BibleTools.info

Bible Verse Explanations and Resources


Loading...

Jeremiah 18:14

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon - Lebanon was the highest mountain in Judea. Would any man in his senses abandon a farm that was always watered by the melted snows of Lebanon, and take a barren rock in its place? How stupid therefore and absurd are my people, who abandon the everlasting God for the worship of idols!

Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

Rather, “Will the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field?” The meaning probably is, “Will the snow of Lebanon fail from its rocks which tower above the land of Israel?” The appeal of the prophet is to the unchangeableness of one of nature‘s most beautiful phenomena, the perpetual snow upon the upper summits of Lebanon.

Shall the cold … - literally, “shall the strange, i. e., foreign, “cool, down-flowing waters be plucked up?” The general sense is: God is Israel‘s Rock, from whom the never-failing waters flow Jeremiah 2:13: but men may and do abandon the cool waters which descend front above to seek their happiness in channels of their own digging.

Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary
Sinners call it liberty to live at large; whereas for a man to be a slave to his lusts, is the very worst slavery. They forsook God for idols. When men are parched with heat, and meet with cooling, refreshing streams, they use them. In these things men will not leave a certainty for an uncertainty; but Israel left the ancient paths appointed by the Divine law. They walked not in the highway, in which they might travel safely, but in a way in which they must stumble: such was the way of idolatry, and such is the way of iniquity. This made their land desolate, and themselves miserable. Calamities may be borne, if God smile upon us when under them; but if he is displeased, and refuses his help, we are undone. Multitudes forget the Lord and his Christ, and wander from the ancient paths, to walk in ways of their own devising. But what will they do in the day of judgment!
Ellen G. White
Fundamentals of Christian Education, 223

Those teachers who have not a progressive religious experience, who are not learning daily lessons in the school of Christ, that they may be ensamples to the flock, but who accept their wages as the main thing, are not fit for the solemn, awfully solemn, position they occupy. For this scripture is appropriate to all our schools established as God designed they should be, after the order or example of the schools of the prophets, imparting a higher class of knowledge—mingling not dross with the silver, and wine with water—which is a representation of precious principles. False ideas and unsound practices are leavening the pure, and corrupting that which should ever be kept pure, and looked upon by the world, by angels, and by men, as the Lord's institution—schools where the education to love and fear God is made first. “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.” “Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” FE 223.1

Let the teachers who claim to be Christians be learning daily in the school of Christ His lessons. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” I ask you, Is every educator in the school wearing the yoke of Christ, or manufacturing yokes of his own to place upon the necks of others, yokes which they themselves will not wear, sharp, severe, exacting; and this, too, while they are carrying themselves very loosely toward God, offending every day in little and larger matters, and making it evident in words, in spirit, and in actions, that they are not a proper example for the students, and are not having a sense that they are under discipline to the greatest Teacher the world ever knew? There needs to be a higher, holier mold on the school in Battle Creek, and on other schools which have taken their mold from it. The customs and practices of the Battle Creek school go forth to all the churches, and the pulse heartbeats of that school are felt throughout the body of believers. FE 223.2

It is not in God's order that thousands of dollars shall be expended in enlargements and additions in institutions in Battle Creek. There is altogether too much there now. Take that extra means and establish the work in suffering portions of other fields, to give character to the work. I have spoken the word of God upon this point. There are reasons many do not see, that I have no liberty to open before you now; but I tell you in the name of the Lord, you will make a mistake in your adding building to building; for there are being centered in Battle Creek responsibilities that are altogether too much for one location. If these responsibilities were divided and placed in other localities, it would be far better than crowding so much into Battle Creek, robbing other destitute fields of the advantages God would have them privileged with. FE 224.1

Read in context »
Ellen G. White
Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, 70

Men located in Battle Creek have disregarded the counsels of the Lord because it was more convenient for them to have the work centered there. God has left these to the results of their human wisdom, and its fruit is seen in the present perplexities. 8T 70.1

“Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of His servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of Mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.” Isaiah 50:10, 11. 8T 70.2

“Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now everyone from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good. And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will everyone do the imagination of his evil heart. Therefore thus saith the Lord; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing. Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken? Because My people have forgotten Me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up.” Jeremiah 18:11-15. 8T 70.3

Read in context »
Ellen G. White
Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, 783.2

If, while you have been studying the science of mind philosophy, you had diligently studied the science of true godliness, your Christian experience would be very different from what it is. Why have you turned from the pure streams of Lebanon to drink of the murky waters of the plain—the deceitfulness of human inventions? The heart needs a power that is found only in the Word of God. This power is the bread of life, which, if a man eat thereof, he shall live forever. He is not merely to taste occasionally of the bread which comes down from heaven. He is to live on the words which are spirit and life to the receiver. The earnest grasp of truth, the personal appropriation of the words of Christ, works a transformation in the character.—Letter 130, 1901. 2MCP 783.2

Read in context »
Ellen G. White
That I May Know Him, 337.4

The words spoken by Jesus Christ are to be repeated by those who believe them. Those who have genuine faith will make it evident by working for souls who are in darkness.... They will speak words of warning, of entreaty, and will point out the snow waters of Lebanon to those who are seeking to quench their thirst from the low streams of the valleys of the world. God calls for those who stand as soldiers under His blood-stained banner to go to work. He will clothe His messengers with divine power so that they may reach those who are perishing.33 TMK 337.4

Read in context »
More Comments
Cross References
Will