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Jeremiah
Chapter Forty-nine
Jeremiah 49
Chapter Contents
Prophecies relative to the Ammonites. (1-6) The Edomites.
(7-22) The Syrians. (23-27) The Kedarenes. (28-33) The Elamites. (34-39)
Commentary on Jeremiah 49:1-6.
(Read Jeremiah 49:1-6.)
Might often prevails against right among men
yet that
might shall be controlled by the Almighty
who judges aright; and those will
find themselves mistaken
who
like the Ammonites
think every thing their own
on which they can lay their hands. The Lord will call men to account for every
instance of dishonesty
especially to the destitute.
Commentary on Jeremiah 49:7-22
(Read Jeremiah 49:7-22)
The Edomites were old enemies to the Israel of God. But
their day is now at hand; it is foretold
not only to warn them
but for the
sake of the Israel of God
whose afflictions were aggravated by them. Thus
Divine judgments go round from nation to nation; the earth is full of
commotion
and nothing can escape the ministers of Divine vengeance. The
righteousness of God is to be observed amidst the violence of men.
Commentary on Jeremiah 49:23-27
(Read Jeremiah 49:23-27)
How easily God can dispirit those nations that have been
most celebrated for valour! Damascus waxes feeble. It was a city of joy
having
all the delights of the sons of men. But those deceive themselves who place
their happiness in carnal joys.
Commentary on Jeremiah 49:28-33
(Read Jeremiah 49:28-33)
Nebuchadnezzar would make desolation among the people of
Kedar
who dwelt in the deserts of Arabia. He who conquered many strong cities
will not leave those unconquered that dwell in tents. He will do this to
gratify his own covetousness and ambition; but God orders it for correcting an
unthankful people
and for warning a careless world to expect trouble when they
seem most safe. They shall flee
get far off
and dwell deep in the deserts;
they shall be dispersed. But privacy and obscurity are not always protection
and security.
Commentary on Jeremiah 49:34-39
(Read Jeremiah 49:34-39)
The Elamites were the Persians; they acted against God's
Israel
and must be reckoned with. Evil pursues sinners. God will make them
know that he reigns. Yet the destruction of Elam shall not be for ever. But
this promise was to have its full accomplishment in the days of the Messiah. In
reading the Divine assurance of the destruction of all the enemies of the
church
the believer sees that the issue of the holy war is not doubtful. It is
blessed to recollect
that He who is for us
is more than all against us. And
he will subdue the enemies of our souls.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Jeremiah》
Jeremiah 49
Verse 1
[1]
Concerning the Ammonites
thus saith the LORD; Hath Israel no sons? hath he no
heir? why then doth their king inherit Gad
and his people dwell in his cities?
No heir —
During the long tract of time that there were wars between the Jews and
Ammonites
the land of Gad and Reuben which lay beyond Jordan
fell into the
hands of the Syrians
Moabites
and Ammonites. Hence it is that the prophet
saith
Hath Israel no sons? God had given that country of Gilead to Manasseh
Reuben
and Gad; and as mens estates ought to descend to their heirs
so this
land should have descended to their posterity
but the Ammonites had taken and
possessed it.
Verse 3
[3] Howl
O Heshbon
for Ai is spoiled: cry
ye daughters of Rabbah
gird you
with sackcloth; lament
and run to and fro by the hedges; for their king shall
go into captivity
and his priests and his princes together.
Ai — A city of the
Ammonites
not the same mentioned
Joshua 7:2
for that was on the other side
Jordan.
By the hedges —
Where they might be hidden
and not so easily seen.
Verse 4
[4]
Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys
thy flowing valley
O backsliding
daughter? that trusted in her treasures
saying
Who shall come unto me?
Flowing —
Either flowing with water
or plenty of corn and grass.
Verse 5
[5]
Behold
I will bring a fear upon thee
saith the Lord GOD of hosts
from all
those that be about thee; and ye shall be driven out every man right forth; and
none shall gather up him that wandereth.
Right forth — So
that you shall be glad to flee
and never look back.
Gather up —
None will receive or entertain you.
Verse 6
[6] And afterward I will bring again the captivity of the children of Ammon
saith the LORD.
I will bring —
Probably this refers to the conversion of the Ammonites
as well as other
Heathens
to Christ.
Verse 7
[7]
Concerning Edom
thus saith the LORD of hosts; Is wisdom no more in Teman? is
counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?
