Foretaste: A Case for Scripture Part 4

In my latest posts, I've been reviewing some different interpretations that might pop out at a popular level from reading Jeremiah 17:4-5.  My purpose for doing so is to encourage us to seriously study Scripture and not just "wing it" in our interpretations of what any given passage means.  Interpreter number 3 hones in on one specific part of the passage that had relevance to their life and used it to prop up and support their own viewpoint in a very different situation.  This man drew connections between  "mere mortals and make flesh their strength," the gym, and a conversation with their wife.  He interpreted the passage to mean he shouldn't get healthy, but should instead do what he really wanted to do in the first place, i.e. watch TV.

Again, our historical context would quickly overturn this point of view.  When it says, "Don't trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength," Jeremiah was pointing at Judah's rulers trusting in their army and political/military alliances to save them from the coming destruction at the hands of Babylon.  This has nothing to say about taking care of our own personal bodies, or about becoming healthy.  However, a closer look at the broader context might reveal something very different than the man's initial response.

In Jeremiah 17:4-5, Israel is being judged with coming destruction because of their actions.  In 17:2-3, Jeremiah declares the misuse of the promised land given to Israel through idolatry and the building of high places to worship and sacrifice; Jeremiah then proclaims that they will lose what they have (i.e. their land) because they have angered the Lord by their non-existent relationship to God and by their misuse of what God gave them, i.e. the land.

Backing up to Jeremiah 17:1, we can further see the sin of Judah being "written with an iron pen; with a diamond point it is engraved on the tablet of their hearts" indicating just how ingrained Israel's sin was. This is to the extent of overwriting and replacing the ten commandments written on stone tablets by the finger of God - but instead of the finger of God writing, it is a human hand with an iron pen and a diamond point!

If we looked at this with stewardship in mind and saw that Israel did not steward their land properly, nor did they steward their relationship with God properly, we might reflect and draw in our own lives the opposite conclusion that interpreter 3 initially made: stewardship of what God has given is important (whether body or land); the man's relationships to God and to his wife are important (more important than idolatry or doing what we want).  Therefore watching TV is not the best response to the issues facing him in life as it is an option that avoids relationship and stewardship. Even further, if the man backed up to Jeremiah 17:1, he might conclude just how hard bad habits are to break and just how deeply rooted some very human ways of thinking can be written on our hearts, instead of the desires of God.

We can only get to this place if we see the historical context of Scripture and then allow it to form us and our opinions instead of reading our own thoughts and opinions back into Scripture. Unfortunately, we read our own opinions and thoughts into Scripture far too often (myself included). When we seriously study Scripture, take the time to think about the passage, and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us through Scripture, our whole lives might change as we live with the Lord! Stay tuned for part 5 where we will take a look at the importance of studying Scripture in community.