Approaching Doom
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illustrate the meaning of the words spoken. He bade Jeremiah liken
the fate of the nation to the draining of a cup filled with the wine of
divine wrath. Among the first to drink of this cup of woe was to be
“Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof.” Others
were to partake of the same cup—“Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his
servants, and his princes, and all his people,” and many other nations
of earth—until God’s purpose should have been fulfilled. See
Jeremiah
25
.
To illustrate further the nature of the swift-coming judgments, the
prophet was bidden to “take of the ancients of the people, and of
the ancients of the priests; and go forth unto the valley of the son of
Hinnom,” and there, after reviewing the apostasy of Judah, he was
to dash to pieces “a potter’s earthen bottle,” and declare in behalf of
Jehovah, whose servant he was, “Even so will I break this people and
this city, as one breaketh a potter’s vessel, that cannot be made whole
again.”
The prophet did as he was commanded. Then, returning to the city,
he stood in the court of the temple and declared in the hearing of all
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the people. “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I
will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have
pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that
they might not hear My words.” See
Jeremiah 19
.
The prophet’s words, instead of leading to confession and repen-
tance, aroused the anger of those high in authority, and as a conse-
quence Jeremiah was deprived of his liberty. Imprisoned, and placed
in the stocks, the prophet nevertheless continued to speak the messages
of Heaven to those who stood by. His voice could not be silenced by
persecution. The word of truth, he declared, “was in mine heart as a
burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing,
and I could not stay.”
Jeremiah 20:9
.
It was about this time that the Lord commanded Jeremiah to com-
mit to writing the messages He desired to bear to those for whose
salvation His heart of pity was continually yearning. “Take thee a roll
of a book,” the Lord bade His servant, “and write therein all the words
that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and
against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days
of Josiah, even unto this day. It may be that the house of Judah will
hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return