8. (a) In what has Jerusalem been unfaithful? (b) How will Jehovah bring calamity?

⁸ Jerusalem, an unfaithful wife (2:1–6:30). What message does the word of Jehovah bring to Jeremiah? Jerusalem has forgotten her first love. She has left Jehovah, the Source of living waters, and prostituted herself with strange gods. From a choice red vine, she has been changed into “the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine.” (2:21) Her skirts have been bloodied with the souls of the poor innocent ones. Even prostitute Israel has proved more righteous than Judah. God calls on these renegade sons to return because he is their husbandly owner. But they have been as a treacherous wife. They may return if they will take away their disgusting things and circumcise their hearts.

9. (a) What word does Jeremiah have for stubborn Jerusalem? (b) Of what use are their cries of peace?

⁹ Go roving through Jerusalem. What do you see? Only transgressions and unfaithfulness! The people have denied Jehovah, and His word in Jeremiah’s mouth must become a fire to devour them like pieces of wood. Just as they have left Jehovah to serve a foreign god, so He will make them serve strangers in a foreign land. Stubborn ones! They have eyes but cannot see, and ears but cannot hear. How horrible! Prophets and priests actually prophesy in falsehood, “and my own people have loved it that way,” says Jehovah. (5:31) Calamity approaches from the north, yet “from the least one of them even to the greatest one of them, every one is making for himself unjust gain.” They are saying, “‘There is peace! There is peace!’ when there is no peace.” (6:13, 14) But suddenly the despoiler will come. Jehovah has made Jeremiah a metal tester among them, but there is nothing but dross and rejected silver. They are entirely bad.

“Can a Cushite change his skin? or a leopard its spots?” (13:23) Just so, Jerusalem is irreformable.