Jeremiah 14:1-15:9; 16-17

It’s a question I have asked before, and I’m sure I will ask it again in the future. It is such an important question, that I’ll ask it again right now:

To whom do you listen?

Then I said: “Ah, Lord GOD, behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’” And the LORD said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds…”

Jeremiah 14:13-14

To us, the false prophets of Jeremiah’s day look ridiculous. Of course calamity is coming. Anyone can see that. Of course Jeremiah is God’s true prophet. Of course these other guys are all frauds. Of course their message of peace and security is empty. Of course, of course, of course… But, of course, we have the benefit of 20/20 hindsight. We know how things turn out for Judah and Jerusalem. And so we laugh at the people of Jerusalem for believing the false prophets.

But which of us, if we were there then, would truly side with Jeremiah? His voice is in the distinct minority. The false prophets are well established. They have the backing of the Temple priests, who trace their lineage to Aaron. They have the full support of the rich and powerful, even the king himself. Jeremiah, on the other hand, is a second-class priest from Anathoth, the city to which Solomon banished Abiathar. (I Kings 2:26-27; Jer. 1:1) Plus, the false prophets all sound quite reasonable. They proclaim that the LORD is merciful and always rescues His people. They can point to Isaiah, who told Hezekiah, just a few generations back, that the LORD would save Jerusalem, and sure enough 185,000 Assyrians fell dead in one night. (II Kings 19:35; Isaiah 37:36) Why would He not do so again? Their message sounds patriotic, reassuring, full of confidence in a loving God. Jeremiah is the outlier, the one whose message is out of step, disheartening, full of doom and gloom.

Would you really listen to Jeremiah? More to the point, to whom do you listen now?

Not many people call themselves “prophets” these days. (That is no longer fashionable.) But that does not mean that false prophets do not abound. Some, indeed, may sound very spiritual and may even speak in the name of the Lord. They might preach on Christian channels or write best-selling books, published by ostensibly Christian publishing houses. Or they may not sound particularly “spiritual” at all. They may be journalists or college professors or politicians or actors or writers or social-media “influencers” or podcasters or experts. In fact, we encounter them every day.

And so, the question remains: To whom do you listen? Among the myriad voices you hear every day, which speak the Truth? And which just say what you want to hear?

Jeremiah 36:1-10; 25:1-14; 36:11-32; 45; 15:10-21

It was the ninth month, and the king [(Jehoiakim)] was sitting in the winter house, and there was a fire burning in the fire pot before him. As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a knife and throw them into the fire in the fire pot, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the fire pot. Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments. Even when Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them.

Jeremiah 36:22-25

We should, of course, be utterly appalled at this display of arrogance on the part of Jehoiakim and his servants. But we should not be surprised. It is entirely in keeping with the attitude toward the LORD that Israel and Judah have shown for centuries, all the way back to the foot of Mount Sinai and a certain golden calf. From Moses and Joshua, through all the Judges, to Elijah and Elisha, Amos and Hosea, Isaiah and Micah, prophet after prophet proclaim God’s word, yet Israel and Judah refuse to listen. No, we should not be surprised at Jehoiakim’s burning of the scroll. It’s all just a vivid portrayal in microcosm of the poisoned heart of Israel and Judah.

If there is anything surprising in today’s reading, it is that after all these centuries of their hard-hearted rebellion, the LORD continues to offer forgiveness:

It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, so that every one may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.

Jeremiah 36:3

Yet that should not be surprising, either, as it is entirely consistent with the LORD’s heart of love, compassion, and mercy, which He so desires to lavish upon Judah. It is surprising only to the extent that we expect the LORD to be like us — stingy and unforgiving. The LORD is not stupid, though. He is not naïvely hoping for a ray of sunshine. He knows full well that the people are not about to repent, but He makes it clear that His heart is to forgive, that He would much rather see His people live in fellowship with Him than die apart from Him.

