By Eugene Garner

JEREMIAH - CHAPTER 8

THE PUNISHMENT OF A BACKSLIDING PEOPLE

    At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves: 2 And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth. 3 And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.

    1. In Judah's desolation the bones of her kings, nobles, prophets, priests, and the citizens of Jerusalem, will be exhumed and, with insult and contempt, spread out before the sun, moon and all the starry hosts.
    2. Though Judah has loved, worshipped, followed, consulted, and done obeisance before these astral bodies, they, in turn, look down with cold unconcern upon the desecration of her graves.
    3. Their bones will not be buried again, but will be left to decay under the sun - fertilizing the soil which they desecrated by their abominable practices.
    4. Those, of this evil family, who are driven to some foreign land, and permitted to live, will come to prefer death to life; they cannot escape the wretched consequences of their SIN!

    4 Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return? 5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. 6 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. 7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.

    1. It is the normal, and natural, thing for a person who falls to "get up," (vs. 4; Prov. 24:16; comp. Amos 52; Micah 7:8-9).
    2. The Lord asks why Judah perpetually backslides (5:6; 7:24) - holding fast to deception (5:27; 9:6). and refusing to return to the right path.
    3. Carefully observing their words and actions (Psa. 14:2; Mal. 2:10), the Lord found that no one spoke as he ought, or repented of his wickedness, (Ezek. 22:30; Mic. 7.2; comp. Rev.9:20).
    4. No one, conscious of the penalty of his terrible rebellion, stopped to exclaim: "What Have I DONE?"
    5. Rather, all continue on the path of ruin - like a horse rushing madly into battle, (Job 39:21-25).
    6. The people of God do not have the sense of migratory birds who, instinctively, obey the laws governing their existence, (Prov. 6:6-8; Isa.1:3; S. of S. 2:12); they know not the law of the LORD, (vs. 7b; 5:4-5).

    8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. 9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them? 10 Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

    1. How can Judah boast that she is wise? or that the law of the Lord is with her? when the pen of her scribes has so perverted the law?
    2. Her wise men are shamed, dismayed, trapped, (vs. 9a). It is a spurious wisdom that is claimed by anyone who has rejected the word of the Lord, (vs. 9b; Psa.111:10; Prov. 9:10).
    3. Because of their infidelity to the truth, Judah's wise men will lose ALL - their wives and fields being taken from them and given to conquerors.
      a. From the least to the greatest of them, they have all been greedy for material gain.
      b. Prophet and priest have not hesitated to deal deceitfully!
    4. Jeremiah likens the religious leaders of Judah to quack physicians who brainwashed her people - assuring them of PEACE, when peace was not to be theirs! (vs. 10, 11, comp. 6:14) Nor were they ashamed of what they had done! (vs. 12a; comp. 6:15).
    5. Thus, prophet and priest will fall alongside those whom their lies have deceived! (vs. 12b; 6:21; comp. Isa. 9:14-16; Hos.4:6-l0 Deut. 32:35).

    13 I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them. 14 Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD. 15 We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble! 16 The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein. 17 For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.

    1. The destruction of the state will be as complete as its apostasy has been, (vs. 13; 14:12; Ezek. 22:19-22); the Lord has no practical use for such a perverted and unfruitful instrument as Judah has become, (comp. 5:17; Isa. 5:1-7; Mk. 11:12-14; Jn. 15:2; Lk.12:47-48; Matt. 13:10-15).
    2. In one of the few responses of Judah to the prophet's message, the people, without seeking God's face, declare what they WILL DO! (vs. 14-15).
      a. They decide to flee to their fortified cities and there await whatever is to befall them, (vs. 14; 35:17); in the gall of bitterness, they blame God for giving them a poisonous drink because He has arbitrarily marked them for doom, (comp. Lam. 3:5, 19).
      b. Though acknowledging that they have sinned, there is not the slightest evidence of REPENTANCE; there is disappointment, frustration and despair, but NOT REPENTANCE! (vs. 15, 11).
    3. As already mentioned (4:15) the enemy approaches from Dan; Judah already trembles because of the entry of his horses and the neighing of his strong ones; the prophet sees the whole land as being devoured before them, (vs. 16).
    4. The Lord is sending stinging serpents among His people - adders that will not be charmed, (vs. 17).
      a. God provided an antidote for their ancient fathers who were bitten by poisonous snakes in the wilderness, (Num. 21:6-9).
      b. But, these snakes symbolize an attacking army that will not be placated! (comp. Psa. 58:4-5).

    18 When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me. 19 Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities? 20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. 21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. 22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? 9:1 Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

    1. Like Isaiah before him, Jeremiah is deeply distressed by the plight of his people, (vs. 18-19; Isa. 22:4; comp. Lam. 1:16-17); his heart is faint and uncomforted, (23:9-12; Lam. 5:15-18).
      a. He hears the anguished cries of his people under the oppression of afar-off people, (vs. 19a; comp. 4:16; 9:16; Isa.39:3-7).
      b. In his distress the prophet, in essence, inquires: "Is the Lord no longer In Zion? Has her king DESERTED HER?" (vs. 19b; comp. 14:7-9).
    2. The Lord Himself appears to respond, (vs. 19c): "Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images?"
    3. It is a cry of helplessness, hopelessness and despair that is heard in verse 20: "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and WE ARE NOT saved!"(comp. 14:1-5).
    4. The deep sorrow of the prophet's heart is quite transparent in verse 21; for the heart of Judah he mourns and is dismayed.
    5. What one observes in verse 22 and 9:1 is Jeremiah's deep bereavement for the slain of Judah.
      a. It is as if he cries: "0 God, where ARE you? Are you not the Great Physician? Why don't you HEAL the hurt of this people?"
      b. It is evident that Jeremiah does not quite understand God's ways; but God is in the process of teaching him, (Gal. 6:7-8).
      c. Having warned them, and patiently called them to repentance, the only thing left in God's program is a final LOVING ACT OF JUDGMENT; nor is this a declaration of abandonment it is, rather, a final, LOVING endeavor to restore Judah to the place where He can consistently and righteously bless her.
      d. Though he does not fully understand, Jeremiah faithfully delivers God's message of warning to a "disobedient and gainsaying people," (Rom. 10:21). He will be true - though it is necessary for him to STAND ALONE!