Got Fruit ?

Goodness is the only investment that never fails
`Unknown

For the past month or so, it would appear that my routine for Bible study time has taken a turn in methodology. It was, that I use to read a chapter or two from a book in both the Old & New Testament within the same study session. Now, I’m spending more time combing through a maximum of 1 chapter from any select book; being less concerned about the cumulative quantity. As best as I can tell, this change in approach forces me to read and re-read; often producing a better understanding as subtleties of Scripture are revealed. Jeremiah 5 is such a case…

Yesterday’s post titled Hook, Line & Stinker closed with a reference to 1st Timothy 6:6 which I take to understand as instruction and a word of caution against materialism. The gist of 1st Timothy 6:6 as I see it: be “happy” with what you have been blessed by God with,don’t get sidetracked into living a worldly life due to pursuit of “more”. Not to say that it’s a negative quality or “bad” to desire to have nice things, instead that desire becomes a bad thing when it’s the driving force or motivator in one’s life.

After reading through Jeremiah 5 about three or four times some other ideas appeared which I’ll get to momentarily, but first a brief overview of the chapter.

Jeremiah 5 overview: “No One is Upright”

1. God promises to forgive Jerusalem if Jeremiah can find one person that deals honestly and seeks truth.
2. Jeremiah however,surmises that Israel is unrepentant of her ways and prophesies of Jerusalem being attacked.
3. Israel’s infidelity with other nations is so perverse that they begin to think that God’s promises of judgement are idle threats.
4. God doesn’t seem too pleased with Israel’s brazen attitude toward Him.

If I were to sum up Jeremiah 5 it would be that Israel had become a corrupt nation because of it’s greed. a result of lacking contentment in the Lord. The greed spawned other sinful acts causing Israel to go deeper into losing it’s way in the Lord.

In Jeremiah 5: 1, it speaks of finding just one person that “…deals honestly & seeks truth, …”. I have an idea that what’s being referenced is that Israel sold their souls both collectively and on an individual basis for financial gain. Israel compromised their morals for economic prosperity. A situation that God first address when He says:

Jeremiah 5:7
“Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken me and sworn by gods that are not gods. I supplied all their needs, yet they committed adultery and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.

Through Jeremiah, God then tells of His judgment which I find kind of ironic in that it was an economic situation that got Israel into this mess, so it is through economics that God is going to get their attention. Israel proclaimed in verse Jeremiah 5:12; “…’He will do nothing! No harm will come to us; we will never see sword or famine.’ ”

Through war and famine Israel is going to be affected (economically), which in turn affects them in the most basic but essentials of humans, a need for food to survive. But for the immediate future it appears that the first thing that they’ll eat is their words, followed by a helping of “humble pie”. I have no idea if God intended for the order of this next verse to be specific, however I find it interesting that humans and animals are book-ended, between agricultural sustenance, & then as a point of finality or “in your face”, God says that the fortified cites will be destroyed. How do you fortify a city? One way is through trade and commerce or economics.

Jeremiah 5:17
They will devour your harvests and food, devour your sons and daughters; they will devour your flocks and herds, devour your vines and fig trees. With the sword they will destroy the fortified cities in which you trust.

To be continued…

Grace and peace be with you.