Jeremiah 2:1-13
The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the Lord, “I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. 3 Israel was holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of his harvest. All who ate of it incurred guilt; disaster came upon them, declares the Lord.” 4 Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. 5 Thus says the Lord: “What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? 6 They did not say, ‘Where is the Lord who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells?’ 7 And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination. 8 The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’ Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit. 9 “Therefore I still contend with you, declares the Lord, and with your children's children I will contend. 10 For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has been such a thing. 11 Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. 12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the Lord, 13 for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.
This chapter starts with the Lord reminding His people of their initial love: "I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride" (verse 2). Unfortunately our initial love for God can wither, just as our initial love for our spouse can wither and die. When that happens, we behave like the Israelites who "went after worthlessness, and became worthless" (verse 5). There are two sobering truths here, one being the emptiness of the false lies that we pursue, and the second being how that pursuit affects us. We become like that which we seek. If we seek after God we become more like Him. If we seek after empty sexual lust, we become more like that, reducing ourselves to a sexual toy. It's a poor trade, but we foolishly go for it anyways, exchanging our "glory for that which does not profit" (verse 11). How apt that this is followed by "Be appalled, O heavens, at this" (verse 12). It might make sense if we were somehow improving ourselves, but we are turning away from the "fountain of living waters" and instead using "broken cisterns that can hold no water" (verse 13).
Lord, forgive me for exchanging your truth for a lie.
The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the Lord, “I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. 3 Israel was holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of his harvest. All who ate of it incurred guilt; disaster came upon them, declares the Lord.” 4 Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. 5 Thus says the Lord: “What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? 6 They did not say, ‘Where is the Lord who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells?’ 7 And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination. 8 The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’ Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit. 9 “Therefore I still contend with you, declares the Lord, and with your children's children I will contend. 10 For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has been such a thing. 11 Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. 12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the Lord, 13 for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.
This chapter starts with the Lord reminding His people of their initial love: "I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride" (verse 2). Unfortunately our initial love for God can wither, just as our initial love for our spouse can wither and die. When that happens, we behave like the Israelites who "went after worthlessness, and became worthless" (verse 5). There are two sobering truths here, one being the emptiness of the false lies that we pursue, and the second being how that pursuit affects us. We become like that which we seek. If we seek after God we become more like Him. If we seek after empty sexual lust, we become more like that, reducing ourselves to a sexual toy. It's a poor trade, but we foolishly go for it anyways, exchanging our "glory for that which does not profit" (verse 11). How apt that this is followed by "Be appalled, O heavens, at this" (verse 12). It might make sense if we were somehow improving ourselves, but we are turning away from the "fountain of living waters" and instead using "broken cisterns that can hold no water" (verse 13).
Lord, forgive me for exchanging your truth for a lie.