Jeremiah 3:11 KJV
And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
Students of the Old Testament know the difference between Israel and Judah. Israel (the ten northern tribes) seemed to always have a tenuous relationship with their brethren, especially after the death of King Saul. They separated from their brethren and began their own kingdom after Solomon died and his son Rehoboam refused to lighten their taxes. They never had a good king, and they were blatantly apostate; worshiping the idols of Jeroboam rather than going to Jerusalem (in the Southern kingdom) to worship at God's Temple.
Judah (the Southern kingdom composed of just two tribes, Benjamin and Judah) continued to worship at the Temple in Jerusalem but also always played with idolatry. While they had periods of revival under good kings, they too had some very wicked kings. Judah was not as blatant against God. Their fault was in their religious deceit. They pretended to worship the living God, but secretly they worshipped mostly themselves.
The word backsliding means apostasy, a turning away.
The word treachery means to cover, act covertly.
The interesting thing is that God said that backsliding Israel had justified herself more than treacherous Judah. It is easier to see absolute apostasy and turn from that than hypocrisy which not only deceives the observer but the very deceiver. Treachery blinds the person who is treacherous so that they cannot see their sin. How many are those who, because they act good, have deceived themselves into believing they are good enough for God!
Open our eyes Lord, so that we see our sins for how wicked they are and cry out to You for mercy and grace.
And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
Students of the Old Testament know the difference between Israel and Judah. Israel (the ten northern tribes) seemed to always have a tenuous relationship with their brethren, especially after the death of King Saul. They separated from their brethren and began their own kingdom after Solomon died and his son Rehoboam refused to lighten their taxes. They never had a good king, and they were blatantly apostate; worshiping the idols of Jeroboam rather than going to Jerusalem (in the Southern kingdom) to worship at God's Temple.
Judah (the Southern kingdom composed of just two tribes, Benjamin and Judah) continued to worship at the Temple in Jerusalem but also always played with idolatry. While they had periods of revival under good kings, they too had some very wicked kings. Judah was not as blatant against God. Their fault was in their religious deceit. They pretended to worship the living God, but secretly they worshipped mostly themselves.
The word backsliding means apostasy, a turning away.
The word treachery means to cover, act covertly.
The interesting thing is that God said that backsliding Israel had justified herself more than treacherous Judah. It is easier to see absolute apostasy and turn from that than hypocrisy which not only deceives the observer but the very deceiver. Treachery blinds the person who is treacherous so that they cannot see their sin. How many are those who, because they act good, have deceived themselves into believing they are good enough for God!
Open our eyes Lord, so that we see our sins for how wicked they are and cry out to You for mercy and grace.
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