How does Jeremiah 17:23 highlight the importance of obeying God's commandments today? The verse “Yet they would not listen or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and would not listen or receive correction.” (Jeremiah 17:23) Setting the scene • The Lord had just commanded Judah to keep the Sabbath holy, to refrain from carrying burdens through Jerusalem’s gates (vv. 21–22). • The Sabbath was a covenant sign (Exodus 31:16–17) reminding the nation that God is Creator, Redeemer, and Provider. • Ignoring that command was not a minor oversight; it was open rebellion against the very relationship God had established with His people. What disobedience looked like • “They would not listen or incline their ear” — active refusal to hear. • “They stiffened their necks” — a farming image of an ox that refuses the yoke, choosing its own way. • “Would not…receive correction” — persistence in sin even after repeated warnings (cf. Jeremiah 7:25–26). Timeless truths we can’t ignore • God’s commandments are not suggestions; they remain expressions of His holy character (Psalm 119:89, 142). • Refusal to listen escalates: first ears close, then hearts harden, and soon correction is despised. • The Lord’s standards do not shift with culture; He still calls His people to “be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Why this matters today • Jesus linked love for Him to obedience: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). • James warns, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). • The same progression—hearing, stiffening, refusing correction—can mark modern hearts if we treat Scripture casually. Practical checkpoints for guarding obedience • Receive the Word daily — cultivate a listening posture (Luke 10:39). • Respond immediately — delay breeds rationalization (Hebrews 3:15). • Remain teachable — invite godly counsel and correction (Proverbs 12:1). • Rejoice in the boundaries — God’s commands protect and bless (Deuteronomy 6:24). Blessings linked to obedience (Jeremiah 17:24–25) • Prosperous city gates — commerce and community flourish. • Ongoing kingship — God sustains leadership and stability. • The same principle endures: “Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in His ways” (Psalm 128:1). Key takeaway Jeremiah 17:23 exposes the peril of selective hearing and invites us to humble, joyful submission. When God speaks, the only safe response is wholehearted obedience—today and every day. |
    |