Jeremiah questions God’s justice
» Lord, you always give me justice when I bring a case before you. (Jeremiah has
a reputation of integrity before God.)
» Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why are evil people so happy? You have planted
them, and they have taken root and prospered. They speak your name, but in their
hearts they give you no credit at all. (Jeremiah acknowledges that God is in control
of everything…even though we cannot fully understand His ways.)
» But, as for me, Lord, You know my heart. You see me and test my thoughts (full
submission).
» Drag these people away to be slaughtered!
God’s reply
» Jeremiah, if racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against
horses? If you stumble and fall, what will you do? (God reminds Jeremiah that he
is being held to God’s standards and in his own power can accomplish nothing.)
» Even your own family have turned on you Jeremiah. Don’t trust them, no matter how
pleasantly they speak. (Our hearts are easily deceived.)
» I, the Lord, have abandoned my people. I have surrendered my dearest ones to the
enemies. My chosen people have become as disgusting to me as vultures. (Without
faith it is impossible to please God)
» Many rules have ravaged my vineyard, trampling down the vines and turning all its
beauty into a barren wilderness. (Our hearts can be overtaken and led astray…ravaging
us of the beauty of the Lord in our lives. Our fruit will dry up quickly. Our vine (life)
can become useless. Who would light a candle then cover it up? If we really love the
Lord, we would put our candle on a lampstand to shine forth the love of Christ for all
to see.)
» The sword of the Lord kills people from one end of the nation to the other. No one
will escape!
» My people have planted wheat but are harvesting thorns. They have worked hard, but it
has done them no good. (works without faith) The people harvest a crop of shame, for
the fierce anger of the Lord is upon them.
A message from God to Israel’s evil neighbors
» For all the evil nations reaching out for the inheritance I gave my people, I will uproot
them from their lands. But, afterwards I will return and have compassion on all of
them. I will bring them home to their own lands again, each nation to its own inheri-
tance (God has individual plans for us…He considers each child and each family
in accordance with His will. SOVEREIGNTY and UNFAILING LOVE)
» If these nations quickly learn the ways of my people, and if they learn to swear by
my name, then they will be given a place among my people. (All who confess the
name of Christ shall be saved. MERCY and GRACE)
» But, any nation who refuses to obey me will be uprooted and destroyed. (Be assured
that God’s Word is sure and all His promises are true. JUSTICE)
Jeremiah 13
God speaks to Jeremiah as His child
» I will make my people useless because they refused to listen to me and obey.
Instead, they stubbornly followed their own desires.
» My originally created Judah and Israel (my people) to cling to me, the Lord, like
a belt clings to a person’s waist. I wanted them to be my people, my pride, my
glory, an honor to my name, but they wouldn’t listen.
Again, God asked Jeremiah to carry a message to His people
» I will make everyone in this land so confused that they will seem drunk, including
the king, the priests, and the prophets, right down to the common people. I will
smash them one against the other, even parents against children.
» I will not let my pity or mercy or compassion keep me from destroying them. (The
penalty for sin is clearly death! I’m so glad that Christ paid our penalty on the cross!
All we have to do is confess His name as Lord and Savior and live in obedience to
His Word!)
» Give glory to the Lord your God before it is too late.
» Acknowledge Him before He brings darkness upon you, causing you to stumble and
fall on the dark mountains. When you look for light, you will find only terrible
darkness.
» If you still refuse to listen, I will weep alone because of your pride.
» My eyes will overflow with tears because the Lord’s flock will be led astray into exile.
(God loves us! We grieve His spirit when we choose sin.)
» Tell the king and his mother, “Come down from your throne’s and sit in the dust,
for your glorious crowns will soon be snatched from your heads. The people will
be carried away into exile.” (No one will escape God’s judgment.)
» Your foreign allies will rule over you.
» You will writhe in pain like a woman giving birth.
» If you ask, “Why is this happening to me,” it is because of your many sins (lifestyle
of sin) You always do evil.
» I will scatter you, just as chaff is scattered by the winds blowing in from the desert.
» This is your allotment, that which is due you. I have measured it out especially for you,
because you have forgotten me and put your trust in false gods. (How many things in
our lives come before the Lord?)
» I will expose you to shame. (We can’t hide anything from God.)
» I am keenly aware of your adultery and lust.
» Your destruction is sure.
» How long will it be before you are pure? (God puts us in the refining fire to purify us.)
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
