JEREMIAH 11A
LORD gives Jeremiah a history lesson in obedience verse 1- 5
The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD – saying
Hear you the words of this covenant
and speak unto the men of Judah
and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem
And say you unto them – thus says the LORD God of Israel
Cursed be the man that obeys not the words of HIS covenant
which I commanded your fathers in the day that
I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt
from the IRON FURNACE – saying
Obey MY voice – and do them
According to all which I command you
so you shall be MY people – and I will be your God
that I may perform the oath which I have
sworn unto your fathers
to give them a land flowing with
milk and honey as it is this day
Then answered I – and said
So be it – O LORD
LORD sends Jeremiah to the streets of Jerusalem verse 6- 8
Then the LORD said unto me
Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah
and in the streets of Jerusalem – saying
Hear you the words of this covenant – and do them
For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought
them up out of the land of Egypt – even unto this day
rising early and protesting – saying
Obey MY voice
Yet they obeyed not – nor inclined their ear
BUT walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart
THEREFORE I will bring upon them all the words of
this covenant – which I commanded them to do
BUT they did them not
LORD knows people will not listen and obey verse 9- 10
And the LORD said unto me
A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah
and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem
They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers
which refused to hear MY words
They went after other gods to serve them
the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken
MY covenant which I made with their fathers
LORD warns people that their false gods will not save verse 11- 13
THEREFORE thus says the LORD
BEHOLD – I will bring evil upon them
which they shall not be able to escape
and though they shall cry unto ME
I will not hearken unto them
THEN shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go
and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense
BUT they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble
For according to the number of thy cities were your gods – O Judah
and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have you
set up altars to that shameful thing
even altars to burn incense unto Baal
LORD commands Jeremiah not to pray for them again verse 14
THEREFORE pray not you for this people
neither lift up a cry or prayer for them
for I WILL NOT HEAR them in the time that they cry unto
ME for their trouble
LORD gives judgment verse 15
What has MY beloved to do in MINE house
seeing she has wrought lewdness with many
and the holy flesh is passed from you?
when you do evil – then you rejoice
LORD commands “olive tree” to be judged verse 16- 17
The LORD called your name
A green olive tree – fair –of goodly fruit
with the noise of a great tumult HE has kindled fire upon it
and the branches of it are broken
For the LORD of hosts – that planted you – has pronounced evil against you
for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah
which they have done against themselves to provoke ME
to anger in offering incense unto Baal
LORD informs Jeremiah of plot to kill him verse 18- 19
And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it – and I know it
then YOU showed me their doings
BUT I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter
and I knew not that they had devised devices against me – saying
Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof
and let us cut him off from the land of the living
that his name may be no more remembered
Jeremiah prays for LORD’S protection verse 20
BUT – O LORD of hosts – that judges righteously
that tries the reins and the heart
let me see YOUR vengeance on them
for unto YOU have I revealed my cause
LORD promises to deal with enemies of Jeremiah verse 21- 23
THEREFORE thus says the LORD of the men of Anathoth
that seek your life – saying – Prophesy not in the name of the LORD
that you die not by our hand
THEREFORE thus says the LORD of hosts
BEHOLD – I will punish them – the young men shall die by the sword
their sons and their daughters shall die by famine
and there shall be no remnant of them
for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth
even the year of their visitation
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 3 And say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel: “Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982). Curse – to curse, lay under a curse, put a curse on.
Devotion: Jeremiah is speaking to a group of people that had just received the word of God if this is the time of the discovery of God’s word being discovered during the reign of Josiah in 2 Chronicles 34. Jeremiah is calling on the people of God to heed the words of this covenant that Josiah has read to them.
The reading of God’s word is an important part of the growth of the believer and it is a tragic wrong doing on the part of the church to remove the reading of God’s word in favor of other items in the service time. Nehemiah read the word and revival erupted (Nehemiah 8-13); Josiah had the word read and massive reformation took place in the nation. Paul exhorts Timothy to public reading of the word of God (1 Timothy 4:13).
We as a people need to be more observant and determined to read the word of God and to obey them as we read. Too often we are prone to read and then go about our day as if nothing has changed. Reading without application is not reading at all.
Application: Hear the word of the Lord and be obedient! It may mean speaking to someone or writing a note. It could suggest memorizing a portion of Scripture that the Lord has laid on your heart. Whatever the piece of Scripture is that you read seek to be obedient to the spirit as He speaks through it. (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 7 For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice. (8085 "obey" [shama] means to hear intelligently, understand, pay attention, consider, discern, listen, or regard.
DEVOTION: The LORD made it simple when HE delivered the children of Israel from Egypt. HE commanded them to just pay attention to what HE had to say to them. HE wanted them to listen to HIS commands. HE repeated these words often to the children of Israel but they didn’t want to listen. They didn’t want to understand what was required of them. They didn’t want to pay attention.
What should the LORD do with these kind of children? What would we do? HE warned them what would happen. Remember that in the Old Testament parents could take their rebellious children to the elders of the town and they could judge whether they should be stoned to death.
