VI. Companions in quilt will be companions in doom. The Jews who fled to Egypt were to share the punishment of that nation. The Egyptians who haiboured the Jews were to bring upon themselves the fate that followed the refugeaii
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHOEa
Vers. 8 — 13. — The stones of Tahpanhes. Great uncertainty as to the fulfilment of this prophetic parable. Are we bound to assume that it was actually carried out? It is possible, according to some critics (but see Exposition on ch. xlvi. 13), that the accomplishment of the prediction, as of many others, was only contingent. It is very vivid ami definite, but that is quite consistent with the intevmerliate occurrence of cir- cumstances in the spiritual state of the Jewish sojourners that enabled God to cancel it. Just as at this time their disposition may have been alarmingly idolatrous and worldlv, so at a later stage it may have changed.
I. What the parable mat have suggested. 1. The contingent certainty of Divine judgment. The action may have represented, not only the sequence of events, but that of principles. If, then, the events riid not occur, it would still remain true that, in the kingdom of God, such a defieiidence of principles is eternal ; sin is ever nigh to cursing. So much is this the case, that it may be said to contain the elements of its own punish- ment, like the stones hidden in the clay. (1) The stones are hidden in the clay with which, although heterogeneous, they stand in a divinely appointed relation. (2) The interpretHtion j;iven by the prophet further strengthened this impression in the minds of the s])ectators. It was tlie same power, viz. the Chaldean, which had already scourged Judah, that was to follow the remnant into distant Egypt. The continuity of the judgment with those which preceded it is thus forcibly set forth. Nebuchad- nezzar, if or when he came, could not be mistaken for other than a divinely ordained instrument of vengeance. The advantage of such an understanding of the prophecy is obvious — it ceases to have a particular and transitory significance, and becomes at once necessary and universal. We need that lesson graven upon otir hearts to- day : " The soul that sinneth it shall die ; " "He that soweth to the flesh," etc. 2. 2%o< dependence upon any earthly power m utterly vain. Egypt is dreamt of as a refuge from their woes. Its power, typified by the clay of the kiln or brick-field, only overlies the power of God, typified by the stones. They would be in his hands still, although they knew it not. Through the clay of worldly dependence they must needs fall upon the stones of Divine judgment. Man cannot flee from his Maker. There is no earthly security from the consequences of sin. If the remnant of Judah, pur- suing its tendency towards worldly mindedness and idolatry to the bitter end, should persist in putting its trust in the Egyptian power, to whose religion and life it was in such imminent danger of assimilating itself, woe to it! Through Pharaoh even will they be conlronted with Nebuchadnezzar yet again. God is the only true Helper and Saviour, and in the practice of holiness and the precepts of true religion is security alone to be found. What assurance comp.vny can shield the sinner from the consequences of his misdeeds ? And if God be for any man, who can be against him ?
II. What the parable mat have effected. It has been conjectured (by Naegels- bach and others) that the symbolic action of Jeremiah and its interpretation so forcibly appealed to the imagination and conscience of the Jews as to change their hearts. That some such consequence as this was intended seems very probable. If it resulted
184 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH, [oh. xun. 1— 18
as they suppose, then the judgment was averted wliich depended upon their miscon- duct and worldliness. " God repented him of the evil." This is one of the great aims of such teaqhing — bo to affect the heart through the imagination as to subdu* its evil tendencies and lead it to the pursuit of righteousness and truth. The crowded Jewish colony of Alexandria may then he taken, not as a refutation of the words of Jeremiah, hut as a proof that these words produced their legitimate impres- sion, and brought about a deep and lasting refoimation. The lesson of all which is that the relation between sin and its punishment, and the futility of earthly securities and screens from Divine vengeance, cannot be too forcibly represented. God will bless the faithful preaching of his Word, and ia infinitely more willing to have mercy than to prove his predictions by allowing men to harden their hearts. — M.
Vers. 1 — 13. — Hearts set to do evil. Such wer« the hearts of these Jews. They show concerning such —
I. That affliction wili. not altbb teeh. It is not always true that affliction will make the heart better. It serves this blessed end with some— cf. " Before I was affiicted I went," etc. — ^but not with all. Did not in this case, but though "often reproved," they only " hardened their neck."
II. Pbaters and profession of belioiok do not control them. They can go together. Alas ! that it should be so; but they will not rule. They are but so many cobwebs, which the. heart set to do evil will break through as easily as a man breaks through the gossamer filaments which stretch across the path on which he is walking.
III. Pretexts and pretences are always ready to excuse theu. "Thou speakest falsely," they said to God's prophet. " Baruch . . . hath set thee on." Bo, so pitifully, they try to justify themselves.
IV. God dobs not interfere to prevent them. We often wish he would, depriv- ing us of our liberty when it would only do us ill. But his method is to let us go our own ways, and if, as is so wretchedly often the case, they be evil ways, then, when we are filled with the fruit of them, we may come to a better mind, and so more firmly choose the good which we should have chosen at the first. How much happier a man for ever that younger son would have been if he had never previously left his father's home for that far country I
V. Terrible judgments are sure to follow them. They did in this case ; they always do sooner or later. For the wili mtist tiend to God.
' VI. God's faithful servants will not be dismayed by them. See how bold as a lion is the prophet of God ; how fearlessly he denounces his people's sin. Oh, for fidelity such as that in all the prophets of the Lord 1—0.
Vers. 8 — 13. — Building on tht sand. The Jews trusted in the strength of Pharaoh. They had done this before, but to no purpose. The prophets of God always protested against such trust (cf. Isa. xxxi.). Here, in spite ot all warnin<:;, they are resolving upon such reliance a;{ain. But they were building on sand. The destruction came ; ttie very destruction they thought, by their acting as they had done, they had certainly escaped. Thus do and shall be done by all who are like them. Such are—