Cursed be the Man or Blessed be the Man

intro

Would you rather be blessed or cursed? Would you, in this crazy world, would ou rather have favor towards you or would you prefer grace?

When you till the ground of life, would you like the soil to yeald its harvest or would you like throns and weeds and rocks to fight against you every step of the way?

Well this choice is presented to us, almost all the time, and we make this choice daily without even reliasing it.

But that is what our passage today is all about, it gives us the choice.

It says

Jeremiah 17:5 AV

5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

and then just 2 verses later it says

Jeremiah 17:7 AV

7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

So what brings us under a curse and what brings us under a blessing?

Let us examine the word and let the word examine us:

The Curse:

Jeremiah 17:5–6 AV

5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

There is geat disapointment and frustration waiting for those who depend and trust on mere creatures when they are in trouble.

Cursed be the man that trusts in man.

God pronounces him cursed for the trust he puts on man.

Cursed (misrible) is the man that hopes in man to save him, help him, deliver him, protect him, provide for him.

As Spurgion said: He leans on a broken reed which will both break and stab him in the hand at the same time.

Observe,

What brings trhis curse of misery upon us?

It is trusting in man.

Putting confidence in the wisdom and power, the kindness and faithfulness, of men, which should be placed in those attributes of God only.

It is making our requests to men and raising our expectations from them as principal agents, whereas they are but instruments in the hand of Providence.

Let us define man:

1: It is Humanity - the collective work.

Humanity is often seen as a sourse of good and many within the world philosophy believe that mankind is basically good.

But the Word God says very different.

God reminds us that your hearts are evil and wicked, that we invest evil and sin.

The last time humanity got together to do something “good” they buildt the Tower of Babel to show their greatness over God and he destroyed it and confounded human laungages.

No, our hope does not come from humanity.

2: It is Employers.

We are often inclined to put our trust in our emplyers, thinking them to be our providers and promoters in life.

but we forget:

Psalm 75:6 AV

6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.

Itb comes from the Lord.

And that our providence comes not from man, but from God.

Philippians 4:19 AV

19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Our employers are instraments in God’s hands to meet your needs. We work hard for them, but our work and praise is unto the glory of God.

3: It is Government.

Only a fool looks to elected officials for their care. Our siocity is one of almost total goverment dependancy and demands.

People want goverment to pay for their houses, education, medical needs, provide security and jobs.

Like a horse doing all the hard work carrying its rider so, people expect the govement to carry them through life.

However the bible warns us:

Psalm 33:17 AV

17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

Those who trust in the goverment to deliever or help them live constant misrible poor lives.

And Finally

4: It is Self.

We must not forget that you yourself are man.

People trust in themselves, in their skills, education, savings account. But all of these things are untrustworthy.

Proverbs 28:26 AV

26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

2 Corinthians 1:9 AV

9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

My great prayer is that man would see how hopeless and utterly helpless he is withour God. How he is nothing, worst than nothing because mankind is wretched. He is dust, food for the serpant.

These are the things, the man that we a under a curse when we trust in.

Jeremiah 17:5 AV

5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

It is making flesh the arm that is our great sin against God. We look to humanity, our employers, the goverment and ourselves for our provision and protection.

But God is his people’s arm.

Psalm 44:3 AV

3 For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

2: The Sin’s Extension:

Jeremiah 17:5 AV

5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

We forget the words of Jesus:

“You cannot serve 2 masters” - and the ultimate from Joshua: “choose uyou this day whom you will serve”.

If we trust in man, we do not trust in God - and the more we look to humanity, our companies, our goverments and ourselves for hope and provision, the more our hearts depart from the living God.

As it is said: They cleave so hard to the water bottle they forsake the river.

3. The fatal consequences of this sin.

He that puts a confidence in man puts a cheat upon himself.

Jeremiah 17:6 AV

6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

A heath in the desert is a sorry little shrub, a product of a barren land with no rain. Sapless, fruitless, usless and worthless.

What a pitiful sight.

“When good comes he shall not see it”, when the time of trail is passed and the situation mends itself he will not recover. or mend with it.

He will live in the dry places and only have the fruit of frustration to feed upon - while those who trusted in God feed upon the harvest.

The Blessing

The blessing is the opposite of the curse. This is the abundant satisfaction of those who have placed their trust in the Lord.

Wjo look to Him for their provision and protection.

Jeremiah 17:7–8 AV

7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

Observe,

1. The Condition of this blessing is to Trust in the Lord.

Proverbs 3:5 AV

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

The calamatyies and harship arrive and we are threatned, we are to commit ourselves to God as our all sufficiancy, both to provide and protect and sustain.

2. The comfort of Trusting in God

He will be like a tree planted by the waters - planted by the vinedresser himself, in the best soil. With its roots dug deep intyo the soil of God’s Holy Word.

With the Blood of Jesus applied firmly to its life and wit the Spirit of peace dwelling in his heart.

A tree like this does not fear when the heat comes. It does not fear the drought. It does not fear the fire.

This tree will not sustain damage.

Those that make God their hope,

(1.) They shall flourish, like a tree that is always green, whose leaf does not wither; they shall be cheerful to themselves and beautiful in the eyes of others.

Those who give honour to God by giving him credit God will put honour upon, and make them the ornament and delight of the places where they live, as green trees are.

(2.) They shall be fruitful in holiness, and in all good works.

Those who trust in God, and by faith derive strength and grace from him, shall not cease from yielding fruit.

They shall still be enabled to do that which will redound to the glory of God, the benefit of others, and their own account.

Conclusion:

are you under a course?

Would you like to be under a blessing?

Let us pray.