And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah Do [men] fall, and not rise up? Doth one turn away, and not return?
God argues here from ordinary life. Judah had fallen and stayed down, wandered off and stayed away, and these two questions expose how unnatural that is.
These questions open a complaint that runs on through the chapter, from the people's refusal to repent to the birds of verse 7.
The prophet was also to reason with the people of Jerusalem about their constant backsliding, which they refused to repent of (vv. 4-6). They paid less attention than the common birds, big or small, which keep to their proper seasons — and all the while the people claimed to be wise (vv. 7, 8). But what wisdom is in those who reject the word of the Lord?
The next verse gives God's own answer: they refuse to return. One writer takes it as a warning about where unjudged sin ends up.
Nor indeed is this all, for unjudged sin leads to graver evil. Turn to chapter 8, where the Lord asks, "Why then has this people turned away in perpetual backsliding? They hold fast to deceit; they refuse to return" (Jer. 8:5). If I do not heed His word and return, I shall get into this awful condition of perpetual backsliding. We do well to heed the word: "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God … that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" (Heb. 3:12-13).
A few verses later God compares His people to birds that keep the seasons. One writer sets what the birds notice beside what Judah missed.
So in Isaiah 1:3 God complains that man cannot feel His grace. In Jeremiah 8:7 He complains that man cannot feel His judgement. The stork, the swallow, and the rest know their times, "but my people know not the rules of the LORD." (Older translations read "the judgment of the LORD.") The birds named in this passage are all migratory. They take notice of the seasons. They sense when the sunny season is over and the storms of winter are coming. Instinct tells them when to move on. But sadly, not man! … Judgement was near, but the people did not understand. And so there was no repentance.
Verse 4 asks the people two questions. Verse 6 records the question they never asked themselves. One commentator shows what that silence cost.
Isaiah says, "Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel?" Jeremiah had to say of the generation in his day, "You have struck them down, but they felt no anguish." And again: "I have paid attention and listened, but they have not spoken rightly; no man relents of his evil, saying, 'What have I done?'" Are we then to wonder that the sword of the Chaldean entered the land?
God's second question assumes that a person who turns away comes back. One writer shows that God never lets His people go, however far they fall. His proof is Peter, the disciple who denied he ever knew Jesus.
Remember that the Lord never gives His people up, whatever their state or condition. … speaking through Hosea, the Lord says, "My people are bent on turning away from me… How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? … My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender." No! The Lord never forgets His people, however badly they may have sinned. The story of Peter on the sad night he denied his Lord proclaims this truth like a trumpet.
- The question. God argues from daily life: people who fall get up, and people who take a wrong turn go back. Not returning is the strange thing, not returning to Him.
- The answer. Judah's backsliding had become perpetual because they held on to deceit. Sin left unjudged does not stay still; it deepens.
- The deafness. They were less alert than migrating birds. Judgement was already on its way, and they never felt it coming. So no one repented.
- The silence. No one asked, "What have I done?" That unasked question is why the sword of Babylon reached the land.
- The way back. God never gives His people up. He asks "does he not return?" because He is still ready to receive anyone who does.
Why hath this people of Jerusalem slidden back with a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
God's question here is a complaint, not a search for information. The road home stayed open, yet this people held on to what deceived them and would not walk it.
One commentator walks through the chapter. He places these verses as God's argument with a people who will not turn.
The prophet was to argue with the people of Jerusalem about their perpetual and unrepentant backsliding (vv. 4-6). They paid less attention than the common birds, great or small, which keep to their proper seasons. And all this while they claimed to be wise (vv. 7, 8).
The word behind "backsliding" is a strong one. It points to more than a stumble.
meshubah, "a turning away, apostasy." Jer. 2:19; Jer. 3:6-12, 22; Jer. 5:6; Jer. 8:5; Jer. 14:7; Hosea 11:7; Hosea 14:4.
This condition did not arrive in a day. One writer follows Jeremiah's chapters in order. He shows unjudged sin hardening into a settled state, and he turns the warning on himself.
Nor is this all, for unjudged sin leads to worse evil. Move on to the eighth chapter. There the Lord asks, "Why then has this people turned away in perpetual backsliding? They hold fast to deceit; they refuse to return" (Jer. 8:5). If I do not pay attention to His word and return, I will get into this terrible condition of perpetual backsliding. We do well to listen to the word: "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God … that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" (Heb. 3:12-13).
They hold fast to deceit, and deceit is what hardens them. The hardening starts with what looks small.
A little evil allowed is the beginning of very great evil. Our hearts harden when we look away from Jesus, and pleasing ourselves takes the place of doing God's will. Only the intervention of mercy stops the end from matching the road we are on. Sin really is deceitful.
God had not barred the way home. He had laid down a rule about repentance.
