Jer 2:26 | KingComments | STEP | The time will come when the people will be shamed because of the conduct of their political and spiritual leaders ( ). It is compared to a thief who is caught. Someone who breaks in somewhere and is then caught is deeply shamed. In the same way, the house of Israel will be shamed when they will be confronted with their repulsive behavior. It is not shame for their shameless behavior, but because they have been discovered. They rely on wood and stone as their conceivers and caretakers ( ). Attributing life-giving and life-sustaining properties to inanimate matter goes one step further than idolatry itself. The latter is setting a creature above the Creator. On top of that to ascribe their very existence to those dead idols is an unprecedented contempt of the LORD. They thereby turn their backs on Him as a symbol of the proud stubbornness with which they put Him aside and serve the idols. However, when times of trouble come, they cry out to the LORD, if only He will arise and deliver them. But then He will refer them to their own gods ( ; cf. ). They will have to deliver them. They have such a good relationship with them, they take such good care of them, don’t they? And they are not a few either. They can be found throughout the land. The land is full of them, so to speak. Surely these countless gods must be able to help them.

‏ Jeremiah 2:26

Let Israel’s Idols Redeem Them

The time will come when the people will be shamed because of the conduct of their political and spiritual leaders (Jer 2:26). It is compared to a thief who is caught. Someone who breaks in somewhere and is then caught is deeply shamed. In the same way, the house of Israel will be shamed when they will be confronted with their repulsive behavior. It is not shame for their shameless behavior, but because they have been discovered.

They rely on wood and stone as their conceivers and caretakers (Jer 2:27). Attributing life-giving and life-sustaining properties to inanimate matter goes one step further than idolatry itself. The latter is setting a creature above the Creator. On top of that to ascribe their very existence to those dead idols is an unprecedented contempt of the LORD. They thereby turn their backs on Him as a symbol of the proud stubbornness with which they put Him aside and serve the idols.

However, when times of trouble come, they cry out to the LORD, if only He will arise and deliver them. But then He will refer them to their own gods (Jer 2:28; cf. Jdg 10:14). They will have to deliver them. They have such a good relationship with them, they take such good care of them, don’t they? And they are not a few either. They can be found throughout the land. The land is full of them, so to speak. Surely these countless gods must be able to help them.