She asked if I had time to talk. When a spot in my day cleared I called her. My sister in Christ had been praying about a particular temptation and was feeling embarrassed to tell me. But I gently encouraged her and she shared that a glass of wine was no longer sufficient. She desired more, too much more. She knew she was sliding down a slippery slope, so she courageously reached out for help and accountability. I was glad she did. Like many women I have counseled over the years, my sister was hewing out a broken cistern for herself “that can hold no water” (Jer. 2:13). She had not completely “forsaken…the fountain of living waters” (v. 13), but she knew she was finding her satisfaction in something other than Him alone. My sister was wise to not ignore the Spirit’s conviction and to recognize she needed to reach out for help.
Today you may not be tempted by alcohol, but all of us are tempted to hew out broken cistern for ourselves. Think of how often we turn to achievements, beauty, food, fitness, gaming, money, pornography, sex, social media, or popularity in order to find satisfaction, security or significance. The prophet Jeremiah warns us of the dangers of such disordered desires and challenges us to return to “the fountain of living waters” (Jer. 2:13).
The Lord Contends with His People
There was a time when Israel was devoted to the Lord, as a young bride is devoted to her husband (Jer. 2:2). But this honeymoon phase didn’t last long. God’s people “went after worthlessness, and became worthless” (v. 5). They forgot the Lord’s redemption from Egypt, His faithfulness to them in the wilderness, and His graciousness in giving them Canaan (vv. 6-7). The priests failed to pray, the leaders broke the law, and the prophets stopped proclaiming God’s words (v. 8). They exchanged the one living and true God for gods that could not save them. They forsook “the fountain of living waters” to try and find their satisfaction and security in other sources (v. 13). Though Israel was the Lord’s firstborn son, they became slaves to the nations around them, forsaking the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom (vv. 14-19). They lusted after other lovers, bowing to Baal, and groping for the gods of this world (vv. 20-25). They ignored the Lord’s discipline and spurned His covenant love. Therefore, the Lord threatened to bring shame upon them by way of Egypt and Assyria, the very superpowers in whom they put their trust (vv. 36-37). The covenant curses, like drought, didn’t even get their attention. Their adultery and idolatry had blinded them, and they wondered why the Lord seemed far away.
The Lord Calls His People to Repent
The Lord used Jeremiah to call His people to repentance (Jer. 3:6-4:4). He had already sent the northern kingdom of Israel into exile at the hand of the Assyrians. Now the southern kingdom of Judah was on the brink of exile. Up to this point Judah’s attempts to return to the Lord had been pretentious, not pure. But the Lord is slow to anger and abounding in love and kindness. So He again invited them to return and repent. If they truly repented, He would redeem and restore them. He would save a remnant and give them “shepherds after [His] own heart, who will feed them with knowledge and understanding” (3:14-15). He promised His protection and presence in Jerusalem when all nations would parade to Him with a pure heart (v. 17). Reunited, Israel and Judah would experience restoration (v. 18). Repentance would mean a return to their Redeemer. They must exchange the detestable for the delightful, perversion for purity, whoredom for holiness, adultery for the Almighty, trees for truth, jeopardy for justice, and recklessness for righteousness (vv. 19-23). They had to break up the hardness of their hearts, sowing truth in place of error and committing their hearts to the Lord (4:3-4).
The Lord Keeps His Promises
This passage of Scripture is shocking. On the one hand, we wonder how “a decree of divorce” (Jer. 3:8) can be given to Israel. This is the God of the covenant! On the other hand, we wonder how Israel and Judah could have stooped to apostasy and orgies. These are God’s people! But in the middle of it all a ray of redeeming hope shines through. The Lord would save a remnant. He would provide godly shepherds and transform hearts. He would bring forth people from every tribe, tongue and nation to worship Him.
During the days of Ezra and Nehemiah this promise is partially fulfilled, but it’s not until Christ, the great shepherd of the sheep, who by the blood of the eternal covenant secured the salvation of God’s people through the cross, that we see these verses come to fruition. Of course, these promises won’t be consummately fulfilled until Christ ushers God’s people into the New Jerusalem. In this holy city we will join with a multitude of believers from every tribe, tongue and nation to worship the Shepherd “after [God’s] own heart, who will feed [us] with knowledge and understanding” (Jer. 3:15; see also Rev. 7:17). By the power of Christ’s Spirit in us, we will no longer follow our evil hearts, but will have new hearts that beat for the things of God.
Therefore, stop seeking satisfaction in broken cisterns and present yourself to God as a living sacrifice. Commit your heart to Him and His ways, rest in His redemption, and live in truth, justice and righteousness. By God’s grace, break up the hardness in your heart and humble yourself before Him, so that you may do good and not evil, all the days of your life.
Image: By Wilson44691 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18792763