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<p>Some difficulty occurs in the date of this prophecy. This word is said to come to Jeremiah <i>in the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Jer.27.1" href="/passage/?search=Jer.27.1">Jer. 27:1</a>), and yet the messengers, to whom he is to deliver the badges of servitude, are said (<a class="bibleref" title="Jer.27.3" href="/passage/?search=Jer.27.3">Jer. 27:3</a>) to come to <i>Zedekiah king of Judah</i>, who reigned not till eleven years after the beginning of Jehoiakim’s reign. Some make it an error of the copy, and think that it should be read (<a class="bibleref" title="Jer.27.1" href="/passage/?search=Jer.27.1">Jer. 27:1</a>), <i>In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah</i>, for which some negligent scribe, having his eye on the title of the foregoing chapter, wrote <i>Jehoiakim</i>. And, if one would admit a mistake any where, it should be here, for Zedekiah is mentioned again (<a class="bibleref" title="Jer.27.12" href="/passage/?search=Jer.27.12">Jer. 27:12</a>), and the next prophecy is dated the same year, and said to be in the <i>beginning of the reign of Zedekiah</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Jer.28.1" href="/passage/?search=Jer.28.1">Jer. 28:1</a>. Dr. Lightfoot solves it thus: In the beginning of Jehoiakim’s reign Jeremiah is to make these bonds and yokes, and to put them upon his own neck, in token of Judah’s subjection to the king of Babylon, which began at that time; but he is to send them to the neighbouring kings afterwards in the reign of Zedekiah, of whose succession to Jehoiakim, and the ambassadors sent to him, mention is made by way of prediction.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">I. Jeremiah is to prepare a sign of the general reduction of all these countries into subjection to the king of Babylon (<a class="bibleref" title="Jer.27.2" href="/passage/?search=Jer.27.2">Jer. 27:2</a>): <i>Make thee bonds and yokes</i>, yokes with bonds to fasten them, that the beast may not slip his neck out of the yoke. Into these the prophet must put his own neck to make them taken notice of as a prophetic representation; for every one would enquire, What is the meaning of Jeremiah’s yokes? We find him with one on, <a class="bibleref" title="Jer.28.10" href="/passage/?search=Jer.28.10">Jer. 28:10</a>. Hereby he intimated that he advised them to nothing but what he was resolved to do himself; for he was not one of those that <i>bind heavy burdens</i> on others, which they themselves will not <i>touch with one of their fingers</i>. Ministers must thus lay themselves under the weight and obligation of what they preach to others.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">II. He is to send this, with a sermon annexed to it, to all the neighbouring princes; those are mentioned (<a class="bibleref" title="Jer.27.3" href="/passage/?search=Jer.27.3">Jer. 27:3</a>) that lay next to the land of Canaan. It should seem, there was a treaty of alliance on foot between the king of Judah and all those other kings. Jerusalem was the place appointed for the treaty. Thither they all sent their plenipotentiaries; and it was agreed that they should bind themselves in a league offensive and defensive, to stand by one another, in opposition to the growing threatening greatness of the king of Babylon, and to reduce his exorbitant power. They had great confidence in their strength thus united, and were ready to call themselves the high allies; but, when the envoys were returning to their respective masters with the ratification of this treaty, Jeremiah gives each of them a yoke to carry to his master, to signify to him that he must either by consent or by compulsion become a servant to the king of Babylon, let him choose which he will. In the sermon upon this sign, 1. God asserts his own indisputable right to dispose of kingdoms as he pleases, <a class="bibleref" title="Jer.27.5" href="/passage/?search=Jer.27.5">Jer. 27:5</a>. He is the Creator of all things; he <i>made the earth</i> at first, established it, and it abides: it is still the same, though <i>one generation passes away and another comes</i>. He still by a continued creation produces <i>man and beast upon the ground</i>, and it is by his <i>great power</i> and <i>outstretched arm</i>. His arm has infinite strength, though it be stretched out. Upon this account he may give and convey a property and dominion to whomsoever he pleases. As he hath graciously <i>given the earth to the children of men</i> in general (<a class="bibleref" title="Ps.115.16" href="/passage/?search=Ps.115.16">Ps. 115:16</a>), so he give to each his share of it, be it more or less. Note, Whatever any have of the good things of this world, it is what God sees fit to give them; we ourselves should therefore be content, though we have ever so little, and not envy any their share, though they have ever so much. 2. He publishes a grant of all these countries to Nebuchadnezzar. Know all men by these presents. <i>Sciant praesentes et futuri—Let those of the present and those of the future age know</i>. “This is to certify to all whom it may concern that I have <i>given all these lands</i>, with all the wealth of them, into <i>the hands of the king of Babylon</i>; even the beasts <i>of the field</i>, whether tame or wild, <i>have I given to him</i>, parks and pastures; they are all his own.” Nebuchadnezzar was a proud wicked man, an idolater; and yet God, in his providence, gives him this large dominion, these vast possessions. Note, The things of this world are not the best things, for God often gives the largest share of them to bad men, that are rivals with him and rebels against him. He was a wicked man, and yet what he had he had by divine grant. Note, Dominion is not founded in grace. Those that have not any colourable title to eternal happiness may yet have a justifiable title to their temporal good things. Nebuchadnezzar is a very bad man, and yet God calls him his servant, because he employed him as an instrument of his providence for the chastising of the nations, and particularly his own people; and for his service therein he thus liberally repaid him. Those whom God makes use of shall not lose by him; much more will he be found the bountiful rewarder of all those that designedly and sincerely serve him. 3. He assures them that they should all be unavoidably brought under the dominion of the king of Babylon for a time (<a class="bibleref" title="Jer.27.7" href="/passage/?search=Jer.27.7">Jer. 27:7</a>): <i>All nations</i>, all these nations and many others, shall serve <i>him, and his son, and his son’s son</i>. His son was Evil-merodach, and his son’s son Belshazzar, in whom his kingdom ceased: then the time of reckoning with his land came, when
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<p class="tab-1">--Levius fit patientia Quicquid corrigere est nefas.--HOR. --When we needs must bear, Enduring patience makes the burden light. CREECH.Many might have prevented destroying providences by humbling themselves under humbling providences. It is better to take up a lighter cross in our way than to pull a heavier on our own head.</p>
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