Justice is turned back
And righteousness stands afar off
For truth is fallen in the street
And equity cannot enter
So truth fails
And he who departs from evil makes himself prey
What can I notice about the condition of Israel in this passage? There is no justice; no righteousness;the righteousness stands but it stands far away as if the gate to the city is closed; or as if the wall surrounding the city is built to keep it away; there is no truth, for it has fallen and is failing...I picture truth slain and ailing; and equity or justice cannot enter....again as if the gate to the nation is closed.
Jeremiah 2:11
Has a nation changed its gods which are not gods
But My people have changed their Glory for what does not profit
It appears to me that in this passage the nation of Israel has made an exchange: they have exchanged God for what does not profit. In Ps 114 it speaks of Israel exchanging God's glory for idols of silver and gold. If a nation, as God's people exchange for God's glory that which does not profit, that nation will in turn not profit. Since Glory is capitalized in this passage, it seems as if they exchanged God for the idols that did not profit. We read in Is 59 that justice,truth,righteousness and equity were held afar off. The truth revealed to me is this: in a nation where righteousness, truth, justice and glory are exchanged for idols of silver and gold; although I might think of silver and gold as a profit; the Lord says they did not profit. God's ideas about what is gain and what my ideas of what is gain are very different. I tend to hold on so tightly to things in this world that are tangible and real; things that in the rest of the world's perception seem to profit me everything. At least here, God has a different lesson for me about what profits me. We read that those that tried to walk righteously with God and turn from evil in turn became prey themselves. From this, I realize that walking with God will not be easy and may not be looked at favorably in this world.
2Corinthians3:18
But we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of God, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
I am being transformed as I gaze only at His glory.
1Samuel 2:2,3
No one is holy like the Lord
For there is none besides You
Nor is any rock like our God.
Talk no more so very proudly
Let no arrogance come from your mouth
For the Lord is the God of knowledge
And by Him actions are weighed.
God's holiness is connected to Him...His person.....in Him alone. Not by how smart, or wise, or rich, or powerful I think I am. For I don't have power within myself that profits me any and I do not gain power or truth by things I try to exchange for God; but power and truth and righteousness come only from Him. His justice then is weighed and met out as it is weighed against His holiness. As I gaze into His glory, His glory in turn is reflected.
For: "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"
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