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Jeremiah 2 (ESV)

1 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ² “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the Lord,

“I remember the devotion of your youth,
your love as a bride,
how you followed me in the wilderness,
in a land not sown.
³ Israel was holy to the Lord,
the firstfruits of his harvest.
All who ate of it incurred guilt;
disaster came upon them,
declares the Lord.”

⁴ Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. ⁵ Thus says the Lord:

“What wrong did your fathers find in me
that they went far from me,
and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?
⁶ They did not say, ‘Where is the Lord
who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
who led us in the wilderness,
in a land of deserts and pits,
in a land of drought and deep darkness,
in a land that none passes through,
where no man dwells?’
⁷ And I brought you into a plentiful land
to enjoy its fruits and its good things.
But when you came in, you defiled my land
and made my heritage an abomination.
⁸ The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’
Those who handle the law did not know me;
the shepherds transgressed against me;
the prophets prophesied by Baal
and went after things that do not profit.

⁹ “Therefore I still contend with you,
declares the Lord,
and with your children’s children I will contend.
¹⁰ For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see,
or send to Kedar and examine with care;
see if there has been such a thing.
¹¹ Has a nation changed its gods,
even though they are no gods?
But my people have changed their glory
for that which does not profit.
¹² Be appalled, O heavens, at this;
be shocked, be utterly desolate,
declares the Lord,
¹³ for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me,
the fountain of living waters,
and hewed out cisterns for themselves,
broken cisterns that can hold no water.

REFLECTION:

This passage uses a marriage relationship as a metaphor for God’s love for His people and His people’s attachment for idols. The contrast between the two is sharp and strong, highlighting the sin of Judah (often referred to by the people of Jerusalem, the capital of the South Kingdom) of being unfaithful to God. Jeremiah rebuked Judah for always seeking safety and security in things that are vain and ever-changing, but not relying on the eternal and unchanging God. The various firstfruits are sacrifices to God, and the people of Judah have adhered to this law of offering throughout the ages. In the past, Judah was like the bride of God, a holy and loyal people, eager to please God. But in Jeremiah’s time, their behaviour was completely corrupted, in sharp contrast with the past.

Who would rather hew out cisterns to hold rainwater and abandon the endless stream of living water? God told the people of Judah that their behaviour of abandoning God and worshipping idols was just so stupid. To make matters worse, they chose broken cisterns that could not hold water in an attempt to carry the truth with a set of vain and foolish secular laws. Since God Himself is the source of living water, why should we abandon Him and attach to the “benefits” brought by the “cisterns” (money, power, or other things of the world)? We may obey God at first and please Him, but then we may be tempted to gradually turn away from Him and seek security in our possessions, abilities, or other things. Think about how you dedicated yourself to obey God at first, and then ask yourself whether you are still so sincere and enthusiastic now.

PRAYER:

Thank God for the abundant providence in your life physically and spiritually. Ask God to work in your heart so that you will be focused and fervent, and continue to serve and desire God in the years to come, without being distracted by the sounds of the world. Ask God to be the source of strength for all your activities and give you a more abundant life.

HYMN:

To You – youtu.be/OSK7x08YaJ4