Scripture Text (NRSV)
Jeremiah 2:4-13
2:4 Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of
Israel.
2:5 Thus says the LORD: What wrong did your ancestors find in me that they went far
from me, and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves?
2:6 They did not say, "Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep
darkness, in a land that no one passes through, where no one lives?"
2:7 I brought you into a plentiful land to eat its fruits and its good things. But when
you entered you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.
2:8 The priests did not say, "Where is the LORD?" Those who handle the law
did not know me; the rulers transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal, and
went after things that do not profit.
2:9 Therefore once more I accuse you, says the LORD, and I accuse your children's
children.
2:10 Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar and examine with care; see
if there has ever been such a thing.
2:11 Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have
changed their glory for something that does not profit.
2:12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this, be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the LORD,
2:13 for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of
living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no
water.
Comments:
God, who has remained faithful despite Israel's rebellion, calls upon the heavenly council to witness the incredible foolishness of a people who, under the flawed leadership of priests, rulers, and prophets, willingly abandon God's life-giving water for leaky cisterns in the wilderness.
The prophet's words show Yahweh relating to Israel in the way humans would understand. From last week's Jeremiah pericope, we can see that Jeremiah knew the words he spoke were put there from Yahweh. Yahweh asked why had Israel left the One who lead them out of slavery? It is a question that I think we need to ask ourselves? Wwhen are we turning away from th one who has known us before we were born?
Shalom
bammamma
I can not read this without feeling the pain of Yahweh, the pain of a scorned lover. (Shades of Hosea?) Reading just outside of the pericope: vs.1-the devotion of your youth, as a bride you loved me, vs.6,8 no one asked "Where is the Lord?" vs. 13 sins of forsaking and infidelity, vs. 23, 24, 25, 33, same thing. I agree with bammamma, this is relating to us in a way that we can understand. Who doesn't feel the pain of a scorned lover, the type of deep pain we inflict upon the Lord when we turn away. Does this enhance or detract from the judgement tones that we would expect to preach from this pericope?
Jon in Kazoo
Jer. 2: 8 reminds me of the coach who got up at the press conference and said, "Let me be very clear: the game we lost today was a total team effort!"
Today, same things can happen to churches (countries?):
RULERS--forge unholy alliances in order to pad their own power and save their own political (physical?) skins
PROPHETS--preach a pollyanna gospel that simply soothes ruffled egos and smooths rough edges and never really cuts to the heart
PRIESTS--opt for modular spirituality, sort of stacking idolatries together like Lego blocks
The net result is the same: the people's hearts are turned away from the only source of life. And there is no middle ground--to turn from God is to turn to idols. The sin is double: forsaking "living water" and embracing "leaky wells."
There is hope: memory of God's faithfulness and repentance which leads to God's forgiveness.
TK in OK
God asks, Where did I go wrong that you are not following me? Though Jeremiah succeeds in making God seem more human, closer, at the same time the question is unfair. It isn’t that God does something wrong, but that humankind lacks the discipline to follow God. It is not easy to walk in the way of the Lord, and we are easily distracted. Jeremiah asks us to look at other nations. Have they ever changed gods? The answer is supposedly no, but that is not true. Cyprus and Kedar also have people who are easily distracted and look to money as if it were a god. We are not unique in losing our way in spiritual zeal. Rev. Karen in Ontario
Some 9,000 + bicycle riders mounted up this morning in a bit of rain, a bit of wind, for a good ride to finish the Hotter 'n' Hell Bicycle race. Tomorrow morning we can expect somewhat less in the pews.
"What fault did your fathers..." Every Sunday on the path to Church, I drive by the MPEC center and hundreds of people searching for weekend activities are gathered putting their time and energy in leaky cisterns. We need a revival! We need to search for "living water" NDN from Texas
Since it is Labor Day Sunday, I picked up on the last portion of this passage where it
speaks of people digging their own cisterns.
Thought of maybe challenging my congregation to examine what they truly labor
at...digging their own cisterns or seeking the fountain of Living Water.
David
It seems that all four readings (even the psalm) lead to the idea that following in
God's ways lead to happiness, and that turning from God leads to sorrow both for us and
for God. Jeremiah speaks of the bounty that was offered- and rejected. Hebrews and Luke
talk about the blessings that are available to us when we follow a way of humility,
hospitality, compassion, thankfulness, and faith. I'll be turning to Jean Vanier for help,
I think, re-reading "becoming human". Nay-oh-mee in ON
