Jeremias 15
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
Jeremias 15:16
Spurgeon - I have said that Jeremiah lets us into a secret. His outer life, consisting in his perpetual faithful ministry, was to be accounted for by his inward love of the word which he preached. Jeremiah's finding God's Word reminds one of godly King Josiah and the incredible story of the discovery of God's Word which had been lost in the House of God (the Temple!). While Jeremiah's discovery of God's Word brought joy and delight, Josiah's discovery wrought brokenness, repentance and personal revival (some say national revival, but subsequent events prove there was no heart change so this was simply reformation without revival for most of the people of Judah). 2Ki 22:8 Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan who read it. 9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king and brought back word to the king and said, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD.” 10 Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king. 11 And it came about when the king heard the words of the book of the law, that he tore his clothes. 12 Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant saying, 13 “Go, inquire of the LORD for me and the people and all Judah concerning the words of this book that has been found, for great is the wrath of the LORD that burns against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.” 14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter); and they spoke to her. 15 And she said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, 16 thus says the LORD, “Behold, I bring evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read. 17 “Because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods that they might provoke Me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore My wrath burns against this place, and it shall not be quenched.”’ 18 “But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the LORD thus shall you say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel, “Regarding the words which you have heard, 19 because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the LORD. 20“Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, neither shall your eyes see all the evil which I will bring on this place.”’” So they brought back word to the king. (2Ki 22:8-20, cp 2Ki 23:2) ILLUSTRATION - A few years ago, the janitor of the old Township House at Steam Corners in Morrow County, Ohio, found three old ballots, two marked for U. S. Grant and one for Horace Greeley. This reminds us of King Josiah, when the book of the law was found in the dust and debris of the temple. He restored it to its proper place as the spiritual charter of the nation. ILLUSTRATION - On May 8, 1961, newspapers carried the story of Rusty O'Malley, a sixteen-year-old high school senior who bought a priceless religious document for five dollars in a Chicago department store. The 350- year-old manuscript is the only known remaining fragment of two psalm books copied around a.d. 1600. By comparison, it is possible to purchase a complete Bible for only a few dollars, but even the cheapest edition of the Scriptures is priceless if we take it as the guide for daily life. Were found: Solomon records "For they (Pr 4:20 = "my words" - God's inspired, inerrant Words) are life to those who find them, And health to all their whole body." Jeremiah searched the Scripture, (cp Da 9:2-note) diligently studied the law, and found experienced its soul reviving power (Ps 119:25). The weeping prophet found his consolation and comfort in God's Word and so should we whether in times of distress or delight. Jeremiah ate it and he digested it and it became a part of him. (cp 1Pe 2:2-3-note Ps 19:10-note Job 23:12-note) Oh, how we need to get into the Word of God today so that it might get into us! We don’t need just a little surface learning of a few rules, a few guidelines, or a few steps to take to clean up our acts (that's what the legalist does!). Instead we need to eat the pure Word, digest it and allow it to become part of our very being. In so doing the Spirit will birth joy and rejoicing to our heart just as He did for Jeremiah. Only the Word of God can do this. Jamieson writes that what Jeremiah is saying is "As soon as Thy words were found by me, I eagerly laid hold of appropriated them." This is a good pattern - May God's Spirit of Christ prompt all of us to eagerly lay hold of God's Word that it might securely lay hold of us! Amen Spurgeon - Do you understand what you are reading in Jer 15:16? That is the main point. The butterflies flit over the garden, and nothing comes of their flitting; but look at the bees, how they drive into the bells of the flowers and come forth with their thighs laden with the pollen and filled with the sweetest honey for their hives. This is the way to read your Bible: get into the flowers of Scriptures, plunge into the inward meaning, and suck out that secret sweetness which the Lord hath put there for your spiritual nourishment. Paul describes the effect of us beholding the Word, especially the Gospel - But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord (As revealed in His Word), are being transformed (present tense = a daily process = sanctification, verb = metamorphoo) into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." (2Cor 3:18-note) (Comment - But notice the divine-human synergism [the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.] The Spirit does the work, as we take in the Word! What's the upshot [the final or eventual outcome or conclusion of a discussion, action, or series of events]? Take in the Word daily [Mt 4:4, Lk 4:4, Dt 8:3] and with delight [Ps 1:2-3-note![) Luther said that God feeds the birds, but He doesn't throw the food into their nests. Spurgeon commenting on Jeremiah 15:16 said while Jeremiah's "prophesying brought him nothing but tears, yet he continued to prophesy; for God’s Word came with such sweetness to his own soul, and filled his heart with such ravishing joy and delight, that he could not do otherwise than go and tell out among his fellow men what had been so delightful to himself (cp Jer 20:9). I believe this to be the secret of every living ministry. (READ SPURGEON'S STATEMENT AGAIN. WHAT IS THE SECRET?) The ministry that is fed upon flattery, and flatters those who flatter it, is a poor feeble counterfeit, and God will never bless it; but the ministry which under great difficulties and fierce opposition is still sustained because the preacher cannot help but continue in it, is that which God will bless. It was good advice of a venerable divine to a young man who aspired to be a preacher, when he said to him, “Don’t become a minister if you can help it.” The man who could very easily be a tradesman or a merchant had better not be a minister. A preacher of the Gospel should always be a volunteer, and yet he should always be a pressed man, who serves his King because he is omnipotently constrained to do so. Only he is fit to preach who cannot avoid preaching, who feels that woe is upon him unless he preach the Gospel, and that the very stones would cry out against him if he should hold his peace (Lk 19:40). I have said that Jeremiah lets us into a secret. His outer life, consisting in his perpetual faithful ministry, was to be accounted for by his inward love of the word which he preached. Depend upon it, this secret unriddles all true spiritual life. If ever you see any one who walks in holiness stand fast in temptation, and be upheld under affliction, you may rest assured there is a something about him that is not perceived by every eye; there is a secret which the world does not know—a hidden fountain, which sustains the stream of his life—an invisible spring of vitality which keeps him vigorous even in the midst of surrounding death. Bunyan’s metaphor was, that he saw a fire which was burning under singular circumstances, for one stood before it who continually threw water upon it to quench it, but though he did so, yet the fire was not put out. (In Pilgrim's Progress) Christian could not understand the marvel till the Interpreter took him behind the wall, and there he saw one that cast oil upon the fire as perseveringly as the enemy cast the water, so that the fire being secretly nourished could not be extinguished. Every Christian’s life is of that sort: there is abundance to destroy it, but, if it be sustained, there is a secret something (God's Word) which keeps that soul alive unto God and persevering to the end." (The Secret Food and the Public Name - Jeremiah 15:16) (See also Spurgeon's other sermon on Jeremiah 15:16 - Hidden Manna) Spurgeon divides Jeremiah 15:16 into "the secret life of the believer," ("Thy words were found and I ate them and they became for me the joy and the delight of my life") and the "public life" ("for I have been called by Thy Name O Jehovah, God of hosts.") D A Carson in his comments on Jesus' words in John 6:63 compares them with Jeremiah 15:16 writing that "It is hard not to see in the last clause (of Jn 6:63) an allusion to Jeremiah 15:16, where the prophet addresses God: 'When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight' (cf. also Ezek. 2:8-3:3; Rev 10:9ff.). In short, Jeremiah's assessment of God's words is the same as Jesus' assessment of His own words. One cannot feed on Christ without feeding on Christ's words, for truly believing Jesus cannot be separated from truly believing Jesus' words (Jn 5:46-47). Human beings live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Dt. 8:3, Mt 4:4, Lk 4:4). The identical claim is now made (in Jn 6:63) for the words of Jesus, precisely because He is the Word incarnate (Jn 1:1-18; especially Jn 1:14-note, cf. Jn 5:19-30).