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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
THE CONTEMPT WITH WHICH GOD’S RICHEST MERCIES ARE TREATED
IT pleased God in former times frequently to instruct his people by signs, as being more calculated to awaken the attention of those who were but, as children, slow to understand the plainest declarations of his word. Sometimes those signs were represented to the prophets in visions: as when Ezekiel was taken up by the hair of his head, and earned to the north gate of the temple to see all the wickedness that was transacted in the sanctuary; the thing was done only in a vision [Note: Eze_8:3.]. At other times the prophets actually did the things which were to be signs to the people; as when Ezekiel, for the space of three hundred and ninety days, reclined on his right side, with a representation of Jerusalem before him, to figure to the Jews the siege that should assuredly be formed against it by the Chaldeans [Note: Eze_4:1-17. A most surprising account altogether! See also Eze_12:2-12; Eze_24:15-24.]. Whether the sign which Jeremiah was here directed to use was in a vision only, or in reality, commentators are not agreed. Certainly the going repeatedly several hundred miles only to carry a girdle to the Euphrates and bring it back again, seems a labour unlikely to be imposed upon him: but on the other hand, that very labour might tend the more powerfully to awaken the attention of the Jews to the subject which was thus emblematically represented to them: and it is safer, on the whole, to take literally the Scripture account in all cases where reason and common sense do not necessitate us to understand it figuratively [Note: Such an instance occurs, Jer_25:27].
The sign here used by the prophet was this. He took a girdle, and, after wearing it some time, carried it to the river Euphrates, and hid it there in the hole of a rock; and then, after a considerable lapse of time, he went and fetched it back again, and exhibited it to the people in its decayed state; declaring that they, notwithstanding their present strength and power, should ere long be reduced to the lowest ebb of misery by the Chaldeans; because when God had formed them for himself, they had refused to adhere to him, or to regard his overtures of love and mercy.
Such is the explanation given us by God himself in in the words of our text; which, whilst they elucidate the emblem used by the prophet, will naturally lead me to shew you,
I. The honour which God has designed for his people—
The primary use of a girdle is to bind up the garments around the loins—
[In conformity with this idea, God had caused his people to cleave to him, that they might be, as it were, in continual contact with him. This he had caused them to do, when he brought them out of Egypt, and made them altogether dependent on himself for direction, preservation, and support. In like manner he may be said to have caused us also to cleave to him, having in our very birth imposed on us a necessity to depend upon him for life, and breath, and all things; for “in him we live, and move, and have our being.” Our proper state is that of a little infant clinging to its mother, or, as our text expresses it, “a girdle cleaving to the loins of a man.” We should at all times be “taking hold of God by prayer [Note: Isa_64:7.],” and by faith uniting ourselves to him, so as to be one with him, and he with us. If this was the duty and privilege of the Jews, much more is it ours; because our God and Saviour has actually assumed our nature, and become bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh: nay more, by the fuller communication of his Spirit he “dwells in us,” and lives in us, and is “our very life [Note: Col_3:4.]” so that they who are joined unto him by faith are “one Spirit with him [Note: 1Co_6:17.].” This then, I say, is the honour which God designs for us: he would have us all renouncing every kind and degree of creature dependence, and to live as nigh to him and cleave as close to him, as a girdle to the loins of a man; yea, in spite of every opposition and discouragement, he would have us “cleave unto him with full purpose of hearts [Note: Act_11:23.].”]
But a girdle is also of use for ornament—
[And to this our text has especial respect. The girdle of the high-priest was, as it is repeatedly called,“a curious girdle,” given him “or glory and for beauty [Note: Exo_28:4; Exo_28:8; Exo_28:40.]” and our great High-Priest desires that we should be to him what that curious girdle was to Aaron. Vile and worthless as we are in ourselves, ho would form and fashion us anew, interweaving in our nature all the graces of his Spirit, and transforming us into the very image of our God in righteousness and true holiness. Surrounded by us, he would esteem himself more richly adorned than with the brightest jewels [Note: Mal_3:17.], and more enriched than with all the treasures of the universe [Note: Exo_19:5-6. with 1Pe_2:9.]. It appears almost impious to say, that such ornaments would be a glory to our God and Saviour; yet we will venture to affirm that they would be regarded so by our Lord himself, who says, “All mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them [Note: Joh_17:10. See also Joh_15:8, and Isa_61:3.].” What a royal diadem is to an earthly monarch, that are we designed to be to the King of kings and Lord of lords [Note: Isa_62:3.] As Christ was “the image of the invisible God,” because God who is invisible in his own nature was visible in him [Note: Col_1:15.] so are we according to the measure of grace given unto us: we are to “shine as lights in the world, holding forth” in our whole deportment “the word of life [Note: Php_2:15-16.]” we are made his on purpose that we may “shew forth his virtues [Note: 1Pe_2:9. See the marginal reading.];” we are to be “epistles of Christ, known and read of all men [Note: 2Co_3:3.];” and shewing in the whole of our spirit and temper what the will of the Lord is: we are to “have the same mind as was in him [Note: Php_2:5.],” and to “be changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord [Note: 2Co_3:18.].” This will surely become our state, if once we cleave, like a girdle, unto him; and all who see us shall be constrained to “glorify our Father who is in heaven [Note: Mat_5:16.].”]
