I have some relatives that are lost without Christ and that breaks my heart. I know people that claim to be believers in Christ and yet, they are living in rebellion and that brings great sorrow to my heart. When I see the wickedness of the world, it disgusts me and I pity them. When I am confronted with my own wickedness and my own depravity, I am especially sorrowful.
Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. He is given a grave message to proclaim. It is a message of judgement. As Jeremiah is given a picture of the coming doom upon God’s people due to their sin, he finds himself filled with sorrow. It is similar to the sorrow Jesus had over the city of Jerusalem in Luke 19:41-44. “Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”[1] There are times when a preacher must preach a message that is not enjoyable. Jeremiah suffers great pain and agony over the message that God had given him to proclaim. The New American Commentary says, “These verses have been called the “cross of Jeremiah” because they reveal his personal anguish for having to announce the doom of his people. He spoke as he did, however, because of his love for them.”[2] A preacher that loves his people will preach the whole counsel of God’s Word. He will proclaim the truth even though it may be hard to hear. He will speak the truth that God gives him because he loves them. When you truly love someone, you will not allow them to continue in their sin. You will speak the truth in love, because you love them. The sorrow we have for sinners comes out of a heart of love for sinners. The kind of love that Jesus has for us.
As we consider this sorrow over sinners in Jeremiah 4:19-31, there are several things we see that we can identify with.
Heartbreak. Jeremiah expresses the pain that is in his heart. He is filled with sorrow over the sins of God’s people. Warren Wiersbe wrote, “Known as “the weeping prophet,” Jeremiah here expressed his personal anguish as he contemplated a national tragedy that could have been averted (4:19–21). No other Old Testament prophet revealed his broken heartedness and sorrow as did Jeremiah (see 6:24; 9:10; 10:19–20). When ministering publicly, he was bold before men; in private, he was heartbroken before God.”[3] This is very similar to the heartbreak of a parent. A parent may boldly confront and deal with a rebellious child; but in private before God, their heart is broken over their child. Your personal sin and the sin of others can bring literal physical pain. The weight of guilt and shame of our own sin or the heaviness of the sin of others can affect our physical health. There is much evidence out there that confirms that the wrongs of others in our lives and/or our own quilt has an adverse effect on our health. This is one reason why it is so important that our vertical relationship with God is right and our horizontal relationship with others is right. Being right with God and right with others could very well determine how physically healthy we are. Jeremiah’s heart was broken. He found himself filled with great sorrow over the sin of God’s people. No doubt, this was not good for Jeremiah’s health.
Consequence upon Consequence. It is observed that there are consequences for sin and the consequence for sin is often more sin which brings more consequences. The Apostle Paul speaks of this in Romans 1:18-31. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”[4] God’s judgement on sin is sin itself. When one continues in unrepentant sin, God will give them over to their sin and allow them to suffer the natural consequences. As unrepentant sin continues, it produces more sin, which produces more consequences. The point we need to understand is that nothing good comes from sin. It always leads to more sin and the further we go in sin, the greater the consequence. The people of Judah refused to repent of their sin though they had been warned over again of impending judgement. Therefore, the consequence of their sin has grown and the judgement from God is more severe.
Foolishness. The consequence of sin comes from the foolishness of our humanity. We do things with no understanding. Often, we don’t even realize what we are doing. Verse 22 says, “For My people are foolish, they have not known Me. They are silly children, and they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, But to do good they have no knowledge.”[5] The accusation against the people of Judah is great. It is said that they know how to do evil, but they do not know how to do good. This reminds me of the sin nature that we are born with. You do not have to teach a young child how to do bad things. It is natural to them. I never had to teach my children how to lie or how to disobey their parents. They were already wise to do evil. They already knew how to sin. However, they did not know how to do good. It had to be taught. They needed to be instructed to do good. We are truly foolish people and silly children who have no knowledge to do good.
Judgement mixed with mercy. There is an interesting phrase found in verse 27. “For thus says the Lord: The whole land shall be desolate; Yet I will not make a full end.”[6] As Jeremiah mourns the judgement that is coming, there is a sliver of comfort and hope. God says that the land will be desolate, there will be utter destruction; but, He will not make a full end. His judgement is mixed with mercy. He is a merciful God. Mercy is God not giving us what we truly deserve. We deserve to be completely wiped out. We deserve to be cast into hell. We deserve the most severe punishment. But, in His great love for us, God is merciful. He does not completely destroy us. He holds back and gives us the opportunity for repentance and restoration. It should bring us great comfort in knowing that there is always hope. Yes, God will chasten us. Yes, we may endure severe consequences for habitual sin. But God will never turn away from us. He is always there with open arms ready to receive us and to restore us.
As we face the sorrow of our sin and the sin of others, let us remember the mercy and grace of God. As the Psalmist said, “weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Do not allow the sorrow of sin to overwhelm you. Repent. Make sure you are right with God and right with others, so you may experience the joy of a new day.
[1] The New King James Version (Lk 19:41–44). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[2] Huey, F. B. (1993). Jeremiah, Lamentations (Vol. 16, p. 83). Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Decisive (pp. 33–34). Victor Books.
[4] The New King James Version (Ro 1:18–32). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[5] The New King James Version (Je 4:22). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[6] The New King James Version (Je 4:27). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
Pastor Chris Noland 