1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 3 You shall say to them, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Cursed be the man who does not hear the words of this covenant 4 that I commanded your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Listen to my voice, and do all that I command you. So shall you be my people, and I will be your God, 5 that I may confirm the oath that I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day.” Then I answered, “So be it, Lord.”
REFLECTION:
This passage mainly describes Judahites’ breach of the covenant and God’s rebuke to them through Jeremiah’s mouth. God also promises that if they repent, keep the covenant, and obey God’s instructions, He will always be with them, otherwise they will be severely punished by God. God’s words to exhort Judah to repent were clear and plain, and they were said more than once or twice. Why, despite God’s repeated rebuke, comfort, and warning, the people of Judah still wouldn’t get back on the right path? Because they have forgotten God’s grace long ago, and they have no longer needed God. Today, we should reflect, among all our needs, is God our greatest need? If not, we are in danger. If worldly needs are allowed to rule in our lives, we will be firmly caught in the snare of the devil. One day we will become like the Judahites back then, completely deaf to the call of God, completely forget the new covenant God made with us through the blood of Jesus Christ.
PRAYER:
Pray that God will have mercy on you, be sympathetic to your weakness, and supply all the needs of your body, mind, and spirit. Pray that God will make you understand that the greatest need in a person’s life is God Himself, and nothing else. Your spirit can only rest in the embrace of God. Only then will you get the ultimate satisfaction. Ask God to enable you not only to understand this truth in your mind, but also to enable you to actually verify this truth in your life experience.
6 There is none like you, O Lord;
you are great, and your name is great in might. 7 Who would not fear you, O King of the nations?
For this is your due;
for among all the wise ones of the nations
and in all their kingdoms
there is none like you. 8 They are both stupid and foolish;
the instruction of idols is but wood! 9 Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish,
and gold from Uphaz.
They are the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith;
their clothing is violet and purple;
they are all the work of skilled men. 10 But the Lord is the true God;
he is the living God and the everlasting King.
At his wrath the earth quakes,
and the nations cannot endure his indignation.
REFLECTION:
Tarshish was located in the western part of the ancient world, probably in the area of Spain today. This place produces minerals such as silver, tin, lead, and iron. The location of Uphaz is unknown. The name originally meant “refined gold”, which is a metallurgical term. Tarshish and Uphaz are both places that provide high-quality raw materials for people to make idols. Do idols really teach? More likely it is idol worshippers talking to themselves! These so-called teachings only express human desires and ambitions. Those who worship idols in ancient times are really ignorant, because idols, no matter how exquisite and beautiful they are made, are nothing more than lifeless pieces of gold, stone or wood. Similarly, in modern society, people who worship various invisible idols such as fame, fortune and power are also stupid. People spend their entire lives of time and energy chasing invisible idols. How is it different from those ancient people who spent a lot of money to decorate tangible idols, thinking that the more beautiful they are, the more capable they are? No matter how ingenious the tangible idols are made, and no matter how much worldly benefits the various intangible idols can bring to people, they will not endow people with an abundant life. A truly wise person receives blessings from the true and living God, and such blessings will last forever. May all of us be such wise people, relying on God throughout our lives, and gain the honour from heaven.
PRAYER:
Pray for God to give you more, greater, and deeper wisdom, so that you can see through everything under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Pray for God to make you understand that no matter how great the worldly benefit is, it will not bring you abundant life, or even prolong your life. Dedicate yourself to God, that from now on you will rely more on Him and receive eternal blessings from Him.
12 Who is the man so wise that he can understand this? To whom has the mouth of the Lord spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through? 13 And the Lord says: “Because they have forsaken my law that I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice or walked in accord with it, 14 but have stubbornly followed their own hearts and have gone after the Baals, as their fathers taught them. 15 Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will feed this people with bitter food, and give them poisonous water to drink. 16 I will scatter them among the nations whom neither they nor their fathers have known, and I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them.”
REFLECTION:
Stubbornness is a trait that every proud person will show. Pride makes people stubborn, and stubbornness makes people unrepentant and do whatever they want according to their own will. The result is self-defeating and ruin. It was the case of Judah in ancient times, and it is the same for many people today. We should be vigilant. When we see others swallowing the bitter fruit of pride and stubbornness, we should not forget that we are also not a person who obeys God in everything. Our hearts also hide pride and stubbornness that people don’t know. Some of the twists and turns in our lives are also caused by our own pride and stubbornness. What people don’t know, God can see clearly. Each of us is naked and open before God. May God remove all the pride in our hearts and make our lives more humble and holy, so we will taste more of the sweetness bestowed by God.
PRAYER:
Come to God humbly, and ask God to enlighten you so that you can see the hidden pride and stubbornness in your heart. Ask God to make you understand the danger of pride and stubbornness: if you let it develop, you will also become one who devour bitter fruits and are punished by God. Ask God to be king in your life completely, remove all the pride in your heart, so that you can walk humbly in all things.
