Wednesday, January 15 – Jeremiah 4, 5
1. What is the circumcision that truly matters to Jehovah? Jeremiah 4:4
2. What was Jehovah looking for in Jerusalem? Jeremiah 5:1
In Jeremiah 4, Jehovah calls His people to true repentance. There are three specific admonitions:
This clearly refers to the pagan gods they had and worshiped. The worship of these gods was immoral and abominable.
2. “And if with truth, justice, and righteousness you swear: ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’” (see 2).
This is a consistent theme in God’s message, calling His people to act justly toward the needy, poor, and oppressed, and to do justice for all.
3. “Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskin of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.” (see 4).
He is calling His people to a religion of the heart, not just a formal one. Circumcision was a physical sign, but more important than physical circumcision is the circumcision of the heart. The circumcision of the body only makes sense and holds value when the mind is surrendered to God. If the heart is not circumcised, we will suffer God’s judgments just like the wicked.
“This order is given to highlight the increase of moral corruption prevailing in Jerusalem. This challenge reminds us of the ancient story of Diogenes, the Greek philosopher and founder of the Cynic school, who walked by day in the streets of Athens carrying a lamp, pretending to search for an honest man. The command to ‘run,’ ‘look,’ ‘inform yourself,’ and ‘search’ unmistakably draws attention to the great scarcity of upright people.” CBA, Jeremiah 5:1