18 Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O company, That which 'is' upon them. 19 Hear, O earth, lo, I am bringing evil on this people, The fruit of their devices, For to My words they gave no attention, And My law—they kick against it. 20 Why 'is' this to Me? frankincense from Sheba cometh, And the sweet cane from a land afar off, Your burnt-offerings 'are' not for acceptance, And your sacrifices have not been sweet to Me. 21 Therefore thus said Jehovah: Lo, I do give to this people stumbling blocks, And stumbled against them have fathers and sons together, The neighbour and his friend do perish. 22 Thus said Jehovah: Lo, a people hath come from a north country, And a great nation is stirred up from the sides of the earth. 23 Bow and javelin they take hold of, Fierce it 'is', and they have no mercy, Their voice as a sea doth sound, And on horses they ride, set in array as a man of war, Against thee, O daughter of Zion. 24 'We have heard its sound, feeble have been our hands, Distress hath seized us, pain as of a travailing woman. 25 Go not forth to the field, And in the way walk not, For a sword hath the enemy, fear 'is' round about. 26 O daughter of My people, Gird on sackcloth, and roll thyself in ashes, The mourning of an only one make for thee, A lamentation most bitter, For suddenly come doth the spoiler against us. 27 A watch-tower I have given thee, Among My people a fortress, And thou knowest, and hast tried their way. 28 All of them are turned aside by apostates, Walking slanderously—brass and iron, All of them are corrupters. 29 The bellows have been burnt, By fire hath the lead been consumed, In vain hath a refiner refined, And the wicked have not been drawn away. 30 'Silver rejected,' they have called to them, For Jehovah hath kicked against them!
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 6:18-30
Commentary on Jeremiah 6:18-30
(Read Jeremiah 6:18-30)
God rejects their outward services, as worthless to atone for their sins. Sacrifice and incense were to direct them to a Mediator; but when offered to purchase a license to go on in sin, they provoke God. The sins of God's professing people make them an easy prey to their enemies. They dare not show themselves. Saints may rejoice in hope of God's mercies, though they see them only in the promise: sinners must mourn for fear of God's judgments, though they see them only in the threatenings. They are the worst of revolters, and are all corrupters. Sinners soon become tempters. They are compared to ore supposed to have good metal in it, but which proves all dross. Nothing will prevail to part between them and their sins. Reprobate silver shall they be called, useless and worthless. When warnings, corrections, rebukes, and all means of grace, leave men unrenewed, they will be left, as rejected of God, to everlasting misery. Let us pray, then, that we may be refined by the Lord, as silver is refined.