Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Jeremiah
Book: Jeremiah
Chapter: 5
Overview:
The Jews' profession of religion was hypocritical.
(1-9) The
cruel proceedings of their enemies.
(10-18) Their apostasy and
Idolatry.
(19-31)
1-9 None could be found who behaved as upright and godly men.
But the
Lord saw the true character of the people through all
their disguises. The
Poor were ignorant, and therefore they were
wicked. What can be expected but
Works of
Darkness, from people
that know nothing of
God and religion? There are
God's
Poor,
who, notwithstanding poverty, know the way of the
Lord, walk in
it, and do their duty; but these were willingly ignorant, and
their ignorance would not be their excuse. The rich were
insolent and haughty, and the abuse of
God's favours made their
Sin worse.
ver. 10-18 Multitudes are ruined
By believing that
God will
not be
So strict as his
Word says he will;
By this artifice
Satan undid mankind. Sinners are not willing to own any thing to
be
God's
Word, that tends to part them from, or to disquiet them
in, their sins. Mocking and misusing the
Lord's messengers,
filled the
Measure of their iniquity.
God can bring trouble upon
us from places and causes very remote. He has
Mercy in store for
his people, therefore will set bounds to this desolating
Judgment. Let us not overlook the "nevertheless," ver. 18. This
is the
Lord's
Covenant with
Israel. He thereby proclaims his
Holiness, and his utter displeasure against
Sin while sparing
the sinner, Ps 89:30-35.
19-31 Unhumbled hearts are ready to charge
God with being
unjust in their
Afflictions. But they may read their
Sin in
their
Punishment. If men will inquire wherefore the
Lord doeth
hard things unto them, let them think of their sins. The
restless waves obeyed the Divine decree, that they should not
pass the sandy shores, which were as much a restraint as lofty
mountains; but they burst all restraints of
God's
Law, and were
wholly gone into wickedness. Neither did they consider their
interest. While the
Lord,
Year after
Year, reserves to us the
appointed
Weeks of
Harvest, men live
On his bounty; yet they
transgress against him.
Sin deprives us of
God's blessings; it
makes the
Heaven as
Brass, and the
Earth as
Iron. Certainly the
things of this world are not the best things; and we are not to
think, that, because evil men prosper,
God allows their
practices. Though sentence against evil
Works is not executed
speedily, it will be executed. Shall I not visit for these
things? This speaks the certainty and the necessity of
God's
judgments. Let those who walk in bad ways consider that an
End
will come, and there will be bitterness in the latter
End.