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Jeremiah Chapter Forty-two                            

 

Jeremiah 42

Chapter Contents

Johanan desires Jeremiah to ask counsel of God. (1-6) They are assured of safety in Judea but of destruction in Egypt. (7-22)

Commentary on Jeremiah 42:1-6

(Read Jeremiah 42:1-6)

To serve a turn Jeremiah is sought out and the captains ask for his assistance. In every difficult doubtful case we must look to God for direction; and we may still in faith pray to be guided by a spirit of wisdom in our hearts and the leadings of Providence. We do not truly desire to know the mind of God if we do not fully resolve to comply with it when we know it. Many promise to do what the Lord requires while they hope to have their pride flattered and their favourite lusts spared. Yet something betrays the state of their hearts.

Commentary on Jeremiah 42:7-22

(Read Jeremiah 42:7-22)

If we would know the mind of the Lord in doubtful cases we must wait as well as pray. God is ever ready to return in mercy to those he has afflicted; and he never rejects any who rely on his promises. He has declared enough to silence even the causeless fears of his people which discourge them in the way of duty. Whatever loss or suffering we may fear from obedience is provided against in God's word; and he will protect and deliver all who trust in him and serve him. It is folly to quit our place especially to quit a holy land because we meet with trouble in it. And the evils we think to escape by sin we certainly bring upon ourselves. We may apply this to the common troubles of life; and those who think to avoid them by changing their place will find that the grievances common to men will meet them wherever they go. Sinners who dissemble with God in solemn professions especially should be rebuked with sharpness; for their actions speak more plainly than words. We know not what is good for ourselves; and what we are most fond of and have our hearts most set upon often proves hurtful and sometimes fatal.

── Matthew HenryConcise Commentary on Jeremiah

 

Jeremiah 42

Verse 6

[6] Whether it be good or whether it be evil we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.

Good or evil — Whether grateful or ungrateful to us.

Verse 10

[10] If ye will still abide in this land then will I build you and not pull you down and I will plant you and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.

I repent — I am satisfied with the punishment your nation hath undergone and as to the remainder will change the course of my providence.

── John WesleyExplanatory Notes on Jeremiah

 

42 Chapter 42

 

Verses 1-22


Verses 1-6

Jeremiah 42:1-6

All the people . . . came near and said unto Jeremiah the prophet.

The people and the prophet

I. Prayerfulness. “Pray for us.” The prophet was implored to intercede with God on behalf of his countrymen. That which prosperity had failed to teach was quickly learned in the day of adversity. God is honoured when His people cast themselves on His all-sufficiency; and He will repay their confidence by revelations of enlarged and ever-enlarging favour.

II. Teachableness. “That the Lord thy God may show ” &c. Matthew Henry well says “In every difficult and doubtful case our eye must be up to God for direction: we cannot be guided by a spirit of prophecy which has ceased; but we may pray to be guided in our movements by a spirit of wisdom and the hints of providence.”

1. A teachable spirit is not a credulous spirit. It does not believe except on evidence; as the preacher is to persuade men so is he ever to re-echo the first words God addresses to His rebellious creatures “Come now and let us reason together.”

2. A teachable spirit is not a captious spirit.

3. A teachable spirit is not a reluctant spirit. (W. G. Barrett.)

The Lord shall answer you I will declare it unto you.--

Portrait of a true preacher

I. The true preacher seeks his message for the people from Heaven. “I will pray ” &c. There are preachers who seek their message from the theories of philosophy from the works of literature from the conclusions of their own reasoning. But a true teacher looks to Heaven. In his studies his great question is “What saith the Lord”; in his ministration his language is “Thus saith the Lord.” We cannot render the spiritual service to humanity of which it is in urgent need by endeavouring to instruct it with human ideas even though they come from the highest intellects of the world. The ideas of God can alone renovate spiritually enlighten purify ennoble and save the human soul.

II. The true preacher delivers his message to the people full and faithfully. “I will keep nothing back from you.”


Verse 20

Jeremiah 42:20

For ye dissembled in your hearts when ye sent me unto the Lord your God saying Pray for us.

The hypocrisy of desiring the prayers of others without a suitable conduct

I. Consider on what principles desiring the prayers of others is grounded. They are these; that it is our duty to pray for one another; that God hath often shown a gracious regard to the intercessions of His servants for others; and that it is very desirable especially in some particular cases to have an interest in them.

