The northern kingdom, Israel, was generally characterised by unfaithfulness and fell to the Assyrians in 721 B.C. The southern kingdom, Judah, had more faithful kings than Israel, but they too fell to the Babylonians subsequently in 586 B.C. The people of Judah sinned against God and God had to purge them through the captivity by the Babylonians and start ‘afresh’ with a remnant group. God had stated in the law of Moses statutes and commandments that had to be followed, but the people did not do so and thus transgressed God’s law. Such transgressions did not please God. We will understand from Jeremiah 2:13 the two evils which Judah was engaged in and how we should learn from their mistakes and conduct ourselves in a manner befitting of Christians.
GOD’S PEOPLE
The people of Israel were the chosen nation. God said that Israel was holiness unto Him (Jeremiah 2:3a) and was also described as the “firstfruits of his increase”. Israel was precious to God and was set apart as a holy nation as much as today, the church is set apart from the world and we are a royal priesthood and holy nation (1 Peter 2:9). As a result of being so precious and set apart, God said that all who consumed Israel would be found guilty and evil would come upon them (Jeremiah 2:3b).
Applications : Being Christians, we need to understand that we are priests, “an holy nation” and are set apart from the world. We need to understand that the church, being the Lord’s body, is precious to God. This understanding has to motivate us to live sanctified lives that are pleasing to God.
JUDAH FORSOOK THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS
“Living waters” are described in the Bible. We read in John 4:10 whereby Jesus spoke to the woman of Samaria and said that if she had asked Him, He would have given her living water to drink. Jesus subsequently said that whoever who drank of that water would never thirst again (John 4:13). He also said that the water He would give would be a “well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).
Jesus used a very practical analogy when talking to the woman of Samaria when she was drawing water. Water is something that is precious, helps quench thirst and a person will die if he goes without water. Thus, Jesus said that when one drinks of the water He provides, one will not thirst again (John 4:13). He used physical means to illustrate a spiritual principle, meaning that Jesus would be the one bringing salvation. We also read of such waters as recorded by the apostle John in Revelation 7:17 whereby the Lamb (Jesus) would lead the people unto living fountains of waters (salvation).
The people of Judah had forsaken Jehovah God. God said that His people had committed two evils. The first was that they had forsaken Him. God described forsaking Him as an evil. Imagine such a strong word used by God on the people of Judah. We have several examples in the Bible of people forsaking God, including warnings not to forsake God and the consequences that followed. King Solomon turned away from the Lord by not keeping His commandments and turned to idolatry. This made God angry (1 Kings 11:9-10) and as a result, God told Solomon that He “will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant” (1 Kings 11:11; cf. 1 Kings 11:33).
Ezra spoke also of the consequence of those who forsake Jehovah God when he said that God’s “power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him” (Ezra 8:22). Much can also be said about the Israelites after Moses led them out of Egypt and how they turned to worship the golden calf and murmured such that God punished them by having them wander in the wilderness for 40 years. Even then, the people were not totally faithful.
The book of Judges recorded the cycle of how the Israelites turned away from God and then cried out to God for help when they were oppressed. There were several times that Judah’s sins were called out in the book of Jeremiah and the necessity for them to repent because they had forsaken Jehovah God (Jeremiah 2:5-13; 5:19; 15:6; 17:13).
God desires our faithfulness. In the Old Testament, God had listed in the ten commandments that “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Moses also told the people that they “shalt” love God with all their heart, soul and might (Deuteronomy 6:5). Several prophets were sent to Israel and Judah to plead with them to turn away from evil, idolatry, alliance with foreign nations and to turn back to God. In the New Testament, Jesus also said likewise as what Moses said (Matthew 22:37). He also said that one cannot serve two masters – “Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13).
Applications : We must strive to remain faithful by seeking God first (Matthew 6:33) and building on our faith by studying and meditating on the word of God (Romans 10:17). We also need to be discerning and not be deceived by putting whatever we hear to the test so that we will not be drawn away by our own lusts.
JUDAH HEWED OUT BROKEN CISTERNS
Judah chose cisterns instead of a fountain. We can visualise how a fountain looks like whereby it constantly has fresh and sparkling water overflowing. It is a pleasant sight and speaks of God’s abundant love and goodness. Cisterns are wells or pits which give the impression that the water contained will be stagnant, dull and may not be sufficient. God made use of the sharp contrasts and said that Judah chose to turn away from Him who can give living waters and turn to cisterns whereby the water is not overflowing. They had chosen something which was much inferior. This was the second evil which Judah committed.
God said that Judah not only chose cisterns but they chose broken cisterns. These broken cisterns could not hold water. Judah made such a bad decision to forsake living water for containers which cannot hold any water. They should have cleaved to God but they forsook God. God further described such folly when He said in Jeremiah 2:21 that He had planted them as noble vine from a right seed but they had turned into a degenerate plant of a strange vine to Him. Judah turned to nations and had practices which would not lead them to salvation.
God then sent out a strong warning against what was happening. He said that there was a need to be astonished and be horribly afraid (Jeremiah 2:12). Judah would be desolate or destroyed. Indeed, there are consequences for everyone in deciding whether to cleave to God or to forsake Him.
Applications : We must be wise and make the right decisions on who to follow. This can be done by being sober and setting our priorities right. As Christians, we must not be like Judah but continue to remain faithful and conduct ourselves in a manner which is fitting of a Christian. We also need to always look towards God who can provide us with salvation and we must never turn to idolatry.
The Bible contains all there is that pertains to life and godliness. We are able to know God’s commandments and promises, and what a person needs to do in order to be righteous and acceptable before God. God had given warnings in the past through the patriarchs, judges and prophets but these were not heeded. Today, we have the Bible to give us such warnings. It will be very sad if we choose other things over God and not remain faithful to Him. In Jeremiah 2:13, God talked of Judah forsaking Him and turning to idolatry. Indeed, they reaped the consequences of their decision. They fell into the hands of the Babylonians and were in captivity for seventy years. We need to learn from the mistakes of unfaithful Judah and strive to conduct ourselves in a manner which is befitting of Christians.