God lays this down as a principle. When He had announced condemnation on a people or a city, and that people or city repented of its wickedness, He would turn away from the judgment He had announced (Jer. 18:7-11).
The refusal described here is still recognisable. One writer sorts backsliders into two kinds: those who want to be left alone, and those who grieve over their state yet stay in it.
Two kinds of backsliders can be told apart. First, there are those whose backs are turned on Christ; they face the world and want to be left alone. Then there are many who wake up to how miserable their condition is. They groan over it, and they turn back to the Lord and to His people. But here is the unhappy thing in their case. They openly own their failure and the dishonour they have brought on the name of their Lord. Yet they stay as they are year after year, and seem to make no progress on the path of restoration. The way is open for their return, and yet they do not take it.
Verse 7 sets these people beside migrating birds. They could not read the times they were living in.
The birds named in this passage all migrate. They take notice of the seasons. They see when the sunshine is over and the clouds and storms of winter are coming. They have the instinct to know when they should move off. But it is otherwise with man! What was the character of the times in which Jeremiah prophesied? It was the last days of the kingdom of Judah. The northern kingdom of the ten tribes had already been overthrown, and "the destroyer of the nations" (Nebuchadnezzar) was on his way to overthrow Judah as well. Judgment was close at hand, but the people did not understand it. And so there was no repentance.
Earlier in the same book God had already shown these people the way back, and He asked one thing of them.
Backslider! He called them then, and told them to come back. Now He calls you back. You might ask, How can I get back?… Listen. "Only acknowledge your guilt" (Jer. 3:13). There is only one way back. What is it? Confession. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
- Turning away. "Backsliding" here means a turning away, an apostasy — a direction, not a slip.
- Turning deepens. Sin left unjudged does not stay still. Drifting hardens into a fixed, perpetual condition.
- Turning hardens. Deceit is what they hold, and holding it hardens them — a little evil allowed is the start of very great evil.
- Turning blinds. Judgment was near, and they could not read the season. Migrating birds knew their times; this people did not, so no repentance came.
- Turning back. The door was never shut. God's rule was that repentance turns away the judgment He announced, and the one road home is confession.
I hearkened and heard they speak not what is right; there is no man who repenteth him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? Every one turneth to his course, like a horse rushing into the battle.
God listened over a whole nation for one honest sentence about its sin, and no one said it. Instead every person rushed on in his own way, like a war-horse charging into battle.
One writer sets Jeremiah's words beside Isaiah's and names what followed for the nation.
Isaiah says, "Why should you be struck down any more? You will revolt more and more." Jeremiah had to say of the generation in his day, "You have struck them, but they were not grieved." And again he said, "I listened and heard, but they did not speak rightly: no one repented of his wickedness, saying, What have I done?" Are we then to wonder that the sword of the Chaldean entered the land?
(This is an older translation. The ESV reads: "I have paid attention and listened, but they have not spoken rightly.")
The same writer draws out what this refusal means for God's judgment.
Man cannot be corrected by any appeal. That is what makes God's judgment necessary, and that is what shows it to be righteous.
"What have I done?" is a small sentence, and God finds nobody willing to say it. One writer separates that question from the shock a person feels at his own failure.
Some sins are so shocking that a man who falls into them is appalled that he has fallen into such disgraceful sins. But that is not self-judgment about those sins themselves, either before God or man. It is disgust and surprise that they have overtaken him.
The verse before this one had already named the condition: a people who cling to deceit and refuse to come back. One writer treats this as a warning about where unjudged sin ends up.
Nor indeed is this all, for unjudged sin leads to graver evil. Pass on to the eighth chapter, where the Lord asks, "Why then is this people of Jerusalem turned back by a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast deceit, they refuse to return" (Jer. 8:5). If I do not heed His word and return, I shall get into this awful condition of perpetual backsliding. We may well heed the word, "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God … lest any of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" (Heb. 3:12-13).
The verse ends with a picture from the war-horse. Scripture uses that animal for several qualities, and it cites this verse for one of them.
They represent strength (Job 39:19; Ps. 147:10), swiftness (Jer. 4:13; Hab. 1:8), fearlessness (Job 39:18; Jer. 8:6), majesty (Esther 6:8), and strength in the battle.
The chapter goes on to compare the people with migrating birds. One writer explains what the people failed to read.
So in Isaiah 1:3 God complains that man is unmoved by grace. In Jeremiah 8:7 He complains that man is unmoved by judgement… The birds named in this passage are all migratory. They take notice of the seasons. They see when the sunny season is over and the clouds and storms of winter are coming. They have the instinct to know when they should move off. But alas, for man! What was the character of the times in which Jeremiah prophesied? It was the last days of the Kingdom of Judah. The northern ten-tribe kingdom had already been overthrown, and "the destroyer of the nations" (Nebuchadnezzar) was now on his way to overthrow Judah as well. So judgement was near, but the people did not understand it. And so there was no repentance.
