If there’s one phrase I would say that marks the seasons and times, it’s that a majority of people ‘don’t take Him into account’ (v. 3). “Live your best life” and you don’t even have to think about the Lord. Don’t think about eternal things. Don’t think about God.
Jeremiah sees what is to come with these persistent, unrepentant actions. And he weeps. He weeps so much and so often that he is referred to as The Weeping Prophet.
“If my head were a spring of water, my eyes a fountain of tears, I would weep day and night over the slain of my dear people” (v. 1).
He loved his people. He saw what was to come. And oh how he wept and warned them.
The times were so bad that people couldn’t even trust their friends and brothers.
“Everyone has to be on guard against his friend. Don’t trust any brother, for every brother will certainly deceive, and every friend spread slander. Each one betrays his friend; no one tells the truth. They have taught their tongues to speak lies; they wear themselves out doing wrong” (v. 4-5).
I once met a man from a war-torn nation as I was flying home. I was asking him about the war which as a nation we were participant in. I remember him talking about how he couldn’t trust anyone. Not friends, neighbors or even religious leaders. It was terrible times in his nation and he had moved here. He said he could only trust his family. I wish I would have told him about another one he could trust–Jesus. It has always haunted me that I didn’t.
The times in Israel were terrible. Deception and cruelty abounded. God therefore proclaimed his judgment upon them. He said he would scatter them and the sword would come after them.
“Should I not punish them for these things? This is the LORD’s declaration. Should I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?” (v. 9).
We don’t like God’s justice. It seems mean. Cruel. Excessive.
But what if God did nothing? He allowed brutality to continue in excess? Wouldn’t we then also be angry that God didn’t do anything?
God is just. And he must take action.
But there is a people that God calls. He asks them to stand when all around them compromise (v. 23-24).
“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
or the strong boast of their strength
or the rich boast of their riches,
but let the one who boasts boast about this:
that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord.
Then he ends the chapter saying he will soon bring punishment not just to the uncircumcised of flesh, but also the uncircumcised of heart. What he is saying that it makes no difference if one has circumcision in the flesh but no regard for God. In today’s language it would be like saying just because a person is baptized and goes to church doesn’t necessarily make them a follower of God.
When I read these things, I feel like I am reading a newspaper for today. The only difference is I think we are more quick to move to fear than we are weeping. Do we weep over what is to come? Do we weep over our people? Do we weep in such a way that we warn? Do we weep in such a way that we intercede?
