CHAPTER XXIV.
B. C. 599:
storation of the Jews who had been car- . ried captive with Jeconiah ; and the increasing wickedness and total ruin of those, who remained in the land, 4— 10.
heavier load of perjury rests upon us; which, being con--
nected with the whole system of political government and judicial and commercial transactions, and’ even ecclesiastie cal affairs, is in the strictest sense a national sin. ** Because ‘“‘ of swearing our land’’ ought to mourn in deep repentance: and if it do not, it may justly be apprehended, that ere long it will mourn under desolating judgments, which may turn all our “ pleasant places into a wilderness.” Yet
alas! the course; in which men in general proceed, is evil 5:
and too often authority and influence give energy to natural depravity, to urge them on more forcibly in sin.—But are. not many of our priests and prophets also ungodly? Does. not the Lord find their wickedness in his house, and even at his table? And do not numbers thus provoke Him to give them up to the lusts of their own hearts, till they are driven headlong into destruction? Perhaps God more abhors those who profess to preach his truth, but pervert it by their lies, and disgrace it by their vices; than those who openly abet the-cause of infidelity and irreligion.
He sees: - it very horrible, when the wicked examples of the teachers combine with their soothing and ‘plausible instructions, to. embolden evil doers 1n their crimes, and to quiet the consciences of the impenitent ‘and unbelieving: and though men. may attempt to palliate these abominations; they, who commit them, are in the eyes of the Lord as vile as the inhabite-ants of Sodom, and it will be ‘‘ less tolerable for them in the- ‘* day of judgment.”’ For from such teachers ‘* profaneness - ‘ goes forth throughout the land:” the principles and mo-- rals of the people are poisoned at the fountain-head: and hence originate those torrents of infidelity, impiety, and profligacy, which overwhelm whole nations, and ripen them for destruction.
Yet, they who will hearken to such teachers, as ‘speak from their own hearts, and not out of the: ‘¢‘ mouth of the Lorn,” and whose doctrine tends to render them vain and ungodly, must be answerable for it: for itis - easy to distinguish them from those, who “ stand in the- ‘* counsel of the Lonp” and hear his word; especially as - he hath promised to give wisdom to them, who lack it and pray for jt, “(Notes, Prov. ii. 1—6. Fam. i. §5—8.)—It is - plain that many run before they are sent by God; and that
‘they only aim to obtain preferment or reputation, and not
to bring sinners to repentance, to faith in Christ, and newness of life: and therefore they do not scruple to promise - ‘¢ peace to those who despise the Lord, and who walk after ‘the imagination of their own hearts.”’ It 1s evident that this is the tendency and effect of much publick teaching: men destitute of the fear of God, and without conscientiousness in their general conduct, are emboldened by it to hope well of their state towards God, and even to: count themselves interested in all the privileges of the gospel.’.
Some. of these teachers dream dreams of the-déceit of their own . hearts, and are continually. inventingynewsrefinements in. infidelity or enthusiasm; .which.cause the: people to-forget : the Lord, and his-holy.truths and precepts; to take-a part of the Bible for the-whole; to-establish new creeds, or to - separate doctrinal truths from their practical tendency: Some - again setail other men’s inventions,: and steal scraps of divi-
“nity from their neighbours, and preach, (without any judg-- ~~
ment of their own,) what other men have ig ae for them; .
B. C. 599. : Ae ai | HE * Lorp sewed me, and behold, » two ‘baskets of figs were set before ett. one og, te temple of the Lorp, “after that xxix.2. 2 Kings Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had 2chr.xxxvi.10.carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes a 1 Sim. xii 190f Judah, with the carpenters ¢ and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon. :
2 One “basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and Scez. av.c-s the other basket had ‘very naughty figs,
Mati. v, 13. Which could not be eaten, * they were so "gas 2 bad, tats 3 Then said the Lorp unto me, * ix. 'a, Am. vi 8 What seest thou, Jeremiah ? And I said, $. vill. 26 Zech. —,, v.a.v.z.s—1. Higgs ; the good figs, very good, and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they
are so evil,
Zech. i. QW. iii. 1
b Deut. xxvi. 2— 4
e e 5—7. i Hos. IX.
10. Mic. vil. 1.
thus indulging ¢heir own laziness, and gratifying the avarice of the compilers, Others gather a few notions and expressions from faithful ministers; and by additions, alterations, or, perversions, enervate and corrupt them, and ** cause the people to err by their lies and lightness.”” But what 1s all this .“* chaff to the wheat, saith the Lorp ?” Cannot they be distinguished .from each other? Let the word of God be faithfully and fully preached, and the difference will soon appear, in its nature, tendency, and effects: for ‘‘ the word of God is quick and powerful, and ‘* sharper than any two-edged sword;” it comes to the heart and conscience with authority and conviction; it tends to instruct and alarm; to break the hard, and to humble the
roud, heart: it leads to repentance, to faith, and holiness: it enlightens, quickens, purifies, and renews the soul: it is no smooth, lulling, soothing message; but resembles ‘the ** fire and the hammer that breaketh the rocks in pieces,” And by these emblems, this tendency, and these effects; and by the spirit and example of true ministers of Christ, the real word of God may be distinguished, as certainly, from false doctrines, taught by carnal preachers, as the wheat may be known from the worthless chaff.—No fair appearances, er pretences, can conceal the hypocrisy, ambition, avarice, or infidelity, of false professors, or teachers, from the omnipresent heart-searching Judge.
