Jeremiah 4:30

The Bible says in Jeremiah 4:30-31, “And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life. For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.” Notice carefully the symbolism of Jeremiah 4:30. The problem with the people of Israel was how sinful they had become. They needed a covering for their sins, not for their bodies. They needed the blood of Christ, which alone can cover sins. The fact that the Israelites tried to clothe themselves in the finest and richest of clothing symbolizes the fact that they were trying to become acceptable by their own means. There is only one way to become acceptable to God: through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says in John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Jeremiah 4:31 is talking about the great sufferings that would come upon the children of Israel. Those sufferings are compared to “a woman in travail.” Historically, one of the greatest sufferings of human beings on this earth had to do with what a woman suffered in childbirth. That has changed a lot because of c-sections and pain drugs that have been developed. Many women no longer suffer the pangs of death when bringing a child into the world. It is a sad commentary on what humans have become in that even though many things have become easier and better due to modern improvements, yet in many ways people are becoming worse. It many be easier to bring a child into the world, but in some ways it is much harder to raise a child to become a decent Christian.

The Bible says in Jeremiah 5:1, “Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.” This verse connects executing “judgment” to seeking “truth.” The word that is translated “judgment” has a basic meaning that is used to refer to what a judge would decide in a case presented to him. But the word “judgment” is also used to refer to the decisions that all of make each day. We come to conclusions about ideas and actions that come before us. In other words all of us are judges, and all of us make judgments. The question is: do we make the right judgments? In order to make the right judgment, you must be someone who seeks truth. One of the facts about the world we live in is the existence of both truth and falsehood. In order to know truth, we must seek truth. Truth is found by seeking. It is important to notice that truth is tied to belief in Jesus. Jesus said in John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Of course, knowing the truth is associated with speaking the truth. There are a lot of liars in the world around us. People are more prone to lie when they think that they will gain an advantage of some kind, and there are many situations in life where people want to gain an advantage. People also lie when they think that lying will help them to avoid getting in trouble. Since we all make mistakes, there are also many situations that come to pass when this temptation to lie is also present. The ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes recognized the fact that it is difficult to find an honest person. He walked through town holding a lantern up to each person’s face that he met, demonstrating how hard it was to find an honest person. As we see in the case of the Israelites during the time of Jeremiah, the more wicked that people become, the more they are likely to be liars.

The most basic truth of all has to do with the fact that I am a sinner, Jesus is the Savior, and I need to turn to Him for forgiveness. That is why Jesus called Himself “the truth.” Whoever rejects this truth in a way is rejecting his own connection with the truth, so it is not surprising that such individuals will more readily tell lies than will someone who is walking in fellowship with the truth. Jesus said in John 8:44-45, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.”

In order to consistently tell the truth, you must be willing to tell the truth even if it means that you appear to lose by doing so. Notice that I said, “appear to lose.” You will never lose when you tell the truth. The truth is one of the most powerful forces in the world. You will be a more powerful person and a more respected person if you are known for telling the truth. You will also save yourself a lot of embarrassment and potentially a lot of trouble by telling the truth because the truth tends to come to light no matter how many lies are said, and no matter how skillful is the liar. The truth is like an air bubble at the bottom of a swimming pool. You might be able to hold it down with your foot for a little while, but eventually it is going to work its way to the top.

The Bible says in Jeremiah 5:2, “And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.” This verse emphasizes the religious hypocrisy of the day. Anywhere that you find religion, you run the risk of also finding religious hypocrisy. Just because someone says that they believe, does not mean that they really do. The greatest opposition that Jesus faced was not from atheists or other heathen such as the Romans, but was from the religious Jews. Jesus’ greatest opposition was from those who claimed to believe but who obviously had a heart problem and a faith problem. What someone says may not match what is really going on in their hearts. Jesus taught us that this situation will get straightened out at the judgment. Jesus said in Matthew 7:15-23, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

The Bible says in Jeremiah 5:3-4, “O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return. Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.” These two verses explain some important details about spiritual poverty and spiritual foolishness. The reason that many people are spiritually poor and spiritually foolish is given in verse 4. It says, “they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.” Jesus said something important about spiritual poverty in the beatitudes. Jesus said in Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus’ statement means that once a person realizes and admits his or her own spiritual poverty, then that person can turn to the Lord Jesus and find salvation. Each person needs a spiritual birth. Until that person obtains the spiritual birth through faith in Christ, that person remains in spiritual poverty. Jesus said in John 3:3-8, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

According to Jeremiah 5:4 not only were the Israelites spiritually poor, they were also spiritually foolish. They were spiritually foolish for the same reason that they were spiritually poor: they did not know the Lord. It says in Jeremiah 5:4, “they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.” Wisdom comes from God. That is one of the reasons that Jesus is called “the Truth.” It says in James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” One fact that is interesting is that even though the unbelievers lack true wisdom, they think they are so smart. They do not realize that intelligence and education level do not equate to true wisdom. As a matter of fact their human education can easily lead them further into foolishness. The Holy Spirit spoke on this truth in great detail in First Corinthians 1:22-31, “For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, 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. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

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