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without hands.” Stephen was accused of speaking incessantly against the tem ple and the law, and teaching that Jesus would destroy the temple and change the customs handed down by Moses. Of Paul they said, “ Men of Israel, help. This is the man that teaeheth all men everywhere against the people and the law and this place,” “ And all the city was moved and the people ran together and laid hold on Paul.” 1 —Sei. Priests and prophets spake unto the princes. The prophet has a hearing (vs. 12-15). The princes express their opinion (v. 16). The elders give their judgment (Ì7-19). The case is cited of a prophet who, unlike Mioah, lost his life as the result of his fidelity (20-23). Happily this was not true of Jeremiah (v. 24). — Gray. v. 12. Sent me to prophesy against this house. Rather “ concerning.” Jere miah purposely avoids saying “ against,” which would grievously irritate. Jere miah takes up their word in a better sense, implying that there is still room for repentance, that his prophecies aim at the real good of the city.— Grotius. God’s ambassador must keep close to divine instructions, not compromising to please men or save himself. If he speaks what God appointed him to speak he will be under God’s protection, and whatever affront the people offer to the ambassador will be resented by God Himself.'—Sum. Bible. v. 13. Amend your ways. As it is never too soon to be good, so it is never too latè to amend. We should there fore neither neglect the time present nor despair of the time past. If we had been sooner good we might perhaps have been better. If we are longer bad we shall be worse.-—Warwick. It is one thing to mourn for sin because it ex poses us to hell and another to mourn for it because it is an infinite evil. It is one thing to mourn for it because it is injurious to ourselves, another to mourn for it because it is offensive to God.-—Spring. v. 14. I am in your hand. Jere miah’s humility is herein shown and his submission to the powers that be (Rom. 1 3 : i ) .— j. F. & B. The splendid cour age of the prophet is seen in his utter disregard of the personal consequences of faithfulness. He is confident that controlling their wrath is. the permis sive will of God. He is His servant and no shaft of the enemy’s malice can hit him until He gives permission. He knows well that behind their hands are
offer, which left them without excuse.— - Calvin. In the Old Testament, repent- . ance is the English word used to trans late the Hebrew word “ nacham,” mean ing to be eased or comforted. It is used of both God and man. Notwith standing the literal rendering of “ nach am’ ' it is evident from a study of all passages that the sacred writers use it in the sense of a change of mind. When applied to God, the word is used pheno menally, according to Old Testament custom. God seems to change His mind. The phenomena are such as in the case of a man would indicate a change of mind.— Scofield. v. 6 . I will make this house like Shiloh. The Ephraimite sanctuary of Shiloh, long the home of the ark, and its priesthood had been overthrown in some national catastrophe. Its ruins remained the permanent monument of the fugitive glory of even the most sac red shrineS-Ball. The temple is to be like Shiloh, i. e., forsaken (Ps. 78:60). — Gaebelein. v. 8 . They took him. Men hardened their hearts against inspired prophets as easily as they do against the most pathetic appeals of modern evangelists. Mingled with the crowd were Jeremiah’s professional rivals. He stung their in difference into resentment and aroused the priests and prophets to fury.-S-Exp. Bible. How often this has been repeat ed in the history of God’s true witness es. During pagan Rome as well as papal Rome, the false priests and false prophets hated and despised God’s wit nesses and persecuted them. It is so in our times.— Anno. Bible. Surely die. This was in accordance with Deut. 18: 20 as they would not believe that Jeho vah could send such a message. Jere miah’s danger was very real.— Comp. Bible. The alleged proof that Jeremiah was not speaking at God’s command was that God could not permit such a calamity to fall on Jerusalem.-—Dumme- low. v. 11. Prophesied against this city. They said, almost in the very words which the high priest and the Sanhedrin used of Christ, “This man is worthy of death for he hath prophesied against this city as ye have heard with your ears.” Such accusations have been al ways on the lips of those who have de nounced Christ and His disciples as heretics. One charge against Himself was that He said, I “ will destroy this tem ple that is made with hands and in three days will build another that is made
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