Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"Everyone is dull-hearted"
Text: Jeremiah 51:17
THE FOLLY OF IDOLATRY
The LORD sent a familiar message, this time to the Babylonians. This message about the folly of worshipping idols was a recurrent one preached to Israel and Judah.
“Everyone is dull-hearted, without knowledge;
Every metalsmith is put to shame by the carved image;
For his moulded image is falsehood,
And there is no breath in them.
They are futile, a work of errors;
In the time of their punishment they shall perish.
The Portion of Jacob is not like them,
For He is the Maker of all things;
And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance.
The LORD of hosts is His name.”
Jeremiah 51:17-19
1. “Everyone is dull-hearted, without knowledge;
every metalsmith is put to shame by the carved image;
for his moulded image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them”
a) The making of idols is described.
b) The metalsmith is singled out here.
c) He makes idols for people to worship but this is surely falsehood.
d) Those who made them and worshipped them are described as:
i) Dull-hearted.
ii) Without knowledge.
iii) There is no life in any idol.
2. “They are futile, a work of errors; in the time of their punishment they shall perish”
a) Idols were worshipped in futility.
b) They erred terribly to promote idolatry.
c) All will perish in their time of punishment (judgment).
3. “The Portion of Jacob is not like them, for He is the Maker of all things;
and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance. The LORD of hosts is His name”
a) The LORD is described here as “The Portion of Jacob”.
b) He was the treasured inheritance (Portion) of Jacob.
c) Jacob and Israel are used interchangeably here.
d) His glorious name is “The LORD of hosts”.
e) He is offered as a great contrast to idols.