Healthy Independence-3

HEALTHY INDEPENDENCE-III—Jeremiah 17:1-14

Jn. 15:18-19—Jesus told His disciples:—“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

Jn. 17:15-16—Jesus prayed for His disciples:—“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.”

Some of you who consider yourselves to be independent, are not really independent from anything except God!

God’s people must exhibit a ‘Healthy’ independence from the world in which they live.

?Are you living INDEPENDENTLY of that which has potential to destroy you?

The prophet Jeremiah contrasted two major aspects of Independence—Independence from God versus independence from the world.

*Dependence upon YHWH brings independence from worldly influence.

What can be gleaned by contrasting healthy & unhealthy independence?

*How can I be independent of worldly influence?

So far we’ve have found that A Healthy Independence Engages(deals with/handles/manages)...

1. A RESIDENT REBELLION(:1)

2. An ABERRANT EDUCATION(:2)

3. BLINDLY SIGHTED BENEFITS(:3-4)

4. An ANGERING LIFESTYLE(:4e)

Today we’ll find that...

5—A Healthy Independence Engages(deals with/handles/manages)...

MISPLACED/Aberrant TRUSTS(:5)

Explanation:(:5)

:5—“Thus says the LORD:

Cursed is the man who trusts in man

And makes flesh his strength,

Whose heart departs from the LORD.”

'Misplaced'—"Incorrectly positioned'...In our case, That which positioned apart from God's guidance.

‘Aberrant’—'That which departs from a standard'...In our case, That which departs from God’s standard.

“Thus says the LORD:”

The eternally existing God( YHWH) now declares a general principle which always holds true, & is intended for my/your/our enlightenment. That ‘general principle’ is viewed from two contrasting positions, highlighted here in :5, & it’s opposite in :7. Both contrasting positions highlight the fundamental principle of “trust.” And highlights a fundamental Christian principle...

•An individual’s personal “trust” is fully determinative of the ‘benefit’ a person receives, from who & what he/she “trusts” in.

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man”

•A single aspect of the “trust” principle is stated in :5-6. This negative viewpoint highlights a decision to place “trust” in the world, rather than in YHWH God.

The “curse” which comes upon those whose “heart departs from the LORD”, comes upon them passively & continually(Participle Passive) as a result of their continual personal choices to “trust in man.” They have invited God’s “curse” upon themselves.

The “man” upon whom the “curse” of God remains(“Cursed is the man”), is no insignificant “man.”

•The Hebrew word translated as “man”(rbg) hints that this is someone who is recognized for his strength & ability. He is respected among others for his valiance, & intelligence. He is a warrior or strong man.

“Cursed”—rra aw-rar’—Qal Participle Passive—1) To curse—1a) (Qal)—1a1) To curse, 1a2) Cursed be he(participle used as in curses), 1b) (Niphal) To be cursed, cursed, 1c) (Piel) To curse, lay under a curse, put a curse on, 1d) (Hophal) To be made a curse, be cursed Strong—To execrate; a primitive root.

“Man”(See :7)—rbg geh’-ber—Noun Masc.—1) Man, strong man, warrior(emphasizing strength or ability to fight). Strong—properly--A valiant man or warrior; generally--A person simply.

“Trusts”(See :7)—xjb baw-takh’—Qal Imperfect—1) To trust—1a) (Qal)--1a1) To trust, trust in, 1a2) To have confidence, be confident, 1a3) To be bold, 1a4) To be secure; 1b) (Hiphil)--1b1) To cause to trust, make secure; 2) (TWOT)--To feel safe, be careless. Strong—a primitive root; properly--To hide for refuge[but not so precipitately as hox]; figuratively--To trust, be confident or sure.

“Man/Mankind”—Mda aw-dawm’—Noun Masc.—1) Man, mankind—1a) Man, human being, 1b) man, mankind(much more frequently intended sense in OT), 1c) Adam, first man, 1d) City in Jordan valley. Strong—Ruddy i.e. A human being(an individual or the species, mankind, etc.).?From—Mda aw-dam’—To show blood(in the face), i.e. Flush or turn rosy.

“And makes flesh his strength,”

This phrase is a restatement & clarification of the previous phrase. Together with the first phrase—what it means to “trust in man”—is elucidated, highlighted, brought to light, or made plain.

“Flesh” is granted the fullness of it’s power, in a person who would see fit to willingly “make flesh” their “strength.”

•Such a person intentionally sets up(“makes”) or depends solely upon fleshly means to give them their “strength”—literally-‘arm’(as symbolic of “strength”). The ‘arm’(“strength”) is the means by which a person accomplishes his work(s).

“Makes”—Mws soowm OR--Mys seeym—Qal Perfect—1) To put, place, set, appoint, make—1a) (Qal)--1a1) To put, set, lay, put or lay upon, lay(violent) hands on, 1a2) To set, direct, direct toward—1a2a) To extend(compassion)(figuratively), 1a3) To set, ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, make, determine, fix, 1a4) To set, station, put, set in place, plant, fix, 1a5) To make, make for, transform into, constitute, fashion, work, bring to pass, appoint, give; 1b) (Hiphil)--To set or make for a sign; 1c) (Hophal)--To be set. Strong—a primitive root; To put(used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, & elliptically).