In this study of Jeremiah chapter four, we look at the fact that religion (even reformed religion) brings death.
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"Isra'el, if you will return," says ADONAI, "yes, return to me; and if you will banish your abominations from my presence without wandering astray again; and if you will swear, 'As ADONAI lives,' in truth, justice and righteousness; then the nations will bless themselves by him, and in him will they glory."
In chapter three, the prophet began to remind the people of what had happened to the northern kingdom. He shared the fact that God had called them to repent but they had refused and dug in their heels like a stubborn calf. The phrase "the nations will invoke blessings by him" refers to the fact that God had promised Abraham that God would make him a blessing (see Genesis 12). This is a reminder that Israel was to be a bright shining light in the dark pagan world.
For here is what ADONAI says to the people of Y'hudah and Yerushalayim: "Break up your ground that hasn't been plowed, and do not sow among thorns." "People of Y'hudah and inhabitants of Yerushalayim, circumcise yourselves for ADONAI, remove the foreskins of your heart! Otherwise my fury will lash out like fire, burning so hot that no one can quench it, because of how evil your actions are.
Under King Josiah, there was a reformation as he instituted changes to draw people back closer to God. Here, we see that this religious reformation did not begin with a changed heart. The "unplowed ground" speaks of the fact that there was no change of heart and so there could be no repentance. The word circumcise literally means "to cut around" and the people were willing to have their children circumcised but it was not a cutting of the heart. A cutting of the heart is a sorrow at sin and its effects. Without that change of heart, the reformation was simply a tweaking of behavior.
"Announce in Y'hudah, proclaim in Yerushalayim; say: 'Blow the shofar in the land!' Shout the message aloud: 'Assemble! Let us go to the fortified cities!' Set up a signal toward Tziyon, head for cover without delay. For I will bring disaster from the north, yes, dire destruction.
Now, we see that this reformation of religion without the revival of the heart will bring death. The prophet announces the coming judgment on the kingdom of Judah and tells them that Babylon is going to be the nation that God uses.
A lion has risen from his lair, a destroyer of nations has set out, left his own place to ruin your land, to demolish and depopulate your cities." So wrap yourselves in sackcloth, lament and wail, for ADONAI's fierce anger has not turned away from us.
The prophet informs the people of Judah of the fact that their judgment has already been prepared as Babylon has already left their own land.
"When that day comes," says ADONAI, "the king's heart will fail him, likewise the princes'; the cohanim will be appalled and the prophets stupefied."
The leaders of Judah will not be able to do anything in the face of the Babylonians. The priests and prophets will still be stuck in their self-righteous religion. The same thing is going to happen in the last days as Jesus warned in Matthew 7:22. Then, there will be prophets that Jesus tells that He did not even know them.
Then I said, "Oh, Adonai ELOHIM! Surely you have sadly deceived this people and Yerushalayim by saying, 'You will have peace,' when the sword is at our very throats!"
Jeremiah acknowledges the fact that God has allowed the people to be deceived by those who said that there was not going to be a judgment. The same thing is going to happen in the last days as the Anti-christ gets the world to agree to a worthless peace treaty. We might ask ourselves why God would allow this deception. We just have to accept the fact that God knows the hearts of all men and He knows what He is doing.
"At that time it will be said of this people and of Yerushalayim: 'A scorching wind from the desert heights is sweeping down on my people.' It is not coming to winnow or cleanse; this wind of mine is too strong for that. Now I will pass sentence on them."
The coming judgment is compared to a wind and not the usual gentle breeze that separated the grain from the chaff. It is made perfectly clear that this judgment is going to fall upon all of the people. We should thank God that He deals with us on an individual basis and we do not get what we as a nation deserve.
Here he comes, like the clouds, his chariots like the whirlwind, his horses faster than eagles! Woe to us, we are doomed!
God describes the coming judgment on Judah and Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians. They were known for having a fast moving army and being unstoppable.
