A Nation Rejected By God

1. A Warning issued (1-5).

A. The prophet warns his people (1).

Jeremiah speaks to the tribe of Benjamin. He was a Benjamite himself. The Southern Kingdom was made up of two nations: Judah and Benjamin. Jeremiah probably mentions Benjamin because they were his people. There is no reason to think he wasn’t warning Judah as well. He speaks specifically to his people by name probably because they were special to him.

Jeremiah tells them to leave Jerusalem. The walls of the city will not protect them. He tells them to do two things to warn the people of the coming invasion:

1) Blow the Trumpet

2) Send a signal by fire

Both of these were ways warnings were communicated in Jeremiah’s day. Tekoa was about 12 miles South of Jerusalem. We’re not sure where Beth-haccherem was located. The reason the warning was to be sounded in these other cities is probably to get the message out to As many as possible, especially to people who might thing fleeing to Jerusalem was the answer when the invaders start approaching.

Do we warn the people in our family?

Do we warn them about fleeing to the wrong place for safety?

Do we extend the warning as far as we can?

B. The land will be devastated (2-3).

Judah is described as a lovely and delicate bride. She once was. However, she has prostituted herself out. This once lovely nation will now be destroyed.

The devastation is likened to what sheep do to fields. The reason sheep must be moved from one pasture to the next is they eat up everything in the pasture. The enemy of Judah is described as shepherds who will bring their sheep into the land and the sheep will devour everything.

Jerusalem will be surrounded. The invaders will treat Judah’s land as if it is their own. They will do to it as they will.

C. The enemy speaks (4-5).

The enemies come to make war. They decide to start early. They will attack at noon. They realize that they may not accomplish what they want because night is coming. They decide that despite the night they will continue their attack. Destruction is their goal, and nothing will stop them. Typically, wars were not fought at night. But the enemy is so eager to destroy Judah the night does not stop them.

2. God Directs the Invading Army (6-8).

A. He gives them strategy (6a).

He tells them to cut down trees and put them on a mound. The purpose of this was to create a ramp so the invading army could get over the walls of Jerusalem. It was a common tactic and it worked very well. Babylon is the tool God is using for judgment. They are an awful nation. They deserve judgment themselves. But God uses them anyway. Everything in the universe belongs to God. He can use whatever or whoever He wants. Babylon will defeat Judah because God empowers them to.

B. The reason for judgment (6b-7).

God says the nation must be punished because there is nothing but oppression in her. He likens her evil to a well that is supplied by spring water. The fresh water keeps coming up from the spring. But in Judah’s case they are a spring for evil and evil keeps coming up from them. Her evil is always fresh, it’s always new. It never stops.

God mentions:

Oppression, violence, and destruction. This probably refers to the way the lower class was often treated. Those in positions of power were easily bought and justice was corrupted regularly. When the Lord looked down at them all He saw was a spiritually sick and wounded people. This was probably from the Lord’s discipline. Yet the discipline did not bring about repentance therefore God must bring devastating judgment.

C. God warns the people again (8).

We see God’s grace here. He is calling them to repentance even at the eleventh hour. His mercy is obvious. He will turn from them in disgust. He will make the land desolate if they do not repent. If they repent He will give them mercy.

If we die in our sins we will not die unwarned or unloved. God will make sure of that. God stands ready to forgive us if we will repent. We do not have to die in our sins.

It’s true that God is the one bringing this army against Judah.

It’s true that God is the One who created hell.

But God is also the One who created heaven. Everyone in heaven was once on their way to hell. God, by His grace forgave them and changed their eternal destiny.

3. An Exchange Between the Lord and the Prophet (9-15).

A. The Lord speaks (9).

He says that Judah will be gleaned like a thoroughly gleaned vine. A search will be made for grapes that were perhaps overlooked but none will be found. The people of Judah should not think this judgment is small. It’s anything but small. It is a complete judgment. Everyone will be affected.

B. The prophet speaks (10-11a).

Jeremiah says there is no one to speak to. The people are there, but there is no use in speaking to them. They have uncircumcised ears. What does that mean? Their ears are not prepared to listen. Their hearts are hardened by sin. When they hear the Word of God they laugh or mock it. They find no pleasure in God’s Word.

Even though the people will not listen Jeremiah must still preach. He is still filled with the Word of the Lord. Which is wrath in this instance, and he is weary of holding it in.

It’s our job to keep preaching. If people will not listen that is not our fault. We are called to preach the same message they reject until Christ returns or they repent.

C. The Lord speaks (11b-15).

The Lord says pour the Word out on everyone. Preach to the children, the young men, the married couples, the elderly and the very elderly! God says all of these people are in danger of judgment. Their houses and their land will be taken from them.

God says in verse 13 that they are all ungodly- from the least to the greatest. Listen to me friend. We have some teenagers who think they are too young to go to hell. They think God will treat them like their grandma does. He won’t. The young have to be warned because they have to repent too. We have some old people who think they are too old to go to hell. God hasn’t forgotten your sins if you haven’t repented. He knows what you’ve done. He knows if you were able, you’d probably still be doing the sins you used to do. If you think God is going to let you into heaven because you show Him your AARP card you are mistaken!

The Lord even brings the preachers into the conversation. He says even the prophets and the priests are involved in sin. What were they doing? Look at verse 14. They preached the wrong message.

“They healed the wound of my people lightly saying “Peace, peace when there is no peace.” These preachers gave the people a little bit of truth. They gave them enough to help them out a little bit in this world. But they didn’t tell them if they did not repent judgment was coming. They said everything was ok.

