The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 81

Ver, 20-ch. iv. 2.-God's way of restoration; or, the experiences of a young convert. In ver. 19 we have given us the expression of ~-he Divine perplexity in regard to lost Israel: "How shall I place thee among the children," etc.? Ilut ere the verse closes we behold the problem solved, the seeming impossibility accomplished, for the lost is found, and he that was dead is alive again. The rebel Israel has become the lovina obedient cbi)d. And now in these verses (20-ch. iv. 2) we seem to have a telling of the experience of the restored one, a setting forth of how God had dealt with him. It is given in the form of a dialogue between God and Israel, and is an accurate descrip- t ion of the Divine process of restoration. I. THERE IS THE BRINGING ;1IOME 01: SIN TO TlIE CONSCIENCE. (Ver. 20.) God chari(eS upon lost Israel great and grievous sm. He likens the wrong he has suffered at the bands of Israel to the most grie'l'ous wrong it is possible for a man to suffer, and which of all others a man resents the most. The accusation is terrible. Thus sharply and sternly docs God deal with the soul he would save. He does not gloss over, or palliate, or in any way make little of our sin, as we are apt to do; but he shows it to us so clcnrly that the sight of it is almost more than the heart can bear. II. THIS CONVICTION OF SIN rs FOLLOWED BY A DEEP REPENTANCE. (Ver. 21.) Isrn~l is represented as seeing her sin, and then from the very high places which bad witnessed l,er guilt is beard her weeping and supplication. The soul that has never known the smart and pain of the conviction of sin will never earnestly turn to the Great Physician for the heaUng that is needed, HI. 'l'HE PROCLAMATION OF MERCY FOLLOWS. Ver. 22, "Return, ye apoRtate children, I will heal your apostasies." Just as to the enraptured ears of the penitent who was weeping over the Saviour's feet there came the blessed sound of his pardoning word, assuring her her sins were forgiven and that she might go in peace, so here God is represented as declaring his mercy to the weeping, supplicating Israel. And the Leart the Lord bath dealt with knows that thus it is. A voice not audible, but real, is Leard in the sonl, assuring the contrite one of the forgiveness be needs and craves. IV. 1N BUCH A HE.A.RT PROMPT BELIEF, INST.A.NT ACCEPTANCE OF THE OFFERED MERCY, FOLLOWS. Ver. 22, "Behold, we come unto thee; for," etc. As well might the steel filings refuse to be moved by the magnet that lies by them as the sin-convinced and <;ontrite heart fail to lay hold on the promise set before it in the gospel. No sooner Las God said, "Return, I will heal," than the answer is heard, "Behold, we come." V. Then follows TlIE CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE OF FAITH. (Vcrs. 23-25.) There b11d been confession and repentance before the soul had heard and accepted the ulier of pardon; but that which follows is more full, more deep than that which went before. ,ve repent more deeply of sin after we have known God has pnrdoned us than before we bad that blessed knowledge. See here: 1. Their confession of the utter vanity of all their idols (ver. 23). 2. Their confident assurance that God alone can be their salvation (ver. 23). 3. '!'heir confession of the disgrace and infatuated folly which had characterized them as a people for so long a time (ver. 24). They call their idolatry "shame,'' and own how it has destroyed both their substance and themselves. 4. '!'hey acknowledge the complete righteousness of God's judgment against their sin, and tLeir own just exposure to his wrath (ver. 25). "Let us lie in our shame and our dis- grace cover us, that we have sinned,'' etc. (Lange's translation). And thus it ever is: the more we realize God's pardoning love, the more intense will be our perception of the baseness and utter evil of the sin that has been forgiven. VI. This CONFESSION lS FOLLOWED BY FURTHER ASSURANCES OF GRACE. (Ch. iv. 1, 2.) Return to God shall be followed by return to their own land. "If thou re- turnest to me, thou shalt return (unto thy land), and if thou puttest awny, etc., thou sbalt not remove," i.e. into exile again. "And if thou shalt swear by Jehovah with sincere, righteous, and true heart," i.e. "if thou wilt truly give thyself up to God, th~n the heathen nations outside, seeing how thy God shall bless thee and sbnll heap his favours upon thee, shall come and bless themselves in him, e.nd shall glory in him," i.e. they shall have d~oe with their idolatries and be converted unto God. With such graciuu~ 1,rornises would God cncourago Israel in the new and better way in which cu. m.1-25.J THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH.