Jeremiah 17:17 Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil
Divine wrath an object of fear
Every believer can adopt the former of these expressions but not the latter. In the one the prophet deprecates God’s wrath; in the other, he declares his confidence in the divine mercy. He spoke the Word to the people but they imprisoned him and so he says to the LORD Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil
This prayer was peculiarly suitable at such a time; and … it is suitable for us - Let us consider what is implied in the petition - and in the confidence which is here expressed.
I. In the petition, the prophet deprecates divine wrath: Be not a terror unto me
1. We may observe that the awful majesty of God is in itself an object of fear and dread
2. Divine chastisements are also to be feared
3. The wrath of god is still more dreadful and therefore most of all to be feared. This is the greatest of all evils.
4. In deprecating wrath, the prophet in effect prays for support and comfort in the time of trial.
II. Notice the confidence that is here expressed thou art my hope in the day of evil
1. The grace exercised is that of hope
More particularly observe
(1) God is the object of his people’s hope thou art my hope
(2) God also is the end of their hope
2. Observe the time when this hope was exercised in the day of evil
(1) We may see from this subject how hopes and fears are often blended together in the experience of the godly
(2) If God be sometimes a terror to his own people, how much more to the wicked!
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