Who would conceive, that when such honour is offered unto man, there should be found a creature in the universe unwilling to accept it? Yet the sequel of our text leads us to shew,
II. The way in which this honour is contemned—
The melancholy testimony that was almost invariably borne against the Jews was, that “they would not hear [Note: Compare with the text, Jer_6:16-17.]—
[See how they conducted themselves in relation to the very offer before us! “they refused to hear God’s words, and walked in the imagination of their own hearts, and worshipped and served other gods [Note: ver. 10.].”]
And what can be a more just description of ourselves?
[Unspeakable as the honour is which God desires to confer upon us, we will not seek it at his hands: we are, like those who were invited to the wedding-feast, all with one consent making excuses, and pleading the urgency of our worldly affairs as a reason for neglecting our spiritual concerns [Note: Luk_14:16-20.]. If we bow not down to stocks and stones, we “worship and serve the creature more than the Creator [Note: Rom_1:25.].” We have idols in our hearts; and to those we dedicate all our powers and faculties, whether of soul or body. We are justly characterized as “walking after the imagination of our own hearts [Note: See Isa_53:6.]:” each serves the god that suits him best. One follows all his vicious propensities, and seeks his happiness in sensual indulgence: another grasps after riches; another aspires after honour; another affects rather the more refined pleasures of science and philosophy: but all by nature, however differing in their particular pursuits, agree in this, that they “are of the world, and not of God;” and that they “seek honour from man, and not the honour that cometh of God only.” They need no exhortation to cleave unto worldly vanities; that they do naturally of themselves: and if we could point out to them how to come in closer contact with the objects of their ambition, and how to secure to themselves a larger measure of them, we should find them very attentive to our counsels. But when we exhort them to cleave only to the Lord, they have no ears to hear us, no disposition to regard us. In vain do we expatiate upon the honour which God designs for them; that appears to them no better than “a cunningly-devised fable,” or at best as a subject that may well be deferred to a more convenient season. “Though we call them to the Most High, none at all will exalt him [Note: Hos_11:7.]” so that God may complain of us as he did of his people of old, “All the day long have I stretched out my hands to a rebellious and gainsaying people [Note: Rom_10:21.].”]
Address—
1. In a way of appeal—
[We may justly say to you, “What more could have been done for you than God has done [Note: Isa_5:3-4.]?” and wherefore do you so requite him? Judge, all of you, between God and your own souls, and say what such conduct merits at his hands. I will tell you in God’s name what you may assuredly expect. Behold the girdle when it was brought back from the river Euphrates, how “marred and worthless” it was [Note: ver. 7.]: see too how that emblematic judgment has been executed on the Jewish nation, not only in their Babylonish captivity, but in their present dispersion, where they are “a hissing and an astonishment” to all the rest of the world. So will God’s indignation against you be manifested on account of the contempt you pour upon him; according to that express declaration of his, “Them that honour me, I will honour; and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” As they who made light of his invitation were “not suffered even to taste of his supper [Note: Luk_14:24.],” so you shall never taste of that honour and happiness which he offers to you: and as they were shut out into outer darkness, so will you at the last day awake “to shame and everlasting contempt [Note: Dan_12:2.].”]
2. In a way of encouragement—
[Nothing does God desire more, than to take even the vilest of mankind, and bind them to him as a girdle. Yes, there is not one so worthless, but he should be made a partaker of this honour, if only he would comply with the invitations of his God. O that every one of us might now obey his voice; and that he would “make us willing in the day of his power!” Would you see more clearly what God would do for you? This same prophet tells you without a figure, that “he will pardon all your iniquities” that ever you have committed, and so load you with his benefits, that all who behold you shall be filled with utter astonishment at his goodness to you [Note: Jer_33:8-9.]. Only resist not his strivings with you, but “run after him when he draws you,” and beg him to “fulfil in you all the good pleasure of his goodness, even the work of faith with power: then shall the name of our Lord Jesus Christ be glorified in you, and ye shall be glorified in, and with him, according to the grace of our God, and the Lord Jesus Christ [Note: 2Th_1:11-12.].”]