The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 208

from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: •.• I shall be inno- cent from the great transgression "!-C. Ver. 16.-I'rohibited prayei·s. The text a distil!.Ct instance. We rem11.rk- I. SucH PROHIBITION OF PRAYER SEEMS VERY STRANGE, Are we not bidden " pray without ceasing," "in all things by prayer and supplication . . . make our requests known unto God"? Are we not promised," Ask, and ye shall receive"? Did not the Lord say, "llfon ought always to pray, and not to faint"? And, in a case more nearly resembling the one before us in the text, did not Samuel say to the rebellious people of bis day, "But God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you"? II. IT IS NEVERTHELESS .A FAOT. And this prohibition is repeated (eh. xi. 14; xiv. 11; of. also Exod. xxxii. 10). III. AND WE IIAVE WHAT IS SIMILAR Now. There is no express command not to pray for the reversal of the laws of nature. But yet we never do pray for such tbinas. David's servants wondered that when his child was dead be should altogether ce:se from fasting and prayer; but be answered, "Wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again ? " (2 Sam. xii. 23). And even before death has actually taken place, when there is no hope of life, we find it all but impossible to pray for such life. And so in regard to what we know would be derogatory to the honour of God and his righteous- ness; we should never think of praying for aught like that. Or for what cannot be in the nature of things. Now, in all these things it is as if we bad been prohibited to pray for them, seeing that we never do so pray. As children give over praying their parents to do this or tbat when they see by the expression of their countenance that it cannot be, and, on the contrary, when they see the faintest look of "yes," they urge their request with a renewed importunity of clamour; so is it in our prayers before God. We must see the look of " yes" on the face of God in more or less degree, or our prayers die down. But if it be seen, then they rise up, press on and forward with a vigour unknown before. This is a law of all prayer. And in regard to prayer for such as are told of in the text, it may be that Jeremiah was not expressly told in so many words that he was not to pray for them, but it was borne in upon I.Jis mind that be could not. And it is sadly possible that such conviction may be borne in upon the minds of God's people now concerniug some reprobate ones. There comes over the soul the deep feeling that such and such a one "is joined to his idols," and that you can only "let him alone." The disciples of the Lord were bidden, when their message was spurned, to cast off the dust of their feet as a testimony against them. Paul did so with the hardened Jews. And such solemn conviction as to the utter godlessness of any on the part of a company of God's people is that" binding on earth" which will be ratified by, because it is but the result of, the "binding in heaven." 'l'hey of whom the Church feels deeply that "their sins are retained," those sins are retained. And so through this solemn conviction, this despair of the soul's turning to God, prayer for such soul may become impossible. God has practically said concerning such to his people, " Pray not thou for this people, neither," etc. . IV. Tms 16 .A FACT OF MOST MOMENTOUS IMPOHT TO THOSE WHOM IT CONCERNS. 'l'o be given up by God's servants may be the token that you are given up by God. 'l'heir feeling about you may be-we do not say necessarily is, but may be-but the reflec- tion of God's. Happy are they who put joy and gladness into the hearts of God's servants, and for whom they with earnestness and strong faith can pray. But sad is the outlook of those for whom those same servauts of God feel thoy cannot prny. Oh, pray that prayers for you may never be counted by God or by his people as amongst prohibited prayers !-C. Ver. 18.-Idolatrous worship both a warning and a model. The text vividly por• trays the worship rendered to the heathen goddess, whose sumptuous and licentious worship had so fascinated those to whom the prophet wrote. I. IT IS .A WAHNING. For it shows the deadly contagion of sin, Now, when the head of the household goes after evil, he speedily draws in and down wife and children, until the whole family is corrupted, and they become a household of wickedness. 'l'he text reveals whole families engaged in the worship of idolatry, each n1ember tnking an VII. vn. 1-34.] 'l'HE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIA.H. 207