4 And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.

I am weary with repenting

Jeremiah was born in the closing years of the long, evil reign of Manasseh. This king's reign sealed the doom of the kingdom and brought to an end God's much-tried longsuffering and patience.

The evil Manasseh was born during the 15 years that were added to Hezekiah's life when he pleaded with God. Far better for Hezekiah and for Israel if Hezekiah had submitted to God's wisdom and gone to his rest with his glorious record of faith un-sullied, as God in His mercy had planned!

Bro Growcott - BYT. 4.17.

9 She that hath borne seven languisheth: she hath given up the ghost; her sun is gone down while it was yet day: she hath been ashamed and confounded: and the residue of them will I deliver to the sword before their enemies, saith Yahweh.

In this instance the sun symbolized the sovereign power and glory of the commonwealth, of which Jerusalem was the capital. It went down when the state was destroyed by the Chaldeans.

But it shone forth again; and again went down, when the kingdom was taken away from the Pharisees -- when "the sun was darkened, the moon gave no light, and the stars fell from the Heaven;" and were thenceforth suppressed superlatively "until He come whose right it is," even "the sun and shield."

Eureka 8.9.1.

10 Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me.

Bro Roberts applied the first part of this verse to himself in his autobiography 'My Days and My Ways'. Also...

"Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?" (20:18)

It is not a pleasant course. but when things are not right no other course is possible. Would it have been a true kindness for Jeremiah to have gone along with them for the sake of peace and friendship, ignoring what was wrong-when his duty was to warn and to save them? As Paul had to exclaim to those for whom he had labored so hard-

"Am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?" - Gal. 4: 16.

Jeremiah was told that they would not hearken, but would simply intensify their anger and resentment against him because of his warning words. The time came when he was

forbidden to pray for them-

"Then said the Lord unto me. Pray no for this people for their good. When they fast. I will not hear their cry" - Jer. 14:11. 12.

Forbidden to pray! It had now come to that! "I will not hear their cry." Opportunity had finally past. This would apply nationally. not individually. As a nation. they were doomed. The calamities and the destruction would come and nothing they could possibly do could avert them now. But there would always be the remnant drawn out so Jeremiah continued to preach and to warn.

Bro Growcott - BYT 4.17.

16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Yahweh Elohim of hosts.

To be off one's food is a bad sign.

It shows that something is wrong. A person in health has an appetite-he has regard for his meals, and eats them with a relish. This applies alike to babes and adults-to the contents of the feeding bottle and to the solid food on the plate.

To turn from the natural to the spiritual. There is an edifying analogy. Healthy creatures in Christ Jesus want their food-their spiritual food-and they enjoy it when they get it. With them it is not a mere "doing" of their daily readings, but an exercise which gives positive delight. Without a doubt the extent of our appreciation of the appointed readings is an index to our soundness and robustness in the truth.

The proper-the ideal-state of mind is that of Jeremiah...

Or that of the Psalmist:

"How sweet are thy words unto my taste? Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth." "I opened my mouth and panted: for I longed for thy commandments" (119:103, 131).

But let us not be downcast, if our health is feeble, and our appetite capricious-if we fall greatly short of this lofty standard. Our condition will improve with patience and right treatment. Let us not cease eating. Let us keep up our daily reading. Let us read as a cold matter of duty rather than not read at all.

Bro AT Jannaway

TC 12/1901

Jeremiah is one of those who will eat the little scroll [Rev 10: 9-11]; and in consequence become a constituent of the same; that is, of the angel. We may see from this, that words may be eaten as well as more material substances.

To eat words is first to know them, then to understand their meaning; thirdly, to believe this heartily, and to assimilate it to our mental habitude, that it may become the rule of our thought and action. When this result is attained, the words are not only eaten, but eaten up, or thoroughly digested; and they become part and parcel of the eater inseparably.

Eureka 10.13.

17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.

...there is a time when the false is allowed to flourish with absolute impunity and even with prosperity,‭ ‬and when the true is allowed to be under a cloud,‭ ‬in order that the minds of faithful men may be exercised and proved.‭ ‬God expects and requires that we have‭

‭"‬senses exercised to discern both good and evil.‭"

‭ ‬This capability could not be developed by a situation in which evil did not have a chance.‭ ‬For this reason, false prophets were allowed to have all the weight that came with numbers,‭ ‬influence,‭ ‬and unanimity,‭ ‬while the truth was with one meek man [Jeremiah] against whom all were speaking‭ (‬15:10‭)‬.‭

May we not from this gain consolation from our own position‭? ‬God has allowed the truth to come into the most humbling circumstances,‭ ‬having scarcely any friends among men,‭ ‬while error is organised with great and respectable and wealthy and educated systems with multitudes of supporters.‭

Judging by appearances,‭ ‬men would judge wrongly.‭ ‬Judging by the Scriptures‭ ‬we are enabled to judge clearly and strongly and boldly,‭ ‬and to maintain the truth against the whole world in arms against it.

‭ ‬The situation is one calling for and compelling an almost violent exercise of judgment.‭ ‬God requires this at our hands.‭ ‬By the mouth of Christ he says,

‭ "‬Beware of false prophets‭"

‭—‬and false prophets are necessarily the numerous,‭ ‬popular,‭ ‬and well-to-do.‭ ‬How are we to discern them‭?

‭"‬Ye shall know them by their fruits.‭"

Are they like the true‭? ‬Oh yes‭; ‬you would think they were the genuine sheep:‭ ‬they have got sheep skins on.‭ ‬How are we to distinguish them from the true‭? ‬You must‭ "‬try‭" ‬them.‭

‭"‬Believe not every spirit:‭ ‬try the spirits whether they are of God.‭"

How are we to try them‭? ‬God himself tells us:‭ "‬By the word.‭" "‬If any man speak not according to this word,‭ ‬it is because there is no light in them.‭"

There is no other form of God's word in the earth at present but the Bible.‭ ‬Therefore,‭ ‬it comes to this:‭ ‬the Bible is the standard.‭ ‬Every claim must be judged by this.

‭Seasons 2. 66