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Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 5

JeremiahJer 4 JeremiahJer JeremiahJer 6

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Verses 1-31

INTRO:
1. Can you think of messages that were “acted out” in scripture?
  1. Jesus/washing feet; Agabus/warns Paul(Acts 21:10,11 “he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”) Jeremiah/Potters house (Jer.18:12 “"Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.")
  2. Here Jer. Is told to “act out” his message.
  3. This is the 1^st of about 10 “Action Sermons”.
    1. Quotes: “A good example is the best sermon.” Sir Thomas Fuller
      1. I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day!
      2. Mark Twain said, “Fewer things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.”
      3. Have you ever learned from an ant?but have you ever heard an ant talk?
  4. “Whenever people get so sp. dull that they can’t hear & understand God’s word, God graciously stoops to their level & dramatizes the message.” (www)
JEREMIAH SEEKS! (1-6)
1. vs.1 - Jeremiah was to conduct a search of all Jerusalem to see if he could find 1 rt. Person.
  1. God would then call off the invasion & forgive the wicked city!
  2. We have a game for this called, “Find the needle in a haystack!”
2. The background for this is where in scripture? Gen.18:22-33.
  1. 10 rt. Men could have saved Sodom, Gomorrah, & hand full of cities(Gen 18). 1 rt. Man…Lot, saved 1 city [when he went to Zoar](Gen.19:21). 1 man Jesus Christ saved the world (Heb.7:24,25 “He(Jesus) is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”)
  2. “Forgiving many for the Righteousness of one”…Sound familiar?
    1. Some righteousness is nec. as a ground for forgiveness.
  3. The righteous “Salt of the earth” are preserving by preventing complete corruption!
  4. Never under estimate the importance of One person living wholly for the Lord!
    1. Perhaps you could be that Righteous One in your home, job, school?
3. vs.2 - Saying 1 thing & doing another!
4. vs.3 - Ever meet one of these faces? Ever own one? - They refused to return!
5. vs.4,5 - All his hopes are dashed 1^st by the poor, then by the great.
  1. 4a - No one among the poor qualified. (usually the poor are more accepting of a relationship w/God)
  2. 4b - Their lack of religious education would surely excuse them.
  3. 5 - Then Jer. goes to the nobles & the leaders. They knew God’s commandments, but they threw off the Yoke & turned from the Law.
6. When the Survey was completed (survey says?) Not one person was found honest & truthful.
7. vs.6 - Only 1 thing left for God to do…He would allow the invaders, like marauding animals, to come in & destroy the people.
  1. If a beast of burden burst it’s yoke, & ran free,…but then ran into a Lion, a Wolf, & a Leopard…what kind of freedom would that be? (besides a short one!) (Bulgaria’s freedom! example)
2 QUESTIONS! (7-9)
1. God asks 2 questions (vs. 7,9)??
2. vs.7 - God “fed them to the full”, he “supplied all their needs”(NIV), Yet they used these gifts to commit sin(7b).
  1. The goodness of God should have brought them to repentance.(Rom.2:4) But they were ungrateful for His blessings.
3. vs.8 - Instead of acting like “men & women made in the image of God”, they became like “animals in heat”!
4. Just like society today, they worshipped sex & saw nothing wrong w/what they were doing….now read vs.9!
  1. An affair is often an attempt to find a little bit of paradise on the side, pursuing the belief that if one just finds the right sexual partner there will be instant happiness and everything will fall into place. An affair is often able to fulfill this myth until it itself becomes a relationship that has to be worked at and looked at in a long-term light. - Seen in this way"paradise" soon becomes a prison.
  2. Quote - Gary Hart Adultery(Bible Illustrator)
LIVING IN DENIAL! (10-19)
1. vs.10,11 - God allows the enemy to come & breach the fortress that He once protected them with!
2. vs.12,13 - The heart of the issue? They didn’t believe God’s Word!
  1. NIV - “He will do nothing!”
  2. They rejected God’s word (via the prophets) & called it just “wind”.
  3. So God called for a devastating judgment(vs.10,11).
3. vs.14 - This is only for judgment, this shouldn’t be our every day preaching style!
4. vs.18 - “Nevertheless” - Oh, how I love that word!
  1. He always spares a remnant! (see vs.10 also) In His judgment He remembers Mercy!
2 MORE QUESTIONS! (20-31)
1. 2 more questions in 22 & 31.
2. vs.20 - Jeremiah was told to announce boldly what the people were like.
  1. It must have angered them, but it sure didn’t shake them out of their complacency!
3. vs.21-23 - Jeremiah said they were: Foolish, senseless, blind, & deaf(21); & had no fear of God(22); were defiant, rebellious, they “revolted& departed” {NIV “they have turned aside and gone away”} (23).
4. vs.22a - I sat in a court room before, & I noticed I had a fear for the judge & his incredible power behind his desk, in his robe, w/his gavel of justice. Also, 1 criminal came & sat in the same court room, before the same judge & seemed to have no fear of this judge…till he was sentenced!
5. vs.22b - The mighty seas obey His rule - but His own people won’t.
  1. Obviously because they don’t see its Maker!
  2. Quote - C.S. Lewis “Lead us, Evolution, lead us Up the future’s endless stair:Chop us, change us, prod us, weed us, For stagnation is despair:Groping, guessing, yet progressing, Lead us…nobody knows where.”
6. Boundaries of the Sea remind us of God’s unfailing wisdom.
  1. Boundaries are not bad, but a safe thing! Beach front property owners know this!
  2. Here is this mass of water, always in motion, yet keeping its place.
    1. God wants us to do the same: stay in motion, & stay in our boundaries!
7. vs.24,25 - God sent the rains & harvests - But they refused to Thank Him!
8. vs.26,27a - Instead of encouraging one another to fear God, they exploited one another…like hunters snaring birds.
9. vs.27b,28 - So, the rich get richer & the poor poorer!
10. Let’s look into Satan’s tackle box & look at some of his lures:
  1. The Lure of Wealth(27b); another lure of being well fed & well groomed(28);
  2. Q: Have we swallowed some of these Lures of the enemy?
    1. Amazing Satan doesn’t use any new tricks - {Dan P. used same metal jig in a Baracuda boil/same spot kept striking at it/soon as it touched the surface.}
  3. Here’s 4 steps on “How Not to Bite”?
    1. [1] Look beyond the present “reward” to “the end”!
    2. [2] Expose others to their end! (it’s fresh reminder each time for ourselves)
    3. [3] Have the spirit of Neh. Who said, “but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.”(Neh.5:15)
    4. [4] To yield our heart & soul to the “Better Attraction” of Christ & His cross, till we say, “you are mine exceeding joy!”
11. vs.30,31 - The courts were corrupt(28); the prophets were liars; the Priests were rt. along w/them; & all the people approved what was done & enjoyed it(31)!
  1. They thought they were getting away w/it but God asked, “What will you do in the end?”
  2. The sad part is…it’s impossible to answer w/o ending up in the abyss!
12. Prov.14:12 “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”