So maybe we are not surprised here, but we should still be appalled at Jehoiakim’s behavior. We should be even more appalled at our own, for even with his example before us, even with the full testimony of the rest of Scripture, even with the Cross and the Resurrection, even with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we yet sin. And if we are honest, we cannot say that it’s all accidental. Sometimes, at least, our sin is quite deliberate, and when it is, we may as well be Jehoiakim casually and callously burning the scroll of Jeremiah’s prophecy.

Are you ready and willing to repent? The LORD is more than ready and willing to forgive.

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One more thing…

The God of all orders Jeremiah to write the former words in another book [scroll]. The sheet of paper was burned, but the divine law remained unharmed. So also when the body assumed by the Word suffered, the Word remained free from suffering.

Theodoret of Cyr, from “On Jeremiah”

Jeremiah 47; 46:1-12; 13:1-14; 18:1-17

Who wields the sword against Philistia? (Jer. 47) Who directs the Battle of Carchemish, bringing proud Egypt to defeat? (Jer. 46:1-12) Who spoil[s] the pride of Judah and and the great pride of Jerusalem? (Jer. 13:9) Who brings Judah to destruction? (Jer. 13:12-14)

Who is the Potter? (Jer. 18:6)

And who is the clay?

Jeremiah 26:7-24; 11-12

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.

I Corinthians 14:1

It’s easy to blithely read what Saint Paul says here in his letter to the Corinthians and think that, yes, the gift of prophecy would be cool. I’d like to proclaim an encouraging “word from the Lord” to those around me. I’d like to have special insight to know just exactly what to say to those facing difficult situations. I’d especially like to have a few visions of the future, particularly next week’s stock market! I could make a fortune (pun intended) — all for the church, of course! And I’d enjoy pats on the back, all the high esteem in which prophets are held. What a gloriously cool job!

But then we read Jeremiah and see that the reality of life as a prophet is not so pretty. There is no applause, no red-carpet treatment — just the opposite. We see that it is the church people — the “priests” and the (false) “prophets” — leading the charge, demanding Jeremiah’s execution. (Jer. 26:11) Why? Because they do not like what he says. They do not like the truth. It’s bad for business.

Lest we think that this is just poor unlucky Jeremiah, whose unpleasant personality must be the real reason for his unpopularity, we are told of another prophet, Uriah the son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim, who says much the same thing as Jeremiah and whom the king hunts down, even in Egypt, and kills. (Jer. 26:20-23) No, Jeremiah is not alone in being ill-treated. And it’s not just a matter of his style or personality. Nor is it a minor misunderstanding that is easily cleared away. Rejection is what to expect as a true prophet of God. In fact, the LORD warns Jeremiah that it is going to get worse:

If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you,
how will you compete with horses?

Jeremiah 12:5a

Make no mistake: true prophecy is not for sissies.

So am I here trying to discourage anyone from prophesying? Am I saying that Paul is crazy to say that we should seek this spiritual gift? Not at all! The Church most definitely needs people who will truly speak forth the Word of God. But we should all be sober-minded — not starry-eyed — about what it means to be a prophet. It’s certainly not going to make you popular.

Jeremiah 26:1-6; 7:1-8:3

It may be they will listen…

Jeremiah 26:3a

The LORD, exceedingly gracious and merciful, gives the people of Judah every opportunity to repent. He sends Jeremiah to the Temple court to proclaim His message that there is yet time to turn away from evil and avoid disaster. But the window of opportunity is closing — and closing fast.

In the Temple, one would expect to find those who ostensibly worship the LORD, those presumably most likely to be receptive to the word of the LORD. And yet it is these very people whose ways need amending. They are every bit as far from the LORD as anyone else, but they think they have Him in their back pocket. Just as their forefathers treated the Ark of the Covenant as a good luck charm, so the people of Judah now view the Temple as their guarantee of the LORD’s deliverance. They think, “We have the Temple, so all will be well.” But that is a false hope (Jer. 7:4,8), because their lives run counter to the LORD Whose Temple it is.

So the LORD issues fair warning: Repent! Turn around before it is too late! Do not miss this opportunity!

Is anyone listening?

