Jeremiah (1-31) 8:20 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Jeremiah (1-31) 8:20

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Then back to the people in their despair: ‘The harvest is passed, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.’ The Chaldean are on their way; no deliverance is coming from the Egyptians or anyone else. Some treat these words as a proverb. Just as the summer is over, winter is approaching, the time for harvest is gone, and yet no crop has been brought in, so Judah is without a deliverer and the Chaldean army is advancing towards them.The realisation that we have felt it too late to seek the Lord is something that grips the soul with indescribable horror. We may have put off taking the message seriously, because we put off coming to the Lord. We wanted to prolong our time in the world as long as possible. Maybe we always planned to come to God eventually, but not yet. Another day, another hour in the enjoyment of sin. Surely God will still receive us when we finally decide to come to him. ‘For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt,’ says Jeremiah. He is suffering with his people, even though they have brought this upon themselves. He identifies with them to the very end. Even in their time of strong discipline, he will not forsake them. ‘I am black.’ The word can mean ‘to be dark’ or ‘to mourn’. Elsewhere it is so translated: ‘I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long’ (Psalm 38:6).’Astonishment hath taken hold of me’ – not for his own sake but for his people’s sake. He is astonished that God is going to do this thing to them; he is astonished at their hardness of heart; he is astonished that all his pleading with them is being ignored.

Application

Why did they not respond to such compassion? It was a reflection of the Lord’s compassion, and an invitation to come. It was a gateway to mercy, but they did not enter through it. How easy it is to go to someone who is sympathetic to us. This is not the modern empathy which means little, and sets aside all moral principles before diving in to another person’s situation. This is true sympathy which brings God’s standards and his terms of salvation with it. And yet there is still sympathy there. Jeremiah would ultimately have to leave them to their fate when death came and they had to leave the world and stand before their Judge. But he was with them right up to that point, even though he had hard words to deliver to them. He did not spare his own feelings in ministering to them.

This is the message of the Bible. We must seek and find the Lord and he will change our natures and our lives. Jeremiah told them, ‘If you repent, God will make a way for your forgiveness’, but they would not lisaten. They said, ‘It is impossible that Jerusalem will fall. We don’t have to give up our idols. Babylon is far away. They won’t come here’ – but they were on their way. It is a picture of human nature in all the ages. People say, ‘This is not for me – death is far away. Yes I get a sense of emptiness within, but it won’t last.’ Then the people of Judah said, ‘We won’t have trouble with the Chaldeans, because we will pay Egypt to deliver us. On previous occasions Egypt had taken the fee and then done nothing to help. Judah were still saying this when Egypt had been routed – it was a piece of foolishness. We too say, ‘This world will save me. I will get on in life. I will have a house with everything I could desire. I am not worried about God. This world can satisfy me.’ Well, we hope you have much happiness in life, but it won’t satisfy your soul. Eternity is still there. You may say, ‘I don’t need forgiveness or salvation. When I die I will go to heaven anyway. I don’t believe this talk about judgment. I am not as bad as Colonel Gaddafi or Hitler, and so God will be pleased with me. That is an insult to God. You don’t believe God is holy. His standards are so low that he will let you in as you are.

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Jeremiah (1-31) 8:20 Commentary and Bible Study