Last Week’s Bible Study Thoughts

Last week at our Wednesday Bible study at Mesa Community College, we read Jeremiah 5 (biblia.com). Here are a few thoughts from our reading and some of the things we discussed about this passage:

First, I like to look at see what words or phrases or verses really jump off the page at me:

• Verse 3 The wording here makes me emotionally feel sorry for these people, and yet they clearly deserve what they are going to get. I want to implore them to turn and see their sin, and yet it would be hopeless, for if they wont listen to God, they wont listen to me either.
• Verse 4 Even Jeremiah feels sorry for these “Fools.” Note how he never questions God’s ultimate justice. 
• Verse 5 See how the powerful had broken the yoke, that is they had forsaken God. God’s yoke is His commands, His law. They are the things that God desires from us. People who have broken His yoke, disobey Him, and this displeases God.
• Verse 6 is clearly prophesying a siege. The animals are guarding the city represent an invading army that will come and prevent people from leaving for food, water, or refuge.
• Verse 7-8 Use more of the sexual language we are used to seeing which represents how vile and disgusting their idolatry is to God.
• Verse 12. See how it says they have insisted it won’t happen? This is referring to the siege which has been prophesied before. So, let’s follow this logically. God has already prophesied once about an upcoming siege through Jeremiah. The other prophets and the powerful people in the city openly deny that it is going to happen. God then instead of simply going forward with the siege, gives the people another chance and gives Jeremiah another prophesy this time including his displeasure at their denials. This reality here shows just how suffering and long-suffering God is. To allow people to rebel against Him and then ignore His warnings and pleas for repentance over and over again. Also, note how to God denial and refusal to repent is almost a worse sin then the just the original mistake. (This is what makes David’s sin so different from most people’s and why He was still able to be called a man after God’s own heart. Humans are incapable of not sinning, but those who seek God’s heart recognize their sin and repent promptly!) 
• Verse 13 The prophets stopped speaking the truth. This upsets God, and confuses the people. God’s power goes beyond what people say about Him. His will will come to pass irregardless of humanities agreement.
• Verse 14 Notice how powerful God is: all He has to do is use His words. It is His words which are going to destroy the people through Jeremiah’s mouth. God’s words are very powerful.
• Verse 18 shows how God is merciful again by promising not to completely finish off the people.
• Verse 19 God straight up tells the people what the sin is that they committed. This shows God’s justice. He is not just randomly choosing to destroy His people, but it is a direct result of their sin that He has to punish their disobedience.
• Verse 22 God’s power is directly displayed throughout all of creation. This one verse stands in for all of it. None of which we can truly describe or understand.
• Verses 28 and 29 offer a cause and effect. God is simply bringing about true justice, which clearly must be brought forth as a result of failing to show justice and mercy to those who need it the most.
• Verse 30 - 31 What a terrible thing for religious people to do what they do by their own authority. The only proper authority for any spiritual act is God alone. 

As a result of reading this passage, the question becomes what can we do to apply the universal truths found here. Some of the things that seem universal are:

• God’s power and justice are great and beyond understanding or even questioning
• God’s word is very powerful 
• Do we live for ourselves, or for God? What is the motive and authority for our actions?
• Loving God and Loving others is true religion
• Showing mercy to our enemies time and time again is God’s pattern. 

In order to be impacted by these truths, we should:

• Strive to share the love of God with others through sharing the gospel, and by showing love to them through generous acts 
• Constantly remind ourselves of God’s power
• Remind ourselves of God’s burning hot anger toward sin and continually repent/turn back toward God
• Recognize sin’s consequences can prevent us from truly experiencing all of God’s goodness and promises.

In an effort to really be transformed by this passage, let us take a minute and pray where we are that God would change us and allow us to apply these things into our lives. 

God, show us your will and grant us your vision. Let us be changed by the reality that our sin disgusts you and that we are incapable of redeeming ourselves. Apart from the blood of Jesus, we have no way to overcome our evil. Please transform us and allow us to do all things through your Holy Spirit. Let us overcome evil with good, let us show mercy to our enemies and let us show love to all. Give us boldness to share your truth with our friends and families. Lord, we love you and pray this in your Name,

Amen.