Instead, they have followed the stubbornness of their hearts and gone after the Baals, as their fathers taught them." Instead, they have followed the stubbornness of their heartsThis phrase highlights the Hebrew word "sherirut," translated as "stubbornness," which conveys a sense of obstinacy and willful defiance. In the context of ancient Israel, this stubbornness reflects a recurring theme where the people repeatedly chose their own desires over God's commandments. Historically, this stubbornness led to a cycle of disobedience and repentance, illustrating the human tendency to prioritize personal inclinations over divine guidance. The heart, in Hebrew thought, is the center of will and decision-making, emphasizing that their rebellion was a conscious choice. and have followed the Baals
The term "Baals" refers to the various local deities worshiped in Canaanite religion, often associated with fertility and storms. The worship of Baal was a significant issue for Israel, as it represented a direct violation of the first commandment to have no other gods before Yahweh. Archaeological findings, such as altars and inscriptions, provide evidence of Baal worship in ancient Israel, underscoring the historical reality of this idolatry. This phrase serves as a reminder of the seductive nature of cultural assimilation and the spiritual adultery that occurs when God's people turn to false gods. as their fathers taught them
This phrase underscores the generational aspect of sin and disobedience. The Hebrew concept of "fathers" not only refers to immediate ancestors but also to the broader lineage and traditions passed down through generations. It highlights the powerful influence of familial and cultural heritage in shaping beliefs and behaviors. Scripturally, this serves as a warning about the dangers of perpetuating ungodly practices and the importance of breaking cycles of sin through repentance and a return to God's ways. It calls believers to be mindful of the legacy they leave for future generations, emphasizing the need for faithfulness and obedience to God. Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, known for his messages of warning and calls for repentance to the people of Judah. 2. The People of JudahThe audience of Jeremiah's prophecies, who were often rebuked for their idolatry and disobedience to God. 3. BaalsCanaanite deities that the Israelites frequently turned to, representing a significant source of idolatry and spiritual adultery against Yahweh. 4. The FathersRefers to the ancestors of the people of Judah, who had also engaged in idolatry and passed down these practices to subsequent generations. 5. The Stubbornness of Their HeartsA recurring theme in the Bible, indicating a willful resistance to God's commands and a preference for following one's own desires. Teaching Points The Danger of IdolatryIdolatry is not just the worship of physical idols but can be anything that takes the place of God in our hearts. We must examine our lives for modern-day "Baals" that we might be following. Generational InfluenceThe practices and beliefs of previous generations can significantly impact our spiritual lives. We must discern and break free from any ungodly traditions passed down to us. The Stubbornness of the HeartOur hearts can be deceitful and lead us away from God. We need to cultivate a heart that is soft and responsive to God's Word and Spirit. Repentance and ReturnGod calls us to turn away from our idols and return to Him. True repentance involves a change of heart and direction. Faithfulness to GodIn a world full of distractions and false gods, we are called to remain faithful to the one true God, just as Elijah challenged the Israelites. Bible Study Questions 1. What are some modern-day "Baals" that people might follow today, and how can we guard against them? 2. How can we identify and break free from ungodly traditions or influences passed down from previous generations? 3. In what ways can the "stubbornness of our hearts" manifest in our daily lives, and how can we cultivate a heart that is responsive to God? 4. How does the message of repentance in Jeremiah 9:14 relate to the New Testament teachings on repentance and faith? 5. What practical steps can we take to ensure that we remain faithful to God amidst the pressures and temptations of the world? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 20:3-5The commandment against idolatry, which the people of Judah violated by following the Baals. Judges 2:11-13Describes the Israelites' repeated cycle of turning away from God to serve the Baals, highlighting a historical pattern of disobedience. 1 Kings 18:21Elijah's challenge to the Israelites to choose between Yahweh and Baal, emphasizing the need for decisive faithfulness to God. Ezekiel 20:18-19God’s warning to the Israelites not to follow the practices of their fathers, reinforcing the message in Jeremiah 9:14. Romans 1:21-23Paul’s description of humanity’s tendency to exchange the glory of God for idols, echoing the spiritual condition addressed by Jeremiah. People JeremiahPlaces Ammon, Edom, Egypt, Gilead, Jerusalem, Moab, ZionTopics Baalim, Baals, Ba'als, Fathers, Followed, Heart, Hearts, Imagination, Pride, Stubbornly, Stubbornness, Taught, Teaching, Walk, Walked, WalkingDictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 9:14 5666 children, needs
