“But my people have exchanged their glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate” (Jeremiah 2:11).
The soul’s great sin is its disregard for the glory of God. The Israelites bore the unique mark of the chosen people of God. He had mercifully given them his law, temple, manifest presence, the cloud of his glory and his promises to bless them and make them a blessing to all nations. There was glory in Israel greater than any other place on earth. One would think that the value of this glory would be recognized, treasured and protected with fervent jealousy by those privileged enough to possess it. Shockingly, it was not. Instead of being treasured, the glory of God was traded. Israel quickly and willingly gave up the covenant blessings of the living God in exchange for lifeless, worthless idols. They surrendered their status as God’s chosen ones and preferred to take their place among the condemned nations of the world. Any divine shock at this colossal misappropriation of value and disregard of God’s glory must also be directed at my heart and that of every Christian. For we who cherish and pursue worldly things above Jesus Christ and the law of God commit a sin that exceeds the sinfulness of Israel’s sin. For we have something far more valuable than that which Israel possessed. They only possessed a shadow of the real glory. We have the actual glory, the fulfillment of the law, temple, presence and glory of God in the very person of Jesus Christ who dwells within our own hearts, not just a temple built by human hands. Therefore, when the regenerate soul of a New Testament Christian exchanges the glory of the indwelling Christ for worldly things that don’t profit, how much more shocked and appalled should the heavens be at such disdain of the soul towards its own Savior and God, preferring instead to cultivate an appetite for unprofitable amusements.
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