‏ Jeremiah 20

* The doom of Pashur, who ill-treated the prophet. (1-6)

Jeremiah complains of hard usage. (7-13) He regrets his ever

having been born. (14-18)

1-6 Pashur smote Jeremiah, and put him in the stocks. Jeremiah

was silent till God put a word into his mouth. To confirm this,

Pashur has a name given him, "Fear on every side." It speaks a

man not only in distress, but in despair; not only in danger,

but in fear on every side. The wicked are in great fear where no

fear is, for God can make the most daring sinner a terror to

himself. And those who will not hear of their faults from God's

prophets, shall be made to hear them from their consciences.

Miserable is the man thus made a terror to himself. His friends

shall fail him. God lets him live miserably, that he may be a

monument of Divine justice. 7-13 The prophet complains of the insult and injury he

experienced. But ver. #7| may be read, Thou hast persuaded me,

and I was persuaded. Thou wast stronger than I; and didst

overpower me by the influence of thy Spirit upon me. So long as

we see ourselves in the way of God, and of duty, it is weakness

and folly, when we meet with difficulties and discouragements,

to wish we had never set out in it. The prophet found the grace

of God mighty in him to keep him to his business,

notwithstanding the temptation he was in to throw it up.

Whatever injuries are done to us, we must leave them to that God

to whom vengeance belongs, and who has said, I will repay. So

full was he of the comfort of God's presence, the Divine

protection he was under, and the Divine promise he had to depend

upon, that he stirred up himself and others to give God the

glory. Let the people of God open their cause before Him, and he

will enable them to see deliverance. 14-18 When grace has the victory, it is good to be ashamed of

our folly, to admire the goodness of God, and be warned to guard

our spirits another time. See how strong the temptation was,

over which the prophet got the victory by Divine assistance! He

is angry that his first breath was not his last. While we

remember that these wishes are not recorded for us to utter the

like, we may learn good lessons from them. See how much those

who think they stand, ought to take heed lest they fall, and to

pray daily, Lead us not into temptation. How frail, changeable,

and sinful is man! How foolish and unnatural are the thoughts

and wishes of our hearts, when we yield to discontent! Let us

consider Him who endured the contradiction of sinners against

himself, lest we should be at any time weary and faint in our

minds under our lesser trials.