The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 112

Ver. 9.-Despair among the leaders in Israel. Let us consider how Jehovah leads tbo /Jrophet up to the emphaUc, and what we may call consummating, announcement of t 1is verse. One severe sentence comes on another, until at last the prophet himself, crushed nnd overwhelmed, gives utterance to the sense he feels of contradiction to for- mer gracious words. 'l'his cheerless outlook to Israel, he says, is as a sword piercing to the soul. Looking bnck, then, through the previous eight verses, we find a spirit of thorou_glmess running through the whole. Jehovah has asked for thoroughness, and seems to intimate that the demand will be practically neglected. Thoroughness in turning to him; thoroughness in the putting away of all abominations; thoroughness in observin:,: the sanctity and obligation of the oath; thoroughness in the culture of spiritual life; thoroughness in circumcision of heart; thoroughness everywhere, is the order of the clny. '!'hen on the other hand-because, in spite of all remonstrances, there is a clinging to the superficial modes in which all merely hnman reforn1ations are managed-we arc confronted with the thoroughness of God's work. If men will not be thorough, at all events God will be so. His fury will come forth like the unquenchable flame; his ngents, in the shape of invincible armies, will bear down resistlessly on his unfaithful people; and, as a sort of climax, the very heads and guides will acknowledge themselvrs utterly overcome. Such is the scene presented in ver. 9. Consider- !. How THE CONSTERNATION AND HUMILIATION OF THESE MEN NOW IS IN CONTRAST TO THEIR PREVIOUS CONDUC'l'. We do not stay here to make discriminations among the four classes of prominent men here indicated. The general truth underlying the conduct of all of them is that the leading persons in the State would assuredly lose their self-confidence. Brazen nnd complacent as that self-confidence is, Jehovah is undermining it in secret, and it will come down with a crash. These men were nssociated in deception; each one deceived, first of all, himself; and then by a cou- tinuous mutual action and reaction, the power both of deceiving and of being deceived becnme very great indeed. 'l'he king, upon giving the slightest encouragement, woul,l become a centre for all sorts of flatteries and arrogant assurances; and indeed, as long as it was a matter of keeping their own people in subjection, these leaders might have comparatively little difficulty. 'l'hey knew what they were dealing with, e.nd coul,l keep it in bounds by virtue of long practice and cleverly transmitted tricks of manage- ment. There was a certain ground of experience which they went upon in e.11 their contemptuous refusals to listen to God's prophet. But now there comes up, nil at once, a danger outside their experience, and not only defying their resources, but comin:-; clown on those resources like a deluge, and utterly sweeping them nway. When the downtrodden and aggrieved in their own borders begin to mutter sedition and meditate conspiracy, they may, perhaps, stop this peril in its beginning; but when the majestic clestroyer of the Gentiles is on his way, how shall he be met? 'l'ho lion out o{ the thicket is manngeable enough if the man against whom he advances happens to have n londed rifle in his hand, and the power of using it with unerring aim; but what if be hns nothing more than a cudgel? Kings and princes, priests nnd prophets, might successfully join in counsel to mislead and keep down their own people; but a strong and proud army, that has come forth like a mighty wild beast intent on prey, is not to be turned back by mere counsels. In the last resort strength must be opposeJ to strength. The solo virtue of skill lies in this, that it can mnke the most of strength. But where the strength is lacking, skill can do notliing. No amount of skill cnn n·.tke a walking-stick do the work of a rifle, and the greAt peril of most human lives lie, just in thi~, thnt they go on in the contented use of ordinary resources for ordinary nee<ls. Practicnlly speaking, extraordinary needs nre not thought of till they come. 'l'herc aro voices to us, even as to these kings, princes, priests, and prophets of ol<l; but we ,10 not heed them, and meanwhilo the lion out of the thicket, all unsuspected, is coming nearer and nenrer to us. II. NOTE THE FORCIBLE EXPRESSION WITH REGARD TO T1IE KIXOS AND rn:IXCES Their ·hearts are to perish. Not but wha.t priests and prophets may have the snmo experience. Hebrew parnllelism is to bo boruo in mind. '!'he description of king and princes applies also to priest and prophet, and vice versa. 'l'hey were overwhelmed in n common cli.tastrophe. lt is the heart-perishing itself we would call nttention to, who- ever tho subject of it might bo. One is reminded of tho similnr expression, tolernl,Iy frequent in the Ol<l •rcsbment, (lf the heart mflt'ng. With regard to the kin~. th"·  108 TIIE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEllEM!All. [en. 1v. 1-::11.