Vers. 20-23.-The story of an obscure martyr. I. UNOr:IGINAL MEN l\lAY DO GOOD SERVICE IF THEY FOLLOW GOOD LEADERS. Urijah had no new message; but he fol- lowed Jeremiah fully and firmly. Accordingly, though not especially inspired, he was able to prophesy" in the Name of the Lord." It is more important to b~ true than to be original. It is the duty of the Christian tea~her to speak in the Name of God, but only according to the teaching of prophets and apostles, and above all, Jesus Christ. If we do this we can speak "with authority." !I. SMALL MEN MAY EXERT GRE.!.T POWER WHEN THEY ARE ON THE SIDE OF RIGHT AND TRUTH. Urijah is an insignificant personage, yet all the court is in dismay at his. preaching. There is irony in this fact, if not intended by the language with which it is described. We have" Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all his princes," alarmed and enraged at the preaching of one obscure man. What a testimony to the power of truth! Magna est veritas et preualebit. III. OBSCURE MEN MAY SUFFER WHEN GllEATER MEN ARE SPARED. Urijah is killed; Jeremiah is acquitted. The Jews were overawed by Jeremiah; Urijah was an enemy small enough to be made a victim without danger. There is something terribly humi- liating to human nature in this. How often do we see the same meanness choosing the underling rather than the leader for spiteful bnt safe revenge ! IV. IT IS SOMETIMES SAFER TO FACE DANGER THAN TO FLEE FROM IT. Jeremiah held his ground, and his life was spared; Urijah fled to Egypt, and he was dragged back to Jerusalem and ignominiously slain. The dauntless courage of the one man overpowered opposition; the cowardice of the other tempted it. It is always better even for our- selves to be brave and faithful. After his previous recantations Archbishop Cranmer could feel little of the triumph of a Ridley and a Latimer in the Ila.mes of his mar- tyrdom. Ver. 24.-Afriend in need. Ahikam proves himself to be a true friend to Jeremiah by standing by him in the hour of danger. Ile is not like Joseph of Arimathrea, who was unheard of till he came and begged the dead body of his Lord. When the danger was greatest, he first made himself known on t.ho side of the prophet.. I. lIE WAS JUST. Jeremiah ha<l been maligned. But Ahikam knew him to be innocent. 'l'o have allowed him to perish would have involved complicity in the murder of the prophet. Yet how many would have washed their hands and contented themselves with taking no active part in a public crime! It is not enough to refrain from joining in an injustice; duty requires us to resist it. II. HE WAS INDEPENDENT. Jeremiah was unpopular. '!'hough the unanswerable truthfulness of his defence secured him a verdict of acquittal at the regular trial, thcro can be no doubt that his life was in imminent peril from unscrupulous conspirators, now that the general sentiment was against him. It is a proof of staunch fidelity to stand by a man when he is unpopular. 'l'hero is littlo merit in showing friendship for men who are fawned upon by fashion. III. llE WAS counAGEOUB. He could only defend Jeremiah at the peril of his own life. Dy si<ling with the prophet he allowed his namo to be associated with all that was disliked nncl feared in the persecuted man, and ho must have known this. For a person in high station to come out in this way hy himself and defend a solitary, persecuted man required no little boldness. 568 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. [en. xxv1. 1-24,
IT. HE WAS tTSEFUT,. Ahikam could not prophesy; but he could save a prophcL's life. Possibly but for him Jeremiah's mission would have been cut short. 'l'o him, therefore, we owe the possibility of all the remainder of the great prophet's work. It is noteworthy that Ahikam had shown respect for the prophetic order before this, when, with his father and others, he went on an important mission from King Josiah to consult the prophetess Huldah (2 Kings :uii.12-14). Many a man who can do little directly may be the means of securing immense good by fostering and furthering the work of others. It would be happy for us to think less of our own prominence and more of the accomplishment of God's will, no matter who may be the honoured instrument. We may look beyond the human friend and see the hand of Providence in this deliverance of the prophet.. God raises up helpers when we least look for them. Among all the blessings of life none should command more thankfulness to God than the gift of good friends.