IN these verses we see how God’s coming judgment caused Jeremiah to mourn bitterly. These people were his people, he loved them and hated preaching God’s judgment, but he had no other option. It was the false prophets who cried “Peace, peace” when there was no peace (Ch 8 v 11).
No genuine preacher of God’s word enjoys declaring human sinfulness and its consequence – hell. Yet he must do so if he is going to be true to his calling. There are plenty of other preachers who are quite happy to pat people on the back and tell them what fine people they all are. Jeremiah cried over his people’s sins and coming destruction. Are we weeping for those whose lifestyles deny all that God teaches us in the Bible?
The Lord shows us how deceitful the human heart can be. Even friends can’t be trusted. The older we get the less surprised we are when friends let us down. It is a great encouragement for us to know that we can say of Jesus
“One there is above all others
Well deserves the name of Friend.”
The Lord has a good reason for bringing judgment on His people. It is the only way to root out the corruption in the human heart. No-one likes the idea of major surgery, but very often it is the only way to remove cancerous growth. Our hearts have the cancer of sin and if we ignore God and His truth He “will refine and test” us (v7).
Jeremiah points out that no-one can understand God’s ways, not least when trouble comes. When things go wrong in sinful society it is God’s judgment because we haven’t obeyed Him. What is our response to all this? Do we have a smug, self-satisfied pride or do we weep more over other people’s sins than the wrongs we may have received from them.
