All the people . . . came near, and said unto Jeremiah the prophet.
The people and the prophet
I. Prayerfulness. “Pray for us.” The prophet was implored to intercede with God on behalf of his countrymen. That which prosperity had failed to teach, was quickly learned in the day of adversity. God is honoured when His people cast themselves on His all-sufficiency; and He will repay their confidence by revelations of enlarged, and ever-enlarging, favour.
II. Teachableness. “That the Lord thy God may show,” &c. Matthew Henry well says, “In every difficult and doubtful case our eye must be up to God for direction: we cannot be guided by a spirit of prophecy, which has ceased; but we may pray to be guided in our movements by a spirit of wisdom, and the hints of providence.”
1. A teachable spirit is not a credulous spirit. It does not believe, except on evidence; as the preacher is to persuade men, so is he ever to re-echo the first words God addresses to His rebellious creatures, “Come, now, and let us reason together.”
2. A teachable spirit is not a captious spirit.
3. A teachable spirit is not a reluctant spirit. (W. G. Barrett.)
The Lord shall answer you, I will declare it unto you.--
Portrait of a true preacher
I. The true preacher seeks his message for the people from Heaven. “I will pray,” &c. There are preachers who seek their message from the theories of philosophy, from the works of literature, from the conclusions of their own reasoning. But a true teacher looks to Heaven. In his studies his great question is, “What saith the Lord”; in his ministration his language is, “Thus saith the Lord.” We cannot render the spiritual service to humanity, of which it is in urgent need, by endeavouring to instruct it with human ideas, even though they come from the highest intellects of the world. The ideas of God can alone renovate, spiritually enlighten, purify, ennoble, and save the human soul.
II. The true preacher delivers his message to the people full and faithfully. “I will keep nothing back from you.”
(1) Though it strike against your prejudices.
(2) Though it enkindle your indignation. (Homilist.)
