Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
Today's look at 'Heart/ Hearts' is from Jeremiah chapters 11 - 15. There is a sort of pattern emerging; Jeremiah receives a prophecy from God, and then he and God have a bit of a chat about it. Chapters 11 and 12 and chapters 14 and 15 both follow that pattern; chapter 13 is God instructing Jeremiah. We've got 5 verses from these chapters.
God is speaking in our first selection; I will include the previous verse for context.
"From the time I brought you forefathers up from Egypt until today, I warned them again and again, saying 'Obey me.' But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts. So I brought on them all the curses of the covenant I had commanded them to follow but that they did not keep." -- Jer. 11:8; 'hearts' is Strong's H3820: Leb - inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
This is a theme that is repeated in Jeremiah...that God had instructed the people, warned the people, called the people to obedience but they consistently did what they wanted instead of what he instructed. The consequences escalated as time passed, but the people still refused to adhere to God's commandments.
Another repeated theme in Jeremiah is the outright hostility that was aimed at him because he spoke what God told him to speak. Jeremiah has learned of a plot against his life in 11:18-19; his response to God is verse 20:
"But, O LORD Almighty, you who judge righteously and test the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you I have committed my cause." -- Jer. 11:20; 'heart' is, once more, H3820.
Jeremiah put his trust in God to protect and deliver him; in the next verses, God assures Jeremiah that judgment will fall on those who were threatening him.
In the next verse we are considering, Jeremiah is again struggling with understanding what God is doing; speaking of the 'wicked and faithless', he says
"You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts." -- Jer. 12:2 ; 'heart' here is Strong's H 3629. kiya -- kidneys, reins; figuratively, the mind... interior self... the seat of the desires and affections.
This is similar to the verse we had last week about folks not having circumcised hearts; they went through the motions of devotion to God, but that's all it was. Checking the boxes.
In chapter 13, we see the illustration of the ruined linen belt...that Jeremiah had purchased, worn, then buried for a time, then dug up again. God is speaking, explaining what it meant.
"These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt -- completely useless!" -- Jer. 13:10; 'heart' is H 3820 again.
It is worth mentioning...again...that the Hebrews had not completely forsaken God. No, they still went to the temple and did the sacrifices and observed the holidays, but they had added in worship of the local pagan gods as well. As if serving God was not sufficient for them...or as if God was not capable of keeping his end of the covenant. Which was why they were so aggravated at Jeremiah. They were doing the stuff! They were serving God! What difference did it make if they also poured out a little wine for the god their (friend, spouse, inlaws, etc) also served? Why would God care? They were observing his rituals...right? Bur...mixed loyalty isn't loyalty. They didn't understand that they couldn't serve both light and darkness. That sort of devotion was...and is...completely useless.
And that sort of mixed loyalty broke both the law and the heart of God.
Then the LORD said to me, "Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go!" -- Jer. 15:1; 'Heart' here is Strong's H 5315, Nepes - soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion....a breathing creature...breath
This is God's heart that is being referenced here; God's breath, God's emotion, God's passion. Jeremiah had tried to plead for mercy for the people; God refused to hear him. The error of the people had become so grievous that judgment was inevitable. There was no turning back, based on a plea for mercy. Now, had the people truly repented...there might have been hope. But intercession on their behalf would not generate any mercy. In fact, God had forbidden Jeremiah to even pray for them (Jer. 11:14) Because those people were determined to do what they wanted.
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