Jer 11:15 | KingComments | STEP | In the midst of all the iniquity He enumerates, the LORD nevertheless speaks of His people as “My beloved” ( ). This is evident from all the care He has taken of them. It actually makes their sins intolerable to Him because they commit them as His beloved. How did they come up with the idea to do “many vile deeds” in His house? This refers to the abominable idolatry they commit en masse in His house. He does not hate them (or us), but their (or our) sins. Their behavior in His house is repugnant to Him (cf. ). The reproach that “the sacrificial flesh takes away from you your disaster” refers to the futility of their sacrifices to the LORD. They bring the flesh into the sanctuary, into the temple, but they bring it with a corrupt heart, in an evil mind. The thought is that their sacrificial flesh does not make them pleasing to God. It does not cause Him to assert Himself in favor of them before their enemies, but He turns Himself away from them and gives them over to the enemies. They take the greatest pleasure in doing evil and doing it in His house, in His presence. It betrays total insensitivity to Who He is. We can be pleasing to God only if we are faithful to the instructions of His Word. All our sacrifices are worthless and reprehensible to Him if we neglect His Word. The LORD has made His people “a green olive tree” with beautiful, shapely fruit ( ; cf. ; ). That is how He has called Israel. In giving them that name, He has wanted to give them the consciousness that He is their origin and that they are there for Him. He has made His people prosperous and wealthy and given them many privileges, that they might enjoy them. Above all, it has been His intention that He should enjoy them, both from the sight and the fruit of them. We may well pray that as His church on earth we may respond to His purpose for us. But now He must burn and break up that tree with great tumult ( ), which He will do by calling Babylon against them. The “the noise of a great tumult” is the warfare with which Nebuchadnezzar’s armies will invade Judah. They will kindle a devastating fire. As a result, the branches of the trees are broken. The tree, however, remains standing. The LORD does not make a final end of His people. Though the LORD has planted His people, He will bring evil upon them ( ). He will do so as “the LORD of hosts”, as the One Who has power over all the armies in heaven and on earth. He has had to pronounce evil against those whom He Himself has planted, because of the evil they have done and thereby pronounced upon themselves. Here again northern Israel and southern Judah are mentioned separately ( ). Both houses brought Him to wrath by offering their abominable incense sacrifices to Baal.

‏ Jeremiah 11:15

Their Sacrifices Are Reprehensible

In the midst of all the iniquity He enumerates, the LORD nevertheless speaks of His people as “My beloved” (Jer 11:15). This is evident from all the care He has taken of them. It actually makes their sins intolerable to Him because they commit them as His beloved. How did they come up with the idea to do “many vile deeds” in His house? This refers to the abominable idolatry they commit en masse in His house.

He does not hate them (or us), but their (or our) sins. Their behavior in His house is repugnant to Him (cf. Isa 1:11-12). The reproach that “the sacrificial flesh takes away from you your disaster” refers to the futility of their sacrifices to the LORD. They bring the flesh into the sanctuary, into the temple, but they bring it with a corrupt heart, in an evil mind. The thought is that their sacrificial flesh does not make them pleasing to God. It does not cause Him to assert Himself in favor of them before their enemies, but He turns Himself away from them and gives them over to the enemies.

They take the greatest pleasure in doing evil and doing it in His house, in His presence. It betrays total insensitivity to Who He is. We can be pleasing to God only if we are faithful to the instructions of His Word. All our sacrifices are worthless and reprehensible to Him if we neglect His Word.

The LORD has made His people “a green olive tree” with beautiful, shapely fruit (Jer 11:16a; cf. Psa 52:8; Hos 14:6). That is how He has called Israel. In giving them that name, He has wanted to give them the consciousness that He is their origin and that they are there for Him. He has made His people prosperous and wealthy and given them many privileges, that they might enjoy them. Above all, it has been His intention that He should enjoy them, both from the sight and the fruit of them. We may well pray that as His church on earth we may respond to His purpose for us.

But now He must burn and break up that tree with great tumult (Jer 11:16b), which He will do by calling Babylon against them. The “the noise of a great tumult” is the warfare with which Nebuchadnezzar’s armies will invade Judah. They will kindle a devastating fire. As a result, the branches of the trees are broken. The tree, however, remains standing. The LORD does not make a final end of His people.

Though the LORD has planted His people, He will bring evil upon them (Jer 11:17). He will do so as “the LORD of hosts”, as the One Who has power over all the armies in heaven and on earth. He has had to pronounce evil against those whom He Himself has planted, because of the evil they have done and thereby pronounced upon themselves. Here again northern Israel and southern Judah are mentioned separately (Jer 11:10). Both houses brought Him to wrath by offering their abominable incense sacrifices to Baal.