II. When they who desire the prayers of others may be said to dissemble in their hearts. They do so when they desire them without sincerity; when they will not pray for themselves; when they will not use proper means to obtain the blessings they desire; and especially when they will not do what God by His Word and ministers requireth.

III. The hypocrisy and evil of this conduct. It is an affront to the all-seeing and holy God; it is likewise deceiving their friends; and prayers offered for such persons are not likely to be of much avail. Application--

1. We may hence learn with what dispositions of mind we should desire the prayers of others. Whenever we ask the intercessions of others let it be in sincerity; with a firm persuasion of the power of prayer; that it is not in vain to seek God; and that it is our duty to engage the assistance of our friends by their application to the throne of grace. Be solicitous that you concur with them by praying yourselves without ceasing in the best manner you are able; and with your chief dependence for acceptance not on your own prayers nor those of your friends but the mediation of Jesus Christ.

2. That we should be ready to pray one for another. Whenever we think of an absent relation or friend or hear of him or receive a letter from him let us lift up our hearts to God for him in a short petition as his circumstances may require. But we should be particularly mindful of those who desire our prayers.

3. It is peculiarly wicked to dissemble in our hearts when we profess dependence on the intercession of Christ. (Job Orion D. D.)

Dissembling with God

I. Consider what was that great and general duty against which the Jews on the occasion before us rebelled. “Ye disembled ” said Jeremiah “in your hearts.” Dissimulation like other sins admits of degrees. The heart may dissemble radically and entirely so as to be wholly hypocritical; so as not to feel any portion of that love to God of that faith of that gratitude of that sense of duty of that purpose of obedience which the tongue expresses. Or it may dissemble partially; feeling weakly and insufficiently those sentiments towards Him which dwell with parade and seeming warmth upon the lips. The doom which awaits the complete hypocrite cannot be doubted. Let the partial hypocrite beware lest he at last come to the same place of torment.

II. Consider each for himself how strong is the probability that you may be guilty in a greater or a less degree of dissembling in your heart before God. We have in our hands the Word of God which describes the character of a true Christian. We have before our eyes the practice of the world. When we compare them we cannot but perceive how vast is the number of professed Christians who evince little of the spirit of true Christianity in their principles and conduct: and therefore stand self-convicted as dissemblers in their hearts before the Most High. When you call to remembrance the multitudes even among those who styled themselves the followers of God which in ancient times the sinfulness and deceitfulness of the heart betrayed into hypocrisy: when you survey the multitudes of His professed followers which in this your day the same sinfulness and deceitfulness render hypocritical before Him: have you not reason for serious dread that you may yourself be found a dissembler in His sight?

III. A scriptural rule which may assist you in discovering whether if the Son of God were now to call you to judgment you would be found dissemblers in your hearts. “Where your treasure is ” saith our Lord “there will your heart be also.” In other words Whatever be the object which you judge and feel to be the most valuable; concerning that object will your heart snow itself to be the most steadily and the most deeply interested. Apply this rule to yourself. Thus you may discover with absolute certainty whether your heart is fixed upon God or whether it dissembles before Him.

1. Compare the pains which you employ the vigilance which you exercise the anxiety which you feel concerning worldly objects on the one hand; on the other concerning religion.

2. When you receive a kindness from a friend you feel I presume warm and durable emotions of gratitude and an earnest desire to render to your benefactor such a return in proportion to your ability as may be acceptable to him. You are receiving every day from God blessings infinitely superior to all the kindnessess which can be conferred upon you by any of your fellow-creatures. Do you feel then still more lively and durable emotions of gratitude to Him?

3. Your worldly prosperity is an object which you pursue with industry and solicitude. Are you still more diligent more anxious in pursuing the welfare of your soul?

4. You have various occupations to which you resort as opportunities offer themselves from inclination and choice. Among these is religion to be found? Does religion stand at the head of them?

5. When you are informed of the events which befall another person you rejoice if they are such as promote his worldly advantage; you lament if they impair it. Do you experience greater joy when you are assured of his advancement in religion? Do you experience greater sorrow if you learn that he has gone backward in the ways of righteousness? (T. Gisborne M. A.)

Insincerity in prayer

Rarely do men come to Christ says Leighton “as blank paper--ut tabula rasa--to receive His doctrine; but on the contrary all scribbled and blurred with such base habits as malice hypocrisy and envy.”

──The Biblical Illustrator