1 “‘At that time, declares the LORD, the bones of the kings and officials of Judah, the bones of the priests and prophets, and the bones of the people of Jerusalem will be removed from their graves. 2 They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens, which they have loved and served and which they have followed and consulted and worshipped. They will not be gathered up or buried, but will be like dung lying on the ground. 3 Wherever I banish them, all the survivors of this evil nation will prefer death to life, declares the LORD Almighty.’
“‘When people fall down, do they not get up? When someone turns away, do they not return?
5 Why then have these people turned away? Why does Jerusalem always turn away?
They cling to deceit; they refuse to return.
6 I have listened attentively, but they do not say what is right.
None of them repent of their wickedness, saying, “What have I done?”
Each pursues their own course like a horse charging into battle.
7 Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons,
and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration.
But my people do not know the requirements of the LORD.
5 Why then have these people turned away? Why does Jerusalem always turn away?
They cling to deceit; they refuse to return.
6 I have listened attentively, but they do not say what is right.
None of them repent of their wickedness, saying, “What have I done?”
Each pursues their own course like a horse charging into battle.
7 Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons,
and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration.
But my people do not know the requirements of the LORD.
8 “‘How can you say, “We are wise, for we have the law of the LORD,”
when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely?
9 The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped.
Since they have rejected the word of the LORD, what kind of wisdom do they have?
10 Therefore I will give their wives to other men and their fields to new owners.
From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain;
prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit.
11 They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious.
“Peace, peace,” they say, when there is no peace.
12 Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all;
they do not even know how to blush.
So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when they are punished, says the LORD.
when actually the lying pen of the scribes has handled it falsely?
9 The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped.
Since they have rejected the word of the LORD, what kind of wisdom do they have?
10 Therefore I will give their wives to other men and their fields to new owners.
From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain;
prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit.
11 They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious.
“Peace, peace,” they say, when there is no peace.
12 Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all;
they do not even know how to blush.
So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when they are punished, says the LORD.
13 “‘I will take away their harvest, declares the LORD.
There will be no grapes on the vine. There will be no figs on the tree, and their leaves will wither.
What I have given them will be taken from them.’”
There will be no grapes on the vine. There will be no figs on the tree, and their leaves will wither.
What I have given them will be taken from them.’”
14 Why are we sitting here? Gather together!
Let us flee to the fortified cities and perish there!
For the LORD our God has doomed us to perish and given us poisoned water to drink,
Let us flee to the fortified cities and perish there!
For the LORD our God has doomed us to perish and given us poisoned water to drink,
because we have sinned against him.
15 We hoped for peace but no good has come,
for a time of healing but there is only terror.
16 The snorting of the enemy’s horses is heard from Dan;
at the neighing of their stallions the whole land trembles.
They have come to devour the land and everything in it, the city and all who live there.
15 We hoped for peace but no good has come,
for a time of healing but there is only terror.
16 The snorting of the enemy’s horses is heard from Dan;
at the neighing of their stallions the whole land trembles.
They have come to devour the land and everything in it, the city and all who live there.
17 “See, I will send venomous snakes among you, vipers that cannot be charmed,
and they will bite you,” declares the LORD.
and they will bite you,” declares the LORD.
18 You who are my Comforter in sorrow, my heart is faint within me.
19 Listen to the cry of my people from a land far away:
“Is the LORD not in Zion? Is her King no longer there?”
19 Listen to the cry of my people from a land far away:
“Is the LORD not in Zion? Is her King no longer there?”
“Why have they aroused my anger with their images, with their worthless foreign idols?”
20 “The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved.”
21 Since my people are crushed, I am crushed; I mourn, and horror grips me.
22 Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?
Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?
22 Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?
Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?
C H Spurgeon
Jeremiah 8:20
Not saved! Dear reader, is this your mournful plight? Warned of the judgment to come, bidden to escape for your life, and yet at this moment not saved! You know the way of salvation, you read it in the Bible, you hear it from the pulpit, it is explained to you by friends, and yet you neglect it, and therefore you are not saved. You will be without excuse when the Lord shall judge the quick and dead. The Holy Spirit has given more or less of blessing upon the word which has been preached in your hearing, and times of refreshing have come from the divine presence, and yet you are without Christ. All these hopeful seasons have come and gone-your summer and your harvest have past-and yet you are not saved. Years have followed one another into eternity, and your last year will soon be here: youth has gone, manhood is going, and yet you are not saved. Let me ask you-will you ever be saved? Is there any likelihood of it? Already the most propitious seasons have left you unsaved; will other occasions alter your condition? Means have failed with you-the best of means, used perseveringly and with the utmost affection-what more can be done for you? Affliction and prosperity have alike failed to impress you; tears and prayers and sermons have been wasted on your barren heart. Are not the probabilities dead against your ever being saved? Is it not more than likely that you will abide as you are till death for ever bars the door of hope? Do you recoil from the supposition? Yet it is a most reasonable one: he who is not washed in so many waters will in all probability go filthy to his end. The convenient time never has come, why should it ever come? It is logical to fear that it never will arrive, and that Felix like, you will find no convenient season till you are in hell. O bethink you of what that hell is, and of the dread probability that you will soon be cast into it!
Reader, suppose you should die unsaved, your doom no words can picture. Write out your dread estate in tears and blood, talk of it with groans and gnashing of teeth: you will be punished with everlasting destruction from the glory of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. A brother's voice would fain startle you into earnestness. O be wise, be wise in time, and ere another year begins, believe in Jesus, who is able to save to the uttermost. Consecrate these last hours to lonely thought, and if deep repentance be bred in you, it will be well; and if it lead to a humble faith in Jesus, it will be best of all. O see to it that this year pass not away, and you an unforgiven spirit. Let not the new year's midnight peals sound upon a joyless spirit! Now, NOW, NOW believe, and live.
"ESCAPE FOR THY LIFE; LOOK NOT BEHIND THEE, NEITHER STAY THOU IN ALL THE PLAIN; ESCAPE TO THE MOUNTAIN, LEST THOU BE CONSUMED."
Reader, suppose you should die unsaved, your doom no words can picture. Write out your dread estate in tears and blood, talk of it with groans and gnashing of teeth: you will be punished with everlasting destruction from the glory of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. A brother's voice would fain startle you into earnestness. O be wise, be wise in time, and ere another year begins, believe in Jesus, who is able to save to the uttermost. Consecrate these last hours to lonely thought, and if deep repentance be bred in you, it will be well; and if it lead to a humble faith in Jesus, it will be best of all. O see to it that this year pass not away, and you an unforgiven spirit. Let not the new year's midnight peals sound upon a joyless spirit! Now, NOW, NOW believe, and live.
"ESCAPE FOR THY LIFE; LOOK NOT BEHIND THEE, NEITHER STAY THOU IN ALL THE PLAIN; ESCAPE TO THE MOUNTAIN, LEST THOU BE CONSUMED."
