The mournful prophet so called. A man famous in his day and generation as the Lord's servant, and his memory ever blessed in the church through all ages. His name, it should seem, is a compound—from Ram, exaltation; and Jah, the Lord. The pronoun prefixed makes it, my exalted in the Lord. And exalted indeed he was in the Lord's strength, though continually buffeted and by men. It is blessed to read his prophecy, and under the Holy Ghost's teachings to enter into the spirit of this man's writings.
I beg the reader to behold, with suited attention, the account given of him in the first chapter. We find him ordained to the ministry before his birth. And who that reads this account of the servant, but must be struck with full conviction of what is said of his Master, called from the womb of eternity, and set up from everlasting to be JEHOVAH'S servant, to bring Jacob again to him. (See Isaiah 49:1-26 throughout, and Proverbs 8:12-36) What a decided proof and conviction by the way doth this afford, that if Jeremiah was ordained a prophet to the church before he was formed in the belly, surely the glorious Head of that church, and that church in him, was set up, and Christ in all his offices and characters ordained the Lord God of the prophets before all worlds. (Colossians 1:15-18) It should seem from the date of the prophet's commission, when the word of the Lord first came to him, namely, in the thirtieth year of Josiah's reign, that Jeremiah could not be above fourteen years of age when he preached his first sermon. And what a sermon it is! (See Jeremiah 2:1-37; Jeremiah 3:1-25; Jeremiah 4:1-31 etc.) But what may not a child preach when God the Holy Ghost hath ordained him? Oh, that more of that blessed voice was heard in this our day, which was heard by the church in Paul's day! (See Acts 13:1-4) It was the lot of Jeremiah to live in an age when the nation was given up to daring impiety, and rebellion against God. Faithfulness at such a time, could not fail of bringing upon the poor preacher the hatred and indignation of all of a contrary way of thinking to himself. We have the relation of the persecution frequently raised against him, in several parts of his writings. The opposition made to him by the false prophet Hananiah, and the sequel of that awful event is recorded at large, Jeremiah 28:1-17. (See Hananiah.) Blessed is the memory of Jeremiah, and will be in the churches to the latest generation. The Lord ordain many such, if it be his holy will, from the womb! There are several of this name in Scripture. (See 2 Kings 24:18. See also 1 Chronicles 5:24. Two of the name of Jeremiah in David's army. 1 Chronicles 12:4; 1Ch 12:10; 1Ch 12:13)