Jeremiah 4

INations, like individuals, are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world. Abraham Lincoln n my library is a notebook containing the outlines of messages that I preached when I began my ministry back in 1950. Whenever I read those outlines, I feel very embarrassed and contrite in heart and I marvel that anybody ever listened to those sermons or came back to hear more. A seasoned preacher once said, “When you’re young in the ministry, you can’t understand why more people don’t come to hear you. But when you get older, you’re amazed that anybody comes to hear you.” I agree.

Young Jeremiah, however, started his ministry with messages that were courageous, compassionate, and convicting. Boldly he confronted the people with their sins and pled with them to repent and return to the Lord. Four major themes combine in these messages: rebellion, repentance, righteousness, and retribution.

to disobedient people is to let them have their own way and reap the sad, painful consequences of their sins.

The word backsliding literally means to “turn away” and describes the nation’s repeated apostasy. The book of Judges records at least seven occasions when Israel turned from the Lord and had to be chastened, and there were numerous other times during erately turned from the Lord. The word backslide is the period of the monarchy when the Israelites delibnot used in the New Testament, but the experience is described in other ways: falling from grace (Gal. 5:4), leaving your first love (Rev. 2:4), loving the world (1 John 2:15–17; 2 Tim. 4:10), and walking in darkness (1 John 1:5–10).

A stubborn animal (v. 20). Jeremiah often used animals to picture the behavior of people, and here he compared the Jews to an unruly animal that won’t wear the yoke. One of his recurring phrases is the stubbornness of their evil hearts (3:17; 7:24; 9:14; 11:8; 13:10; 16:12; 18:12; 23: niv). When people, made in the image of God, refuse to obey God, they become like animals (see Ps. 32:9; Prov. 7:21–23; Hos. 4:16).

A degenerate vine (v. 21). Israel as a vine is a familiar image in the Old Testament (Ps. 80:8–16; Isa. 5:1–7; Ezek. 17:1–10; Hos. 10:1–2). God planted His people in the good land He gave them, but they didn’t produce the harvest of righteousness He desired. “So He expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes” (Isa. 5: nkjv). Because they worshipped false gods, they became like their degenerate neighbors. How could dead idols ever produce living fruit in their nation?

A defiled body (v. 22). No amount of good works or religious ceremonies could wash away their sins, because the heart of the nation’s problem was the problem in their hearts. They had sinful hearts because they had stubborn hearts—hearts that refused to listen to God’s servant and obey God’s Word. Josiah’s reformation was only a cosmetic change in the kingdom of Judah; it never reached the hearts of the people so that they repented and sought forgiveness from the Lord.

Jeremiah is preeminently the prophet of the heart, for he used the word over sixty times. “O Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved” (Jer. 4: niv). “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (17:9). Judah needed to return to the Lord with their whole heart, for only then could He bless them.

An animal in the desert (vv. 23–25). Even if the people denied that they were defiled, their actions proved otherwise, for they were like animals: a lost camel looking for an oasis; or a donkey in heat, running here and there looking for a mate. As the Jews pursued the false gods of the pagan nations, their shoes wore out and their throats became dry. How much better had they drunk the refreshing water from the river of God!

But they had given themselves so much to sin that they despaired of being saved. “It’s no use!” (2: niv) was their excuse. “It’s hopeless!” They sounded like confirmed alcoholics or compulsive gamblers who can’t break the habit, or like the invalid at the Pool of Bethesda who had been sick for so long that he’d given up hope (John 5:1–9). Jesus Christ, however, specializes in hopeless cases. “He breaks the power of canceled sin/He sets the prisoner free.”

A disgraced thief (vv. 26–28). A thief caught in the act may protest his or her innocence, but the evidence is there for all to see. Any visitor to the kingdom of Judah could see what God saw: people turning their backs on God and talking to deaf idols, but then turning desperately to Jehovah for help when they found themselves in trouble. They were caught red-handed!

Incorrigible children (vv. 29–35). God chastened them many times for their sins, but they refused to change their ways, and then they even blamed God! He brought charges against them (Jer. 2:9), but instead of confessing and repenting, they complained and brought charges against Him! None of His discipline seemed to do any good. “You struck them, but they felt no pain; you crushed them, but they refused correction” (5: niv; see 7:28; 17:23; 32:33; 35:13).

God reminded the people how richly He had blessed them. Yet they rebelled against Him (2:29), forgot Him (v. 32), and lied to Him (vv. 33–35), claiming to be innocent. One of the major themes of the book of Deuteronomy is that the nation should remember the Lord and what He had done for them. Yet the people took their blessings for granted and gave their allegiance to dumb idols. They were so skilled at their harlotry, worshipping false gods, that even the most wicked prostitute could learn new things from them! They exploited the poor and were stained by their blood, and yet they pleaded innocence (see Amos 2:6–8; 5:10–12).