(Pillar New Testament Commentary – The Gospel According to John) Carson also associates Jeremiah 15:16 with John's words in the Revelation 10:9-10 writing that "The precise reference for eating the scroll is clearly Ezek 2:8-3:3… Notable parallels are found in Jer 6:10-11a and, especially, Jer 15:16-17: "Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart… You filled me with anger." In context, the delight and anger of God's words that Jeremiah eats refer respectively to the prophet's own comfort and to the judgment of his enemies (the Lxx of Jeremiah has, instead of "anger," the word pikría ["bitterness"], which is the nominal form of the verb used in Rev. 10:9-10 [make… bitter = pikraino]). Like the prophets of old, John will preach a message that is sweet for those who heed God's word but carries bitter judgment for those who refuse it." (Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament) Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah here describes his first reception of a Divine revelation. Truth is like "treasure hid in a field;" he alone who seeks it with an unprejudiced mind can "find" it. But there are some things which no "searching" of the intellect can "find" (Job 11:7; Job 37:23; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Ecclesiastes 8:17); yet by a special revelation they may be "found" by God's "spokesmen," or prophets. This is the train of thought which underlies Jeremiah's expression here. The "words," or revelations, of Jehovah are regarded as having an objective existence in the ideal world of which God is the light, and as "descending" from thence (comp. Isaiah 9:8) into the consciousness of the prophet. So Ezekiel 3:1, "Eat that thou findest." I did eat them; I assimilated them, as it were (comp. Ezekiel 2:8; Ezekiel 3:3). I am called by thy name; literally, thy name hath been (or, had been) called upon me; i.e. I have (or, had) been specially dedicated to thy service. The phrase is often used of Israel (see on Jeremiah 14:9), and, as here applied, intimates that a faithful prophet was, as it were, the embodied ideal of an Israelite. (Jeremiah 15 Commentary - The Pulpit Commentaries) Thomas Watson on Jeremiah 15:16 - The Bible is a rock of diamonds, a chain of pearls, the sword of the Spirit; a chart by which the Christian sails to eternity; the map by which he daily walks; the sun-dial by which he sets his life; the balance in which he weighs his actions. Robert Hawker's devotional thoughts on Jeremiah 15:16 (November 28) - Yea, Lord! I have indeed found thy words most precious, and, through thy grace, I have eaten them, and they are as honey and the honeycomb to my soul. In them I find my God and Father in his covenant-engagements, all pledged in faithfulness to his dear Son, to be the everlasting and unchanging portion of his redeemed. Oh! what unknown, what unspeakable blessedness do I find in that one promise: “I will be their God, and they shall be my people!” Here also I find Christ and his fulness; the Holy Ghost and his graces; the whole covenant and its rich promises: all secured, made over, and co-operating to the assurance of salvation! And how then can thy word, Lord, wherein thou hast caused me to hope, be otherwise than “the joy and rejoicing of my heart?” I have Jesus in all, and his promises in all, and therefore can never fail of all that is here engaged, since all the promises of God in Christ “are yea and amen!” Oh! then, let thy word continue “as a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,” which will shine all the way through, even to lighten up the dark valley of the shadow of death, until I come “to dwell in the house of my God for ever!” (The Poor Man's Evening Portion). God's Word provides the nourishment We need to have if we're to grow; But if we do not feast on it, Vitality we'll never know. -Sper C H Spurgeon - Jeremiah 15:16 (Hidden Manna) I. A MEMORABLE DISCOVERY. What is meant by finding God's words? 1. A thing found has usually to be sought for. Happy is he who reads or hears the Scriptures, searching all the while for the hidden spiritual sense (Proverbs 2:4, 5). 2. To find God's Word means that we have been made to understand them (1 Corinthians 3:14). The Bible is a dull book till illuminated; a tantalising riddle till you get the key; but, the clue once found, it absorbs our attention, delights our intellect, and enriches our heart. 3. Means to appropriate it as belonging to yourself. Reading a will is not interesting till you find you have a part in it. To read a will is not an interesting occupation—repetitions, legal phrases, tautologies multiplied to utter weariness; but if there be a legacy left to you in that will, no writing will be more fascinating; you will trip lightly over the lawyer’s fences and five-barred gates, and rejoice as one that findeth spoil when you reach those clauses which leave certain “messuages, tenements, and hereditaments” to yourself and heirs. II. AN EAGER RECEPTION. What is meant by eating them? 1. An eager study. Greedy for the truth. My soul hungered even to ravenousness to be fed upon the bread of heaven. It is not “I did hear them,” for that he might have done, and yet have perished. Herod heard John gladly, and yet became his murderer. He does not say, “I did learn them by heart”—hundreds have committed chapters to memory, and were rather wearied than benefited thereby. The Scribes fought over the jots and titles of the law, but were blind leaders of the blind notwithstanding. It is not “Thy words were found, and I did repeat them,” for that he might have done as a parrot repeats language it is taught: nor is it even, “Thy words were found, and I remembered them;” for though it is an excellent thing to store truth in the memory, yet the blessed effect of the divine words comes rather to those who ponder them in their hearts. 