Vers. 20 — 26. — " Jehoiakim's penknife."' This became ft proverbial phrase for religious indifference of the most callous description. Not that Jehoiakim actually cut the roll himself; but Jehudi, who did it, was evidently under his orders. It is a little imcertain as to whether the whole of the manuscript, or a part only, was read ; but as " had read " represents an imperfect tense, and the words " till all the roll was consumed " Imply a gradual process, it seems more probable that the former was the case. There is here the same unconquerable spirit of curiosity to know what the prophet said, utterly separated from religious earnestness or obedience. It is a fearfully impressive tableau which is presented, suggestive of—
lia THE BOOK OP THE PROPHET JEREMIAH, [oh. xxxvl 1—32
I. The enhitt or the oabnal mind to Divine truth. The king cannot leare th» manuscript alone, but he strives to make up for that weakness by : 1. Contempt. A pag« or domestic scribe is employed to read, instead of the king reading for himself; whilst the chief ofiBcers sit with their royal master, ridiculing it. There are many who dare not part company with religion, who revenge themselves by making light of its warnings and ordinances. Their contempt is a little overdone, in proportion to the latent, unconfessed fear. 2. Destruction. Dislike of the truth itself transiers itself also to the vehicle by which it is conveyed. It is a sign of the indwelling of the evil one, who seeks to destroy the works of God. 3. Persecution. The servants of God who have communicated his Word are also hattd, and they are sought out with a view to their hurt. This is a characteristic of the confirmed sinner, which repeats itself over and over again in history. The world hates the servauts of Christ because it hates their Master,
II. The hardness of heart produced bt continual bin. 1. Deliberate profanity. If the text is rightly interpreted, it describes a repeated action, performed with the greatest coolness and clearest intention. How different from that young king who rent his garments at the message from the book so mysteriously lost and found again !
2. Resolute disobedience. The treatment to which the roll was subjected showed how thoroughly the mind of the king was made up. And the remonstrances of his coun- cillors were unheeded. Evidently the messages of God would be wasted upon such a king, and consequently his doom would be forthwith pronounced (vers. 30, 31).
III. The foolishness op those who fioht against God. This is revealed in their methods. Here the burning of the book and the persecution of its authors are all that occurs to the infatuated king to do. But the propliet and his scribe are nowhere to be found, for " God hid them ; " and the burnt manuscript ap[iears in a second and enlarged edition. Persecution and the Index Expurgatorius have been potent allies of the truth they have been used to suppress. It is an unequal warfare when God is on one side and man on the other. In such a case the truest wisdom is capitulation. God's indictment against us is unanswerable, and there is no escaping his judgments. Wbea such devices occur to the sinner, he may well fear for himself. Truly understood, these warnings are but the efforts of Divine love to awaken to repentance, and thus afford opportunity for its free and uninterrupted exercise. — M,
Ver. 26. — " The Lord hid them.'' L To what straits the cause of God is sometihes reduced I Those in high position are opposed to it,-and its advocates and representa- tives have to seek concealment. No open ministry was, therefore, possible. Self- preservation had to be first attended to. There have been times when religion was tolerated, but as under apology ; this was an instance of utter exclusion. How good men must have despaired and bad men triumphed ! All that God could do for his servants seemed to be to hide them. At the same time, how easy it would be to mis- calculate the moral power of the Word I Is not persecution better than languid indifference ?
II. How hopeless their efforts who contend with Gk>D 1 With seeming ease and yet mysterious skill, the secrets of nature are made to subserve his will. And even that which is, as it were, an extremity — a last resource — is so mysteriously effected as to convey the impression of infinite skill and endless resources. 1. They are baffled at the very outset. There seems to have been some interposition of the Divine in making the concealment of the prophet and his companion so inscrutable; and it impressed men. All the means at their disposal were exhausteil in their efforts to discover them, but in vain. It is : 2. With an apparent ease. It is but one move on the great chess- board, but it is effectual and sufficient. It is even conceivable that the pursued took no special pains to conceal themselves, but left it in the hand of him whom they served.
3. And with significant gentleness. Some grander deliverance he might have effected, but this is enough. And it simply prevents the wicked king and his court from adding further to their guilt. How thanklul ought wicked men to be that they are not suffered to carry out all their evil designs I So God sometimes " prevents," that he may not have to pursue and destroy.
nL How secure God's servants are when he undertakes for them I It ii merely wid he " hid them," that their concealment was effectual and inviolate being
OH. xxxvL 1— 32.] THE BOOK OF THE PEOPQET JEREMIAH. 113
anderstood without further words. Elijah (1 Kings xvii. 2) and his succeasor (2 Kings vi.) were so hidden. The Lord of the universe knows its every secret. 1. in temporal things. The children of God will not escape misfortune or sorrow. Persecu- tions are amongst the promises. But the true evil of evil will not reach them. They cannot know it. He hides them in his " secret place " until the storm and fiiry are overpast. Nay, in distress his tenderness will be the more conspicuous and manifest. " Hide me under the shadow of thy wm-^s " (Ps. xvii. 8) ; "I flee unto thee to hide me " (Ps. cxliii. 9). There is an inward, inaccessible peace, which is the gift of every true disciple (John xiv. 27). 2. In things spiritual. Isaiah spoke of the day when " a man shall be as an hiding-place from the wind," etc. (xxxii. 2). And we know that our "life is hid with Christ in God" ^Col. iii. 3). When the unpardoned shall call upon the rocks to fall on ihem, and the hills to cover them from his wrath, they that believe shall be safe in the keeping of their Lord. 3. And this is so because the saints are precious in his sight. He keeps them as the apple of his eye. Not a hair of their head shall fall to the ground without their Father. They are the firstfruits of his Son's agony and sacrifice, and bear his likeness. All the resources of his kingdom are held in readiness for their salvation. — M.