seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Jeremiah 5:1 “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem,
look around and consider,
search through her squares.
If you can find but one person
who deals honestly and seeks the truth,
I will forgive this city.
2 Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’
still they are swearing falsely.”
look around and consider,
search through her squares.
If you can find but one person
who deals honestly and seeks the truth,
I will forgive this city.
2 Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’
still they are swearing falsely.”
3 Lord, do not your eyes look for truth?
You struck them, but they felt no pain;
you crushed them, but they refused correction.
They made their faces harder than stone
and refused to repent.
4 I thought, “These are only the poor;
they are foolish,
for they do not know the way of the Lord,
the requirements of their God.
5 So I will go to the leaders
and speak to them;
surely they know the way of the Lord,
the requirements of their God.”
But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke
and torn off the bonds.
6 Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them,
a wolf from the desert will ravage them,
a leopard will lie in wait near their towns
to tear to pieces any who venture out,
for their rebellion is great
and their backslidings many.
You struck them, but they felt no pain;
you crushed them, but they refused correction.
They made their faces harder than stone
and refused to repent.
4 I thought, “These are only the poor;
they are foolish,
for they do not know the way of the Lord,
the requirements of their God.
5 So I will go to the leaders
and speak to them;
surely they know the way of the Lord,
the requirements of their God.”
But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke
and torn off the bonds.
6 Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them,
a wolf from the desert will ravage them,
a leopard will lie in wait near their towns
to tear to pieces any who venture out,
for their rebellion is great
and their backslidings many.
7 “Why should I forgive you?
Your children have forsaken me
and sworn by gods that are not gods.
I supplied all their needs,
yet they committed adultery
and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.
8 They are well-fed, lusty stallions,
each neighing for another man’s wife.
9 Should I not punish them for this?”
declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge myself
on such a nation as this?
Your children have forsaken me
and sworn by gods that are not gods.
I supplied all their needs,
yet they committed adultery
and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.
8 They are well-fed, lusty stallions,
each neighing for another man’s wife.
9 Should I not punish them for this?”
declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge myself
on such a nation as this?
10 “Go through her vineyards and ravage them,
but do not destroy them completely.
Strip off her branches,
for these people do not belong to the Lord.
11 The people of Israel and the people of Judah
have been utterly unfaithful to me,”
declares the Lord.
but do not destroy them completely.
Strip off her branches,
for these people do not belong to the Lord.
11 The people of Israel and the people of Judah
have been utterly unfaithful to me,”
declares the Lord.
12 They have lied about the Lord;
they said, “He will do nothing!
No harm will come to us;
we will never see sword or famine.
13 The prophets are but wind
and the word is not in them;
so let what they say be done to them.”
they said, “He will do nothing!
No harm will come to us;
we will never see sword or famine.
13 The prophets are but wind
and the word is not in them;
so let what they say be done to them.”
14 Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty says:
“Because the people have spoken these words,
I will make my words in your mouth a fire
and these people the wood it consumes.
15 People of Israel,” declares the Lord,
“I am bringing a distant nation against you—
an ancient and enduring nation,
a people whose language you do not know,
whose speech you do not understand.
16 Their quivers are like an open grave;
all of them are mighty warriors.
17 They will devour your harvests and food,
devour your sons and daughters;
they will devour your flocks and herds,
devour your vines and fig trees.
With the sword they will destroy
the fortified cities in which you trust.
I will make my words in your mouth a fire
and these people the wood it consumes.
15 People of Israel,” declares the Lord,
“I am bringing a distant nation against you—
an ancient and enduring nation,
a people whose language you do not know,
whose speech you do not understand.
16 Their quivers are like an open grave;
all of them are mighty warriors.
17 They will devour your harvests and food,
devour your sons and daughters;
they will devour your flocks and herds,
devour your vines and fig trees.
With the sword they will destroy
the fortified cities in which you trust.
18 “Yet even in those days,” declares the Lord, “I will not destroy you completely. 19 And when the people ask, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners in a land not your own.’
20 “Announce this to the descendants of Jacob
and proclaim it in Judah:
21 Hear this, you foolish and senseless people,
who have eyes but do not see,
who have ears but do not hear:
22 Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord.
“Should you not tremble in my presence?
I made the sand a boundary for the sea,
an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;
they may roar, but they cannot cross it.
23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts;
they have turned aside and gone away.
24 They do not say to themselves,
‘Let us fear the Lord our God,
who gives autumn and spring rains in season,
who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’
25 Your wrongdoings have kept these away;
your sins have deprived you of good.
and proclaim it in Judah:
21 Hear this, you foolish and senseless people,
who have eyes but do not see,
who have ears but do not hear:
22 Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord.
“Should you not tremble in my presence?
I made the sand a boundary for the sea,
an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;
they may roar, but they cannot cross it.
23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts;
they have turned aside and gone away.
24 They do not say to themselves,
‘Let us fear the Lord our God,
who gives autumn and spring rains in season,
who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’
25 Your wrongdoings have kept these away;
your sins have deprived you of good.
26 “Among my people are the wicked
who lie in wait like men who snare birds
and like those who set traps to catch people.
27 Like cages full of birds,
their houses are full of deceit;
they have become rich and powerful
28 and have grown fat and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit;
they do not seek justice.
They do not promote the case of the fatherless;
they do not defend the just cause of the poor.
29 Should I not punish them for this?”
declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge myself
on such a nation as this?
who lie in wait like men who snare birds
and like those who set traps to catch people.