If your preacher doesn’t tell you to repent you don’t have much of a preacher. You’ve got a life coach. You’ve got yourself a cheer leader.

Look at verse 15 and you see the problem. There was no shame in any of these people. They did not blush at their sin. They sinned with joy and confidence. God says they will all fall. He will punish them. They will be overthrown!

4. Sacrifice is No Substitute for Repentance (16-20).

A. The people rejected God (16-17).

They rejected God’s ways. The Lord tells them to return to the ancient paths. It is a good way. It leads to spiritual rest. What is He talking about? He’s talking about the Word of God. They need to return to the Word. Look at the verbs used in verse 16:

Stand

Look

Ask

Walk

The people are being called to action. They had come to a fork in the road and gone down the wrong path. They wouldn’t get back on the right path by doing nothing. It was time get back on the path God had for them. The road is narrow. It’s a road we walk by being obedient to God’s Word. The nation had gotten off course. It was time to get back on.

They rejected God’s watchmen. These were the prophets. They sounded the trumpet. They warned the people.

The people said concerning God’s way: We will not walk in it!

Concerning God’s watchmen, they said “We will not pay attention!”

When you rejected God’s ways and God’s Word you reject God.

B. God calls the nations as a witness to His judgment on Judah (18-19).

The Gentile nations will witness what God does to His own chosen nation. He is making an example of them to the other nations. He says “This is what happens when a nation does not follow My commandments.” If God is willing to do this to His own chosen nation, then what would He do to the Gentile nations. God’s call for the Gentiles to witness this should also be seen as a call for the Gentile nations to repent as well.

How our nation continues to exist I do not know. It is only by God’s grace we haven’t been wiped out. When we read what God did to His own nation we are being called as witnesses as well. Will we learn the lesson?

C. The foolishness of false religion (20).

God asks them what use frankincense from Sheba or sweet cane from a distant land is to Him? Sheba was known for its expensive spices and incense. The cane referred to was probably what was used in making the anointing oil mentioned in Exodus 30:23. The people likely continued with some of the sacrifices of Judaism. They probably thought this was enough to keep them in good relation with God.

God asks them “What do I do with this stuff?” Did they think God really needed that? Was there a shortage in heaven? God desired their holiness more than their sacrifices.

They needed to be cleansed or their sacrifices meant nothing. It’s like a person who never bathes and justifies it by wearing expensive cologne. They are dirty regardless of how much cologne they cover themselves in. We cannot cover our sin with giving or serving. Our sin must be removed by the blood of Jesus. We must repent or our works mean nothing. Sacrifice is no substitute for repentance.

5. The Invading Army Should Be Feared (21-26).

A. The people will fall (21).

When the Babylonians arrive, everyone will fall, and everyone will perish. There is no escaping this. God Himself is laying the stumbling block before the people. He is the One who is bringing the army against them. It will be like trying to run away in the pitch dark. You will fall over something. There will be nowhere to go. There will be no escape.

B. The invaders are cruel (22-23).

The Northern nation described is Babylon. They are a great nation. They are a nation in the North. They are a nation far away. They are coming well-armed with bow and javelin. They are coming on war horses. There will be so many it will sound like a roaring ocean as they approach. They are cruel. They have no mercy.

The Assyrians were known for their cruelty. That is why Jonah did not want them to be saved (Jonah 3:8). But the Babylonians were also known for their cruelty. We see a hint of it when Nebuchadnezzar throws the Hebrews into a burning furnace (Daniel 3:11). Jeremiah 29:22 also speaks of the Babylonians roasting people in fire.

There is something we can glean from this. The Lord wants Judah to be afraid. He wants them to hear these words and be afraid of what is coming. We hear so often that we shouldn’t preach on the judgment of God because it scares people. Folks, people need to be scared. God had no problem sharing the details of coming judgment and we should not either.

C. The people are helpless (24-26).

The people hear this and they are gripped with fear. Anguish takes hold of them like the pain of a woman in childbirth. They are afraid to go outside in the fields or to walk down the roads. They are surrounded by the enemy, and he is armed.

Jeremiah encourage them to repent. They should:

Put on sackcloth

Roll in ashes

Mourn like one who lost their only son

Jeremiah says the destroyer is coming. Repentance is the only hope they have.

6. The Lord has rejected Judah (27-30).

A. Jeremiah is to test the people (27).

God uses the analogy of refining metal to determine the authenticity of the people. Jeremiah was going to put the people to the test. How? Through his observation and his preaching. As Jeremiah saw the sins of the people, he was to call them to repentance. If they failed to heed Jeremiah’s warning, they proved themselves to be of poor quality. They were nothing but dross.

This is still the preacher’s job!

B. They failed the test (28-29).

When the heat was put to them it was revealed they were not silver or gold. They were bronze or iron. This was clear by their actions.

They were stubborn.

They were rebellious.

They were corrupt.

They were slanderers.

The process of refining is supposed to yield good metal. The refining of Judah was in vain because it wasn’t yielding anything good at all. It was only revealing the impurity of the nation.

C. They were rejected (30).

The Lord rejected them. This means He did not stop their judgment. Babylon would come. They would destroy the nation. God would not step in and save them. They rejected God and God rejected them. It does not get any worse than that.

God does not just reject nations. He will reject individuals too. Only in Christ can we be accepted. He offers the path that leads to life.