Edom —
The Edomites were the posterity of Esau the eldest son of Isaac
but
disinherited; the blessing being given to his younger brother Jacob
who was
head of the twelve tribes of Israel. God promised him that he should have a
fat
and plentiful country
tho' his brother should be his lord; and foretold
that he should break his brother's yoke from off his neck: the land of Seir was
his country. The Edomites coasted southward upon Canaan
the Israelites passed
by their coasts to go into Canaan
their way lay thro' Edom
but their king
refusing to suffer them to go through
God ordered them to go another way.
Balaam prophesied their ruin. They were enemies to the Israelites in the time
of Saul
1 Samuel 14:47
and David
2 Samuel 8:14
and Amaziah
2 Kings 14:17
who slew of them ten thousand
and took Selah
calling it Jokteel. Many of the prophets foretold their ruin
Jeremiah in this place
Ezekiel 25:12-14; Joel 3:19; Amos 9:11
12
and others.
Teman —
Was a city of Edom.
Verse 8
[8] Flee
ye
turn back
dwell deep
O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the
calamity of Esau upon him
the time that I will visit him.
Dedan —
Was a city of Arabia joining to Idumea
Isaiah 21:13
they being neighbours to the
Edomites are called to flee
and to get into caves
where they might dwell deep
in the earth and be in some security.
Verse 9
[9] If
grapegatherers come to thee
would they not leave some gleaning grapes? if
thieves by night
they will destroy till they have enough.
If — Edom shall be totally
destroyed; their destruction should not be like the gleaning of grapes
where
the gatherers content themselves with taking the principal clusters: nor yet
like the robbings of thieves
who take for their hunger
and when they have got
enough leave the rest.
Verse 12
[12] For
thus saith the LORD; Behold
they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup
have assuredly drunken; and art thou he that shall altogether go unpunished?
thou shalt not go unpunished
but thou shalt surely drink of it.
They —
The Jews
who in comparison with others did not deserve to drink of the cup
yet have drank of it
and can you think to escape? When an Israelite hath not
escaped the justice of God
an Edomite must not expect it.
Verse 13
[13] For
I have sworn by myself
saith the LORD
that Bozrah shall become a desolation
a reproach
a waste
and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual
wastes.
Bozrah —
Edom is expressed under the name of Bozrah
(a part for the whole) Bozrah being
its principal city.
Verse 14
[14] I
have heard a rumour from the LORD
and an ambassador is sent unto the heathen
saying
Gather ye together
and come against her
and rise up to the battle.
An ambassador — He
speaks after the manner of earthly princes
who use to send their ambassadors
to other princes to declare their minds to them. God hath inclined them to come
against Edom.
Verse 19
[19]
Behold
he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan against the
habitation of the strong: but I will suddenly make him run away from her: and
who is a chosen man
that I may appoint over her? for who is like me? and who
will appoint me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?
Behold —
The Edomites shall come up fiercely against Nebuchadrezzar
but will suddenly
flee
yea even from their own country.
Appoint —
Into whose hands shall I give that country.
For who —
For I can do whatsoever I please.
Will appoint —
And who will appoint me a time to plead with men? Who is - Where is that king
or potentate that will stand before me?
Verse 20
[20]
Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD
that he hath taken against Edom; and
his purposes
that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely
the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their
habitations desolate with them.
Teman —
Edom and Teman signify the same thing.
The least —
The least of Nebuchadrezzar's forces shall drag them out of their lurking
places.
Verse 23
[23]
Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded
and Arpad: for they have heard evil
tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.
Damascus —
Being the head of this country
is put for the whole country.
Hamath —
Hamath and Arpad were two cities also of Syria.
On the sea —
Their inhabitants that live near the sea shall be troubled.
Verse 25
[25] How
is the city of praise not left
the city of my joy!
Of my joy — A
city of great renown. The king of Syria is here supposed to speak.
Verse 27
[27] And
I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus
and it shall consume the palaces
of Benhadad.
Ben-hadad —
Was the common name of the kings of Syria.
Verse 28
[28]
Concerning Kedar
and concerning the kingdoms of Hazor
which Nebuchadrezzar
king of Babylon shall smite
thus saith the LORD; Arise ye
go up to Kedar
and
spoil the men of the east.
Kedar —
Was one of the sons of Ishmael
whose posterity inhabited part of Arabia
Petraea. Hazor was the head city to several kingdoms in Joshua's time.
Verse 29
[29] Their
tents and their flocks shall they take away: they shall take to themselves
their curtains
and all their vessels
and their camels; and they shall cry
unto them
Fear is on every side.
They —
The Chaldeans.
