Jeremiah 2:20-37 For of old time I have broken your yoke, and burst your bands; and you said, I will not transgress… Note - I. ITS MANY COUNTS. 1. Their sin of outrageous character. It is spoken of as in ver. 20, because it so commonly involved the grossest fleshly sins, and because it involved shameful denial of God. Cf. ver. 27, "Saying to a stock, Thou art my father," etc. And it was chargeable with numerous and shameful murders (ver. 30). Killing the prophets of God; ver. 34, "In thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents," etc. 2. Of long standing. Ver. 20, "Of old time thou hast broken thy yoke" (see exegesis for true translation), "and saidst, I will not serve." 3. In no wise chargeable to God. Ver. 21, "Yet I had planted thee a noble vine," etc. 4. Was ingrained into their very nature (ver. 22). All manner of endeavor had been made to cleanse away the defilement, but its stain remained in them still. 5. Was fiercely and determinately pursued after (vers. 23, 24, 33; see exegesis). They "worked all uncleanness with greediness." 6. And this in spite of all that might have taught them better. (1) Warnings (ver. 25, where they are entreated to have done with such wickedness). (2) Miserable results of their idolatry in the past (vers. 26-28). (3) Divine chastisements (ver. 30). (4) God's great mercy in the past (ver. 31). God had not been to them as a wilderness. (5) The honor and glory God was ready to place upon them (ver. 32), like as a husband would adorn his bride with jewels. 7. And their sin is aggravated by (1) their shameless assertion of innocence (vers. 23, 35); (2) their persistence in sin (ver 36), "gadding about to change their way," going from one idolatry to another, one heathen alliance to another. II. THE MISERABLE DEFENSE OFFERED. It consisted simply in denial (vers. 23, 35). It augmented their guilt and condemnation (ver. 37). III. THE INSTRUCTION FROM ALL THIS FOR OUR OWN DAY AND FOR OUR OWN LIVES. 1. It shows us the terrible nature of sin. (1) The lengths it will go. (2) The gracious Barriers it will break through. (3) The condemnation it will surely meet. 2. It bids us not trust to any early advantages. Israel was planted "a noble vine, wholly a right seed," 3. The folly and guilt of denying our sin (cf. 1 John 1:8, "If we say that we have no sin,:' etc.). 4. The needs be there is for us all of the pardoning and preserving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. - C. Parallel Verses KJV: For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot. |
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