6178 hardness of heart
6185 imagination, desires
6245 stubbornness
8829 superstition Jeremiah 9:12-14 5770 abandonment Library India's Ills and England's Sorrows
It would seem as if some men had been sent into this world for the very purpose of being the world's weepers. God's great house is thoroughly furnished with everything, everything that can express the thoughts and the emotions of the inhabitant, God hath made. I find in nature, plants to be everlasting weepers. There by the lonely brook, where the maiden cast away her life, the willow weeps for ever; and there in the grave yard where men lie slumbering till the trumpet of the archangel shall awaken …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857"Boast not Thyself of To-Morrow, for Thou Knowest not what a Day May Bring Forth. "
Prov. xxvii. 1.--"Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." There are some peculiar gifts that God hath given to man in his first creation, and endued his nature with, beyond other living creatures, which being rightly ordered and improved towards the right objects, do advance the soul of man to a wonderful height of happiness, that no other sublunary creature is capable of. But by reason of man's fall into sin, these are quite disordered and turned out of …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Characters and Names of Messiah
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. S uch was the triumphant exultation of the Old Testament Church! Their noblest hopes were founded upon the promise of MESSIAH; their most sublime songs were derived from the prospect of His Advent. By faith, which is the substance of things hoped for, they considered the gracious declarations …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1 How the Simple and the Crafty are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 12.) Differently to be admonished are the simple and the insincere. The simple are to be praised for studying never to say what is false, but to be admonished to know how sometimes to be silent about what is true. For, as falsehood has always harmed him that speaks it, so sometimes the hearing of truth has done harm to some. Wherefore the Lord before His disciples, tempering His speech with silence, says, I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now (Joh. xvi. 12). …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great Original Sin
Q-16: DID ALL MANKIND FALL IN ADAM'S FIRST TRANSGRESSION? A: The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity, all mankind descending from him, by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in his first transgression. 'By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin,' &c. Rom 5:12. Adam being a representative person, while he stood, we stood; when he fell, we fell, We sinned in Adam; so it is in the text, In whom all have sinned.' Adam was the head …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity A Sermon on Isaiah xxvi. By John Knox.
[In the Prospectus of our Publication it was stated, that one discourse, at least, would be given in each number. A strict adherence to this arrangement, however, it is found, would exclude from our pages some of the most talented discourses of our early Divines; and it is therefore deemed expedient to depart from it as occasion may require. The following Sermon will occupy two numbers, and we hope, that from its intrinsic value, its historical interest, and the illustrious name of its author, it …
John Knox—The Pulpit Of The Reformation, Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Thoughts Upon Worldly-Riches. Sect. Ii.
TIMOTHY after his Conversion to the Christian Faith, being found to be a Man of great Parts, Learning, and Piety, and so every way qualified for the work of the Ministry, St. Paul who had planted a Church at Ephesus the Metropolis or chief City of all Asia, left him to dress and propagate it, after his departure from it, giving him Power to ordain Elders or Priests, and to visit and exercise Jurisdiction over them, to see they did not teach false Doctrines, 1 Tim. i. 3. That they be unblameable in …
William Beveridge—Private Thoughts Upon a Christian Life The Knowledge of God
'The Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.' I Sam 2:2. Glorious things are spoken of God; he transcends our thoughts, and the praises of angels. God's glory lies chiefly in his attributes, which are the several beams by which the divine nature shines forth. Among other of his orient excellencies, this is not the least, The Lord is a God of knowledge; or as the Hebrew word is, A God of knowledges.' Through the bright mirror of his own essence, he has a full idea and cognisance …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Jeremiah 9:14 NIVJeremiah 9:14 NLTJeremiah 9:14 ESVJeremiah 9:14 NASBJeremiah 9:14 KJV
Jeremiah 9:14 Commentaries
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