Does Jeremiah 11:11 Mean God Turns His Back on Us?
Share
We often think of God as kind and compassionate, one who responds to the cries of his people. Yes, that is who God is. However, here in Jeremiah 11:11, we see something different.
“Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will bring on them a disaster they cannot escape. Although they cry out to me, I will not listen to them’” (Jeremiah 11:11).
On the surface, it appears God is turning his back on his own people – or is there something else going on? Jeremiah 11:11 does not mean that God is turning his back on his people; the opposite is happening.
God’s people are turning their backs on him.
This verse is a reminder that God is faithful to do what he has said, even when it includes the judgment of his people.
What Does Jeremiah 11:11 Mean?
Sometimes when we study Scripture, we can attempt to look for the deeper meaning and overlook the obvious. We simply miss what is written on the page. That can potentially be the case with this verse. What Jeremiah 11:11 says is exactly what it means. What we need to help us understand this further is the context surrounding this verse.
This verse centers on a broken covenant and God honoring his word. When God led the Israelites out of Egypt and into the promised land, he made a covenant with them. The covenant went something like this. If Israel would obey God and follow his commands, they would receive his blessing. If they disobeyed and follow the evil desires of their hearts, then they would experience God’s judgment.
When we get to Jeremiah 11, the covenant had long been broken. The people had no interest in following God or honoring his word. This meant God had to fulfill his promise. We often think of God’s promises in relationship to blessing, yet God’s promise is just as relevant in relationship to judgment. God does not immediately move to judgment, but for those who choose to continue in rebellion against him, God has promised judgment is coming.
What Is the Context of Jeremiah 11:11?
Jeremiah was a prophet in Judah who began his ministry to the nation during the reign of King Josiah. This was a time in the history of Judah and Israel of great dissent against God. The covenant they had made years earlier had been broken and the people had no regard for following the things of God. Judah had become a place of idolatry – the worship of false gods – and they resembled the pagan nations around them. They may have carried the name of the people of God, but they did not live like it.
During Jeremiah’s time as prophet, he called the people to repentance, but unfortunately they did not listen. Earlier in this chapter, Jeremiah gives us a look into the current state of God’s people.
“The Lord said to me, ‘Proclaim all these words in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: ‘Listen to the terms of this covenant and follow them. From the time I brought your ancestors up from Egypt until today, I warned them again and again, saying, ‘Obey me.’ But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts. So I brought on them all the curses of the covenant I had commanded them to follow but that they did not keep’” (Jeremiah 11:6-8).
We don’t like to think of it in these terms, but the underlying truth in Jeremiah 11:11 is God is faithful to do what he said he would.
Who Is God Talking about in Jeremiah 11:11?
When you think about what Jeremiah 11:11 means, it is important to understand who God is talking about. He is clearly talking about the people of Israel and Judah.
“Then the Lord said to me, ‘There is a conspiracy among the people of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem. They have returned to the sins of their ancestors, who refused to listen to my words. They have followed other gods to serve them. Both Israel and Judah have broken the covenant I made with their ancestors’” (Jeremiah 11:9-10).
During the reign of King Josiah, he led the people to return to the covenant and follow what God wanted them to do. While the people may have agreed outwardly, within their hearts, they had no desire to follow what God wanted them to do. Their “reform” only lasted as long as Josiah was alive. Once he died, they returned to their idolatrous ways because this was really in their hearts to begin with.
This was not only true of Judah, but of Israel as well. It was this blatant rebellion and refusal to honor God and his ways that lead into this verse in Jeremiah 11:11.
Why Will the Lord Not Listen to Those Who Cry Out to Him?
As we said earlier, Jeremiah 11:11 is not about God turning his back on his people. They had clearly rejected him. The reason God would not hear them is that their heart was not reformed. God also knew that the only way to purge the sin of the people was through judgment. Before he brought judgment, he made an appeal for repentance. When the people refused, the only recourse left was judgment. This is what happened in Israel and Judah. The nation refused to repent, and they were eventually taken into Babylonian captivity for seventy years.
The problem Israel and Judah had was a heart problem. They were not interested in engaging their heart in the pursuit of God. Because they did not want to follow God, he had no obligation to listen to them when they cried out to him. If their hearts were sincere, we know from Scripture God will never turn away anyone who seeks him with their whole heart.
“’Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord…” (Jeremiah 29:12-14a).
The fact that God would refuse to listen shows he knew what was really in their hearts.
What Does This Verse Mean for Believers Today?
One lesson from Jeremiah 11:11 is to consider what is in your heart. If it seems like heaven is silent and your prayers go unanswered, check what is in your heart. Is it your desire to love God with all your heart, or is there something else in the way? Remember what Jesus said.
“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38).
When something is in the way and takes priority over your love of God, then God may refuse to hear your prayer. He does this because he loves you and does not want anything to come between you and him.
Conclusion
The one thing God was after that would have changed everything in Israel and Judah was a people that would love him with all their heart. Unfortunately this did not happen. God is still after the same thing. He wants people that will love him from their heart. When you do, then you will experience fellowship with the Lord that he reserves for those who long for him.
I guess the only question left to ask is, will you be one of those people?
Photo credit: Unsplash/Guille Pozzi
