Jeremiah is best known by the title “the weeping prophet”, so it comes as no surprise that the references to joy and delight are few. You actually have to read through almost 9 chapters of sorrow, anguish and judgment before you see a glimmer of joy or delight. The reason for this is made quite clear: Judah has abandoned God and has turned to the more culturally relevant religions of the day, very thinly disguised as worshiping the true God. This course of action seems very foolish at best. Judah had witnessed the destruction that befell northern Israel for her idolatry, Judah had seen God work in mighty ways through kings like Hezekiah, yet they still turned away from God. God summarized Judah’s sin in Jeremiah 2:13 “they have committed two sins: they have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” The picture is vivid. This people has turned away from the one true source of fulfillment to a source that will never quench their thirst. As such God states that “my people are fools; they do not know me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good. (4:22)” The condition of the land was so bad that the people, instead of recognizing and getting rid of selfish and wicked leaders, supported them! “A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end? (5:30-31)” (personal note: when reading the previous verses I couldn’t help but think of the “culturally relevant” church’s support for an immoral administration who speaks one thing with their mouth yet does the opposite. I also am reminded of a seemingly growing movement to divorce the church from historical theology when I read “the priest rule by their own authority“)
This was the condition of Judah. Several times already up to chapter 9 God has said “should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?” The outlook is grim. The wise are boasting in their wisdom, the mighty in their strength and the rich in their wealth, and few are seeking their satisfaction in God. Even the reforms of Josiah would not stay God’s hand of judgment on this nation. And so we come to Jeremiah 9:23-24:
Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”
The point is clear: wisdom, strength and riches do not last: but the person who understand and knows God, the person who seeks after God with all his strength, he will find something that lasts! This person discovers what the Lord delights in, love, justice and righteousness, and seeks to immerse himself in them.
Let me draw some further application. (Important note: I understand that Israel and the Church are separate entities. However we also know that events in the Old Testament happened not only because of and for the benefit of the people in the Old Testament, but also for the benefit of the New Testament believer (1 Cor. 10:11).) So with that in mind what can this teach us?
First of all, I see some striking similarities (noting the differences) between Judah and the American church. 1. They serve the same God, 2. They have a rich history, 3. They both abandoned that history to varying degrees (The New perspectives on apostles, ignoring or distorting theologians), 4. They both should have known better (God hasn’t hidden his Word). I observe in our church today many “wise” people who are confident that their wisdom trumps the ancient wisdom of God. So we’re immersed with “relevance”, “community”, and all sorts of social justice agenda’s because that’s the wisdom of the day! The “wise” are abandoning Biblical creation because the worlds wisdom considers it foolish. The bookshelves of the Christian sections in bookstores are filling up with all sorts of “wise” strategies from the esteemed members of the new church, while books that exalt the glory of God diminishing. There are mighty members of the church who boast in the strength of their followers, and lets not forget the lifestyle that comes from selling all those books and flashing a permanent winning smile. Many times I can watch this from afar…or at least from a blog. But every now and then I find myself talking to a fellow youth pastor and the conversation revolves around the “wisdom” of church growth strategies rather than around a shared delight in God that would then motivate our passion for the church.
So, how do we avoid turning to the empty cisterns of church faddishness? Delight in God! God states that we can glory in the fact that we understand and know God. We cannot truly understand and know God unless we as Christians immerse ourselves in God and the only true way to do that is to immerse ourselves in His Word with prayer and meditation.
