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Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 9

Bell's Commentary on the BibleBell's Commentary

Verses 1-26

  1. Intro:
    1. The children of Israel thought they were in “Favored Status” being God’s Covenant people!
      1. Favored Status carries with it as its partner “Greater Responsibility
    2. This gave them: [1] No Excuse for Sin [2] No Escape from Judgment [3] No Assurance of Spiritual Understanding.
    3. Read Q & A on Mourners of the Bible.
  2. No Excuse for Sin! (1-6)
    1. Vs.1 – Most people want to stop crying. Jeremiah wanted a head full of water to weep more!
      1. So burdened was he for his people.
    2. Vs.2 – The easiest thing to do would have been to escape.
      1. Ps.55:6,7 “So I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. Indeed, I would wander far off, And remain in the wilderness. Selah”
      2. However, like a true shepherd, he stayed with his people.
    3. Vs.3 – Q: Are you of those “Valiant for Truth”?
      1. True with your Spouse? Employer?
        1. Read – Prov.12:17-22
      2. Q: Do you have a problem w/people believing you?
        1. Read about the “Falling Cow”!
    4. Vs.3b – Here is a society unraveling thread by thread.
      1. (www) “Life never seems to stand still”.
      2. You’re either moving from: Evil to Evil(vs.3); or as Paul said from Faith to Faith(Rom.1:17); or as the Psalmist said from Strength to Strength(Ps.84:7); or from Glory to Glory(2 Cor.3:18).
        1. This is the true Pilgrim’s Progress!
    5. Vs.4 – Truth was a precious commodity…you couldn’t trust your neighbor or even, your brother!
      1. Today, much of our life is consumed by suspicions & mistrust.
      2. Stephanie Edwards the speaker today at the Tem. Mayors Prayer Brkfst alluded to this.
      3. Movie stars & Athletes promote products they don’t even use.
      4. We watch TV commercials w/a man w/a white coat who says, “Most Doctors recommend…”
      5. Many choose politicians by there charisma!
        1. We should be “Valiant for the Truth on the earth”!
      6. Remember, “All the trouble began in the world w/one lie!”
    6. Who was named “Supplanter”? (Jacob)
      1. Gen27:36 “And Esau said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob(yacov)? For he has supplanted(yacov) me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!"
    7. Vs.5 – Lying was a habit actually cultivated!
  3. No Escape from Judgment! (7-16)
    1. ​​​​​​​The Lord speaks about: Their Punishment; Their Tongue; Their Questions; Their Land; & Their City.
    2. Vs.7 – Their Punishment…the heat from a great furnace.
      1. If anything their favored relationship invited even greater judgment.
      2. Lk.12:48 “…everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”
      3. Amos 3:2 "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities."
      4. 1 Pet.4:17 “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God;”
    3. Vs.8 – Their Tongue!
      1. Their Tongue is described as a Bow; a Student; & an Arrow!
      2. Your Tongue is Bow! (3)
      3. [1] A Bow determines the Force!
        1. You must have a Full draw & a disciplined release!
        2. Our mouth being full of something to say isn’t the problem, it’s the “disciplined Release of words” is the problem!
        3. Be careful of the impact behind your words.
      4. [2] A Bow also determines the Direction the arrow is released!
        1. Who are you speaking to? Make sure you’re words are not shot in the direction of gossip, slander, or backbitting.
      5. Your Tongue is a Student! (5)
      6. The Tongue must be taught how to behave(hopefully at an early age!)
      7. A bow & an arrow is totally dependent on the Archer!!!
      8. Your Tongue is an Arrow! (8)
      9. All Arrows are in tended for Flight, a Target, & Maximum Impact!
      10. Flight – As soon as we speak… they fly! {shot out is: the tone, inflections, loudness, love/hate}
      11. Target Q: What is your target, your goal or aim, in saying what you are about to say?
        1. Is our goal to get them to repent, which is masked by our phony repentance? (I’m sorry but…)
        2. Do you live by the slogan, “I shot an arrow into the air, where it lands I don’t know where!”
        3. I hope you target shoot – Practice makes perfect!
      12. Maximum Impact – Some arrow tips have explosive tips!!!(Sylvester Stallon example)
        1. James 3:5,6 “Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things...And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.”
    4. Vs.9 – Their Questions!
      1. There answer…”no coment on the grounds that might incinerate me!”
    5. Vs.10 – Their Land!
      1. Once their slogan for their Land was, “A Land of Milk & Honey”, now their new slogan …. “Got Milk?” {It was desolate}
    6. Vs.11 – Their City!
      1. Their City would become…a ghost town.
  4. No Assurance of Spiritual Understanding! (17-26)
    1. ​​​​​​​Vs.20 – Lament because your soon going to your own funeral.
    2. Vs.21 – Death is pictured as a thief who comes unhindered through the windows to steal precious lives.
    3. Vs.22 – (NIV) "This is what the LORD declares: "'The dead bodies of men will lie like refuse on the open field, like cut grain behind the reaper, with no one to gather them."
    4. Vs.23,24 – The Glitter(23) & the Gold(24)
    5. The Glitter! (23) {Minds, Might, or Money!}
      1. No amount of Education, Power, or Wealth (3 things the world depends upon & boasts about) can guarantee the blessings of God!
      2. Q: Have you ever felt embarrassed for a friend who was boasting about either of these 3, in front of someone much more wise, or powerful, or rich?
        1. How foolish it must sound to Him who rightfully Glory’s in His Omniscience, His Omnipotence, & who’s Riches are beyond compare?
        2. He not only owns the Cattle on a 1000 hills; but the very Hills they stand on; the Earth the hills rest upon; the Galaxy the earth belongs to, the Universe the galaxy belongs to,…etc.
    6. The Gold! (24){Kindness, Justice, & Righteousness}
      1. God doesn’t delight in a nation’s learning, Political influence, armies, nuclear armaments, oil wells, or their G.N.P. – He delights in a people who practice Kindness, Justice, & Righteousness because they know & fear God!
      2. Paul quotes Jeremiah in 1 Cor.1:31 "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."
      3. Note the 3 Fading glories of vs.23 & the Unfading one’s of vs.24.
    7. Knowing God = Eternal life!
      1. ​​​​​​​Jn.17:3 “"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”)
    8. Vs.26 – Their hearts were never circumcised!
      1. Their sacrament was only skin deep.
      2. Paul had to lose his religious righteousness in order to gain​​​​​​​ Christ(Phil. 3:1-11)
      3. “Externalism, the great snare of the good churchman in every age, has seldom been more cuttingly attacked; yet it lives on!”
Bibliographical Information
Bell, Brian. "Commentary on Jeremiah 9". "Bell's Commentary". https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/cbb/jeremiah-9.html. 2017.
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