Cut off

Thursday 27^th August

Read Jeremiah 5:10-13

“‘Go through her vineyards and ravage them,
    but do not destroy them completely.
Strip off her branches,
    for these people do not belong to the Lord.
¹¹ The people of Israel and the people of Judah
    have been utterly unfaithful to me,’
declares the Lord.

¹² They have lied about the Lord;
    they said, ‘He will do nothing!
No harm will come to us;
    we will never see sword or famine.
¹³ The prophets are but wind
    and the word is not in them;
    so let what they say be done to them.’” (NIVUK)

What will justice look like for these leaders who betray their God and lead the people astray? Their fate will be shared by the people, and they will be cut off like a pruned vine. A punishment that fits the crime. They have cut themselves off from God, so He will cut them off – resulting in destruction and death – for He is the source of life. The false prophets project a picture of peace declaring safety where there is only hardship. Life instead of sword and famine. But their words are but wind, hot air signifying nothing true.

The strange words at the end of the passage (v13c) are difficult to parse – they are in the original Hebrew texts but missing from the Greek translations, and placed after the next verse where they would seem to make more sense! Why would it be any sort of judgment for their words to ‘be done to them’ – if their words concern peace and security? Perhaps it is only the first line, ‘He will do nothing’? When the enemy rolls in from the north, God will stand by and do nothing. Regardless, Jeremiah’s warning is still true today. Namely, it is a fate worse than death to be cut off from the life of God.

“‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:5-8) (NIVUK)