Here we have God stating that HE was going to deal with HIS rebellious children in the same way using the nation of Babylon. They continued to walk after the imagination of their evil hearts. They continued to break HIS covenant agreement with them.
HE stated to Jeremiah that HE would not hear their prayers. HE told Jeremiah to not pray for them. HE said they could pray to their false gods for help.
Finally, HE told Jeremiah that they wanted to kill him because he was speaking the truth to them about their condition. They didn’t want to hear the truth. They thought if Jeremiah was dead the message would go away.
Jeremiah prayed for help from the LORD. The LORD promised HE would deal with those who wanted to kill Jeremiah.
The LORD wants us to listen to HIS Son and the Word of God. HE continues to send individuals who love HIM to share the truth of the Word of God. Many are not listening to them. They would rather not hear them. Some church leaders do not even bother sharing from the Word of God any more. They tell stories. They tell the people that the Bible only contains the Word of God. It is not all true.
What are we to do? We need to continue to share with people the TRUTH of the Word of God. We need to do it until HE comes for us or we leave this world.
There could come a time, even here, where people will try to kill us for telling them the TRUTH that is found in the Word of God. Should we stop? NO!!!
Pay attention to the Word of God. Jeremiah did and the LORD promised to protect him. HE will do the same for us!! Praise HIS name!
CHALLENGE: God is still protesting in heaven to those who will not hear intelligently the TRUTH of HIS word. Find out the TRUTH of the Word of God and spread even if it could be hazardous to your health. )
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 14 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble. 8605 “prayer” [taphillah] means pray a prayer, house of prayer, entreaty, supplication, plea, or request.
DEVOTION: We found in chapter seven verse sixteen that the LORD told Jeremiah to not pray for the children of Judah. They enjoyed sinning. They didn’t want to change. Judgment was coming.
When those who claim to be followers of the LORD live outside HIS commandments they will be chastened of the LORD. The LORD states many places in the Bible that was established before the foundation of the world that those HE loves HE chastens.
Now there were two groups of people in Judah. There were those who were trying to follow the LORD and those who didn’t care. The ones who cared about listening to the LORD were in the minority. They are called the remnant throughout the books of prophecy.
Those who don’t care to follow the LORD are those who will not listen to the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit would leave individuals who would not listen to the LORD.
In the New Testament the Holy Spirit indwells those who make a commitment to the LORD. This commitment was known of the LORD before the foundation of the world. Does that mean that there was no choice involved? NO!!! God is omniscient and doesn’t live in time. HE will send sickness, weakness and pre-mature death to those individuals who are genuine believers that are not listening to the LORD.
Now we have two groups of people in our world today. One group rejects Jesus Christ and all HE teaches without reservation but also part of this group are those who claim to have said a prayer or made a commitment to the LORD at a meeting but there have been little or no change in their life. They continue to live as they please. They are not committed to studying the Word of God or prayer. They attend church regularly or at least some of them do but that is as far as their commitment goes. They are considered by some as baby or carnal Christians. However, there was never a real commitment. The LORD will say on judgment day “I never knew you.”
Finally, there are those like Jeremiah living in Jerusalem who were going to see captivity but would be preserved through it all. They were the ones who were genuine followers of the LORD that want to learn more of the Word of God and want a close relationship with the LORD. They will fall down at times but the LORD will lift them up. If they continue in sin the LORD will send warnings because again those HE loves HE chastens.
CHALLENGE: Our heart informs us as to which group we are in. Our actions show us our heart’s desire. If there is any doubt go to the LORD in prayer and settle it with HIM. HE will answer the prayers of HIS children.)
