In Jeremiah 9 and 10, we’re confronted with stark truths about God’s expectations and His relentless pursuit of His people. Jeremiah, with raw honesty, depicts the consequences of straying from God’s path and the urgency of returning to Him. In this Daily Devotional, God’s warnings are sobering, yet amidst the chastisement, there’s a call to repentance and a reminder of God’s sovereignty. Learn how to change the direction of your life in Jeremiah 7 and 8.
Jeremiah’s words resonate with timeless relevance, challenging us to assess our own lives in light of God’s standards. The imagery of bitter food and poisonous water serves as a vivid metaphor for the spiritual consequences of disobedience. But intertwined with the warning is an invitation to humility and a recognition of God’s unmatched power and authority.
As we delve into Jeremiah’s prophecy, we’re compelled to confront our own tendencies toward idolatry and self-reliance. Jeremiah 10 unveils the futility of placing our trust in anything other than the one true God. It’s a reminder that our steps are guided not by our own wisdom, but by the divine hand that directs the course of our lives. In these chapters, we’re challenged to surrender our pride, acknowledge God’s supremacy, and heed His call to return to Him.
Jeremiah 9 and 10 Commentary by Allen J. Huth
Today brings us to Jeremiah 9 and 10. God tries over and over to get our attention. He has high standards. Is He trying to get your attention? Please read or listen to the twenty-six verses of Jeremiah 9 and the twenty-five verses of Jeremiah 10.
Comments
In 1991, I referred to a few verses in my journal. First, I looked at Jeremiah 9:13-16:
And the Lord says: “Because they have forsaken my law that I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice or walked in accord with it, but have stubbornly followed their own hearts and have gone after the Baals, as their fathers taught them. Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will feed this people with bitter food, and give them poisonous water to drink. I will scatter them among the nations whom neither they nor their fathers have known, and I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them.”
Most of us have been taught good things come from the Father. But here we see God feed people with bitter food, poisonous water, and consume them with the sword in battle. Few are suffering so today.
Are You Oppressed or Depressed?
If you feel oppressed or depressed, maybe it is because you have been disobedient to the Lord. Maybe you sense an oppressive hand from God on your life right now. If so, come back to the Lord. That is why He does this. He may apply a little pressure on your life once in a while to get you to return to Him. If so, remember Romans 8:28 says, “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (NKJV).
In my journal, I wrote, “Advice,” referring to 9:23-24, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight,’ declares the Lord.”
These verses remind us whether it is wisdom, might, or riches, they all come from the Lord, therefore, we have no claim to boast.
Jeremiah 10:23-24
The last verses I referred to in 1991, were Jeremiah 10:23-24:
I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself,
that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
Correct me, O Lord, but in justice;
not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing.
Let God Direct Your Steps
You may think you are walking out your own life, but the verse above tells me it is not so, “that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps” (10:23). If your walk is a little uphill or your path may not be very straight, it may be because God is trying to correct your steps. Submit to Him today so He does not have to do it in anger, but in justice. Thank You, Lord, for intervening in our walk in this life.
Prayer of Humility
Lord, we bow our hearts humbly before You, after reading these chapters in Jeremiah today. We learned if we are suffering, if we were oppressed, if our course is not straight, it may be because You are trying to get our attention.
The words of Jeremiah stung the people of Jerusalem. They are stinging us, as well, as we hear the words and apply them to our own lives. We learned, Lord, You have high standards. We are reminded in these chapters today there is none like You, O Lord. You are great and Your name is great in might. You are the true God, the Living God, the Everlasting King. You made the earth by Your power. You establish the world by Your wisdom. You stretched out the heavens. Thank You for reminding us there is none like You.
Forgive us for our boast in our wisdom, our might, or in our riches. After this passage, Lord, we set all that aside, and we only boast in knowing You, the one who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. You are the mighty King, Master of everything. We boast in You. Amen.
