June 7, 2001
As I finished reading through Jeremiah 4 this morning many things about the heart of God stood out.
"Then I said, "Ah, Sovereign LORD,
how completely you have deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying,
`You will have peace,' when the sword is at our throats."
Jeremiah 4:10
God was willing to be misunderstood by his people, even his prophets... Jeremiah didn't understand this.. the message he was preaching was in contrast to all that he understood about the character, heart and the plan of God. We can look back several thousand years later and see that God's plan was perfectly sound and makes perfect sense. At the time it made no sense to Jeremiah. This helps me for those moments when what's going on in my life makes no sense.. God is willing to be misunderstood.. his plan is sound, it's perfect and in time (his, not mine) it will make perfect sense.
"At that time this people and Jerusalem will be told,
"A scorching wind from the barren heights in the desert blows toward my people,
but not to winnow or cleanse; a wind too strong for that comes from me.
Now I pronounce my judgments against them."
Jeremiah 4:11-12
In the NIV translation we miss a gold nugget.. the KJV renders this "toward the daughter of my people" instead of "toward my people". This phrase is a term of endearment in the Hebrew language and culture... significant when you consider it comes in the midst of a passage where God is pronouncing his judgement on his people. He NEVER loses his love or affection for his people - not for a single second. This rings out loud and clear through other statements God makes.
"O Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved.
How long will you harbor wicked thoughts?
Jeremiah 4: 14
I can hear the pleading in his voice...
"Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you.
This is your punishment. How bitter it is!
How it pierces to the heart!"
Jeremiah 4:18
Whose heart is pierced by this?? God's not the people's....
What are you doing, O devastated one?
Why dress yourself in scarlet
and put on jewels of gold?
Why shade your eyes with paint?
You adorn yourself in vain.
Your lovers despise you; they seek your life.
Jeremiah 4:30
Still he tries to reason with them, he feels pity for the fact that they are foolish, senseless children (vs 22) but still they are his children. He is willing to claim ownership of us and love us even in our most foolish moments. Even when we are moving in a direction that takes us away from him - his love and affection for us are unchanged!