The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 68

evidently is that Israel has learned to speak to God much in the same way that an Enp;lish child learns to say "papa" or "father" (Isa. viii. 4).. ll, .OBSERVE THE CONDUCT BY WHICH WlU.T IS GOOD IN THIS BECOGXIZED RELATION OF FATHER IB MANIFESTED, It ·was true that Jehovah had been Father to Israel; it was moreover true that he bad been Guide, Friend, and Companion to Israel's youth. It is not always the case that fatherhood means a loving and cherishing companionship. But here it is emphatically the case. Jehovah was a very close Companion to Israel in its youth; not.really nearer, of course, than he had been since, but near in s1tch a way that the people were compelled to note his proximity to them, and constan~ watchful- ness over them. This, therefore, as Israel looked back upon its youth, was the right way for it tp speak of Jehovah. Being Father, he had also been a true Companion an,! Support. " Guide of my youth" does very well for a rendering, H we bear in mind al I that. the guiding implies. There is a guiding which is a mere tra<le, a mere selling of the guide's knowledge. He takes up any stranger, shows him the way, gets his pay, and then the relation is at au end. But the practical guiding here comes from a deep love and solicitude. Further, it must be remembered that Jehovah's friendship an,l companionship were the friendship and companionship of one competent to guide. Friendship by itself is, of course, not sufficient to constitute guiding capacity. We sec, then, that· the expression of this verse is a very suggestive one by which to address God. All fathers may learn from it the spirit of a right ,·elation towards their chi1dren. It is the name which they should desire their children to associate with their child- hood. H should be a remembrance having a binding power when the child has become a man, and the. father an old man. It should be possible to look back on a childhood where the father was a true companion, one whose companionship was full of true befriending and guiding. There is also indicated the spirit in which youth should look beyond eartlily dependencies to God himself. He who was so much to a youthful nation of old will be of inestimable service to the ignorance, weakness, and abounding need of all youth. Especially should this consideration have force when one thinks of the significance in the doctrine of being born again. He who is born again has then a second youth, even though he be in the full strength of natural manhood. And what is wanted is that the man in his strength and his wide outlook on the possibilities of life should choose a. truly humble position before God. The expression is al~o one that may point back to a submissive, hopeful youth, wherein many Divine impressions were made, and from which there has been a great backsliding. Theu how beautifully would such an expression come from the lips of the returning prodigal, "My Father, thou wast the Guide of my youth; and now after a bitter e.xperieuce of trying to make my own way, which has ended in a mere drifting before the strong currents of passion and self-indulgence, I come back to thee" I It is sad to have the friendship of father and child broken, sad at any time, but saddest of all when H is not through some meddling whisperer or repeater of o. matter (Prov. xvi. 28; xvii. 9), but through tho voluntary and obstinat.e dt1parture of one of the friends.-Y. Ver. 5.-.Actions speal, louder tlian words. Israel, we see, is represented as speaking with a very pathetic remembrance of God's great favours in the remote past. At present, indeed, there is a withholding of the rain that means fruilfulness and prosperity, but that )father who has been the Guide oflsrael's youth,"surely he will soon bring tho rain, with all thnt follows it, in spite of any appearances to the contrary, such as his anger with· Israel suggests. Such is tho way that Israel speaks ; but how does it act 1 Is there to be alteration in God without alteration in man? It is of no use for th(/ sinning nation simply to wait as if God's righteous chastisements would be exhausteu by lapse of time. There might have to be waiting, but assuredly there would have to he repenting, and tho bringing forth of fruits meet for repentance. But instead of this God is confronted with persistent transgression. He who had been Friend, Companion, and Guide in youth could not have beeu so without a docile ac~ptance of the companion- ship. The guidance in youth meant that Jehovah had a right to expect a manhood of holy service. But so far from the people giving this, the expectation in their hear& is that God will still provide for them and let them do as they like. They do not seem to understand that it is they who by their transgressions provide for the susten- ance and continuance of the anger of Jehovah. Thnt anger is not like a storm which  64 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. [oH. m. l-2o.