DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links and a discussion forum 2013 September 1
Woman with Brush-Wood (1873)
Mihaly Munkacsy (1844-1900)
Realism Style, Dusseldorf School
Magyar Nemzeti Galeria, Budapest, Hungary
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
Explanation: In Jeremiah 17 burden bearing on the Sabbath is the key sin which the LORD rebukes. The Sabbath was supposed to be a time of rest and relief from toil; and it was supposed to be a time of worship of and fellowship with the LORD. Instead, the LORD was ignored just as he was on the other days of the week; and the burdens within and without grew heavier.
The chapter opens with and indictment from the LORD, saying that Judah's sin is engraved on their heart and their altars as if written with a diamond tipped iron pen (1). Their children go the altars in the groves among the green trees on the high hills (2). Therefore their treasures and their high places will be spoiled; they will be removed from their heritage and will server their enemies in a foreign land because the LORD's anger will burn forever (3-4). The LORD pronounces a curse upon the man who trusts in man and whose heart departs from the LORD because he will be like a shrub in a parched, salty desert (5-6). By contrast, the man who trusts the LORD will be like a tree planted by a river which will not wither in the drought and will bear fruit constantly (7-8). The heart, says the LORD is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; only he can know it (9-10). He warns those who get unjust gain that they will lose it and be a fool (11). Jeremiah interjects a word of praise to God for his glory and acknowledges that all who forsake him will be ashamed; the LORD relies that all who forsake him will be written in the earth (recorded) as those who forsake the LORD, the fountain of living waters (12-13). In response, Jeremiah asks for healing and salvation and asks that his prophesies be vindicated against his detractors; he asks, also, that the LORD will not be a terror but a hope to him and asks that his persecutors be confounded and dismayed, and experience the day of evil, and be destroyed with double destruction (14-18). In answer, the LORD tells Jeremiah to go to Jerusalem and tell the inhabitants not to bear burdens on the Sabbath; but they did not obey, and they did not listen (19-23). So the LORD added a great promise to his command to honor the Sabbath; he said that if they obeyed then they, the city, and the Davidic kings would remain forever; and people would come from all around bearing offerings to the LORD's house; but if they would not keep the Sabbath, the LORD would destroy Jerusalem with an unquenchable fire (24-27).
Jeremiah 17
1 The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;
2 Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills.
3 O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy treasures to the spoil, and thy high places for sin, throughout all thy borders.
4 And thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn for ever.
5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.
12 A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.
13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.
14 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.
15 Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD? let it come now.
16 As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee.
17 Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil.
18 Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.
19 Thus said the LORD unto me; Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem;
20 And say unto them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:
21 Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
22 Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.
23 But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.
24 And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;
25 Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever.
26 And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the LORD.
27 But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
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