Verse 30
[30]
Flee
get you far off
dwell deep
O ye inhabitants of Hazor
saith the LORD;
for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath taken counsel against you
and hath
conceived a purpose against you.
Flee —
These seem to be the prophet's words.
Verse 31
[31]
Arise
get you up unto the wealthy nation
that dwelleth without care
saith
the LORD
which have neither gates nor bars
which dwell alone.
Arise —
The result of Nebuchadrezzar's counsels
giving charge to his armies to march
against the Kedarens
who lived at ease and took no care
nor had any neighbours
that could assist them.
Verse 34
[34] The
word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam in the
beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah
saying
Against Elam —
Probably the Persians.
Verse 38
[38] And
I will set my throne in Elam
and will destroy from thence the king and the
princes
saith the LORD.
My throne —
God calls the throne of Cyrus or Alexander his throne; because he gave it the
conqueror.
Verse 39
[39] But
it shall come to pass in the latter days
that I will bring again the captivity
of Elam
saith the LORD.
But — We
had the like promise as to Moab
chap. 48:47
and as to Ammon
verse 49:6
the same latter days either signify after
many days
or in the time of the Messiah. In the former sense it may refer to
Cyrus
who conquered Persia. In the latter sense it refers to the spiritual
liberty which some of these poor Heathens were brought into by the gospel. We
read Acts 2:9
that some of the Elamites were at
Jerusalem at pentecost
and were some of those converted to Christ.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Jeremiah》
49 Chapter 49
Verses 1-6
Verse 8
Dwell deep
O inhabitants of Dedan.
Dwell deep
O Dedan
We do not quite know who these inhabitants of Dedan were
but in
all probability they were some Arabian tribe or tribes. The text intends one of
two things--either to inform these inhabitants of Dedan
that however deep in
the cavernous rocks they should hide themselves
they would certainly be
destroyed; or else it was a gracious warning to remove from Edom
strike their
tents
and retreat into the depths of the wilderness
and so escape from the
invaders.
I. Let us take it
sarcastically. It is as though the prophet said to these Edomites
and those
that dwelt with them
“You think you never can be destroyed
for your city is
situated in a rocky defile
where a handful of men can hold the pass. You
suppose that the mightiest armies will fail to conquer you
and therefore you
are very proud; but your pride is vain.” “Thy terribleness hath deceived thee
and the pride of thine heart
O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock
that holdest the height of the hill:” though thou shouldest
make thy nest as
high as the eagle
I will bring thee down from thence
saith the Lord.” That
word has been terribly fulfilled
for the ancient rock-city stands as a wonder
to all travellers
and when they ride through it
which is not often
for it is
with great difficulty that you reach the place at all
they find the city
standing
but the houses desolate
and without inhabitants. Edom is a perpetual
desolation
because of her sins:
1. From the text I hear a cry
like the stern voice of Elias
to
every profane stoner who thinks that he will ultimately escape the wrath of
God. Thou mayest dwell deep
O transgressor
but God shall find thee out. Thou
sayest
“How shall He reach me?” The hand of death has only to be stretched
out
and thou art HIS captive at once: and a little thing will do it--the wind
has but to pass over thee
and thou art gone. A drop of blood may go the wrong
way
a valve may refuse to open
a vessel may burst
a band may snap
and there
thou liest
beneath God’s avenging hand
like a stag smitten by the hunter.
Thou art dust
and a breath wilt scatter thee to the four winds. Thy spirit
will be equally unable to escape from God. When it leaves this body
whither
will it fly?
2. The same solemn warning may be applied to those who are
self-righteous
and who think that they are forming a hiding-place for
themselves You think that you will save yourselves by your works Ah! labour
mightily; for hard must be your toil if you think to finish a righteousness of
your own. In the very fire must you labour. You would make a dwelling for
yourself as secure as the Rock of Ages? You had need build anxiously. I do not
wonder that you are ill at ease. I wonder you have any peace
for the labours
which you propose are more stupendous than those of Hercules! You would work
miracles without the God of miracles! Vanity of vanities
all is vanity!
3. The same text
in the same way
might be applied to those who are
hypocrites
and are practising secret sins while they yet wear the name of
Christ
and are numbered amongst His people. Where are the deep places which
can afford refuge to religious pretenders? Where shall liars conceal
themselves? O hypocrite! it may be you have planned your sin so cleverly that
the wife of your bosom does not know it: your scheme is so admirably cunning
that you carry two faces
and yet no Christian sees other than that Christian
mask of yours. Ah
sir! but you are a greater fool than I take you for
if you
think you can deceive your God. Cast off your double-mindedness. “Cease to do
evil
learn to do well
” for it is time to seek the Lord
and may God grant you
His effectual grace that you may do so at once
ere He condemn you to the
lowest hell.
