Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Jeremiah
Book: Jeremiah
Chapter: 12
Overview:
Jeremiah complains of the prosperity of the wicked.
(1-6) The
heavy judgments to come upon the nation.
(7-13) Divine
Mercy to
them, and even to the nations around.
(14-17)
1-6 When we are most in the dark concerning
God's
dispensations, we must keep up right thoughts of
God, believing
that he never did the least 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 abide
By 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
On account of the trials it occasions us.
And in this our favoured
Day, and under our trifling
difficulties, let us consider how we should behave, if called to
sufferings like those of saints in former ages.
7-13 God's people had been the dearly-beloved of his soul,
precious in his sight, but they acted
So, 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 as men
wondered at, as a speckled
Bird; but this people had
By 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 lay the warning to
Heart. When
God's
Hand is lifted
up, and men will not see, they shall be made to feel.
Silver and
Gold shall not profit in the
Day of the
Lord's
Anger. And the
efforts of sinners to escape misery, without
Repentance and
Works answerable thereto, will
End in confusion.
14-17 The
Lord would plead the cause of his people against
their evil neighbours. Yet he would afterwards show
Mercy to
those nations, when they should learn true religion. This seems
to look forward to the times when the
Fulness of the
Gentiles
shall come in. Those who would have their
Lot with
God's people,
and a last
End like theirs, must learn their ways, and walk in
them.