..
"An Appalling and Horrible Thing"
Jeremiah 5:30-31
It was written by Jeremiah, a prophet to lived in another time and in another
land. He was speaking out against the corrupt leaders of the land, and the
people to whom moral and spiritual corruption no longer mattered. Jeremiah,
guided by God's Spirit, said, "An appalling and horrible
thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, and priests rule
by their own authority, and My people love to have it so! But what will you do
at the end of it?" (Jeremiah 5:30,31).
Earlier, God had chastised the nation's leaders and its people with these words:
"Why should I pardon you? Your sons have forsaken Me and sworn by those who are
not gods. When I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery and trooped
to the harlot's house. They were well fed lusty horses, each one neighing after
his neighbor's wife. 'Shall I not punish these people,' declared the Lord, 'and
on a nation such as this shall I not avenge Myself?'" (Jeremiah 5:7-9).
Because of this great travesty, the Lord said, "So the house of Israel is
shamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests and their prophets."
(Jeremiah 2:26).
Some points to consider: First, the people were no longer holding their leaders
accountable on issues of morality and character. At one time they would have,
but no more. When this change of attitude occurred, the nation was doomed to be
led by the unscrupulous, the dishonest and the depraved. But, after all, these
leaders sure did know how to have a good time! Isn't that what is important?
Second, though the Lord had richly blessed the nation in the past, because of
its present immorality and lack of spirituality, He was withdrawing His care.
The prosperity of the nation would soon be lost, indeed, already it was
beginning to decline. Greed and selfishness had replaced nobler ideals when
character issues no longer mattered to the people.
What were the religious leaders doing through all this? They were as much
involved in the disloyalty to God and His laws as were the secular leaders. They
would voice their support of the immoral, and ridicule Jeremiah and others who
called for a return to God's laws. They were false prophets and corrupt priests,
called upon to support ungodliness of all kinds. Smooth words and flattering
lips typified the popular sermons of the day. Blatant sin was ignored.
Jeremiah said the nation was shamed because of these matters. Well, all this
took place centuries ago, in another time and place. Aren't we fortunate to live
in our own time and place where such events and circumstances are so far removed
from us? Yeah, right.
By Jon W. Quinn
The Final Page
From Expository Files 5.3; March 1998
