Tuesday, June 16
Read Jeremiah 2
Think About It:
Jeremiah boldly confronted the people with their sins and pled with them to repent and return to the Lord. There are four major themes combined in these messages: rebellion, repentance, righteousness, and retribution. Jeremiah also had a gift for expressing theological truth in pictorial language. He paints 10 pictures in chapter 2 that expose the sins of the people.
- An unfaithful wife (verses 1-8): At the beginning of this covenant relationship, the Jews were devoted to the Lord and loved Him. But once they conquered the Promised Land, their hearts turned after the gods of the nations around them and they sunk into idolatry.
- A plundered slave (verses 14-19): By allying with its pagan neighbors – Egypt and Assyria – instead of trusting the Lord, Judah had become a dependent state and was being plundered and enslaved.
- A stubborn animal (verse 20): Jeremiah often used animals to picture the behavior of people, and here he compared the Jews to an unruly animal that won’t wear a yoke.
- A degenerate vine (verse 21): God planted His people in good land He gave them, but they didn’t produce the harvest of righteousness He desired. “So He expected it to bring forth good Grapes, but in brought forth wild Grapes” (Isaiah 5:2).
- A defiled body (verse 22). They had a sinful hearts because they had stubborn hearts, hearts that refused to listen to God’s servant and obey Gods Word. Jeremiah is preeminently the prophet of the heart, for he used the word over 60 times. “Oh Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved” (Jeremiah 4:14).
- An animal in the dessert (verses 23-25): Even though the people denied they were defiled, their actions proved otherwise. They were like animals: a lost camel looking for an oasis; or a donkey in heat, running here in there looking for a mate.
- A disgraced thief (verses 26-28): Any visitor to the kingdom of Judah could see what God saw, people turning their backs on God and talking to dead idols.
- Incorrigible children (verses 29-35): God chastened them many times for their sins, but they refused to change their ways, and even blamed God! He brought charges against them (verse 9), but instead of confessing and repenting, they complained and brought charges against Him!
- Prisoners of war (verses 36-37:) The description of verse 37 is that of prisoners of war, being led away captive.
Any decisions we make that are contrary to God’s plan will lead to bondage, because only the truth can set us free (John 8:32).
Family Time:
- What are two evils God said His people committed in verse 13?
- Re-read verse 19. Why is the ‘Fear of the Lord’ important to have?
