity of the Jewish people was God’s corrective action to cure them
of idolatry. Israel had been taken away by Assyria, and now Judah by the Babylo-
nians. Jeremiah, recognizing that these foreign powers were God’s instruments,
had urged his people to submit to their yoke. In verses 28-30 are found three keys
to the proper response to correction. First, we receive good from bearing the yoke
when we are quiet under our afflictions. The second verse of the hymn, “O for a
Faith That Will Not Shrink,” reads: “That will not murmur nor complain beneath
the chastening rod, but in the hour of grief or pain will lean upon its God.” To re-
tire from the world and to be quiet before God are keys to profiting from chastise-
ment. “He keeps his soul in subjection to God, because God hath humbled him by
His rod” (J. Wesley).
76 ADULT
 In Palestine, when an individual put “his mouth in the dust,” it indicated
that he was lying prostrate in a state of deep humiliation. There was a sense of
self-abhorrence and a realization of unworthiness. Chastisement benefits us when
we are humble and patient under our afflictions. With such an attitude, there is
an expectation of deliverance. “If the Lord is kind to those who hope in Him, then
it is good for man to wait patiently for His help in suffering” (Keil and Delitzsch).
Finally, when we are meek and mild toward those who are the instru-
ments of our afflictions, then chastisement works for our good. We are to bear
the yoke with meekness, and have a forgiving spirit toward others. “Many who
submit readily to God are indignant when the suffering comes through men” (A
Barnes). Yet we know that Scripture tells us that “tribulation worketh patience;
and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed”
(Rom. 5:3-5). “Charity suffereth long, and is kind” (1 Cor. 13:4).
The Lord Will Not . . .  vv. 31-33
Though a man may be “filled full with reproach” (v. 30), yet let him trust in
God who “will not cast off for ever.” These three verses contain grounds for com-
fort. (1) Sorrow will come to an end. We may be chastened for a season; “weep-
ing may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psa. 30:5). The
prophet Hosea assured the people that the God who had “torn” would also “heal”
(Hos. 6:1). (2) God’s compassion and mercy outweigh the grief. The writer al-
ludes back to the abundant mercy, compassion, and faithfulness of God (vv. 22,
23). God only chastens “for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holi-
ness” (Heb. 12:10). (3) God does not send affliction willingly. It is no pleasure
to God to afflict men; with reluctance He disciplines His people. Indeed, Christ
has surely “borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows” (Isa. 53:4). In our afflic-
tions, He is afflicted. God disciplines out of His love and mercy; the Jews went
into captivity that they might be restored spiritually.
The Lord Approveth Not  vv. 34-36
As we read history and Scripture, we find that the Babylonians were exces-
sive in their cruel treatment of the Jews. The Lord used Nebuchadnezzar as His in-
strument for the people’s correction, but He did not approve of the ill treatment
of the prisoners of war. Men may trample on those who are bound and helpless,
but God never will. The Lord does not approve of an unjust sentence before a
legal court acting in the name of God. God condemns the improper administra-
tion of justice, the injury of others under the color of fulfilling the law. Such con-
duct is “before the face of the most High.” God witnesses the conduct of unjust
judges, and He condemns their practices. God condemns the perversion of jus-
tice in general, the unjust practices in the affairs of ordinary life. Those who stir
up strife, contention, and use underhanded means to obtain their objective are ob-
jects of God’s disfavor.
September 30, 2018 77
 Why Complain?  vv. 37-39
Men devise plans, but they can only come to fruition in the permissive
will of God. Men ought to say, “If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or
that” (James 4:15). Nothing is done apart from God’s providence. Job asked the
question, “What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not re-
ceive evil?” (Job 2:10). God rules in the affairs of men. Both evil and good, adver-
sity and prosperity, come from His hand. Since He is Sovereign, should men com-
plain of their lot?
Particularly, should “a living man complain” when he receives “punishment
for his sins?” If God spares a man’s life, why does he complain? Chastisement is
for his good. Since God has spared his life, he has opportunity to repent and to
find mercy. When we were living in sin, we received far less than what we justly
deserved. In considering the longsuffering love of God, no one has reason to com-
plain. “What God does, we must not open our mouths against” (M. Henry).
Let Us . . .  vv. 40, 41
Our lesson closes with the admonitions found in the last two verses. We
should “search and try our ways.” For the Jews, the object of God’s affliction
was to bring them to the place of prayer and repentance. When afflictions come,
we should not endeavor to place the blame on others. Let us examine our own
hearts, our words, and our actions (Psa. 139:23, 24). Is there an area in our lives in
which God wants to bring correction? If an individual finds it to be so, “let him
return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for
he will abundantly pardon” (Isa. 55:7). Let us “turn again to the LORD” with
true, heartfelt prayer. People may lift up their hands to God in prayer, but to lift up
the hands without lifting up the heart is mere hypocrisy. Heartfelt prayer involves
our soul, our desires, our affections, our faith, and our expectation. “Let us draw
near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Heb. 10:22). To whom should
our prayers be directed? “Unto God in the heavens.” He is the Maker and Posses-
sor of both heaven and earth. He is the God of unfailing mercy, abundant compas-
sion, and unfailing faithfulness.
Golden Text
“I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me,
and heard my cry” (Psa. 40:1).
“Here we see the psalmist’s humble attendance upon God, and his believing
expectations from Him. He expected relief from no other than from God; the same
hand that tears must heal, that smites must bind up (Hos. 6:1), or it will never be
done. From God he expected relief, and he was big with expectation, not doubting
but it would come in due time. There is power enough in God to help the weakest,
and grace enough in God to help the unworthiest of all His people that trust in
78 ADULT
Him. But he waited patiently, which intimates that the relief did not come quickly;
yet he doubted not but it would come, and resolved to continue believing, and
hoping, and praying, till it did come. Those whose expectation is from God may
wait with assurance, but must wait with patience” (M. Henry).

