058. Good Men Sometimes Forbid To Pray.

Good Men Sometimes Forbid To Pray.

Jeremiah 7:16.
(See also Jeremiah 11:14, and Jeremiah 15:1.) When Abraham stood before the Lord, pleading for Sodom, he received the gracious assurance that, if ten righteous persons could be found in the city, it should be spared for their sake. Signal as God’s condescension was, in respect to that city, the cry of whose sin had gone up to heaven, an instance of similar favor is recorded in the history of his covenant people. For a series of years, anterior to the reign of Zedekiah— during which, the Jews were carried, captive to Babylon— they had provoked God by their sins. In consequence of which, he had, on several occasions, inflicted severe judgments, and threatened those which were still more signal; especially a captivity, which would take them from their father’s sepulchers, and leave their beautiful city a desolation. Yet, such was his reluctance to cause “the daughter of Zion” to be despoiled of her beauty, that if they could find one righteous man in Jerusalem—meaning, probably, a righteous magistrate—he would spare them all. “Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth, and I will pardon it.” Jeremiah 5:1. “This,” says Dr. Scott, “probably referred to the time immediately succeeding Josiah’s death, when their wickedness burst forth, the more impetuously, for the temporary restraints which, by that prince’s regard for the divine honor, had been imposed upon them.” Then occurred that tragic scene of stoning to death Zacharias the priest, for faithfully warning them—an evidence of their guilt so signal, as to have received the special notice of Jesus Christ. Luke 11:51. Nay, so general was the wickedness, that those set for the administration of the laws, were destitute of even common rectitude. “Judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.” Isaiah 59:14. Had the nation, at the proper time, repented and reformed, God would have saved them from their terrible overthrow. Had there been those of the citizens, who were willing to “stand in the gap”—who, lifting up their voices, had cried: “Spare thy people, O Lord!”—and who, to prayer, had added their influence to effect a reformation, they would have been saved. This we infer from the declaration of God, by the prophet Ezekiel, Ezekiel 22:30-31. After the judgment had befallen them, and they were gone into captivity, God assigns as a reason why he had inflicted it, that not one had been found to stand in the gap, and intercede for them. “And I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath; their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God.”

Jeremiah, and other prophets, and their immediate associates, would, and doubtless did, pray. Indeed, we have the lamentations of the prophet of Anathoth in view of the desolations which he was commissioned and required to announce. But, irrespective of them, the entire people were in revolt from God, and in the practice of wickedness, which, as a righteous sovereign, he could not and would not tolerate.

And, at length, the measure of their iniquity was full and overflowing. They were ripe for the terrible judgment which had been sounding out from the prophetic oracle for years.

There was, therefore, now no longer room for supplication in their behalf. Jeremiah must cease to plead for them. God had decided to cast them off; and, therefore, he would not hear his prophet for them: nay, were Moses and Samuel, whom he had so much honored while they were living, by answering their prayers, to stand before him, they could not prevent his casting them out of his sight. And, if to their prayers were added those of Noah, Daniel, and Job, they would not avail more than to deliver their own souls by their righteousness. Ezekiel 14:14. Much as God was disposed to favor his covenant people, especially when their cause was plead by his honored servants, their destiny was sealed— the day of forgiveness was past—the day of rebuke and chastisement had come.

There is a limit we see to the divine patience, in respect to nations, as well as individuals. In regard to both, God waits just as long as the welfare of his kingdom and the honor of his name will permit. The pious of a nation may by their prayers for a time, and, in some instances, for a long time, avail to retard national judgments. But they cannot prevail with God, nor ought they to desire it, to tolerate wickedness, or to save men in their sins. When a nation continues to wax worse and worse, notwithstanding the favors and mercies of God on the one hand, and his warnings and judgments on the other; and, especially, when they insult and persecute his prophets, he may, in his own good purpose, seal their doom: and then there is no redemption. The prayers of his people will have no other effect than to secure to themselves the divine blessing. They will reap the benefit of every humble supplication; while the more they pray, especially if the wicked nation know it, and do not repent and reform, the more signal will be their destruction.

Gloomy is the state of a nation, when God says to his own people: “Pray not for them, for I will not hear you.” Lot us hope that such a day will never come, in respect to the descendants of the pilgrims. Who would have predicted such a doom for the covenant people of God; so honored; so favored with divine manifestations in their behalf for centuries? And are we more secure than they were? Will God tolerate in us that which brought down his direst judgments upon them? Let us not presume; let us remove those sources of wickedness, which tend to demoralize and corrupt the nation; let us guard our public councils from the influence of men of corrupt and licentious principles. Then will God throw around us the everlasting arms of his protection. And, as years revolve, the tide of our national prosperity will flow broader and deeper. In the beautiful language of inspiration: “Our sons will be as plants grown up in their youth, and our daughters as corner-stones, polished after the similitude of a palace.” “Happy is that people whose God is the Lord.”

Long as the morn her coarse shall run, Or men behold the circling sun, Lord, in our land support thy reign!

Crown her just councils with success, With truth and peace her borders bless, And all thy sacred rights maintain.