II. But now we will
use the text instructively
in which view
the first and natural sense
would be
that the prophet warns the tribe of Dedan
who had come to live among
the Edomites
to go away from them
and dwell in the depths of the wilderness;
so that when the destroyer came
they might not participate in Edom’s doom. It
was the warning voice of mercy
separating its chosen from among the multitude
of the condemned.
1. The people of God
like the tribes of Dedan
to some extent
dwell
in Edom. Your business
your duty
is to come out from among them. “Be ye
separate
and touch not the unclean thing.” Better go to heaven alone
than to
hell in company. Better be true to God
with Abdiel
“faithful among the
faithless found
” than win the applause of the crowd by great liberality and
equal inconsistency. More important still
however
is the separation of every
Christian from worldly habits
customs
and ways. Wherever you are
dear
friend
though you must be in the world
take care that you be not of it. Dwelt
deep in the solitudes where Jesus dwelt--in the lonely holiness which was
fostered on the cold mountain’s side
and then shone resplendent amid
temptation and persecution! Commit yourself unto no man; call no man master;
lean on no arm of flesh; walk before the Lord in the land of the living
and so
dwell deep
as did your Lord.
2. My earnest desire is that every saved soul among you may dwell
deep
that is to say
that none of you may be superficial Christians
but that;
you may be deep
believers
well rooted plants of grace
thorough
downright
out-and-out
Christians--that you may not only dwell in the Rock of Ages
but dwell deep in
it. To this let me call your attention.
3. If any inquire what are our reasons for bringing forward at this
time such an exhortation as this
I will briefly answer them.
Dwell deep
I. Dwell deep in
the peace of god. God’s peace is so deep and blessed that it cannot be fathomed
or explained; the fugitive into its sacred secrets cannot be followed or
dragged forth to perish by the merciless pack of the wolves of care. Men of the
world cannot understand that mystery of peace; but the believer knows the way into it
and makes
it his hiding-place and pavilion.
II. Dwell deep in
communion with God. Get away from the rush and strife around
and go alone into
the clear
still depths of His nature. The Rhone loses all its silt in the
deep
clear waters of Geneva’s lake. A few hasty words of prayer will not avail
for this. A day’s climb is often necessary before one can reach the heart of
the mountains.
III. Dwell deep in
stillness of soul. Get within. God awaits thee there. Centre thyself. When the
world is full of alarm and harassments
study to be quiet. The soul’s health
cannot be maintained apart from the observance of times of waiting on God in
solitude. The great importance of perseverance in the exercise of prayer and
inward retirement may be sufficiently learnt
says one
next to the experience
of it
merely from the tempter’s artifices and endeavours to allure us from it
and make us neglect it. (F. B. Meyer
B. A.)
Deep dwellers
The plants which grow in the Alps are
as a rule
firmly and
largely rooted. An authority on this topic says: “The roots of some plants
enter so far into the gritty soil as to defy the tourist to bring them out
while others simply search farther into the heart of the flaky rock
so that
they are safer from any want of moisture than if in the best and richest soil.”
So in many lives
the very
strength and beauty of Christian character are a proof that the roots of the soul have struck deep
into the everlasting truth and love
the granite truths of the Divine Being and
attributes. “Dwell deep! O Dedan!” (H. O. Mackey.)
Verse 11
Leave thy fatherless children
I will preserve them alive; and let
thy widows trust in Me.
The compassion and beneficence of the Deity
No subject is more open to general observation
or more confirmed
by manifold experience
than the goodness of God. In Scripture it is most
frequently presented to us in the light of compassion to the distresses of
mankind (Psalms 102:17; Psalms 10:17; Psalms 58:5; Psalms 69:33; Psalms 146:7; Psalms 22:24
&c.).
I. The discoveries
of Divine compassion were purposely intended to furnish to us particular ground
for trust in God amid all the vicissitudes of human life. Compassion is a
principle which we all feel and know. We know that it is the strongest of all
benevolent instincts in our nature
and that it tends directly to interest us
in behalf of those who need our aid. We are taught to believe that a similar
attribute belongs to the Divine nature; in order that
from that species of
goodness which we are best acquainted with
and which we can most rely upon
we
may be trained both to love our Almighty Benefactor
and
as long as we are in
the practice of our duty
to trust to His protection amid every distress.
