JEREMIAH 34:16 – 17

I read Jeremiah 34 – 36 and it was so good! God is so gracious with his people, giving them chance after chance to repent of their sin, to listen to his coming judgement and to turn from their evil ways. So many opportunities to repent yet so little contrition.

At one point King Johoiakim reads about God’s coming judgement in the form of Babylon and essentially shrugs his shoulders. 36:34 says,

Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments.

Not only have they not blinked at God’s foretold judgement. Not only have they disobeyed him, but they’ve done it in such a way that has profaned His name. And this is where we see the seriousness of sin. Jeremiah 34:16-17,

but then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back his slaves… There fore, thus says the LORD: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty

Sin drags God’s name through the mud. It makes little of something that is great, namely God. And this is why sin must be dealt with. God will not stand for his name being belittled. This his why sin is serious. It makes a joke of some that has infinite power and authority.

Sin abounds in our lives and hearts. We can’t be too quick see some of them as worse than others. Sin is sin. All sin belittles God and profanes him. It is offensive and reeks of pride. Let’s get serious about holiness and giving sin and our flesh no opportunities to profane the name of Jesus we’ve come to love more than anything.