JEREMIAH CHAPTER 12 The prophet complaineth of the wicked's prosperity; by faith seeth their ruin, JEREMIAH 12:1. God admonisheth him of his brethren's treachery against him, and lamenteth his heritage, JEREMIAH 12:5. A return from captivity promised to the penitent, JEREMIAH 12:14. RIGHTEOUS ART TH... [ Continue Reading ]
Here are a people that indeed talk of thee, and one that only observeth their mouths would judge thou wert near to them, and they had communion with thee; but he that observeth their lives may easily discern that thou art far from their inward parts, they have neither fear of thee, nor love for thee... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOU, O LORD, KNOWEST ME: THOU HAST SEEN ME, AND TRIED MY HEART TOWARD THEE: here seemeth to be something understood, viz. _But, Lord, it is otherwise with me_, I am maligned, and my life is hunted after; yet, Lord, thou knowest the sincerity of my heart before and towards thee, thou hast had ex... [ Continue Reading ]
The prophet seems to give a reason of his former passion and prayer against those wicked men he before reflected on, because they were the cause of the nation's ruin, which is also asserted by the psalmist, PSALMS 107:34. A land is said _to mourn_, metaphorically, when it is brought to an ill comple... [ Continue Reading ]
That these are the answer of God to the prophet is reasonably well agreed by the best interpreters, as also that this is a proverbial expression; but as to the application of it in this place, there is some difference. Some make it this: If thou dost not understand what is done by the men of thine o... [ Continue Reading ]
The men of Anathoth, thine own town and country, and those of thy own family, have conspired evil against thee secretly. THEY HAVE CALLED A MULTITUDE AFTER THEE; either they have exposed thee to the rage and rudeness of a multitude, or they have accused thee to a multitude. Though therefore they giv... [ Continue Reading ]
God by his HOUSE here understandeth the temple, which God is said here to have forsaken with respect to his gracious manifestations in it to the people that came thither to worship him. By his HERITAGE he means the whole body of the Israelites, called God's heritage not in this chapter only, but JER... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, the reason why my heart is alienated from them, is because they are altered; those that were as my sheep, following me their chief Shepherd, and the guidance of those prophets and pastors which I set over them, are become like lions in the forest roaring against me, and rending and tearing... [ Continue Reading ]
MINE HERITAGE IS UNTO ME AS A SPECKLED BIRD: the word in the Hebrew signifies to dye, or colour, and interpreters are here divided, whether to interpret it of a bird _coloured by nature_ (so our translators understood it, and therefore have translated it _speckled_) or _by accident_, as ravenous bir... [ Continue Reading ]
By PASTORS most here think civil persons, not ecclesiastical officers, are meant; but they are divided, some interpreting it of the rulers and princes of Nebuchadnezzar's army, who took Jerusalem, and destroyed Judah, called _God's vineyard_, ISAIAH 5:1,2; others understanding it of the rulers of th... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY HAVE MADE IT DESOLATE, Heb. _He hath made it desolate_; but it cannot be meant of God, for it is God that speaketh, and God is he mentioned in the next words: it must therefore either be understood of Nebuchadnezzar, the instrumental cause; or (one number being put for another) of the people or... [ Continue Reading ]
The prophet (as very usually) speaketh of a thing as already done which was very shortly to be done; he saith they were come up because they should come up, and no places should be so high but they should climb them, none so strong but they should subdue them. The sword of the enemy is called THE SW... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY HAVE SOWN WHEAT, BUT SHALL REAP THORNS: if these words be understood literally, they only signify that God would blast the labours of the husbandman, and curse them in the field. The earth's bringing forth thorns and thistles was part of the curse for the first transgression of man, GENESIS 3:1... [ Continue Reading ]
God will not be angry for ever with his own people, nor suffer the rod of the wicked for ever to rest upon the back of the righteous; for saith he, for those that are nay evil neighbours, the nations bordering upon Judea, which God calls his inheritance, upon which account he calleth them his neighb... [ Continue Reading ]
This seemeth not to be a prophecy only of the Jews return into their land after the fulfilling of the years of their captivity, but also of the bringing back of these nations after that they should be plucked up, and seems to relate to the calling of the Gentiles; but this prophecy must be limited b... [ Continue Reading ]
Though these people be heathens, yet if they will leave their idolatries, and superstitious ways of worship, and learn to worship and serve me, as my people do and ought to worship me, and SWEAR BY MY NAME, THE LORD LIVETH; that is, pay that homage which they pay to the Divine Being to me, the livin... [ Continue Reading ]
But for those, whether they be Jews or Gentiles, that shall continue in their idolatrous and superstitious courses, that shall refuse the Messias, and continue in unbelief, and go on in courses of rebellion and disobedience, (saith God,) I will utterly destroy that people. Thus ISAIAH 60:12, _The na... [ Continue Reading ]