A broken Yoke

Jeremiah 2:20-28

Often God uses the image of a broken yoke to describe what is happening with his people, and first and foremost they broke the Covenant God made with them.  One must wonder if there are ramifications for such actions; maybe a look back into the story of Israel coming out of Egypt will be of help?  Anyone who has read the Bible will come to one conclusion God is a Covenant God, and humans are Covenant-breakers, and there is a very high price that has been paid to buy us out of sin.  One should read Deuteronomy the 29th chapter to understand the value God has placed on the Covenants made with humanity.

In verse 20-21, God is telling us how little regard Israel had for the Covenant made with the God who rescued them and brought them into the promised land.  That He had established them as a choice vine, but by evil choices, they had turned into a wild vine.  Now the fruit has little value, but once it was the prize of the nations, Israel has polluted itself.  But that’s not all they have tried to wash their sins clean by outward actions but not with a change of heart.

Israel and Judah were in denial much like America is today.  The Lord who knows our thoughts said these were their thoughts; “How can you say, “I am not unclean, I have not gone after the Baals’? Look at your way in the valley; know what you have done—a restless young camel running here and there, a wild donkey used to the wilderness, in her heat sniffing the wind! Who can restrain her lust?  None who seek her need weary themselves; in her month they will find her.  Keep your feet from going unshod and your throat from thirst.  But you said, ‘It is hopeless, for I have loved foreigners, and after them, I will go.’

God uses the images of a young camel that cannot be controlled and a wild donkey in heat looking for a male.  That is a picture of Judah lusting after foreign gods.  And in verses 26-28, “As a thief is shamed when caught, so the house of Israel shall be shamed: they, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets, who say to a tree, ‘You are my father, and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their back to me, and not their face.  But in the time of their trouble, they say, ‘Arise and save us!’  But where are your gods that you made for yourself?  Let them arise if they can save you, in your time of trouble; for as many as your cities are your gods, O Judah.”

When Judah, Israel, you or I break the Covenants made with God, and will not repent, we can expect God to mock our foolishness, as He is doing in these verses.  In that they had adopted the Canaanite gods, God told them to talk to a tree and see how that works and to call a stone your father.

From the Back Porch,

 Bob Rice