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Verses 1-31

INTRO:
1. Can you think of messages that were “acted out” in scripture?
  1. Jesus/washing feet; Agabus/warns Paul(Acts 21:10,11 “he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”) Jeremiah/Potters house (Jer.18:12 “"Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.")
  2. Here Jer. Is told to “act out” his message.
  3. This is the 1^st of about 10 “Action Sermons”.
    1. Quotes: “A good example is the best sermon.” Sir Thomas Fuller
      1. I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day!
      2. Mark Twain said, “Fewer things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.”
      3. Have you ever learned from an ant?but have you ever heard an ant talk?
  4. “Whenever people get so sp. dull that they can’t hear & understand God’s word, God graciously stoops to their level & dramatizes the message.” (www)
JEREMIAH SEEKS! (1-6)
1. vs.1 - Jeremiah was to conduct a search of all Jerusalem to see if he could find 1 rt. Person.
  1. God would then call off the invasion & forgive the wicked city!
  2. We have a game for this called, “Find the needle in a haystack!”
2. The background for this is where in scripture? Gen.18:22-33.
  1. 10 rt. Men could have saved Sodom, Gomorrah, & hand full of cities(Gen 18). 1 rt. Man…Lot, saved 1 city [when he went to Zoar](Gen.19:21). 1 man Jesus Christ saved the world (Heb.7:24,25 “He(Jesus) is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”)
  2. “Forgiving many for the Righteousness of one”…Sound familiar?
    1. Some righteousness is nec. as a ground for forgiveness.
  3. The righteous “Salt of the earth” are preserving by preventing complete corruption!
  4. Never under estimate the importance of One person living wholly for the Lord!
    1. Perhaps you could be that Righteous One in your home, job, school?
3. vs.2 - Saying 1 thing & doing another!
4. vs.3 - Ever meet one of these faces? Ever own one? - They refused to return!
5. vs.4,5 - All his hopes are dashed 1^st by the poor, then by the great.
  1. 4a - No one among the poor qualified. (usually the poor are more accepting of a relationship w/God)
  2. 4b - Their lack of religious education would surely excuse them.
  3. 5 - Then Jer. goes to the nobles & the leaders. They knew God’s commandments, but they threw off the Yoke & turned from the Law.
6. When the Survey was completed (survey says?) Not one person was found honest & truthful.
7. vs.6 - Only 1 thing left for God to do…He would allow the invaders, like marauding animals, to come in & destroy the people.
  1. If a beast of burden burst it’s yoke, & ran free,…but then ran into a Lion, a Wolf, & a Leopard…what kind of freedom would that be? (besides a short one!) (Bulgaria’s freedom! example)
2 QUESTIONS! (7-9)
1. God asks 2 questions (vs. 7,9)??
2. vs.7 - God “fed them to the full”, he “supplied all their needs”(NIV), Yet they used these gifts to commit sin(7b).
  1. The goodness of God should have brought them to repentance.(Rom.2:4) But they were ungrateful for His blessings.
3. vs.8 - Instead of acting like “men & women made in the image of God”, they became like “animals in heat”!
4. Just like society today, they worshipped sex & saw nothing wrong w/what they were doing….now read vs.9!
  1. An affair is often an attempt to find a little bit of paradise on the side, pursuing the belief that if one just finds the right sexual partner there will be instant happiness and everything will fall into place. An affair is often able to fulfill this myth until it itself becomes a relationship that has to be worked at and looked at in a long-term light. - Seen in this way"paradise" soon becomes a prison.
  2. Quote - Gary Hart Adultery(Bible Illustrator)
LIVING IN DENIAL! (10-19)
