I. IN WHAT IT CONSISTED.

1. "The prophets prophesy falsely." The prophets were not mere predicters of future events, but the utterers of God's will - those who spoke forth, as the very word "prophet" denotes, the hitherto undeclared mind of God. For this purpose they were specially selected, trained, privileged, commissioned. Hence every inducement that could possibly bear on them to lead them to be faithful to their high charge and trust was theirs: love of their country; approval of their own conscience; the fear of God; the sure, if not present, reward of their fidelity which they would receive from God. But yet they prophesied falsely. We could have understood:

(1) Their hesitation in the discharge of their duty. See how Jeremiah himself shrank from it, so stern and arduous was it. It was no light matter to be a prophet in those days.

(2) Their silence even. Fear may have rendered them dumb, or hopelessness of doing any good may have silenced them. But that they should prophesy falsely - they from whom fidelity at all costs might have been looked for - that was "a wonderful and horrible," etc. The fountains of truth were poisoned, the helm of the ship was in the hands of those who would steer her on to the rocks. The light that was in Israel was darkened, therefore how great was their darkness! What force such a fact as this lends to the urgency with which:

(a) God's prophets - his ministers today are such - should take heed to themselves and to their doctrine; and

(b) God's people should remember in fervent prayer those on whom so high and solemn a charge is laid.

2. "The priests bear rule by their means." The priests were the more familiar ministers of relig fophets prophesy falsely." The prophets were not mere predicters of future events, but the utterers of God's will - those who spoke forth, as the very word "prophet" denotes, the hitherto undeclared mind of God. For this purpose they were specially selected, trained, privileged, commissioned. Hence every inducement that could possibly bear on them to lead them to be faithful to their high charge and trust was theirs: love of their country; approval of their own conscience; the fear of God; the sure, if not present, reward of their fidelity which they would receive from God. But yet they prophesied falsely. We could have understood:

(1) Their hesitation in the discharge of their duty. See how Jeremiah himself shrank from it, so stern and arduous was it. It was no light matter to be a prophet in those days.

(2) Their silence even. Fear may have rendered them dumb, or hopelessness of doing any good may have silenced them. But that they should prophesy falsely - they from whom fidelity at all costs might have been looked for - that was "a wonderful and horrible," etc. The fountains of truth were poisoned, the helm of the ship was in the hands of those who would steer her on to the rocks. The light that was in Israel was darkened, therefore how great was their darkness! What force such a fact as this lends to the urgency with which:

(a) God's prophets - his ministers today are such - should take heed to themselves and to their doctrine; and

(b) God's people should remember in fervent prayer those on whom so high and solemn a charge is laid. < Iheo hrany t">