Compassion to the unfortunate
as it is exerted among men
is indeed accompanied with certain disturbed and
painful feelings
arising from sympathy with those whom we pity. But every such
feeling we must remove from our thoughts when we ascribe an affection of this
nature to the Deity. His compassion is such a regard as suits the perfection of
the great Governor of the universe
whose benignity
undisturbed by any violent
emotion
ever maintains the same tranquil tenor
like the unruffled and
uninterrupted serenity of the highest heavens.
II. Such
discoveries of the Divine nature were designed
not only to administer
encouragement and consolation
but also to exhibit the pattern of that
disposition which we are bound
in our measure
to imitate and follow. That
hardness of heart which renders men insensible to the distresses of their
brethren
that insolence
of prosperity which inspires them with contempt of those who are fallen below
them
are always represented in Scripture as dispositions most opposite to the
nature of God
and most hateful in His sight. In order to make this appear in
the strongest light
He has turned His goodness chiefly into the channel of
compassionate regard to those whom the selfish and proud despise (Psalms 12:5; Psalms 10:17-18).
III. In the course
of human life innumerable occasions present themselves for all the exercises of
that humanity and benignity to which we are so powerfully prompted. The
diversities of rank among men
the changes of fortune to which all
in every
rank
are liable
the necessities of the poor
the wants of helpless youth
the
infirmities of declining age
are always giving opportunities for the display
of humane affections. (Hugh Blair
D. D.)
The God of orphans and widows
The Rev. J. Brown of Haddington
said that his epitaph might
appropriately be: “Here lies one of the cares of providence
who early wanted
both father and mother
and yet never missed them.”
Verse 16
Thy terribleness hath deceived thee
and the pride of thine heart
On the deceitfulness of the heart
in the abuse of prosperity
The words afford us the following doctrine
That worldly
prosperity is often abused by the heart
as the occasion of self-deceit; or
that the heart often discovers its deceit in the abuse of prosperity.
All that is intended here is to illustrate the actions of this corrupt
principle in abusing prosperity.
1. By ingratitude.
2. By disposing us to make a God of our mercies. The deceitfulness of
the heart
so violent is its opposition to the living God
works by contraries
and often by extremes. If it do not tempt us to despise His mercies altogether
it will excite us to put them out of their proper place. By either of these
methods
although directly opposite
it gains its wicked purpose
in making us
forget the God of our mercy. He will suffer no rival in thy heart
O Christian
for it all belongs to Him; and when thy love to worldly comforts ceases to be
secondary and subordinate
it is an encroachment on His prerogative. Therefore
must the usurper of the throne of God be cast down
that in all things He may
have the pre-eminence. When precious comforts are thus converted into severe
crosses
how great is the trial! There is a double bitterness attending it; not
only that of the distress presently felt
but the painful recollection of the
happiness formerly enjoyed.
3. By consuming Divine mercies on lust. The wicked ask that they may
consume it on
their lusts. They neither desire mercies
nor improve those which are bestowed
for the glory of God; but only as making provision for their inordinate or unlawful affections.
4. By ascribing their prosperity to some other cause than God. Even
the Lord’s people
from the prevalence of deceit
are in great danger of
ascribing their mercies to some other cause than God
or to something besides Him. They will not
wholly deny the praise to the God of their salvation; but they do not ascribe
it entirely to Him. When they receive signal mercies from Him
they are apt to
imagine that these are in some degree deserved by their holiness and integrity
of conversation; that He could not justly deny them such tokens of His favour
when they are so faithful and diligent in His service.
5. By denying God the use of those mercies which He hath Himself
bestowed. When
in the course of His providence
He confers on one a greater
portion of common blessings than on another; it is for this end
that he may
use them for His glory
and in the manner of laying them out
return them to
the Lord. No talent is to be laid up in a napkin. According to the measure of
temporal benefits received from God
we are stewards for Him.
6. By unsatisfied desires and immoderate longings for a greater
degree of temporal prosperity. When the heart hath tasted of mercies of this
nature
it is not satisfied; it craves more. If its desires be fulfilled
instead of being content with these
it flatters itself
that if such another
mercy were bestowed
it would ask nothing further. But this only argues its deceit; for even though this be
granted
it is still as importunate as ever. The more it receives
its desires
are enlivened and enlarged the more.
