Jeremiah 16,17

Jeremiah 16

This chapter is quite depressing.

God pretty much is so disgusted with these people that the terror which is about to befall them will be beyond horrendous and so many people will die that God tells Jeremiah not to do anything that will cause him even more grief. If Jeremiah were to marry, his family would all perish as he would soon find out with his countrymen. He would be experiencing so much pain from the destruction God is going to allow that he won't even have time, nor should he concern himself with anyone's funeral and rituals that go with it.  Nor should he find himself at parties and having good times with anyone. 

Literally, he is to stay single and be grieved as he watches his friends, family, and other Jews lose everything.  I would say this would be a true test of obedience to God!

It can be difficult to read that God is basically giving up on Israel. But, He's done with their unfaithfulness! He boldly tells them the whys of this destruction. Their ancestors were idolatrous and they are even more, if that's possible!  He's pretty much done with showing mercy and says sayonara.

But as always with God, there is hope. Hope that there will be those who will be brought back to their land someday, but in the meantime, these folks are about to experience some of God's righteous anger.

The end of this chapter pretty much sums it all up in Jeremiah's prayer. He states that once they experience all that's about to hit them and they die and are taken from their land and become slaves, then, maybe then they will see God's power and know that He IS God.

There is a difference between knowing what is right and doing or being what is right. How much do I need to 'hear from God' before I obey Him?  THAT is the question to ask myself.

Jeremiah 17

God really is done showing forgiveness. Now it's time for judgment. He HATES sin. He has been patient for generations as He showed His people how much He cared for them and had chosen them. He rescued them in the most miraculous ways over and over and over, yet they still worshiped and gave homage to other gods.  And they taught their children to do the same! Therefore when God states: “The sin of Judah
    is inscribed with an iron chisel—
engraved with a diamond point on their stony hearts
    and on the corners of their altars," He is stating that this is a palpable and unchanging judgment.

His decision to righteously judge is anything from the "God is Love" cliche we often hear about God's character which insinuates that He does nothing to hurt or punish anyone. He has made his decision to act in regard to Judah's sin of idolatry, which He often refers to as adultery toward Him. 

So you want to know how this might be applicable? One way is to think of your marriage (If you are not married and reading this, there is an application, too). Is there adultery in your marriage? Have you been faithful to the one who you are in a covenant relationship with? Totally faithful? To married men: Do you sexually fantasize or look at pornographic images of someone other than your wife? Do you have a 'special relationship' that she does not know about? To married women: Do you read 'Fifty Shades of Grey' and dream of some surreal man that is not your husband and find yourself dissatisfied in your marriage? Do you flirt with another man and pretend it's just an innocent friendship? If so, THAT is adultery!  Now, imagine being married for ohhhh, over 400 years to this person who does this constantly and teaches your children to do the same! You forgive and forgive and show mercy and more mercy over and over, century after century.  Pretty soon, you are going to be done with being nice. 

There will come a day when you will say, "ENOUGH! Shut your mouth! Quit lying! Stop being selfish! I'm done with your unfaithfulness!"  This is where God is.

Next we see God's dissertation of what wisdom IS.

“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
    who rely on human strength
    and turn their hearts away from the Lord."

“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
    and have made the Lord their hope and confidence." 

Finally, Jeremiah cries out and in this next section of Scripture, the one stanza that says it all is:  

"You alone are my hope in the day of disaster."

Jeremiah continues on with his work of prophesying to the people as he speaks to the kings of Judah. He tells them to remember to keep the Sabbath holy. Then he give the warning from the Lord that if they don't obey, they will lose God's blessing and no other kings from their lineage will follow AND God will destroy that place with fire!