Jeremiah 17:1-4

IV. PROPHETIC SAYINGS Jeremiah 17:1-11

The first eleven verses of chapter 17 contain three independent sayings of the prophet probably from three different sermons. These sayings do not seem to have any logical connection with one another. In them Jeremiah is concerned about the guilt of the nation (Jeremiah 17:1-4), trusting the Lord (Jeremiah 17:5-8) and the nature of the human heart (Jeremiah 17:9-11).

A. The Guilt of the Nation Jeremiah 17:1-4

TRANSLATION

(1) The sin of Judah is written with a stylus of iron; with a diamond point it is engraved upon the tablet of their heart and upon the horns of your altars: (2) while their children remember their altars and their Asherahs beside the green trees and on the high hills. (3) O My mountain in the field! Your wealth and all of your treasures I will give for a spoil, your high places in all of your boundaries because of sin. (4) And you even in yourself shall lose your hold on your inheritance which I have given to you; and I will cause you to serve your enemies in a land which you do not know; for you have kindled a fire in My anger which shall burn forever.

COMMENTS

A stylus of iron with diamond point was used by the artisans of Egypt and Babylon to chisel into solid rock the glorious records of their civilizations. Those records of rock have survived the ravishes of time and today can be studied first hand by students of ancient history. Sin also leaves a record; and Jeremiah points to three areas where the record of Judah's sin could be found. (1) Judah's sin was indelibly written upon the tablet of their heart. The inhabitants of the land had made their hearts as hard as stone and consequently the word of God could not penetrate their lives. If the people would but examine their own hearts they would see clearly the record of every rebellion and disobedience. (2) Judah's sin was also written upon the horns of their altars (Jeremiah 17:1). Both the altar of incense and the huge altar of burnt offering had projections at the four corners upon which the blood of the sacrificial victims was smeared. These horns were regarded as the most sacred part of the altar. How ironical it is that in the very spot where one should have been able to find forgiveness of sin, the record of sin was obvious to any observer. Jeremiah no doubt here alludes to the hypocrisy and pagan practices which had perverted true worship. (3) Perhaps most important, the sin of Judah has been inscribed on the memory of the children of the land. From their earliest days all that the children could remember was pagan worship. They remembered the Asherahs (not groves as in KJV), a sacred pole erected beside pagan altars. They remembered the green shady spots on the hill tops where the licentious rites were conducted in honor of the fertility gods (Jeremiah 17:2).

Because of her record of sin and rebellion all the wealth of Jerusalem and all her high places will be given as spoil to an enemy. Jerusalem is here addressed as My mountain in the field (Jeremiah 17:3). The word field here is best understood as meaning an open place rather than a level place. Mt. Zion upon which Jerusalem is built rises abruptly, like a mountain, out of the midst of the surrounding valleys. The inhabitants of Judah will lose their inheritance and be deported to a distant land. By their perpetual rebellion they have kindled the fire of divine wrath (Jeremiah 17:4). People who play with the fire of sin are bound to get scorched!