CAN A BRIDE FORGET?
JEREMIAH 2:1-4:4
INTRODUCTION: The theme of Jeremiah is captured in this one verse.
I. The Sin that is mentioned
A. Whom
B. Who
C. When
D. Why
E. Where
II. The Question that is asked
III. The Repentance that is required
CONCLUSION:
CAN A BRIDE FORGET?
JEREMIAH 2:1-4:4
INTRODUCTION: The theme of Jeremiah is captured in 2:32. This is a key verse and it is the foundation for this section of scripture.
A study of this book presents a message that is powerful, hard-hitting and at times very stinging. But it is proof of God’s love. He loves us enough to tell us the truth. He will not lose our hearts without an all-out struggle. He loves us too much not to rebuke our iniquity. He rebukes in severity today so we won’t have to hear the words of doom tomorrow. Accept as a token of His love His chastisement.
Today, let’s take 2:32 as our basis and explore.
I. THE SIN THAT IS MENTIONED
Pay attention to the:
A. Whom They have forgotten their God. He was their father, creator, comfort, cure, savior, preserver, life, source, and their all. See 3:21. He had been their friend, husband and groom. See 3:19-20. How horrible this is! But what about us? How could we forget one whose glory is incomprehensible, whose greatness is unfathomable, whose height is inconceivable, whose power is incomparable, whose wisdom is unrivaled, whose goodness is inimitable and whose kindness is unutterable? J.I. Packer wrote, “Disregard the person of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction.” Here is the only God who is so big the heavens can’t contain Him, and yet so small He can live in a human heart!
B. Who Observe, it is not the pagans, heathens or strangers but “my people”! This is the chosen, elect, bride. See 2 Chron. 7:14.
C. When “Days without number.” Not moments or hours but days. Days without number! It was J. Oswald Sanders who wrote, “We must not just take it for granted that we are in touch with God. Joseph and Mary lost a whole day of fellowship with Jesus because they ‘supposed him to be in the company’. They took for granted something of which they should have made sure. Samson wist not that the Lord had departed from him (Judges 16:20). He was out of touch with God and did not know it.”
D. Why What they were doing was unnatural, illogical, beyond comprehension. It made no sense. Why do people forget God? Many are like the character Demas Paul referred to in 2 Tim. 4:10. He was a man who loved this present world. There are multitudes today who are racing madly to hell – riding merrily thinking paradise is their destination. They rebel against restraint. The demands of self-denial are more than they are willing to exercise. See Jer. 2:5; 2:25.
E. Where Note where this had led them. It led to their forsaking 2:5, 13, 17, 19. It led to their filthiness, viewer discretion advised 2:7, 20, 23-24, 33; 3:1-3, 9. It led to futility 2:17-19, 28, 35-37. Look at our own world and make your own conclusion. See 2:10-12.
If one does not worship God he will invent a god to worship. We become like the god we worship. In the end idolatry brings misery, leads to mischief, creates mockery and concludes in mourning.
II. THE QUESTION THAT IS ASKED
One must understand something of the Eastern mindset here. They, like us, were very fond of style, appearance and image. The idea is impossible. The question is absurd. It implies their stupidity! Imagine a wedding today where the bride comes marching down the isle in cut-offs with hair unkept, etc… Forget the details tomorrow but not today! Does she pay so much attention to attire and then forget God? See Isa. 61:10.
III. THE REPENTANCE THAT IS REQUIRED
From 3:1-4:4 repentance is called for. See 3:14, 19, 22; 4:1-3. Remember, repent, return! He will forgive, but repentance must be genuine. It must be a heartfelt repentance. It’s not just regret or remorse but repentance. The word in the Greek language is “metanioa”. It means a change of mind. He will not change His mind until we change our manners. Yet, this is the one thing we most try to avoid.
Jimmy had trouble pronouncing the letter “R” so his teacher gave him a sentence to practice at home: Robert gave Richard a rap in the rib for roasting the rabbit so rare.
Some days later the teacher asked him to say the sentence for her. Jimmy rattled it off like this. Bob gave Don a poke in the side for not cooking the bunny enough.
He had evaded the letter “R”.
There are a lot of people today – including Christians – who go to great lengths to avoid the “R” word – that is repentance! If you would take “one” step toward Him, you would find Him taking “ten” steps toward you!
CONCLUSION: Vance Hanner put it best when he wrote, “We need a heart warming…The early Christians did not need a shot in the arm every Sunday to keep them going. They knew Jesus and they upset the world and worried the devil and gave wicked rulers insomnia and started something the jails couldn’t lock up, fire couldn’t burn, water couldn’t drown, swords couldn’t kill.
You may belittle experience and speak of the dangers of emotion, but we are suffering today from a species of Christianity as dry as dust, as cold as ice, as pale as a corpse, and as dead as King Tut. We are suffering, not from a lack of correct heads but of consumed hearts.”
Now, let me ask you – can a bride forget?
