Meditations in Jeremiah
Jeremiah 17:5-8 states, "Thus saith the LORD . . .
| Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited." | Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit." |
The Central Issue
The central issue of this passage concerns the dependence of our hearts. Is the dependence (the trust and hope) of our hearts set firmly upon the Lord our God, our almighty Creator, our sovereign Lord, our eternal Savior, our merciful God? Or, is the dependence of our hearts set upon the ability of mankind, whether that of ourselves, or that of some other human help, arrangement, organization, or program? On the one hand, if the dependence of our hearts is set upon human ability, then we are abiding under our Lord’s curse. On the other hand, if the dependence of our hearts is set firmly upon our Lord God, then we are abiding under our Lord’s blessing.
The Spiritual Principle
Involved in this central issue of the passage is the following spiritual principle – To set our dependence upon human ability rather than upon our Lord God is actually to forsake and depart from the Lord our God. This is revealed in the parallel statements of Jeremiah 17:5 – “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man . . . (1) that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, (2) and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” Concerning such individuals Jeremiah 17:13 also declares, “O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.” The Lord our God is the true Hope of His people. The Lord our is the only Fountain of living waters. For us not to set the dependence (the trust and hope) the of our hearts upon Him is to depart from that Hope and to forsake that Fountain. Indeed, the we can only walk in fellowship with the Lord and in righteousness before the Lord “by faith, and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7)
The Needed Examination
Because of this, it is necessary that we examine our hearts daily concerning the focus of our dependence (trust and hope). Yet we must recognize that our hearts are “deceitful and desperately wicked,” so that we ourselves cannot clearly know that reality of our own spiritual character and condition (Jeremiah 17:9). Indeed, who can know the true character and condition of our hearts? The answer is found in the opening portion of Jeremiah 17:10 – “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins.” We can be (and often are) deceived by our own hearts. Yet the Lord our God cannot be so deceived. Thus in the examination of our hearts, we must humble ourselves to seek for our Lord, by His indwelling Holy Spirit, to search us and know our hearts, to try us and know our thoughts, in order that He might reveal any wicked way of unbelief in us (Psalm 139:23). Furthermore, we must recognize that the Lord our God often employs His trying of our heart’s dependence through trials and tribulations that try our faith. Therefore, we must not despise such trying of our faith, but rejoice therein.
The Righteous Walk
Finally, we must pursue the walk of righteousness through an established practice of dependence upon our Lord. Such a practice of dependence will include:
1. Assurance in the Lord – “Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved” (Jeremiah 17:14a).
2. Praise unto the Lord – “For thou art my praise” (Jeremiah 17:14b).
3. Commitment unto the Lord – “Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD? let it come now. As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee” (Jeremiah 17:15-16).
4. Prayer before the Lord – “Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil. Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction” (Jeremiah 17:17-18).
5. Patience before the Lord – “Thou art my hope in the day of evil” (Jeremiah 17b).
The central issue of this passage concerns the dependence of our hearts. Is the dependence (the trust and hope) of our hearts set firmly upon the Lord our God, our almighty Creator, our sovereign Lord, our eternal Savior, our merciful God? Or, is the dependence of our hearts set upon the ability of mankind, whether that of ourselves, or that of some other human help, arrangement, organization, or program? On the one hand, if the dependence of our hearts is set upon human ability, then we are abiding under our Lord’s curse. On the other hand, if the dependence of our hearts is set firmly upon our Lord God, then we are abiding under our Lord’s blessing.
The Spiritual Principle
Involved in this central issue of the passage is the following spiritual principle – To set our dependence upon human ability rather than upon our Lord God is actually to forsake and depart from the Lord our God. This is revealed in the parallel statements of Jeremiah 17:5 – “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man . . . (1) that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, (2) and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” Concerning such individuals Jeremiah 17:13 also declares, “O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.” The Lord our God is the true Hope of His people. The Lord our is the only Fountain of living waters. For us not to set the dependence (the trust and hope) the of our hearts upon Him is to depart from that Hope and to forsake that Fountain. Indeed, the we can only walk in fellowship with the Lord and in righteousness before the Lord “by faith, and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7)
The Needed Examination
Because of this, it is necessary that we examine our hearts daily concerning the focus of our dependence (trust and hope). Yet we must recognize that our hearts are “deceitful and desperately wicked,” so that we ourselves cannot clearly know that reality of our own spiritual character and condition (Jeremiah 17:9). Indeed, who can know the true character and condition of our hearts? The answer is found in the opening portion of Jeremiah 17:10 – “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins.” We can be (and often are) deceived by our own hearts. Yet the Lord our God cannot be so deceived. Thus in the examination of our hearts, we must humble ourselves to seek for our Lord, by His indwelling Holy Spirit, to search us and know our hearts, to try us and know our thoughts, in order that He might reveal any wicked way of unbelief in us (Psalm 139:23). Furthermore, we must recognize that the Lord our God often employs His trying of our heart’s dependence through trials and tribulations that try our faith. Therefore, we must not despise such trying of our faith, but rejoice therein.
The Righteous Walk
Finally, we must pursue the walk of righteousness through an established practice of dependence upon our Lord. Such a practice of dependence will include:
1. Assurance in the Lord – “Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved” (Jeremiah 17:14a).
2. Praise unto the Lord – “For thou art my praise” (Jeremiah 17:14b).
3. Commitment unto the Lord – “Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD? let it come now. As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee” (Jeremiah 17:15-16).
4. Prayer before the Lord – “Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil. Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction” (Jeremiah 17:17-18).
5. Patience before the Lord – “Thou art my hope in the day of evil” (Jeremiah 17b).
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