Because the nation at that time was enjoying a measure of political and economic prosperity, they concluded that God’s blessing was proof of their innocence! They didn’t realize that God can bless the wicked (Ps. 37; 73; Matt. 5:45) and that the goodness of God should instead lead them to repentance (Luke 15:17–18; Rom. 2:4–5).

Prisoners of war (vv. 36–37). In its attempt to keep peace with its neighbors, Judah had flitted between Egypt and Assyria (Jer. 2:14–19), both of whom would ultimately disappoint Judah. The description in verse 37 is that of prisoners of war, their hands tied above their heads, being led away captive. Any decisions we make that are contrary to God’s plan will lead to bondage, because only the truth can set us free (John 8:32). The Babylonian army would eventually overrun the land, take Jerusalem and destroy it, and lead the people away into captivity.

Was there any way Judah could escape the coming wrath? Yes, and that was the theme of the next point in Jeremiah’s message.

Repentance: God Pleads for His People to Return

The two key words in this section are return (3:1, 7, 12, 22; 4:1) and backsliding (3:6, 8, 11, 12, 14, 22). In the Hebrew, “backsliding” (“faithless” niv) is actually a form of the word translated “return.”

Pictures (3:1–10; 3:21–4:4). The prophet again used four vivid images to picture the sad spiritual condition of the kingdom of Judah.

The unfaithful wife (3:1–10). Jeremiah returned to the metaphor of marriage that he had used in 2:1–2 and 20, but this time he introduced the subject of divorce. The Mosaic law permitted a man to divorce his wife, but it did not allow him to marry her again (Deut. 24:1–4). God had every right to reject His people, because they had abandoned Him, not in order to marry another “husband,” but in order to play the harlot with many lovers. The people had gone to the hills and built shrines dedicated to foreign gods. They had acted worse than common prostitutes, who at least waited for lovers to come to them, for Judah had pursued false gods and repeatedly committed spiritual adultery with them.

Instead of rejecting His people, however, the Lord patiently called for them to return and be restored as His wife. What grace! God had even caused a drought in the land, and the people had called out to Him for help (Jer. 3:4–5), but they had not really repented of their sins. Because of their covenant relationship with God, Judah called Him “Father” and “guide,” which were titles Jewish wives sometimes used in addressing their husbands. But how could God give them covenant blessings when they were violating covenant commandments?

When Assyria conquered the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC, the southern kingdom of Judah witnessed this divine judgment. Nevertheless, the Judahites refused to learn from Israel’s destruction and turn from their sins (vv. 6–11). God had “divorced” Israel and put her away; Israel became a part of Assyria, and the northern kingdom was never restored. Having seen this judgment, the Judahites persisted in their sins as though it would never happen to them. Because of this arrogant attitude, Judah was even more guilty than Israel. Judah should have been “put away,” yet God graciously invited His adulterous wife to return home to Him.

In obedience to the king, the people had cooperated with Josiah’s reformation and outwardly put away their idols, but what they did was “only in pretense” (v. 10 niv). God was “near in their mouth but far from their mind” (12: nkjv; see Ezek. 33:31). Even today, when political leaders claim to be born again and are willing to promote evangelical causes, going to church and reading the Bible become the “in” things to do, but you wonder how sincere these people really are. True Christian faith has never been popular, and the road that leads to life is still narrow and lonely (Matt. 7:13–23).

The unhealthy patient (3:21–25). In Scripture, sickness is one of many metaphors for sin (Ps. 41:4; Isa. 1:5–6; Jer. 8:22; 30:12; Mark 2:17). Like an infection entering the bloodstream, sin secretly gets into the system of the “inner man” and goes to work weakening and destroying. It gradually infects the whole system, producing spiritual lassitude and loss of spiritual appetite; and if not cared for, the “sin sickness” can lead to dire consequences. When we hear about believers suddenly falling into open sin, in most cases a gradual slide preceded the sudden fall.

God offers to heal not just the symptoms of their backsliding, but the backsliding itself. The false prophets dealt only with symptoms and announced a false peace that gave the people a false confidence (Jer. 6:14; 7:8; 8:11). But a true physician of souls will tell the truth and seek to lead sinners to genuine spiritual healing that comes from honest confession and repentance.

This reminds me of a story I’ve often used in sermons. A certain church member was in the habit of closing his public prayers with “And, Lord, take the cobwebs out of my heart!” One of the other members became weary of this litany, so one evening, after hearing it again, he stood and prayed, “And, Lord, while You’re at it … kill the spider!” Jeremiah was out to kill the spider and cure the patient.

The Jews thought their deliverance would come from the idols they worshipped in the high places—the hill shrines—but their only hope was to repent and trust the Lord. These idols were unable to save them. In fact, they brought nothing but shame. Yet the Jews had sacrificed their God-given produce, flocks, and herds, and even their children to these shameful idols!

