Get Back on Track - Jeremiah 2:1 - 6:30

I have already tried to formulate in my mind just how I will attempt to make this lesson pertain to the United States of America and the perilous times we are experiencing today. In my opinion, God inspired the writers to include this lesson as America’s warning. The question in my mind is: Will our leaders heed this warning in time to save America? The Jews did not heed and their Pay-Day came soon and lasted 70 years. God Help Us!

In fact, and the truth is that the Jewish nation is still paying today, over 3000 years later for sins that are related directly to those committed during this the days of Jeremiah. They were in bondage in Egypt prior to this occasion and were rescued by God, and were denied their home in Jerusalem for their continued failure to trust God, and their worship of idols instead of Him. Christ came and they rejected him as the Messiah, and they will never find peace on this earth until they do.

You must read through these five chapters to get the picture of Jewish life as it had become in Judah, the Southern Kingdom, and the one that really had been shown more of God’s patience than Israel, the Northern Kingdom. The reading is not easy to fully understand because it is reported as a vision that came to the Prophet and it uses allegories [stories in which figures and actions are symbols of general truths]. I will attempt to generalize what appears to be the meaning to me.

This was a fruitful land; a land of plenty, as had been promised, a land of milk and honey. People were well off, living in much the same circumstances in that day and could be compared to America following WWII. Because God planned it that way, the land was fertile, the weather was conducive, and the expansive array of crops, including all kinds of fruits, vegetables, and other produce was abundant. Their industrial abilities, with far less machinery to work with than we have, were amazing. Their buildings were enormous and absolutely beautiful with the temple, as described in the bible was unbelievable. Their water and waste systems were a marvel, hidden underground and effective. Motes and walls surrounded cities for protection. They were blessed by God.

Now follow through and look at the problems that arose and while you study please watch the parallel with the same kinds of action and reactions that have occurred in America during the last hundred years. I digress a moment to say that I believe this story is in the bible to allow us to look back at their mistakes and profit by them. It is not an enjoyable read, in many ways it is a boring piece of literature and as far as I am concerned, any literature that deals with sin, immorality, deceit, deception, anti-Godliness, adultery, idol worship, and cult religions are boring. We do not read to enjoy; we must read to learn from the mistakes of others.

We must go back into the history of this nation briefly to explain why judgment is being brought upon Judah. Let us just start with Solomon, wise in head knowledge, but so lacking in spiritual commitment. God had told his people ‘I am the I am, there is no other, you can put no other gods before Me, you must obey my laws, I have given you commandments to live by and you must obey Me. God demanded that they not intermarry with heathen nations because that would introduce other gods to his people and one of Solomon’s first mistakes was to marry an Egyptian. Things started down hill soon, and culminated with parts of the Holy Temple being desecrated by allowing idol worship there. This is probably the greatest of their sins, because it defies the very first commandment. But all sin is simply sin and wrong in the sight of God.

As governmental power grew, certain people, especially the poor, were discriminated against in many ways but the one that fits us is that they were overtaxed unfairly and had to beg for mercy that did not come. Examples of multiple marriages, prostitution, [and even legal temple prostitutes] set the tone for the people to follow and it became one of the greatest sins of their day. They built their own idols with their own hands and called them gods and worshipped them. We have done the same thing. Think about it. You do not have to bow down, and pray to an object to worship it…you only have to put your greatest interest there, and forget God while you do it. Some of our gods are great, and would be acceptable to God, if we would only put Him first and thank him for them.

As I write, next Monday is Memorial Day and [if gas wasn’t so high] where would millions be? Thousands will be even with high gas prices. Let us start with River Fest in Little Rock, with expensive trucks, motor homes, and expensive boats on all the lakes. Las Vegas will be alive with gamblers, and the beaches crowded on both coasts. To many their home is their castle, a new car is their most cherished item, diamonds shine brighter than God ever can in their lives. Then there is the immoral issue with government even passing laws to make many legal. God’s plan for the family is being ignored, same sex marriages, are now able to adopt and raise homeless children in homes that are damned by God’s law. There is a tragic history of laws being passed that demands that the name of God be removed from all public places and documents. I must limit examples, but you get the picture, surely you can see the parallel with our lesson on the destruction of Judah.

Judah had gone too far. God rebelled against them. He gave them one more chance when he sent Jeremiah, just a lad, to warn them—and the story you read today tells you that he has had enough. Jeremiah told them what they had done and what God was about to do. They were going to be destroyed by armies that would bear down and run over their land like oil that would run down the mountains and cover them. The results were that Babylon, a cruel and ungodly nation, was permitted to conquer Judah and they were taken into captivity for 70 years. God save a remnant as he always will, but the nation has never regained their original position.

You can agree with me…or disagree…that is your privilege, but I truly believe that unless America returns to at least the Christian status we held in the early part of the last century, this nation is doomed to fall just as Judah did. Many, with more knowledge about nation failures than I have, have predicted that our downfall will come from within. Linen and Stolen both predicted that we would rot from within. The Islamic nations have determined to kill all infidels and convert the world to Islam. And in many ways we are playing straight into their hands. We need to GET BACK ON TRACK. And the only way is for us to guard against sin.

This lesson can be summed up by saying that it tells us the consequences of unfaithfulness [2: 1-37]. Jeremiah gave the call to repentance [3:1-4: 4] and I humbly tell you that I am trying to do the same thing. In 4:5-31, he told them that judgment was certain. The fifth chapter spells out the corruption of Judah and it is parallel to our day. And finally the Calamity came from the North just as he predicted in the sixth chapter.

Please go to 5: 3-6 and read NOW. The people were the first to fail, then you would expect the leaders to bring us back, but they are even worse. I do not know who the lion, leopard and wolf are but they are crouched and ready to strike America. I am truly glad that I do not know the day and hour. But unless we repent of our sinful ways, and pray for forgiveness, and be humble about it—God will not protect America while it delves deeper and deeper into an immoral state that has forgotten who God is and that He is in power, and will have the last word. GOD BLESS AMERICA, IS MY PRAYER! Sadly, I know that the people of America must return to God before he will answer in the affirmative.