Jeremiah:5

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* Verse 1-9 - None could be found who behaved as upright and godly men . But the Lord saw the true character of the people through all their disguises . The poor were ignorant , and therefore they were wicked . What can be expected but works of darkness , from people that know nothing of God and religion ? There are God 's poor , who , notwithstanding poverty , know the way of the Lord , walk in it , and do their duty ; but these were willingly ignorant , and their ignorance would not be their excuse . The rich were insolent and haughty , and the abuse of God 's favours made their sin worse . * Verse 10-18 - Multitudes are ruined by believing that God will not be so strict as his word says he will ; by this artifice Satan undid mankind . Sinners are not willing to own any thing to be God 's word , that tends to part them from , or to disquiet them in , their sins . Mocking and misusing the Lord 's messengers , filled the measure of their iniquity . God can bring trouble upon us from places and causes very remote . He has mercy in store for his people , therefore will set bounds to this desolating judgment . Let us not overlook the "nevertheless ," ver .18 . This is the Lord 's covenant with Israel . He thereby proclaims his holiness , and his utter displeasure against sin while sparing the sinner , Psalms strkjv @89:30-35 . * Verse 19-31 - Unhumbled hearts are ready to charge God with being unjust in their afflictions . But they may read their sin in their punishment . If men will inquire wherefore the Lord doeth hard things unto them , let them think of their sins . The restless waves obeyed the Divine decree , that they should not pass the sandy shores , which were as much a restraint as lofty mountains ; but they burst all restraints of God 's law , and were wholly gone into wickedness . Neither did they consider their interest . While the Lord , year after year , reserves to us the appointed weeks of harvest , men live on his bounty ; yet they transgress against him . Sin deprives us of God 's blessings ; it makes the heaven as brass , and the earth as iron . Certainly the things of this world are not the best things ; and we are not to think , that , because evil men prosper , God allows their practices . Though sentence against evil works is not executed speedily , it will be executed . Shall I not visit for these things ? This speaks the certainty and the necessity of God 's judgments . Let those who walk in bad ways consider that an end will come , and there will be bitterness in the latter end . **** Matthew Henry 's Commentary ****

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