Sunday, August 25, 2019

Jer. 2:4-13

We start with  a fairly frequent refrain in the OT., God seems utterly frustrated. How could the people find non-existent wrong in the relationship with God? God seems mystified that they would turn their attention to "worthless things." What are those things now?

God is frustrated that they not not link prayer to the one who liberated them. We get a great example of nationalistic history when we hear that the land was empty of inhabitants.From its very start as a people, the chosen people slipped into unfaithfulness or ran headlong toward it.
 What are examples now of idolatry of church and culture?

Instead of gratitude and care, God is met form all sides with unfaithful  worship.
God calls on witnesses from east to west , even the heavens, to inquire about a religious change in a nation. Note well that it denies even reality to those gods,   toward monotheism, certainly.

If this is indeed using the rib/indictment style of speech, it could be interesting to put an indictment for 2019.
The end is  stunning-in substituting idols for the fountain of living water, they have substituted a homemade cistern with cracks.
What would be contemporary equivalents>
Do you see a linkage between religious observance, culture, politics and economics, ro do you keep them in discrete compartments?

A good collection on Jeremiah is Peterson's Run With the Horses

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