I. The man who wrote these words was a very sorrowful man; one who was full of grief for what he saw, and for what he expected. He was an Israelite, one of the race of Abraham. He believed that God had chosen his nation to be a blessing to all nations. But he felt that his country, the country which he loved, was polluted by the evil things that were done in it. He could not tear himself from his nation. He was tearing himself from God if he did. God's covenant was with Israel. He was in God's covenant because he was an Israelite. Whatever calamities befel Israel must befal him. Jeremiah supposes that people of other countries would walk through the land of Israel, and see its capital city in ruins, and would say, "Wherefore hath the Lord done this to this great city?" And this, he says, would be the answer, "Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord, and have worshipped other gods and served them." He who was their true Lord would let them learn by hard punishment what was the fruit of their wilful ways, what comes of forgetting His commandments.
II. God has made with us a new covenant; a better covenant than that which He made with the Jews, because God does not merely say to us, "Keep My commandments," but He says, "I will give you My Holy Spirit that you may keep them." But the commandments which He bids us to keep are the very same. And when people grow indifferent to these commandments, then it fares with us as it fared with the Jews. We cease to be a strong people, a united people, a wise and understanding people, in the sight of the nations; we become weak, and divided, and foolish. If we hold fast to the covenant it will go well with us, and with our seed after us. We shall be true citizens of our land. God will bless our land and cause His face to shine upon it.
F. D. Maurice, Sermons Preached in Country Churches,p. 305.
References: Jeremiah 22:19. J. Thain Davidson, Talks with Young-Men,p. 233.Jeremiah 22:21. Plain Sermons by Contributors to "Tracts' for the Times,"vol. i., p. 48.