THE NORTHERN KENTUCKY SEARCHER
"Search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. " (John 5:39)

VOLUME 2, NUMBER 17, MAY 26, 2002

“LET HIM THAT GLORIETH GLORY IN THIS”  (JEREMIAH 9: 23 )  

            Recognizing that “whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4),  I would like to address certain lessons that we can learn from a statement found in Jeremiah 9: 23 – 24.   

            Called to his prophetic office in approximately 626 B.C., Jeremiah strove mightily to save Jerusalem and Judah from the onslaught of the Babylonians.  The Babylonians would come from the north as instruments of punishment in the hand of God.  Jerusalem would be partly destroyed in 606 B.C.; further devastated in 597 B.C., and desolated in 586 B.C.  Jeremiah would witness the destruction.   

            This destruction did not come unexpectedly or without warning.  Close to 100 years earlier the prophet Isaiah had plead with the people of the southern kingdom to turn back to Jehovah, and their destruction at the hands of the Assyrians had been narrowly avoided.  However, instead of improving, the conduct of the southern kingdom continued to deteriorate until God would withhold His punishment no longer.  

            In the early part of Jeremiah, the prophet had overturned the peoples’ false reliance on the temple and its rituals, or the sacrifices, and in the wisdom of their leaders.  In chapter 9, he wrote of some of their sins and told of the devastation and destruction that would come upon the land.  Then in verses 23 & 24, he finally pointed out the way that would lead to safety.  They would not walk in this way, but it was available to them.  Here is what he wrote, “Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.”  

            It was true then and it is true now.  The only way that leads to safety consists entirely in the true knowledge of God who does grace, right, and justice, and has pleasure therein.   Think about the things upon which man tends to place his confidence and to take great pride in: their own wisdom, strength, and wealth.  True safety is not to be found in any of them.  Concerning the wisdom, might, and wealth of man, the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:20 – 29, “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presence.”  These kinds of things will not save a man from eternal damnation.  

            On the other hand, true safety is found only by “understanding and knowing God”.   The ideas of understanding and knowing God are so closely related and connected, that we can almost say that knowing is giving us a pretty good definition of understanding.  The idea of understanding God must manifest itself in knowing Him.   In the context, “knowing God” is to know Him as the one who does grace, right, and justice upon the earth.   The one who knows God will practice those same virtues  toward his fellowman, because in those virtues God finds pleasure. Obviously, since God finds pleasure in right and justice, He will punish all those who do not practice them.  

            That was the situation with the southern kingdom.  They did not practice these virtues that come from understanding and knowing God.  So Jeremiah continued as said, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised; Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.”   

            That is a pretty powerful indictment.  Judah was obligated to walk blameless before the Lord because of the covenant they had with Him.  Circumcision was the outward sign of that covenant, along with the keeping of all His other commandments.  If Judah did not walk blameless before God, if they did not keep His commandments, then the outward sign of circumcision didn’t mean much.  They lost any preeminence over the heathen because their hearts were not circumcised, and they were like everybody else.   

            If our hearts are not changed, the outward signs don’t mean much.

                                                                        Greg Litmer