Jeremiah 11-12
Sometimes (rather often, actually) I hear that God’s patience is infinite. You might even find such statements in comments here at RTB. It is a pleasant thought. But is it biblical? I think we can all readily agree that God is very patient, exceedingly patient, supremely patient, definitely far, far more patient than anyone else we know. If the LORD weren’t so patient, Jeremiah would have no audience at all, because God would have wiped out Israel and Judah (and all mankind) centuries earlier. So yes, to us impatient folk, His patience appears to be “infinite,” and we most certainly should be grateful for all that overwhelming patience.
But our reading today would suggest that the LORD’s patience is not, in fact, infinite. It has a limit. At some point, the LORD says, “Enough! I’ve had it!” Just listen to what He says:
Therefore, thus says the LORD, Behold, I am bringing disaster upon them that they cannot escape. Though they cry to Me, I will not listen to them.
Jeremiah 11:11
And again:
Therefore do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer on their behalf, for I will not listen when they call to Me in the time of their trouble.
Jeremiah 11:14 (cf., Jeremiah 7:16; 14:11; 15:1)
The problem with thinking of the LORD’s patience as infinite, is that our fleshly, devious hearts have a tremendous propensity to presume upon that patience. We think that we can put off repenting until tomorrow, or next week, or next year, or even indefinitely because, well, the LORD is infinitely patient. We need not listen to Him today. We can wait. We can procrastinate. We can cling to our sin. We tell ourselves that it’s OK, because God is so patient.
Think again.
Let’s not presume upon the LORD’s patience, or His mercy, or His grace. The time to repent is not next year or next week or tomorrow. Any future time is too late. The time to repent is now.
See also: July 8 (2023) / Jeremiah 26:7-24; 11-12. (That post focuses more on Jeremiah 26, it but ties in here with the threats against Jeremiah’s life as indicated in Jeremiah 11:19,21.)