Disobedience Brings God’s Judgment

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

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In Jeremiah 9-10, we learn that God is not at all pleased with how low the Judahites had sunk. They had learned a great deal from Gentile nations and none of it was good. If they weren’t trying to depend upon help from these nations in fighting their enemies, they adopted many of the standards and protocols of those neighboring nations and empires.

The biggest problem Judah had was its tendency to worship idols. The prophet Jeremiah loved his people so much, he wished he had more tears to shed (v1) for them. His tears are what earned him the nickname “the weeping prophet.”

Jeremiah wanted a place to run to, to get away from his fellow countrymen (v2), yet there was none. In essence, God would eventually turn Judah into a wilderness, so the wilderness would come to Jeremiah.

Judah’s depravity is outlined in vv2-9. The people lived as if they did not know Yahweh at all. They killed others with false testimony and they went from one evil deed to another. Through Jeremiah the LORD cautioned the people not to trust their brothers (v4). The people were behaving like Jacob was at his worst. They intentionally deceived their own neighbors (v5), they perfected the art of lying and they went after iniquity so well it wore them out.

Their collective/personal deceit kept them from having any type of relationship with Yahweh (v6). God would refine Judah through judgment and hardship (v7).

Should God punish?
God asks rhetorically if He should punish such a people? (v9) The coming invasion would leave utter destruction in Jerusalem and Judah (vv10-11). God calls out for a wise man who will understand (v12) and He resorts to answering Himself because there is no wise man in Judah (aside from Jeremiah, vv12-14). Because the people were so stubborn, God would reverse their fortunes and scatter them (vv 15-16).

Judgment!
God tells the people to take up a dirge for the coming judgment (vv17-22). There are two pronouncements from the LORD:

1. The people of Zion should wail and mourn
2. They would leave the Land as captives of a foreign enemy

Because of this, there would be much death. The LORD then goes onto clearly state that those at the time who thought they were wise and who were rich should think again.

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

The sooner we learn that apart from God we know nothing, the better off we are in life. Interestingly enough, there are proper grounds for boasting:

It is in understanding and knowing the LORD and in so doing, we learn and know the Lord exercises righteous, lovingkindness and judgment throughout the earth.

God tells the people through Jeremiah that mere physical circumcision does not save a person (vv25-26). It is the circumcision of the heart, not a physical ritual, that saves and draws close to God in life.

Idols vs the One True God
The first 16 verses offer us a satire on idolatry and idols. The futility of idols is made clear in the text. Those idols need to be created by craftsman and they fail to see that reality. They are making something they sell or turn around and worship.

Idols that cannot speak, hear or move by themselves, yet they were revered, worshiped as if they were alive. The Judahites had learned idolatry from Gentile nations and God was saying this is an empty delusion that pulled them away from God. Yahweh is completely unique and stands apart from all idols because He is the One True God.

Those who worship idols are completely stupid (v8; see also 1 Corinthians 1:21). This mentality exists throughout society today with the near-worship of “wokeism” that deifies race, gender, culture, etc. – ultimately humanity is worshiped; the creature above the Creator.

Because idols are human creations, they would cease to exist (v11 – the only Aramaic verse in Jeremiah). Unlike idols, Yahweh is not created and He is eternal (v12).

God, not idols, made the earth and all it contains. He controls all things, not idols.

Because idols can do nothing, they bring shame to those who worship and make them (v14). Idols have zero worth and mock those who worship them with their silence (v15).

Israel is the tribe of His covenantal inheritance (v16) and He will not permanently cast them out. The people blamed God for their problems (v19) even though they brought it on themselves by their waywardness. As a result, their homes were destroyed (v20) and they were either killed or carried away into captivity.

Judah’s “shepherds” (leaders) had become dull hearted (v21). We see this happening today as well with many “shepherds” in church pulpits. They are more interested in telling people what they want to hear rather than God’s truth.

We then see the beginnings of the invasion from the north with Babylon (v22). Because of this, Jeremiah beseeches the LORD to correct him and the people of Judah (vv23-25). Ultimately, Jeremiah prayed that the nations that did not know God, that destroyed the children of Israel and their Land would be dealt with severely by God (v25)

Application
Some things for believers to consider with respect to Jeremiah 9-10. What do these chapters tell us about hypocrisy and the human heart?

What do these chapters tell us about God’s character? Who is He? How does He respond to our waywardness? Will He deal with the heathen nations who not only choose to ignore Him, but harm His covenant people?

What can we do to avoid falling away from God?

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

Source: https://studygrowknowblog.com/2025/10/07/disobedience-brings-gods-judgment/