IN GOD'S TIMING Jeremiah 12:1-13

Jeremiah’s Complaint

As we read the book of Jeremiah, we get to see a lot of his emotional highs and lows, in a moment of blunt honesty, Jeremiah told God how frustrated he was about the wicked people who seemed to be thriving and living their best lives. Day after day, the same slimballs where getting fat and happy taking advantage of others, Jeremiah wondered, “Where’s the judgment God keeps promising?” His openness with God is a fantastic example of how God can handle our honesty and our feelings. God replied to Jeremiah and told him that his trust in God’s justice and his endurance for service were to small. Not one wicked deed will go unpunished by God--but the punishment will be in God’s timing and in God’s ways.

Jeremiah 12:1-4 “Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive? 2 You plant them, and they take root; they grow and produce fruit; you are near in their mouth and far from their heart. 3 But you, O Lord, know me; you see me, and test my heart toward you. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and set them apart for the day of slaughter. 4 How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither?”

Lament: A prayer of sorrow that is honest with God and honest about God. It tells God about how we feel, who we know he is, and our trust in him.

Jeremiah is using a type of prayer we all need to learn.

God made us to be emotional beings...Jeremiah is being honest with God.

(verse 1)

Why does the way of the wicked prosper?…you tell me…it’s the age-old question. Right?

(verse 2)

You planted them…like a tree.

They took root; they grow and produce fruit

They were outwardly religious…they honor God with their lips, but their hearts are far from him.

The Lord is far from their conscience…the only fear they have of God is taught by man.

Isaiah 29:13

“And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,”

(verse 3)

Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter…or, pull the wicked out like sheep for the slaughter.

Jeremiah wants God’s enemies set apart for the day of the slaughter.

Jeremiah’s reality: people in Jewish leadership were committing evil acts.

These highly influential people were consistantly committing sin while thriving and prospering.

Jeremiah reminded the Lord that He had tested his heart with ridicule, rejection, loneliness, and threats

Jeremiah was close to pointing out his heart was right, and God was unfair for blessing religious hypocrites.

They talked about God all the time in the temple, but never gave him a thought anywhere else.

(verse 4)

How long will the land mourn and the grass of every field wither?”

Evidence of drought and suffering.

Consequences of the deeds of the wicked people.

The wicked seemed to be exempt from the suffering.

God doesn’t chasten or punish Jeremiah for his honesty—The Lord answers Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 12:5-6 “If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses? And if in a safe land you are so trusting, what will you do in the thicket of the Jordan? 6 For even your brothers and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you; they are in full cry after you; do not believe them, though they speak friendly words to you.”

The men of Anathoth (Jeremiah’s home town) were looking to take his life for speaking God’s message.

Jeremiah 11:21

“Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, or you will die by our hand”

(verse 5)

how will you compete with horses?…how will you respond when it gets a whole lot worse?

It was bad that Jeremiah’s family and friends wanted hin dead.

What is he going to do when the wicked are turned loose on him?

This could be a warning to count the costs of serving God.

Followers of Jesus must have a singular focus on the work of God’s kingdom.

Luke 9:62

“Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.””

Anyone who puts his hand to the plow…has to keep looking forward.

Once you look back the plow will quickly veer off course.

(verse 6)

How would you feel if members of your oun family...and your friends had betrayed you?

Or...they had a plot to kill you?

Jeremiah 11:19

The Lord showed Jeremiah the wicked deeds of these people

“But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more.””

God warned Jeremiah...place no confidence in these people…even though they speak friendly words.

Trust placed in people may fail…trust in the Lord is never misplaced.

Is the Lord your strength and your song?

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” ( Isaiah 12:2)

Clarity and comfort were not the first things God gave Jeremiah in his situation.

God corrected his thinking.

Jeremiah speaking: “I can’t take this stuff anymore”

God replied: “Jeremiah, you need to have greater endurance”

The same as Jeremiah…we are seeing evil people with power.

Wicked people being in places of influence.

Are we prepared to serve God for the long haul?

God wants his people to live extraordinary lives of impossible strength.

Any servant of God will experience a coming to the end of his or her own strength.

They will need God’s strength for God’s call.

Our need is never to great for God…the evil and the obsticals we face are never to great for God’s power.

Jeremiah 12:7-13 “I have forsaken my house; I have abandoned my heritage; I have given the beloved of my soul into the hands of her enemies. 8 My heritage has become to me like a lion in the forest; she has lifted up her voice against me; therefore I hate her. 9 Is my heritage to me like a hyena’s lair? Are the birds of prey against her all around? Go, assemble all the wild beasts; bring them to devour. 10 Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard; they have trampled down my portion; they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. 1 They have made it a desolation; desolate, it mourns to me. The whole land is made desolate, but no man lays it to heart. 12 Upon all the bare heights in the desert destroyers have come, for the sword of the Lord devours from one end of the land to the other; no flesh has peace. 13 They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns; they have tired themselves out but profit nothing. They shall be ashamed of their harvests because of the fierce anger of the Lord.”

(verse 7)

My house…my heritage…the beloved of my soul.

The nation of Judah…God’s house…God’s inheritence…the love of His life.

He abandoned…He deserted…He handed Judah over to her enemies.

His inheritance “the people of Judah” were no longer His.

God’s temple and the city of Jerusalem were ripped to shreds and burned to ash.

Many were murdered and some were taken into captivity.

(verses 8-9)

I hate her…strong words!…they are the language of rejection.

God determined he would treat his people as his enemy.

Do you think God mourned over the sick, sad state of the love of his life…or the costly course of action required to bring Judah back to life?

Birds of pray…represents Babylon, the enemy who stalks Judah.

(verses 10-11)

Shepherds have destroyed my vinyard…the people of Judah are God’s vinyard

“For the vinyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting...” (Isaiah 5:7)

The people of Judah are God’s vinyard…Judah’s leaders, (Shepherds) have misled God’s people.

Resulting in oppression and judgment.

“For the shepherds are stupid and do not inquire of the Lord; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.” (Jeremiah 10:21)

No man lays it to heart…The leaders pay no attention…Judah is not lead to repentance.

(verse 12)

Sword of the LORD…God’s “flashing sword” that “devours flesh”

“if I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand takes hold on judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and will repay those who hate me. 42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh— with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the long-haired heads of the enemy.’ (Deuteronomy 32:41-42)

(verse 13)

God had endured rejection for centuries…His people had abandond Him in favor of worshiping the idols of the surrounding nations

The babylonians wouldn’t arrive for decades…but in God’s mind the deal was done.

God’s people had turned their backs on him.

He had sent prophet after prophet calling them to repentance…but Isreal wasn’t coming home.