You shall say to them, Thus says the Lord: When people fall, do they not get up again? If they go astray, do they not turn back? Why then has this people turned away in perpetual backsliding? They have held fast to deceit, they have refused to return. I have given heed and listened, but they do not speak honestly; no one repents of wickedness, saying, “What have I done!” All of them turn to their own course, like a horse plunging headlong into battle. Even the stork in the heavens knows its times; and the turtledove, swallow, and crane observe the time of their coming; but my people do not know the ordinance of the Lord. How can you say, “We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us,” when, in fact, the false pen of the scribes has made it into a lie? The wise shall be put to shame, they shall be dismayed and taken; since they have rejected the word of the Lord, what wisdom is in them? Therefore I will give their wives to others and their fields to conquerors, because from the least to the greatest everyone is greedy for unjust gain; from prophet to priest everyone deals falsely. They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace. They acted shamefully, they committed abomination; yet they were not at all ashamed, they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time when I punish them, they shall be overthrown, says the Lord. When I wanted to gather them, says the Lord, there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree; even the leaves are withered, and what I gave them has passed away from them. (Jeremiah 8:4-13 NRSV)
the false pen of the scribes has made it into a lie…
…from prophet to priest everyone deals falsely…
…from the least to the greatest everyone is greedy for unjust gain…
We are all guilty of doing wrong. Of turning from the Lord to the wickedness of our flesh. Jeremiah hears from God that He has always upheld His end of the deal. He has always been there. “I have given heed and listened…” God is always there for us to return to. He has always been a friend to His enemy, you and me. He has loved us before we should have been loved and still loves us when we turn our backs on Him and run where our little hearts want to take us. He loves us no matter what.
We need to heed the Lord and follow where He is leading us. Not just blindly following the priest or the prophet, for they can deal falsely when led by their own desires. Nor should we heed the scribe for they have made the truth into a lie. We can not hold to what has always been when God is clearly telling us to go a new way. We need to heed God and follow where He lead us, for traditions will not save us, only Jesus could do that…
So trust not in man, but put your trust in God alone and know what He promises will always stand strong.
aSacredRebel 