Wash the evil from your heart, Yerushalayim, so that you can be saved. How long will you harbor within yourselves your evil thoughts? For a voice is announcing the news from Dan, proclaiming disaster from the hills of Efrayim:
Even in the face of this coming judgment, God is calling the people to repent. He urges them to remember what has happened to the northern kingdom.
"Report it to the nations, proclaim about Yerushalayim: '[Enemies] are coming from a distant country, watching and shouting their war cry against the cities of Y'hudah.' Like guards in a field they surround her, because she has rebelled against me," says ADONAI.
Why would God judge His people? We see the answer here as they are told to tell the nations of this judgment. Israel and Judah were chosen to be God's people and an example to the pagan world. They had turned away from their purpose and so God was going to use this judgment as an example to the nations of the penalty for rejecting the One True God.
"Your own ways and your actions have brought these things on yourselves. This is your wickedness, so bitter! It has reached your very heart."
The people are reminded that this judgment is a direct result of the choices that they have made. As Creator of the world, God has the authority to say what is right and what is wrong. He gives men the freedom and the choice to follow or to go their own way. With this choice comes responsibility and consequences.
My guts! My guts! I'm writhing in pain! My heart! It beats wildly - I can't stay still! - because I have heard the shofar sound; it's the call to war.
The prophet now shares how bringing this bad news is affecting him. Nobody wants to be the bearer of bad news and this is extremely bad news. Jeremiah loves the people and he loves them enough to tell them the truth even though they did not want to hear it and it is breaking his heart.
The news is disaster after disaster! All the land is ruined! My tents are suddenly destroyed, my tent curtains in an instant. How long must I see that signal and hear the shofar sound?
The prophet continues to pour out his heart over the destruction that he sees. As Christians, we should have this same type of burden for those around us that will be facing judgment. We must ask ourselves if our heart aches for those around us as much as Jeremiah's did for his people.
"It is because my people are foolish - they do not know me; they are stupid children, without understanding, wise when doing evil; but they don't know how to do good."
God describes His people as fools and, in Proverbs 1, we see that Solomon says a fool is one that will not listen to instruction. In a way, God is saying that He tried to warn the people but they would not listen.
I looked at the land - it was unformed and void - and at the sky - it had no light. I looked at the mountains, and they shook - all the hills moved back and forth. I looked, and there was no human being; all the birds in the air had fled. I looked, and the fertile fields were a desert, all the land's cities were razed to the ground at the presence of ADONAI, before his burning anger.
The prophet continues to describe the effects of the judgment at the hands of the Babylonians. If you look at Genesis 1, this description is quite similar to the description of things before creation.
For here is what ADONAI says: "The whole land will be desolate (although I will not destroy it completely). Because of this, the land will mourn and the sky above be black; for I have spoken, I have decided, I will not change my mind, I will not turn back."
God demonstrates His mercy in the fact that He will not bring about the total destruction that the prophet envisioned. Judgement was inevitable but it was not to be the total destruction that will happen in the last days. Many of the things that Jeremiah described are also described by John in Revelation. Here, God showed mercy but that mercy is not unending for those who reject Jesus Christ.
At the noise of the horsemen and archers, the entire city flees - some plunge into thickets; others climb rocks; all cities are deserted; no one lives there.
This judgment at the hands of Babylon affects everyone as we see that all of the towns are deserted.
And you, who are doomed to be plundered, what do you mean by putting on crimson, decking yourselves with jewels and gold, enlarging your eyes with eye make-up? You beautify yourself in vain - your lovers despise you, they seek your life!
Judah is described like a cheating wife getting all made up to attract a man. That is what they had done as they had looked to other nations instead of looking to God.
For I have heard a sound like a woman in labor, in anguish giving birth to her first child. It is the sound of the daughter of Tziyon gasping for breath as she spreads her hands: "Woe to me! Everything in me is so weary before the killers."
The judgment is compared to the pain of childbirth and to the final moments of a woman's life.
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