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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 Henry《Concise 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 Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Jeremiah》
42 Chapter 42
Verses 1-22
Verses 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
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》