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st the king of Babylon。 While these ambassadors were awaiting a response； the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah； saying； 〃Make thee bonds and yokes； and put them upon thy neck； and send them to the king of Edom； and to the king of Moab； and to the king of the Ammonites； and to the king of Tyrus； and to the king of Zidon； by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah。〃 Jeremiah 27：2；3。
Jeremiah was commanded to instruct the ambassadors to inform their rulers that God had given them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar； the king of Babylon； and that they were to 〃serve him； and his son； and his son's son； until the very time of his land come。〃 Verse 7。
The ambassadors were further instructed to declare to their rulers that if they refused to serve the Babylonian king they should be punished 〃with the sword； and with the famine； and with the pestilence〃 till they were consumed。 Especially were they to turn from the teaching of false prophets who might counsel otherwise。 〃Hearken not ye to your prophets；〃 the Lord declared； 〃nor to your diviners； nor to your dreamers； nor to your enchanters； nor to your sorcerers； which speak unto you； saying； Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon： for they prophesy a lie unto you； to remove you far from your land； and that I should
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drive you out； and ye should perish。 But the nations that bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon； and serve him； those will I let remain still in their own land； saith the Lord； and they shall till it； and dwell therein。〃 Verses 8…11。 The lightest punishment that a merciful God could inflict upon so rebellious a people was submission to the rule of Babylon； but if they warred against this decree of servitude they were to feel the full vigor of His chastisement。
The amazement of the assembled council of nations knew no bounds when Jeremiah； carrying the yoke of subjection about his neck； made known to them the will of God。
Against determined opposition Jeremiah stood firmly for the policy of submission。 Prominent among those who presumed to gainsay the counsel of the Lord was Hananiah；
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one of the false prophets against whom the people had been warned。 Thinking to gain the favor of the king and of the royal court； he lifted his voice in protest； declaring that God had given him words of encouragement for the Jews。 Said he： 〃Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts； the God of Israel； saying； I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon。 Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the Lord's house； that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place； and carried them to Babylon： and I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah； with all the captives of Judah； that went into Babylon； saith the Lord： for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon。〃 Jeremiah 28：2…4。
Jeremiah； in the presence of the priests and people； earnestly entreated them to submit to the king of Babylon for the time the Lord had specified。 He cited the men of Judah to the prophecies of Hosea； Habakkuk； Zephaniah； and others whose messages of reproof and warning had been similar to his own。 He referred them to events which had taken place in fulfillment of prophecies of retribution for unrepented sin。 In the past the judgments of God had been visited upon the impenitent in exact fulfillment of His purpose as revealed through His messengers。
〃The prophet which prophesieth of peace；〃 Jeremiah proposed in conclusion； 〃when the word of the prophet shall come to pass； then shall the prophet be known； that the Lord hath truly sent him。〃 Verse 9。 If Israel chose to run the risk； future developments would effectually decide which was the true prophet。
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The words of Jeremiah counseling submission aroused Hananiah to a daring challenge of the reliability of the message delivered。 Taking the symbolic yoke from Jeremiah's neck； Hananiah broke it； saying； 〃Thus saith the Lord； Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years。
〃And the prophet Jeremiah went his way。〃 Verse II。 Apparently he could do nothing more than to retire from the scene of conflict。 But Jeremiah was given another message。 〃Go and tell Hananiah；〃 he was bidden； 〃Thus saith the Lord； Thou hast broken the yokes of wood； but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron。 For thus saith the Lord of hosts； the God of Israel； I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations； that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon； and they shall serve him。 。 。 。
〃Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet； Hear now； Hananiah； The Lord hath not sent thee； but thou makest this people to trust in a lie。 Therefore thus saith the Lord； Behold； I will cast thee from off the face of the earth： this year thou shalt die； because thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord。 So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month。〃 Verses 13…17。
The false prophet had strengthened the unbelief of the people in Jeremiah and his message。 He had wickedly declared himself the Lord's messenger； and he suffered death in consequence。 In the fifth month Jeremiah prophesied the death of Hananiah； and in the seventh month his words were proved true by their fulfillment。
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The unrest caused by the representations of the false prophets brought Zedekiah under suspicion of treason； and only by quick and decisive action on his part was he permitted to continue reigning as a vassal。 Opportunity for such action was taken advantage of shortly after the return of the ambassadors from Jerusalem to the surrounding nations； when the king of Judah accompanied Seraiah； 〃a quiet prince；〃 on an important mission to Babylon。 Jeremiah 51：59。 During this visit to the Chaldean court； Zedekiah renewed his oath of allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar。
Through Daniel and others of the Hebrew captives； the Babylonian monarch had been made acquainted with the power and supreme authority of the true God； and when Zedekiah once more solemnly promised to remain loyal； Nebuchadnezzar required him to swear to this promise in the name of the Lord God of Israel。 Had Zedekiah respected this renewal of his covenant oath； his loyalty would have had a profound influence on the minds of many who were watching the conduct of those who claimed to reverence the name and to cherish the honor of the God of the Hebrews。
But Judah's king lost sight of his high privilege of bringing honor to the name of the living God。 Of Zedekiah it is recorded： 〃He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God； and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord。 And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar； who had made him swear by God： but he stiffened his neck； and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel。〃 2 Chronicles 36：12； 13。
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While Jeremiah continued to bear his testimony in the land of Judah； the prophet Ezekiel was raised up from among the captives in Babylon； to warn and to comfort the exiles； and also to confirm the word of the Lord that was being spoken through Jeremiah。 During the years that remained of Zedekiah's reign； Ezekiel made very plain the folly of trusting to the false predictions of those who were causing the captives to hope for an early return to Jerusalem。 He was also instructed to foretell； by means of a variety of symbols and solemn messages； the siege and utter destruction of Jerusalem。
In the sixth year of the reign of Zedekiah； the Lord revealed to Ezekiel in vision some of the abominations that were being practiced in Jerusalem； and within the gate of the Lord's house； and even in the inner court。 The chambers of images； and the pictured idols； 〃every form of creeping things； and abominable beasts； and all the idols of the house of Israel〃all these in rapid succession passed before the astonished gaze of the prophet。 Ezekiel 8：10。
Those who should have been spiritual leaders among the people； 〃the ancients of the house of Israel；〃 to the number of seventy； were seen offering incense before the idolatrous representations that had been introduced into hidden chambers within the sacred precincts of the temple court。 〃The Lord seeth us not；〃 the men of Judah flattered themselves as they engaged in their heathenish practices； 〃the Lord hath forsaken the earth；〃 they blasphemously declared。 Verses 11； 12。
There were still 〃greater abominations〃 for the prophet to behold。 At a gate leading from the outer to the inner
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court he was shown 〃women weeping for Tammuz；〃 and within 〃the inner court of the Lord's house； 。 。 。 at the door of the temple of the Lord； between the porch and the altar； were about five and twenty men； with their backs toward the temple of the Lord； and their faces toward the east； and they worshiped the sun toward the east。〃 Verses 13…16。
And now the glorious Being who accompanied Ezekiel throughout this astoni