Sermon - AudioJeremiah 14-17 - Audio
Jeremiah 14-17 - Reading
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in the land.
•14.3: Servants in this verse is literally translated as “little ones”--an unusual word for
servants in the Old Testament.It is just one of a few unusual words in this chapter. It
is possible that in the midst of this drought that the nobles were sending out their own
children for water. If the parents are sending their children to retrieve water during the
drought, it reveals how harshness parents have begun to treat their children in the
land of Judah.
•14.3: Covering your head was a sign of mourning and confusion. The people are
mourning because the servants (“little ones”) can’t figure out why there is no water.
The lack of understanding about the drought is a sign that the people, particularly children, are
not being taught God’s truths. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your
hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you
walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your
hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on
your gates. Dt 6.4-7 NIV
• 14.4: “cracked” is literally “dismayed”. It is another interesting word us because the Hebrew word
for dismayed is typically used to describe human beings. God show us the suffering of the land
because of the drought by using this word.
• 14.5: Natural affections are abandoned. This abandonment by animals may be a narrative hint of
what will happen in cities when Judah is attached. In times of siege parents sometimes not only
did not feed their children, they killed and ate them (see 2 Kings 25).
• 14.7-9: There is a disagreement about who is lifting this prayer before God. Some believe Jeremiah
offered this prayer, while others say it is an insincere prayer by the people of the land since God
has already commanded Jeremiah not to pray for the people.
• 14.8: Hope The word hope is the same word as the word for “pool”. It is the third interesting word
used within this chapter--God is called the Hope of Israel. As the people suffer from drought, the
call God their pool.
• 14.8: “Why are you like a stranger?” This question shows what we have already seen, namely,
the people really do not see how great their sin has become. If Jeremiah were speaking this
prayer it would be unlikely that he would have included these words since he knows why God is
being a stranger.
• 14.9: “we bear your name” Again, this shows how little the people have been listening to
Jeremiah. God has told them he is divorcing them, he has pointed out they are useless to him
and he will not walk through the shadows with them--yet they insist that they bear his name.
• 14.10: God reiterates his truth about Israel.
• 14.13: Jeremiah tries to make excuses for the people saying that they are messed up because of all
the false prophets.
• 14.13: It is an odd thing to for the false prophets to say that the people will not suffer famine when
there is a huge drought all around. It shows the depths of the deception of both the prophets
and the people.
• 14.14-15: God will destroy the false prophets in keeping with the words of Deuteronomy, But a
prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a
prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.” Deuteronomy 18:20
• 14.16: God does not accept Jeremiah’s argument. The people have true prophets as well as false,
they even have the evidence of the drought of covenant proportions, but they don’t want to hear
the truth.
• 14.18: God addresses the people who believe there will be no famine and warns them not only of a
famine but ravages beyond the famine.
• 14.19-22: Another prayer from the people of the land who believe that God is being unjust to them.
• 14.20-21: What sounds sincere in their mouths is not sincere when it comes to their hearts.
Jeremiah has pointed out to us, “you are near in their mouth, and far from their heart” Jeremiah
12.2 ESV.
• 14.22: Ironically, the people have been depending on idols (in particular Baal who was the storm
god) to bring them rain. Now, when he has failed the people are going to their backup system
and trying to manipulate Yahweh into sending rain.
•15.1: Samuel and Moses were
two of the greatest
intercessors for the people of
Israel. Moses prayed on
their behalf when they
worshipped the golden calf
(Exodus 32.11-14). and
Samuel when the people
demanded a king (1 Sam.
12.23). The sin of Judah has
grown so great (presumably
beyond even worshipping a
golden calf or demanding a
king) that God would not
listen to even Israel’s
greatest men of prayer.
Although God will not listen
to these men of prayer, there
will yet be a note of hope at the
end of this chapter.
•15.6: “you keep on backsliding” literally “you keep going backward” Rather than moving forward
from where their father’s had been, they keep going back to way their fathers were trusting in
other nations for protection and believing in other gods. Notice what Joshua says to the people as
they enter the land, 14 "Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the
gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 But if
serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will
serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in
whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Joshuah 24
The people have been going backward to the gods that were worshipped beyond the river.
•15.6: To these backward going people God says, “I will lay my hands on you and destroy you”--this
translation of the NIV causes us to miss an important connection, actually God says, “I have
stretched my hand out to destroy you”. This is what we read in Exodus 7. 19 The LORD said to
Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over the
streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs'-and they will turn to blood. Blood will be
everywhere in Egypt, even in the wooden buckets and stone jars." In the 10 plagues of Egypt
God stretches out his hand to destroy. In a terrifying word God reverses himself and rather that
protecting his people, he does what he did to Egypt. It is but the first of such reversals we find in
this chapter.
