Jeremiah 10
Making of false gods verse 1- 5
Hear ye the word which the LORD speaks unto you – O house of Israel
Thus says the LORD
Learn not the way of the heathen
and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven
for the heathen are dismayed at them
For the customs of the people are vain
for one cuts a tree out of the forest
the work of the hands of the workman
with an ax
They deck it with silver and with gold
They fasten it with nails and with hammers
that it move not
They are upright as the palm tree
BUT speak not
they must needs be borne
BECAUSE they cannot go
Be not afraid of them
for they cannot do evil
neither is it in them to do good
Description of the True God verse 6- 10
Forasmuch as there is none like unto THEE – O LORD
THOU art great and THY name is great in might
Who would not fear THEE – O King of nations?
for to THEE does it appertain
forasmuch as among all the wise men
of the nations
and in all their kingdoms
there is none like unto THEE
BUT they are altogether brutish and foolish
the stock is a doctrine of vanities
silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish
and gold from Uphaz
the work of the workman
and of the hands of the founder
blue and purple is
their clothing
they are all the work of cunning men
BUT the LORD is the true God
HE is the living God
and an everlasting king
at HIS wrath the earth shall tremble
and the nations shall not
be able to abide HIS indignation
Jeremiah given instruction regarding false gods verse 11
Thus shall ye say unto them
The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth
even they shall perish from the earth
and from under these heavens
Contrast True God with false gods verse 12- 16
HE hath made the earth by HIS power
HE has established the world by HIS wisdom
and hath stretched out the heavens by HIS discretion
WHEN HE utters HIS voice
there is a multitude of waters in the heavens
and HE causes the vapors to ascend from the
ends of the earth
HE makes lightnings with rain
and brings forth the wind out of
HIS treasures
Every man is brutish in his knowledge
every founder is confounded by the graven image
for his molten image is falsehood
and there is no breath in them
They are vanity and the work of errors
in the time of their visitation
they shall perish
The portion of Jacob is not like them
for HE is the former of all things
and Israel is the rod of HIS inheritance
The LORD of hosts is HIS name
Captivity coming verse 17- 18
Gather up thy wares out of the land – O inhabitant of the fortress
for thus says the LORD
BEHOLD
I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once
and will distress them
that they may find it so
Jerusalem’s lament verse 19- 21
WOE is me for my hurt
my wound is grievous – but I said
Truly this is a grief and I must bear it
My tabernacle is spoiled
and all MY cords are broken
my children are gone forth of me – they are not
there is none to stretch forth my tent any more
and to set up my curtains
For the PASTORS are become brutish
they have not sought the LORD
THEREFORE they shall not prosper
and all their flocks shall be scattered
Northern kingdom coming verse 22
BEHOLD
the noise of the bruit is come
and a great commotion out of the north country
to make the cities of Judah desolate
and a den of dragons
Jeremiah’s prayer verse 23- 24
O LORD
I know that the way of man is not in himself
it is not in man that walks to direct his steps
O LORD
correct me – BUT with judgment
not in THINE anger – lest THOU bring me to nothing
Jeremiah asks LORD to deal with enemy verse 25
Pour out THY fury upon the heathen that know THEE not
and upon the families that call not on THY name
for they have eaten up Jacob
and devoured him
and consumed him
and have made his habitation desolate
COMMENTARY
: 21
For the pastors are become brutish,and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.
(1197 "brutish" [ba'ar] means behave senseless, turn out to be stupid, dull-hearted. This word is used three times in this chapter, in verses 8 and 14 and here. The leaders of the people were leading the people of God astray. They were allowing them to worship gods made with hands, out of wood. This only scattered the people away from God and caused God to have to come and judge them. These are both the political and religious leaders according to Lamentations 4: 13. They were individuals who didn’t care to consult the LORD regarding what they should do. They were not prospering and didn’t think anything of it. Their people were moving away from them but they didn’t care. They were dull-hearted. They were plainly only thinking of themselves. They really didn’t care about anyone else.
We need to be sure that we are worshipping only God and not the things that are made with HIS hands. Today we have a people looking for leadership and finding none. Our theologians are confusing the people in the pews with all the latest fads. Our people are starting to believe in a limited God. They are not sure that Christ’s death on the cross was for our benefit. We need to teach them the truth of verse ten – Our God is the only TRUE God. HE is the only LIVING God. HE is the only EVERLASTING King. HE made the earth and all that is in it. Any substituting of a limited God is HERESY.
We need people who are willing to work at their relationship with God. They have to study the Word and understand the Bible’s teachings. They have to serve the LORD with their gifts. They have to invite others to come into a relationship with HIM. Are we all doing these things? Or are we being leaders like those who were leading Israel into captivity and judgment? )
CHALLENGE: Get hold of the concept that there is only one true God in the Universe. HE is the God of the Bible. HE will save those who will believe. Settle this issue in your heart and it will come alive to spreading HIS message to your world.)
: 21
For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.
(1197 "brutish" [ba'ar] means behave senseless, turn out to be stupid, dull-hearted. This word is used three times in this chapter, in verses 8 and 14 and here. The leaders of the people were leading the people of God astray. They were allowing them to worship gods made with hands, out of wood.
This only scattered the people away from God and caused God to have to come and judge them. These are both the political and religious leaders according to Lamentations 4: 13. They were individuals who didn’t care to consult the LORD regarding what they should do. They were not prospering and didn’t think anything of it.
Their people were moving away from them but they didn’t care. They were dull-hearted. They were plainly only thinking of themselves. They really didn’t care about anyone else.
We need to be sure that we are worshipping only God and not the things that are made with HIS hands. Today we have a people looking for leadership and finding none.
Our theologians are confusing the people in the pews with all the latest fads. Our people are starting to believe in a limited God. They are not sure that Christ’s death on the cross was for our benefit.
We need to teach them the truth of verse ten – Our God is the only TRUE God. HE is the only LIVING God. HE is the only EVERLASTING King. HE made the earth and all that is in it. Any substituting of a limited God is HERESY.
We need people who are willing to work at their relationship with God. They have to study the Word and understand the Bible’s teachings. They have to serve the LORD with their gifts. They have to invite others to come into a relationship with HIM.
Are we all doing these things? Or are we being leaders like those who were leading Israel into captivity and judgment?
CHALLENGE: There are many people in our world who think they are too smart to believe in the One God of the Bible. Realize that they are working for the enemy. Work with all your heart for the LORD. Find a good Biblical leader and encourage him today. )
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH
BODY
- Chastity (Purity in living)
- Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
- Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
- Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
- Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
- Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
- Frugality (wise use of resources)
- Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
- Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
- Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
- Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
- Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
- Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Jeremiah prays for Judah: verse 23- 24
Jeremiah prays for enemies judgment: verse 25
- Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems)
- Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH
- Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
- God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
- God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
- God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
- Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal): verse 1, 2, 6, 10, 16, 18, 21, 23, 24
King of Nations: verse 7
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign): verse 10
True God: verse 10
Living God: verse 10
Everlasting King: verse 10
LORD of hosts: verse 16
- Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
- Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
- Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
- Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
- Israel (Old Testament people of God)
- Church (New Testament people of God)
- Last Things(Future Events)