Beech Tree News Network

            Jeremiah is well-known as “the weeping prophet.” Passages such as Jeremiah 4:19, 9:1, 13:16-17, and 14:17 make it clear that this description was well-earned. His crying was not because he was some wimpy, weak character. He was not crying for fear or because he was ashamed. Instead, he wept over the sins of the people of Israel. Similarly, we see Jesus doing this. In fact, He was referred to as the “man of sorrows” (Isa. 53:3; Matt. 26:37; Luke 19:41; John 11:35).

            Jeremiah wept over the sins of the people. He thought himself unable to cry a sufficient amount over the sins committed in his land. In Jeremiah 9:1, it is written, “Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!”

            Contrast how men act toward sin today with how Jeremiah acted. Jeremiah wanted to cry and wished his eyes could be a “fountain” to weep over the sins committed by God’s people. He understood that sin was not a joke or a game. Sin is not a myth or something made up to scare children into behaving. Sin is real, and it is deadly (Jas. 1:15)! The passage that says, “Fools make a mock at sin” (Prov. 14:9) is still valid! 

            Why did Jeremiah weep over sin? All one has to do is look into Scripture and see how God describes sin to know why it is a cause for crying. God describes sin as:

An indelible stain (Isa. 1:18)

A heavy weight (Heb. 12:1)

A trespass (Eph. 2:1)

Putrifying sores (Isa. 1:6)

            How could this not make us cry if we saw someone in this condition physically? Though we cannot see the spiritual effects of sin, God sees it when He looks upon us! We see the effects of sin in the physical results it has. When we see the drug addict and the wino, when we see the person who has STDs or suffering from the torture of having killed a baby through abortion, we see the effects of sin in people’s lives. When we see someone who is racked with guilt because he has stolen from others or has been abusive to a child or spouse, we see someone suffering because of his sin and bad decisions. Our jails are filled with those who broke man’s law, but many have also broken God’s law!

            I say this in the spirit of Jeremiah – how we might wish our heads were waters and our eyes were a fountain of tears to be able to weep over what we see in our generation in this country! Oh, that we might weep over the sins committed! We have Christians that ought to know better, but they still commit sins before God. Let us remember that sin is as deadly for the Christian as for the non-Christian (Ezek. 18:20; Jas. 1:15). It is not a game or a joke! Sin will lead us to Hell finally if we do not repent. Is that not another reason that tears might flow? Let them flow for the ones who seem determined to go to Hell and will not change (Matt. 7:13)!

God stands ready and willing to accept those who will come to Him (Matt. 11:28-30; Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; II Pet 3:9; Rev. 22:14). Who will do it? There is no shame in weeping when we are weeping over the right things!

-- You are invited to visit with the Caneyville church of Christ. Times of services: Sun.: 10:00 am, 10:45 am, 5:00 pm; Wed.: 7:00 pm. Website: http://caneyvillechurchofchrist.com Tune in to our radio program 101.5 FM at 5:30 am, Mon-Fri. Questions? Call: (270) 589-4167