Jeremiah 4:1-2

The Lord is faithful to forgive us when we humble ourselves and ask Him for that forgiveness. He will take the very actions meant for us to self destruct and turn them into actions for our good and to benefit all of His Body, His Bride, the Church. 

Our allegiance to God should be to His glory not ours.

allegiance

noun

loyalty, faithfulness, fidelity, obedience, homage, devotion

Jeremiah’s ministry covered a very critical time in the history of the ancient Middle East. When Josiah king of Judah died at the hands of the Egyptian army, Judah became subject to Egypt and its ruler Pharaoh Necho. The people of Judah chose Jehoahaz to succeed Josiah. However, three months later Necho appointed Jehoiakim (Eliakim) to rule as his vassal on the throne in Jerusalem. Having lost their freedom, the people of Judah turned not to God but to the idols they had worshiped in the days of Manasseh and Amon. This idolatry was the reason for Jeremiah’s proclamations of God’s judgment.

The phrase ‘The Lord lives’ was regularly used in oaths. When spoken by those faithful to the covenant it should have been a sign of truth, judgment, and righteousness. These three terms summarize the ultimate and ideal demands of the covenant. They are the standards by which all men, from kings to slaves, were and will be judged.

Jeremiah 4:1-2

4  “If you will return, O Israel,” says the Lord,

“Return to Me;

And if you will put away your abominations out of My sight,

Then you shall not be moved.

² And you shall swear, ‘The Lord lives,’

In truth, in judgment, and in righteousness;

The nations shall bless themselves in Him,

And in Him they shall glory.”

¹² “Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” 

Joel 2:12

²⁰ You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast, and take oaths in His name. 

Deuteronomy 10:20

²³  have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath. 

Isaiah 45:23

¹⁶ So that he who blesses himself in the earth Shall bless himself in the God of truth; And he who swears in the earth Shall swear by the God of truth; Because the former troubles are forgotten, And because they are hidden from My eyes. 

Isaiah 65:16

⁸ I will bring them back, And they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people And I will be their God, In truth and righteousness.’ 

Zechariah 8:8

¹⁸ In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” 

Genesis 22:18

⁸ And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ^h“In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 

Galatians 3:8

²⁴ But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord. 

Jeremiah 9:24

¹⁷ But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” 

2 Corinthians 10:17