Jeremiah 2: A Broken Covenant and a Grieving God
Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
Israel was holiness unto the Lord, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord.
Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:
Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
Neither said they, Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?
And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.
The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the Lord, and with your children’s children will I plead.
For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.
Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord.
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?
The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.
Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.
Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way?
And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?
Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts.
For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.
Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?
For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord God.
How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;
A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.
Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.
As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets,
Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.
But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.
Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the Lord.
In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
O generation, see ye the word of the Lord. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?
Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways.
Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.
Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.
Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.
Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the Lord hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them.
Jeremiah 2 is a powerful indictment against Judah, a lament from a God deeply wounded by the infidelity of His chosen people. This chapter, a cornerstone of Jeremiah's early prophecies, reveals the depth of Judah's apostasy and God's passionate plea for their return. It's a message that resonates even today, urging us to examine our own hearts and allegiances. The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 2:1), marking the divine origin and authority of the message. Jeremiah served as the messenger, but the words themselves flowed directly from God's heart.
Recalling a Faithful Past (Jeremiah 2:1-3)
God begins by tenderly recalling the early days of Israel's relationship with Him. Israel, representing the entire nation, was once "holy to the LORD" (Jeremiah 2:3), set apart from all other nations as His treasured possession. This was a time of devotion, a "honeymoon" period where Israel followed God wholeheartedly through the wilderness. God remembers this initial faithfulness, contrasting it sharply with their current state of rebellion.
The Indictment: Forsaking the Fountain (Jeremiah 2:4-13)
But that was then. Now, the Lord's indictment begins, and it is severe. God confronts His people, asking what fault He had been found in Him that they had strayed so far (Jeremiah 2:5). He had delivered them from slavery in Egypt, guided them through the wilderness, and brought them to a land flowing with milk and honey (Jeremiah 2:6-7). Yet, they turned away from Him, pursuing worthless idols.
Everyone who should have known better was guilty: the priests, the experts in the law, the rulers, and the prophets (Jeremiah 2:8). Instead of seeking God, they turned to idols, things that could not help or save. This wasn't due to any failure on God's part (Jeremiah 2:5). He had been faithful, but they chose to abandon Him. Even pagan nations did not exchange their gods, however false they may be (Jeremiah 2:10-11). But God's people had exchanged their Glory for useless idols (Jeremiah 2:11).
The Lord describes this betrayal as a "double evil" (Jeremiah 2:13): they had forsaken Him, "the spring of living water," and dug their own cisterns, "broken cisterns that cannot hold water." This poignant image highlights the folly of seeking satisfaction in anything other than God. They were thirsty people trading a flowing fountain for empty holes.
Reaping the Consequences of Apostasy (Jeremiah 2:14-19)
Because of their apostasy (Jeremiah 2:19), Judah had moved from freedom to slavery. Their rebellion had brought about dire consequences, and they had brought it on themselves (Jeremiah 2:17). Instead of repenting and returning to the Lord, they sought help from Egypt and Assyria, engaging in political maneuvering and power struggles (Jeremiah 2:18).
Spiritual Adultery and Stubborn Rebellion (Jeremiah 2:20-37)
God views Judah's idolatry as spiritual adultery. She acted like a prostitute, offering sacrifices to idols on every high hill (Jeremiah 2:20). She was like a wild donkey in her lust (Jeremiah 2:24). Though God was her husband, Judah declared, "I love strangers" (Jeremiah 2:25).
When disaster struck, the people cried out to God for help (Jeremiah 2:27), but He pointed them to their false gods, challenging them to see if their idols could deliver them (Jeremiah 2:28). They were so hardened in their sin that they even dared to bring a case against God (Jeremiah 2:29). They were hopelessly mired in sin, with no intention of repenting. Judah refused to accept God's discipline (Jeremiah 2:30) and declared instead, "I have not sinned" (Jeremiah 2:35). But to deny sin is to call God a liar (see 1 John 1:10).
Jeremiah 2 serves as a powerful warning against spiritual infidelity. It reminds us that true satisfaction and security can only be found in a relationship with God. Like Judah, we are prone to wander and seek fulfillment in things that ultimately leave us empty. This chapter calls us to examine our hearts, confess our sins, and return to the fountain of living water, who alone can satisfy our deepest needs. The core message of Jeremiah 2 emphasizes the consequences of forsaking God, highlighting the futility of idolatry and the importance of remaining faithful to the covenant relationship. This chapter underscores the themes of covenant, idolatry, and divine judgment, urging believers to remain steadfast in their devotion to God.
Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
Israel was holiness unto the Lord, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord.
Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:
Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
Neither said they, Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?
And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.
The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the Lord, and with your children’s children will I plead.
For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.
Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord.
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?
The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.
Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.
Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way?
And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?
Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts.
For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.
Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?
For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord God.
How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;
A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.
Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.
As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets,
Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.
But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.
Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the Lord.
In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
O generation, see ye the word of the Lord. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?
Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways.
Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.
Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.
Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.
Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the Lord hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them.
Jeremiah 2 is a powerful indictment against Judah, a lament from a God deeply wounded by the infidelity of His chosen people. This chapter, a cornerstone of Jeremiah's early prophecies, reveals the depth of Judah's apostasy and God's passionate plea for their return. It's a message that resonates even today, urging us to examine our own hearts and allegiances. The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 2:1), marking the divine origin and authority of the message. Jeremiah served as the messenger, but the words themselves flowed directly from God's heart.
Recalling a Faithful Past (Jeremiah 2:1-3)
God begins by tenderly recalling the early days of Israel's relationship with Him. Israel, representing the entire nation, was once "holy to the LORD" (Jeremiah 2:3), set apart from all other nations as His treasured possession. This was a time of devotion, a "honeymoon" period where Israel followed God wholeheartedly through the wilderness. God remembers this initial faithfulness, contrasting it sharply with their current state of rebellion.
The Indictment: Forsaking the Fountain (Jeremiah 2:4-13)
But that was then. Now, the Lord's indictment begins, and it is severe. God confronts His people, asking what fault He had been found in Him that they had strayed so far (Jeremiah 2:5). He had delivered them from slavery in Egypt, guided them through the wilderness, and brought them to a land flowing with milk and honey (Jeremiah 2:6-7). Yet, they turned away from Him, pursuing worthless idols.
Everyone who should have known better was guilty: the priests, the experts in the law, the rulers, and the prophets (Jeremiah 2:8). Instead of seeking God, they turned to idols, things that could not help or save. This wasn't due to any failure on God's part (Jeremiah 2:5). He had been faithful, but they chose to abandon Him. Even pagan nations did not exchange their gods, however false they may be (Jeremiah 2:10-11). But God's people had exchanged their Glory for useless idols (Jeremiah 2:11).
The Lord describes this betrayal as a "double evil" (Jeremiah 2:13): they had forsaken Him, "the spring of living water," and dug their own cisterns, "broken cisterns that cannot hold water." This poignant image highlights the folly of seeking satisfaction in anything other than God. They were thirsty people trading a flowing fountain for empty holes.
Reaping the Consequences of Apostasy (Jeremiah 2:14-19)
Because of their apostasy (Jeremiah 2:19), Judah had moved from freedom to slavery. Their rebellion had brought about dire consequences, and they had brought it on themselves (Jeremiah 2:17). Instead of repenting and returning to the Lord, they sought help from Egypt and Assyria, engaging in political maneuvering and power struggles (Jeremiah 2:18).
Spiritual Adultery and Stubborn Rebellion (Jeremiah 2:20-37)
God views Judah's idolatry as spiritual adultery. She acted like a prostitute, offering sacrifices to idols on every high hill (Jeremiah 2:20). She was like a wild donkey in her lust (Jeremiah 2:24). Though God was her husband, Judah declared, "I love strangers" (Jeremiah 2:25).
When disaster struck, the people cried out to God for help (Jeremiah 2:27), but He pointed them to their false gods, challenging them to see if their idols could deliver them (Jeremiah 2:28). They were so hardened in their sin that they even dared to bring a case against God (Jeremiah 2:29). They were hopelessly mired in sin, with no intention of repenting. Judah refused to accept God's discipline (Jeremiah 2:30) and declared instead, "I have not sinned" (Jeremiah 2:35). But to deny sin is to call God a liar (see 1 John 1:10).
Jeremiah 2 serves as a powerful warning against spiritual infidelity. It reminds us that true satisfaction and security can only be found in a relationship with God. Like Judah, we are prone to wander and seek fulfillment in things that ultimately leave us empty. This chapter calls us to examine our hearts, confess our sins, and return to the fountain of living water, who alone can satisfy our deepest needs. The core message of Jeremiah 2 emphasizes the consequences of forsaking God, highlighting the futility of idolatry and the importance of remaining faithful to the covenant relationship. This chapter underscores the themes of covenant, idolatry, and divine judgment, urging believers to remain steadfast in their devotion to God.