Page 126 - New English Book L

125

“Shalom” in the sense of a tangible, concrete, and
real religious system which Islam comprises. To
make it more clearly, we should attentively listen
to the arguments of the two opponent prophets
discussing and disputing the national question in
the presence of a wicked king and his court of vile
flatterers and depraved hypocrites. Jeremiah has at
heart the cause of God and His religion of peace, and
in the vital interests of the religion of peace, or Islam, he
advises the wicked king and his courtiers to submit to
the yoke of Babylon and serve the Chaldeans and live.
For there was no other alternative open to them. They
had abandoned the God of their forefathers, polluted His
temple, mocked and reviled His prophets, and committed
evil and treachery (2 Chron. xxxvi. etc.). So God had
delivered them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, and
would, not save them. For a true and sincere servant of
God, the religion comes first and the nation after. It is the
government and the nation -especially when they have
forsaken God- that are to be sacrificed for the cause of
religion, and not vice versa! The other Prophet of Gibeon,
called Hananiah, sought to please his master the king;
he was a courtier and favourite, rich and in splendour,
whereas his antagonist was always languishing and
starving in the prisons and dungeons. He cares not a
fillip for the religion and the real welfare of the people.
He is also a prophet, for so says the Book of Jeremiah,
yet he is a villain, and has exchanged God for a depraved
king! He prophesies in the name of the same God as
does Jeremiah, and announces the return of the booty
and the captives from Babylon in two years’ time.

Now, from the above imperfect description of the
prophets, which of the two would you qualify as the
true servant of God and as the loyal defender of God’s
religion? Surely, Jeremiah would at once attract your