What other scriptures warn against relying on human strength over God's power? Jeremiah’s Wake-Up Call Jeremiah 22:20 sets the stage: “Go up to Lebanon and cry out, and raise your voice in Bashan; cry out from Abarim, for all your lovers are crushed.” Judah’s “lovers” were the foreign powers she leaned on instead of the LORD. When those props collapsed, the nation was left exposed. Scripture repeats this warning in many voices: Old Testament Echoes of the Same Warning • Psalm 20:7 — “Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” • Psalm 146:3 — “Put not your trust in princes, in mortal man, who cannot save.” • Proverbs 3:5-6 — “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” • Isaiah 31:1 — “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who depend on horses… They do not look to the Holy One of Israel.” • Jeremiah 17:5 — “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, who makes the flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD.” • 2 Chronicles 16:7-9 — Hanani rebukes Asa: “Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God… the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro… to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him.” • Hosea 10:13 — “You have eaten the fruit of lies, because you have trusted in your own way and in your many warriors.” • Zechariah 4:6 — “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of Hosts.” New Testament Reinforcement • John 15:5 — “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” • 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 — God chooses the weak “so that no flesh may boast in His presence.” • 2 Corinthians 3:5 — “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.” • Ephesians 6:10 — “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” Threading the Truth Together – Human alliances, resources, and intellect are unreliable foundations; God alone is immovable. – Trusting self invites discipline (“Cursed is the man who trusts in man” – Jeremiah 17:5). – Trusting God invites His strength on our behalf (“the eyes of the LORD roam… to show Himself strong” – 2 Chronicles 16:9). – True victory and fruitfulness flow “by My Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6) and “in His mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10). Takeaways for Daily Living • Measure every decision: Am I leaning on skill, savings, contacts—or on the Lord? • Replace self-reliance with prayerful dependence; echo Psalm 20:7 each morning. • When tempted to panic, rehearse Jeremiah 17:5-8—choose to be the tree planted by water, not the shrub in the wasteland. • Expect God’s enabling: if He calls, His power accompanies (2 Corinthians 3:5). God’s consistent message, from Jeremiah to Jesus, is clear: cease trusting mere flesh; anchor every hope in His unfailing strength. |
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