JEREMIAH IS THE PROPHET ON BACKSLIDING; THE REVIVALIST, NOT AN EVANGELIST

• The first recorded message (the book is not chronological) is an earnest plea of an insulted, forgotten God
• The prophet who said "I cannot speak" now does so with pathos, tenderness, surpassing all
• Isaiah- shows Majesty, Ezekiel- Imagery, Daniel-vision for the future- but Jeremiah brings the soul into the presence of God.

This is what we need today, to come into the presence of God

I. THE PEOPLE HAVE COMMITTED TWO EVILS 2:13

The Gentiles may worship wicked idols, but the Israelites have left the living, loving God

A. THEY HAVE FORSAKEN THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS - ARTESIAN, CLEAN, COOL, LIVE-GIVING, ABUNDANT

• And have hewed out cisterns- broken, unsound, unsanitary, dirty, muddy, limited  or dry
• Israel deserted God who loved them in the desert (2), who led them to holiness (3), have gone to vanity (5), defiled their land (7), leaders turned to Baal (8), left God for idols, glory for shame

B. AMERICA TODAY HAS TURNED FROM LIVING WATERS TO POLLUTED, CRACKED CISTERNS, AND IS SICK FROM IT

• RELIGION- From a Bible-based heritage - to an ear-tickling seeking of peaceful idolatry in church
• ECCLESIASTICAL- From a free competitive denomination - to ecumenical groupings- both left and right
• SPIRITUALLY- From first love happiness in faith - to Rev 2:4 leaving first love, and needing repentance
• POLITICALLY- From a Republic based on Bible Law - to a degenerated Socialistic Democracy- lies
• EDUCATIONALLY- From pupils being taught- McGuffy Readers- to experimental classes in revolution
• JUDICIALLY- From judging criminals and protecting society- to protecting criminals and judging society
• MORALLY- From God's love- and our doing right - to Make Love (sex) Not War (against sin).
• MEDICALLY- From the pill to heal - to the pill to escape responsibility, to increase pleasure

II. THINE OWN WICKEDNESS SHALL CORRECT THEE 2:19

The greatest punishment in life is often having to pay the piper after we have danced

A. KNOW THEREFORE AND SEE THAT IT IS AN EVIL THING, AND BITTER 2:19b SIN LIES- AND IT IS NOT SWEET!

• Turn to Egypt? v.18- Foreign treaties instead of trusting God and doing what is right
• Drinking water of Sihor (Nile) 'black', muddy- Egypt killed King Josiah who tried to revive Israel
• Way of Assyria, waters of that river- so Jehoiakim died under siege, Zedekiah had eyes put out

B. THOU SAYEST I WILL NOT TRANSGRESS, WHEN PLAYING THE HARLOT - 2:20 SINNERS TELL LIES, TOO-

• A hell-bound pirate is more honorable than a backslidden Israelite - or Christian
• Do you understand v. 24,15- like an animal in heat we choose sinful pleasure- how can we show this to our youth?
• The picture is spiritual lust- leaving God's love to chase after wild, worldly loves

C. YET THINE INIQUITY IS MARKED BEFORE ME SAITH THE LORD GOD 2:22  GOD SEES THE HEART OF MAN

• Though thou wash with Nitre (Borax)- much sophistication today (Sophist means art of deceit)
• Take thee much soap-(Potash - lye soap) - picture of self-correction- cleaning up outward looks
• Yet THINE iniquity - sin is personal, you cannot blame everyone else - I am innocent- 2:35

But God asks- "Why gaddest thou about?"  Lots of chasing and change, but no cleansing

III. RETURN THOU BACKSLIDING ISRAEL 3:12  BACKSLIDE TURN BACK - WORD PLAY

All of our social and spiritual experiments fail unless we return to the moral law of God

A. GOD PLEADS "ONLY ACKNOWLEDGE THY TRANSGRESSIONS" 3:13  IF WE WOULD JUST BE HONEST- I Jn 1:9

• Prov 28:13 To cover a sin is disaster, to confess and forsake them- is to find mercy
• Each one blames the other, parents vs. children; men vs. women; priest vs. people- and YOU?
• God wants YOU v.3:25 to quit lying and to admit to yourself and to God - then  He can help

B. GOD PLEADS "TURN O BACKSLIDING CHILDREN, FOR I AM MARRIED UNTO YOU" -3:14 CAN YOU DIVORCE GOD?

• We need to turn to God- to stand before the world, and say out loud- "I DO" to God!
• We need to be concerned about  God's heart- v.15 and He will give us pastors to lead His way
• We need personal Godliness today- to return to seeking God-like-ness, not seeking self will

C. TRULY IN THE LORD OUR GOD IS THE ONLY SALVATION OF ISRAEL, AND AMERICA 2:23 STILL TRUE

• God pleads 2:9 with you, your children, their children - easier with children- Sunday School is needed
• Salvation is vainly sought if sought from hills, mountains, - human resources - yet we try
• The only way to have old time blessings is to return to old paths 6:16 - but will you?

The liberal, progressives mock us, but this verse is 2500 years old and has always worked

OUR NATION WILL DECAY AWAY TO DESTRUCTION, BUT THOSE WHO WANT LIVING WATER CAN STILL HAVE IT

• Search your life in the light of the Bible - let God work in your life, you can  be blessed
• You need to place God's will - living waters - ahead of your works- cisterns, and practice it
• Salvation decisions, baptism, church membership, stewardship, service, all come in order