Jeremiah Reproves Israel
155
The same danger exists today among the people who profess to be
the depositaries of God’s law. They are too apt to flatter themselves that
the regard in which they hold the commandments will preserve them
from the power of divine justice. They refuse to be reproved for evil,
and charge God’s servants with being too zealous in putting sin out of
the camp. A sin-hating God calls upon those who profess to keep His
law to depart from all iniquity. Neglect to repent and obey His word
[167]
will bring as serious consequences upon God’s people today as did the
same sin upon ancient Israel. There is a limit beyond which He will no
longer delay His judgments. The desolation of Jerusalem stands as a
solemn warning before the eyes of modern Israel, that the corrections
given through His chosen instruments cannot be disregarded with
impunity.
When the priests and the people heard the message that Jeremiah
delivered to them in the name of the Lord, they were very angry and
declared that he should die. They were boisterous in their denuncia-
tions of him, crying: “Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the
Lord, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be
desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered
against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.” Thus was the message of
God despised and the servant with whom He entrusted it threatened
with death. The priests, the unfaithful prophets, and all the people
turned in wrath upon him who would not speak to them smooth things
and prophesy deceit.
The unfaltering servants of God have usually suffered the bitterest
persecution from false teachers of religion. But the true prophets will
ever prefer reproach, and even death, rather than unfaithfulness to God.
The Infinite Eye is upon the instruments of divine reproof, and they
bear a heavy responsibility. But God regards the injury done to them
through misrepresentation, falsehood, or abuse as though it were done
unto Himself, and will punish accordingly.
The princes of Judah had heard concerning the words of Jeremiah
and came up from the king’s house and sat in the entry of the Lord’s
house. “Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes
and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath
prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.” But
Jeremiah stood boldly before the princes and the people, declaring:
“The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city