Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Wednesday December 8, 2010

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Judgment

Jeremiah 9:1-26

1  It is one thing to weep over one's own judgment/destruction - as did Cain over his judgment and Esau's over his.  It is another thing to weep over one's own sin – as did Peter after he denied Jesus.  Jeremiah goes beyond this to weep over the sins of the people and further still to weep over their judgment.   

J has a broken heart.  All God wants is a broken heart.

A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.  Psalm. 51:17

Everything else in Judah is broken except their hearts.  They had broken God’s law/one another with their violence and indifference/ their own lives – the one thing that wasn’t broken was their heart.  You only work right when you are broken.  

This chapter describing judgment is written in tears by J.  This is the way to speak of judgment – in tears.  God takes no delight in the death of the wicked and neither should we.  Hell is a reality and when we speak of it there should be tears in the tone of our voice.  

Why the judgment?

2  Adulterers - God was Judah’s husband, but Judah was an unfaithful wife.  Adulterate: debase by adding inferior material.  I once diluted grape juice w/ water – didn’t have the same flavor.

Treacherous – does not honor an agreement.  Sign contract/not deliver

3  Their words are arrows

From evil to evil – sounds like the days of the flood

4   Don’t trust your brother, for your brother is a Jacob (craftily).  Everybody has an agenda that they are hiding from you.   

5-6   It’s no longer the law of the Lord, it’s the law of the jungle.  Every man is out for himself.  No one is living by the rules.  The sense of community has broken down for where there is no truth there can be no trust, and where there is no trust, there is no community.  Again, it looks like the days of the flood when the Lord would come and sweep them away.

What is the law of the jungle?

    * You have something I want and so I will try and take it from you.
    * I have something you want and so you will try and take it from me.
    * There is something we both want and so we will fight over it.

The law of the jungle is not about right, but might.  The law of the jungle is about deceit and not about the truth. Politics today is more about the law of the jungle than the rule of law.   

Let's face it, politics is largely the art of deception, and political rhetoric is largely the art of misstating issues.  Thomas Sowell GOPUSA (12.7.10)

8-9  More of the same

12-14  The reason for the judgment upon the nation is so simple – a five year old could understand it because it’s the same reason they get in trouble.  They broke the rules and then when Mom called them, they didn’t answer or disobeyed further.   

They have forsaken My law (law)

They have not obeyed My voice (prophets)

They had the mind of God written/spoken.  God’s will is not only written, it is being spoken by His servants.  I so enjoy a good Bible study or sermon where the bread of God’s Word is being broken and distributed.  And I wait for the living voice of God in these times.  Hearing a sermon is like listening to a duet – the preacher/Spirit…

25-26  Uncircumcision of heart – their hearts weren’t broken b4 the Lord but just like all the surrounding nations.

What is the judgment?

10-11   The place of promise holds promise no more.  Living on the edge has left you hanging from the cliff.  Living in the fast lane has landed you in the ditch.  Flying high has brought u2a crash landing.  Where there used 2b life, there is now death.  The promise/ potential of your life as God intended is put on hold.   

15-16  This is a reversal of the Exodus – God is not watering them and He is sending them back n2 the nations.  

Reaction to the judgment

17-22   We have left the land…How we are ruined, how we are put to shame…  They realized that they were no longer living in the place of promise.  The realization of judgment is beginning to dawn on them.  We ask ourselves the question: “Why isn’t God doing what He once did?” Like Isaiah asks in C63 why are his compassions toward me restrained?     

They began to realize that being in a foreign land put them outside the place of promise.  How can we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? Ps. 137:4   

What is the purpose for the judgment?

7  Refine and assay

What you are determines what God does.  In a very real way, you determine God’s agenda w/ you.  You do the same thing w/ your children.  Why would I spend time getting after my son to clean his room when his room is clean?  We can spend time on other things.  But if his room isn’t clean, we have to spend time on that and not move on.  When the basic things are left undone, the deeper things are left undone.

I’ve told you b4 how the Lord had to deal w/ my undisciplined spirit.  God will deal w/ you in the area of faith/ finances/love of people/obedience in the secret place of your heart

16  Annihilate them.  This is brutal, but remember, J is weeping.

23-24   What God would bring them to…

Here the sun escapes from behind the cloud cover and there is a revelation of what the Lord truly delights in.  God is looking for one who knows/understands Him – that He seeks to bestow mercy/ bring about justice/establish righteousness on the earth.  God delights in these things and seeks someone who delights in these things, also.  Not, “Look at my wisdom/might/riches.”  But, “Look at my God.”  The nation of Judah reflected exactly the opposite of God’s heart – no mercy/injustice/unrighteousness – no brokenness of heart.

Boast – hallal: to praise.  These are praising their might/riches/ wisdom.  It’s not hallelujah, it’s hallelume.  The purpose for the judgment is to bring them to say hallelujah!