Obedience Includes Hearing And Doing
December 30, 2022
Commentary
In chapters 11 through 20, Jeremiah’s problems are brought to light. These challenges are a result of his faithfulness to the prophetic message. God gives two basic commands regarding His covenant. First is to hear, and second it to speak (v. 2). The word hear is used six times in this passage and emphasizes obedience. The word speak means that everyone who hears is also to tell the words of the covenant. The covenant itself involved four facts: (1) God gave His word, (2) Israel was to obey the word, (3) Israel would then be God’s people, and (4) Jehovah would be Israel’s God (v. 4).
The Jewish people knew that god would bless them if they were true to Him and that He would punish them if they were disobedient; yet they preferred the fleshpots of Egypt to the milk and honey of Canaan. Had they repented and turned humbly to the Lord, they could have averted the terrible judgment brought on by the armies of Babylon, but instead the people hardened their hearts.
They could not help themselves (v. 11)God will not help them (v. 11)Their idols will not help them (v. 12)Jeremiah’s prayers will not help them (v. 14)Their religious profession will not help them (v. 15)God’s former favors will not help them (vv. 16-17)A conspiracy grew out of the people’s rejection of God’s word, and the people responded to Jeremiah’s rebuke by trying to kill him. However, God deals judgment against these persecutors.
Application
My prayers are in vain if I have not committed my life to Him and given obedience to His word.
Jeremiah 11:1– 23 (NET)
1 The Lord said to Jeremiah: 2 “Hear the terms of the covenant I made with Israel and pass them on to the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem. 3 Tell them that the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘Anyone who does not keep the terms of the covenant will be under a curse. 4 Those are the terms that I charged your ancestors to keep when I brought them out of Egypt, that place that was like an iron-smelting furnace. I said at that time, “Obey me and carry out the terms of the covenant exactly as I commanded you. If you do, you will be my people and I will be your God. 5 Then I will keep the promise I swore on oath to your ancestors to give them a land flowing with milk and honey.” That is the very land that you still live in today.’” And I responded, “Amen. Let it be so, Lord.”
6 The Lord said to me, “Announce all the following words in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: ‘Listen to the terms of my covenant with you and carry them out! 7 For I solemnly warned your ancestors to obey me. I warned them again and again, ever since I delivered them out of Egypt until this very day. 8 But they did not listen to me or pay any attention to me! Each one of them followed the stubborn inclinations of his own wicked heart. So I brought on them all the punishments threatened in the covenant because they did not carry out its terms as I commanded them to do.’”
9 The Lord said to me, “The people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem have plotted rebellion against me. 10 They have gone back to the evil ways of their ancestors of old who refused to obey what I told them. They, too, have paid allegiance to other gods and worshiped them. Both the nation of Israel and the nation of Judah have violated the covenant I made with their ancestors. 11 So I, the Lord, say this: ‘I will soon bring disaster on them that they will not be able to escape! When they cry out to me for help, I will not listen to them. 12 Then those living in the towns of Judah and in Jerusalem will go and cry out for help to the gods to whom they have been sacrificing. However, those gods will by no means be able to save them when disaster strikes them. 13 This is in spite of the fact that the people of Judah have as many gods as they have towns and the citizens of Jerusalem have set up as many altars to sacrifice to that disgusting god, Baal, as they have streets in the city!’ 14 But as for you, Jeremiah, do not pray for these people. Do not raise a cry of prayer for them. For I will not listen to them when they call out to me for help when disaster strikes them.”
15 The Lord says to the people of Judah, “What right do you have to be in my temple, my beloved people? Many of you have done wicked things. Can your acts of treachery be so easily canceled by sacred offerings that you take joy in doing evil even while you make them?
16 I, the Lord, once called you a thriving olive tree, one that produced beautiful fruit. But I will set you on fire, fire that will blaze with a mighty roar. Then all your branches will be good for nothing.
17 For though I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, planted you in the land, I now decree that disaster will come on you because the nations of Israel and Judah have done evil and have made me angry by offering sacrifices to the god Baal.”
18 The Lord gave me knowledge, that I might have understanding. Then he showed me what the people were doing.
19 Before this I had been like a docile lamb ready to be led to the slaughter. I did not know they were making plans to kill me. I did not know they were saying, “Let’s destroy the tree along with its fruit! Let’s remove Jeremiah from the world of the living so people will not even be reminded of him anymore.”
20 So I said, “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you are a just judge! You examine people’s hearts and minds. I want to see you pay them back for what they have done because I trust you to vindicate my cause.”
21 Then the Lord told me about some men from Anathoth who were threatening to kill me. They had threatened, “Stop prophesying in the name of the Lord or we will kill you!” 22 So the Lord of Heaven’s Armies said, “I will surely punish them! Their young men will be killed in battle. Their sons and daughters will die of starvation. 23 Not one of them will survive. I will bring disaster on those men from Anathoth who threatened you. A day of reckoning is coming for them.”
Illustration: When They Cried Neil Everyone Fell to Their Knees
Neil Marten, a member of the British Parliament, was once giving a group of his constituents a guided tour of the Houses of Parliament. During the course of the visit, the group happened to meet Lord Hailsham, then lord chancellor, wearing all the regalia of his office. Hailsham recognized Marten among the group and cried, “Neil!” Not daring to question or disobey the “command,” the entire band of visitors promptly fell to their knees! (Today in the Word, July 30, 1993)