7. By hardening itself under prosperity. No mercy whatsoever can leave us
as it finds us. It must either prove a blessing or a curse. It will either have
a mollifying
or a hardening influence on our hearts. (J. Jamieson
M. A.)
Deceitfulness of pride
How nimbly does that little lark mount up
singing towards heaven
in a right line
whereas the hawk
which is stronger of body and swifter of
wing
towers up by many gradual compasses to its highest pitch. That bulk of
body and length of wing hinder a direct ascent
and require the help both of
air and scope to advance his flight; while the small bird cuts the air without
resistance
and needs no outward furtherance of her motion. It is no otherwise
with the souls of men. Some are hindered by those powers which would seem helps
to their soaring: great wit
deep judgment
quick apprehension
send about men
with no small labour
for the recovery of their own incumbrance
while the good
affections of plain and simple souls raise them up immediately to the fruition
of God. Why should we be proud of that which may slacken our way to glory? (Bishop
Hall.)
Verse 23
There is sorrow (as) on the sea; it cannot be quiet.
Life on the ocean
That which was true of the cities spoken of in our text
is also
true
though in a different sense
of every voyager on the sea of life. “There
is sorrow (as) on the sea.”
I. Sorrow as on
the sea is divinely predicted. Voyagers you all must be. Out on that wide mysterious
ocean which is swept by storms untold
and which teems with dangers
innumerable
you must sail. Many of you axe as yet but as landsmen lying in the
docks. You are admiring your vessel
and putting on nautical airs
and
wondering when you will be freed from the trammels of the shore. Some of you
are just dropping down the stream
your breasts big with hope
and your
imagination painting glowing pictures of the ocean life beyond. ‘Mid the songs
of the sailors
and the music of the passengers
bright visions are rising of
sunny seas and blue skies
of mirth and boundless happiness. With all my heart
I wish you God-speed. I would not unnecessarily becloud that fair prospect. May
the sunbeams which begild the waves around you follow you abundantly. And yet
though at the risk of being charged with unkindness
I must warn you that
“there is sorrow on the sea.” I would not
I could not
prevent your sailing;
but I must remind you of that which should not be always forgotten
that in
life’s voyage troubles will come.
II. Sorrow as on
the sea is universally experienced.
1. From the mutability of life. I have no wish to play the
misanthrope
to paint you a leaden landscape under a lowering sky
where no
break of sunshine ever comes to chase the shadows from an ebon sea. There is
sunshine! Though all life has its clouds
life is not all sorrow. But while
life’s joys may be many and real
it will have its sorrows by reason of its
changes. To-day the sea may he calm
and the sky may be without a cloud
but
even while we speak the glass is falling
and the calm sea will soon be lashed
into foaming fury
and the cloudless sky will soon be overcast with messengers
of coming woe.
2. From the uncertainties of life. Which way to steer--what to
do--whether to enter into this speculation or to avoid that transaction--how to
meet this engagement
or how to be relieved of that responsibility--often
drives men to their wits’ end. Business goes wrong
markets are unsteady
panics are abroad
and fogs and thick darkness so enshroud the mercantile
world
that with dangers and uncertainty everywhere around
the perplexed
tradesmen often just throws up the helm in despair
and allows the vessel to
drift whithersoever the current will take her. And in his spiritual voyage the
Christian is not always free from similar sorrow. With the Psalmist
we have
sometimes to lament that “we see not our signs.”
3. The disappointments of life.
III. Sorrow as on
the sea may be greatly mitigated.
1. A good ship. Let a sailor be persuaded of the soundness of the
ship in which he sails
and “it may blow big guns”--he is comparatively at
ease. We want similar faith in the grand old Gospel ship. We want the
unswerving confidence which will inspire us ever to say
“I am not ashamed of
the Gospel of Christ
for it is the power of God unto salvation.” Classed A1
for ever in the heavenly register
this “everlasting Gospel” can never fail. In
this good ship millions have reached the “desired haven” in peace; on her deck
millions are sailing thither now; and there is room for millions yet unborn.
2. A reliable chart. Without this a man may well be anxious. By what
chart are you steering? Is it the Bible
or is it the “Age of Reason”? Blessed
be God
we know whom and we know what we believe.
3. Sufficient provision. Lacking provision
what can the sailor do?
There is often such “sorrow on the sea.” Want often stares men in the face when
they are far from port
and when they can by no possible means obtain supplies.
This can never happen on board the ship of the Gospel. This vessel is stored
abundantly with the choicest provisions of free eternal grace. (W. H. Burton.)
