YAG 11th Retreat Session 3
Text: Jeremiah 5
YAG 11th RETREAT
Session 3
Friday, 28 May 2010
Theme: “CALL TO ME”
A. NEW WORD FROM THE LORD
1. An old precedent Cf. Genesis 18
a) Abraham’s prayer for Sodom and Gomorrah
b) Pleading for the twin cities to be spared for the sake of 10 righteous people
2. A special offer
If you can find a man, if there is anyone who executes judgment, who seeks the truth,
and I will pardon her.Jeremiah 5:1
a) Pardon for the sake of just one man
b) Features of this righteous person:-
i) He executes judgment
ii) He seeks truth
B. TAKING UP GOD’S CHALLENGE
1. Jeremiah cannot believe that he cannot find even one righteous person
a) He takes up God’s challenge
b) His findings are recorded below
2. Honest admission after first attempt Jeremiah 5:3
a) They have not grieved when chastened by the Lord Jeremiah 5:3b;
b) Refused to be corrected Jeremiah 5:3c; 2;30
c) Became more hardened Jeremiah 5:3d
d) Refused to return to the Lord Jeremiah 5:3e; 4:1
3. Jeremiah offers an excuse for the people Jeremiah 5:4
a) These are the poor people Jeremiah 5:4a
b) They are foolish (not well educated) Jeremiah 5:4b
i) They do not know the way of the Lord Jeremiah 5:4c
ii) Nor His judgment Jeremiah 5:4d
4. Jeremiah’s honest admission after second attempt
a) They are considered “the great men” Jeremiah 5:5a
i) They have known the way of the Lord Jeremiah 5:5b
ii) They know the His judgments Jeremiah 5:5c
b) What these “great men” were really like
i) They have broken the yoke Jeremiah 5:5d
ii) Their transgressions are many Jeremiah 5:6e
iii) Backslidings have increased Jeremiah 5:6f
5. Painful Growth for Jeremiah
a) It was a painful time to learn and accept that God was right
b) It was sorrowful to know that Israel had sunk to such abysmal levels
c) But it was necessary
i) He could no longer just ask for pardon
ii) He could not ask God to overlook the sins of Judah
iii) He must feel driven to learn how best he can minister now
d) Historical context
It sometimes determines how we are to minister!
C. GOD’S JUDGMENT DECLARED Jeremiah 5:7-31
1. The Pardon of God Jeremiah 5:7a
a) God would like to pardon
b) But there must be some basis for pardon!
i) Repentance
ii) Returning to God in humility
iii) Reparation of relationship
c) What if there is no basis for pardon?
i) No repentance
ii) No desire to return to God
iii) Rebellion and Rejection
d) What if there is nothing but judgment left to consider? Jeremiah 5:29
i) As was the case for Israel, the northern kingdom (722 BC conquered by
the Assyrians)
ii) As threatened- to be conquered by the Babylonians (Prophecy fulfilled in
586 BB. Judah was conquered by the Chaldeans)
2. List of sins of Judah
a) Forsaking the Lord Jeremiah 5:7b
b) Pursued idolatrous practices Jeremiah 5:7b-8
c) Treachery Jeremiah 5:11
d) False teachings Jeremiah 5:12
i) Lies taught by false prophets Jeremiah 5:13
ii) Lies believed in by the people Jeremiah 5:12
iii) False hopes- that God would never destroy Judah Jeremiah 5:12
iv) A false word Jeremiah 5:12
e) Trust in their fortified cities Jeremiah 5:17
f) Spiritual state of the nation
i) Foolishness Jeremiah 5:21a
ii) Without understanding Jeremiah 5:21b
iii) Having eyes but not seeing Jeremiah 5:21c
iv) Having ears but not hearing Jeremiah 5:21d
v) No fear of the Lord Jeremiah 5:22a, 24
vi) Defiant and rebellious Jeremiah 5:23a
vii) Revolted and departed Jeremiah 5:23b
viii) The wicked rich Jeremiah 5:26-28; 6:7
ix) The tyranny of the prophets and priests Jeremiah 5:31a
x) The compliance of the people to these false teachings Jeremiah 5:31b
xi) No delight in God’s word Jeremiah 6:10
xii) Given to covetousness Jeremiah 6:13
xiii) Offering of superficial and false hope of peace Jeremiah 6:14
xiv) No conscience to even feel shame Jeremiah 6:15
xv) Rejection of God’s word Jeremiah 6:19
3. Another Call to Return to the Lord Jeremiah 6:16-30
a) To consider walking in “the old paths” Jeremiah 6:16
b) To consider hearing the watchmen of God Jeremiah 6:17
c) To consider mourning before God Jeremiah 6:26
4. Additional role for Jeremiah to play
a) As an assayer Jeremiah 6:27a
b) As a fortress Jeremiah 6:27b
D. What was Jeremiah’s response now?
“Call to Me”
1. No response recorded
2. No more attempt to disprove God’s word
3. Silence now
a) To take in this new word
b) To ponder the gravity of the actual state of the nation
c) To reconsider the earlier attempts of intercessory prayer
d) To fortify self for the additional roles to be taken up
i) Original role Jeremiah 1:17-19
ii) Additional roles Jeremiah 6:27