Vers. 20 — 22. — The constant, regular suc- cession of day and night is an emblem of the equally regular supply of royal descend- ants of David and of Levitical priests, and the countless grains of sand are symbolic of the wonderful increase of their numbers. At first sight the latter part of the promise seems a little unlike a blessing. Bat wo have seen already (on ch. xix. 3) that the members of the various branches of the royal family probably occupied the princi- pal offices of the state, and the prophet imagines the future in form^ borrowed from the present. A numerous sacerdotal class seemed equally necessary for the due mag- nificence of the ritual; and we must remember that preternatural fertility of the soil was a standing element of Mes- sianic descriptions. The expressions used are, no doubt, hyperbolical, but the meaning seems clear enough. (Hengsten- berg's notion, that the prophet rather indi- cates the abolition of the royal and sacerdotal distinctions (comp. Exod. xix. 6), is surely very far-fetched.)
Vers. 23 — 26. — The permanence of Israel as the people of Ood, with rulers of the house of David.
Ver. 24. — This people ; «.«. not Egyptians or Babylonians (as some have supposed), but the people of Judah, regarded as alien- ated from Jehovah (hence the tonch of disparagement), as el^ewbere in Jeremiah (ch. iv. 10, 11; V. 14, 23; vi. 19; vii. 33, etc.). There were unworthy Jews, who, seeing their nation fallen from its high estate, despaired of its deliverance and regeneration. That they should be no more, etc. ; rather, to that they are no more a people — no more an independent people. Tlie "two families," of course, are the "two houses of Israel" (Isa. viii. 14), t.«. the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
H0M1LBTI08.
Yen. 1— ^. — An invitation to prayer. I. The circumstahcbs of thb nrnxATioii. (Ver. 1.) 1. It was to Jeremiah; i.e. (1) to a good man. All men may pray, but it is " the supplication of a righteous man that availeth much in its working " (Jas. v. 16) ; and (2) a prophet Therefore a prophet needs to pray. No man knows so much
7* THE BOOK OP TflE PROPHET JEBBMlAfl. [oh. xxxra. 1— 26,
or is 80 far ailvaiiced spiritually as to be able to dispense with prayer. Christ prayed.
2. The invitation came to Jeremiah in prison. Stone walls cannot shut out God from us, nor prevent our souls from rising in prayer to him. The persecutor cannot rob his victim of his choicest jewel. Qod often visits the soul in scenes of earthly distress.
3. The invitation came a second time. God repeatedly visits his troubled children. The prayer of yesterday will not make that of to-day needless. 4. The invitation to prayer did not bring deliverance from trouble. Though God visited Jeremiah in prison once and again, the prophet still remained there. We have no right to think that when God visits us for good he will remove our earthly trouble ; he may find it better to bless us in it. Therefore, on the other hand, the continuance of the trouble is no evidence that we are deserted by God — ^perhaps the reverse, because "whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth."
II. Thb obounds op the invitation. (Ver. 2.) God gives to Jeremiah good grounds for assurance in prayer before inviting him to pray. We cannot pray to an unknown God with intelligence and earnestness. To pray with faith we must have grounds of confidence. These are offered to the propliet in the manifestation of the nature of God in his works, and the revelation of his higher character in the sacred Name, Jehovah. 1. The manifestation of God in his works. (1) He is the Maker of all things ; therefore he has power to make all right again. (2) He established the world ; therefore there is a permanence in the law, and will, and procedure of God, which no passing accidents can set aside. 2. The revelation of his higher Name, " Jehovah ; " " The Lord in his Name." This revelation not only suggests the self- existent and eternal supremacy of God, so infinitely superior to all those evil powers of life feared by us timid mortals ; it is also associated with the willingness of God to save, since it was revealed in connection with the deliverance from Egypt (Exod. iii, 14), it may well be quoted in anticipation of the deliverance from Babylon.
III. The ohabacteb of the invitation. (Ver. 3.) 1. God invites to prayer. Therefore (1) we may have good assurance that he will hear prajer; and (2) neverthe- less, we are reminded that, though he is favourably disposed to us, he waits to bless ug until we " call unto " him. 2. God promises a revelation in response to prayer. Here is an encouragement that the prayer will not be fruitless. The Bible does not represent prayer as a mere subjective exercise; it treats it as a power prevailing with God, securing from him blessings asked. We have here a special encouragement for the perplexed to pray for light. Mysteries are not necessarily eternally hidden. Some once hidden have been revealed (fi.g. Col. i. 26); others may yet be made more clear. The seeker after truth should be a man of prayer. The deepest spiritual truth is not discoverable by speculation ; it is revealed in communion. It is seen through spiritual thought and sympathy with God, aided by his Spirit's inspiration.
Ver. —(See on oh. xxx. 17.)
Ver. 8. — Forgiveness and cleansing. I. Foroivenebs and oleansino must be closely ASSOCIATED. When God pardons he also cleanses. The first justification that treats as righteous by forgi eness is the seed of the second justification that makes righteous It is often noted that it would be neither just in God nor wholesome for us that sm should be pardoned without the creation of a clean heart. But we should observe further that it would no even be possible for this to happen. For the essence of forgiveness is reconciliation, not a mere remission of penalties. Even if these are remitted, while personal enmity is cherished there can be no forgiving. To forgive is to efiect a mutual reconciliation after alienation through wrong-doing on one side, by concession on the other. The very act of reconciliation implies such a change in the person forgiven as involves the cessation of all opposition on his side. Now, in the root of it sin is just departure from QoA, and its ripe fruit is enmity to God. Forgiveness must, therefore, by its very nature, imply a cleansing from this sin. *
II. God fbomises febfect oleanbino and fobqiveness. 1. This is given hy Ood, He only can forgive, since it is against him that we have sinned. He only can cleanse, since only the Creator can create anew. 2. This is given through Christ. Hints of th« means only appear in the Old Testament. The gospel revelation brings it more clearly befoM us (1 Pet. ii. 24), In the sight of the cross we see the great assurance of deliver-
OH. xxxin. 1—26.] THE BOOK- OP THE PEOPHET JEREMIAH. Tl