The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 228

For (1) they do after this manner give themselves to the world. They "love," "servo," "walk after," "seek," and "wo!'llhip" it. (2) And their infatuation is explained by like reasons. (3) And their reward will be to be utterly deceived and disappointed. God will say to each one of them, "Thou fool I" (Luke xii. 20). 2. The worshippers of God may profitably contemplate a mcdel which too many of them too seldom follow, of earne,st dcvotedne~s in their worship. "The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light." Would that the devotedness of the world to its god were equalled by the devotedness of the Church to theirs I 3. Every ono may behold, in the tremendous and deadly attraction of the world, fresh, urgent, and constant need of being "kept by the power of God" in the love of God. Well may each day begin with this prayer- " Lord, I my vows to thee renew; Scatter my sins like morning dew, Guard my first springs of thought and will, And with thyself my spirit fill." c. Vers. 4-11.-Backsliding in its worst forms. .All departures from God are evil but some are only temporary, and are quickly followed by repentance, return, and restora'tion. There are others, however, of a far more serious kind, and we have in these verses a great deal told us concerning them. We are told of some of- I. 'l'HEm CHARACTERISTICS. 1. So contrary to men's wonted ways. For when men find that they have brought evil on themselves, they will at once seek to undo such evil (ver. 4). If a man fall, he will not lie still in the mire or in the road, but will get up again as speedily as may be. If he have mistaken his path and got on a wrong track, will he not, as soon as he discovers his mistake, quickly retrace his steps that he may get into the right way? That is how men act in the common affairs of life. But, though Judah and Jerusalem knew well that they had fallen, yet they showed no desire to rise, and though they could not but know they were altogether out of the right way, they showed no willingness to return. 2. Resists the strivings if God's Spirit and all his drawings of them to himself. Ver. 7 implies such God-implanted instincts in men's souls, but declares that, unlike the ever-obedient birds, man resists and refuses the call of God. 3. Becomes shameless. (Vers. 6, 12.) '!'his feature we have had noticed before (cf. eh. vi. 15); it arrested the prophet's attention as being evil exceedingly. 4. Determi'lled and defiant. (Ver. 6.) 5. Is at last perpetual. (Ver._5.) '!'hey have gone into an evil way, and they abide in that way, no power of Divine grace being able to draw them therefrom. So terrible is this worst form of backsliding, it is perpetual. II. THEm CONSEQUENCES. The evil fruit such sin bears is shown here. 1. Deep sorrow to the heart of God. How pathetic is this lament! How it echoes the anguish of those words, " How shall I give thee up!" "How often would I have gathered thee I " etc. I Such is the tone of these (vers. 4-8). The Divine grief is audible through every part. 2. Shame to i/.e backsliders themselves. (Ver. 9.) It is ever so. These chapters have been giving illustration upon illustration of this result. And our own observation and the experience of all who have turned from God to sin-all alike confirm what Go,l's Word has said. 3. Utter and absolute ruin. (Ver. 10.) 'l'he dreadful sorrows of the vanquished in beholding their most beloved ones torn from them to a fate worse than death, and their lands which they had inherited from their fathers taken possession of by their conquerors,-these common incidents of war are cited as illustrative of the utt~r ruin which would come upon these ungodly ones. And evermore will men find itan exceeding bitter thing to depart from the Jiving God. We are also shown some of- III. 'l'HEIR CAUSES. 1. Deception. Ver. 5, "'l'hey hold fast deceit." How many are the falsities by which men are deceived, and to which they hold fast as if they were sure facts on which their souls might rest ( cf. vers. 8, 11; vii. 4, 8) I 2. Dislike of God's ways. " 'l'hey refuse to return." They had no desire to detect the falsity of their trust; they were glad to have any excuse for refusal. 3. Strong preference for the world's ways. Ver. 10, "Every one . . . given to covetousness." 'l'hc ways of God suffered not such worldliness, but the ways they had chosen gave free permission, Here is ever the secret of departure from God. But can nothing be done ? " la there no ba.lm in Gilead?" (ver. 22). Note, then- uu. vm. 1-22.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 227