We have been going through Jeremiah in our home group. Known as the weeping prophet, Jeremiah is God's final prophet to the nation of Israel in the days of the kings. Israel had been backsliding for years and they are now confronted with Jeremiah's solitary voice calling them back into relationship with him. So long and so heavy had been the departure from their God that Israel entirely rejected the voice of the weeping prophet.
In verse 8:5 of his prophetic book, Jeremiah asks "why has this people slidden back, Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding." They just kept going. Perpetual can also mean "first rate". "They hold fast to deceit, they refuse to return." Jeremiah listened to the discussions on the street corners of Jerusalem. Each citizen putting forth all sorts of ideas on all sorts of topics. Who did what to whom? Did you see what happened yesterday? I have a good deal for you! What is going on? Ulterior motives. Gossip. Conniving. In all of these words, . . . no one spoke aright. What was the result of all the banter? No man repented of his wickedness, saying, "what have I done?" Everyone ran ahead to pursue whatever he thought was cool. These conversations showed the hearts of the people - an array of pursuits - a host of youtube videos spreading all sorts of ideas. Fleshly pursuits. Each one turned to his own course, much like the horse rushes into the battle. Full steam ahead!
Jeremiah then draws on nature to help illustrate timing. Even the stork in the heavens knows her appointed times; other animals also know how seasons come and go. The turtledove arrives in Judea in early spring and departs on its migratory route at the end of summer. Even animals know when the end of their time in the land is coming. They observe the appointed times. "But My people do not know the judgment of the Lord". There is an appointed time for everything.
