Jeremiah 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me… A blessed season is here spoken of, very unlike what the world has hitherto seen. Such acquaintance with God is meant, as brings the power, the justice, the mercy, the holiness of God before the mind, and applies them so closely to the heart, that it may be ruled and actuated by that knowledge. And if it is this, and nothing less than this, then may we justly say, The time is not come, of which the prophet speaks, when "all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest, saith the Lord." And it were a vain speculation to inquire when it shall be. These are among "the times and the seasons, which God hath reserved in His own power." But it is not a vain speculation, and by God's blessing it may prove "good to the use of edifying," if we inquire how it might be — how this blessed consummation may be obtained, and the promise brought to its fulfilment. Looking, then, at the fulfilment of the prophecy, I first observe, that we have no ground for expecting that "all will know the Lord," because mankind will bring another nature into the world — a nature which of its own accord shall turn towards God and righteousness. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh," and the time will never cease, when they who are taught of God to understand themselves will be forced to confess, "I know that in me (that is, in my flesh, my original nature) dwelleth no good thing." Neither have we any right to expect that they shall know Him by any fresh or more general revelation This was not needed even by the Jews, to whom the promise was addressed. Our Lord declared that the knowledge of God was sufficiently Within their reach, if their hearts had not been closed against it. "They had Moses and the prophets — let them hear them"; they would teach them to "know the Lord." How much more, then, is it true of those on whom the Sun of Righteousness has risen — "the brightness of the Father's glory, the express image if His person," in whom dwelleth "all the fulness of the Godhead bodily"! The agency, therefore, to which we are to look for the accomplishment of the prophecy, is no other than that from which whatever is good in man has been derived from the beginning. "Every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the God and Father of lights." If the patriarchs served God "in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation" — if Enoch and Abraham were governed by His laws — it was because His Spirit wrote them in their hearts; if they possessed the knowledge of God, it was because that knowledge was implanted in them by His Spirit. And so, when "all shall know the Lord, from the least to the greatest," it will be the same Spirit which worketh all in all. But "there are diversities of gifts, though the same Spirit; and there are differences of administrations, though the same Lord"; and there are differences of results, even in the same administration. The means producing the abundant harvest will be no new means; the Spirit will "take of the things of God," and write them in the heart by the instrumentality already in operation; the difference will be, that the instrumentality will be, first, universal, and secondly, more successful. It will be more universal. "All shall know the Lord, from the least to the greatest"; from the youngest to the eldest, from the richest to the poorest. All, therefore, shall know Him from their youth; all shall be "brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." "They shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord"; this shall be no longer needful. And why is it needful now? Partly, and for a first reason, because too many grow up without that knowledge; and they who from their years and experience in earthly things ought to be teachers in spiritual wisdom, are often children in real understanding. How few are accustomed to hear the knowledge of God treated as if it were "the one thing needful" to be acquired, and "the one thing needful" to be retained! How few parents use this language to their children — "Seek knowledge, acquire learning; but first learn to know the Lord!" — "the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and the knowledge of Him, that is understanding." No wonder, then, that the impression made upon their tender minds, in regard to the God in whom they have their being, is like the footprint in the sand, washed away by the first wave of temptation, and quickly obliterated by the daily inroads of the world. But there are other classes, of which the larger part of human society must ever be composed. Shall we, then, leave the rich — reverse the prophet's course, and now betake ourselves to the poor? Do they "know the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God"! Alas! they have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bands. Multitudes spring up from youth to manhood, with no more knowledge of the Lord than they might have possessed if the Lord had not revealed Himself to the world. If they hear His name, it is to hear it blasphemed; if they learn that the Lord has spoken to men, it is to learn that His message is despised. Whenever, then, the destined time shall arrive, when "all shall know the Lord, from the least to the greatest," all "from the least to the greatest" will be nurtured in the faith and fear of God. Christian instruction will be universal. Now it is rare — now it is partial — now it is imperfect, and marred by inconsistency; then it Will be general and complete. But further, Christian instruction, as it will be universal, so also it will be efficient and successful. I say not that it is unsuccessful now; I believe that it is greatly honoured of God, and that they bring a false report of the land of promise who reproach it as vain and unprofitable; but its effect is now impeded by so many hindrances. Its rarity is a hindrance. Those who have been taught to "know the Lord," are encompassed on every side by those who know Him not. Take the most favoured case; the child who has hitherto "sat beside the still waters," and drank of the pure fountain of piety and holiness, must soon be launched on the wide ocean of the world — must take his course among those who have gone with the stream of the multitude, and are guided by no scriptural direction; the parent who has sown good seed in his son's heart, and prays for its growth and fruitfulness, looks round after a while, and sees (we trust he sees) the wheat appearing — but he cannot help seeing that it is surrounded by tares, and how must he fear lest the tares should prevail and overspread it! In proportion, therefore, as education in Divine knowledge will become general, we may believe that it will become effective and permanently influential, If each one in his own household, and each one in his own neighbourhood, made this their chief and earnest care, that those in whom they are interested and by whom they are surrounded should know the Lord from their youth, the prophet's words might be fulfilled, and the whole community become one well-ordered family, "walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost"; "all, from the least to the greatest," might be taught of God, blessing the pious endeavours of His people, and giving effect to the means which, in dependence on His grace, they would employ; all might "walk with God," as Enoch — might trust in Him, as Abraham — might fear Him, as Joseph — might submit to Him, as Eli — might set Him before their eyes, as David — so that, "living and dying, they might be the Lord's." (Archbishop Summer.) Parallel Verses KJV: And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. |
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