The Pulpit Commentary — Jeremiah — Volume 1 — Section 503

however, BO timely and so plain, would take away all ground from those who thou"ht they might do what o. king did. Jeremiah, preaching ri;;hteousness to the meanest of the people, could insist on thie, that he asked no more from them than he bal been epecially enjoined to ask from the very king himself. Note- I. TuosE WHO WEBE TO BE APPROACHED. This is a message for the king and for such people as live in palaces. Remarkable to notice how God's messengers have been brought into contact with the kings antl grandees of the earth. Divinely guide<l, they have been able to find their way where others, even with large worldly influence, have been excluded. So Moses comes to deal with Pharaoh; Jeremiah with this king here; John the Baptist with Herod; Jesus with Pontius Pila.te; Paul with Felix, Festus, and Agrippa. As God can make a way for his servants out of prisons, so he can also make a way for them into palaces. And once entered into the palace, the prophet was to address himself first and chiefly to the king. Kings have many counsellors, a.nd their temptation is to say what may be agreeable to the royal ears. This king, maybe, had not one honest, disinterested man a.bout him; if so, all the more need for J ercmiah's counsels. Further, the king is reminded of a former distinguished occupant of his throne. In pondering this expression, "the throne of David," there was mnch to fill the heart of a king, who was also a true man, with noble purpose and endeavour. David, even with all his transgressions a.nd vicissitudes, wa.s a fine example of the success and glory following on sensitiveness to Gotl's commandments. If David had not been enabled to do so much that was good, his successors would not have found scope for the doing of so much that wa.s evil. Then from the king there is a turning to those around them. Kings cannot help being a great deal influenced and even limited by those who stand next to them. God, who knows all conditions of life, sees the peculiar difficulties of kings and sympathizes with them. One of the greatest troublers of David's life was his headstrong servant Joab. II. GoD'B DEMAND Ul'ON THOSE WHO HOLD POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY. He sent his servant to show how a king's government may become stable, glorious, and happy. Nothing is said about victorious armies and increased territories. These were the things the Gentiles sought after, but God wished the powers and opportunities of the kings of his people to be used for far other ends. There was plenty of room for this king to make conquests, and conquests not easily made. He had his own selfish inclinations to repress, and the selfish proceedings of many of his people to undo. He is commanded to execute judgment and righteousness. He must not neglect the ever necessary functions of a judge; righteous principles must rule in all his decisions; and thirdly, he must seo that the decisions are carried into effect. How can any human government be approved of God unless there are both righteous laws and a resolute execution of them? The king must also be the vigilant guardian of the weak and defenceless. From out of his palace his servants should go forth commissioned to champion those who are unable to protect themselves, Never should a strong man more exult in his strength than when it enables him to become sword and shield to the feeble. A righteous government will not wait until it is dinned with importunities. In many instances the king was the only one who could rescue from the hand of the oppressor. Every temporary occupant of the throne of David was in his tnru o. type of that abiding King and anointed One, of whom it is true in the highest sense that salvation is in no other (Acts iv. 12). And as the king was to deliver from the oppressor, so he was to be careful not to oppress. So subtle is selfishness in its influence upon us that we need to be peculiarly on our guard against taking advantage of tho weak. Lastly, the kin,,. is not to be a shedder of innocent blood. He must not be weakly indulgent as to th~ blood of the guilty. If a man by the laws of the land has deserved to die the death, there must be no tampering with just deserts. And so, on tho other hand, a king was not to allow his fury free course against some one who bad offended him, and seek his death simply to gratify resentment. It is easy to see that the despotic character of Eo.stern kincrs 0 in ancient times would make this injunction against the shedding of innocent blood to have an application such 11s it fails to have with the constitutional governments we are accustomed to. III The prophet has to point out that ACCORDING TO THE RECEPTION OF THESE OOUN~ELB THEBE WILL BE CORRESPONDING RESULTS. The king is plainly told that it is for him to determine whether his reign shall be glorious and his palace continue a11d  Tl:IE DOOK OP THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. [en. xxu. l-30.