Jeremiah 9:23,24 - Let those who boast, boast in the Lord

9:23,24

In some ways these two verses seem out of place. We have had graphic descriptions of death and destruction, and now we get almost philosophical teaching in two verses. But the failure to lay hold of the teaching of these two verses is the reason why all the death and destruction would come. Our attitude towards God, our trust and obedience, or lack thereof, has real practical consequences. Either justice and mercy rule the land, or injustice and violence abound. Our belief or lack of belief is not just a personal thing where everyone is free to make their own choice without consequence. There are many who boast about their own strength, wisdom or riches, but all these ultimately count for nothing, as the people of the land would soon find out.

Instead, the only thing we should boast about is understanding God and His ways. Now the writer is not saying we should literally boast in the sense of saying “how clever I am, I believe in God”. Rather he is contrasting what someone is putting their confidence in, their own supposed wisdom and strength, or in the Lord. God delights in “kindness, justice and righteousness”. Now one might say that from what we have read so far in Jeremiah it doesn’t look like it! But what we are seeing is the consequences of what happens when a people abandon the Lord. If we put our trust in the Lord, then kindness, justice and righteousness will indeed be the things that dominate the land.