IV. Because he intends his " mat bk " to become " shall be." He would have us fellow-workers with him, and therefore he encourages our efforts, but hides from us that which would lead us to think them unnecessary. And probably the " may be " will become " shall be," though not at the time nor in the manner we expect. Let us, therefore, be ever cheered forward when God says, " It may be." — C.
Ver. 23. — The indestructible Word. The king's knife and fire did what they could to destroy the prophet's word, but with what result this chapter shows. The king was Jehoiakim ; the prophet, Jeremiah ; the word, his written prophecies. It was neces- sary that these should be written down. The army of Babylon was already in the land, and drawing near to the doomed city of Jerusalem, if they had not already cap- tured it for the first time. There was no hope of successful resistance. Therefore, for a testimony when all that had been foretold came to pass, and for a solace and warning to that and to all coming generations, it was necessary that the twenty-three years' witness which the prophet had borne against that guilty nation should be put on record. Jeremiah was " shut up," whether by his own will, or the word of the Lord, or for fear of his enemies, we cannot certainly say ; but Baruch, who seems to have been to Jeremiah as Timothy to Paul, was commanded to write these prophecies, and then, on the " fasting-day," to read them in the hearing of all the people. He did so. One of his hearers, alarmed and troubled, hastened away to the council of the princes, and told them what he had heard. Baruch was sent for, and declared again what he had before read to the people. The book was too terrible to show to the king; they there- fore commanded that it and its author should he concealed, whilst they went in to the king to announce its fearful contents. A third time these prophecies were recited, but the king demanded that the book itself should be read to him. But when brought and I he reading had begun, the angry king had no patience to listen beyond the first three or four leaves, but snatching it from the hand of the reader, he vented his rage upon it by cutting and hacking it with his knife, and then, to make short work of it, cast it, in spite of the horror-stricken entreaties of his princes, into the burning coals before him, where it was utterly consumed. Then he commands, but in vain, for " the Lord hid them," that Baruch and Jeremiah be arrested; but the Lord commands that these [iiophecies be written again, which was done, with the doom of the king added, and " beside them many like words." But this King Jehoiakim, in his dealing with the Word of God, and in its dealing with him, has had many successors. He is tlie type of —
I. Those who abe impatient with the Wobd of God. Jehoiakim only heard three or four leaves read, when he put a stop to the reading altogether in the foolish way we have seen. He would not hear the whole. Did any man ever destroy the Bible who knew it wholly f Many have thrown it into the fire who have heard or read « part only. The difficulty is in the " three or four leaves." How many stumble because they won't read on I
II. Those who become vert angbt with the Bible. To men of this king's stamp the Bible has not one word of comfort, commendation, or hope. It is all full of thunder apd storm. It is a dreadful book to the impenitent. No wonder that he snatches it
3a.t»XVL]— 32.] Tllfi bOOK OF TllE PROPHElt jEKEMtAB. 117
from tbe reader's hand, and hackB at it with his knife, and then flings it into the blazing fire. Yes ; be like this king, and you will do as he did, and he done unto as he.
III. Those who strive to destroy the Bible. 1. Some would only partly do this. They admit a large amount of good in the hook ; they only desire to cut out what they think is otherwise. Theologians use their penltnives. They prncticiilly put out of the Bible what makes against their favourite ideas. Science seems to be for ever at this miserable cutting. Philosophy is equally guilty ; but sin is worst of all. It loves not the hard things the Bible will keep sa} ing against it ; therefore it would out them out — only it cannot. 2. 'ITiere are thosn who would destroy the book altogether. What Bible-burnings there have been! The histories of pagan and Eomish persecutions t«e full of them. Are there none now ? What is the difference between such burning and utter disregard of the book as too many are guilty of? If we trample it underfoot, in our hearts, our lips, our lives, how could burning it be any worse?
IV. Those who find the Bible too strong fob them. " Galilsean, thou hast conquered!" said the Emi:eror Julian shortly before he dieil. And that has been the confession in rega'd to the Word of God on the part of all those who have tried t« destroy it (ver. 30). The Word of God can neither be bound nor burned. It has beea cut, cast into flames, proscribeil, branded, corrupted, and treated with every conceiv- able form of opprobrium; but here it is to-day, a living and mighty factor in the lives of the foremost men and nations throughout the whole world. And the ungodly who practically seek to destroy it for themselves, they will find they cannot do this. Its truths will come back, its teachings reassert themselves, and will add beside " many like words." — 0.
Ver. 28. — The Lord'i hidden one*. " But the Lord hid them." He haa many such, and in all manner of unthought-of places. If we read the history of the world aright, how continually God is bringing forth his hidden ones to render service to their fellow- men ! " Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee 1 " Tliink of some of these hidden ones.
L Such as the fbophet here told of. And how God has hidden his people from the rage of men ! " In the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me." Let the records of the martyr Churches in Rome, Switzerland, and wherever God's saints have been persecuted — let all these tell how he has often hidden his servants. Moses was hidden three mouths when an infant; then again with Jethro in Midian afterwards. How God hid David again and again from Saul!
II. Those destined for great service. How often, when a Church seems to have been brought to its lowest, God raises up some one who is the means of reviving itl David amongst the shee|ifolds. Gideon and the judges. Our Lord at Nazareth. In all unlikeliest places God has his hidden ones, whom in due time h« will manifest to the surprise and joy of his Church.