Jeremiah 5:20-24 – The danger of ingratitude

Addressing the house of Judah, Jeremiah 5:20-24 show how senseless and foolish the people were. They had ears but could not hear and eyes but could not see. Hence, they were totally nonchalant, callous, and inconsiderate total God. There had no fear of the Lord and no longer had any reverential fear for Him. They had become so accustomed to being insensitive to God that they would take His presence for granted. That prompted God to ask the rhetorical question, “Do you not tremble in My Presence?

So callous toward the Lord that they ignored that He was the One who had set the limit to how His creative order should work. He had set a boundary to the sea. The water and the wave could come so far to the shore and no more. The wave would turn and toss but it could not prevail over the shore. The mighty tide could even roar viciously but it could come so far and not overrun the land. Know it or not, everything in creation points to this great God. That is what Paul confidently said in Romans 1:20. He asserted that “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made….” What a mighty God.

 

In these verses, God was drawing a comparison between His people in Judah and the movement of the sea. As mighty as the ocean was, it would obey and observe the limit God had set for it, but Judah His people would not. They had become stubborn and rebellious.  So callous was their hearts that they would transgress the boundaries God had set for them. They would not even honor the Lord, the one who had supplied them the former and latter rain for their harvest and scheduled their harvest.

 

It is frightening to forget that our God is the Sovereign Lord. This was what happened to the house of Judah. As a result, they became insensitive, callous, and indifferent toward Him. So blind and deaf toward Him that they could not recognize how blessed they were. Showing careless disregard for His Sovereignty they took his presence and blessings for granted. They would not take a moment to pause and consider His goodness. This is what we must never become. Never take the goodness of God for granted.  It can lead us to live a life of indifference toward Him. We must be thankful people. Practise Paul’s admonition in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 daily. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.