And for pieces of bread— See Jeremiah 37:21.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The false prophets abounded, both in Judaea and among the captives in Babylon; and by their flattering speeches the hearts of the unwary people were beguiled: against them therefore the prophet is ordered to direct his word. They are called the prophets of Israel: probably they arrogated that title to themselves, and persecuted the few faithful prophets because they remonstrated against and contradicted their falsehood and lies.
1. A heavy charge is laid against them. They were daring impostors, pretended a mission and instruction from God, when he never sent them, forging visions which they never saw, the mere contrivances of their own brain: instead of being guided by the Spirit of truth, they followed their own deceived hearts; and dared to advance, as the dictates of inspiration, that which they knew to be a lie: crafty and ravenous as the foxes of the desert, they preyed on the deluded people; yet, wise as they accounted themselves in their deceits, they were in fact foolish prophets, sunk in spiritual ignorance and sin; they used no efforts to prevent the impending judgments, nor ever stood up in the breach against the overflowings of ungodliness, with sharp and faithful rebukes against the wicked, or fervent and importunate prayer to God, in order to avert his wrath when he arose as an enemy against them. Nay, they widened the gap which they should have made up, by barely betraying men's souls, flattering them to their ruin, promising them peace, and with their solemn pretensions and asseverations emboldening the people to hope that the event would correspond with their predictions; hardening them in sin, and hastening their destruction. Note; (1.) To pretend a mission from the Holy Ghost, when men are conscious that they never were inwardly moved by him, is daring blasphemy and impiety. (2.) They who run, though God never sent them, will shortly be stopped in their career, and perish in their lie. (3.) A foolish prophet had never yet a mission from God: they cannot be called who are not qualified. (4.) A greedy prophet shews who sent him; not God but Mammon. (5.) They who study to please men's ears, instead of faithfully addressing their consciences, are justly to be suspected as deceivers.
2. Vengeance is denounced against them. God is their enemy; and woe unto those against whom he rises up in anger! As they have justly forfeited all the privileges of God's Israel, they are for ever excluded from them; they shall either be cut off by death, or be excommunicated from the church; or, when the issue has proved the falsehood of their predictions, they shall be confounded, and ashamed to look those in the face whom they have deluded: they shall be no more consulted, but abhorred as deceivers; shall die in a miserable exile, and never be enrolled with the other captives when they return to their own land, excluded from their mercy, an earnest of eternal exclusion from the heavenly Canaan. And in these judgments inflicted on the false prophets, God will make known the glory of his justice, holiness, and truth.
2nd, The false prophets are farther rebuked and threatened.
1. They deceived the people. They cried peace, as if God would give them deliverance from the Babylonish yoke, when there was no peace, no prospect as yet of their return from captivity, or hope of their being able to support themselves in rebellion against the Chaldeans. Thus they seduced God's people, those who in profession at least were such, and who had been separated from other nations for his service. One built up a wall, pretending that Jerusalem was impregnable, and that the enemy should never break through; and this being formed pleasing to the people, lo! others daubed it with untempered mortar, supporting with specious arguments the assertion: when, alas! their wall, however solid it appeared, was weak and tottering, and ready to fall before the first attacks of the besiegers. Such are the plausible errors which heretics introduce, and the smooth prophesies of ministers who dare not honestly offend by their simplicity, but court favour by flattering sinners in their false hopes; the end of which will be the ruin of the deceived and the deceiver together.
2. Judgment is passed upon them. The Chaldean army, as an overflowing shower, as great hail-stones, and a stormy wind, shall overturn all their defences, and lay the walls of Jerusalem in the dust; armed with the fury of God, nothing can resist the invaders; and then the vanity of these lying prophets will be seen, and the folly of those who trusted in them be manifest, when they who daubed the wall shall perish under the ruins. Note; (1.) The false refuges of the sinner shall in the end prove his bane. (2.) When God is the enemy, resistance is vain. (3.) They who delude others to their destruction shall receive themselves greater damnation.
3. God ridicules their confidence, and triumphs in their fall. When the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it? Those whom they had deceived would abuse them for their false assurances; and the truly pious, who disregarded their predictions, see the hand of God in the whole of these judgments. And it shall be then known and acknowledged that God is the Lord, when his word is thus verified, and his righteous threatenings executed.
3rdly, As women, as well as men, had been favoured with divine revelation, there were such now who pretended to inspiration, and, actuated by the same evil spirit as the false prophets, joined them in their lies. Against these the prophet is commanded to set his face. Impudent sinners need a bold reprover.
1. The crimes of the false prophetesses are charged upon them.
[1.] They published the fictitious visions of their own hearts, yet solemnly avouched God's authority to give weight to their lies. And too many hearkened to them, hoping or fearing according to their word. Note; (1.) Men easily believe what they wish to be true. (2.) When sinners desire to be flattered, and hate to be reproved, it is just in God to give them up to deluders.
[2.] They were vilely mercenary. They meant to fleece the deluded people; and impiously prostituted God's sacred name, to gain credit to their predictions; even for a morsel of bread ready to transgress, and to invent a lying answer, such as would please those who consulted them. Note; (1.) Nothing is more incompatible with a mission from God, than the love of filthy lucre. (2.) Of all impiety that is chief, to abuse the sacred name of God and religion to serve worldly ends and purposes.
[3.] They used every art to ensnare men's souls, and hunt them into their net; sometimes soothing them with pleasing dreams, sewing pillows to all arm-holes, or elbows, and making kerchiefs upon the head of every stature; intimating thereby how securely they might rest, and fear no enemy to strip off their ornaments; engaging to save the souls alive whom God had doomed to die, and hardening thus the wicked in his impenitence by promising him life, when death temporal and eternal awaited him. On the other hand, sometimes they threatened, denouncing destruction on those whom God had determined to save, and seeking to discourage the righteous, and make their hearts sad whom God hath not made sad. And this some refer particularly to the captives, whom they severely censured for yielding to the Chaldeans, while they promised those who rebelled against Nebuchadrezzar all success and prosperity. Note: (1.) Nothing strengthens the hands of the wicked so much as to be bolstered up with hopes that they may be saved, though they persist in their sins. (2.) They who grieve the hearts of God's people, and seek to discourage them, shall severely suffer for it.
2. God threatens them with deserved wrath. He expostulates with them on the daring impiety of their conduct, and denounces a fearful woe upon them. They shall be shortly silenced and confounded, when by the event their lies should be detected; or they should miserably perish in the siege, and God will rescue his poor people whom they hunted into their toils, tear off the pillows and kerchiefs, discover their delusions, expose them to contempt, and make them more abhorred than ever they had been loved or feared; and hereby he will not only deliver his people from their snares, but eminently magnify his own great name. Note; (1.) It is an unspeakable mercy, when God saves his people from those who sought to tyrannize over their consciences. (2.) God will not suffer those who trust in him to be led into essential errors by the delusions of false teachers; but will bring them to the knowledge of his blessed Self, comfort their dejected hearts with the views of his free grace and rich salvation, and, shedding abroad his love in their souls, make them both happy and holy.