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 responses to LORD with prayer verse 5
LORD tells Jeremiah he will not hear prayer verse 11
Jeremiah told to NOT pray for Israel verse 14
Jeremiah prays for his own deliverance verse 20
- Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
- Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Incense verse 12, 13
Altars verse 13
God’s house verse 15
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word of the LORD verse 1
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1, 3, 5, 9, 11,
16– 18, 20- 22
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verse 3, 4
LORD God of Israel verse 3
Oath to fathers of Israel verse 5
LORD of hosts verse 17, 20, 22
Judge verse 20, 22
Tries reins and heart verse 20
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)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Egypt verse 4, 7
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Obeyed not verse 8
Not listening to LORD verse 8
Walking – imagination of evil heart verse 8
Conspiracy verse 9
Iniquities of forefathers verse 10
Refused to hear LORD verse 10, 21
Served other gods verse 10, 12, 13
Broken LORD’S covenant verse 10
Evil verse 11, 15, 17, 23
Wrong type of prayer verse 11, 12, 14
Worshiping false gods verse 12, 13
Worshiping Baal verse 13, 17
Lewdness verse 15
Rejoicing in evil verse 15
Provoke LORD to anger verse 17
Devise devises against prophet verse 19
Murder verse 19, 21
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Covenant verse 2, 3, 6, 8
Obey verse 4, 6, 7
Inheritance verse 5
Prayer verse 11
Knowledge verse 18
Let God give vengeance verse 20
Reveal cause to LORD verse 20
Speak in name of the LORD verse 21
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jeremiah verse 1
Men of Judah verse 2, 9, 10
Jerusalem verse 2, 6, 9, 12, 13
Israel verse 3, 10, 17
God’s people verse 4
Fathers verse 5
Cities of Judah verse 6, 12, 13, 17
God’s beloved verse 15
Men of Anathoth verse 21, 23
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Year of their visitation verse 23
QUOTES
18–23.These verses describe the hostility which Jeremiah encountered among the people of his birthplace. The Anathoth priests had lived there since the time of Solomon (1 Kgs 2:26f.), and by force of circumstances were excluded from priestly functions in Jerusalem. Perhaps their jealousy of Jeremiah’s support for Josiah’s reforms stirred up their opposition. Although God had given the prophet some warning, his relationship to the people of Anathoth was that of an animal which is completely unaware of the intentions of its owner to slaughter it. The resentment of the townsmen was evidently aroused when Jeremiah, the son of a priest, actively supported the suppression of local shrines in conformity with Josiah’s legislation. Hence the native sons wished to destroy the prophetic tree with its fruit, as with most evv. An alternative rendering would be ‘in flowing sap’, reading bĕlēḥô (‘in its sap’) for bĕlaḥmô (‘with its bread’). As another Lamb of God observed, a man’s foes shall be those of his own household (Matt. 10:36). Jeremiah was not to be deterred from prophesying, however, being assured that none of the conspirators would survive. According to Ezra 2:23, 128 men of Anathoth returned to post-exilic Judea. (Harrison, R. K. (1973). Jeremiah and Lamentations: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 21, pp. 99–100). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
11:18–23. The people responded to Jeremiah’s rebuke by trying to kill him. This is the first episode in their continuing opposition to his ministry (cf. 1:8, 17–19). However, God revealed their plot to Jeremiah. These enemies planned to cut Jeremiah off from the land of the living, that is, to kill him. His response was to ask God to execute His vengeance on these conspirators.
God responded by assuring Jeremiah of His swift judgment. The plot against Jeremiah was formulated by the men of Anathoth, Jeremiah’s own hometown (1:1), who ordered him not to prophesy or he would die by their hands. God promised to punish these rebels with the sword and with famine. Anathoth would suffer disaster because of her opposition to God’s message and messenger. (Dyer, C. H. (1985). Jeremiah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1144). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
The conspiracy against Jeremiah (vv. 18–23)grew out of the people’s rejection of God’s Word, for if they had accepted the Word of God, they would have honored His prophet and listened to what he had to say. You would think that the priests in Anathoth would have had more discernment than to listen to the false prophets, but holding a religious office is no guarantee that people possess spiritual wisdom.
The men of Anathoth, Jeremiah’s hometown, plotted to kill him because his message convicted them. Rather than repent, they decided to destroy the messenger. But they had a second reason: as loyal Jews, they felt that his prophecies were harmful to the welfare of the nation. Jeremiah preached impending judgment from Babylon, while the false prophets were declaring messages of peace (Jer. 6:14; 8:11). Jeremiah insisted that the people obey the law and bring their sacrifices to the temple and not to the local shrines (“high places”), some of which were dedicated to idols, and the priests didn’t like that. Jeremiah was pro-Babylon while the rulers were pro-Egypt. In other words, Jeremiah was out of step with his times, and because he was decisive, he had to walk alone and “vote with God.”
Until God warned him about it, Jeremiah knew nothing about the plot against his life, and when he heard the news, he felt like a helpless lamb being led to the slaughter (11:19; see Isa. 53:7). All he could do was commit himself and his enemies to the Lord and trust God to work. This is the first of several occasions in his life when Jeremiah privately poured out his heart to the Lord and asked Him to fight his battles and help him with his depression and fears (Jer. 11:19–20; 12:1–4; 15:10–17; 17:12–18; 18:20–23; 20:7–18). Publicly, Jeremiah was bold before people, but privately, he was broken before God. God assured His servant that his enemies would be dealt with when the day of disaster came and the Babylonians captured Jerusalem. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Decisive (pp. 58–59). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
11:18–23 You showed me.Jeremiah’s fellow townsmen from Anathoth, one of the 48 cities throughout the land dedicated to the Levites, plotted his death. Their words, “Let us destroy the tree,” indicate their desire to silence Jeremiah by murder. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Je 11:18–23). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Ver. 23. And there shall be no remnant of them, &c.] And thus the measure they meted out to the prophet was measured to them; they devised to destroy him root and branch, the tree with its fruit; and now none shall be left of them; such who escaped the sword and the famine should be carried captive, as they were; for though there were none left in Anathoth, there were some preserved alive, and were removed into Babylon; since, at the return from thence, the men of Anathoth were a hundred twenty and eight, Neh. 7:27: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation; or, in the year of their visitation; that is, of the visitation of their sins, as the Targum; which was the year of the destruction of the city and temple of Jerusalem, and was in the nineteenth of Nebuchadnezzar, ch. 52:12 and this was not a chance matter, but what was fixed and determined by the Lord. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 5, p. 468). London: Mathews and Leigh.)