III. Wherefore does God suffkb his servants to be subjected to such distress ? To deepen their hold upon God, as the storms cause the trees to take deeper root in the earth. To make them realize more than ever the help they have in God. To cultivate and foster those fruits of the Spirit, such as patience, humility, trust, etc., which will hardly grow in any other soil or by any other process. To make them mighty witnesse.-i before men of the salvation of God and of the present help he is in trouble. To qualify them to sympathize with and succour others in their distress. How such thougllts are calculated to sustain the soul in distress I And they do, for —
IV. God'b bebvants abb, though cast down, not forsaken. Here was a stranger to the commonwealth of Israel and from the covenants of promise, one who least of all might have been expected to care for the prophet of God, and this stranger proves to be God's good an>rel of mercy. God raised up this helper in the hour of his servant's need. See what was done in connection with and by this noble-hearted Ethiopian. 1. Qod caused intelligence ol the prophet's sufferings to reach him (ver. 7). 2. He touched his heart with compassion (vers. 7, 9, 11). 3. He led him to resolve to attempt the prophet's deliverance. 4. He gave him clearly to see the wickedness of the prophet's enemies, and the truth ol the prophet himself. 5. He filled his heart with courage. For courage was needed. He was alone. The consequences of his interference might have been fatal to himself. He had to reprove and condemn both the king and the king's counsellors. 6. He gave him good success. The king at once yielded, went right over to his side (contrast ver. 5), took all precaution that the deliverance should not be hindered. And he did all this at once. Further, he took oath that Jeremiah should not be 80 dealt with in the future. Now, all this proves the blessed truth for God's servants that, though they may be cast down, yet they shall not be forsaken.
V. What abe we to learn from buoh a record ? Much every way. 1. Ooneeming Ood. He is never at a loss for messengers of mercy and help to his servants. 2. Con- cerning hit tried and troubled servants. Patiently wait. Trust at all times. Hope continually, till your eyes see his salvation, as they assuredly shall, 3. Concerning the enemies of the Lord. Their designs and purposes must fail, however certain of success they seem to be ; for God is against them. — C.
Ver. 16. — T?ie value of an oath. The prophet of God evidently attributed such value, or he would not have asked of the king to make oath unto him. On the general subject note —
I. The temptations to go from one's wobd are often vert numerous and very stbono. They were so in this case. Jeremiah knew what strong influence there was against him in the court of the king. He had suffered from this already. And he knew how weak and unstable the king was. Hence there was needed that which would steady and strengthen the wavering will. And there is often the like need now.
II. But the value of an oath lies in the fact that it meets this need. It brings in the thought of Ood and of his displeasure. And does this in most solemn way. And it has around it human sanctions as well as Divine. And all this tends tc strengthen conscience and to resist the temptation to untruth. As a fact, it is found that men who are careless about truth in an orduiary way hesitate much before they will disregard an oath. " An oath for confirmation is an end of all strife."
in. It is best, however, not to need such aid. Our Saviour has said, "Let your communication be, Yea, yea ; Nay, nay ; for whatsoever is more than thes* oometi
OH. xixvm. 1— 28.] THE BOOK OF TUE PROPHET JEREMIAH. 141
of eviL" The taking of oaths is allowed, as other practices, " for the hardness of men's hearts." But for the Christian his word ought to be as sacred as hit oath. He U no Christian if it be not. — 0.
Vers. 17, 18. — The path ^ obedience the path of tafety. The circumstances here recorded show that —
I. It hat be HUGH ELBE. It may be (1) a difficult path; (2) humiliating; (3) repellant to our whole disposition and will ; (4) seemiugly unlikely, arguing after the manner of men.
IL But it will be safe. 1. It would have leen so in this case. For the king, his misery, exile, and degradation would have been escaped. The city of Jerusalem would not have been destroyed ; nor the temple. All that would have been needful was submission to the rule of Babylon, which would have been neither intolerably harsh nor of long duration. For the prophet knew the rapidly approaching doom of l)oth Babylon and her king. Hence he gave the counsel here told of. Whilst, on the other hand, he knew that if the wrath of the King of Babylon was aroused, all that now might be saved would then be utterly lost. Nebuchadnezzar was now like a sated lion, not desiring to destroy or devour. But let him be angered, and then woe to the weakling that had dared his rage ! Submission was, therefore, the prophet's perpetual and earnest coimsel. It was a case in which arguments were not merely to be counted, but weighed. 2. And it is so always. The path of obedience to God may have much urged against it, and truly urged, but it will ever be found to be the right and best my after alL
III. And the beabon is : the path Gk>d commands is the path which pleases him who knows and who controls all events. All other paths are the self-chosen ways of men, who know but little and can control less.
IV. This espbciallt true in reoabd to the bikneb'b eeoonciliation with God. That path is protested against by voices not a few from within and without. But it is the right way, cannot but be so. We, therefore, as ambassadors for God, beseech you " in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." — 0.
Ver. 24. — laying to etrve turn masters. Zedehiah was seeking to do tUs. He wanted to be on the prophet's side, and yet not to break with the princes who were the prophet's foes. We see the shifts to which he was driven, and we know the miserable outcome of his impossible attempt. We learn from it —
L How DK8PI0ABLK BUOB ATTEHFTS HAKS A UAN IN HIB OWN XTEO.
" To thine own self be true. And it shall follow, as the night the day. Thou canst not then be &lse to any maQ."
But how far from this conscious rectitude he must be who seeks to serve two masters, who acts as Zedekiah did !
II. How otheb men despise them.
III. How God condemns them. How do the instances of Balaam, Klate, Jndas, and others shine out as warning beacons I
lY. How usELEBB, AFTEB ALL, SUCH ATTEMPTS ABE. No more miserable fatc could have befallen a man than that which came upon King Zedekiah. And in tlic highest matter of all, what are they who say, " Lord, Lord," but do not the things tlic Lord commando — what are they but would-be servers of two masters ? And to them the Lord will say, " I never knew you ; depart," etc.