Jeremiah 12:7-13
If The Spark Goes Out So Does The Light
I. \\#Jer 1:1-19\\ Jeremiah’s Calling
II. \\#2:1-37\\ God’s Case Against Judah
III. \\#3:1-25\\ Israel’s Three Time Zones
IV. \\#4:1-6:30\\ Sins and Judgments
V. \\#7:1-\\ Some Specific Messages
A. \\#Jer 7:1-34\\ A Message to the Religious
B. \\#Jer 8:1-22\\ A Message to the Continuous Backslider
C. \\#Jer 9:1-10:25\\ A Message to the Believer
D. \\#Jer 11:1-12:6\\ A Message About Jeremiah
E. \\#Jer 12:7-17\\ A Message to the Pastors
1. \\#Jer 12:7-9\\ An Astonishing Statement
2. \\#Jer 12:10-13\\ A Horrendous Failure
3. \\#Jer 12:14-17\\ A Strange Invitation
I. \\#Jer 12:7-9\\ An Astonishing Statement
A. \\#7\\ Look at what God says!
1. "I have forsaken my house, I have left mine heritage"
a. This is God speaking about His beloved people and
nation!
b. This is the God who told us, "I will never leave you
nor forsake you," but He did not tell the Jews that!
c. He told them that they had to walk in His ways and
obey Him.
d. I tell you, what we have in Christ is far better than
what the Jews had in the Law!
2. Then look at HOW God tells the Jews He will judge them.
7 …I have given the dearly beloved of my soul
into the hand of her enemies.
a. This is a reference to Babylon.
b. But Judah was constantly being afflicted by enemies by
this time. References during their last seven kings.
(1) Manasseh by Assyria \\#2Ch 33:11-12\\
(2) Amon-Likely the first king of Jeremiah’s
ministry. I find no Biblical record of Amon
being attacked from without but he was killed by
his servants \\#2Kings 21:19-26\\.
(3) Josiah by Egypt and Babylon
\\#2Ki 23:29, 2Chron 35:20-27\\.
(4) Jehoahaz by Egypt \\#2Kings 23:31-33\\
(5) Jehoiakim by Babylon, Syrians, Moabites, Ammon
\\#2Kings 24:1-2\\.
(6) Jehoiachin by Babylon \\#2Kings 24:8-15\\
(7) Zedekiah by Babylon \\#2Kings 25:1-4\\
B. God gives some picturesque images.
1. Their rebellion-They are defiant like a lion.
8 Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the
forest; it crieth out against me: therefore
have I hated it.
2. Their condition
a. They are vulnerable like a speckled bird.
9 Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird,
the birds round about are against her; come ye,
assemble all the beasts of the field, come to
devour.
b. A speckled bird is oft attacked by others, perhaps
because his colors make him look like he is already
injured and thus easy prey.
3. \\#Jer 13:1-7\\ Their defilement
a. They were like a soiled girdle.
b. The girdle shows how close and personal Israel was to
God.
C. We must understand how what God is saying applies to today.
1. It means you can forget the argument used by some that a
loving God will not punish sinners.
a. This is the same God whom John says is love and yet
there are many records to prove that His love does
not hinder His ability to judge.
(1) Old Testament
(a) Conquest of all the inhabitants of Canaan.
(b) Destruction of Egypt in Moses’ day
(c) Assyrian Captivity
(2) New Testament
(a) Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5)
(b) Death of King Herod by worms \\#Acts 12:23\\
(c) His many promises to judge the earth and all
upon it \\#2Thess 1:7-10\\, Revelation
(d) The promise of hell itself \\#Re 20:14\\
b. In fact, this Old Testament judgment illustrates a
New Testament principal.
(1) God’s judgments not only will include the people
of God, but they will most often START with
the people of God.
1Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment
must begin at the house of God: and if it first
begin at us, what shall the end be of them that
obey not the gospel of God?
(2) There is NO conflict in God’s nature.
(a) God is both loving and just.
(b) He is capable of both mercy and anger.
(c) He can be forgiving but His compassion can
depleted.
2. It means God holds His people to His standards.
a. Too many are trusting in a Santa-Claus God. One who
threatens not to bring you any presents if you are
bad but always does.
b. God has set some standards, even for the believers,
and their consequences if we break them.
Mt 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your
righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of
the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case
enter into the kingdom of heaven.
1Cor 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall
not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived:
neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of
themselves with mankind,
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor
revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the
kingdom of God.
2Cor 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made
manifest: for the day shall declare it, because
it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall
try every man’s work of what sort it is.