•15.6: “I can no longer show compassion” NIV is translated in the ESV as “I am weary of relenting”.
The ESV’s translation gives us insight into God’s heart: how often he has turned away from
destroying the people and how exhausted he has become. It is a picture that all who have
relented many times understand.
•15.7: “Winnowing” is a sign of judgment. John the Baptist will say to the people, 11"I baptize you
with[b] water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose
sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12His winnowing
fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and
burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matthew 3 John saw the coming of the Messiah as a
time of judgment--which is why later on we find him confused by Jesus who came not to judge but
to redeem sinners. Jesus will make it clear to John that while he did not come to wield a
winnowing fork his first time to earth, he will bring judgment the second time (cf. Revelation 20).
•15.8: The second reversal. God’s promise to Abraham was that his descendants would be like the
sands of the seashore (Gen. 22.17), now widows (the poorest and most powerless in society)
have become as numerous as the sands of seashore.
•15.9: The third reversal: to have 7 sons (a number of completeness) was to be blessed. In
Hannah’s prayer of celebration over the birth of Samuel we read, Those who were full hire
themselves out for food, but those who were hungry hunger no more. She who was barren has
borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away. 1 Samuel 2.5 Now the
woman who had been blessed is disgraced and humiliated.
15.10-21: Jeremiah’s third complaint
• 15.12: God points out how difficult Jeremiah’s task is by comparing the people to iron.
•15.15: Jeremiah is never shy about calling forth God’s punishment on those who abuse him.
•15.17: These words remind us of Psalm 1 and the Psalmist’s proclamation that he refused to sit with
the wicked. Because Jeremiah refuses to sit with the “company of revelers” he finds that he sits
alone. Being God’s prophet has cut him off from people.
•15.18: To the God who had declared that he is the spring of living water (Jer. 2.13-14) Jeremiah says
something unbelievably sharp--he tells God that his spring seems to fail, that God’s brook is
deceptive i.e. that it is not real. Jeremiah is not experiencing God as living water and he tells him
so.
•15.19: Jeremiah’s belief that God is not acting as a consistent stream of living water is a picture of
what Israel believes about God (see Jeremiah 2.1-14). God response to both Jeremiah and Israel
is the same--repent of this foolish notion. If they repent God will allow them to serve him.
•15.20: Part of being living water is God’s promise of protection. God promises Jeremiah if he
repents that he will be saved and rescued.
•16.1-2: In Ancient Near Eastern culture large families were considered a blessing while a
lack of offspring was considered a curse. Within this context, God commands Jeremiah to
remain unmarried and celibate. Jeremiah’s actions symbolize the severity of the coming
judgement upon Judah. Thompson writes, “That he abstained from
marriage and children was a powerful sign that the end of Judah was at
hand. People would die in the land before many days were past. Jeremiah,
who never had a wife or children, was as those who would be
married and had produced children but would lose them in all the calamity
that would befall Judah.”
•16.3-4: Jeremiah’s childlessness represented the brutal fate of Judah’s children as well as
presenting a tangible picture of hopelessness for the next generation.
•16.3: deadly disease The people were promised to be saved from deadly disease if they
obeyed God; however, their disobedience resulted in diseases coming upon them.
•16.5: Funeral meal in Israel it was customary to provide a meal to those who came to the
funeral. Jeremiah is banned from participating in this, and all, mourning rituals.
•16.5: Blessing...love...pity In Hebrew these words are shalom, hesed, and rahmim. Each
word represents Yahweh’s profound love for his people. But now all these have been
withdrawn.
•16.10-13: God points out to both generational guilt and the guilt of the present generation.
In other places (e.g. Nehemiah 1) we find a sense of corporate guilt and responsibility
that needs to be dealt with by the community.
•16.13: throw you out of this land God will send them into exile.
•16.14-15: In the midst of the news of terrible punishment God
makes a promise to return the people to the land. God’s act to
bring the people back from exile will be so great that people
will refer to Him as the God who brought the Israelites back
from exile.
•16.16: Although vs. 14-15 are a proclamation of hope for the
future, Judah faces destruction in the present. The nations
(fisherman and hunters) will prey on the people and take them
into exile.