The unplowed field (4:1–3). The problem with the people was their dishonesty; they would use the right language, but they wouldn’t mean it from their hearts. They would pray to the true God, but not forsake the false gods. It was easy to say, “As the Lord lives,” but they didn’t say it in truth, justice, and righteousness. Their hearts were hard and crowded with thorns like a neglected, unplowed field. Hosea used this image (Hos. 10:12) and so did Jesus in His parable of the sower (Matt. 13:1–9, 18–23).

The uncircumcised heart (4:4). Jewish boys were circumcised when eight days old, given a name, and made a son of the covenant (Gen. 17:9–14; Lev. 12:3; Luke 1:59). Although no amount of surgery on the body could change the heart, the Jews thought that this ritual was their guarantee of salvation (Matt. 3:7–9; Acts 15:1–5). God, however, wanted them to “operate” on their hearts and put away their callousness and disobedience. “Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer” (Deut. 10: nkjv; see also 30:6; Rom. 2:28–29; Col. 2:11). They also needed to circumcise their ears (Jer. 6:10) so they could hear the Word of God.

Many people today depend on baptism, the Lord’s Supper (Communion, the Eucharist), confirmation, or some other religious ritual for their salvation, when what God wants from us is sincere faith from a repentant heart. Salvation is a gift that we receive by faith; it’s not a reward that we earn by being religious.

Promises (3:11–13). The Lord even called to the dispersed Israelites to return to Him. This invitation reminds us of God’s promises in Leviticus 26:40–45, Deuteronomy 30, and 1 Kings 8:46–53, which assured them that God would forgive if they would repent. In Jeremiah 3:14–19, Jeremiah seemed to be looking far ahead to the Kingdom Age when Israel and Judah would be united, the nation would be purified and multiplied, and God would give them spiritual leaders to care for them. In the darkest days of their history, the Israelites heard their prophets announce this coming messianic kingdom, and the promise gave them hope.

The people must have been shocked when they heard Jeremiah say that the day would come when the ark of the covenant would be gone, forgotten, and never missed (v. 16). They trusted in the ark, the temple, the religious rituals, the covenant, and yet these things were but temporary signs that pointed to something spiritual and eternal.

The day would come when circumcised Jews would be treated like uncircumcised Gentiles (9:25–26), when the temple would no longer be needed (7:1–15; see John 4:20–24), and when there would be a new covenant that would change hearts (Jer. 11:1–5; 31:31–40). Like Jesus, Jeremiah saw beyond external religion and taught that God was seeking the devotion of the heart. No wonder both of them were accused of being traitors and persecuted for opposing the “true religion,” which God had given to Israel.

Punishment (4:5–18). Jeremiah announced the invasion of the Babylonian army from the north (1:14), like a fierce lion (4:7) and a devastating desert storm (vv. 11–13). Dreadful judgment was coming to Judah, and yet the nation was unprepared, because the people believed the deceptive message of peace proclaimed by the false prophets (v. 10). “It can’t happen here!” was their slogan. “After all, we have the temple and the ark of the covenant.”

God commanded the watchmen to blow the trumpet and alert the people to run to the walled cities for safety. That would have given them time to repent in sackcloth (v. 8) and to wash their hearts by confessing their sins (v. 14). The Babylonian army, however, would come swiftly (v. 13; see Ezek. 38:16) and do their job thoroughly. “Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is! How it pierces to the heart!” (Jer. 4: niv).

Pain (4:19–31). Known as the weeping prophet, Jeremiah here expressed his personal anguish as he contemplated a national tragedy that could have been averted (4:19–21). No other Old Testament prophet revealed his brokenheartedness and sorrow as did Jeremiah (see 6:24; 9:10; 10:19–20). When ministering publicly, he was bold before men; in private, he was heartbroken before God.

God explained to His servant why the judgment was coming: The people were foolish, they did not know God, they were stupid, and they lacked understanding (4:22). If they had been as skillful in holy living as they were in sinning, God would have blessed them instead of judging them.

With prophetic vision, Jeremiah saw what the Babylonians would do to the land (vv. 23–29), producing chaos such as that described in Genesis 1:2. No matter where he looked, he saw ruin. Even the stable mountains shook! It was only by the mercy of God that everything in Judah wasn’t completely devastated (Jer. 4:27; see 5:10, 18; 30:11; 46:28).

But an equally great tragedy was the unbelief of the people who refused to repent and ask God for His help (4:30–31). Jeremiah described them as prostitutes who were trying to seduce other nations to come and help them stop the Babylonians, but their “lovers” wouldn’t respond to their pleas. Judah trusted political alliances instead of trusting the Lord. But the prostitutes would become like women in travail—an image of painful judgment that’s used often in Jeremiah (6:24; 13:21; 22:23; 30:6; 48:41; 49:22, 24; 50:43).