Bible Commentaries

CONTENTS

Jeremiah in this Chapter is addressing the other nations around, at the command of God, to tell them of their shortly being subject to the King of Babylon. Towards the close of the Chapter, the Prophet admonisheth the King of Judah to the same.

The time of this prophecy is noted, but it should seem, that though the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah then, he did pot deliver it till a considerable space after, for Jekoiakim's reign at the beginning, was many years before Zedekiah. But the doctrine is the same. Let the Reader observe from what is here said, how the Lord governeth all nations: and that it is by him Kings reign; and princes decree justice. Sweet and consolatory thought to the believer in Jesus! Proverbs 8:15.

I only detain the Reader on these verses to remark, how in all ages, the Church of God hath been infested by false prophets. With what caution ought men to hear!

This must have been a painful service to Jeremiah, to go from one to another, and with messages of evil. All God's servants have done the same. Ezekiel 2:3; Eze_2:6.

Both Prophets and Priests are deceived, and the Lord seems to have made his servant Jeremiah a wonder of truth in the midst of falsehood. Is it not so very often now? Are there not always those who speak smooth things, who prophecy deceits? Oh! for the Lord God of the Prophets to be the teacher of his people.

REFLECTIONS

PAUSE Reader! and behold the wretched state of false prophets! for the wretched hire of this world's favor, and to please men, what will they not do. Though the Lord sent his faithful servant Jeremiah, both to the nations around and to Judah, with assurance that the King of Babylon should come, and take them away into captivity; yet allured by those false prophesiers of deceit, they were lulled to their ruin, and put off all consideration of the evil day, until the tremendous event came upon them. Pause Reader! and then ask, is it not too often the case now? Doth not the gospel of salvation uniformly denounce evil upon all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men! Are not we assured again and again, that by the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified in God's sight: and that nothing but the blood of Christ can cleanse from all sin? How are these truths received by the great mass of men? Are they not considered by them as idle tales, and believed not? Oh! for grace, and the teachings of the Holy Spirit, to bring them home to the heart, and to rivet them on the mind. Blessed Jesus! take thy cause into thine own Almighty hand. Bring down every rebellious, every self-aspiring thought; and cause every knee to bow to thee, and to the sovereignty of thy power, until thou hast subdued the nations to the sceptre of thy grace, and made all confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Amen.