II. The lbadivo details of the pbayeb. 1. A contemplation of the greatness of God (ver. 17). This is realized by a consideration of the stupendous works of God !■ nature. Thence we learn (1) that as God accomplishes suoli great works as are mani- fested in creation, no difiiculty or failure-can arise from his inability to bring about the
M THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAK [oh. xxxii. 1—44
very best condition of affairs ; and yet (2) that surrounding such great works thera must be ineffable mysteries, so that we may be perplexed by much that comes from so wonderful a being as God. ~ 2. A contemplation of the goodness and wisdom of God (vers. 18, 19). God is kind to multitudes, and yet necessarily searching in his justice. U^erefore it is apparent that he will require no unreasonable sacrifice and no useless eiertion. His commands may appear arbitrary and capricious. But his character teaches us to trust that the strangest of them are governed by his mercy, justice, and wisdom. 3. A contemplation of the providential action of God (vers. 20 — 22). A review of providence should confirm our faith even under the strangest trials. God had delivered Israel in the past, fulfilled his promises in the face of apparently iijsuperable difficulties, and given them a rich inheritance. Was there not good ground to trust him after that ? 4. A contemplation of the justice of God's severest actions (vers. 23, 24). From this we see that the calamities of judgment are deserved. That fact should increase our faith in God, though by itself it may make hope more difficult, as it did ia the case of Jeremiah. 5. A confession of perplexity at God's command (ver. 25). This is not made till after the contemplation of the character and works of God. The contemplation has not destroyed the diffioiilty, but it has prepared the prophet to receive an explanation. Thus it is well that we should confess our doubts distinctly to God and ask for light, and if we do this after prayer and spiritual communion with God, we may hope that light will open upon us as it did upon Jeremiah.
Ver. 27. — The omnipotence cf Ood. L The soubob of tub omnipotenob of God. 1. His essential being. He is the Lord, Jehovah, the Self-Existent. God is not only greater than all other existences, he differs from them in his essential being. He is eternal ; they have come into being. He is self-contained ; they are created. 2. God's relation to all other existences. He is the God of all flesh. He b the First Cause, the Source of the first being of all things, and the ground of their continued being. But for him they could never have been and could not now endure. We human creatures, " flesh," may realize this especially in regard to ourselves. Therefore to us in particular God, who created us all, and in whom we all live and move and have our being, must be almighty.
II. Apparent limitations to the omnipotence of God. 1. The character of Ood. We say that God cannot do wrong. But this simply means that his character is such that he never will do wrong. He is physically as able to do the actions which are wrong as those which are right. If he were not, there would be no goodness in his refraining, for purity is not impotence to do evil, but a will not to do it in face of the power to do it. Omnipotence is a physical characteristic. Goodness, the moral characteristic, does not destroy this by controlling the action of it. The power of the steam-engine is not lessened because the driver turns the steam on and off at will. 2. 'She free-will of man. This introduces an unfathomable mystery, which no philosophy has solved or is ever likely to solve. But the mystery is more especially felt on our side. If God created us and gave to us free-will, and, being omnipotent, can at any time destroy us and withdraw it, this must not be regarded as any real limitation to his power.
III. How A oonsideeation of the omnipotence of Gk)D SHOULD affect oub con- BUOT. We are not called to worship mere power. To do so would be to renounce the rights of conscience. We worship God, not because he is almighty, but because he is supremely good and morally great. But starting fi-om this position, we have to take account also of the omnipotence of God. 1. It shows the utter vanity ofaU resistance to the will of God. This is a most obvious inference ? The more strange, then, that it is H> little acted on. We need to feel it as well as to believe it. 2. It should lead us to tnttt that God will overcome difficulties which to us appear insuperable. The restoration of Israel appeared impossible ; the salvation of the world seems too great and difficult to be realized ; there are special difficulties in special cases, but some with all, so that we may exclaim, "Who then can be saved?" But if "with God all things are possible " (Matt. lix. 26), how can we fix any limit to the ultimate triumphs of redemption? "The mercy of the Lord endureth forever;" then God will always sedc the recovery of his lost children. " Is anything too hard for me ? " Then, in spite of pr^'^eiitt imbelief, impenitence, wild wanderings further astray, may we not believe that
OH. xxxn. 1—44.3 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET jEREMlAfl. U
he will find his children at last? 8. These considerations should lead in to seek tbe
help of OocFt ttrength in onr weakness. How foolish for the sailors to weary them- selves toiling in yain at their oars against the tide, when if they would spread their sails the strong wind would carry them swiftly on I How foolish of us to toil on only in our natural power and with mere earthly means, when there an heavenly influences of omnipotence ready to help us if we will seek them 1
Ter. 39. — Unity. L IJnitt is FBOinsED as a charactebistio of the ooldeh aoe OF THE F0TUKE. This Is Unity of thought, " one heart," and unity of conduct, " one way." Men shall then see " eye to eye," discord and controversy cease, peace and amity prevail. There may still be diversity of ideas in the sense of persunal difference, because individual characters, positions, and opportunities must still vary. But in a perfect condition there will be no discord. The variations will harmonize. So all will not do exactly the same thing in exactly the same manner. There will, doubtless, be various spheres of action and various personal styles of work. But these will not conflict. They will all tend the same way.