Lusty Stallions

Jeremiah 1:1-31 NKJV

 “Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem;

See now and know;

And seek in her open places

If you can find a man,

If there is anyone who executes [a]judgment,

Who seeks the truth,

And I will pardon her.

2 Though they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’

Surely they swear falsely.”

3 O Lord, are not Your eyes on the truth?

You have stricken them,

But they have not grieved;

You have consumed them,

But they have refused to receive correction.

They have made their faces harder than rock;

They have refused to return.

4 Therefore I said, “Surely these are poor.

They are foolish;

For they do not know the way of the Lord,

The judgment of their God.

5 I will go to the great men and speak to them,

For they have known the way of the Lord,

The judgment of their God.”

But these have altogether broken the yoke

And burst the bonds.

6 Therefore a lion from the forest shall slay them,

A wolf of the deserts shall destroy them;

A leopard will watch over their cities.

Everyone who goes out from there shall be torn in pieces,

Because their transgressions are many;

Their backslidings have increased.

7 “How shall I pardon you for this?

Your children have forsaken Me

And sworn by those that are not gods.

When I had fed them to the full,

Then they committed adultery

And assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses.

8 They were like well-fed lusty stallions;

Every one neighed after his neighbor’s wife.

9 Shall I not punish them for these things?” says the Lord.

“And shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?

10 “Go up on her walls and destroy,

But do not [b]make a complete end.

Take away her branches,

For they are not the Lord’s.

11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah

Have dealt very treacherously with Me,” says the Lord.

12 They have lied about the Lord,

And said, “It is not He.

Neither will [c]evil come upon us,

Nor shall we see sword or famine.

13 And the prophets become wind,

For the word is not in them.

Thus shall it be done to them.”

14 Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts:

“Because you speak this word,

Behold, I will make My words in your mouth fire,

And this people wood,

And it shall devour them.

15 Behold, I will bring a nation against you from afar,

O house of Israel,” says the Lord.

“It is a mighty 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 men.

17 And they shall eat up your harvest and your bread,

Which your sons and daughters should eat.

They shall eat up your flocks and your herds;

They shall eat up your vines and your fig trees;

They shall destroy your fortified cities,

In which you trust, with the sword.

18 “Nevertheless in those days,” says the Lord, “I will not [d]make a complete end of you. 19 And it will be when you say, ‘Why does the Lord our God do all these things to us?’ then you shall answer them, ‘Just as you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve aliens in a land that is not yours.’

20 “Declare this in the house of Jacob

And proclaim it in Judah, saying,

21 ‘Hear this now, O foolish people,

Without [e]understanding,

Who have eyes and see not,

And who have ears and hear not:

22 Do you not fear Me?’ says the Lord.

‘Will you not tremble at My presence,

Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea,

By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it?

And though its waves toss to and fro,

Yet they cannot prevail;

Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it.

23 But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart;

They have revolted and departed.

24 They do not say in their heart,

“Let us now fear the Lord our God,

Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season.

He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.”

25 Your iniquities have turned these things away,

And your sins have withheld good from you.

26 ‘For among My people are found wicked men;

They lie in wait as one who sets snares;

They set a trap;

They catch men.

27 As a cage is full of birds,

So their houses are full of deceit.

Therefore they have become great and grown rich.

28 They have grown fat, they are sleek;

Yes, they [f]surpass the deeds of the wicked;

They do not plead the cause,

The cause of the fatherless;

Yet they prosper,

And the right of the needy they do not defend.

29 Shall I not punish them for these things?’ says the Lord.

‘Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’

30 “An astonishing and horrible thing

Has been committed in the land:

31 The prophets prophesy falsely,

And the priests rule by their own power;

And My people love to have it so.

But what will you do in the end?

Reminiscent of Abraham when he asked God to spare the city for ten righteous ones, Jeremiah is to search for one, who was living according to justice and truth.  With such great pretense, words like "As the LORD lives" would flow from their lips much like, "God bless you!", "Praise God!" but, it was in pretense.  Many know the language but, that alone will not pacify God.  He wants our hearts!  He wants all of us!  They had received a form of correction but, instead of repenting, God's people set their faces like flint and in utter rebellion continued to sin.  They did not grieve because of their sin since they were absolutely complacent in it.   The poor and the leaders had all turned away from the ways of God!  In response to the people's increase of sin, refusal to repent and failure to return to Him...God allowed the land to become invaded.

"How shall I pardon you for this?"

Even their children had forsaken the LORD.  God met their every need, yet they were ungrateful.  They took the blessings given to them by God and used them to commit sin and serve their idols!!  Who does your gift(s) serve?  Who benefits from the blessings that have been given unto you from the LORD?    

Like horses in heat, God's people were running around serving foreign gods.  Steeped in idolatry (spiritual adultery) from the nations around them they continued with great defiance to set their face like flint and sin.  There was no respect, reverence or true awe of God.  If there was, then they/we would not be living in such a manner!  Living so full and satisfied because of how good God had been to them, they forgot to plead the cause of the poor, the needy, and the fatherless (orphans).

The nation of Canaan's way of worship (which was immoral), included temple prostitution, hence they thought that would guarantee them a fruitful harvest.  Baal was said to be the storm god who brought forth rain.  The real God of Heaven, withheld the rain as a warning to the people though they still did not repent and return to Him.  Sometimes God will withdraw His blessings from before us so that we can repent, return and remember who the real Source is... God alone!  He will knock all of our little altars down if we refuse to do it ourselves.  Psalm 84:11 states: (For the LORD God is a sun and shield: The LORD will give grace and glory: No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.)  Our walk, the way we live does matter to God.

They lied on God!  They refused to believe the word of God.  They believed the words of the  prophets were "wind".  Unfortunately, devastating judgement was called unto His people.  His people would be sent to serve foreign gods in a foreign land since they refused to serve the living God in their own.  God would then send the ruthless Babylonians as a form of judgement upon them. In His great mercy, He did not allow the Babylonians to completely wipe them out.  

God is patient but, know He will respond to His people living in rebellion against Him.  He still corrects those He loves (Hebrews 12:6).  They quite simply did not trust God (Jeremiah 2:13 “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water).

Psalm 115:3-8 NKJV But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. (4) Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands. (5)They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; (6) They have ears, but they do not hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell; (7) They have hands, but they do not handle; Feet they have, but they do not walk; Nor do they mutter through their throat. (8) Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them.

There was a great level of ungratefulness as they continued to live in rebellion towards God, forgetting all He had done for them.  Though they received word to turn away from serving false gods and turn back to the living God, they refused, continued in sin and actually believed God wouldn't do anything about it!  Their idols had caused them to become blind, deaf, void of understanding and downright foolish.  

“An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land:

Just like today, 

The following is displayed:

• idolaltry
• false prophets prophesying lies to the people of God.
• leaders ruling not in accordance with the word of God, but according to their own word and ways
• exploitation amongst the people of God
• lack of the fear of God
• rebellion and stubborn hearts towards God and His word
• lack of justice and mercy

The people LOVED living in this manner!

People of God, the question for those who today who live in rebellion and have wandered away from the LORD is... But what will you do in the end?

 

Isaiah 1:16-18

16 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;

Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.

Cease to do evil,

17 Learn to do good;

Seek justice,

Rebuke [i]the oppressor;

[j]Defend the fatherless,

Plead for the widow.

18 “Come now, and let us reason together,”

Says the Lord,

“Though your sins are like scarlet,

They shall be as white as snow;

Though they are red like crimson,

They shall be as wool.

We have but one LORD and Savior and His name is Jesus!  Our help comes from but one, the LORD.  

Romans 10:9 NKJV 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.