2. Cheerful reception. My soul was in love with the Word. I was so in love with thy word that I not merely held it, rejoiced in it, and embraced it, but I received it into my inner man. 3. An intense belief. Not questioning it, but living upon it. 4. The language means, besides, both the diligent treasuring up of the truth, and the inward digestion of the same. III. THE HAPPY CONSEQUENCES. 1. Hold the truth in its entirety and harmony, and then it will be joy to your heart. 2. The Word of God would have given no joy had he not been obedient to it. 3. Yet there are certain choice truths in God's Word, especially joy giving: the doctrine of election, to know that you are called and predestinated; and of the immutability of Divine love. IV. A DISTINGUISHING TITLE. 1. The name of the Lord of hosts was reviled in Jeremiah's day, yet he felt it an honour to be associated with the Lord in this contempt. Oh ye who love the Lord Jesus, never shun the scandal of the Cross! 2. Some do not count it a fair thing to bear the name of the Most High. It is a disgrace to any man that his Lord should die for his soul on Calvary and yet he be afraid to wear His livery. THE WORD OF GOD RECEIVED AND INTERNALIZED And I ate them - To internalize means to make part of one's nature by learning or unconscious assimilation. Jeremiah did not just taste the Word, but he ate the Word, which suggests he chewed it or meditated on the Word ("chewed the cud"). Thus he digested the Living Word and experienced a change in his heart as a result. He "internalized" God's Words and allowed their meaning to become a reality in his life, to renew his mind (Eph 4:23) and order his steps. God's Word won't force it's way into our heart, but when it finds a willing heart, it can radically impact the way that heart sees the world, including (and especially) the adverse circumstances that we all experience. When trials and afflictions come too many people (even believers) seek answers every place EXCEPT in the Word of God, which alone provides "everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence." (2Pe 1:3-note). Jeremiah sought the Word, found the Word, ate the Word and experienced soul renewal from the Word. The Word Jeremiah ate is the same soul "food" to which every saint has access today. The question is will we seek answers and the "balm of Gilead" (Jer 8:22) in His Word? We will find answers and/or balm (a fragrant preparation used to heal or soothe) (because we will not always receive a specific answer to every question we have in this life but will always find comfort and consolation) in His Word unless we seek it. The only way to understand the Bible is to read it prayerfully in dependence on our Teacher, the Holy Spirit. God says clearly (in another context but applicable in principle) "you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13) This principle is immutable because God is faithful to His Word. When we seek Him in His Word, we will find Him. And when we find Him, we will discover that He is all we need! Jesus is always enough! Jeremiah knew that what makes the difference is not how many times he had been through the Word, but how many times (and/or how thoroughly) the Word had been through him. We can read the Word every day, but if we don't really eat it, the impact will be much less than it could be. This is why the Bible makes it so clear that "chewing on the Word" (Meditation) is a discipline God so richly blesses (Ps 1:2-note, Ps 1:3-note, Joshua 1:8-note). In meditation the Word becomes part of our innermost being and that's where the Spirit does His wonderful transforming work (cp 2Cor 3:18-note). The weeping prophet's response of relishing God's Word stands in stark contrast with the people of Judah who were rejecting God's Word! “The wise men are put to shame, They are dismayed and caught; Behold, they have rejected (can be translated "despised, loathed, spurned, disdained") the word of the LORD, And what kind of wisdom do they have? (Jer 8:9) “Hear, O earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people, The fruit of their plans, Because they have not listened to My words, And as for My law, they have rejected it also. (Jer 6:19) Comment: The refrain of rejecting or despising the Word of God is sadly seen repeatedly in the OT - Read 1Sa 15:23, 26; Isa 30:12, Ezek 20:24, Amos 2:4; Isa 5:24; Hosea 4:6, cp the warning in Lev 26:15-18ff Ultimately their worst rejection was of the incarnate Word - Ps 118:22! God's reaction to men's rejection is predictable (based on His righteousness) = Hos 9:17, Amos 5:21, Jeremiah is saying in essence that God's Word was his life (Dt 32:47) and was made welcome (James 1:21-note = "in humility receive" where receive = dechomai = "put out the welcome mat" as for an honored guest!) just as literal food is (Dt 8:3, Mt 4:4) very welcome when our stomachs are growling! God grant that Your Spirit make our (spiritual) stomachs groan and growl for Your precious Word of Life! Amen Constable makes a good point writing that "Jeremiah's love for the Word was a result of God's initiative-because Almighty Yahweh had called him to Himself (cf. Jeremiah 1:4-10). One of the greatest blessings God can give His servants is a hunger for His Word. If you do not have it, ask Him to give it to you. Then cultivate a taste for it (cf. 1 Peter 2:2-note)." (Jeremiah 15 Expository Notes) R A Torrey - We must study His words, fairly devour His words, let them sink into our thought and into our heart, keep them in our memory, obey them constantly in our life, let them shape and mold our daily life and our every act. This is really the method of abiding in Christ. It is through His words that Jesus imparts Himself to us. “The Word of God will stand a thousand readings,” it’s been said, “and he who has gone over it most frequently is the surest of finding new wonders there.” J
