Matthew Henry Commentary Jeremiah 12
Matthew Henry Commentary
Jeremiah 12
Matthew Henry Commentary
Jeremiah 12
"Righteous art thou, O Jehovah, when I contend with thee; yet would I reason the cause with thee: wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they at ease that deal very treacherously? Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root; they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their heart. But thou, O Jehovah, knowest me; thou seest me, and triest my heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter. How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? for the wickedness of them that dwell therein, the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our latter end. If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and though in a land of peace thou art secure, yet how wilt thou do in the pride of the Jordan? For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; even they have cried aloud after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee." — Jeremiah 12:1-6 (ASV)
When we are most in the dark concerning God's dealings, we must maintain right thoughts of God, believing that He never committed the slightest wrong to any of His creatures. When we find it hard to understand any of His dealings with us, or others, we must look to general truths as our first principles, and hold to them: the Lord is righteous. The God with whom we have to do knows how our hearts are toward Him.
He knows both the guile of the hypocrite and the sincerity of the upright. Divine judgments would pull the wicked out of their pasture as sheep for the slaughter. This fruitful land was turned into barrenness for the wickedness of those that dwelt therein. The Lord reproved the prophet.
The opposition of the men of Anathoth was not so formidable as what he must expect from the rulers of Judah. Our grief that there should be so much evil is often mixed with peevishness because of the trials it causes us. And in this our favored day, and under our trifling difficulties, let us consider how we should behave, if called to sufferings like those of saints in former ages.
"I have forsaken my house, I have cast off my heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies. My heritage is become unto me as a lion in the forest: she hath uttered her voice against me; therefore I have hated her. Is my heritage unto me as a speckled bird of prey? are the birds of prey against her round about? go ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, bring them to devour. Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. They have made it a desolation; it mourneth unto me, being desolate; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart. Destroyers are come upon all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Jehovah devoureth from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh hath peace. They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have put themselves to pain, and profit nothing: and ye shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of Jehovah." — Jeremiah 12:7-13 (ASV)
God's people had been the dearly beloved of His soul, precious in His sight, but they acted in such a way that He gave them up to their enemies. Many professing churches become like speckled birds, presenting a mixture of religion and the world, with its vain fashions, pursuits, and pollutions. God's people are like men who are a spectacle, like a speckled bird; but these people had, through their own folly, made themselves so, and the beasts and birds are called to prey upon them.
The whole land would be made desolate. But until the judgments were actually inflicted, none of the people would take the warning to heart.
When God's hand is lifted up, and people will not see, they will be made to feel. Silver and gold will not profit in the day of the Lord's anger. And the efforts of sinners to escape misery, without repentance and works corresponding to it, will end in confusion.
"Thus saith Jehovah against all mine evil neighbors, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit: behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from among them. And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them up, I will return and have compassion on them; and I will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land. And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, As Jehovah liveth; even as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built up in the midst of my people. But if they will not hear, then will I pluck up that nation, plucking up and destroying it, saith Jehovah." — Jeremiah 12:14-17 (ASV)
The Lord would plead the cause of his people against their evil neighbors. Yet he would afterwards show mercy to those nations, when they learn true religion.
This seems to look forward to the times when the fullness of the Gentiles will come in. Those who desire to cast their lot with God's people, and an ultimate destiny like theirs, must learn their ways and walk in them.
Jump to: