Jer 11:12 | KingComments | STEP | A new word from the LORD comes to Jeremiah ( ). The LORD instructs him to “hear the words of this covenant”. By this He refers to His covenant that He gave His people after their exodus from Egypt at Sinai ( ; ). Jeremiah must first listen to this himself. Then he is to address the word to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem ( ). This is the order of God. If He wants us to say something to His people, we can only do so if we have first listened to Him ourselves. When we think of the call to listen to the covenant, we need not think only of the giving of the law at Sinai. The people had also recently renewed the covenant during the revival under King Josiah ( ). Jeremiah is to pronounce the curse on behalf of “the LORD, the God of Israel” on anyone who does not heed the words of the covenant ( ; cf. ; ). These powerful words should bring the people to an inward turn. The revival of Josiah only produced an outward return among the people and not an inward one. Therefore, Jeremiah must remind the people of what the LORD commanded their fathers when He brought them out “from the iron furnace” of Egypt ( ; ; ). The “iron furnace” emphasizes the horrors they suffered there. After their exodus, He urged them to listen to His voice. This means that they should do all the words that He commanded. If they did, they should be His people and He would be their God (cf. ). Their connection to Him, and His recognition of them, is dependent on their obedience. If they were obedient, He would keep the oath He swore to their fathers to give the people “a land flowing with milk and honey” ( ; ). The LORD has brought them there, as they see for themselves, but they have been unfaithful time after time. Therefore, the overflowing riches of the land disappeared. That, too, is the result of what the LORD swore if they were unfaithful. At the time, the whole people answered the curse time and again with “amen” ( ). Here the uttering of “amen” is done by just one man, Jeremiah: “Then I said, “Amen, O LORD.”” There must have been more faithful ones then too, but we only hear it from this one man. It is reminiscent of the days of Elijah who also stood up for the rights of the LORD as a loner, yet there were also seven thousand who did not bow their knees to Baal ( ). But where are they? In connection to the command to proclaim and what he should proclaim, the LORD tells Jeremiah to go out now ( ). He is to go and proclaim all the words the LORD has told him in Judah and Jerusalem, calling them to obedience to the covenant. Once again the LORD offers the opportunity to hear the words of this covenant and to do what it says. Jeremiah should add, as an additional exhortation, that the LORD had already warned their fathers severely from the day He brought them up from the land of Egypt ( ). He has continued to do so over and over again, “even to this day”, that is, the day He gives the command to Jeremiah. Again and again, persistently, continually He has called them to listen to His voice ( ). Unceasingly, He has labored to get them to listen to Him and obey His words. His concern to reach their hearts to bless them is impressive. Therefore, it is not because of Him that they did not listen ( ). They have not even inclined their ear to hear some of His words. They chose to continue in acting according to their stubborn, evil heart. When a person rejects the Lord’s abundant efforts to turn him from his evil ways, it means that he himself is hardening his heart. Because they have shown this hardening, the judgments have come on them. With “all the words of this covenant” which the LORD has brought upon them, the judgments of the covenant are meant in this context. The LORD is faithful to His covenant, both where blessing is involved in obedience and where judgment is involved in disobedience. Their whole history in the land testifies to their unfaithfulness. It must be said that “they did not” do the words of the covenant to obey the LORD. The judgments that the LORD has had to bring are entirely their own fault. We are tempted to trust that God is like the modern, indulgent parents who do not punish their children when they disobey. A small reprimand perhaps, but still no harsh disciplinary measures. We are very much mistaken if we think that God is like that. Discipline will surely come if, despite many admonitions, we persist in doing what is evil in His sight. The LORD informs Jeremiah of “a conspiracy” that He has discovered among the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem ( ). This indicates a secret, organized opposition to Josiah’s reforms. They swore not to keep the renewed covenant and to return to a life of serving idols ( ). We can apply that to the effort to bring God’s people back to the idolatry of Rome. It is a conspiracy of the powers of darkness. The covenant breaking applies to both northern Israel and southern Judah. The LORD speaks of “My covenant”. That is what makes its breaking so bad. The covenant breaking has happened knowingly and is directed against Him. His judgment will come upon it, a calamity from which there will be no escape ( ). No matter how severe it will be, the most severe thing is that He will not answer their cry to Him ( ). The LORD does not listen to those who deliberately disobey and remain disobedient ( ). Such people do want to be saved, but only out of misery, only to continue with their ungodly lives. Then, if the LORD does not answer, they will resort to their idols ( ). They have honored those gods with their incense offerings. Surely those will help them. But surely those will not be able to help them, despite the fact that they have a huge number of idols ( ; ; ). No matter how many zeros are put in a row, the total number remains zero. Once again Jeremiah is forbidden to pray for the people ( ; ). It does show how hopeless the condition of the people is when the LORD forbids intercession for them. He has given them over to their wrong thinking and they will eat the fruit of their own actions.

‏ Jeremiah 11:12

The Breaking of the Covenant

A new word from the LORD comes to Jeremiah (Jer 11:1). The LORD instructs him to “hear the words of this covenant”. By this He refers to His covenant that He gave His people after their exodus from Egypt at Sinai (Exo 19:5-6 ; Exo 24:7; Deu 29:1). Jeremiah must first listen to this himself. Then he is to address the word to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Jer 11:2). This is the order of God. If He wants us to say something to His people, we can only do so if we have first listened to Him ourselves.