Jeremias 15:16
Spurgeon - Eat into the very soul of the Bible - Jeremiah 15:16 - Oh, that you and I might get into the very heart of the Word of God — and get that Word into ourselves! As I have seen the silkworm eat into the leaf, and consume it — so ought we to do with the Word of the Lord — not crawl over its surface, but eat right into it until we have taken it into our inmost parts! It is idle merely to let the eye glance over the words, or to recollect the poetic expressions, or the historic facts; but it is blessed to eat into the very soul of the Bible until, at last … you come to talk in Scriptural language, your very life is fashioned upon Scripture models, and, what is better still, your mind is flavored with the words of the Lord. Thomas Watson - The Scripture is a golden love-letter, written by the Holy Spirit — and sent to us from Heaven! The Scripture is a spiritual looking-glass, to dress our souls by. It shows us heart-sins, vain thoughts, unbelief, etc. It not only shows us our spots — but washes them away! The Scripture is an armory, out of which we may fetch spiritual artillery to fight against Satan. When our Savior was tempted by the devil, He fetched armor and weapons from Scripture: "It is written!" The Scripture is a panacea, or universal remedy for the soul. It can cure … deadness of heart, Psalm 119:50; pride, 1 Peter 5:5; and infidelity, John 3:36. It is a garden of remedies, where we may gather an herb or antidote, to expel the poison of sin! The Scripture is "the only standard of conduct." It is the only rule by which we are to square our lives. It contains in it: all things needful to salvation; what duties we are to do; what sins we are to avoid. "When your Words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight!" Jeremiah 15:16. All true solid comfort is fetched out of the Word. The Word is a spiritual garden, and the promises are the fragrant flowers or spices in this garden. How should we delight to walk among these beds of spices! The Scripture is a sovereign elixir, or comfort, in an hour of distress. "Your promise revives me — it comforts me in all my troubles!" Psalm 119:50 If we would have the Scripture effectual, let us labor not only to have the light of it in our heads, but its power in our hearts! "I have hidden your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11. The Word, locked up in the heart — is a preservative against sin. As one would carry an antidote with him when he comes near an infected place — so David carried the Word in his heart as a sacred antidote to preserve him from the infection of sin. When we read the holy Scriptures — let us look up to God for a blessing. Let us pray that God would not only give us His Word as a rule of holiness — but His grace as a principle of holiness! It is said, that the alchemist can draw oil out of iron. Truly, God's Spirit can produce grace in the most obdurate heart!(A panacea!) M R De Haan II - TAKING TIME TO DIGEST YOUR MEAL - “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts” (Jer. 15:16). A delicious meal is not very appealing if you experience indigestion afterward. Slowing the intake of the Word through careful reflection is also essential. When encountering the pages of the Bible, it is so easy to skim over a given passage without seeing its significance. But the prophet Jeremiah, with his deep love for the Word of God, made it his first priority. The Hebrew word translated “were found” means both “to acquire and secure” and “to encounter and meet.” When looking at a passage, we should slow down and acquaint ourselves with the text until it becomes secured in our soul. The passage then refers to one of the most enjoyable aspects of the culinary experience actually eating the food. The word eat can mean “devouring, consuming food” as well as “burning fuel like a fire.” When we begin to “chew” on a passage we begin to taste the wonderful spiritual flavors it contains. Have you ever been hungry and found yourself sitting down to a wide range of entrees with distinctive flavors? As your stomach begins to fill with protein, fat, and carbohydrates, you actually begin to feel a lifting of your mood emotionally. Jeremiah felt a rush of “joy and rejoicing” as he ingested God’s Word into his heart. The word the prophet used for “heart” means “the inner man, thinking, reflection at the seat of appetites.” The Word of God nourishes our thoughts and emotions, and brings joy. The foundation for delighting in feeding on God’s Word can be seen in the concluding section of this small but meaningful verse: “I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.” To Jeremiah, meaningful time in God’s Word is always tied to our relationship with Him. In our devotional time, we become aware once again that we are called by the eternally existing Lord of heaven and earth. And this realization transforms our spiritual dryness into a dynamic encounter with the One who created us for fellowship with Him. James
