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There are three particulars connected with the wording of the text, to which it is desirable to direct attention. You observe the notice of time, "Then came the Word of the Lord unto Jeremiah." The context shows you that this was in answer to Jeremiah's prayer. In the next place, we notice that Jehovah claims to be the "God of all flesh"; an expression which evidently answers the question, whether the Scriptures of the Old Testament, such as this with which we have to do, are confined to the Jewish people? Then, thirdly, we observe the question, "Is there anything too hard for Me?" We have before us, then, Jeremiah as an example of faith — as one who possessed and exercised that faith for which Abraham was so remarkable. Let us consider how faith deals with mysteries. Jeremiah's faith was tried by what was a great mystery to him upon this occasion, in connection with God's providential dealings. What use was there in purchasing land which was in possession of the enemy? And yet God told him to do it. Then, if God told him to do it, why give the whole of the land into the possession of the enemy? Here was a mystery. Jeremiah's faith had to grapple with that mystery, and to persevere, as he did, in that holy consistency by which he had an opportunity of testifying both to Israel and to Israel s foes concerning the honour and the truth of the God of Israel. Now, we too have, in the course of our lives, to meet with mysterious dispensations in God's providence. There are difficulties before us. There are two clear convictions in our minds; first of all, we can have no doubt, as believers, that God directed us to pray, and heard our prayers; but then, on the other hand, we can have no doubt that God is permitting, in His providence, these difficulties that now perplex us. And these two plain facts coming together at the same point of time do not harmonise with each other; but they come, as it were, into collision, and they clash; and we say, "How can this be? How mysterious this is, that it should be God's will that I should seek Him in prayer, and yet God's will that, notwithstanding my prayer, there should be this difficulty connected with this matter, or these circumstances should arise!" It is a blessing when, under such circumstances, you are enabled still to hold fast to the confidence of faith. Some persons may say, "Why does God permit mystery?" An answer may be easily given. Bring common sense to bear upon this question. How is it that a father deals with the children of the family of which he is the head? There are many things which the father must necessarily say and do, that must occasion perplexity to the children who listen to what he says and observe what he does. Those children will have recourse to their father again and again, to ask for an explanation of what they cannot understand. Sometimes the parent will give the explanation, but at other times the parent declines to explain; he knows that the subject is beyond the present capacity and intelligence which his children possess; and, therefore, he points them into the way of duty, but tells them to wait until they can more fully understand before they ask anxiously for reasons to account for things that now are difficult and perplexing to them; and their confidence in their father, their faith in their father s word, promotes the proper discipline of such a well-regulated family. Now, we are all of us children with reference to our Heavenly Father's dealings with us. "Why do you say so much of faith?" some people ask. The simple answer is, that the creature that is happy must be dependent upon the Creator, and that dependence can only be felt or maintained by the exercise of faith. God in Christ has manifested Himself in such a way that we, His poor sinful creatures, may approach Him; and if we are enabled to rest upon that Saviour who is almighty, whatever mysteries there be around us, or connected with our own experience, faith in the Lord Jesus — that feeling of the soul which leads us to rest upon Him as our Saviour and Friend, though it cannot solve the mysteries, will be contented to wait until time shall so bring things to light, and eternity shall so manifest the purposes and counsels of God, that the Saviour's assurance shall be fulfilled. "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." But now take the ease of impossibilities, and see how faith deals with them. Jeremiah might have argued, "Why should I go and purchase this piece of land? it can never be mine; it is impossible." Now, how did Jeremiah's faith deal with this? He simply did what God told him; and he left the solution of the difficulty with God. Now, this obedience of faith is that to which we need give attention. There can be no difficulty about duty, though there may be difficulty about the reasons why God calls us to that particular duty. We may have this plainly before us by an illustration. I may say to my child, "Go and fetch me that book"; the child may not know my reasons for asking him to fetch that book; it might be possible that I could not explain my reasons to the child, or if I did explain them, that the child would only be puzzled, and his difficulty increased. It might be utterly impossible for the child to understand why I asked him to do this particular act of obedience; but there is no difficulty at all in the child going and fetching the book. The path of duty is quite plain, but the reasons in the parent's mind for commanding the duty at a particular time might be unintelligible and inexplicable. And so with reference to our position with God; the path of duty which He calls us to tread is always plain to him that seeks understanding and wisdom from Him. It is only when we begin to ask the why and wherefore that difficulties spring up; when we ask, "Lord, why art Thou doing this?" then we come into the presence of impossibilities. But when we ask, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" then the path of duty lies before us, and with our hearts set at liberty we run in the way of God's commandments. But now we have to consider the promise of faith in connection with the difficulties of our daily experience; and here, too, the example of Jeremiah is instructive. We have seen that he maintained the exercise of faith and resisted temptations, notwithstanding mysteries; that he went forward in the path of simple obedience, notwithstanding seeming impossibilities; but was he not severely exercised and tried with all this mystery, and difficulty, and seeming impossibility? Certainly he was. But faith led him to prayer. And this is the way in which faith deals with difficulty — it takes men to God.

(W. Cadman, M. A.)

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KJV: Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,

WEB: Then came the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah, saying,