The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 214

unity. There were the dedication of the firstborn, and the institution concerning the meaning of the Passover feast (Exod. xiii.). There was the command to honour father and tnot.her. So connected with the passage now under consideration, there was the setting apart of the dough (Numb. xv.). A continual instruction and training in Divine thinp:s was t-0 be provided for. A mother could have no greater honour than that her children should rise up and call her blessed. Thus gathering together many passages that might be cited, we see that God meant the family to be a great agent for the advancement of his people in all that was good; and the same family ideal comes out with equal prominence and beauty in the New Testament. The natural family may, s_o far as Ch:ist is conc~r?ed, cou_nt for ~u~h, _if only each individual in the family will live up to his opportumt1es. Still, Chnst ms1sts upon the natural family being subor- dinate to t~e SJ:>iritual family. It is one of t~e illnstr~tions of the great disintegrating and reconst1tutmg power of the gospel of Chnst, that 1t breaks up the family which is held by nothing stronger than natural bonds. The ideal family of the children of God those who are the spiritual and abiding Israel, must be gained at any cost. Th~ notion of a family gives one of the aspects in which Christians may be perfectly associated together. IT. LOOK AT THE DEGRADED POSITION IN WHICH THE ISRAELITE FAMILY ACTUALLY WAS. The parents are confirmed idolaters, and are dragging down their children to their own le,el. The children are sent out to gather fuel towards an idolatrous offer- ing, when they should be learning of the nature, the will, and the promises of Jehovah. A desecrated temple has been spoken of, turned into a den of robbers; but what is that compared with a desecrated family? How insidiously, how gradually, how irresistibly, these children are drawn into idolatry! Gathering wood might be an interesting, amusing occupation, more like play than work. What idea could the children have of the awful insult to which this gathering would contribute? They would grow up, as by a second nature, to kindle fires and knead dough themselves. And it was so easy to treat the child in its way, to tell it to go out and gather wood; far easier than to bear patiently with its waywardness and inattention, and thus lead it on to some understanding of Israel's glorious past. For such treatment meant that the parent should be a learner also, he and his children moving onward together into an enjoy- ment of the fulness of the Divine promises. And yet God had done much for these parents to make the teaching of his truth as easy as it could be made. He had given things to be set before the children's eyes at periodic intervals. But here, in this deep and pleasing infection of idolatry, is au influence which seems to work successfully against a.II that God can do, What could be hoped from rising up early and sending the prophets, when there was all this counter-working in the Israelite home? ill CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF STILL ACHIEVING THE IDEAL. Much may be done towards making even the natural family e. holier e.nd more edifying institution than in most cases it is. 'l'he humiliating description here shows how much depends upon the parents. How mnch there is still, even among families nominally Christian, which is just as horrible in this way as this family idolatry among the Israelites of old? Children are sedulously schooled into the worship of Mammon. Selfish e.nd heedless parents a.re eager to send them to work, when as yet they should know only the home, the school, and the playground. Too often is the maxim reversed that the parents should provide for the children. Christian parents, at all events, should hold them- selves bound by the most solemn obligations to do all they can for the training of their chil<lren in godliness. There is an ideal of parental duty, and that ideal is seen in action when we look towards the great Father in heaven. Assuredly there would be more God-fearing children if there were more really God-fearillg parents. But what can- not be gaintd by looking up to human guidance and example, can be gained by looking to God. He gathers bis children out of many human households, and gives them his own Word to be an impulse and a guide. He puts into their hearts e. love of the spiritual brotherhood, which is a deeper feeling than any that nature knows. And the end of it all will be that his children will be perfectly Joined together in one mind, in the praise and service of him who alone is worthy to be praised and served by all.-Y. Ver. 28.-The inveterat.e disobedience of Israel. All along, Crom ver. 21, this is the theme, viz. the disobedience of Israel. Now, to give full force tCl a charge of disobedience en. VIII. 1-22.] 'fHE BOOK OF THE PHOPHI<.:·1' JEREMIAH. 218