Chapter 718 of 1163

JEREMIAH 6

The watchman. The prophet saw the invasion coming and warned the people, but they would not listen to him (v. 10). The delicate woman (Jerusalem) would be ruined (v. 2); the sun was going down (vv. 4–5); and the harvest of sin would be reaped (v. 9).

The physician. Jeremiah saw the sickness and wounds of the nation and pointed to God as the only source of healing (3:22). The false prophets gave a superficial diagnosis and a false remedy (v. 14), which led the nation into judgment (Lam. 2:14). Beware of religious teachers who look only at the surface and never get to the heart of the problem.

The guide (16). Jeremiah saw the people wondering which way to go. The “new religions” confused them, so he called them back to God’s Word. Seek “the old paths” of the Word, not to try to repeat “the good old days,” but to go forward to do God’s will in your day.

The assayer (27–30). Jeremiah’s words were like a fire (23:29) that separated the precious metal from the dross. But the people chose to be cheap alloy instead of precious gold and silver: all God’s judgments were in vain.

Heart Trouble

The false prophets in Judah, like the false teachers today, dealt superficially with the problems in society, but Jeremiah dealt with the heart. The word heart appears more than sixty times in his prophecy, and one of his favorite phrases is “the imagination of his heart.” The heart is deceitful and wicked (Jer. 17:9), and only God can change it (Jer. 31:31–34). Honest diagnosis by a faithful physician is the first step toward recovery, but too many people prefer the superficial encouragement that says “Peace, peace!”

↑ Back to top