You dwell in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refuse to know Me," declares the LORD. You live in the midst of deceptionThe phrase "You live in the midst of deception" highlights the pervasive nature of falsehood and deceit among the people of Judah. The Hebrew word for "deception" here is "mirmah," which conveys a sense of treachery and betrayal. Historically, this reflects a time when the Israelites had turned away from God's truth, embracing idolatry and false prophets. The cultural and spiritual environment was saturated with lies, leading the people away from the covenant relationship with God. This serves as a warning to believers today to remain vigilant against the deceitful influences of the world and to anchor themselves in the truth of God's Word. in their deceit
The phrase "in their deceit" underscores the active participation of the people in perpetuating falsehoods. The Hebrew root "ramah" suggests intentional misleading or trickery. This indicates that the people were not merely victims of deception but were complicit in it. This complicity in deceit reflects a moral and spiritual decay, where truth is sacrificed for personal gain or comfort. For contemporary believers, this is a call to self-examination, ensuring that one's actions and words align with the truth of the Gospel, resisting the temptation to compromise integrity for worldly benefits. they refuse to know Me,”
The phrase "they refuse to know Me" reveals a deliberate rejection of God. The Hebrew word "ma'en" for "refuse" indicates a willful decision, a conscious choice to turn away from God. "To know" in Hebrew is "yada," which implies an intimate, experiential knowledge, not just intellectual awareness. This refusal to know God is a rejection of a relationship with Him, choosing instead to follow their own ways. This serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of seeking a deep, personal relationship with God, prioritizing His presence and guidance in our lives over the fleeting allure of worldly wisdom. declares the LORD
The phrase "declares the LORD" emphasizes the authority and finality of God's pronouncement. The Hebrew word "ne'um" is often used in prophetic literature to signify a divine utterance, underscoring that these are not merely the words of Jeremiah but the very words of God. This declaration serves as both a warning and an invitation. It warns of the consequences of living in deceit and rejecting God, but it also invites repentance and a return to truth. For believers, it is a call to heed God's voice, to align our lives with His will, and to trust in His sovereign plan, knowing that His declarations are always for our ultimate good and His glory. Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA prophet called by God to deliver His messages to the people of Judah. He is known for his lamentations over the spiritual state of the nation. 2. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant God of Israel, who is speaking through Jeremiah, expressing His displeasure with the people's deceit and their refusal to know Him. 3. JudahThe southern kingdom of Israel, which is the primary audience of Jeremiah's prophecies. They are living in a time of moral and spiritual decline. 4. DeceptionThe prevailing condition among the people of Judah, characterized by falsehood and a lack of genuine relationship with God. 5. DeceitThe specific behavior of the people, which involves misleading others and themselves, ultimately leading to a rejection of God. Teaching Points The Danger of DeceptionLiving in deception leads to spiritual blindness and separation from God. We must be vigilant in seeking truth and avoiding falsehood. The Importance of Knowing GodA genuine relationship with God is foundational to our faith. We should strive to know Him through His Word and prayer. The Consequences of RefusalRefusing to know God results in moral and spiritual decay. We must be aware of the consequences of turning away from Him. The Role of CommunitySurrounding ourselves with a community of believers can help us stay accountable and avoid the pitfalls of deceit. Spiritual DiscernmentWe need to cultivate discernment to recognize and reject deceitful influences in our lives. Bible Study Questions 1. What are some modern examples of living in the midst of deception, and how can we guard against them? 2. How does the refusal to know God manifest in today's society, and what steps can we take to deepen our relationship with Him? 3. In what ways can we ensure that we are not contributing to a culture of deceit within our own communities? 4. How can the teachings of Jesus in John 8:44 help us understand the spiritual roots of deception? 5. Reflect on Romans 1:28. What are the practical implications of being given over to a depraved mind, and how can we prevent this in our own lives? Connections to Other Scriptures Jeremiah 5:31This verse highlights the false prophets and priests who lead the people astray, contributing to the culture of deception. Hosea 4:1Hosea speaks of a similar situation where there is no faithfulness or knowledge of God in the land, emphasizing the importance of knowing God. John 8:44Jesus speaks of the devil as the father of lies, connecting the concept of deceit to spiritual warfare and the influence of evil. Romans 1:28Paul describes how people who reject God are given over to a depraved mind, illustrating the consequences of refusing to know God. People JeremiahPlaces Ammon, Edom, Egypt, Gilead, Jerusalem, Moab, ZionTopics Acknowledge, Affirmation, Deceit, Deception, Declares, Dwelling, Habitation, Heaping, Midst, Oppression, Refuse, Refused, Says, WrongDictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 9:6 6183 ignorance, of God
6194 impenitence, warnings Jeremiah 9:1-9 5550 speech, negative Jeremiah 9:4-6 5951 slander Jeremiah 9:4-9 8715 dishonesty, and God Jeremiah 9:5-6 1461 truth, nature of Jeremiah 9:6-9 5920 pretence 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 9:6 NIVJeremiah 9:6 NLTJeremiah 9:6 ESVJeremiah 9:6 NASBJeremiah 9:6 KJV
Jeremiah 9:6 Commentaries
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