Matthew Henry Commentary Jeremiah 6
Matthew Henry Commentary
Jeremiah 6
Matthew Henry Commentary
Jeremiah 6
"Flee for safety, ye children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth-haccherem; for evil looketh forth from the north, and a great destruction. The comely and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, will I cut off. Shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place. Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day declineth, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out. Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces. For thus hath Jehovah of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her. As a well casteth forth its waters, so she casteth forth her wickedness: violence and destruction is heard in her; before me continually is sickness and wounds. Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from thee; lest I make thee a desolation, a land not inhabited." — Jeremiah 6:1-8 (ASV)
Whatever methods are used, it is vain to contend with God's judgments. The more we indulge in the pleasures of this life, the more we make ourselves unfit for the troubles of this life. The Chaldean army will invade the land of Judah and in a short time devour all.
The day is coming, when those careless and secure in sinful ways will be visited. It is folly to trifle when we have eternal salvation to work out, and the enemies of that salvation to fight against. But they were so eager, not that they might fulfill God's purposes, but that they might fill their own treasures; yet God thereby served his own purposes.
The corrupt heart of man, in its natural state, casts out evil thoughts, just as a fountain casts out its waters. It is always flowing, yet always full.
The God of mercy is loath to depart even from a provoking people, and is earnest with them, that by repentance and reformation, they may prevent things from coming to extremity.
"Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn again thy hand as a grape-gatherer into the baskets. To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of Jehovah is become unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. Therefore I am full of the wrath of Jehovah; I am weary with holding in: pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days. And their houses shall be turned unto others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith Jehovah. For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall; at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith Jehovah. Thus saith Jehovah, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls: but they said, We will not walk [therein]. And I set watchmen over you, [saying], Hearken to the sound of the trumpet; but they said, We will not hearken." — Jeremiah 6:9-17 (ASV)
When the Lord arises to take vengeance, no sinners of any age or rank, or of either sex escape. Their hearts were set on the world, and they were wholly carried away by the love of it. If we judge this sin by God's word, we find multitudes in every station and rank given up to it.
Those are to be considered our worst and most dangerous enemies, who flatter us in a sinful way. Oh, that people would be wise for their souls! Ask for the old paths; the way of godliness and righteousness has always been the way God has approved and blessed.
Ask for the old paths set forth by the written word of God. When you have found the good way, go on in it, and you will find abundant recompense at your journey's end. But if people will not obey the voice of God and flee to His appointed Refuge, it will plainly appear at the day of judgment that they are ruined because they reject God's word.
"Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it. To what purpose cometh there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing unto me. Therefore thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people; and the fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them; the neighbor and his friend shall perish. Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, a people cometh from the north country; and a great nation shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth. They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea, and they ride upon horses, every one set in array, as a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Zion. We have heard the report thereof; our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail. Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy, [and] terror, are on every side. O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the destroyer shall suddenly come upon us. I have made thee a trier [and] a fortress among my people; that thou mayest know and try their way. They are all grievous revolters, going about with slanders; they are brass and iron: they all of them deal corruptly. The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed of the fire: in vain do they go on refining; for the wicked are not plucked away. Refuse silver shall men them, because Jehovah hath rejected them." — Jeremiah 6:18-30 (ASV)
God rejects their outward services, as worthless to atone for their sins. Sacrifice and incense were to direct them to a Mediator; but when offered to purchase a license to go on in sin, they provoke God. The sins of God's professing people make them an easy prey to their enemies.
They dare not show themselves. Saints may rejoice in hope of God's mercies, though they see them only in the promise: sinners must mourn for fear of God's judgments, though they see them only in the threatenings. They are the worst of revolters, and are all corrupters. Sinners soon become tempters.
They are compared to ore supposed to have good metal in it, but which proves all dross. Nothing will prevail to part them from their sins. Reprobate silver shall they be called, useless and worthless. When warnings, corrections, rebukes, and all means of grace, leave them unrenewed, they will be left, as rejected by God, to everlasting misery.
Let us pray, then, that we may be refined by the Lord, as silver is refined.
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