1. vs.10,11 - God allows the enemy to come & breach the fortress that He once protected them with!
2. vs.12,13 - The heart of the issue? They didn’t believe God’s Word!
  1. NIV - “He will do nothing!”
  2. They rejected God’s word (via the prophets) & called it just “wind”.
  3. So God called for a devastating judgment(vs.10,11).
3. vs.14 - This is only for judgment, this shouldn’t be our every day preaching style!
4. vs.18 - “Nevertheless” - Oh, how I love that word!
  1. He always spares a remnant! (see vs.10 also) In His judgment He remembers Mercy!
2 MORE QUESTIONS! (20-31)
1. 2 more questions in 22 & 31.
2. vs.20 - Jeremiah was told to announce boldly what the people were like.
  1. It must have angered them, but it sure didn’t shake them out of their complacency!
3. vs.21-23 - Jeremiah said they were: Foolish, senseless, blind, & deaf(21); & had no fear of God(22); were defiant, rebellious, they “revolted& departed” {NIV “they have turned aside and gone away”} (23).
4. vs.22a - I sat in a court room before, & I noticed I had a fear for the judge & his incredible power behind his desk, in his robe, w/his gavel of justice. Also, 1 criminal came & sat in the same court room, before the same judge & seemed to have no fear of this judge…till he was sentenced!
5. vs.22b - The mighty seas obey His rule - but His own people won’t.
  1. Obviously because they don’t see its Maker!
  2. Quote - C.S. Lewis “Lead us, Evolution, lead us Up the future’s endless stair:Chop us, change us, prod us, weed us, For stagnation is despair:Groping, guessing, yet progressing, Lead us…nobody knows where.”
6. Boundaries of the Sea remind us of God’s unfailing wisdom.
  1. Boundaries are not bad, but a safe thing! Beach front property owners know this!
  2. Here is this mass of water, always in motion, yet keeping its place.
    1. God wants us to do the same: stay in motion, & stay in our boundaries!
7. vs.24,25 - God sent the rains & harvests - But they refused to Thank Him!
8. vs.26,27a - Instead of encouraging one another to fear God, they exploited one another…like hunters snaring birds.
9. vs.27b,28 - So, the rich get richer & the poor poorer!
10. Let’s look into Satan’s tackle box & look at some of his lures:
  1. The Lure of Wealth(27b); another lure of being well fed & well groomed(28);
  2. Q: Have we swallowed some of these Lures of the enemy?
    1. Amazing Satan doesn’t use any new tricks - {Dan P. used same metal jig in a Baracuda boil/same spot kept striking at it/soon as it touched the surface.}
  3. Here’s 4 steps on “How Not to Bite”?
    1. [1] Look beyond the present “reward” to “the end”!
    2. [2] Expose others to their end! (it’s fresh reminder each time for ourselves)
    3. [3] Have the spirit of Neh. Who said, “but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.”(Neh.5:15)
    4. [4] To yield our heart & soul to the “Better Attraction” of Christ & His cross, till we say, “you are mine exceeding joy!”
11. vs.30,31 - The courts were corrupt(28); the prophets were liars; the Priests were rt. along w/them; & all the people approved what was done & enjoyed it(31)!
  1. They thought they were getting away w/it but God asked, “What will you do in the end?”
  2. The sad part is…it’s impossible to answer w/o ending up in the abyss!
12. Prov.14:12 “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”

return to 'Top of Page'

JeremiahJer 4 JeremiahJer JeremiahJer 6

Copyright Statement
These files are the property of Brian Bell.
Text Courtesy of Calvary Chapel of Murrieta. Used by Permission.

Bibliographical Information
Bell, Brian. "Commentary on Jeremiah 5". "Bell's Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/cbb/jeremiah-5.html. 2017.

Bible CommentariesJeremiah 5

Bell's Commentary on the BibleBell's Commentary

Verses 1-31

Verses 1-31

Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 5