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