Jer 2:3 | KingComments | STEP | In this chapter we see Jeremiah in his public ministry. He has been dealing with God in secret in the previous chapter. Now he is ready to face the people openly. His first – recorded – speech to his people is certainly a very remarkable one for someone who has said: “I do not know how to speak, because I am a youth” ( ). It is difficult to find a portion of Scripture that surpasses this speech in sincere fervor and at the same time delicacy and eloquence. His first message to the people is that breaking the covenant is adultery. In this we hear the earnest plea of the offended and forgotten LORD. We hear His mercy and compassion for a guilty nation mixed with serious warnings of the terrible day that will come if they do not return to Him wholeheartedly. All together it is a speech that would even set stones in motion. But alas, we read of no response on the part of hardened, unwilling Judah. The word of the LORD comes to Jeremiah ( ). He is instructed to go to Jerusalem and proclaim in the ears of its inhabitants ( ). What he is to say is to be spoken clearly and not in a muffled voice, so that everyone will hear what he says. He is to begin with the penetrating words “thus says the LORD”. The words he proclaims come from Him; they are not his own words. It is not only important to know to be sent, but also to know what is to be said. God determines both the mission and the content of the message. The LORD does not begin with reproach. He begins by reminding His people that they loved Him at the beginning of their existence as a people. They demonstrated this by following Him in the wilderness after their deliverance from Egypt. The LORD calls that period of time when they follow Him “the love of your betrothals”. It are days when everything is still so new and fresh (cf. ; ). They follow Him on the way to the promised land. It is also reminiscent of Rebekah, who follows Abraham’s servant through the wilderness on the way to Isaac, her bridegroom ( ). The LORD here ignores the unfaithfulness they also showed during their journey through the wilderness. It is with it as with the words of the Lord Jesus to His disciples, when He says to them: “You are those who have stood by Me in My trials” ( ). He says this, despite the fact that they also showed their failure and He had to rebuke them several times. It is “a land not sown”. It shows the barrenness of the land, which yields nothing to live on. In the spiritual application, we see that for one who has come to repentance, the world has become like a wilderness where there is no spiritual food for faith. For the people, it means that they are completely dependent on the LORD and are sustained by Him. They do not have to sow nor wait for the seed to come up. He provides their food every day, for He rains manna from heaven into the camp every day ( ). This is how the LORD first thinks back to them and puts it before them. He can see His people in this way because He has made them a “holy” people, that is, He has set them apart from the other nations, to be to Him His own people ( ). This was particularly expressed through the service in the tabernacle in the midst of their camp. Jeremiah reminds the people here, as it were, that they began in the Spirit, while they are in the process of being perfected by the flesh ( ). This people is “the first of His harvest”, meaning that they are His special property above the other nations who are also all His property. They are the first people to worship the true God (cf. ). They are “the distinguished men of the foremost of nations” ( ). In the realm of peace, He will also be in connection with all the nations – indeed through Israel – who will also all worship Him. With Israel He has a special relationship. When other nations want to feast on His people, He stands up for His people and brings calamity upon them. We see this, for example, when Joshua defeats Amalek, while Moses makes intercession on the mountain ( ). The first fruits are the special portion for the LORD; others may not eat of them. Those who do so violate their soul. Mischief will befall them. We, believers of the church, are called “a kind of first fruits among His creatures” ( ). This is because we already partake of the new life, which all who partake of the re-creation of heaven and earth will possess ( ), which is the realm of peace. The remembrance of their past, where they are in that early love relationship with the LORD and He cares for them in an impressive way, is the starting point. That should make Jerusalem’s heart soft and receptive to the coming admonitions and threats (cf. ). The Lord also repeatedly has to remind us of our first love, because our love for Him regularly fades or even disappears ( ; ).