Habakkuk 1-3

Does the world seem upside-down? Does it seem like the good guys are losing — and losing badly? Do you feel like God is not answering your prayers to your satisfaction? Do you wonder where God has gone? Does it seem like injustice generally prevails? Are you at a loss to explain your impossibly difficult circumstances?

If you answered “Yes” to any of those questions, then you are in good company! Say “Hello!” to Habakkuk, who expresses many of the same frustrations.

As a faithful member of God’s people, Habakkuk is confused. He sees the wickedness within Judah. He sees violence and destruction among his people. He sees the wicked rising up against the righteous. He sees justice perverted. And so he wonders where the LORD is. He wonders why God seems to sit idly by. (Hab. 1:2-4)

But the LORD is not on the sidelines. He is actively engaged. He is, in fact, raising up the Chaldeans (that is, the Babylonians) who will be more violent still! (Hab. 1:5-11)

Say what?! Now Habakkuk is even more confused. He understands that the Babylonians are an instrument of judgment, but it still seems upside-down. How can his own people, the people of Judah, who at least have some semblance of a relationship with the LORD, face destruction at the hands of these wicked Babylonians? Is the LORD going to let the “bad guys” mercilessly kill the “good guys” forever? (Hab. 1:12-17)

In such bewilderment, Habakkuk registers his complaint to the LORD and waits for an answer. (Hab. 2:1)

And the LORD responds with a great big, “Trust Me!” He says that the righteous shall live by his faith (Hab. 2:4), that the “bad guys” will not go unpunished but will most certainly receive their due (Hab. 2:6-20), and that the LORD will be glorified in the end. (Hab. 2:14,20) (We might note that the message here for Babylon is all very much in line with the message for Assyria in Isaiah 10:5-27 and Nahum 1-3. God raises up these nations as instruments of judgment upon His people, but then turns and punishes those nations for acting with evil intent. The LORD is sovereign over all.)

In the end, Habakkuk responds with one of the brightest beacons of faith in all of Scripture:

Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
GOD, the Lord, is my strength;
He makes my feet like the deer’s;
He makes me tread on my high places.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

No matter how dark the night, no matter how bleak the outlook, no matter how difficult the circumstances, the LORD remains faithful and worthy of our trust. Meditate on these verses today. Return to them often. Let the LORD speak to your heart and grant you His peace.

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One more thing…

Righteousness should subsist by faith. In it was life, as predicted in Habakkuk: “Now the just shall live by faith.” Hence Abraham, the father of the nations, believed. In Genesis “Abraham believed in God and it was counted to him for righteousness.” In like manner Paul wrote to the Galatians: “Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” So you see, those of faith are descendants of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are people of faith are blessed with Abraham who had faith.

Cyprian on Habakkuk 2:6, from Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews [an unfortunate title…]; the vast majority of the above is just quoting Galatians 3:6-9

II Kings 23:28-37; Jeremiah 22:10-17; II Chronicles 35:20-36:4

[Josiah] judged the cause of the poor and needy;
then it was well.
Is not this to know Me?
declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 22:16

So, do you want to know the LORD better? Then perhaps a good place to look for improvement is in one’s care for the poor and needy. The LORD clearly cares about the poor and needy, and throughout the Scriptures He calls us to do likewise. The question is not whether we need to care for the poor, but how.

Some will immediately respond with “Vote for liberals” whose rhetoric claims concern for the little guy. I would commend such voters for their desire to help the poor, but I would ask, “Where is your compassion for the future generations who are saddled with an inconceivably large national debt burden, mostly driven by entitlement spending that we refuse to rein in?” We do not get to pat ourselves on the back for being generous with other people’s money, particularly that of future generations who have no say.

Others will immediately respond with “Give to charities” who help provide for the poor. Good! But does writing a check to the Salvation Army at Christmas really feel like knowing the LORD?

How many other immediate responses might there be, responses that do not really require much of us or involve our hearts to any depth?

All of that just goes to say that the question of how we care for the poor is not a trivial one. It is not something that we can quickly answer. It’s not a matter of checking a box and moving on. We need to give it serious, prayerful consideration. We need to understand who, in fact, is poor or needy — not just those anonymous and distant “masses”, but our neighbors and friends, perhaps ourselves. We need to seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance and to listen to His voice. We need to press on to truly help the poor. We need to press on to know the LORD.

