Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"Then you turned around and profaned My name"
Text: Jeremiah 34:16
THE PROBLEM OF INCONSISTENCY
The history of the children of Israel was pock-marked by inconsistency. There were times when Israel would obey the LORD. Before too long, they would return to their selfish sinful ways.
“Then you recently turned and did what was right in My sight—
every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbour;
and you made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name.
Then you turned around and profaned My name,
and every one of you brought back his male and female slaves,
whom you had set at liberty, at their pleasure,
and brought them back into subjection, to be your male and female slaves.”
Jeremiah 34:15-16
1. “Then you recently turned and did what was right in My sight—
every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbour;
and you made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name”
a) “Then you recently turned and did what was right in My sight”
i) God was watching over His people.
ii) He sent His prophets to bring messages from heaven.
iii) And Judah did what was right in God’s sight.
iv) This was a reference to Zedekiah’s covenant with all in Jerusalem.
b) “Every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbour;
and you made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name”
i) A covenant was made in the Temple.
ii) God’s name was invoked in the sealing of this covenant.
iii) Every slave owner proclaimed liberty to the slaves he owned.
2. “Then you turned around and profaned My name,
and every one of you brought back his male and female slaves, whom you had set at liberty,
at their pleasure, and brought them back into subjection, to be your male and female slaves”
a) “Then you turned around and profaned My name”
i) God’s name was in the Covenant that was made.
ii) To break the Covenant was to profane God’s name.
iii) All the slaves were brought back into bondage again.
iv) The Hebrew slaves, both male and female, had once again lost their freedom.
b) These details were highlighted by the LORD.
c) They were ignored by the people.