Jeremiah 13:15-17

C. WARNING: Pride Brings On Darkness Jeremiah 13:15-17

TRANSLATION

(15) Hear and give ear! Do not be so high and mighty; for the LORD has spoken. (16) Give to the LORD your God glory before He causes it to grow dark and before your feet stumble upon the dusky mountains when you hope for light but He turns it to deep darkness, and makes it pitch dark. (17) But if you do not hear it, in secret places my soul will weep because of pride; yea it will weep bitterly and my eye will flow with tears because the LORD'S flock has been taken captive.

COMMENTS

After predicting the eventual outpouring of the wine of God's wrath, Jeremiah earnestly appeals to his audience to hear i.e., obey, the word of the Lord. He points out that it is stubborn and inexcusable pride that prevents these leaders from really hearing God's word (Jeremiah 13:15). If a man will only humble himself God will speak to him. Every Christian who opens a Bible should be uttering the prayer of Samuel: Speak for thy servant heareth. Jeremiah urges his hearers to give glory to God. Men give glory to God when they acknowledge His claims and submit to His will. Life at best is a rocky, cregy mountain route over which a man must walk. Even when the sun is brightly shining the way is tricky and dangerous unless the Lord is leading the way. But when the day of grace ends and the sunshine of God's benevolent protection sinks over the horizon then those dangerous mountain paths become even more difficult to find and follow. The traveler hopes, wishes, longs for more light; but the sky grows darker and darker. Finally impenetrable darkness envelops the traveler and he is caught in the Stygian darkness with no Guide. While the day of grace remains, pleads Jeremiah, give God glory. Before the midnight hour of divine judgment, humble yourselves, listen to His word (Jeremiah 13:16).

If the men of Judah refuse to humble themselves and heed the admonition to hear the word of God Jeremiah will be broken hearted. He is not ashamed to admit it. Well has he been called the weeping prophet. Behind his stern and uncompromising messages was a broken heart. My soul will weep i.e., I will weep because of the pride which prevents these men from hearing the word of God. He will weep because he knows that stubborn pride will lead inevitably to captivity. So certain is he of this truth that he can speak of the captivity as though it had already taken place (Jeremiah 13:17).