September 30, 2018 79

 Through the Bible in One Year
Day by Day
July August September
01 Eccl. 1-4 Psa. 1 01 Jer. 25-27 Psa. 31 01 Dan. 1, 2 Psa. 61
02 Eccl. 5-8 2 02 Jer. 28-30 32 02 Dan. 3, 4 62
03 Eccl. 9-12 3 03 Jer. 31, 32 33 03 Dan. 5, 6 63
04 Song 1-3 4 04 Jer. 33, 34 34 04 Dan. 7, 8 64
05 Song 4-8 5 05 Jer. 35, 36 35 05 Dan. 9, 10 65
06 Isa. 1-3 6 06 Jer. 37-39 36 06 Dan. 11, 12 66
07 Isa. 4-7 7 07 Jer. 40-42 37 07 Hosea 1-5 67
08 Isa. 8-10 8 08 Jer. 43-46 38 08 Hosea 6-10 68
09 Isa. 11-15 9 09 Jer. 47, 48 39 09 Hosea 11-14 69
10 Isa. 16-20 10 10 Jer. 49, 50 40 10 Joel 1-3 70
11 Isa. 21-24 11 11 Jer. 51, 52 41 11 Amos 1-4 71
12 Isa. 25-28 12 12 Lam. 1, 2 42 12 Amos 5-9 72
13 Isa. 29-31 13 13 Lam. 3-5 43 13 Obad. & Jonah 73
14 Isa. 32-35 14 14 Ezek. 1-3 44 14 Micah 1-4 74
15 Isa. 36-38 15 15 Ezek. 4-7 45 15 Micah 5-7 75
16 Isa. 39-41 16 16 Ezek. 8-10 46 16 Nahum & Hab. 76
17 Isa. 42-44 17 17 Ezek. 11-13 47 17 Zephaniah 77
18 Isa. 45-48 18 18 Ezek. 14-16 48 18 Hag.-Zech. 2 78
19 Isa. 49-51 19 19 Ezek. 17, 18 49 19 Zech. 3-8 79
20 Isa. 52-56 20 20 Ezek, 19, 20 50 20 Zech. 9-11 80
21 Isa. 57-60 21 21 Ezek. 21, 22 51 21 Zech. 12-14 81
22 Isa. 61-66 22 22 Ezek. 23-25 52 22 Malachi 82
23 Jer. 1, 2 23 23 Ezek. 26-28 53 23 Matt. 1-4 83
24 Jer. 3, 4 24 24 Ezek. 29-31 54 24 Matt. 5, 6 84
25 Jer. 5, 6 25 25 Ezek. 32, 33 55 25 Matt. 7-9 85
26 Jer. 7-9 26 26 Ezek. 34-36 56 26 Matt. 10-12 86
27 Jer. 10-12 27 27 Ezek. 37, 38 57 27 Matt. 13, 14 87
28 Jer. 13-16 28 28 Ezek. 39, 40 58 28 Matt. 15, 16 88
29 Jer. 17-19 29 29 Ezek. 41-43 59 29 Matt. 17-19 89
30 Jer. 20-22 30 30 Ezek. 44, 45 60 30 Matt. 20, 21 90
31 Jer. 23, 24 31 Ezek. 46-48

80