The Heart, the Hope, and the Healing
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Big Idea for Chapter 17: True flourishing comes from a heart that trusts in the Lord rather than in human frailty. When rooted in God, we thrive even amid life’s adversities.
Summary: This chapter continues to confront Judah’s sin and contrasts the cursed life of trusting man with the blessed life of trusting in the Lord. This chapter also reveals the deceitfulness of the heart and the Lord’s role as the righteous judge and healer.
This passage is relative today for believer who face cultural pressures, spiritual compromise and the temptation to rely on human strength rather than divine wisdom.
This is a longer chapter and I believe it will be best we break it down in sections as we go to get more out of it for the outline even.
I. Judah’s Sin Etched in stone
I. Judah’s Sin Etched in stone
1 The sin of Judah is written down with an iron stylus; With a diamond point it is engraved upon the tablet of their heart And on the horns of their altars, 2 As they remember their children, So they remember their altars and their Asherim
3 O mountain of Mine in the countryside, I will give over your wealth and all your treasures for booty, Your high places for sin throughout your borders. 4 And you will, even of yourself, let go of your inheritance That I gave you; And I will make you serve your enemies In the land which you do not know; For you have kindled a fire in My anger Which will burn forever.
Key Idea: Sin is deeply rooted and not easily erased
Sin engraved on hearts and altars — deep, generational rebellion.
Judgment coming: loss of inheritance and exile.
II. Trust in Man vs. Trust in God
II. Trust in Man vs. Trust in God
5 Thus says the Lord, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the Lord. 6 “For he will be like a bush in the desert And will not see when prosperity comes, But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, A land of salt without inhabitant.
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord And whose trust is the Lord. 8 “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.
Key Idea: Where we place our trust determines our spiritual vitality.
Curse: Trusting in man leads to barrenness and isolation
Blessing: Trusting in God leads to fruitfulness and endurance.
The Deceitful heart and Divine Judgment
The Deceitful heart and Divine Judgment
9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? 10 “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.
11 “As a partridge that hatches eggs which it has not laid, So is he who makes a fortune, but unjustly; In the midst of his days it will forsake him, And in the end he will be a fool.”
Key Idea Only God can truly know and judge the heart
The heart is deceitful and beyond cure- only God can truly know it.
God reward each person according to their deeds.
False Security and the Fountain of Life
False Security and the Fountain of Life
11 “As a partridge that hatches eggs which it has not laid, So is he who makes a fortune, but unjustly; In the midst of his days it will forsake him, And in the end he will be a fool.” 12 A glorious throne on high from the beginning Is the place of our sanctuary.
13 O Lord, the hope of Israel, All who forsake You will be put to shame. Those who turn away on earth will be written down, Because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the Lord.
Key Idea: Riches and status without righteousness are fleeting.
Ill-gotten gain will not last.
V. A Personal cry for Healing and protection
V. A Personal cry for Healing and protection
14 Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; Save me and I will be saved, For You are my praise. 15 Look, they keep saying to me, “Where is the word of the Lord? Let it come now!”
16 But as for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd after You, Nor have I longed for the woeful day; You Yourself know that the utterance of my lips Was in Your presence. 17 Do not be a terror to me; You are my refuge in the day of disaster.
18 Let those who persecute me be put to shame, but as for me, let me not be put to shame; Let them be dismayed, but let me not be dismayed. Bring on them a day of disaster, And crush them with twofold destruction!
Key Idea: Jeremiah models a heart that turns to God for healing and vindication.
God is the hope and refuge of Israel
Jeremiah pleads for healing, deliverance, and justice against persecutors.
He entrusts his cause to God.
Call to Keep Sabbath
Call to Keep Sabbath
19 Thus the Lord said to me, “Go and stand in the public gate, through which the kings of Judah come in and go out, as well as in all the gates of Jerusalem; 20 and say to them, ‘Listen to the word of the Lord, kings of Judah, and all Judah and all inhabitants of Jerusalem who come in through these gates:
21 ‘Thus says the Lord, “Take heed for yourselves, and do not carry any load on the sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 “You shall not bring a load out of your houses on the sabbath day nor do any work, but keep the sabbath day holy, as I commanded your forefathers.
23 “Yet they did not listen or incline their ears, but stiffened their necks in order not to listen or take correction. 24 “But it will come about, if you listen attentively to Me,” declares the Lord, “to bring no load in through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but to keep the sabbath day holy by doing no work on it,
25 then there will come in through the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever. 26 “They will come in from the cities of Judah and from the environs of Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, from the hill country and from the Negev, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving to the house of the Lord.
27 “But if you do not listen to Me to keep the sabbath day holy by not carrying a load and coming in through the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem and not be quenched.” ’ ”
Key Point: God calls His people to honor Him through faithful obedience—especially by keeping His day holy.
It’s a call to hear and obey
And there is a blessing in obedience
Some thought provoking questions from passage
Some thought provoking questions from passage
What does it mean that sin was written on their hearts with an “iron pen with a diamond point?” (v.1)
Why does trusting in human flesh bring a curse (v.5)?
How does Jeremiah’s picture of the faithful tree describe a life of faith (vv.7-8)?
What does it mean the heart is desperately sick (v.9)?
What does it mean that God is a “fountain of living water”? (v.13)?
What promise did Jeremiah offer if they were obedient to keeping the Sabbath (vv.24-25)?
How about some applications?
How about some applications?
Guard your heart: Recognize that sin runs deep, and only God can cleanse and write His law on our hearts (ref: Jer31:33)
Place your trust in God, not man: Political systems, money, and human power will fail, but God never does.
Stay rooted in God’s word, empowered by God’s Spirit Like a tree planted by the water, spiritual strength comes from deep roots in prayer, scripture and fellowship.
Live with an eternal perspective: Riches and power gained unjustly will vanish, but trusting in the Lord bears eternal fruit.
Follow Jeremiah’s prayer life: Make God your healer, your refuge, especially when opposition or discouragement come.
Conclusion
Conclusion
We have seen in this chapter a start yet hopeful picture of humanities sin that run’s deep, our hearts can deceive us, and misplaced trust leads to barrenness, but God offers blessing, justice and refuge to those who turn and put their trust in Him.
This passage calls for us to examine the state of our hearts, confess our misplaced trust, and root ourselves deeply in the living God. Like Jeremiah, we can confidently say: “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved.” (v.14).
(Prayer) (Exit)
