Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
After a weekend away at a state Royal Ranger conference, we are back looking at verses dealing with 'heart/hearts' as translated by the NIV 84, and are coming to the midpoint of Jeremiah. We have a bit of narrative mixed in with the prophecies and Jeremiah's...laments...no, I take that back. Jeremiah's complaints. I will openly agree that Jeremiah's complaint had some merit; chapter 20 starts off relating how the chief priest had Jeremiah beaten and put into stocks for the doom he was proclaiming (20:1 - 2). Jeremiah pronounces a judgment upon Pashhur (the priest) that will happen along with the judgment against the nation. Then, Jeremiah complains to God about his treatment (it turns out hat every instance of 'Heart' today is the most common word translated as 'heart', Strong's H 3820, Leb - inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding. Just to save typing it over and over, lol).
But if I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name," his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot." -- Jer. 20: 9,
Jeremiah, having just been beaten and publicly humiliated, clearly is a reluctant prophet. He doesn't want to stir up trouble but his proclamations are not politically correct and they are not received well. So of course, they mistreated Jeremiah and ordered him to stop with the negative judgmental proclamations. And he tried...he really did...but the word of God was impossible to keep contained. Ultimately, Jeremiah reminded himself that God was with him...and that those who persecuted him would face judgment.
O Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you I have committed my cause. -- Jer. 20:12
Again, we have the reminder that God sees and knows exactly what is in the heart; Jeremiah is quite confident that his heart is right and that those who oppose him...can't say the same. If one is sticking one's fingers in one's ears and singing Lalalalalalala, there's a very good chance that the heart is not quite square with God and his requirements. Which, especially if it is a deliberate choice, will bring judgment.
In chapter 22, God is addressing Josiah's son, Jeohoiakim, contrasting him with his father, who followed God
"But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion." -- Jer. 22:17. The pronouncement extends to Jehoiakim's son, Jehoaichin (aka Shallum)...and the curse against that bloodline is in verse 30, that none of their descendants will sit on David's throne. Hence the detailed genealogies in Luke, showing that the actual bloodline of Jesus, through his mother Mary, goes through a different descendant of David, Solomon's brother Nathan.
The first bit of chapter 23 is a word about the coming Messiah, but beginning in verse 9 there is a lengthy denouncement of false prophets...and it its sharp.
Jeremiah is speaking in verse 9
Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me; all my bones tremble. I am like a drunken man, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD and his holy words. -- Jer 23:9.
It is a bone-crushing responsibility to declare coming judgment to folks who maintain it is not going to happen and who are going to be the very people who suffer when it does. Jeremiah feels that acutely.
This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. They keep saying to those who despise me, 'The LORD says: You will have peace.' And to all those who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, 'No harm will come to you.' -- Jer. 23:16-17.
Sobering. What can be done when the leaders of the faith reassure folks that everything is going to be ok, regardless of what those people do or how they relate to God?
The anger of the LORD will not turn back until he fully accomplishes the purposes of his heart. -- Jer. 23: 20.
This is another reference to God's heart; and, yes, there is judgment there. There is punishment there. He will not allow blatant disregard for him or his requirements to go without consequences. The very laws, statutes and ordinances require it. Without consequences...there really is no law at all.
"How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own mind?" -- Jer. 23:26.
I know how aggravating it is when someone speaks on my behalf without clearing it first...or, when someone decides they know what I'm thinking about a topic without even talking to me about it. Imagine, then, how God must feel when people do that to him.
But there is a ray of hope through all of this. Judah will go into exile, but God will bring them back home and restore them.
"My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart." -- Jer. 24:6-7
The Exile would finally be the consequence that convinced the people of the importance of not mixing their worship of God with ANY other deity.
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