The Impossible Hardness of the Human Heart

The human heart is impossible to understand. Jeremiah has dealt with that reality in his entire prophetic ministry. In Jeremiah 44, we see how twisted the heart can be. Even when the people of Judah fled to Egypt after the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar's army, they still refused to repent and turn to God. In fact, they consider their trouble the lack of idolatrous worship in their life since they were cut off from the land of Israel!

Listen to their stubborn resistance to Jeremiah's warning:

Jeremiah 44:16–18 (ESV) “As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you. 17 But we will do everything that we have vowed, make offerings to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we did, both we and our fathers, our kings and our officials, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, and prospered, and saw no disaster. 18 But since we left off making offerings to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been consumed by the sword and by famine.”

It is truly a marvel to consider their rationality here. God cut them off from their idolatry, and they fled, so they consider it time to reinstitute idolatrous practice.'

When the Bible speaks of the human heart, it does not speak in good terms, which should caution every one of us. We cannot trust what we feel, think, or consider. We must submit our hearts to God's Word.  

Still, Jeremiah persists in rebuking and correcting their false ideations. 

He says,

Jeremiah 44:22–23 (ESV) The LORD could no longer bear your evil deeds and the abominations that you committed. Therefore your land has become a desolation and a waste and a curse, without inhabitant, as it is this day. 23 It is because you made offerings and because you sinned against the LORD and did not obey the voice of the LORD or walk in his law and in his statutes and in his testimonies that this disaster has happened to you, as at this day.”

What will be the result of this rebellious lot in Egypt? God sets his hand and Word against them. He will utterly punish and bring back a small remnant. 

Jeremiah 44:29–30 (ESV) This shall be the sign to you, declares the LORD, that I will punish you in this place, in order that you may know that my words will surely stand against you for harm: 30 Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those who seek his life, as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy and sought his life.”

Some have to learn the hard way, and a few have to learn the extremely hard way. But all of us can learn from this passage the danger of trusting the "heart." It devises wicked schemes and rationality for all of our behavior. Without God's intervention, we are left hopeless, wandering through the listless pursuits of our sickened inclinations. 

This passage reminds us once again of the ultimate purpose of the Old Testament - to point to our need for a savior. We cannot save ourselves. And apart from Christ, we can do nothing. 

Jeremiah is a dark book filled with sadness as we watch a hard-hearted nation rot and almost die. YET, in the limitless grace of God, that nation is STILL around as a symbol of God's firm commitment to His Word. 

Thus, we Christians can come to the Word with anticipation, knowing the Lord is ready to forgive, willing to hear our prayer, and He has the power to turn our hearts around.