Coachlight Bible Study

Jeremiah Chapter 8 – Heaven Can’t Believe It

Jeremiah 5:3 O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

Jeremiah 8:9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?

Last week we learned that the so called, “conventional wisdom” is seldom proven correct, but that many people still adhere to it. God’s Word, however, is eternally the Truth’. But the people of Judah had an ear for conventional wisdom and did not listen to God. They had forsaken God and replaced Him with religion. Therefore they faced judgment.

Their conventional wisdom came from two main sources

1.) Voice of the False Prophets: Ezekiel 13:3, 10; Jeremiah 27:15

False Prophets deny God’s Word with their message: Jerusalem will not be destroyed

This we would call today a “positive message”

2.) Voice of Contemporary Psychology: Jeremiah 29:29-30; Ezekiel 18:10

Excuses - “Fathers have eaten sour grapes and their children’s teeth are set on edge” – Our fathers were idolaters, and that is the reason we practice idolatry.

The nation of Judah, while retaining Jerusalem as their capitol and the presence of the temple, had at least an interest in the outward appearance of worshipping their covenant God, but was influenced and seduced by the Pagan religions around them. In fact, by the time of King Josiah, the last good king of Judah, Idol worship was the norm in Judah and the temple was neglected and the Word of God lost – literally.

Early in the reign of the good king Josiah, Josiah began to seek after God. Realizing that idol worship was much more hideous than just worshipping an idol, Josiah began reform by destroying the high places and remodeling the temple of God. You see that when a man makes an idol for himself, it is just a reflection of the natural man’s inner desires and covetousness’. The high places consisted of a grove of trees and an altar where human sacrifices were made and all sorts of sexual orgies were carried out in the name of religion. Josiah destroyed them all.

During the time of remodeling the temple, Jeremiah’s father found the Word of God hidden and long lost in the temple. The Word of God was read to the king and the people. Revival broke out. (II Chronicles 35:10-18) This was the last revival for this nation. Revival always happens when the Word of God is acknowledged.

During the first 5 years of Jeremiah’s ministry there was reformation, because of Josiah’s seeking God, and then revival, because the neglected and lost Book of the Law had been found. Josiah’s leadership brought about a revival of the feasts in Judah. This revival was mainly an outward manifestation, because there was no actual change in the people’s heart. This is evidence that there was no true repentance.

Beginning in chapter 7, the temple is remodeled and the Book found. Last week we studied what it was that stood in the way of the people of Judah repenting. This week in chapter 8, God adds in the religious leaders and pleads with the people demonstrating how completely illogical and against nature they are thinking.

Judah was in its last days because of its own decay and corruption and the parallels to the United States at this part of its existence is undeniable. The result of no true repentance in the last days of Judah was that the people rejected God, and therefore God eventually rejected them. Will this happen to the US as well?

I. Three Logical Questions from God

Jeremiah 8:4 ¶ Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?

1, Shall they fall, and not arise?

God is asking: Isn’t it natural for people when they fall down to get up? What good does it do to stay on the ground?

2. Shall he turn away, and not return?

God uses another metaphor with the double meaning of the word return. Isn’t it natural for people who stray from there route upon thr realization of being lost they return to the point in which they got off the path?

Jeremiah 8:5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding?[04878] they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.

04878 משׁובה m@shuwbah mesh-oo-baw’ or משׁבה m@shubah mesh-oo-baw’

from 07725; n f;

backsliding 11, turning away 1; 12

1) turning away, turning back, apostasy, backsliding

Why then do the people of Judah continually lose their way and do not return?

Isaiah 57:17 ¶ For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.

Jeremiah 9:4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.

Jeremiah 9:5 And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.

Jeremiah 9:6 Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD.

Micah 7:3 That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.

Micah 7:4 The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.

Hypocrisy - they thought to deceive God, but they deceived themselves;

Jeremiah 8:6 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.

“ They spake not aright” - The people had an improper confession (I John 1:8-10)

The metaphor of the war horse – Everyone did not stay on the proper course, but rushed forward, or literally “poured himself” much the same way a horse racing to a battle.

Jeremiah 8:19 Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?

Jeremiah 8:20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

Jeremiah 8:21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.

Jeremiah 8:22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

Job 39:25 He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

II. No Instinct To Return

Jeremiah 8:7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.

The birds known instinctively to return every spring after they winter in a warmer climate, yet God’s people have no instinct to return to God after they have wondered

III. A Waste To Allow Judah To Guard God’s Word?

Jeremiah 8:8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.

Judah could have become the wisest nation, because they had keep of God’s Word. But because they did not esteem God’s Word above conventional wisdom, it would seem that God’s holy Word was waisted on them

IV. No Wisdom In A Wise Man

Jeremiah 8:9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?

Now God is including the ruling class. Both secular (Psycologists) and and religious (False Prophets and Priests) have rejected God’s Word. They are only left with conventional wisdom. This kind of wisdom is false, and therefore there is absolutely no wisdom in them.

Psalm 119:98 ¶ Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.

Psalm 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

Psalm 119:100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

Psalm 119:101 ¶ I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.

Psalm 119:102 ¶ I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.

Psalm 119:103 ¶ How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

V. Reject God’s Word And Face Judgment

Jeremiah 8:10 Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

Jeremiah 8:11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

Jeremiah 8:12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 8:13 ¶ I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.

Jeremiah 8:14 Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

Jeremiah 8:15 We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!

Jeremiah 8:16 The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.

Jeremiah 8:17 For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 8:18 When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.

Jeremiah 8:20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

Jeremiah 8:21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.

Jeremiah 8:22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

The people had waited for deliverance day after day, but gave esteem to their own conventional wisdom, and forsook God’s Word. This deliverance never came, and as they were completely devoid of hope, proceeded to blame God!

I fully believe that the United States is exactly in the same condition today.

The Improper Confession

1.) Idolatry abounds, even unto the sacrifice of the children (abortion).

2.) The conventional wisdom of psychology shifts the blame on someone else, giving the person a false excuse for their transgressions.

3.) The false prophets do not teach God’s Word, but a “positive message” is the substitution today.

These all bring upon the person, a no hope scenario, and then the people have the chance to make a decision.

The Proper Confession

1.) If that decision is to agree with God’s Word (confession) the person will experience deliverance (eternal life).

2.) If, however, the decision is conventional wisdom, judgment will be the result

I John 1: 8 ¶ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

I John 1: 9 If we confess<3670> our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I John 1: 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

3670 ομολογεω homologeo hom-ol-og-eh’-o

from a compound of homo = “same” and logeo = “word”

confess 17, profess 3, promise 1, give thanks 1, confession is made 1, acknowledgeth 1; 24

1) to say the same thing as another, i.e. to agree with, assent