II. \\#Jer 12:10-13\\ A Horrendous Failure
A. \\#10\\ No doubt there were many causes that had lead this
condition in Israel, but God holds one party accountable in
particular throughout the book of Jeremiah—the pastors.
1. The word "pastor" means "shepherd."
2. We use it primarily of those who are spiritually
responsible for leading a church congregation.
3. God probably intended it to have the same basic meaning
in the Old Testament except it would be those who lead
a nation spiritually.
4. That would include the civic leaders and the priests and
Levites.
B. God charges the pastors with their failures.
1. \\#10\\ They trodden underfoot the precious.
a. They has stomped into nothingness the things that
would have made the land of Israel a godly land.
b. How did these spiritual leaders do that?
(1) They neglected to give out the truth.
(2) They gave out untruths.
(3) They modeled a wicked lifestyle, justifying it.
2. \\#11\\ By their neglect, the land had become desolate.
a. Do not underestimate the role of godly leaders in
the world.
b. God has called upon them to lead the nation in the
paths of righteousness.
(1) It matters not if the world likes it or not.
(2) Let them label us judgmental, bigoted, holier
than thou, fanatical, extremist, terrorist,
or anything else.
(3) These are the men whose job it is to keep the
spark of holiness alive and thriving among the
believers.
(4) History has proven that when the pastors loose
their spark, it is not long before the light
goes out in the church.
C. \\#13\\ Because of the failure of the pastors, the spoilers
were coming to the land of Judah.
1. God gave another image of what the spoilers would do.
Jer 13:12 Therefore thou shalt speak unto them
this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel,
Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they
shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know
that every bottle shall be filled with wine?
13 Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith
the LORD, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants
of this land, even the kings that sit upon
David’s throne, and the priests, and the
prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
with drunkenness.
14 And I will dash them one against another,
even the fathers and the sons together, saith
the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have
mercy, but destroy them.
2. These bottles would be of clay but it would be the same
results if they were filled glass bottles, tied by
strings and allowed to swing into each other.
3. And God places the blame squarely upon the shoulders of
the pastors.
D. "How does this effect me? I’m no pastor."
1. No, but you have a part in building them up and in tearing
them down.
a. Every Christian does.
b. Granted, whether you build up the pastor or not, he is
still going to be accountable before God for his
ministry.
c. But why not get in on his blessing?
2. The pastor has a difficult job and it becomes more
difficult in evil times.
a. Expose the truth.
b. Live a holy life.
c. Oppose wickedness in every form.
3. How to build up a godly preacher.
a. Go to their churches.
(1) Don’t just join and not go and don’t just go and
not join.
(2) Join and go.
b. Encourage them with your words.
c. Help them with your actions.
d. Advertise the godly and do not advertise the false.
(1) Don’t sit home and watch the destroyers.
(2) Don’t tell others how you like to watch them.
(3) Don’t send them money!
III. \\#Jer 12:14-17\\ A Strange Invitation
A. God speaks to Israel’s neighbors, specifically those who are
going to "touch the inheritance which God had caused Israel
to inherit."
1. \\#14\\
2. The inheritance is the land.
3. God is speaking to those who take the land once God plucks
Israel out of it.
16 And it shall come to pass, if they will
diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear
by my name, The LORD liveth; as they taught my
people to swear by Baal; then shall they be
built in the midst of my people.
B. \\#16\\ If they (those who touch the land after the Jews are
plucked out) will learn the ways (God’s ways), then they
shall be built in the midst of my people."
1. God will take any people who will enter into Israel while
Israel is being judged, and will obey God, and give them
a place among the Jews.
2. Interestingly, I know of no people who have ever accepted
this invitation.
a. The land has been possessed by Greeks, Romans,
Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians, Arabians, Moabites,
Philistines, and, Turks.
b. There probably is not another nation on the earth
which has had more foreigners pass through it.
c. Yet, I know of no people who ever determined they
would live like God instructed on that peace of land,
including the Jews.
C. Isn’t that interesting! All the people who have fought to
take the land and God pretty well promises that anyone who
will do right can have a place in it!
D. \\#17\\ But then, it this is the part of the promise that has
happened to every nation who has ever possessed the land, if
they do not do what God wants them to do in the land, God
will pluck them out of the land just like He did to Israel.
17 But if they will not obey, I will utterly
pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the LORD.
E. It seems to me that God is looking for any people who will
use that stretch of land to honor Him.
1. That is what that land is about.
2. Maybe the only reason God picked Abraham is because, as
stubborn as the Jews have been, God knew that the was
the only people who would ever use the land to honor Him.
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