Canaan's Rest

Jeremiah, the prophet was given  a ministry of speaking for God to a people who were hardened in their sinful ways.  Jeremiah was sent to shake them up.  “See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant” (Jer. 1:10).  That is quite a calling.  But God promised to give Jeremiah strength, enabling him to endure their resistance. “Today I have made you a fortified city,” the Lord told Jeremiah, “an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land – against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land (Jer. 1:18). It sounded like Jeremiah would be facing significant opposition.

The people would not listen to Jeremiah.  He would agonize as he saw the impending judgment  the people would face from the invading Babylonian army.  He is  open and vulnerable about his spiritual state.  “Oh, my anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain.  Oh, the agony in my heart! My heart pounds within me, I cannot keep silent.  For I have heard the sound of the trumpet; I have heard the battle cry.  Disaster follows disaster; the whole land lies in ruins.  In an instant my tents are destroyed, my shelter in a moment.  How long must I see the battle standard and hear the sound of the trumpet” (Jer 4:19-21).  He knew he would share in the consequences of the coming invasion from the north.

Jeremiah was not comfortable in his preaching. “To whom can I speak and give warning?  Who will listen to me?  Their ears are closed so they cannot hear.   The word of the Lord is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.  But I am full of the wrath of the Lord, and I cannot hold it in” ( Jer. 6:10-11).  He know his message would be an offensive to people who had become comfortable in their religious practices.  But the message burned in his soul.  “The words are fire in my belly, and burning in my bones.  I’m worn out trying to hold it in.  I can’t do it any longer” (Jer. 20:9 MSG). 

He was  frustrated with the religious leadership.   “Unspeakable! Sickening! What’s happen in this country? Prophets preach lies and priests hire on as their assistants.  And my people love it.  They eat it up!  But what will you do when it’s time to pick up the pieces? (Jer. 5:30-31 MSG) He accuses the people of defiling the land with their religious practices.  “The priests never thought to ask, ‘Where’s God?’ The religion experts knew nothing of me.  The rulers defied me. The prophets preached god Baal and chased empty god-dreams and silly-god -schemes” (Jer. 2:11 MSG). 

God was making the prophet “a tester of metals.” (Jer.6:27).  The people are like ore, “that you may observe and test their ways.  They are all hardened rebels, going about to slander.  They are bronze and iron; they all act corruptly”.   Jeremiah as the refiner would not succeed.  “The refining goes on in vain; the wicked are not purged out.”  In the end they would be called “rejected silver, because the Lord has rejected them.” 

Those in our culture, who have the Word of God burning like fire in their heart, will certainly experience frustration with the rejection and down right hostility. Ultimately, God would destroy the nation of Judah in an invasion of the Babylon from the north.  Ironically, only a remnant that were willing to be taken into exile would survive.  I wonder if God is preparing a remnant to survive in the days to come?  May we not be considered  “rejected silver.”

“Confused Excuses” is the title Christopher Wright gives to Jeremiah 2:20-37.  I found it in the “Bible Speaks Today.”  Some self disclosure – I have made a commitment to understand the prophet Jeremiah, so that I might share some of what God has to say through the prophets for our day.  It is hard work.  But I want to be obedient to the Lord.  Jeremiah has been a real challenge for me to grasp both in its content and making application for our day. 

Anyway, as for Jer. 2:20-37,  Wright makes this observation regarding this passage. Jeremiah records seven direct quotations from the people.  In this way, Jeremiah “cleverly exposes how they swing back and forth between brazen denial of sin and abject acceptance of it.  Their words are simultaneously self-excusing and self-condemning.  The confusion is astonishing.  But it is simply what happens when people become so embroiled in sin that they can no longer think straight.”

In v. 20 the people reject God, “I will not serve you.”  But then in v. 23 they claim “I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals.”  But then in v. 25 they admit what they denied in v. 23, “It’s no use! I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.”   In v. 27 they seem to view the sexual symbols of fertility as both providers and protectors, “You are my father,” and “You gave me birth.”  But then in the same verse they cry out to God to save them, “Come and save us!” 

When reading v. 25, “It’s no use! I love foreign gods, and I must go after them,” along with v. 35, “I am innocent; he is not angry with me” these comments reflect an addictive attitude. Wright notes, “their sin is compulsive, something over which they have no control.”  “These insights of Jeremiah,” contines Wright, “show that the psychology of addiction is not confined to individuals, but can come to characterize a whole community.” 

Wright then gives us God’s perspective.  “God’s response (v. 35) shows  that such a hollow defiance will simply not stand up in his court.”  God says to them, “But I will pass judgment on you because you say, ‘I have not sinned.'” The Message translates verse 35 as follows: “Don’t look now, but judgment’s on the way, aimed at you who say, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.'” Could it be that God is judging our culture because of all the excuses we are making for our behavior?

A good question to ask ourselves, “Do we ever try to excuse or defend ourselves before God?”  In our day the rhetoric is usually tilled toward blame rather than responsibility.  Being even more introspective, do we consider how our excuses appear to God?  I have to ask myself, “Do I come before my heavenly Father as someone who is totally dependant on His mercy and grace or am I wanting help with my own ‘self-improvement’ projects?”  

Even more searching is the question, “How is addiction to sin demonstrated in people’s lives today?” A good thing can become an idol when it becomes the ultimate thing.  What is the focus of our time, talent and treasure? Is God the ultimate reality or one of the idols of our culture?  Earlier in Chapter 2, God asks, “What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me?  They followed worthless idols and become worthless themselves” ( Jer. 2:5). 

Living as we do in a spiritual vacuum, our creator God is being replaced by a lot of other gods.  What becomes foremost in our hearts is our God.  Any worthless idol, will according to Jer 2:5 cause us to become worthless ourselves.