The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 432

power, nt the summit of its splendour, has traversed and conquered large tracts of the earth; and so kings get the name of great; but the greatness is only a momentary, unsubstantial swelling. 'rheir power, like that of the sudden torrent, swiftly passes away. One can imagine how the prophet, while he talked of this height of beginning, looked to the heavens, so unaffected by all the strife and pride of the generations which succeed one another in this lower world. Jehovah has not climbed through long struggles to his height of glory. There may be evolution and graduation among the creatures of his hand, but such conceptions of progress are nothing less than blasphemous when we try to apply them to him. Ill. THE PLACE 01!' OUR SANOTUARY, 'fhe place which God had condescended to make holy in his special connection with Israel-the place where the ark of the covenant rested-had become also a place (the history of Israel being witness) where the people of Israel might have every confidence in God. The temples of idols hau not an invariable connection with the triumphs of their worshippers; but just in proportion as Israel honoured the ark of the covenant and the God of the ark, in the same proportion they were made to see the effect of their conduct in triumph over their enemies and success in their own affairs. It was because they forsook the ark that they themselves were forsaken in humiliation, adversity, and shame. Not, of course, that the prophet is thinking of the ark only here. The true place of sanctuary is also in his mind-the invisible abode of the invisible Jehovah.-Y. Ver, 13.-" Written in the earth." I. AN INDICATION 0l!' WHY MEN DEPART FROM GoD. "Those who depart from Jehovah," says the prophet," shall be written in the earth," Therefore we conclude that their aim is to be written in some more durable and trustworthy substance. When they are spoken of as departing from God, the description is one accommodated to our thoughts rather than exactly correspondent with reality. The connection has been reaZ so far as mere opportunity and privilege were concerned, but nominal also, because the opportunity and privilege were never seized. God has drawn near to the man; the man has not been inclined to draw near to God. It has seemed to him that in drawing near there would be such a subordination of self ne would amount to self-effacement. 'l'he lusts of the natural mnn are everywhere checked and contradicted by the commnndments of God. Hence mnn strives to get away from God and into such relations with his fellow-men ns will, be thinks, cnuse his nnme to be counted for more. It may be that it is self-glory he is seeking for; 'to have his name deeply graven on the world's memorinl tablets as one who bns achieved much and stood out like a Hercules from the common crowd. It may be that he hopes for great power; to have his name written on the hearts of thousands whose interests will be bound up with his so that they cannot succeeu if he fails. It is very gratifying to the pride of man to feel that others cannot do without him. II. TIIE BURE RESULT OF.DEPARTURE FROM GoD. Men go awny from God expecting to have their nnmes written in the marble, and a very short experience shows that they nre written, as it were, on the most shifty of all materials. From o. certain point of view, nothing seems more irregular thnn the preservation of what was written in ancient oges. Deep letters on bard stones are long faded nway, while characters written on parchment or even paper survive to this day, and are now watched with an atten- tion which bids fair to preserve them for. mnny a year to come. But every one can see that what is written in the earth must, in the very nature of things, be quickly obliterated. Such writing may be the amusement of a child; it could never be the serious occupation of a man. And yet it is just by this figure tbnt tho folly of npostates from God is set forth. They write their names on a spot exposed to tho trampling crowd of their fellow-men ; and in their own selfishness they forget of how little account they are to others as selfish as themselves. And yet, in spite of such a warning to those who depart from God, they go on complaining because men forget them. It is just the way in which they must expect to be treated. It is the wny of the world. After all, we nre but weak creatures, with very limited powers, and wu may well ho excused if we cannot keep constantly in our minds those who have somo claim on our sympathy and help. It is no fault of earth that it is enrth instead of adamant. The fault lies with those who o.llow their names to be written there insteo.u or in the enduring place which Goel has provided for them, 438 Tll~ BOOK OF 'l'HE PROPHET. JEHKMIAII. [vu. xvn. 1-27.