14 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of hosts:
“Because you have spoken this word,
behold, I am making my words in your mouth a fire,
and this people wood, and the fire shall consume them. 15 Behold, I am bringing against you
a nation from afar, O house of Israel,
declares the Lord.
It is an enduring nation;
it is an ancient nation,
a nation whose language you do not know,
nor can you understand what they say. 16 Their quiver is like an open tomb;
they are all mighty warriors. 17 They shall eat up your harvest and your food;
they shall eat up your sons and your daughters;
they shall eat up your flocks and your herds;
they shall eat up your vines and your fig trees;
your fortified cities in which you trust
they shall beat down with the sword.”
18 “But even in those days, declares the Lord, I will not make a full end of you. 19 And when your people say, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all these things to us?’ you shall say to them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve foreigners in a land that is not yours.’”
REFLECTION:
“A nation from afar” refers to Babylon. Babylon is an ancient country. The old Babylonian Empire appeared from 1900 to 1550 BC, and other empires were built on that land as early as 3000 BC. Babylon in Jeremiah’s time rose rapidly, established its own military force, attacked and defeated Assyria, and became another great empire that dominated the world after Assyria. Have you ever met someone you have talked with for a long time, but that person didn’t hear a word? Are you angry? God is also angry with the people who have repeatedly refused to listen to Him. However, God still has endless love in His anger, and He still leaves a way out for them and does not “make a full end of them.” God has clearly told the Judahites and Israelites that those who obey Him will be blessed, and those who rebel against Him will be destroyed, but they still ignorantly shut their eyes and ears. Instead they asked God “why have you done all these things to us?” Reflect if we are like the people of Judah who pretended to be deaf and dumb with God’s words. May our ears listen carefully to God’s words, and our eyes focus on the abundance and glory that God will accomplish for our obedient life.
PRAYER:
Ask God for clearer eyes, so that you can see the glory of God; more sensitive ears, so that you can hear more of God’s words; Ask God for a loving, wise, and humble heart, making you a suitable vessel to bear witness for the Lord before others.
19 My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain!
Oh the walls of my heart!
My heart is beating wildly;
I cannot keep silent,
for I hear the sound of the trumpet,
the alarm of war. 20 Crash follows hard on crash;
the whole land is laid waste.
Suddenly my tents are laid waste,
my curtains in a moment. 21 How long must I see the standard
and hear the sound of the trumpet?
22 “For my people are foolish;
they know me not;
they are stupid children;
they have no understanding.
They are ‘wise’—in doing evil!
But how to do good they know not.”
REFLECTION:
The people of Judah don’t know God, they only know how to indulge in pleasure, and they don’t want to live a life of integrity and kindness, so God calls them “foolish” (v22). Jeremiah saw that the coming judgment would lead people to an abyss of misery, so that he felt heart-piercing and mourned. This judgment will not end until the people repent and obey God’s commands. Although this prophecy originally pointed to the destruction of the Kingdom of Judah by Babylon, it was not unreasonable to also announce the judgment of the end times. “Not knowing God” is not just being ignorant of God, it is knowingly committing a crime, deliberately rebelling against Him and resisting Him. We should understand that not knowing God is the greatest foolishness, and this foolishness will manifest itself in every aspect of our daily lives. Today, the righteous God also pays great attention to our daily behaviour. The judgment that God imposed on the stupid Israelites will also come to those who “don’t know” Him today. Reflect whether I am a wise person or a foolish person? Or is it stubbornness mixed with wisdom? We should be vigilant, learn how to live a life of obedience to God, and strive to bear witness for God, learn more about God and please Him, so that we can stand fearlessly before God’s judgment.
PRAYER:
Pray to God, ask Him to enlighten and guide you in your daily life, so that you can know Him more deeply and experience His grace more fully. Ask God to make you more vigilant, so that you can be free from the influence and temptation of the unrighteous people around you and follow their way.
11 And the Lord said to me, “Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. 12 Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say,
“‘Return, faithless Israel,
declares the Lord.
I will not look on you in anger,
for I am merciful,
declares the Lord;
I will not be angry forever. 13 Only acknowledge your guilt,
that you rebelled against the Lord your God
and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree,
and that you have not obeyed my voice,
declares the Lord. 14 Return, O faithless children,
declares the Lord;
for I am your master;
I will take you, one from a city and two from a family,
and I will bring you to Zion.
15 “‘And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. 16 And when you have multiplied and been fruitful in the land, in those days, declares the Lord, they shall no more say, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord.” It shall not come to mind or be remembered or missed; it shall not be made again. 17 At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the Lord, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart. 18 In those days the house of Judah shall join the house of Israel, and together they shall come from the land of the north to the land that I gave your fathers for a heritage.
REFLECTION:
The Israelites of the Northern Kingdom were punished by God for their sins, and finally their country was destroyed, and they became captives of other countries. The people of Judah saw the judgment of Israel for their rampant paganism and moral decay; they undoubtedly believed that the Israelites deserved the punishment and sneered at them. Jeremiah told the remnants of Israel that Jehovah still blesses those who are willing to return to Him and confess their sins and repent, and warned those Judahites who thought they were innocent and smug to learn from the history of Israel’s fall and repent and return to Jehovah.
Since the people of Judah refused to repent, Jeremiah taught them with God’s promise to the remnants of Israel. When King Solomon ruled the entire nation of Israel, the people worshipped God in the magnificent temple. The ark of God was placed in the temple. Inside, there was a tablet engraved with the Ten Commandments, which was a symbol of God’s presence with the people. God’s love is fully manifested in this passage. Although the people are “faithless,” God still calls them “children” and eagerly calls them back to their homes. The voice of God calling His people to turn back across time and space and is echoing in our ears today. The question is whether our ears are open to listen, and our hearts are willing to repent?
PRAYER:
Pray for God to enable you to open your eyes, open your ears, and open your heart all the time, so that you can see, hear, and understand God’s good intentions for you in everything you experience. Ask God to help you desire for Him more and build an intimate relationship with Him, because He is your heavenly father and you are His beloved son or daughter.
