Vers. 15 — 19. — The reply of tlie people. The special mention of the women su^'gi sts that the occasion of the gatliering was a festival ill honour of the Queen of Heaven.
Ver. 1 5. — Had burned incense ; rather, wen burning incenm. The pr.Actice was still goiuK on.
Ver. 17.— Whatsoever thing goeth forth ; rather, the whole word which hath gone forth. A particular vow to the divinity ia meant. The queen of heaven (see on ch. vil. 18). Then had we plenty of victuals, etc. An extremely important passage, as revealing the view takeu of their misfortunes by Jews of the average type. Jeremiah regarded the misfortunes of his country as proofs of the displeasure of Jehovah ; these Jews, on the other hand, of his impotence.
Ver. 19. — This part of the reply belongs to the women, who declare that, their lius- bands' consent having been given to their vow, Jeremiah has no rif;ht to interfere (see Numb. XXX. 6, 7). Burned . . . poured, etc. ; r.ither, burn . . . pour. Did we, etc. ; rather, do we, etc. To worship her. The sense of the Hebrew is doubtful ; but the best read- ing seems that of Itashi, Graf, and Dr. Payne Smith, " to make her image." With- out our men ; rather, without our husbands.
Vers. 20 — 30. — Jeremiah's rejoinder.
Ver. 21. — Kemember them; i.e. the re- peated acts of idolatry.
Ver. 25. —With your hand ; rather, with your hands. Ye will surely accomplish, etc. ; rather, ye shaU, etc., by aU means perform your vows, and tnke the consequence. The irony of the passage is lost by the " will " of the Authorized VLrsion.
Ver. 26. — My Name shall no more he named. Because no Jews will be .left alive in Egypt.
Ver. 28. — ^Tet a small number, etc. Isaiah's doctrine of the remnant. In the midst of judgment, God remembers mercy, and his ancient covenant. A remnant is saved as the nucleus of a regenerate people.
Ver. 29. — A sign ; rather, the sign.
Ver. 30. — I will give Pharaoh-hophra, etc. The sign consists in the capture of Huphra by his deadly enemies. Henceforth he will live in constant alarm, for he is in the hands of those " that seek his life." AU that we know of the fate of Hophra (Apries) is derived from Herodotus (ii. lyy), who states that Amasis "gave Apries over into the hands of his former subjects, to deal with as they chose. Then the Egyptians took him and strangled him " (see furtiier on ch. xlvi. 13>
EOMILETICS.
Vers. 1 — 10. — Warnings from tJiepast. History has its moral lessons. We who are heirs of the ages should learn wisdom from the mistakes as well as from the good exam])les of the past. Let us consider how this may be done.
1. W'askinos fbom tee sin of ihe past. Jeremiah calls upon the Jews in Egypt
OH. XLiv. 1— 30.] THE BOOK OP THE PROPHET JEREMIAH. ''*•
to reflect on the wicked conduct of their nation, tracing it back from the piesent through successive generations of iniquitous court and private life. It is a gloomy task, but a wholesome one. Tacitus was, perhaps, the greatest moralist of his age, because he saw into the moral side of history, and ruthlessly exposed the vice and cruelty and treachery which underlay the splendour of Roman imperialism. Because we can read history with some measure of detachment from the passions and prejudices of the hour, we may learn to see therein the character of actions which are closely parallel to others nearer home. Thus the past may become a mirror of the present, and one that rectifies the images from the confusion which accompanies the direct vision of what is very closely connected with our own person.
II. Warnings from the Divinb voice in the past. God had instructed and urged his people to forsake their sins. He had not left them in the dark or unchecked — " Howbeit I sent unto j'ou all my servants the prophets." This had been done with earnestness and emphisis — "rising early and senoing them." It was a revelation of the evil character of tlieir deeds — " this abominable thing ; " an appeal to them to cease from such wickedness — " Oh, do not this abominable thing I " and a declaration of the . Divine abhorrence of their conduct — " that I hate." All this has been said concern- ing the wiclcedness of the past ; but it is to be reflected upon for its apiJication to the present. We also may find profit in considering the ancient voices of heaven. The warnings of the Bible may be re-read and re-applied in our own day. If we see no new Jeremiah, we have the inspired words of the old Hebrew prophet, and they are as true now as ever. What God hates he hates eternally. What he forbids is always wrong. The object of his urgent appeal should command submission at all times.
III. Warnings fkom the punishments of the past. The object of punishment is twofold. First, it concerns the guilty ; secondly, it has lessons for witnesses. It is chastisement to the offender, it is warning to others. No punishment would be just if it were simply given as a deterrent. But being deserved and needful on account of the conduct of the victim, it is then utilized in perfect justice for the general benefit of the community. We should be thankful for the fact that the fate of others is not alto- gether obscure, so that we may profit by the sad lessons of their experience.
Ver. 16. — Open rebellion. L God leaves us febb to accept ob bejeot hib authohitt. Whatever may be urged from the standpoints of abstract philosophy and of speculative theohigy, in practice, as Butler says, we all act as though we were free. In the Bible, too, this practical freedom of the will is constantly i:iiplied and appealed to. Though we have no moral right to renounce the Law of God, though we shall suffer if we do so, the terrible power of rebellion is entrusted to us that our loyalty mny be proved and our service may remain free and willing.
II. All evil centres in the will. The iddlatrous Jews will not hearken to the word' of Jeremiah. Herein lies the sum and substance of their offence. Depraved appetites and wicked passions are temptations to the evil will or products of its deeds. In themselves they are no more wicked than the external temiJtatioDS which appeal to the purest elements of our common human nature. Guilt consists in yielding to them — in the act of the will that consents, indulges, or urges.
III. Wilful rejbc tion of truth is rebellion against God. Kct to hearken is to revolt We must be careful to distinguish pure intellectual doubt and unbelief from this revolt of the will against truth. The latter may not deny the correctness of what it rejects; it simply refuses to follow it. If it does fail to believe the truth, but throncrh only wilfully closing all avenues of evidence, the blame of an evil will must
be attached to it. . i. ,i T^• • *v -j i »