27 Like cages full of birds,
their houses are full of deceit;
they have become rich and powerful
28 and have grown fat and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit;
they do not seek justice.
They do not promote the case of the fatherless;
they do not defend the just cause of the poor.
29 Should I not punish them for this?”
declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge myself
on such a nation as this?
30 “A horrible and shocking thing
has happened in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy lies,
the priests rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
But what will you do in the end?
has happened in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy lies,
the priests rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
But what will you do in the end?
I occurred to me, while I was reading this, that first verse reminded me of Sodom. When Noah found out that God planned to wipe Sodom off the map, he was afraid because Noah's cousin, Lot, lived in Sodom. Noah was sure Lot was not a perfect man but none the less.... he was as good a man as he could be under the circumstances [or so Noah thought anyway]. Back in Genesis 18, Noah argued for Lot's family.... and as it turned out.... Lot was given the time to get out of town..... his wife didn't make it.... she forgot something and tried to turn back.... but Lot and his daughters got out before Sodom was totally destroyed. So when I saw those words in the first verse.... I knew this was another warning only this time the warning was about the incoming Babylonian invasion.
This is from bible-studys.org.
The “eyes” of the Lord is a common figure of God’s sovereign surveillance over all that happens (compare Psalm 94:9). He sees the sinner (2 Chron. 21:6), and saint (Psalm 33:18), and deals with all in His presence (Deut. 13:18). However, “foolish” Judah and Jerusalem continued in impurity. A catalog of the people’s sins follows in the chapter.
The “great men” who should have known better are compared to wandering livestock, isolated from their keeper, left as victims for the “lion, wolf”, and “leopard.” The apparent “freedom” of abandoning God was eventually proven false by captivity and despair.
Rejection of God and a descent into immorality have always gone hand in hand throughout history.
Judah’s “iniquities” (the word is from a root meaning “to twist,” hence “pervert”), and “sins” (the word is part of a word-group meaning “miss the mark”), stem from utter folly. Accordingly, their lives are marked by “deceit.” Therefore, they have deprived themselves of God’s natural blessings (compare Deut. 28:15-68).
The people who were responding to the corrupt priests and prophets liked things the way they were. That human tendency to exult in sin has remained constant (Rom. 1:32). When “the end” comes, the ones who are intent on rebelling against God will be left with no recourse.
There were false prophets in the land. The priests had changed God's law to fit their own needs. Now the law was not God's, but the law of the priest. Jesus spoke harshly about the way God's law had been handled. He called it your law. The prophet, the priests, and the people were all guilty. This is true in our churches today. There are many false prophets. We have ministers who twist the Word to fit their own needs. It is the obligation of the people to try the spirits and see whether they be of God or not. All have sinned. We all need a Savior.
These comments are from the easy English site.
The LORD could not forgive his people. They had left him. They made serious promises. But they used the names of false gods that did not exist. The LORD had supplied everything that his people needed. But they had not obeyed their covenant with the LORD. They had not been grateful (Deuteronomy 32:15-17). Many of them had gone to prostitutes. The people were like horses that had plenty to eat. So they were ready to attract mates. The people in Judah were so wicked. They were like animals that were looking for a mate. The LORD would punish the nation because they behaved without shame.
The LORD repeated his promise that he would not destroy the nation completely (Jeremiah 4:27). But the people had left the LORD and they served foreign false gods instead. So the people would have to serve foreign people in a foreign country. That happened when the enemy took the people from Judah into Babylon.
The prophets told lies. They told the people that there would be peace. The prophets said that nobody would attack the people. The prophets said that the LORD would not punish the people. So the prophets encouraged bad behaviour. It is not clear whether ‘their authority’ refers to the authority of the priests. It may mean that the priests worked with the authority of the prophets. Together they allowed the people not to obey the LORD’s laws. Sometimes they insulted Jeremiah. And they tried to stop him so that he did not prophesy. The priests and the prophets allowed the easy way to live. And the people in Judah were very happy to accept that.
When the time for punishment came, the prophets and the priests would realise their mistake. But it would be too late to change their behaviour. They would not know what to do.
Yep.... God warned those people.... just like He warned Noah and Lot.... good people might get a second chance.... like Lot and his daughters. Some family will be lost, though, like Lot's wife. God warned the people that some of them would live. God made a deal with Abraham.... that He would send Jesus with that antidote to death.... and that hadn't taken place yet..... so God had to leave at least the stalk to grow.Some time ago.... Hubby and I purchased a couple of "trees" from one of those nature groups. We just moved to Lusby when we got our "trees". They were nothing but a little stick.... with a few dry roots. The "trees" came with instructions.... we planted them... watered them in.... watered them regularly.... and then after a while... the "trees" were on their own.... and to my surprise... those sticks grew into cool trees.
When I read God talking about trimming the branch.... I think of those sticks we got in the mail.
IMHO.... this was about a warning God gave to the descendants of Jacob [Israel] centuries ago..... before the Babylonian army overran the nation, raping, castrating, murdering, and enslaving them....... before the Babylonian army force marched the survivors for three or four months.... to Babylon.... where the proud descendants of Jacob [Israel] were enslaved for 70 years..... without God.
The Bible ends with the book of Revelation.... in which John [a personal friend of the Son of God] warns of a horrific battle to end all battles [unlike WWI or WWII]. If I haven't chosen the right side when the battle begins..... I won't get the chance to choose.....
God wants me to think on that last verse from Him through Jeremiah..... "But what will you do in the end?
