Jeremiah 12:16 Komentář

In this chapter we have, I. The prophet's humble complaint to God of the success that wicked people had in their wicked practices (Jer 12:1, Jer 12:2) and his appeal to God concerning his own integrity (Jer 12:3), with a prayer that God would, for the sake of the public, bring the wickedness of the wicked to an end (Jer 12:3, Jer 12:4). II. God's rebuke to the prophet for his uneasiness at his present troubles, bidding him prepare for greater (Jer 12:5, Jer 12:6). III. A sad lamentation of the present deplorable state of the Israel of God (Jer 12:7-13). IV. An intimation of mercy to God's people, in a denunciation of wrath against their neighbours that helped forward their affliction, that they should be plucked out; but with a promise that if they would at last join themselves with the people of God they should come in sharers with them in their privileges (Jer 12:14-17).

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 12 This chapter contains the prophets complaint of the prosperity of the wicked, and the Lord's answer to it; an account of the deplorable and miserable estate of the Jewish nation; and a threatening to the neighbouring nations that had used them ill; with a promise of deliverance of the Jews from them, and settlement among God's people in case of obedience. The prophet's complaint is in Jer 12:1 in which he asserts the justice of God, yet seems at a loss to reconcile it with the prosperity of the wicked; and the rather, because of their hypocrisy; and appeals to the Lord for his own sincerity and uprightness, Jer 12:3 and prays for the destruction of the wicked, and that the time might hasten, for whose wickedness the land was desolate, and herbs, beasts, and birds, consumed, Jer 12:3, the Lord's answer, in which he reproves him for his pusillanimity, seeing he had greater trials than those to encounter with, and instructs him how to behave towards his treacherous friends, is in Jer 12:5 the account of the miserable condition of the Jewish nation is from Jer 12:7, under the simile of a house and heritage left by the Lord, given up to enemies, and compared to a lion and a speckled bird, hateful to God, and hated by those about it, Jer 12:7 and of a vineyard destroyed and trodden down by shepherds, and made desolate, Jer 12:10 even as a wilderness through the ravage of the sword; so that what is sown upon it comes to nothing, Jer 12:12 then follows a threatening to those who had carried the people of Israel captive, with a promise to deliver the Jews out of their hands, and bring them into their own land, and settle them among the Lord's people, in case they use diligence to learn their ways, Jer 12:14, but in case of disobedience are threatened to be plucked up and utterly destroyed, Jer 12:17.

And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people,.... Not their evil ways of sin or superstition, they sometimes stray into; but the ways which God has prescribed to them, and has directed them to walk in, and in which they do walk; and which are to be learned of the Lord, by a diligent attendance with his people on his word and ordinances; see Isa 2:3, to swear by my name, the Lord liveth; that is, to worship and serve the living God, a self-existent Being, who has life in himself, and of himself, and not another; and is the fountain, author, and giver of natural life to all creatures, and spiritual and eternal life to his true worshippers: swearing is here put for the whole of religious worship, as in Deu 6:13, (as they taught my people to swear by Baal;) to worship him, and other idols: then shall they be built in the midst of my people; become part of the spiritual building the church; being laid upon the same foundation of the apostles and prophets, and built up a holy temple; a spiritual house for the Lord to dwell in; partaking of the same privileges and ordinances as the people of God; being fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ by the Gospel, Eph 2:20, it denotes the settlement and establishment of the Gentiles with the Jews in a Gospel church state. So the Targum, "and they shall be established in the midst of my people.''

(Verse 16, 17.) And it shall come to pass, if the learned ones have learned the ways of my people, to swear in my name, as the Lord lives: just as they taught my people to swear by Baal, they shall be built up in the midst of my people. But if they do not listen, I will uproot that nation with destruction and annihilation, says the Lord. If those who have been translated from heresy into the Church have learned the ways of the people of God, and have sworn in the name of the Lord, and not in the name of the idols they themselves imagined, they shall be built up by the Lord, and they shall be a part of his people. But if those who have been translated into the Church hold on to the remnants of perverse doctrines and do not heed the words of the Lord, that people shall be uprooted from the midst of God's people, through perpetual destruction and removal, so that not a single place of repentance is left for them. We see this happening every day, and we have evidence that heretics, in order to deceive the simple-minded, pretend to uphold the truth of the faith, not so that they themselves may convert to the faith, but rather to lead the faithful into disbelief.

He spoke also [vv. 16-17] of the utter rejection of the nation of the Jews, for "I will remove that nation by destruction, says the Lord."

CONTINUATION OF THE SUBJECT AT THE CLOSE OF THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER. (Jer. 12:1-17) (Psa 51:4). let me talk, &c.--only let me reason the case with Thee: inquire of Thee the causes why such wicked men as these plotters against my life prosper (compare Job 12:6; Job 21:7; Psa 37:1, Psa 37:35; Psa 73:3; Mal 3:15). It is right, when hard thoughts of God's providence suggest themselves, to fortify our minds by justifying God beforehand (as did Jeremiah), even before we hear the reasons of His dealings.

swear by my name-- (Jer 4:2; Isa 19:18; Isa 65:16); that is, confess solemnly the true God. built--be made spiritually and temporally prosperous: fixed in sure habitations (compare Jer 24:6; Jer 42:10; Jer 45:4; Psa 87:4-5; Eph 2:20-21; Pe1 2:5).