Jeremiah 17
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Jeremiah 17:5:
Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord. |
It's easy to walk by sight rather than by faith. There are some natural fears which are OK, but
fears can get out of control. |
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Jeremiah 17:9-10:
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? The LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings |
 Nicholas Batzig Files
Jeremiah set out the fraudulence of man’s sinful heart when he wrote: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jer. 17:9). Quoting the psalmist, the Apostle Paul testified, “None is righteous, no, not one” (Pss. 14:1; 53:1; Rom. 3:10). All who have descended from Adam by ordinary generation are “dead in . . . trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). Our minds, wills, emotions, affections, and consciences are thoroughly defiled by sin (Eph. 4:17; Titus 1:15–16). By nature, all our faculties are instruments of unrighteousness (Rom. 6:19).
Since all mankind (our Lord Jesus excepted) is fallen in Adam and pervasively depraved, all people need the last Adam to justify them freely by His death and resurrection (Rom. 5:12–21; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:10–14). In Christ, God has delivered His people from “the domain of darkness and transferred [them] to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Col. 1:13). He has graciously transformed believers through the working of His Spirit, based on the redemption secured by His Son. In his book Human Nature in Its Fourfold State, Thomas Boston explained the extent of the regenerating work of God: Original sin infects the whole man; and regenerating grace, which is the cure, goes as far as the disease. . . . He gets not only a new head, to know and understand true religion; or a new tongue, to talk of it; but a new heart, to love and embrace it, in the whole of his life. --Nicholas Batzig; Feeding on Christ; Are Christians Totally Depraved? 2.15.22 |
The confusion today is not objective but subjective. In other words the real problem lies in the subjective condition of man's heart: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.." (Jer 17:9). Our only safeguard is the objective revelation of Jesus Christ. Man-made concepts of Jesus Christ are easily turned into opposite concepts. --WE Best; Christ Could Not be Tempted; 1986
Who can understand our heart? Indeed, the one who knows what to search for. On this verse, I like the KJV: “I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” It suggests to me that the Lord is checking to see if we will yield to his direction…..and by that He will see what is really in the heart. And then weighs not just what we do, but whether what we do bears fruit. What we do, is yield to Him.
In this verse God says that he “search[es]” the heart. If the heart is always so deceitful and untrustworthy, why does the LORD even bother to search it? “Search” implies that there is more to it than just a casual dismissal based on the belief that all hearts are deceitful and untrustworthy. After “search[ing]” the heart God makes a decision about what type of action by Him is merited. This very strongly implies that some hearts are seeking wickedness and some hearts are seeking truth.......He will weigh the heart.
In this verse God says that he “search[es]” the heart. If the heart is always so deceitful and untrustworthy, why does the LORD even bother to search it? “Search” implies that there is more to it than just a casual dismissal based on the belief that all hearts are deceitful and untrustworthy. After “search[ing]” the heart God makes a decision about what type of action by Him is merited. This very strongly implies that some hearts are seeking wickedness and some hearts are seeking truth.......He will weigh the heart.
| In the book of Job it is written of God: “He gives them security, and they rely on it;
Yet His eyes are on their ways.” Job 24:23 “Does He not see my ways, and count all my steps?” Job 31:4 “For His eyes are on the ways of man, and He sees all his steps. There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.” Job 34:21-22 Notice the words of the psalmist David about God: “The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works.” Ps 33:13-15 Jeremiah wrote, “Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?” says the Lord; Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.’” Jer 23:24 As Job also said, “In whose hands is the soul of every living thing and the breath of all mankind” Job 12:10 Solomon wrote, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” Prov 15:3 In other words, we can run but we can’t hide from our Maker.
So, what is God wanting from us that makes him watch us continually? God wants to know if we are evil or good. Therefore, he examines our hearts, our minds, our intents, and our actions. As Jeremiah wrote, “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jer 17:10 God will judge our secrets one day by Jesus Christ according to the apostle’s gospel. Rom 2:16 We have to remember this, that God possess the greatest prize of all, and that being eternal life. Tit 1:2 Not only eternal life does God possess, but also heaven itself. If we are ever going to get in there, we will have to be scrutinized head to toe, inside and out, heart and soul.
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Jeremiah 17:14:
Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. |
Like Jeremiah, we are called to be faithful in the work that God has given us to do. We are not to become discouraged if our life appears mundane or our ministry seems unfruitful. Like Jeremiah, we are called to be faithful to the point of death and we will receive healing, deliverance, and the eternal reward that God has prepared for those that love and trust Him. -Knowing Jesus
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Jeremiah 17:15-18:
15 Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the Lord? let it come now.
16 As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee.
17 Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil.
18 Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.
15 Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the Lord? let it come now.
16 As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee.
17 Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil.
18 Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.