When we think of the call to listen to the covenant, we need not think only of the giving of the law at Sinai. The people had also recently renewed the covenant during the revival under King Josiah (2Chr 34:19 ; 31-32). Jeremiah is to pronounce the curse on behalf of “the LORD, the God of Israel” on anyone who does not heed the words of the covenant (Jer 11:3; cf. Gal 3:10; Deu 28:15-20). These powerful words should bring the people to an inward turn.

The revival of Josiah only produced an outward return among the people and not an inward one. Therefore, Jeremiah must remind the people of what the LORD commanded their fathers when He brought them out “from the iron furnace” of Egypt (Jer 11:4; Deu 4:20; 1Kgs 8:51). The “iron furnace” emphasizes the horrors they suffered there. After their exodus, He urged them to listen to His voice. This means that they should do all the words that He commanded. If they did, they should be His people and He would be their God (cf. Jer 7:23 ; Jer 24:7 ; Jer 32:38). Their connection to Him, and His recognition of them, is dependent on their obedience.

If they were obedient, He would keep the oath He swore to their fathers to give the people “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Jer 11:5; Exo 3:8). The LORD has brought them there, as they see for themselves, but they have been unfaithful time after time. Therefore, the overflowing riches of the land disappeared. That, too, is the result of what the LORD swore if they were unfaithful.

At the time, the whole people answered the curse time and again with “amen” (Deu 27:15-26). Here the uttering of “amen” is done by just one man, Jeremiah: “Then I said, “Amen, O LORD.”” There must have been more faithful ones then too, but we only hear it from this one man. It is reminiscent of the days of Elijah who also stood up for the rights of the LORD as a loner, yet there were also seven thousand who did not bow their knees to Baal (1Kgs 19:18). But where are they?

In connection to the command to proclaim and what he should proclaim, the LORD tells Jeremiah to go out now (Jer 11:6). He is to go and proclaim all the words the LORD has told him in Judah and Jerusalem, calling them to obedience to the covenant. Once again the LORD offers the opportunity to hear the words of this covenant and to do what it says.

Jeremiah should add, as an additional exhortation, that the LORD had already warned their fathers severely from the day He brought them up from the land of Egypt (Jer 11:7). He has continued to do so over and over again, “even to this day”, that is, the day He gives the command to Jeremiah. Again and again, persistently, continually He has called them to listen to His voice (Jer 7:13 ; 25). Unceasingly, He has labored to get them to listen to Him and obey His words. His concern to reach their hearts to bless them is impressive.

Therefore, it is not because of Him that they did not listen (Jer 11:8). They have not even inclined their ear to hear some of His words. They chose to continue in acting according to their stubborn, evil heart. When a person rejects the Lord’s abundant efforts to turn him from his evil ways, it means that he himself is hardening his heart. Because they have shown this hardening, the judgments have come on them.

With “all the words of this covenant” which the LORD has brought upon them, the judgments of the covenant are meant in this context. The LORD is faithful to His covenant, both where blessing is involved in obedience and where judgment is involved in disobedience. Their whole history in the land testifies to their unfaithfulness. It must be said that “they did not” do the words of the covenant to obey the LORD. The judgments that the LORD has had to bring are entirely their own fault.

We are tempted to trust that God is like the modern, indulgent parents who do not punish their children when they disobey. A small reprimand perhaps, but still no harsh disciplinary measures. We are very much mistaken if we think that God is like that. Discipline will surely come if, despite many admonitions, we persist in doing what is evil in His sight.

The LORD informs Jeremiah of “a conspiracy” that He has discovered among the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Jer 11:9). This indicates a secret, organized opposition to Josiah’s reforms. They swore not to keep the renewed covenant and to return to a life of serving idols (Jer 11:10). We can apply that to the effort to bring God’s people back to the idolatry of Rome. It is a conspiracy of the powers of darkness.

The covenant breaking applies to both northern Israel and southern Judah. The LORD speaks of “My covenant”. That is what makes its breaking so bad. The covenant breaking has happened knowingly and is directed against Him. His judgment will come upon it, a calamity from which there will be no escape (Jer 11:11). No matter how severe it will be, the most severe thing is that He will not answer their cry to Him (Jer 7:16). The LORD does not listen to those who deliberately disobey and remain disobedient (Pro 1:28-29). Such people do want to be saved, but only out of misery, only to continue with their ungodly lives.

Then, if the LORD does not answer, they will resort to their idols (Jer 11:12). They have honored those gods with their incense offerings. Surely those will help them. But surely those will not be able to help them, despite the fact that they have a huge number of idols (Jer 11:13; Jer 2:28; Deu 32:37). No matter how many zeros are put in a row, the total number remains zero.

Once again Jeremiah is forbidden to pray for the people (Jer 11:14; Jer 7:16). It does show how hopeless the condition of the people is when the LORD forbids intercession for them. He has given them over to their wrong thinking and they will eat the fruit of their own actions.