The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 391

Ver. !.-Fruitless intercession. These words are addressed to the prophet in his character of intercessor for the people. He had already been told to plead no longer for them (eh. xiv. 11), seeing that their case Wllll hopeless, and the Divine sentence that had gone out against them was irrevocable. Observe- !. THE POWER THAT HUMAN INTERCESSION MAY HAVE WITH GoD. The fact that such intercession is declared in this case to be vain implies that, under other conditions, it might be effectual Moses and Samuel often stood before the Lord as mediators on behalf of the people whom they represented (Numb. xiv. 13-20; 1 Sam. vii. 9; Ps. xcix. 6). Not that they had officially any priestly function. 'fhey were not priests; their power with God lay in the elevation of their character and the intimacy of their fellowship with him. Every age has borne witness to the reality and efficacy of this power. "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" on behalf of his fellow-men. Who can tell how much it is owin!! to such intercession that a guilty world has been saved from hopeless abandonment f II. THE LIMIT MAN'S OBDURACY PUTS TO TH.AT POWER. There are times when no human intervention is of any avail. Even the pleading of Moses and Samuel could not have averted the threatened judgments. "My mind could not be towards this people." Why? Simply because of the obstinacy of their unbelief and irreligion. It is not that God is not merciful and gracious and ready to forgive, or that the pleadings of good and holy men have no power with him. It is that the inveterate obduracy of men nullifies all the persuasive influence alike of Divine antl human love. God's mind cannot be towards those who with obstinate impenitence refuse his grace. There is [l. limit beyond which even Divine patience cannot go. The very pleading love of the great Intercessor is defeated in the case of those who will not forsake their false an,l evil ways. It is not so much an irrevocable Divine decree, it is their own self-willed perversity that dooms thein and leaves the stern, retributive laws of God to take their course.-W. Ver. 16.-T11e living Word. The prophet, remonstrating with God on account of the hardness of his lot, here looks back regretfully to the time of his first call to the prophetic office. It is the language of one disappointed and disheartened by the apparent issue of his life, and the bitterness of whose grief is intensified by the remem- brance of hopes unfulfilled, and a joy that has for ever passed away. It is as if God were "altogether unto him as a liar, and as waters that fail." Apart, however, from the peculiar experiences that called it forth, this passage is full of instruction. Note- I. TRE METHOD OF Goo's REVELATION OF HIMSELF TO MEN. "Thy words were found." The term "found," in a case like this, is suggestive of that which comes to the soul,-.not so much as the result of its own seeking, but of a spontaneous Divine purpose. All those on whom the quickening light of Divine truth has shone feel more or less distinctly the rea!Hy of this. The inspiration has come to them in mysterious and unexpected ways. It has" pleased God to reveal his Son in them." It is not so much that they "know Goel" as that they are" known of God" (Gal. i. 15, 16; iii. 9). The initiatory step in this gracious process is his, not ours. "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," etc. (John xv. 16). II. THE VITAL RELATION TRUTH BEARS TO THE DIVINELY ENLIGHTENED SOUL. "I did eat it." No physical image could be more suggestive of the intimacy of this spiritual relationship. It indicates: 1. The soul's preparation to welcome the truth. 'fhere is a divinely awakened appetite. 2. The active participation of the powers of the soul in the process. It is more than a mere passive reception. 3. 'I'he assimilation of the truth into the very being of the man. As food is transformed into the living fibre of the body, so that truth becomes a part of the very substance of his spiritual nature, the stay of his strength, the inspiration of his life. The word iH translated into the form of holy character and Godlike deed. III. 