Notes from Jeremiah 18

In this chapter we have,

I. A general declaration of God's ways in dealing with nations and kingdoms, that he can easily do what he will with them, as easily as the potter can with the clay (v. 1-6), but that he certainly will do what is just and fair with them. If he threaten their ruin, yet upon their repentance he will return in mercy to them, and, when he is coming towards them in mercy, nothing but their sin will stop the progress of his favours (v. 7-10).
II. A particular demonstration of the folly of the men of Judah and Jerusalem in departing from their God to idols, and so bringing ruin upon themselves notwithstanding the fair warnings given them and God's kind intentions towards them (v. 11-17).
III. The prophet's complaint to God of the base ingratitude and unreasonable malice of his enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and his prayers against them (v. 18-23).

Notes from Jeremiah 17

In this chapter,

I. God convicts the Jews of the sin of idolatry by the notorious evidence of the fact, and condemns them to captivity for it (v. 1-4).
II. He shows them the folly of all their carnal confidences, which should stand them in no stead when God's time came to contend with them, and that this was one of the sins upon which his controversy with them was grounded (v. 5-11).
III. The prophet makes his appeal and address to God upon occasion of the malice of his enemies against him, committing himself to the divine protection, and begging of God to appear for him (v. 12-18).
IV. God, by the prophet, warns the people to keep holy the sabbath day, assuring them that, if they did, it should be the lengthening out of their tranquility, but that, if not, God would by some desolating judgment assert the honour of his sabbaths (v. 19-27).

Notes from Jeremiah 16

In this chapter,

I. The greatness of the calamity that was coming upon the Jewish nation is illustrated by prohibitions given to the prophet neither to set up a house of his own (v. 1-4) nor to go into the house of mourning (v. 5-7) nor into the house of feasting (v. 8, 9).
II. God is justified in these severe proceedings against them by an account of their great wickedness (v. 10-13).
III. An intimation is given of mercy in reserve (v. 14, 15).
IV. Some hopes are given that the punishment of the sin should prove the reformation of the sinners, and that they should return to God at length in a way of duty, and so be qualified for his returns to them in a way of favour (v. 16-21).

Notes from Jeremiah 15

When we left the prophet, in the close of the foregoing chapter, so pathetically poring out his prayers before God, we had reason to hope that in this chapter we should find God reconciled to the land and the prophet brought into a quiet composed frame; but, to our great surprise, we find it much otherwise as to both.

I. Notwithstanding the prophet's prayers, God here ratifies the sentence given against the people, and abandons them to ruin turning a deaf ear to all the intercessions made for them (v. 1-9).
II. The prophet himself, notwithstanding the satisfaction he had in communion with God, still finds himself uneasy and out of temper.
1. He complains to God of his continual struggle with his persecutors (v. 10).
2. God assures him that he shall be taken under special protection, though there was a general desolation coming upon the land (v. 11-14).
3. He appeals to God concerning his sincerity in the discharge of his prophetic office and thinks it hard that he should not have more of the comfort of it (v. 15-18).
4. Fresh security is given him that, upon condition he continue faithful, God will continue his care of him and his favour to him (v. 19-21). And thus, at length, we hope he regained the possession of his own soul.

Notes from Jeremiah 14

This chapter was penned upon occasion of a great drought, for want of rain. This judgment began in the latter end of Josiah's reign, but, as it should seem, continued in the beginning of Jehoiakim's: for less judgments are sent to give warning of greater coming, if not prevented by repentance. This calamity was mentioned several times before, but here, in this chapter, more fully. Here is,

I. A melancholy description of it (v. 1-6).
II. A prayer to God to put an end to this calamity and to return in mercy to their land (v. 7-9).
III. A severe threatening that God would proceed in his controversy, because they proceeded in their iniquity (v. 10-12).
IV. The prophet's excusing the people, by laying the blame on their false prophets; and the doom passed both on the deceivers and the deceived (v. 13-16).
V. Directions given to the prophet, instead of interceding for them, to lament them; but his continuing notwithstanding to intercede for them (v. 17-22).

Notes from Jeremiah 13

Still the prophet is attempting to awaken this secure and stubborn people to repentance, by the consideration of the judgments of God that were coming upon them. He is to tell them,

I. By the sign of a girdle spoiled that their pride should be stained (v. 1-11).
II. By the sign of bottles filled with wine that their counsels should be blasted (v. 12-14).
III. In consideration hereof he is to call them to repent and humble themselves (v. 15-21).
IV. He is to convince them that it is for their obstinacy and incorrigibleness that the judgments of God are so prolonged and brought to extremity (v. 22-27).

Notes from Jeremiah 12

In this chapter we have,

I. The prophet's humble complaint to God of the success that wicked people had in their wicked practices (v. 1, 2) and his appeal to God concerning his own integrity (v. 3), with a prayer that God would, for the sake of the public, bring the wickedness of the wicked to an end (v. 3, 4).
II. God's rebuke to the prophet for his uneasiness at his present troubles, bidding him prepare for greater (v. 5, 6).
III. A sad lamentation of the present deplorable state of the Israel of God (v. 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 (v. 14-17).