In Jeremiah 2:1-3 we see Israel compared to a young bride to God. She was devoted to Him and trusted in Him and he redeemed her from slavery, protected her from her enemies and gave her an opportunity to be holy in Him. God's church is his bride. This was true in the old testament times as well as new testement times see Ephesians 5:23-24 God is the same yesterday, today and forever. I see this as a challenge as a husband. My relationship with my wife is a model of God's relationship with his church. When my kids read these verses, I want them to understand God a little better. This means that I should be a protector of my wife. I should be a courageous leader, leading my family away from the bondage of sin and into the freedom in Christ. I should protect my wife from those who would hurt her or deceive her.
As we move on to Jeremiah 2:4-20 we see that Israel rejects serving God, and tries to replace him. They abandon Spring of Living Water and instead build their own cisterns that are unable to hold water. I think it is easy for us to do this today. We can build faith in the business wisdom that we read in a Seven Habits book, or relationship advice that we see on Oprah or Dr. Phil. Human wisdom can help us cope with our fallen state, but they will not transform us into a less fallen state. When we live within God's invitation, he sustains us and transforms us, and we no longer need crutches to cope. See John 4:13-14 Verse 20 wraps up this section with a rather pornographic analogy:
For long ago I broke your yoke
and burst your bonds;
but you said, 'I will not serve.'
yes, on every high hill
and under every green tree
you bowed down like a whore.
When we serve idols, it is adultery against God. We defile ourselves to pay the bills that God already promised to pay. Where am I trying to gain something that God has already promised? Am I not defiling myself in the process?
In the concluding verses, Jeremiah 2:21-37, we see the nature of the defilement brought upon ourselves by our sin. We soil the image that that God has made us in. All of our effort to cleanse ourselves still leaves us reeking of lust. We try to explain away God by saying that we descended from trees and rocks (or monkeys). We call on God only when we want something from him, and we offer no love or obedience in exchange. God tries to correct us, but we rebuff his efforts and kill his prophets.
Verse 33 was quite interesting, as it seemed to indicate that women learn to be wicked as a result of our corporate rebellion against God. God's relationship with His people is like that of a husband to a wife. When God's people seek deliverance from many gods, women tend to seek love from many men. A perverted view of God perverts our sexuality while a right view of God sanctifies our sexuality
Out of this final section I can ask myself these questions: Am I seeking cleansing through faith in Christ? Is my faith true enough that I will allow Him to discipline me, or will I rebuff His efforts and oppress the prophets that he sends to me?
