Devotional
Commentary on Jeremiah 15
The
sins are a block between people and God, especially those who had a
relationship with God but went backsliding. Even if Moses in heaven would walk
to God to plead for them, or Samuel on earth way back in history, these men
would not be able to deter God’s anger about their sins (verse 1). “I have no
desire for this people”.
If
they ask Jeremiah: Whereto? Jeremiah was to answer: some to death, to sword, to
famine, to captivity (verse 2). Four families will be appointed over them,
sword, dogs, fowls and beasts (verse 3). The sins of Manasseh was so great that
God will make them a horror to the kingdoms of the earth (verse 4).
God
asked Jeremiah who will feel compassion over their sins that is so great (verse
5). “You have forsaken Me, says the Lord. You shall go backwards and I have
stretched out My hand over you and destroyed you.” Then the Lord said about ‘yo-yo
repentance’: “I am weary of repenting” (verse 6). We can only say: Lord be not
weary we pray. Save our souls.
With
a sieve the Lord has separated the weed and the seed of the remnant and then
the weed is punished (verse 7). Terror is brought upon them (verse 8). “Her sun
sets when it is still day” (verse 9).
Jeremiah
then said about himself and his function: “Woe is to me, my mother, that you
bore me, a man of quarrel and a man of contention to the whole land” (verse
10). “They all curse me…” So much for Jeremiah’s function as prophet. The 1888
meetings in Adventism was actually not so much about Jones and Waggoner or the
Righteousness by Faith issues but what to do with Ellen White as a prophetess over
the leaders of the church (D. Priebe, Youtube). Rejection of Ellen White’s
messages has been a controversial issue in those times. In 1902 she said that
she will not attend again a General Conference unless the Spirit tell her to.
A
time of famine and a time of distress is then caused by God (verse 11). “Will
iron break iron from the north and copper” (verse 12). The iron from the north
is the gold of Nebuchadnezzar’s image, and the copper is the copper of that
image: Babylon and Persia. God says that He will plunder their riches (verse
13).
They
were clinging to Asherah and Baal and incense burning as well as offerings to
these gods on hills, even supported from Jerusalem. Such was the ecumenism that
supported woman ordination on the hill of Kuntillet `Ajrud in the Negev and
also at Deir `Alla and Khirbet el Kom as archaeology indicates, namely the
fashion parades at Kuntillet `Ajrud and textile industry for the sake of
Asherah worship. “For fire burns in My nostril” (verse 14).
Jeremiah
then prayed to God that He must remember him and think of him. He asked that
suffering may not be long (verse 15). Jeremiah delighted in the Word of the
Lord and in the Lord Himself (verse 16).
Jeremiah
said that he did not sit in the council of the merrymakers and that for the
sake of God he sat in seclusion (verse 17). Ever had people separating
themselves from a family group discussion because the content is not Christian?
The remnant Christians will just do that. It is what Jeremiah did.
Conscientious sensitivity for the sake of God.
God’s
message to Jeremiah then is that His pain perpetual, His wounds grievous. It
has refused to heal and the remnant weed “are to Me as a failing spring, water
that is not faithful” (verse 18). Most scholars interpreted it as the words of
Jeremiah but for me it seems like it is the pain of God for their sins and
continuation in it.
But
God calls for the pony to ride out the problem: “If you return….” Then “I will
return you….” (verse 19). If they take the “precious out of the vile” they can
be a mouth-piece for God. Now Jeremiah is instructed that they should return to
Jeremiah but Jeremiah should not return to them.
If
one leaves an unfaithful congregation since they do not want to reform or for
about 5 years persists in their sins not to reform, then one should leave that
congregation and do not return to them but they can return to the faithful
person. Then Jeremiah heard God said to him that God makes the person who walks
away from an evil congregation, a fortified copperwall. They will gossip and
fight against the faithful person but will not win (verse 20). “For I am with
you to redeem you and to save you”. “And I will save you from the hand of the wicked,
and I will redeem you from the hand of the terrible”.
Dear Lord
Sometimes we have to walk
away from congregations after years of failed attempts to reform together. Keep
making us fortified copperwalls for You. Amen