Jeremiah 7 - 11

Mind, Might, Money

Jeremiah is a difficult book to read. It is almost a continual declaration of judgment against Israel and Judah for the wickedness and sin to which they had fallen under the godless succession of kings.  One king would make an effort to correct the people, but not completely obey all of the covenant, and then his son would become king and undo all the good the previous king had attempted.  For this, the Lord declared and prophesied horrific judgment and exile - which ultimately came to pass.

Tucked in among all of this is a gem of a scripture, Jeremiah 9:23-24. I prefer the lyrical prose of the King James Version for this particular reading.  "Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth, glory in this: that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord that exercise lovingkindness,  judgment and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord."

Notice, the Lord leaves no question that it is He who speaks by bookending the verses the "Thus saith the Lord, ..., saith the Lord."  The Lord lists three things that men always boast about: his mind, his might, his money.  But the Lord takes no delight, no pleasure in these things.  None of these glorify God, they only point to what a man does for himself.

The verse details what the Lord does delight in: Man's understanding and knowledge of the Lord.  Irrespective of a persons wealth, and mental capacity, and power, it is only the knowledge and understanding a person has of the Lord that is relevant.  If all the other pass away to nothing, a person's intimate relationship with God endures.  For a Christian, this means the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, God fully manifesting Himself through humans.

For each of the three things man boasts of, God provides an answer: lovingkindess, judgment, righteousness.  God's love replaces man's mind - his wisdom.  1 Corinthians 13:2 declares (paraphrasing), if I have all knowledge and have not love, I am nothing.  God's judgment replaces man's might - his power and ability.  A man without discernment of God's will is helpless regardless of his strength or ability (see Hebrews 5:14).  It is  the righteousness of God that replaces man's money - his wealth, his transactional power.  A man with the holiness and righteousness of God is far richer than any billionaire without God (see Matthew 6:19).

Thus, among the prophecies of doom and destruction, God permits Jeremiah to write a key to delighting the Lord.  Let us glory in our knowledge of Him!