'l'HE GLADDENING EFFECT OF DISCOVERED TRUTH. "Thy Wortl was unto lll~ tlie joy and rejoicing of mine heart." There can be uo purer, nobler joy than that wLid,  THE IlOOK 01◄' THE rnOPHE'l' JEREMIAil. [err. xv. 1-21. --------------- springs from conscious communi-On with the min<l of God. Ilia Word ndmits us to the realities of a world un<larkened by the shadows and undisturbed by: the storms that trouble this. Rising through it to the heights of Divine contemplation, the glory of the unseen and eternal surrounds us, and we drink of "the river of the pleasures of God." IV. THE SELF-CONSECRATION TB:AT IS THE RESULT OF THE REALIZED POWER OF DrnKE TRUTH OVER THE SOUL. "I am ea.lied by thy Ne.me," literally," Thy Name is: called over me." This was the seal and symbol of his personal dedication to his prophetic work. The Word of the Lord dwelling richly iu the soul is the unfailing spring of a consecrated and holy life. "Sanctify them in thy truth: thy Word is truth," etc. (John xvii. 17, 19).-W. Ver.1.-Tlie uselessness of intercession once more ernphaticol,ly stated. I. A REMINDER OF Goo's LOKG-SUFFERING IN THE PAST. Moses and Samuel had stood interceding before him, and again and again he had glorified himself in mercy and pardon. The mention of these two great hist-0ric names suggests to Jeremiah that God.can.appee.l to. all the past-, confident that no mnn can complain of him as wantincr in long-suffering with the waywardness of his people. They had wandered far and oft~n, and often needed mercy and restoration; but when God forgave them, they soon forgot the mercy and renewed favour. Thus we arc enabled to feel how very bad their condition must have become in the time of the prophet. To have listened to the plea of any intercessor would have been to show a mercy which yet was no mercy-a mercy which, while doing no real good to Israel, would have done evil in confusing the boundaries of truth and falsehood. God's mercy must ever b~ shown as part of his wisdom, and the time comes when severity to one or two generations may be the truest mercy to the whole world. lL 'l'HE HONOUR D01'"E TO THE MEMORY OF THE GOOD. As servants of Jehovah, Moses and Samuel were great in many ways, but in none greater than as urgent pre- vailing intercessors. With regard to Moses, see Ex.od. xxxii. 11-14, 31; 32; Numb. xiv. 13-19. With regard to Samuel, see 1 Sam. vii. 9; xii. 23. 'fhe listenings of God to these men showed that his general will was that supplications should ever be made on behalf of all sinners. God delights in seeing his servants pitiful towards all the needs of men, especially those needs. which arise from their forgetfulness of God 1imsclf. This reference was surely meant to teach Jeremiah,!or one thing,that God uot only permitted intercession but expected it. Further, the intercessions here referred to were those of righteous men. Moses and Samuel fully appreciated the evil-doings of those for whom they interceded. Doubtless they quite apprehended that evil-doing might on certain occasions reach such a height that intercession could not be expected to prove successful. Those who had had the opportunity of pondering God's dealings in the Deluge and the destruction of Sodom would well understand that intercession Lad its limits. ]Il. JE!lElllAll WAS THUS REMINDED OF THE DIFFICULTIES OF Goo's SERVANTS IN FO!lMEB DAYS. Morns ancl Samuel were not only intercessors, they were intercessor~ for those who had made life largely a burden and a grief to them. It was not upon a scene where they were comparati1•e strangers that they came in, did their interceding work, and then passed out to return no more, 'l'be success of their intercession meant the renewal of their struggles with a wayward and careless nation. If only Jeremiah considered the whole history of Moses and the whole.history of Samuel, he would be led tu ~ay, "Who am I that I should complaiD? l' These conspiracies, this bitter opp_o~ si Lion, this feeling of solitude, were nothing new. We. can 011ly serve. God in our own ,lay aud generation, and we must accept that gencrntion .with all Hs difficulties, only let this be remembered, that there is no servant of God, in any generation, but will 111;ed all his faith and meekness and endure.nee to encounter and vanquish these difficulties in n right spirit. IV. liONOUJl WAB PUT UPON JEREMIAH HIMSELF, His influence with God as a failhful servant was shown every whit as clearly as If he had been euoccssful in his intercession. That influence, indeed, the people might fnll to recognizo; but this was a small matter if only the prophet himself was made to feel that his God respected tho s1,irit, o!' bis prayer. God's way of honouring us is not by makin~ us stand well with tLc l1dde crowd. Lut Ly bis own Rmile shining into our hearts and making gla,lur,& on. n. 1-21.] 'l'HE BOOK OF THE PROPHE'l' JEL:BMI.A.H. 3J:3