Jeremiah 2

In this chapter of Jeremiah we see a relationship that is getting the boot. The relationship is between God and Israel and God was telling Israel that he is tired of their sin.

In verse 13 we see the reason why God was upset. It says, “For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters. and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” This would be if you lived in a desert, thirsty for water and found a fountain in the middle of the desert always giving fresh water. Now when you think about it you would not want to leave, but this is not what Israel did. They could care less about the living water and then wanted to collect their own water in their cisterns, big pots dug in the ground that collect rain water. But they did all that work but what they built could not collect any water because there were tons of cracks in it. Israel forgot about God, turned from Him and followed after false gods.

This would be like you and I forgetting what Jesus did on the cross. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that he gives living water (John 4). It would be if we decided that we can work for our salvation instead of entrusting into the work of Christ, God’s grace. We would ignore God and think we can earn our way to heaven by doing anything and everything that would work.

The one thing about this passage in Jeremiah is that not only is God calling out Israel from their sin and falling away, he is giving them the warning of what is going to happen if they do not turn from their sin. God does not say, alright because of your mistakes, I’m dumping you and finding a new people, instead he still shows that he is God and loves them. In Jeremiah 3:14, God asks Israel to return. In Jeremiah 29:11 God tells Israel that he has a plan for them. God is faithful and his love is enduring.

Despite our sin, God is faithful and instead of Him saying too bad, you guys are sinners, Jesus still died for us. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Jesus is the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. We can pray after reading this chapter, how thankful we are for what God has done. He has given grace to us. May we cling to that and not run from God.