Jeremiah 9

Today’s passage begins by asking, “Who is the wise man who may understand this?”  The prophets and priests claimed to be wise (8:8).  Yet their wisdom contradicted the wisdom of God.  They claimed Judah would not be forsaken by God, and that because of the temple in Jerusalem God would bring them peace.
God’s wisdom led to the conclusion that Judah would be judged for their sin.  They forsook His law and followed the dictates of their own hearts (8:13-16).  Judgment was so certain that a call is issued for the mourners to come and begin to grieve for the fallen nation now, even before it happens (8:17-22).

This contradiction is made clear in 9:23-24.  The thing about God is that He is not distant or removed from the earth.  He is very much active in our lives, “exercising lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth.”  Thus what is essential for us is to understand and know God.  We must hear from Him that we might know what He is doing.  The one who trusts in (glories in) his own wisdom or greatness or wealth is short-sighted.  He only knows, vaguely, his past and present.  As Jeremiah will later say, “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer. 10:23).

At the time of this writing the news has been full of wars and rumors of wars as we are serving at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem.  But for a couple of days all the world problems were moved to the back page by the tragic suicidal death of a famous and respected Hollywood star.  He had enjoyed many years of success and was considered to be not only entertaining but worldly-wise.  There is no need to mention the name because it is not a rare occurrence.  It happens often that someone with enormous success concludes that he would be better off dead.

The responses have been 2-sided.  Some want to try to find an excuse, perhaps in his depression or some physical ailment he might have had.  They feel sorry for him.  Others seem only to take pot-shots at him for doing something so irresponsible, hurting his loved ones as well as those who so admired him.

But when I hear these stories I cannot escape the message of today’s passage.  We continue to do what people did in Jeremiah’s day.  We walk according to the dictates of our own hearts!  We count on our wisdom, greatness or riches.  We think we have a plan that will get us to and through retirement.  Or perhaps we don’t really even think that far ahead.  And then there comes a time when all we have held dear loses its power to satisfy.  The bottom falls out of our hearts and we can think of nothing that has sufficient meaning in life.

Yet this is the very moment when God in His lovingkindness is at work.  He allows us to come to the end of ourselves, knowing that only then will we will ever seek Him in truth.  One can only plead that now is the time to seek God.  Do not waste another day directing your own steps.  Humble yourself before the LORD.