‏ Jeremiah 2:3

Introduction

In this chapter we see Jeremiah in his public ministry. He has been dealing with God in secret in the previous chapter. Now he is ready to face the people openly. His first – recorded – speech to his people is certainly a very remarkable one for someone who has said: “I do not know how to speak, because I am a youth” (Jer 1:6). It is difficult to find a portion of Scripture that surpasses this speech in sincere fervor and at the same time delicacy and eloquence.

His first message to the people is that breaking the covenant is adultery. In this we hear the earnest plea of the offended and forgotten LORD. We hear His mercy and compassion for a guilty nation mixed with serious warnings of the terrible day that will come if they do not return to Him wholeheartedly. All together it is a speech that would even set stones in motion. But alas, we read of no response on the part of hardened, unwilling Judah.

Remembrance of the LORD

The word of the LORD comes to Jeremiah (Jer 2:1). He is instructed to go to Jerusalem and proclaim in the ears of its inhabitants (Jer 2:2). What he is to say is to be spoken clearly and not in a muffled voice, so that everyone will hear what he says. He is to begin with the penetrating words “thus says the LORD”. The words he proclaims come from Him; they are not his own words. It is not only important to know to be sent, but also to know what is to be said. God determines both the mission and the content of the message.

The LORD does not begin with reproach. He begins by reminding His people that they loved Him at the beginning of their existence as a people. They demonstrated this by following Him in the wilderness after their deliverance from Egypt. The LORD calls that period of time when they follow Him “the love of your betrothals”. It are days when everything is still so new and fresh (cf. Hos 11:1; Eze 16:8a). They follow Him on the way to the promised land. It is also reminiscent of Rebekah, who follows Abraham’s servant through the wilderness on the way to Isaac, her bridegroom (Gen 24:61).

The LORD here ignores the unfaithfulness they also showed during their journey through the wilderness. It is with it as with the words of the Lord Jesus to His disciples, when He says to them: “You are those who have stood by Me in My trials” (Lk 22:28). He says this, despite the fact that they also showed their failure and He had to rebuke them several times.

It is “a land not sown”. It shows the barrenness of the land, which yields nothing to live on. In the spiritual application, we see that for one who has come to repentance, the world has become like a wilderness where there is no spiritual food for faith. For the people, it means that they are completely dependent on the LORD and are sustained by Him. They do not have to sow nor wait for the seed to come up. He provides their food every day, for He rains manna from heaven into the camp every day (Exo 16:13-21).

This is how the LORD first thinks back to them and puts it before them. He can see His people in this way because He has made them a “holy” people, that is, He has set them apart from the other nations, to be to Him His own people (Jer 2:3). This was particularly expressed through the service in the tabernacle in the midst of their camp. Jeremiah reminds the people here, as it were, that they began in the Spirit, while they are in the process of being perfected by the flesh (Gal 3:3).

This people is “the first of His harvest”, meaning that they are His special property above the other nations who are also all His property. They are the first people to worship the true God (cf. Exo 19:5-6). They are “the distinguished men of the foremost of nations” (Amos 6:1b). In the realm of peace, He will also be in connection with all the nations – indeed through Israel – who will also all worship Him.

With Israel He has a special relationship. When other nations want to feast on His people, He stands up for His people and brings calamity upon them. We see this, for example, when Joshua defeats Amalek, while Moses makes intercession on the mountain (Exo 17:8-16). The first fruits are the special portion for the LORD; others may not eat of them. Those who do so violate their soul. Mischief will befall them.

We, believers of the church, are called “a kind of first fruits among His creatures” (Jam 1:18). This is because we already partake of the new life, which all who partake of the re-creation of heaven and earth will possess (Isa 65:17a), which is the realm of peace.

The remembrance of their past, where they are in that early love relationship with the LORD and He cares for them in an impressive way, is the starting point. That should make Jerusalem’s heart soft and receptive to the coming admonitions and threats (cf. Jude 1:5). The Lord also repeatedly has to remind us of our first love, because our love for Him regularly fades or even disappears (2Cor 11:2-3; Rev 2:4-5).