Uncontrollable – Jer 5
Fear ye
Jeremiah 5:22-23not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it? Butthis people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.
Waves of the ocean are very powerful. They can overturn ships and break up rocks. Wave power can be used to generate electricity.
Despite the power of waves, God has set oceans and seas in thier bounds. No matter how much they beat upon the shore, they don’t prevail.
In contrast to the restricted sea, the people of Judah were uncontrollable. They broke out of God’s bounds. They revoted and rebelled. Nothing could restrain them.
Jeremiah 5 lists all kinds of ways they broke God’s laws and all kinds of reasons God’s judgment was going to fall on them: corruption (v.1), refusal to be corrected (v.3), adultery and lust (v.7-8), idolatry (v.19), rebellion against the Lord (v.22-23), covetousness (v.27), and cruelty (v.28).
Even the older men who knew better and should have set the example broke off God’s yoke of truth and went their own way (v.5). Everyone – prophet, priest, and people – were all dead set on doing their own thing and going their own way (v.30-31).
No wonder God’s judgment was going to come on them. And no wonder God will one day judge our world as well.
The height of sin is rebellion against the Lord. Do we submit to Him and His rule? Or do we refuse to be restricted by His authority over us?