Jeremias 15:16
Spurgeon - GOD’S WORD THE JOY OF THE GODLY = JER. 15:16: “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.” BREAD is sweet to the hungry, water is sweet to the thirsty, and the words of God are sweet to the child of God. Wherever they are found, whether in history, narrating the great events of time; or in prophecy, foretelling the glorious unfoldings of the future; or in law, pointing out the great duties of life; or in the Gospel, declaring the way of salvation by Jesus Christ; or in biography, in which the real character of good men is faithfully delineated, they are appreciated and enjoyed, they are the very aliment of the inner or spiritual life. Man, when quickened and made alive, does “not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” One of the children of God could say: “I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” Another could say: “The law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver;” “Sweeter, also, than honey and the honeycomb.” And the prophet Jeremiah, who speaks of Divine truths under the figure of food, says: “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.” In the pages of sacred history we have a development of the principles of God’s moral government. We learn that “righteousness and judgment are the habitation of His throne”—that “He loves righteousness, and hates iniquity;” that He is the friend of the oppressed, and the enemy of the oppressor; that His resources are boundless; that He can do whatsoever He pleaseth, despite the mighty obstacles that may stand in His way. Before Him, obstacles vanish, be they mighty as the Red Sea, or formidable as a waste, howling wilderness, in which to feed and keep alive for forty years more than half a million of men. With God, obstacles are only as straws on some great railroad, which cannot for a moment obstruct the progress of the train in its onward speed. “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” What is there that He cannot do? He can suspend the laws of nature, and for them can substitute the supernatural. He can bring about supernatural results by reason of His own supernatural power; He can open rivers in the desert, and springs in high places; He can make the rock to pour forth water, and the clouds to rain down bread. Thus it is that Biblical history, in its development of the principles of the Divine government, becomes to a man of God deeply interesting and instructive, “the joy and rejoicing of his heart.” Prophecy teaches us that with God the future is no sealed book—that He knows the future as well, or even better than we know the past. We have now the history of the world, but He had it before the world was; we have the history of good men, but He had it before good men were born; we have the history of wicked men, but He had it before they came into the world to perform their wicked deeds. By reason of His omniscience, the history of nations and empires was written upon the vellum of His infinite mind, and was then transmitted to the minds of His servants the prophets. What is prophecy but forewritten history and biography? Hence, ages before Judas was born his biography was written, and placed among the records of inspiration; and centuries before Christ came into the world the principal features of His life and death, and the conduct of the Jews in their rejection of Him as the Messiah, were all portrayed, with all the correctness and fidelity of a faithful historian. But while God knew, and in some cases wrote by means of prophets, the history of nations, and the biographies of individuals, His foreknowledge had no influence in forming the character and in shaping the lives of men. Had God no foreknowledge of Adam’s fall, Abel’s murder, Pharaoh’s despotism, Absalom’s conspiracy, Herod’s infanticide, Judas’ treachery, and the rejection of the Lord Jesus by the Jews, these men had been the same, and their deeds the same. God’s foreknowledge of them and their wicked deeds had no more influence upon them than our foreknowledge of the rising and setting of the sun has upon that bright orb of day. But as we, foreknowing that the sun will rise at one hour and set at another, make our foreknowledge subservient to our plans and purposes, so God made His foreknowledge subservient to the plans and purposes of His own infinite mind. The wrath of man and the wickedness of man He overruled and made tributary to the accomplishment of His holiest and grandest design of love and mercy: prophecy thus teaching us that the future is known to the Lord—the future of the Church, the world, and of every child of man; that He knows what to-morrow and every day will bring forth; and that nothing unforeseen by us can arise to thwart His plans, frustrate His designs, and defeat His purposes. Now we may rest assured that as He knows our time future and our eternal future, He has made ample provision for our every want and absolute necessity, as well as for our