THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may go to the archive below and find it.
Bruce McGee, Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
We have a great friend in Gary Godard. He has set up an archive page. To view ALL the prior devotions by Scripture, just clik
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for
the books of Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just mail your request for
COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.
Jeremiah
CHAPTER 2
1 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. 3 Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD. 4 Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel: 5 Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? 6 Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt? 7 And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination. 8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit. 9 Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.
God let Jeremiah see the apostasy of Israel. And God told Jeremiah to "go and cry" this "in the ears of Jerusalem," the capitol.
Here God compares the experience at Mt. Sinai as a marital vow between Himself and the nation of Israel (verse 2). And God promised to protect them (verse 3).
But Israel had become adulterous through idolatry (verse 5). Even though God had led them through the wilderness (verse 6) and delivered them into "plentiful country" (verse 7), they had forsaken Him.
When God saves us from the wilderness of sin, He also gives us the plentiful country of His Holy Spirit (See Galatians 5:22-25).
The priests and leaders of Israel had actually LED the nation into idolatry (verse 8).
But God said that He would continue to "plead" with them to turn in repentance (verse 9).
10 For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing. 11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. 12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.
God invites Israel to see that the nations around them, who believed in false gods had not forsaken their beliefs. But Israel had forsaken the LIVING GOD. At this the heavens should be "astonished!"
13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. 14 Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled? 15 The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant. 16 Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head. 17 Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way? 18 And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? 19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts. 20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.
The two evils God speaks of are related to one another. First, they have forsaken God, Who is the "Fountain of Living Water" (see John 7:37-38).
The nation had left off worshipping God Who could give them the power of his Holy Spirit working in their lives. And they had dug wells that couldn't hold water. They had begun to practice the heathen acts of idolatry. And they had begun to trust in the power of alliances, rather than in the power of God's deliverance.
They had made an alliance with Egypt, but Egypt was now beginning to torment them (verse 16). God said they brought this upon themselves (verse 17).
They had also made an alliance with Assyria (verse 18). But that "wickedness" would be their correction (verse 19). This was a reference to the fact that Assyria would bring warring forces against them. At this time, they had already captured the Northern Kingdom (722BC) -- (see verse 15).
God had "broken" the "yoke" of bondage their slavery in Egypt (verse 20), and had delivered them FREE into their land. They had promised to serve Him and Him only. But they had practiced idolatry "under every green tree," and adulterous in their relationship with Him (verse 20).
21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me? 22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD. 23 How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways; 24 A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her. 25 Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.
God had planted the nation as a "noble vine," but they were bearing "strange" fruit!! (see Isaiah 5:1-7, John 15:1-12).
Jewish people were known for cleanliness. They had at least retained that from God (Leviticus 6:28, 13:47-59, Numbers 19:15). They washed their hands after having gone to the market. They washed their feet before entering their home.
But all the soap and water in the world could not wash away the sin of idolatry which was in their hearts!
God compared them to an animal in heat (verses 23-24) because of their constant chasing after idolatrous ways, including sexual promiscuity.
God calls them to "withhold" themselves from chasing after idols. But they have shown their desires are stronger than their self-discipline by continually going after "strangers" (verse 25).
26 As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets, 27 Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us. 28 But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.
The idolatrous acts are known! God sees and knows all we do. And their "shame" shall come upon them by the Lord.
The anti-creation theory is not new to the world. Some of those people in Jeremiah's day believed they were formed from the earth. They bowed down to a "stock" (a piece of wood), or a "stone" and believed they evolved from that! See where idolatry leads!
After prophesying of the impending disaster from Assyria (verse 19), Jeremiah now echos God's distaste by saying their false gods cannot save them (verse 28).
29 Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD. 30 In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
The word "plead" here means to present a case. Some of the people had complained that God had deserted them and was not helping them in crisis.
But God says it is their transgression that has caused them to be separated from Him. God didn't desert them, they deserted God!
God had tried to correct them by sending prophets, but they just killed the prophets (verse 30).
My friends, pastors are in their pulpits every Sunday, yet people would rather find something wrong with them than to focus on God's WORD!
31 O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?
And, for you pastors, here is a sermon on humility. My! How people sometimes become absurdly pious when they are saved!
These people were obsessed with law and ritual, and had forgotten humility before God! Often, saved people do the same thing today. They generate a "better than thou" attitude, and forget that the power of God's salvation is in humble pleading and pouring out the heart to God. As someone has said, "We major in the minors, and minor in the majors!"
"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:8)
32 Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
A woman carefully preserves her wedding attire. Most women treasure those garments and ornaments all their life.
But the nation of Israel had "forgotten" their wedding to God at the foot of Mt. Sinai in fear and trembling -- humility!
33 Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways. 34 Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.
I remember going through the "bush." We had to "trim" the way with machetes and make a path.
God tells them they have made a path to idolatrous ways. And in doing so, they have taught others wicked ways.
God did not find this out by "secret search" (verse 34). It was EVIDENT in ALL!
35 Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.
Even though they were plainly ALL sinners, they considered themselves "innocent" by means of law and ritual.
My friends, observance of law and ritual doesn't make a person clean from sin! Only humble confession and repentance can do that! (See 1John 1:9).
Once, a man, who was a deacon in a church, told me that he did not sin. He said he read his Bible everyday, prayed everyday, gave his tithe, and was faithful in church.
MY! How PIOUS people can become! Let us not forget that Romans 3:23 says, "ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." The verb tense there: "have sinned" coupled with "come," is present perfect tense. It means that we are ALL sinners ALL the time!
YES, God has washed us in the blood of Christ! YES, God has sealed us in His Holy Spirit! But God has not REMOVED from our heart the propensity to sin! ((He WILL do that, by the way, when we are brought to glory -- see 1Corinthians 13:12))
But today, in this life, we need to come DAILY before God confessing our sins, pleading forgiveness, and trying with all our hearts to refrain from evil.
HUMILITY is the KEY!
36 Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria. 37 Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the LORD hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them.
Rather than come before God in true humility, they would "gad about," trying something ELSE. They had tried an alliance with Assyria, and it had backfired. They were now trying to make an alliance with Egypt, and it would also backfire. They would go away shamed! Covering their heads with their hands, they would suffer shame at the hands of the Egyptians.
My friends, true humility is the ONLY way to God's heart! Jesus literally died to Himself to become what we needed. We must "die to self" each day and be what God desires.
"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it." (Luke 9:23-24)
PLEASE CONTINUE IN BIBLE STUDY WITH US TOMORROW.