•16.18: repay them double “Let my persecutors be put ot
shame, but keep me from shame; let them be terrified, but
keep me from terror. Bring on them the day of disaster; destroy
them with double destruction.” Jeremiah 17:18 NIV
“2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity
is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.” Isaiah
40.2 NIV
Jeremiah 16.19-21: The Nations Know
God’s Name
•16.19: Jeremiah declares the day when
the nations will see that their god’s are
false and turn to Yahweh. The conversion
of the nations is a common theme in the
prophets (e.g. Isaiah 2, Zechariah 14).
•16.20: The theme idols being human
creations and not gods is again declared
by Jeremiah.
•16.21: This verse foreshadows the
promises of the new covenant “No longer
will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his
brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because
they will all know me, from the least
of them to the greatest," declares the
LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more."
Jeremiah 31.34 NIV
• 17.1: engraved with an iron tool...on the tablets of their hearts This picture illustrates
how deep the sin of Judah has gone; it has become engraved on their hearts. The Spirit
of the Reformation Study Bible comments, “this recalls tablets for writing laws Judah’s
sin had become so great that it had reached the hearts of Gods people. By contrast, in
31.33 the law, rather than sin would be written on the hearts of God’s people when the
restoration from exile occurred.”
• 17.2-4: These verses again reflect Judah’s extreme sin and the covenant curses that will
come upon the people because of the sin engraved on their hearts.
Jeremiah 17.5-11: Collection of Wise Sayings
• 17.5: Trusts The word for “trusts” reflects the idea of putting your hope in another. The Bible
repeatedly warns against putting your hope in rulers and powerful nations as a means of
salvation from coming disaster. The Psalmist in Psalm 73 says, “23 Yet I am always with
you; you hold me by my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward
you will take me into glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I
desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my
heart and my portion forever. 27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all
who are unfaithful to you. 28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the
Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.” Psalm 73:23-28
• 17.10: This verse answers the question “who can understand them?” Only God can understand
and know what’s going on in the heart and mind of a person, and there is nothing
that is/can be hidden from Him.
• 17.11: God is against those who have gained their wealth by injustice. The corollary of this is
that God celebrates when people have gained wealth by just means--which means it is
possible to be Godly and wealthy (but notice the words to the wealthy in 1 Timothy
6.17-19; especially as it relates to our God’s warning through Jeremiah about where we
put our hope).
Jeremiah 17.12-18: Jeremiah’s Fourth Lament/Confession
• 17.12: A glorious throne refers to the kingship of the LORD. Compare Jeremiah 17.12 with
Psalm 99.1. “1 The LORD reigns let the nations tremble he sits enthroned between the
cherubim let the earth shake.” Psalm 99.1 NIV
• 17.13: The hope of Israel Only God, not his house (see notes on Jer. 7) can save Israel.
• 17.13: Written in the dust refers to a person who is condemned to death for rejecting God--
the spring of living water.
• 17.14: This verse is used the Amidah (standing prayer) that is prayed daily by orthodox
Jews.
• 17.15: Where is the word of the LORD? Jeremiah is being persecuted for his faithfulness
in speaking God’s word, but his scoffers are mocking him asking “where is the word of
the LORD?” The people don’t believe that God’s word is being spoken through Jeremiah
because they don’t see it coming true.
• 17.16: Although Jeremiah prophesies about the coming disaster, he does not eagerly await
the coming destruction.
• 17.18: Jeremiah prays against those who are persecuting him.
Jeremiah 17.19-27: Keep the Sabbath
A sermon on the importance of keeping the Sabbath (Shabbat). The Sabbath is so important
because it is one of the fundamental signs of being in covenant with God.
• 17:19-20: God commands Jeremiah to stand at the gates of the temple and the city--
important places filled with people-- and preach a sermon to them.
• 17.21: “bear a burden” is not just carrying something, it is to carry out commerce. It seems
as though the Sabbath had become a day in which the people carried out a lot of commerce
within the city.
• 17.24-27: God’s promise of blessing or curse is dependent on whether or not the people
keep the sabbath. In the days of Nehemiah (after the return from the exile) the
people break the Sabbath (Nehemiah 13.15-22). Nehemiah’s reaction is swift
to end this breaking of an important covenant sign. During the period of the
Maccabees keeping the Sabbath was so important that many died rather than
fighting on the Sabbath. In Jesus’ day it was believed keeping the Sabbath
was one of the important things that had to be done before Messiah would
come. This is one of the reasons that some Pharisees and Synagogue rulers
are so upset with Jesus healing on the Sabbath, they saw it as breaking the
Sabbath and so keeping the Messiah from coming.
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