This verse names what was missing. Later in the same book, Jeremiah gives the words that would have filled the gap.
There is only one way of deliverance from this terrible downward path of the backslider. It is by honest acknowledgement of the state, and by simply looking to God for deliverance. It is put like this: "O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, act for your name's sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you" (Jer. 14:7).
- Listening — God pays attention over a whole nation and hears no one speak rightly. Man refuses correction, and that shows His judgment to be right.
- Question — "What have I done?" is self-judgment. Feeling shock that a sin overtook you is not the same thing.
- Deceit — Sin left unjudged hardens into perpetual backsliding. There people hold fast to deceit and refuse to return.
- Speed — The horse pictures fearlessness. The people charged ahead while judgement was near, and so there was no repentance.
- Return — The missing sentence is still open to anyone: honest acknowledgement of the state, and looking to God to act for His own name's sake.
Even a stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed times, and the turtle-dove and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of Jehovah.
Jeremiah names four birds that know when to move without ever being taught. He sets them beside a people who could not read the season they were living in. Why did creatures with instinct see what was coming, while the nation that held God's law did not?
Translations differ over which Hebrew word means which bird. A Bible dictionary entry on the crane explains why.
Scripture says two things about this bird: it chatters or makes a complaining noise, Isaiah 38:14; and it knows its time of migration, Jeremiah 8:7. The common crane answers to both of these characteristics. In these passages the swallow comes after the crane. The Hebrew words are sis and agur. Many hold that the translators swapped the words, so that sis means the swallow and agur the crane.
The sting lies in who God sets beside whom.
Of all the creatures we know, man is by far the most gifted and the most privileged. What is more, God has established him as lord and head over the whole system in which he moves. So it is painful that God Himself should compare man with beasts and birds. The comparison goes completely against man.
Why these birds? The answer is in what they do when the weather turns. (Where the ESV reads "the rules of the LORD," older translations render it "the judgment of the LORD.")
In Isaiah 1:3 God complains that man is unmoved by His grace. In Jeremiah 8:7 He complains that man is unmoved by His judgment. The birds named in this passage are all migratory. They take notice of the seasons. They notice when the sunny season is over and the clouds and storms of winter are coming. Their instinct tells them when to move on. But alas for man! What was the character of the times in which Jeremiah prophesied? It was the last days of the kingdom of Judah. The northern kingdom of ten tribes had already been overthrown. "The destroyer of the nations" (Nebuchadnezzar) was now on his way to overthrow Judah as well. So judgment was close at hand, but the people did not understand it. And so there was no repentance.
Not knowing was not neutral. It produced a settled calm that the prophet could not break.
The people did not know the time: they did not know His judgment; they were going on in self-security. They thought that perhaps things were not quite as right as they appeared to be, but were not so bad as this troublesome man, Jeremiah, said. And so they were crying "Peace, peace," where there was no peace. They were not even ashamed when they had committed abominations.
Scripture also gives us the opposite. Two examples acted on a warning about the future.
The men of Jeremiah's time and our Lord's day find their contrast in Noah. "By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household" (Hebrews 11:7). Like the crane and the swallow, he saw the dark clouds approaching, and judged it wisdom to seek a place of safety. The men of Nineveh teach us an even more striking lesson. Jonah's preaching shook the whole city. The king came down from his throne and humbled himself before God, along with all his people. They recognised a warning from heaven in the words of the strange man who walked through their streets.
If God keeps time with the birds, what does that say about His timing with His own people?
God never fails to take the stork, the crane and the swallow by instinct at the appointed time. Can He then fail at the appointed time to take the saints to meet their Lord? It is sad and humbling that the Lord has to complain. The swallows know their appointed time, yet He says, "My people know not the judgment of the Lord." Is this not as true of the Christian world now as it was of Israel then? Men go on dreaming of continual summer — yes, of increasing sunshine, peace, temperance, prosperity — just at the very time when the saints are about to be gone like the swallows of autumn, and the storms of this world's wintry blasts are about to take them all by surprise.
- Instinct. The stork, turtledove, crane and swallow all migrate. They read the change of season and move before winter.
- Indictment. Man is the most gifted and privileged creature God made. Yet in this comparison with beasts and birds, he comes off worse.
- Ignorance. Isaiah 1:3 shows man unmoved by grace. This verse shows him unmoved by judgment. Nebuchadnezzar was already on his way, and still no one repented.
- Illusion. Not knowing the time made them feel safe. They cried "Peace, peace" where there was no peace, and felt no shame for the evil they had done.
- Appointment. God never misses the birds' appointed time, and He will not miss His own. The warning calls for readiness.