Read Jeremiah 2:1–13
Questions from the Scripture text: What came to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 2:1)? To whom was he to go speak (Jeremiah 2:2)? What did YHWH remember? What was Israel at that time (Jeremiah 2:3)? Whom does YHWH condemn? But now whom does YHWH summon to listen (Jeremiah 2:4)? What have who done (Jeremiah 2:5)? What haven’t they done (Jeremiah 2:6)? What had the Lord done for them (Jeremiah 2:7)? Who failed to inquire of the Lord (Jeremiah 2:8a)? What didn’t the handlers of the law do (verse 8b)? Who else sinned in what way (verse 8c)? And who else, in what other way (verse 8d–e)? What, then, is YHWH doing against whom (Jeremiah 2:9)? What have other nations not done with whom (Jeremiah 2:10-11b)? But who have done so with Whom (Jeremiah 2:11c–d)? Who are called to witness with astonishment (Jeremiah 2:12)? Whom/what have the people evilly forsaken (Jeremiah 2:13a–b)? And what have the people evilly done for themselves (verse 13c)?
What should we think of idolatry? Jeremiah 2:1–13 prepares us for the evening sermon on the coming Lord’s Day. In these thirteen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that idolatry is offensive, ungrateful, and irrational.
What YHWH remembers, Jeremiah 2:1-3. The Lord does all things out of love for His people. He remembers His covenant with them, and His consecrating them as holy to Himself. Anyone who gets in the way of this is doomed.
The offense of idolatry, Jeremiah 2:4-6. The offense isn’t just that they followed idols. It’s that they did not seek YHWH to follow Him. They did not treat Him as God. And as their God.
The ingratitude of idolatry, Jeremiah 2:7. After what the Lord had brought them out of (Jeremiah 2:6), and into (Jeremiah 2:7), it is irrational and ungrateful that they would fail to continue seeking Him. Now, consider out of what He has brought you, and into what He has brought you.
The responsibility of idolatry, Jeremiah 2:8. There are four groups (three, if the second is a subcategory of the priests) whose responsibility it was to lead the people in seeking the Lord: the priests, teachers of the law (literally those who lay hold of it), the rulers, and the prophets. The most important thing for any one of these is that he himself seek the Lord, be faithful to Him, and obey Him. What sorts of leaders do you have? What sort of leader would you be? The most important think is to seek the Lord, be faithful to Him, and obey Him.
The irrationality of idolatry, Jeremiah 2:9-13. It is a testimony to the insanity of wickedness (Jeremiah 2:10) that men cling zealously to idols that they create (Jeremiah 2:11–b), but easily part with the living God Himself (verse 11c–d). It is like trying to slake one’s thirst with the slime on the bottom of a cistern that cannot actually hold the water (Jeremiah 2:13c), when one has access to a fountain of water that is better than one could imagine (verse 13a–b). But this is what we do, when we find our identity, our strength, our purpose, or our joy, in anything apart from the Lord Himself. God save us from idolatry!
How are you seeking the Lord, to follow after Him? From out of what has the Lord brought you? And into what has the Lord brought you? What sorts of leaders do you have? What sort of leader would you be? In what do you find your identity, your strength, your purpose, your joy?
Sample prayer: Lord, how offensive, ungrateful, and irrational our idolatry is! Have mercy upon us. Forgive us for it, and turn us from it, and make us to see the greatness of Your love for us, and the goodness of Your life for us. Make us to come to You as the fountain of living waters in Christ, through Whom we ask it, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP119H “My Portion Is the LORD Himself” or TPH244 “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
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