· A message that connects the grace of God with the things of the world is a call to spiritual adultery (23:14). The LORD had heard this message preached in Samaria in the call to worship Baal (23:13). Now He was hearing it in the prophets of Jerusalem (23:14). Because of their “profane” message, “profaneness” had gone out into all the land (23:15). Thus, the people were worthless (23:16; i.e. the call to ordinary religion made the worshipers ordinary, of no special value to the LORD that He should save them.
· 23:16-17: Where did this message come from? They speak a vision of their own heart. The prophets were speaking out of their own sinful hearts. To whom was this message given? To those who despise Me … to everyone who walks according to the dictates of their own hearts. Everyone agreed with them because everyone had the same sinful hearts.
o This is the fallacy of the “seeker-sensitive” message that is often preached in evangelical pulpits. In an attempt to “build a bridge” to the unbeliever the messenger (prophet; every person needs someone to preach the gospel to them, Rom. 10:14) adapts his message so as not to offend the unbeliever. The problem is that the message of the gospel is ALWAYS offensive to unbelievers (1 Cor. 1:22-24). There must be a call to repentance when the call to faith is preached. There is no possibility of one without the other. But that is what is offensive to unbelievers. The Jews want you to give them something powerful, a sign, that fits their concept of what the Savior is like. The Greeks want you to add to their wisdom. Again, the problem is that to the Jews, the “Jesus concept of the Savior” is a stumbling block. The “Jesus philosophy of the Savior” is foolish to sophists. So they get offended at Jesus. The problem is, of course, is that Jesus is the only Savior in whom they can be saved. Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men (1 Cor. 1:24b-25). If you adapt your message and give people what they want, you will give them hell!
· 23:18-20: In Jeremiah’s day the message of “peace, peace” fit better with the people’s ideas about God’s promises. They knew they were the chosen nation, descendants of Abraham, citizens under the rule of the Davidic king, worshipers at the temple of Solomon where God said He would dwell with Israel. To them it was inconceivable that God would remove them from the land, subject them to the kings of the nations, and permit “His house” to be destroyed. The true message through Jeremiah was that the LORD was angry and would not stop until all those “privileges” were taken away from the people of Judah. All the LORD could say was, In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.
o Paul preached a similar message to Israel, one that acknowledged their privileges (Rom. 9:1-5) but which also preached their rejection (Rom. 9:14-29). As the prophets before him, so Paul acknowledged there would always be a purpose (9:19-24), a remnant (9:25-29), and that the rejection was temporary (11:25-32). Eventually, “in the latter days,” all Israel would be saved. This is evidence of the amazing wisdom of God that renders foolish the wise of the world (11:33-36).
God will always keep His word. Jeremiah and Paul preached the word of God. Even if it didn’t make sense to the wisdom of those who heard, those people needed to trust in the word of God, or be lost!
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