We are currently holding Bible studies on skype and this commentary comes from such a Bible study.  This Bible study has members from South Korea, the Philippines and the USA and we are working our way through the book of Jeremiah.  The goal of the commentary post is to help the members understand what we are reading more fully and also to give all of you a glimpse inside the current and ongoing Bible study ministry at Mobile Word.  If you would like to schedule a skype Bible study please contact us at: mobilewordministry@gmail.com.  We’d love to walk through the word with you!

Jeremiah 2:26-35

v.26: When we are truthfully in the presence of God we cannot stand as innocent. We are guilty and caught in our sinfulness when we are in the presence of God’s holiness.

v.27: Many will ask, “How am I guilty?” God’s response is that we have looked at things in this world and made them God in our hearts. We value our money and possessions more than God. We value our jobs and careers more than God. We value our friends and family more than God. But these things cannot save us. Only God can.

v.28: The lie from Satan in the Garden of Eden was that we can be like God and that we don’t need to follow His rules.

Genesis 3:4-5

 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

When we choose things that are not God to be our true love and desire God simply let’s us have what we want. When we say, “God, I don’t need you. I only need my money and my job.” God says, “Ok.” However, when we choose to worship things that are not God we will always be disappointed and we will never feel safe.

v.29: It is easy to blame and accuse God for the bad times we encounter. We are very good at pointing the finger at other people and we are especially good at pointing the finger at God when things go wrong but then take the credit when things go well.

v.30: God allows challenges to happen to us so that we will turn back to Him and need Him only. However, even when bad things happen we fail to look to God for help or for guidance. We are obsessed with ourselves.

We are also obsessed with being independent and right. We hate when people tell us what to do and when someone tells us to turn back to God or to repent to God for our guilty behavior we often get upset and reject their advice. Even when God is the answer to our problems we often reject that answer because we don’t like to be told what to do.

v.31: God is asking, “What did I ever do to you? How did I mistreat you? How have I not helped or guided you? How have I not loved you? Why do you dislike me so much?” We often turn away from God but God asks, “Why?” He asks us, “What are you hoping to find with something or someone else that you cannot find with me?”

v.32: We remember the things we care the most about.

Matthew 6:21

²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Think about what you think about the most when you are alone. Not when you are in church, at a Bible study or with other people. When you are alone and without an audience, God will reveal your true God and the thing that you would never ever forget.

v.33: We were designed for love. We were designed to receive love and to give love. However, as a result of sin we are especially good at looking for love in everything except God.

v.34: We are selfish beings. Our instinct is always to look after ourselves and to protect ourselves. Because of this we have often taken advantage of other people and taken things that are not ours. We are sinners this has caused us to cheat, lie and steal. There is no person who comes to Jesus that is free from this charge.

Romans 3:10-12

 ¹⁰ As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;
¹¹     there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
¹² All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.”

Romans 3:23

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

v.35:

Even though we are guilty, our natural reaction is to deny our own guilt and to blame someone else. When sin entered into this world so did the instinct to blame others and deny our own guilt.

Genesis 3:11-12

¹¹ And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”  ¹² The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

Genesis 3:13

¹³ Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”  The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”