God's Judgment Is Just
Jeremiah 5, verse 1. “Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and you will see and know; and seek in her streets if you can find a man, if there is anyone who does judgment and seeks faithfulness; and I shall be merciful to them,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 5, verse 2. “Though they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’ therefore, do they not make an oath with lies?” Jeremiah 5, verse 3. O Lord, Your eyes are on faithfulness. You chastised them, but they have not grieved. You consumed them, but they were unwilling to receive correction. They set their faces harder than a rock and did not will to return. Jeremiah 5, verse 4. Therefore I said, “Perhaps they are poor, because they are weak and do not know the way of the Lord, nor the judgment of God. Jeremiah 5, verse 5. I will go to the great men and speak to them, for they do not know the way of the Lord and the judgment of God.” But behold, they altogether crushed the yoke and broke the bonds. Jeremiah 5, verse 6. Therefore a lion from the thicket struck them, and a wolf destroyed them, even to their houses; and a leopard kept watch against their cities. Everyone who goes out from them shall be hunted, because they multiplied their ungodliness and grew strong in their turning away. Jeremiah 5, verse 7. “In what way shall I be merciful to you? Your sons forsook Me and swore by those who are not gods. I pastured them, but they committed adultery and lodged in the houses of prostitutes. Jeremiah 5, verse 8. They were lusty horses. Each one neighed after his neighbor's wife. Jeremiah 5, verse 9. Shall I not visit them for these things?” says the Lord. “Shall not My soul take vengeance on such a nation as this? Jeremiah 5, verse 10. “Go upon her outer fortifications and tear them down, but do not ruin them completely. Leave the support foundations, for they belong to the Lord. Jeremiah 5, verse 11. The house of Israel and the house of Judah dealt very treacherously with Me,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 5, verse 12. They lied to their own Lord, and said, “These things are not so. Evil will not come upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine. Jeremiah 5, verse 13. Our prophets were as wind, and the word of the Lord did not exist in them.” Jeremiah 5, verse 14. Therefore, thus says the Lord Almighty: “Because you prophets spoke this word, behold, I will cause My words to be fire in your mouth, and this people to be wood, and the fire shall devour them. Jeremiah 5, verse 15. Behold, O house of Israel,” says the Lord, “I will bring a nation against you from afar. It is a nation whose spoken language you shall not understand. Jeremiah 5, verse 16. They are all mighty men. Jeremiah 5, verse 17. They shall eat up your harvest and your bread, and they shall devour your sons and daughters, along with your sheep and cattle, and your vines, fig trees, and olive groves. With a sword they shall destroy your fortified cities in which you trust. Jeremiah 5, verse 18. “Nevertheless, it shall come to pass in those days,” says the Lord your God, “that I will not make a complete end of you. Jeremiah 5, verse 19. It will be that when you say, ‘Why did the Lord our God do all these things to us?’ then you shall answer them, ‘Because you served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve foreigners in a land not yours.’ Jeremiah 5, verse 20. “Declare this in the house of Jacob, and let it be heard in Judah. Jeremiah 5, verse 21. Hear these things now, O people, foolish and heartless. They have eyes that see not, they have ears that hear not. Jeremiah 5, verse 22. Do you not fear Me?” asks the Lord. “Have you no fear before My presence, I who placed the sand as the bound of the sea, a perpetual decree, so it shall not pass beyond? Though it be in a constant uproar, yet it shall not prevail; and though its waves toss, yet they shall not pass over it. Jeremiah 5, verse 23. But this people has an inattentive and disobedient heart. They turned aside and departed. Jeremiah 5, verse 24. They did not say in their heart, ‘Let us now fear the Lord our God, who gives us both the early and the late rain, according to the fullness of the season, and preserves the harvest He ordained for us.’ Jeremiah 5, verse 25. Your lawlessness turned these things away, and your sins withdrew the good things from you. Jeremiah 5, verse 26. For the ungodly were found among My people. They set traps to destroy men, and they caught them. Jeremiah 5, verse 27. As a trap set for birds is full, so their houses are full of deceit; therefore, they became great and grew rich. Jeremiah 5, verse 28. They transgressed judgment and do not plead the cause of the orphan, nor the cause of the widow. Jeremiah 5, verse 29. Shall I not visit them for these things?” says the Lord. “Shall not My soul take vengeance on such a nation as this? Jeremiah 5, verse 30. “Bewilderment and horrible things have come upon the land. Jeremiah 5, verse 31. The prophets prophesy unrighteous things, and the priests applaud with their hands. My people also love to have it so. But what will you do after these things?”