ultimate and everlasting well-being. Thus it is that prophecy, when rightly viewed, becomes a very fountain of delight, and the prophetic words of the Lord are to every good man “the joy and rejoicing of his heart.” Leaving prophecy, we pass on to the consideration of the words of the Lord as embodied in law. By the lawless and disobedient the law is hated; by the righteous and obedient the law is loved. The language of the lawless is, O, how I hate thy law! The language of the righteous is, “O, how I love thy law!” The law of God prohibits nothing but what the enlightened conscience condemns, and commands nothing but what the same conscience approves. The law of God, when carried out in its letter and spirit as in the life of Christ, makes a character truly lovely, “the perfection of beauty.” For these reasons the words of the Lord, as we read them in the law of the Lord, are sweet to the soul, and are “the joy and rejoicing of the heart.” Conformity to the law is an object of the soul’s earnest desire and prayerful solicitude, and when love is perfected this desire will be realised, for “Love is the fulfilling of the law.” But if the words of the Lord in history, prophecy, and the law are sweet, sweeter still are His words as they sound forth in the Gospel of His Son. But they are only sweet to those who are in bitterness through manifold sins and multiplied transgressions. To others they have no charm, and are as unheeded as if they were a cunningly devised fable or an idle tale. Under deep conviction of sin, when the prayer goes up, “God be merciful to me a sinner;” or when the momentous question is asked, “What must I do to be saved?” no sound can be so welcome as the sound of the Gospel, which proclaims a pardon full and free, and a righteousness perfect and complete. As further light breaks in upon the darkened soul, all the great doctrines of the Gospel are seen in all their adaptation to the soul’s moral and spiritual needs, and then it is that the soul, in grateful acknowledgment, speaks to the Lord, and says, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.” Faith is a living upon the truths of the Gospel. Faith makes both the truth, and Christ the substance of the truth, precious. “Unto you which believe He is precious.” “Believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” “Full of glory!” What but faith in Christ and the verities of His Gospel can so lift the soul up to the third heavens as to fill it with glory? The pleasures of sense cannot do this. Sense may travel, but sense cannot fly. It may rove and range all the world around, but it cannot rise from its dust. It has no wings with which it can mount and rise “up where eternal ages roll.” It is earthbound, and beyond the bounds of earth it cannot go. See, then, the superiority of faith over sense. If, as a great poet says— “All on earth is shadow, All beyond is substance,” Sense lives upon shadows—faith upon substance. Sense feeds upon things seen and temporal, faith on things unseen and eternal. We do not undervalue sense and its pleasures—they are the gifts of God, but they are not worthy to be compared with faith. Faith soars into the celestial, lives upon the imperishable, and receives as its end the salvation of the soul. O the preciousness of faith! By it the truth is made precious, the joy and rejoicing of the heart. By it Christ is made precious, “the chief among ten thousand.” By it heaven is reached, and the glories of the place unveiled. It is the substance of all we hope for—the earnest of a glorious future:— “Faith, ’tis a precious gift.” Next to the gift of Christ to the world, is the gift of faith to the soul. Both are unspeakable. Words cannot express their true value, and while eternity will be for ever telling their worth, their real worth will be for ever untold. The benefits of faith are everlasting, but faith itself is a grace which belongs only to time. Soon we shall pass from time into eternity, where— “—— Faith is sweetly lost in sight, And hope in full supreme delight, And everlasting love.” John Butler puts Jeremiah 15:16 in perspective - THE CRY IN THE JUDGMENT - Jeremiah 15:10, 11, 15–18 Jeremiah’s response to the message on judgment was one of dislike. Jeremiah did not like to see the land or people of Judah so destroyed as judgment would destroy it. But neither did Jeremiah like the wickedness that was going on in the land. 1. His Perspective (Jeremiah 15:10) “Woe is me, my mother, that thou has borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth” (Jeremiah 15:10). The minister of the Lord sometimes has a hard time perceiving himself as anything but a troubler, for his message of judgment upsets people, and they do not hesitate to call him a troubler. Jeremiah’s perspective of himself is that of a failure. 2. His Purity (Jeremiah 15:10) “I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury” (Jeremiah 15:10). “Proverbial for ‘I have given no cause for strife against me’ ” (Fausset). This is a proverbial statement to show there was no just cause for accusing him of evil. 3. His persecution (Jeremiah 15:10, 15) “Yet every one of them doth curse me … my persecutors” (Jeremiah 15:10, 15). Jeremiah did not win any popularity awards among the ministers. The historical books of the Bible as well as this book reveal much mistreatment of the prophet Jeremiah because he dared to proclaim God’s message. Times have not changed. All who would declare God’s message can expect mistreatment from the world. 