He hears all their words, and sees their thoughts; he will * bring to ‘* light the hidden things of darkness, and manifest the ‘* counsels of their hearts:’’ (Notes, 1 Cor. iv. 1—4. 2 Cor, _ Me 14—17, iv. 1, 2:) and when his vengeance shall * fall ** grievously upon the head of the wicked,” and he hath performed the thoughts of his heart respecting them; they will perfectly consider, and effectually be convinced of, those truths, which before they would not believe.
V. 33—40. ae It is a mark of great -and daring impiety for men to jest with the words of God, or to ridicule the expressive |an-guage of faithful ministers, (Note, Is, xxvill.g—11.) The
enmity of the carnal heart powerfully urges men, thus to:
‘* pervert the words of the living God:” they, who expect impunity in sin, and despise or abuse the salvation of the
‘JEREMIAH.
B.C. 599;
4 | Again the word of the Lorp came} ah. 11. Zeche unto me, saying, ar i. Sot 5 Thus saith the Lorp, the God of
9. 4 Tim. B19: Israel: Like these good figs, so will It Fc.
the capil. "acknowledge tthem that are carried! 3.7% 3¢
away. captive of Judah, whom I have Sea. wi. 2k
Fas
sent out of this place into the land of rev. ia, 19, the Chaldeans ' for their good. xi, 1%. 2 Chr.
6 For *I will set mine eyes upon 1p. Job rail them for good, 'andI will bring them, 33) Felis again to this land: and ™I will build 2%!%,==% them, and not pull them down; and I 37 22%%_ will plant them, and not pluck them up. Snui 9. xi
7 And "I will give them an heart toin stxi.-s6. xu,
know me, that Iam the Lorn: °and they 6m st 19,98
shall be my people, andI will be theirezm si. xk God: for they shall. return unto me Pst. xi. 17
‘ ‘ —I9. Ez. xzxevii with their whole heart.: 3.
vill, &. Heb. viii. 10. xi. 16. = p xxix. 12-14. Deut. iv. 20—$1, xxx,.@—5. 1Sam. vil. $. i Kings viii. 46—-50. @ Chr. vi, 38. Is, lv. 6, 7. Hos. xiv. I—3. :
gospel, are always prone to revile or deride those, who, in the most scriptural manner, preach to sinners their danger of eternal damnation: and numbers only enquire concerning the word of God, for their diversion, or to ridicule it. Bat every idle and profane word, will add to the sinner’s insupportable burden of wrath and misery, in the day when the Judge shall bid him ‘ depart accursed into everlasting ‘‘ fire, prepared for the devil and his angels;” and when, being forsaken of God, everlasting shame and reproach will be his portion: and that, which may seem in itself to men a light matter, will be found a most helnous act of desperate rebellion, when sinners, by persisting in it, set God himself at defiance: When God says, Thou shalt not: and the sinner’s words or actions, answer, J wil/. Let us then so enquire after the word of the Lord, that we may believe, reverence, and obey it for our good.
NOTES.
CHAP. XXIV. V. 1. (Notes, xxii, 24—g0. 2 Kings xxiv. 8—16.) ‘The vision represented two such baskets ‘ of figs, as used to be offered up for first fruits at the tem- ‘ple.’ (Lowth.) (Notes, Deut. xxvi 1—11.)
V. 2, 3. (Notes, i. 12—14. Am. vii. 7—9. viii. 1—3.)
V. 4, 5. ‘The Jews, who were left in their own coun- ‘try thought themselves better beloved of God, than their ‘ brethren who were carried away captive. To check this ‘ vain confiderce, God promised to shew the latter particular ‘ signs of his favour in a strange land; and to shew distin- * guishing marks of his displeasure on the former.’ (Lowth.)
V. 6. Some of them individually, and the posterity of the others. (Note, Gen. xlvi. 4. Marg. Ref.) |
V. 7. Many of the more pious Jews were carried away captive wirh Jeconiah, or before him; among whom were Daniel and his companions, and Ezekiel. (Notes, Ez. i. 1. Dan. i. 1,2.) The afflictions of the captives were suited to humble them, and to lead them to repentance; whilst those, who remained at. Jerusalem, became more and more hardened in presumption and rebellion, But, whatever means were used, the power of divine grace effected the grand difference betwixt them. The Lord proniised to give the captives ‘‘ a heart,” (a proper disposition of soul,) to ‘‘ know him,” in the glory of his perfections, and in his
— Se a
oe q Ses on’ 3. 5—
B. C. 599. /
8 And “as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; “surely thus
xxix. 16—16,
Fx 1 xa saith the Lorp, "So will I give Zedekiah |
7 sevit, 1s the King of Judah, and his princes, and
9. li. @—it,zz, the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in lia. this land, * and them that dwell in the
- 8 See onxiiil. xliv.
