Vers. 13, 14.-The seething pot. I. THE VISION OF THE BEE'l'BING POT FOnEBH.ADOWS APPROACHING DOOM. God is about to" hold his session" upon Jerusalem and the cities ot Judah. 1. They who are most favou1·ed by God must expect the severest judgment if they prove unfaithful to him. The Jews were a favoured people. Their privileges were great; if they abused these their guilt and consequent punishment must be proportionately great. Therefore, instead of considering the past mercies of God as a ground for ex- pecting to escape the penalties of our offences, we should see in them the mea.~ure of his fuLure severities upon us if we sin in face of the special inducements to devotion affordecl by those mercies. 2. The revelation of impending judgment is a great motive/or faitl,,ful preaching. This vision of the seething pot is given to Jeremiah to rouse him to under- take his prophetic duties. A large part of his work consisted in gloomy predictions of coming doom. This was peculiar to the age. There are ages when similar preaching is especially appropriate. But as sin always makes for death the preacher is always called to raise a voice of warning. ll. THE VISION OF THE SEETHING POT ILLUSTRATES THE CHARACTER OF THE APPROACH- ING DOOM. 1. It is gradually prepared. The vessel is slowly heated to the boiling point. The guilt of sin accumulates and the evil consequences gather in force until they burst upon the victim with the energy of long pent-up wrath. 2. It breaks forth suddenly. Suddenly the vessel boils over. Judgment may be delayed and gradual in the preparation, and yet suddenly surprise us when at length it falls upon us. 3, It is violent and overwhelming, as the seething pot suggests fury, tumult, and, in its boiling over, a rushing forth of its scalding contents. Ill. THE VISION OF THE SEETHING POT SUGGESTS THE SOURCE OF THE APPROACHING DOOM. The pot was turned towards the south and heated by fires in the north. 1, Punishment may come from the most unlikely quarter. The Jews had turned to Babylon for friendship, and from Babylon came their ruin. Our most trusted friends may become the instruments of our keenest suffering. 2. Lawless violence may be overruled by providence to work the ends of God's righteous laws. The doom is not to come from within the range of the theocracy and through the influence of those who consciously executed the Divine decree, but from far-off regions, wholly beyond the light of Israel's religion. Thus God makes the wrath of man tofraise him. So storms and earthquakes, revolutions and invasions, tumults in nature an tumults in the human world, work ultimate good results in clearing and purifying the air, sweeping away pestilent corruption, and preparing for a new and wholesome order. 3. The more luxurious Southern races have frequently been visited by terrible invasions of hardier races from the North. The Scytbians in the East, the Goths in the West, were scourges of God, and wholesome scourges, helping to reform the corrupt and indolent peoples who lived in dread of their invasions. We should see wise and good purposes of providence in these terrible events of general history, as we see them in the special history of Israel. Vers. 17-19.-Encouragements to fidelity. It was no easy matter for Jeremiah, young, modest, and sensitive, to come boldly forward and threaten the judgment of God against his country. But if God calls a man to any task, ho ~ill help him through with it, and Jeremiah receives encouragements proportionate to his duty. I. THE DUTY. Consider what the duty of faithful service laid upon the prophet included. 1. Energy. He is to gird up his loins, and a.rise. God is not satisfied with passive submission to his will. God cannot be faithfully served by the indolent. All 0ur powers are required for his service, and they must be employed without. distraction. 2. Obedience, Jeremiah is to speak just what God commands him. Fidelity is not simJ,ly devotion to God, it is devotion according to his will-the devotion of servants, Lvt that of patrons. 3. Thoroughness, The prophet is to speak" all" that God corn- Oil, I, 1-19,] THE BOOK OF 'fHE PltOPllET JEREMIAH, 9
me.ads him. It is tree.son for the ambassador to suppress those elements of his commis- sion which are displeasing to himself. 'fhe servant of God must not select from tbc revelation of Divine truth the words which suit his purpose and neglect the rest. He is not to shun to declare "the whole counsel of God "-threats as well as promises, difficult sayings and mysteries as well as plainly acceptable doctrines. 4. Fearle.ssness. "Be not dismayed." Fear is not only painful; it is injurious by paralyzing effort, Cowardice is ein. II. 'l'ru: ENOOUBAGEMENTB. It is our duty to be faithful, though fidelity should bring our ruin; but such a result will not follow it. Consider the various indncemcntH Jeremiah recei:\'es to a faithful discharge of his difficult task. 1. A revelation of momentous truths. God says, "Thou therefore gird up thy loins," etc. The word "therefore" carries us back to the visions of the almond rod and the seething pot. The truths revealed in these visions themselves furnish a motive for the prophet to declare them. The seer should become a prophet. Truth is not the private property of the few; it is the rightful heritage of all. It is the duty of him who knows to enlighten the ignorant. More especia!ly is this the case in regard to spiritual truths, practical truths, and truths which concern the highest welfare of mankind. 2. A warning of _Divine displeasure. "Be not dismayed at them, lest I make thee indeed dismayed." The fear of God is a safeguard against the fear of man. Cowardice pro- vokes danger. The Christian has no armour provided for his back. 8. An assurance of Divine protection. • This is given in a succession of strong images, that it may be felt in all its certainty and importance. For we need not only to know tha.t God will protect us, but to realize this if we are to be brave and strong. Thus Jeremiah is made to feel that, in spite of his youth and sensitiveness, he will be strong as a fortress and firm as brazen walls. None are so independent before men as they who are wholly dependent on God. 4. A promise of victory over opposition. The young prophet is taught to expect opposition. (1) It is fooltsh to ignore the approach of trouble. A surprise sometimes leads to a defeat from very inferior foes. Danger foreseen is danger half overcome. The Bible never makes light of the difficulties and hard~hips of life (Luke x. 3). (2) No grouncl of confidence is more inspiring than the knowlcclge that the danger clearly, fully apprehended will yet be certainly overcome. This was the assurance given to Jeremiah. The same assurance is offered to every faithful servant of God (Isa. xliii. 1),