Jeremiah delivers God’s message
» The enemy is coming. Run for your lives!
» God said, “You are my beautiful and delicate daughter, but I will destroy you.
(Whom the Lord loves, He will chastise.)
» The enemy will set up camp near you (temporary situation) and take what you have for
themselves (use you for their own gain).
» They will destroy all that is good in your life.
» Prepare yourself for battle (put up your guard and develop a defensive strategy).
» You are a very wicked people (seeking after your own selfish desires instead of
seeking/following/obeying the Lord.
» This is your LAST warning! Listen or you WILL be destroyed. Disaster WILL fall
upon you.
Israel’s heart response
» Their ears are closed, and they cannot hear.
» They scorn the Word of the Lord.
» They don’t want to listen at all.
God’s promise of chastisement
» I am weary of holding in my fury. I WILL pour out my fury on you, including against
your children, young men, husbands, wives, and grandparents. (Your choices/actions
affect your entire family!)
» You will lose your homes and families to the enemies.
» I WILL punish you.
» ALL of you trick others to get what doesn’t belong to you, including your leaders
(deceptive hearts).
» Your attempts at spirituality are superficial. You pretend like you live in peace.
» You are not even ashamed when you do these disgusting things. Because of your
sin, you will be slaughtered and humbled.
» So, STOP right NOW wherever you are and look for the old (forgotten), godly ways
and walk in them (heart change), so you can find rest for your souls (promise of
restoration).
» Your reply to this pleading was “NO, we don’t want to walk on that road. We choose
to ignore your (gracious) warning.”
» I want all the surrounding nations (people) to notice your (sinful) condition, so they
will know that the disaster I WILL bring is a result of the fruit of your own sin. You
refuse to listen to me. You have rejected ALL my instructions. It is too late to offer
me sweet incense (in place of obedience). I can’t accept your burnt offerings now (such
as occasional church attendance or periodic Bible reading or sporadic prayer.) They do
not please me. (They are not motivated by a changed heart.)
» I will put obstacles in your path. Even those around you will fall over them…your
fathers, sons, neighbors, and friends. (You are causing others to fall into sin.)
» People you don’t know are coming to attack you. They are armed to slaughter you.
They are cruel and show no mercy (unlike me). They are great in number and approach
with a battle plan (powerful).
» You will become weak with fear and anticipation of destruction (when you realize
the enemy is actually after you…as promised). The enemy is everywhere. Watch
where you go. You will be terrorized at every turn.
» Dress yourselves in sackcloth and sit among the ashes (humble yourself). Mourn
and weep bitterly (repent) for suddenly the destroying armies will be upon you.
God speaks to Jeremiah
» I have given you the ability (God equips us to do what He calls us to do.) to
analyze/test the quality of my people (measured against God’s standard).
» Aren’t they the worst of rebels, full of slander? They are insolent, hard, and cruel.
ALL of them (in this group of people) lead others into corruption.
» My refining fire grows hotter, but it will never purify and cleanse them because
there is no purity in them to refine (God knows the heart!).
» I WILL label them “Rejected Silver,” because I am discarding them. (God takes sin
serious!)
Next
Jeremiah 1-2
Jeremiah 3-4
Jeremiah 5
Jeremiah 6
Jeremiah 7
Jeremiah 8
Jeremiah 9
Jeremiah 10-11
Jeremiah 12-13
Jeremiah 14-15
Jeremiah 16-17
Jeremiah 18