Heb. for renov- land of Egypt. ‘fim xwv.ebext. Q And [ will deliver them * to be re- é1. Bs. v1.18, moved into all the kingdoms of the earth t xx. sme for their hurt, ‘to bea reproach and a TXiags “ix, °z, proverb, a taunt and “a curse, in all places ty 2: whither I shall drive them. Ea xxy.sar, 10 And I * will send the sword, the
Ez. xxy.$, Xxvi. aw Ene ve cabs famine, and the pestilence among them, inv.is. till they be consumed from off the land
xv
Ta. Ue 19. Bz, ¥. h
e e a Ve
19—17. ai Ad ers.
14. Vii. 15. XY. =
ae gs CHAP. XXV.
~ MA review of the messages sent by Jeremiah to the Jews, during twenty-three years ; and a reproof of their contempt of them,
relations unto them: and this knowledge would induce them to renounce all idols and iniquities, and to return to his worship and service with their whole heart. (Notes, 1 Chr. KXVIIs g.
Fohn xvii. 1—9.) Thus they would be acknowledged as his people, and he would be their God, their Portion, Protector, and Salvation: and he would take care of them, as a man would of the best and most valued produce of the fig-tree.-—Doubtless, a great reformation, a revival of religion, took place among the captives, and by them and their descendants the land was afterwards chiefly replenished: for they who remained in Judea, were in general destroyed, or driven into Egypt; whence few, if any, of them returned; (Notes, xliii, xliv:) or they were carried to distant regions. and detained in slavery.—But some expressions lead us to suppose, that the Spirit of prophecy looked forward to the present dispersion of the unbelieving Jews in all the nations of the earth, and to all the debasing circumstances attending it.—‘ To the first captives chiefly those ‘ blessings belong, which are promised to the Jews upon * their return from captivity; such as were the knowledge ‘and fear of God, and, grace to live in obedience to his ‘ commandments.
But I conceive the eminent comple- ‘ tion of this prophecy, will be at the time of the general ‘restoration of that nation.’ (Lowth.) (Notes, xxxii. 39 —4i. Ez. xxxiv. 23— 91. xxxvi. 20—30. xXxvii. 20-028, XXXIX. 23-29. Zech. xii. o—14.) V. 8—10, (Notes, xxix. 16—23, Marg. Ref.)
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. ne '
The professors of true religion are presented before God, to be devoted to his glory, and employed in doing gaod to mankind ; as the first fruits of the fig-tree were brought to the temple, to be used by the priests and Levites. Indeed none of the human race are so good and useful as true be- Jievers; and none are so vile and worthless as hypocrites : thus ‘* the good are very good, and the bad very bad,”’ more than among other men. (Nove, Matt. v..13—16.) But the
Lord often’ spares those longest, and exempts them most
3
CHAPTER XXvV. .
ziv.'ti, 14.3v-that I gave unto them and to their fa- KVi. 4. XIX. 7
N
B. C. 606.
1—7. A prediction of the desdlations of the land for seventy years; after which the Chaldean empire would be _ subverted, 8—14. A. prediction of the devastation of the surrounding hing-doms, under the figures of an intoxicating cup; a destroying sword; a lion wasting a sheepfold, and the howlings . Of the shepherds, 15—38,
"THE word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the.people of Judah, *in* 2%%:,); x.
the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of ** +! Josiah king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon ;
2 The which Jeremiah the prophet » spake unto all the people of Judah, and® **., ane to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Po’ pcxin 1,
3 From ‘the thirteenth year of Josiah ieee — the son of Amon king of Judah, even® s's'chr.fxiv. unto this day, (that zs, the three and “" twentieth year,) the word of the Lorp
Se ee See Gee nm a a eg ae te eee ey ee ee from present suffering, whom he hath ‘ appointed unto
‘* wrath.” ‘‘ As many as he loves, he rebukes and chasteris:” and when the loss of estates, liberty, and country, and a complication of hardships and calamities, are sanctified to the saving of their souls; these appear to be the methods by which God acknowledges his choice of them, and his purpose of doing them good.—He alone can remove the pride, enmity, and blindness of the carnal mind, and give men hearts to know, fear, love, and trust him: when this change takes place, they cordially return to him in his appointed way.
Thus they become his accepted obedient servants and worshippers; and hebecomestheir God and Father. Thenceforth he will comfort them under all their trials, deliver them from every enemy, and set his eyes upon them for good, and that for ever.—Let those who desire these blessings, beg of God to give them a heart to know him. And — let us remember, that it is in this way, the Lord preserves a church on earth; whilst multitudes of professed christians,
"without respect of rank or external distinction, are given up
to complicated contempt and misery, for a warning to others not to copy their crimes, or to presume upon their own privileges: and this consideration should direct our prayers, and encuurage our hopes, respecting a final prevalence of the gospel throughout the earth. NOTES.