The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 13

HOMILE'l'ICS. Vcrs. 1~.-0n the external surroundings of the life of Jereniiah. 'l'hese words "·hich constitute the preface to the Book of Jeremiah, arc evidently intended to furnish n. historical setting for the writings of the prophet. But they also throw light on his character and work. For, though the true life of every man is his inner spiritual life, we cannot estimate the worth of this until we have taken nccount of the circumstances in which it is placed, the aids and the hindrances it receives from without. Let us con- siJcr, therefore, the spiritual significance of the main historical surroundings of the work of Jeremiah. I. THE OFFICIAL RELATIONSHIP OF JEREMIAH. 1. Jeremiah had the advantage of being the son of a priest. He had probably received a religious education from his child- hood. The rcligiou of his fathers must have been familiar to him. Its solemn rites and suggestive symbols were often before his eyes. Possibly, like St. Paul, 'l:'l'ho was trained in Jewish theology before he became a Christian (Gal. i. 14), he may have found the, Law a schoolmaster to bring him to a higher religion. The children of Ohristian ministers have peculiar privileges in the early knowledge of Scripture, Church life; etc., which they have opportunities of acquiring. 2. Yet this official relationship of Jeremiah's l,ad its disadvantages. It was quite exceptional. Not more than three of the prophets were of sacerdotal origin. For the most part the priestly class regarded .the prophetic with jealousy, if not with envy. (1) Officialism is conservative, and opposed to the free and revolutionary spirit of prophecy. (2) It 'is also formal, and tends to· repress the' inward and spiritual experiences of which prophecy is the highest outcome. It speaks well for Jeremiah that the spirit of prophecy was not crushed out of hiin by the dry' traditionalism and the rigid ritualism of bis priestly connections. 3. It is notewo1tl;iy that the official relationship of Jeremiah was entirely ove1·shadowed by M,s prophetic mission. He is known to history not as the priest, but as the prophet. Official religious services are quite secondary to spiritual work. II. THE CHARACTER OF THE AGE OF JEREMIAH. 1. Jeremiah entered on his mission in the midst of the reformation of Josiah. Yet the prophet's work was entirely discon- nected from that of the king. Political religious activity is very different from personal spiritual work. Ecclesiastical reforms will not effect spiritual regeneration. '£he king's orerthrow of the idols does not dispense with the need of the prophet's call to repentance. 2. Jeremiah continued his mission after the failure qf Josiah's reformation and during an age if national decay. The character of the age changed, but the prophet remainecl unchanged. Weak men may be cont,mt to echo the popular cries of the day. It is too. often the mission of the servant of God to contradict these familiar voices. The true prophet is not the creature of his age, the mouthpiece of the Zeit'"!leist; be is called to resist this influence. 3. Jeremiah closed his mission amidst scenes of national ru.in. It was given him to see the fulfilment of his warnings of doom, but not that of his promises of restoration. Hence be is the prophet of tears. Jesus also wept over Jerusalem, but he brought redemption. We should be thankful that we live in these latter times when we can see the realization of the promises of•• the Ilook of consolation." • III. THE DURATION OF THE MISSION OP JEREMIAH. It lasted for at least forty yea,rs; how many more after the overthrow of Jerusalem we do not know. 1. 'l'his fact opeaks much for the prophetic power of Jeremiah. Mauy meil can only rouse themselves to one supreme effort. True greatness is as much seen in the continuanc.e of powers as in supreme exhibitions of them. 2. This fact is a grand proor of the faithfulness of the prophet. Almost the whole of bis work was done "in opposition." We admire the young martyr who summons up a momentary heroic courage to seal his testimony with bis blood; but greater honour is due to the aged confessor who has persevered through a lifelong martyrdom, and, though spared to old age, is also " faithful unto death." 3. This fact sheds light on God's ways with man. Jeremiah commenced his stern prophetic denunciations forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem. 'l'his suggests to us (1) that God mercifully delays the execution of his threats to give man time for repentance; and (2) that the forbearance of God, which posLpones the evil day, does not frustrate the justice which must ultimately bring it upon the impenitent. OH. I. 1-l!J.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. ,j