The sea
a parable of human life
The ocean is
and always will be
so long as man keeps the faculty
of imagination
a mournfully suggestive parable of human life. The restlessness
of the sea
its constant alternations of storm and calm
its treachery
for
ever deceiving us by false appearances
the atmosphere of mystery that broods
over it
all these contribute to make it the natural symbol of man’s condition
here in this world. Take only one of those characteristics--mysteriousness.
David had been visited by this thought also. “Thy judgments
” he says
while
pondering the strange confusion of good and evil in the world
“are like the
great deep.” The sea does suggest
with wonderful power
the mysteriousness of
God’s providence in the affairs of men. “Thy way is in the sea
and Thy path in
the great waters
and Thy footsteps are not known.” The human mind is by nature
prone to the misgiving that fate rather than providence orders the procession
of our life. Events
so the temptation whispers
fall out according to an iron
law of necessity. There is no loving Father who notes the sparrow’s fall
and
gives His children their daily bread; neither is there any blessed
consummation
any final victory of the good over the evil towards which history
may be supposed to move. These hopes are delusive; they rest on no foundation.
The only thing of which we are certain is that effect follows upon cause in
uniform succession
any given human life being as powerless to quicken
or
retard
or alter the movement of this endless chain
as if it were only a tiny
bubble molten in the fibre of the iron of one single link. This is what we
understand by such words as “destiny
” “fate.” “necessity
” and this is the
idea which the sea
looked at as a parable
most easily suggests. You sit upon
some rocky promontory and watch the incoming tide. You note how wave after wave
dashes itself against the hard face of the cliff
and perishes in the act. You observe
that every now and then a larger wave comes in
and seems to make a braver
effort; but that also
like its predecessor
falls back and is gone. Meanwhile
the general level of the water rises and rises
until a predetermined point is
reached
and then
as gradually
the tide recedes
sure to return again as soon
as a few hours have past
and to make its mark a little higher
or a little
lower
according to rules which the astronomers wrote out long ago
which you
might have found all calculated for you in their books before you started on
the walk. Surely
if there be anywhere in nature a vivid emblem of the idea of
destiny
it is here. And
if anything were needed to heighten the impression
which the eye has already carried to the mind
the ear might find it in the monotonous
melancholy music of the breaking waves
a sound which possibly suggested to the
mourner among the prophets his pathetic cry
“There is sorrow on the sea.” What
is the relief for a mind oppressed
weighted down with thoughts like this? “The
sea is His
and He made it.” “Have faith in God
” said our Lord Jesus Christ to
His disciples
when they found themselves in perplexity. Have faith in God. He
who made the sea is greater than the sea. He who ordained the strangely tangled
scheme of providence
is greater than His scheme. He who is responsible for the
mystery of human life
holds the key of that mystery in. His hands. Do you ask
for proof of this? There is no proof. If there were proof
Christ need not have
said
“Have faith in God.” Where knowledge leaves off
there faith begins. At
the outer boundary of demonstration
belief lifts up her voice and sings. Do
you say
Convince me that the idea of destiny is false
and that the idea of
providence is true? No
I cannot convince
I can only
by God’s help
persuade
you; and yet
when once persuaded
you will be as certain as if you had been
convinced; for what a man believes with all his heart
he holds as firmly as he does
that which he knows with all his mind. “We know
” says St. Paul
grandly
asserting his faith in a doctrine the opposite of destiny
“that all things
work together for good to them that love God.” How did he know this? Had it
been proved to him by strict processes of reasoning in which his keen intellect
had been able to detect no flaw? Was that the ground of the confidence with
which he spoke? Far from it. The foundation of his certainty was what he
elsewhere calls the “assurance of faith.” And who is the teacher of this glad
faith? To whom shall we go that we may learn to believe that God is love? I know not
if not
to Him who
standing once upon the deck of a tempest-tossed ship
rebuked the
wind
and said unto this same sea
“Peace
be still.” Did not He
the Redeemer
come into this world
and take our nature upon Him
and suffer death upon the
Cross
for the very purpose of freeing men from the bondage of their fears
for
the very purpose of breaking up this evil dream of destiny and enfranchising us
with the liberty of the sons of God? Has He not made for us
as for Israel of
old
a pathway through the dreaded sea
and having overcome the sharpness of
death
has He not opened the kingdom
of heaven to all believers? Well may He ask
Where is your faith? One who has
done so much for us has at least the right to expect that we shall trust Him;
having at so great a cost purchased us this freedom
He has at least the right
to expect that we shall be thankful for it
and use it as His gift. (W. R.
