Carla

Be as wise as Satan but as gentle as Holy Spirit. Let no one deceive you. If you listen closely to the still, small voice of Holy Spirit He will show you true believers by the fruit shown in their lives and actions.

All praise and honor to the Lord our God. 

Father, Son and Holy Spirit work together for our good and the good of all those who diligently seek Him. Rest assured He wants no one to perish but all to come to salvation in Jesus. You are safe and secure in His loving arms.

Jeremiah 9:4-9

4 “Everyone take heed to his neighbor,

And do not trust any brother;

For every brother will utterly supplant,

And every neighbor will walk with slanderers.

5 Everyone will deceive his neighbor,

And will not speak the truth;

They have taught their tongue to speak lies;

They weary themselves to commit iniquity.

6 Your dwelling place is in the midst of deceit;

Through deceit they refuse to know Me,” says the Lord.

7 Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts:

“Behold, I will refine them and try them;

For how shall I deal with the daughter of My people?

8 Their tongue is an arrow shot out;

It speaks deceit;

One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth,

But in his heart he lies in wait.

9 Shall I not punish them for these things?” says the Lord.

“Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?”

The judgment of Yahweh is metaphorically described as a refining fire.  Israel’s sin has reached the tipping point where Yahweh must now punish. Faithlife Bible.

The personal affairs of the people were characterized by deceit, slander, and mistrust. Ethical standards had collapsed. Supplant, which means “to defraud,” is the basis of the name Jacob. As Jacob deceived his brother Esau, so the people of Judah defrauded their brethren. The people had literally worn themselves out with perversions. Deceit here is the same term used of Jacob’s trickery toward Esau. The term refers to swindling by false speech or false scales. The essence of Judah’s problem was its lack of knowledge of God.

Jeremiah returns to the imagery of metallurgical refining. God would refine and try the people by fire to see if any were faithful to Him. Jeremiah returns to the imagery of bow and arrow to depict Judah’s deceit. The picture is of a person speaking peaceably to his neighbor while lying in wait to ambush him. NKJ Bible.

Genesis 27:36 | And Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright, and now look, he has taken away my blessing!” And he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?”

Psalm 12:2 | They speak idly everyone with his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

Psalm 15:3 | He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;

Psalm 36:3 | The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; he has ceased to be wise and to do good.

Hosea 11:8 | “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel?How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you like Zeboiim? My heart churns within Me; My sympathy is stirred.