4. His Passion (Jeremiah 15:16, 17) In a grand statement, Jeremiah shows his passion for the Word of God. All ministers need this passion. • The pursuit in the passion. “Thy words were found” (Jeremiah 15:16). You will not find the Word unless you are looking for it. The pursuit of the Word today will involve a study of the Word and a regular attendance of a church that faithfully preaches the Word. • The partaking in the passion. “I did eat them” (Jeremiah 15:16). After the finding comes the feeding. Feeding on the Word of God indicates a passion for the Word. Preaching the Word today is often like feeding a child vegetables—people do not want the Word. • The pleasure in the passion. “Thy Word was … the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” (Jeremiah 15:16). Not many are in that category today. Most are in “the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it” (Jeremiah 6:10) category. The Psalmist said, “Oh how love I thy law, it is my meditation all the day long” (Psalm 119:97). If you love the Word of God you will want to read it, study it, hear it etc. • The placement from the passion. “I am called by thy name O LORD God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16). This speaks of service as well as identification. If you have a passion for the Word, God will have a place for you in His service. Also if you have a passion for the Word, you will be identified as one of God’s people. (Analytical Bible Expositors - Isaiah to Ezekiel) John Butler - Sermon Starters - Devoted to the Word = Jeremiah 15:16 "Thy words were found, and 1 did eat them, and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart; for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts" (Jeremiah 15:16). Devotion to the Word of God and its consequences is the theme of our text. We need more of Jeremiah's consecration to the Word of God. The Word is de-emphasized at church and very few read it, let alone study the Word. Yet it is God's book and nothing is more valuable for our soul's nourishment then the Word. FIRST—THE DESIRE FOR THE WORD "Thy words were found, and I did eat them." The desire to find the Word of God is twofold. • The finding. "Thy words were found." Jeremiah sought the Word. Jesus said to "Search the Scriptures" (John 5:39. Not many do, not many folk are like the Bereans to whom Paul took the Gospel, they "were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11). Many churches have called themselves 'Berean' (and the denomination) church but are anything but Bereans. Few in at church spend much time looking into the Word of God, let alone reading the Bible through in a year's time. • The feeding. "I did eat them." Feeding comes after the finding. Some get new Bibles but never read them. That is like filling your cupboard with food but not eating it. Many folk have poor appetites for the Word. They are not interested in hearing sermons from the Word at church. Their appetite for the Word is like children's appetites for vegetables. SECOND—THE DIVIDENDS FROM THE WORD "Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart; for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts." The dividends of the Word are at least threefold here. • Felicity. "Joy and rejoicing of mine heart." Few know this experience. Instead of delight to most people "The word of the Lord is unto them a reproach, they have no delight in it" (Jeremiah 6:10). The joy the Word can be to the soul exceeds all the joys of the world. • Family. "I am called by thy name." If you love the Word, you will be known as one of God's people. Some may pronounce it fanatic but to have the name of God upon you says that God is not ashamed to own you and claim you as part of His family. • Footmen. "I am called by thy name." According to some Hebrew scholars the words here indicate a calling into the service of the Lord. If you are interested in the Word, God has a place of service for you. Being devoted to the Word of God is absolutely essential if you want to truly serve God. Unfortunately, few churches and mission boards pay attention to this fact when they call a pastor or appoint a missionary. So we have many in the Lord's service without a message. (Sermon Starters Volume 5- John G. Butler) SERMONS ON Divine Revelation Homilist Enjoying God's Word S. Thodey. Feeding on God's Truth Charles Haddon Spurgeon Found, Eaten, and Enjoyed W. Whale. God's Word Found and Eaten A. Roberts, M. A. God's Word Found, Eaten, and Enjoyed John Oswald. God's Words a Heartfelt Joy A. F. Muir Hidden Manna Charles Haddon Spurgeon Hidden Manna Charles Haddon Spurgeon How to Make the Bible Our Own W. Baxendale. How to Study the Scriptures S. Conway Joy in God's Word Newton The Influence of the Bible Conducive to Personal Happiness H. Townley. The Living Word J. Waite The Secret Food and the Public Name C H Spurgeon The Soul's Discovery and Use of the Words of God H. Angus, D. D. The Prophet's Claim Upon Jehovah, and the Grounds of the Claim D. Young