Jeremiah 2:14-17 - Have you not brought this upon yourselves?

2:14-16

“Is Israel a servant, a slave by birth?” This is a rhetorical question, expecting the answer no. Israel’s heritage was not to be a slave. Likewise with us, we were called to freedom (Gal 5:1). Yet Israel was oppressed. The lions that roared were nations that attacked Israel, previously it was Assyria, soon it would be Babylon. The land was laid waste and desolate.  “Cracked your skull” can equally be translated “shaved your head”. Either case implies a serious blow to the nation. None of this was meant to happen!

2:17

Why was all this happening? Because they had brought in on themselves! We are all keen to blame God, “why have you let this happen to me?” “why is there so much suffering in the world?”. The answer is often it is not God’s fault, it is our fault. Judah had forsaken God. They had stopped trusting Him and stopped obeying Him. The Lord had led them, He had led them out of slavery and into the promised land. He had provided for them and had defended them. Israel’s response was to stop following Him!