bonds-set God's law at defiance ( Psalms 2:3 ).Ħ. they have known-rather, "they must know." The prophet supposes it as probable, considering their position.īut these-I found the very reverse to be the case.īurst. poor-rather, " the poor." He supposes for the moment that this utter depravity is confined to the uninstructed poor, and that he would find a different state of things in the higher ranks: but there he finds unbridled profligacy.ĥ. correction-( Jeremiah 7:28, Zephaniah 3:2 ).Ĥ. The false-professing Jews could expect nothing but judgments from the God of truth. "Truth" is in contrast with "swear falsely" ( Jeremiah 5:2 ). eyes upon the truth-( Deuteronomy 32:4, 2 Chronicles 16:9 ). The reformation under Josiah was merely superficial in the case of the majority.ģ. Swear falsely-not a judicial oath but their profession of the worship of Jehovah is insincere ( Jeremiah 5:7, Jeremiah 4:2 ).
a man-As the pious Josiah, Baruch, and Zephaniah lived in Jerusalem at that time, Jeremiah must here mean the mass of the people, the king, his counsellors, the false prophets, and the priests, as distinguished from the faithful few, whom God had openly separated from the reprobate people among the latter not even one just person was to be found ( Isaiah 9:16 ) the godly, moreover, were forbidden to intercede for them ( Jeremiah 7:16 compare Genesis 18:23, &c. THE CAUSE OF THE JUDGMENTS TO BE INFLICTED IS THE UNIVERSAL CORRUPTION OF THE PEOPLE.ġ. Let those who walk in bad ways consider that an end will come, and there will be bitterness in the latter end. Shall I not visit for these things? This speaks the certainty and the necessity of God's judgments. Though sentence against evil works is not executed speedily, it will be executed. Certainly the things of this world are not the best things and we are not to think, that, because evil men prosper, God allows their practices. Sin deprives us of God's blessings it makes the heaven as brass, and the earth as iron. While the Lord, year after year, reserves to us the appointed weeks of harvest, men live on his bounty yet they transgress against him. Neither did they consider their interest. The restless waves obeyed the Divine decree, that they should not pass the sandy shores, which were as much a restraint as lofty mountains but they burst all restraints of God's law, and were wholly gone into wickedness. If men will inquire wherefore the Lord doeth hard things unto them, let them think of their sins.
But they may read their sin in their punishment. Verses 19-31 Unhumbled hearts are ready to charge God with being unjust in their afflictions. He thereby proclaims his holiness, and his utter displeasure against sin while sparing the sinner, ( Psalms 89:30-35 ). Let us not overlook the "nevertheless," ver.
He has mercy in store for his people, therefore will set bounds to this desolating judgment. God can bring trouble upon us from places and causes very remote. Mocking and misusing the Lord's messengers, filled the measure of their iniquity. Sinners are not willing to own any thing to be God's word, that tends to part them from, or to disquiet them in, their sins. Verses 10-18 Multitudes are ruined by believing that God will not be so strict as his word says he will by this artifice Satan undid mankind. The rich were insolent and haughty, and the abuse of God's favours made their sin worse. What can be expected but works of darkness, from people that know nothing of God and religion? There are God's poor, who, notwithstanding poverty, know the way of the Lord, walk in it, and do their duty but these were willingly ignorant, and their ignorance would not be their excuse. The poor were ignorant, and therefore they were wicked. But the Lord saw the true character of the people through all their disguises. Verses 1-9 None could be found who behaved as upright and godly men. (1-9) The cruel proceedings of their enemies.
The Jews' profession of religion was hypocritical.
0 kommentar(er)
