Jeremiah 5:12-17: a reflection

12They have denied the LORD, and said, “It is not he. Evil won’t come on us. We won’t see sword or famine. 13The prophets will become wind, and the word is not in them. Thus it will be done to them.” 14Therefore the LORD, the God of Armies says, “Because you speak this word, behold, I will make my words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it will devour them. 15Behold, I will bring a nation on you from far away, house of Israel,” says the LORD. “It is a mighty nation. It is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you don’t know and don’t understand what they say. 16Their quiver is an open tomb. They are all mighty men. 17They will eat up your harvest and your bread, which your sons and your daughters should eat. They will eat up your flocks and your herds. They will eat up your vines and your fig trees. They will beat down your fortified cities in which you trust with the sword.

As Jeremiah warns of coming judgment, he names the people's dismissive attitude toward God's word. They have denied the LORD, and said, It is not he. Evil won't come on us. The prophets will become wind, and the word is not in them. The people treated God's warnings as empty, powerless, mere wind; they dismissed the prophets' words as having no substance, no power to come true. But God answers: Because you speak this word, I will make my words in your mouth fire. The word they dismissed as empty was not empty at all; it had power, and would be fulfilled. To treat God's word as powerless wind was a grave mistake.

Notice the mistake the people made: treating God's word as empty and powerless. They dismissed the prophets' warnings as mere wind, words with no substance, no power to come true; they presumed God's word was empty, that it would not be fulfilled. But God's word is not empty or powerless; what he says, he does, and the word they dismissed as wind was as fire. To treat God's word as empty, as having no power to come true, was to misjudge it gravely; the word was not powerless, but sure. The people learned that God's word is not to be dismissed as empty; it has power, and it is fulfilled. Their dismissal did not make the word empty; it only left them unprepared for its fulfillment.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can be tempted to treat God's word as empty and powerless, and this is a grave mistake. We can dismiss what God has said, treating his warnings and promises as mere words with no power to come true, presuming they are empty; but God's word is not powerless. What he has said, he will do; his word has power and is sure, whatever we presume. Do not treat God's word as empty and powerless, dismissing what he has said as words with no substance; his word has power and is sure, and to dismiss it leaves us unprepared. Take God's word seriously as sure and effective, not dismissing it as empty words, as the people wrongly treated the prophets' warnings as mere wind and found them to be fire; for God's word is not empty or powerless, but sure and mighty in its effect, and it is folly to dismiss as empty what God has spoken.

Lord, as Jeremiah warns of coming judgment, he names the people's dismissive attitude toward your word. They have denied the LORD, and said, it is not he; evil won't come on us; the prophets will become wind, and the word is not in them. The people treated your warnings as empty, powerless, mere wind; they dismissed the prophets' words as having no substance. But you answer: because you speak this word, I will make my words in your mouth fire. The word they dismissed as empty was not empty at all; it had power, and would be fulfilled. Show me the mistake the people made: treating your word as empty and powerless. They dismissed the prophets' warnings as mere wind, words with no substance; they presumed your word was empty, that it would not be fulfilled. But your word is not empty or powerless; what you say, you do, and the word they dismissed as wind was as fire. To treat your word as empty was to misjudge it gravely. Their dismissal did not make the word empty; it only left them unprepared for its fulfillment. Take that to my heart, for I too can be tempted to treat your word as empty and powerless, and this is a grave mistake. I can dismiss what you have said, treating your warnings and promises as mere words with no power to come true; but your word is not powerless. What you have said, you will do. Keep me from treating your word as empty and powerless, dismissing what you have said as words with no substance; your word has power and is sure, Lord. Help me take your word seriously as sure and effective, not dismissing it as empty words, as the people wrongly treated the prophets' warnings as mere wind.