Nahum 1-3

Assyria, once the world’s superpower, the most feared of nations: Where are you now?

The LORD is good,
a stronghold in the day of trouble;
He knows those who take refuge in Him.
But with an overflowing flood
He will make a complete end of the adversaries,
and will pursue His enemies into darkness.
What do you plot against the LORD?
He will make a complete end;
trouble will not rise up a second time.

Nahum 1:7-9

Whereas Jeremiah assures Judah that the LORD will not make a full end there, Nahum tells Assyria just the opposite: The outcome for Assyria is most definitely a complete end. As Isaiah 10:5-27 makes clear, Assyria is the LORD’s instrument of judgment upon Israel and Judah — but unwittingly so, as Assyria’s own intent is evil. The LORD thus holds Assyria responsible for its arrogance and its brutality. And sure enough, Assyria’s descent from world domination to obscurity is remarkably swift at the hands of the Babylonians and the Medes — or, rather, by the LORD’s mighty hand.

Take heed, Russia. Take heed, China. Take heed, U.S.A.

Jeremiah 4-6

It is not looking good for Judah. Jeremiah’s message is not, “Don’t worry. Be happy!” Unlike Isaiah in Hezekiah’s day, Jeremiah does not tell the people of Jerusalem that the LORD will protect the city. On the contrary, he tells the people of Benjamin to flee Jerusalem because destruction is coming. (Jer. 6:1) But in the midst of this message of looming disaster, the LORD declares that He will not make a full end. In fact, He says this three times in today’s reading:

For thus says the LORD, “The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.

Jeremiah 4:27

Go up through her vine rows and destroy, but make not a full end; strip away her branches, for they are not the LORD’s.

Jeremiah 5:10

But even in those days, declares the LORD, I will not make a full end of you.

Jeremiah 5:18

Yes, Judah, disaster is coming, a disaster of your own making, because of your persistent rebellion against the LORD, but the LORD is yet merciful and will not make a full end.

In all of that we should recognize that Jeremiah’s message — and that of all the prophets — is never simple condemnation, put a plea for repentance. The LORD is patient. He warns His people — again and again and again. But for the most part, His words fall on deaf ears (Jer. 5:21), both then and now.

Let’s not be so deaf.

Jeremiah 1-3

As I look at the history of both the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah, I tend to think of Israel as being worse than Judah. After all, the Bible’s assessment of each and every one of Israel’s kings is that they did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, whereas at least some of the kings of Judah are good like David and did what was right in the sight of the LORD, especially Hezekiah and Josiah. And then, of course, God’s judgment falls on Israel in the form of conquest and deportation by the Assyrians while Judah continues to survive. Surely Judah is better than Israel. But Jeremiah tells us something very interesting:

The LORD said to me in the days of King Josiah: “Have you seen what she did, that faithless one, Israel, how she went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and there played the whore? And I thought, ‘After she has done all this she will return to me,’ but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce. Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore. Because she took her whoredom lightly, she polluted the land, committing adultery with stone and tree. Yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but in pretense, declares the LORD.”

And the LORD said to me, “Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.”

Jeremiah 3:6-11

So I have things backwards. God’s assessment is that Judah is worse than Israel. Hmmm. That little phrase “in pretense” illuminates the entire scene. God sees the heart, not just the outward show. Hezekiah and Josiah (for example) may well be good kings, serving the LORD faithfully and leading the people in the right direction. And I am sure that there are any number of faithful people supporting those kings in their endeavors. But then there’s the general populace who apparently are acting in pretense, with no true devotion to the LORD at all. They’re just following the king’s commands, going with the flow. So when the winds change direction, they do, too. And that is not what the LORD desires.

So how about us? Is our church life just a big put on, just a show? Do we sing songs and lift our hands in worship while harboring sin in our hearts? How easily swayed are we by the world, by the news media, by politicians or other leaders? Are we devoted to the LORD with our whole heart? Or only in pretense?