The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 21

Jeremiah w11s enabled to" see well" the visions, that is, to realize very forcibly what they meant. Oh, if we could but more vividly realize what the anger of God is against sin; if we could have a vision of the wrath of God; with how much more power and urgency should we plead with men to flee from the wrath to come! 7. Ver. 16: he reminds Jeremiah of the sins that called for these judgments. A deep sense of sin is indispensable to those who would earnestly warn of the doom of sin. 8. And (ver. 19) God again gives his servant the blessed assurance, "'.rhey shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee to deliver thee." 'l'hus did God equip the prophet and prepare him for bis work. His God supplied all his need. It was a stern warfare on which he was to go, but he went not at bis own charges. If we be summoned to difficult duty, we shall be supplied with all-sufficient strength. Only let us be careful to avail our- selves of the help assured, lest (ver. 17) we be dismayed and God confound us before our enemies. Dread, therefore, no commission that God entrusts thee with, for along with it will.ever be found the grace, all the grace, needed for its successful discharge.-C. Ver. 10.-The ministry for a: corrupt age. I. MUST DE RAISED UP BY .Goo. Such an age will have its ministers, but they will be prophets who will prophesy only smooth things. Ilut a true ministry for such an age will not be produced by it, but be given to it from God. "See, I have set thee," etc. II. WILL BE ENDUED WITH DrvINE POWER. "I have set thee QVer the nations . . . to root out," etc. None who contemplate the marvellous effects of such a ministr.v and compare them with the natural powers of him who exercises it, but must see that the ascendancy be has gained and the spiritual power he wields are of God and not of man. III. WILL MAKE NO COMPROMISE WITH SIN. See the number and force of the words used to indicate the ruthless antagonism which the prophet would manifest toward the wickedness of his day. Nothing less than its complete overthrow would fulfil the ministry entrusted to him. IV. WILL DEMAND ON THE PART OF THE PROPHET, AND WILL GAIN FROM THE GRACE OF Goo, A FEARLESS AND AN UNCONQUERABLE COURAGE. (V ers. 17, 18.) V-. ITs END AND RESULT BLESSED. "To build and to plant" (ver. 10). The en- cumbered ground bad first to be cleare<l and cleansed, but that done, the fabric of a. true life should be upreared, and principles pure, holy, and blessed should have root in the hearts of all.-C. • Vers. 11-16.-Jeremiah's visions. I. WHAT WERE THEY? (Cf. vers. 12-14.) II. WiIEREFORE WERE THEY? In all probability, for the sake of vividly impressing the mind of the prophet with the message he was to deli-v·er, and so ensuring that that message should be delivered with greater power. Hence the question, "What seest thou?" (ver. 11) was designed to arouse and arrest his attention, and for the same reason, when that attention had been awakened, the Diviue commendation, "Thou hast well seen," is given. Cf. for similar questions and similar visions, ver.13; eh. xxiv. 3; Amos vii. 8; viii. 2; Zech. iv. 2; v. i, and in each case the motive seems to have been the same. III. THEIR SUGGESTIONS FOR ounSELVEB. 1. Concerning God's punishment of sin. (1) Its not being apparent to us is no reason for denying it. Certainly the vision of the stem, or branch, of the almond tree would not to an ordinary observer have sug- gested it. Nor either the second vision, that of the" seething pot," although that did undoubtedly present somewhat more of 11 troubled aspect. Yet both alike needed that their meaning and interpretation should be given. Their significance did not lie on the surf11ce. Only a divinely illumined eye could see t-hat the early-budding almond tree which, because of its outstripping ot-her trees, being in advance of them all in yielding its fruit, w11s called the" wakeful" or" watchful" tree, meant that the Lord was" watchful over his word to perform it." Nor was the interpretation of the secoad vision much more evident than that of the first. And so continually, in connection with ungodly men, there are events occurring and signs of varied kind are given, which to those who a.re taua-bt of God tell plainly how God is "w11tchful over his word to perform it;" but to otbe~ thay tell nothing of the kind. They are like the prophet's almond tree and seething pot, which had no meaning until that meaning was pointed out. The people  14 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. [err. r, 1-19.