To Be that One Person the Lord Looks for
Scripture Passage: Jeremiah 5:1-9 (NASB)
1“Roam about through the streets of Jerusalem,
And look and take notice.
And seek in her public squares,
If you can find a person,
If there is one who does justice, who seeks honesty,
Then I will forgive her.
2 And although they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’
Certainly they swear falsely.”
3 Lord, do Your eyes not look for honesty?
You have struck them,
But they did not weaken;
You have consumed them,
But they refused to accept discipline.
They have made their faces harder than rock;
They have refused to repent.
4 Then I said, “They are only the poor,
They are foolish;
For they do not know the way of the Lord
Or the judgment of their God.
5 I will go to the great
And speak to them,
For they know the way of the Lord
And the judgment of their God.”
But together they too have broken the yoke
And burst the restraints.
6 Therefore a lion from the forest will kill them,
A wolf of the deserts will destroy them,
A leopard is watching their cities.
Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces,
Because their wrongdoings are many,
Their apostasies are numerous.
7 “Why should I forgive you?
Your sons have forsaken Me
And sworn by those who are not gods.
When I had fed them to the full,
They committed adultery
And stayed at the prostitute’s house.
8 They were well-fed lusty horses,
Each one neighing at his neighbor’s wife.
9 Shall I not punish them for these things?” declares the Lord,
“And shall I not avenge Myself
On a nation such as this?
SUMMARY
The Lord tells Jeremiah to roam about the streets of Jerusalem to find that one person who does justice and seeks honesty so the Lord can forgive her. However, even when people of Jerusalem acknowledge the Lord, but they do so falsely, and their faces are hardened and refuse to repent. Jeremiah will go to the leaders and speak to them and though they know the way of the Lord and the judgement they had broken the covenant with the Lord. Therefore, destruction is inevitable because of their numerous wrongdoings and apostasies. The Lord declares they deserve the punishments for their sons have forsaken Him and worshipped other gods.
MEDITATION AND REFLECTION
The Lord is merciful, but He is a jealous God who cannot leave those unpunished when His people break their covenant with Him and worship foreign gods. “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, inflicting the punishment of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing favor to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” (Exodus 20:4-6)
Jeremiah could not find anyone one the streets, and he excuses them because they do not know the way of the Lord because they have not learned because they are poor, but when he goes to the religious leaders, they know very well the way of the Lord and the judgment but still had broken the covenant. There was a time when I did not know the bible very well and unknowingly did a lot of things that goes against the teachings of the bible. Now, I know more about the bible and knows about the way we should live as Christians as well as the judgment that is coming for those who are not faithful the Lord. However, somehow knowing more about the bible and nature of God still does not prevent me from committing idolatry from time to time. Sometimes my appetite is my god, and my minds are on earthly things “whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who have their minds on earthly things.” (Philippians 3:19)
Seeing the way, the world is going few of my friends have been talking about the rapture a lot. Even knowing full well of the time we are living in and knowing the great tribulation is imminent and inevitable, sometimes my thoughts are still attached to the things of this earth. I still have not completely let go of certain dreams I have for my children like which university she will go to when I have already seemed the college campuses with my own eyes and know fully well that with the Coronavirus and the “New Normal” the college campuses will continue to be desolate as ever and not what I experienced as a college student year go. If my children are distracted the world, then it is really my fault I realize. If my children are not completely devoted to the Lord, then the punishment will fall not just on my children but also on me.
Prophet Micah had said that the Lord does not want burnt offerings or sacrifices but to do justice, to love kindness and walk humbly with our God.
He has told you, mortal one, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)
The Lord does not require so much from us, He just wants us to live a life worthy of the calling (Ephesians 4:1).
APPLICATION
I want to walk with the Lord by being honest and forgiving anyone from my past or asking for forgiveness from anyone I had offended. I also wish to stop worrying about the earthly things such as where my daughters will go to college but how can I raise my two daughters to have the faith to withstand any persecution or temptation from the world. I want to have them spend their time during the summer away from worldly entertainments or amusements but focusing on the word of God and spending time in the nature in wonder of God’s creation.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father,
Thank You so much for the constant reminder for not only Your mercy but also the upcoming punishment for the unfaithful. I am sorry I stray far away from You. I am sorry that I had pretended to be holy when my heart was so far away from You. I come in repentance for how I had deceived myself and others. I resole to raise my children so their faith in You will grow stronger. Please help me to guide them in the right direction to not put their hope and trust in the world but only in You. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
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