Listen to Jeremiah 17

There are two main things that stuck out to me in this chapter: High places and Sabbath

 

The sin of Judah is inscribed

with an iron stylus.

With a diamond point

it is engraved on the tablet of their hearts

and on the horns of their altars,

² while their children remember their altars

and their Asherah poles, by the green trees

on the high hills—

³ my mountains in the countryside.

I will give up your wealth

and all your treasures as plunder

because of the sin of your high places

in all your borders.

Jeremiah 17:1-3

Again, all this is coming upon them because of the sin of their high places. These places were places of worship to other gods. They could be high up on a mountain, at the gate of a city, (2Kings 23:17-19) or even in a valley. (Jeremiah 7:31) God had very particular ways that He considered that worship was to be done. They had gone after other gods as we have read, even gods that they sacrificed their children too.

What is inscribed on our heart? Is it Christ or our sin? What are our high places?

Our own opinions, social media likes, or worse our followers.

Culture icons, celebrities, sports.

Food, coffee, sugar.

Drugs, pills, fear.

What is it that causes you to bow down to it? These are our high places.

Jeremiah 17:7-8b The person who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed. He will be like a tree planted by water: it sends its roots out toward a stream, it doesn’t fear when heat comes, and its foliage remains green. This is a similar saying to Psalm 1:3

Do not follow after wicked men and false gods.

I, the Lord, examine the mind, I test the heart

to give to each according to his way,

according to what his actions deserve.

Jeremiah 17:10

Hope and healing come from the Lord. Jeremiah says in verse 14 Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;
save me, and I will be saved, for you are my praise. God is our healer! But what does Sabbath have to do with God being our healer and these high places. Jeremiah 17:21-23 This is what the Lord says: Watch yourselves; do not pick up a load and bring it in through Jerusalem’s gates on the Sabbath day. ²² Do not carry a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day or do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I commanded your ancestors. ²³ They wouldn’t listen or pay attention but became obstinate, not listening or accepting discipline.

These people where building high places and trying to work their way to feeling good, right, and at peace. We often look for something, anything to help us feel good, right, or at peace but God alone is our healer. He gives us Sabbath. Sabbath was a holy day for God’s holy people. People are trying to feel good, right, and at peace but they are doing it by running and hustling for their worth, often bowing down to that which can not help them. What’s missing? They are missing holiness. Holiness sets the heart right. This is why Jesus came.

There is none righteous, no not one. (Romans 3:10) Even the Pharisees balked at Jesus when His disciples picked some grain when they were hungry. Saying it wasn’t lawful to do that on the Sabbath. But He tells them in Mark 2:25 “Have you never read what David and those who were with him did when he was in need and hungry — ²⁶ how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest and ate the bread of the Presence —which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests —and also gave some to his companions?” ²⁷ Then he told them, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. ²⁸ So then, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” He tells them Sabbath was made for man and I am the God of the Sabbath. He brings up when David entered the house of God – a sacred space, a holy place and Sabbath is a sacred time – a holy day. Sabbath itself is a remembrance of God’s justice and compassion in delivering Israel from slavery in Egypt.

God is saying to these people through Jeremiah – you dont even remember when I saved you from Eygpt. Instead you use the time set aside to remember Me and what I have done to work injustice and follow after other gods.

Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.

Return to Jesus today! Remember where He brought you from. He is our righteousness, our holiness, our healer! Amen

Thanks for Listening,

Starla