Huntington
D. D.)
Verse 30-31
Flee
get you far off
dwell deep
O ye inhabitants of Hazor
saith the Lord.
Dangers to the Church
What is called “Underground Jerusalem” is largely the space
from which the stones were taken for the building of Solomon’s temple. That
space
according to Josephus
was afterwards honeycombed with passages
canals
and secret galleries
not for sanitary purposes
but as places of refuge for
women and children in times of war. These passages were all connected with the
forts and towers of the city
and were a secret means of escape when the city
was besieged. When Jerusalem was surrounded by the Romans under Titus large numbers of the Jews
fled for refuge to these underground hiding-places. Before the Romans knew of
these hiding-places
they were often astonished
and sometimes startled
by
seeing persons rising as from the ground and making their escape by the towers
when at length they entered the city
and had passed from Moriah to Mount Zion
they thought that their work of destruction was ended; but they only then
learned that thousands of the Jews were living beneath the ground. It is
alleged that more than a hundred battles were fought underneath the city
and
that more than two thousand dead bodies were taken out of the tunnels and
secret chambers of what is now called Underground Jerusalem when the prophet
enjoined the inhabitants of Hazor to flee
and dwell deep
he may have had some
such invisible cities of refuge in view. But even in such hiding-places they
were only comparatively safe. Their enemies often sought them
and found them
and put them to death.
I. One of the
dangers to which the Church is exposed in modern times is shallowness of
thought. Many seem to be satisfied with as little of Christianity as possible.
Shallowness of thought means want of heart
want of understanding
want of
principle
moral purpose
and power. The Church can outlive pagan conspiracies
tyrannical laws
and cruel persecutions; but she cannot outlive
thoughtlessness. “Dwell deep” may be regarded as synonymous with Solomon’s
injunction
“With all thy getting
get understanding.” It means that we should
get beneath the surface and find out the true meaning of things. We are to know
things not as they may have been perverted
or as they seem
but as they are
who that is wise would estimate the value of a chronometer by its cases
or of
a picture by its frame
or of a book by its binding? We would sooner expect a
man to tell us all about the growth and development of a tree without reference
to sunshine and showers
or the soil in which the tree was planted and in which
it grew
than we should expect him to understand all about salvation without
any reference to sin
or all about God without any reference to Jesus Christ.
Things can only be known thoroughly and satisfactorily as they are studied in
their proper connections. Take the letters of the most precious word you know
and transpose them
and they cease to convey thought to your thought. Separate
the Old Testament from the New
or the first Adam
in his federal
relationships
from the second Adam
and you will fail to understand one of the
deepest doctrines of the Bible. But unite these as Paul does in his Epistle to
the Romans
and you have the key to understand much of the great mystery of
godliness.
II. Another source
of danger to the Church in these days is superficiality of character. In the course
of our voyage to America
some years ago
the motion of the ship was on some
days very disagreeable to the passengers. She pitched and lurched and rolled
Among the waves so constantly as to render it impossible for us to rest or be
at peace in any position. The sea on the surface being comparatively calm
some
of us wondered why the vessel was so unsteady
and on making inquiry were
informed that it was owing to her light cargo. The ship had no grip of the
water
and the water had no grip of her
and hence her unsteady movement. Men
of superficial character are somewhat like this ship
not very steady.
Superficial Christians remind you of those shopkeepers who make the most of
their limited stock by putting it all or nearly all in the windows. In all
substantial buildings there is much invisible mason work. The foundation of
every palatial edifice is not only deep and solid
but it has been laid with a
view to sustain the structure that rests upon it. It is also well known that
there is a fair proportion between the roots of a tree in the ground and its
height and breadth above it. It is even so with respect to human character.
Those who grow up to Christ in all things cannot be strangers either to the
depths from which the Psalmist cried
“Out of the depths have I cried unto
Thee
O Lord!” or to the secret place of the Most High
when the soul resides under the
shadow of the Almighty.
III. Another source
of danger to the Church in modem times is her apparent acquiescence in pious
frauds. “The greatest obstacle
” says Archbishop Whately
“to the following of
truth is the tendency to look in the first instance to the expedient. Pious
frauds
” he says
“fall naturally into two classes--positive and negative: the one refers to the
introduction and propagation of what is false; the other refers to the
toleration of it. A plant may be in a garden from two causes
either from being
planted designedly or being found there and left there. In either case some
degree of approbation is implied. He who propagates a delusion
and he who
connives at it when already existing--both alike tamper with truth.” (J. K.
Campbell
D. D.)
.
──《The Biblical Illustrator》