9 The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
10 “I the Lord search the heart
and test the mind,
to give every man according to his ways,
according to the fruit of his deeds.”
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
10 “I the Lord search the heart
and test the mind,
to give every man according to his ways,
according to the fruit of his deeds.”
Jeremiah 17:9-10 ESV
Last week in Sunday School, we discussed the passages from the sixth chapter of Joshua were the people of Israel conquered Jericho and put to death "with the edge of the sword" all the "men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys." (Joshua 6 ESV) The Jericho incident is not the only time where God ordered the wholesale destruction of an enemy of Israel in the Old Testament. Although I have read several commentaries as to why God so acted, it is still hard to fully understand and even harder to explain such action to an unbeliever, especially one looking for an excuse to stay distance from a relationship with Christ.
Jeremiah 17:9-10 is another set of verses I find troublesome. While I agree with these verses, they are almost defeatist. Our hearts are "deceitful" and "desperately sick". Furthermore, God will give us exactly what we deserve! No hope there. If God gives me what I deserve, then there is no chance of any eternal happiness. Taken as stand alone verses, this passage from Jeremiah could cause one to either curl up in a ball with the covers over one's head or try in vain to work one's way into heaven. And taken out of context, I might choose one or the other also.
But, as with all scripture, singular verses taken at face value seldom represent God's intended message. Just prior to today's verses, God tells Jeremiah,
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
8 He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
whose trust is the Lord.
8 He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8 ESV
So while verses 9-10 seem fatalistic, the two preceding verses remind us what we can do to avoid God's punishment or discipline- trust in the Lord. Simple. Straightforward. To the point. No sacrifices required. Church service not necessary. Mission trips optional.
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