◄ Jeremiah 13:25 ►
This is your lot, the portion I have measured to you," declares the LORD, "because you have forgotten Me and trusted in falsehood.
Study Bible
This is your lot, the portion I have measured to you,” declares the LORD,
This phrase indicates a divine judgment or decree. In the context of Jeremiah, God is speaking to the people of Judah, who have repeatedly turned away from Him. The "lot" and "portion" suggest a predetermined outcome, akin to the distribution of land by lot in ancient Israel (Joshua 18:10). This reflects God's sovereign control over the fate of nations and individuals. The use of "measured" implies precision and justice in God's judgment, echoing the biblical principle that God is just and fair in His dealings (Psalm 9:8). The declaration by the LORD underscores the authority and finality of the message, reminiscent of prophetic declarations throughout the Old Testament.

because you have forgotten Me
Forgetting God in this context means neglecting His commandments and covenant. This forgetfulness is not merely a lapse in memory but a willful disregard for God's presence and laws. In Deuteronomy 8:11-14, Israel is warned against forgetting God when they become prosperous. The historical context shows that Judah had fallen into idolatry and moral decay, forgetting the God who delivered them from Egypt. This forgetfulness is a recurring theme in the prophets, highlighting the spiritual amnesia that leads to sin and judgment.

and trusted in falsehood.
Trusting in falsehood refers to reliance on idols, false prophets, and alliances with foreign nations instead of God. In Jeremiah's time, Judah often sought security through political alliances with Egypt and Assyria, rather than trusting in God (Isaiah 30:1-2). The falsehood also includes the deceptive messages of false prophets who assured the people of peace when destruction was imminent (Jeremiah 6:14). This misplaced trust is a form of spiritual adultery, as seen in Hosea 4:12, where Israel is accused of seeking guidance from wooden idols. Theologically, this points to the danger of placing faith in anything other than God, a theme echoed in the New Testament where Jesus warns against false prophets (Matthew 7:15).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A prophet called by God to deliver messages of warning and hope to the people of Judah. His ministry was marked by his deep emotional connection to his people and his unwavering commitment to God's truth.

2. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, which was facing impending judgment due to its persistent idolatry and disobedience to God.

3. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who is both just and merciful. He is the one declaring judgment upon Judah for their unfaithfulness.

4. Falsehood
Represents the lies and deceptions that the people of Judah have chosen to trust instead of the truth of God. This includes idolatry and reliance on foreign alliances.

5. Judgment
The consequence of Judah's actions, as God measures out their "lot" due to their spiritual adultery and forgetfulness of Him.
Teaching Points
The Danger of Forgetfulness
Forgetting God leads to spiritual decay and judgment. Regular remembrance of God's faithfulness is crucial for spiritual health.

The Consequences of Trusting in Falsehood
Trusting in anything other than God—be it idols, human wisdom, or false teachings—leads to destruction. We must discern truth from falsehood through Scripture.

God's Righteous Judgment
God's judgments are just and measured. Understanding His character helps us trust His decisions, even when they involve discipline.

The Call to Repentance
God's warnings are opportunities for repentance. We should respond to His discipline with humility and a desire to return to Him.

The Importance of Covenant Faithfulness
As believers, we are called to remain faithful to our covenant relationship with God, prioritizing Him above all else.
Bible Study Questions
1. What are some modern-day "falsehoods" that people might trust in, and how can we guard against them?

2. How does the concept of "forgetting God" manifest in our daily lives, and what practical steps can we take to remember Him consistently?

3. In what ways does God's measured judgment reflect His character, and how should this influence our understanding of His actions in our lives?

4. How can we apply the lessons of Judah's forgetfulness and misplaced trust to our personal walk with God?

5. What other biblical examples can you find where God's people forgot Him, and what were the consequences? How can these examples serve as warnings for us today?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 32:18
This verse speaks of Israel forgetting the God who gave them birth, similar to Judah's forgetfulness in Jeremiah 13:25.

Isaiah 44:20
Discusses the futility of trusting in falsehoods and idols, paralleling Judah's misplaced trust.

Hosea 4:6
Highlights the destruction that comes from a lack of knowledge of God, akin to Judah's situation.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Encourages trust in the Lord rather than leaning on one's own understanding, contrasting Judah's trust in falsehood.

Psalm 106:21
Reminds of Israel's forgetfulness of God's works, similar to the forgetfulness mentioned in Jeremiah 13:25.
Sermons
Washing an Ethiopian
People
Jeremiah
Places
Euphrates River, Jerusalem, Negeb
Topics
FALSE, Confided, Declares, Decreed, Faith, Falsehood, Fate, Forgotten, Gods, Hast, Lies, Lot, Measured, Measures, Memory, Portion, Says, Trust, Trusted
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 13:25

     8354   trustworthiness
     8719   distrust
     8747   false gods

Jeremiah 13:23-27

     8705   apostasy, in OT

Jeremiah 13:24-25

     8032   trust, lack of

Library
An Impossibility Made Possible
'Can the Ethiopian change his skin?'--JER. xiii. 23. 'If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.'--2 COR. v. 17. 'Behold, I make all things new.'--REV. xxi. 5. Put these three texts together. The first is a despairing question to which experience gives only too sad and decisive a negative answer. It is the answer of many people who tell us that character must be eternal, and of many a baffled man who says, 'It is of no use--I have tried and can do nothing.' The second text is the grand Christian …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Notion of Inability.
PROPER METHOD OF ACCOUNTING FOR IT. I have represented ability, or the freedom of the will, as a first-truth of consciousness, a truth necessarily known to all moral agents. The inquiry may naturally arise, How then is it to be accounted for, that so many men have denied the liberty of the will, or ability to obey God? A recent writer thinks this denial a sufficient refutation of the affirmation, that ability is a first-truth of consciousness. It is important that this denial should be accounted …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

On Earthly Things
The earth is man himself; in the gospel: another has fallen into the good earth. The same in a bad part about the sinner: you devour the earth all the days of your life. [Mark 4:18; Genesis 3:14] The dry lands are the flesh of a fruitless man; in Ecclesiastes, to work in a dry land with evil and sorrow. [Ecclesiastes 37:3] The dust is a sinner or the vanity of the flesh; in the psalm: like the dust, which the wind blows about. [Ps. 1:4 Vulgate] The mud is the gluttony of sinners; in the psalm: tear …
St. Eucherius of Lyons—The Formulae of St. Eucherius of Lyons

The Cavils of the Pharisees Concerning Purification, and the Teaching of the Lord Concerning Purity - the Traditions Concerning Hand-Washing' and Vows. '
As we follow the narrative, confirmatory evidence of what had preceded springs up at almost every step. It is quite in accordance with the abrupt departure of Jesus from Capernaum, and its motives, that when, so far from finding rest and privacy at Bethsaida (east of the Jordan), a greater multitude than ever had there gathered around Him, which would fain have proclaimed Him King, He resolved on immediate return to the western shore, with the view of seeking a quieter retreat, even though it were …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

On the Animals
The birds are the saints, because they fly to the higher heart; in the gospel: and he made great branches that the birds of the air might live in their shade. [Mark 4:32] Flying is the death of the saints in God or the knowledge of the Scriptures; in the psalm: I shall fly and I shall be at rest. [Ps. 54(55):7 Vulgate] The wings are the two testaments; in Ezekiel: your body will fly with two wings of its own. [Ez. 1:23] The feathers are the Scriptures; in the psalm: the wings of the silver dove. …
St. Eucherius of Lyons—The Formulae of St. Eucherius of Lyons

Covenanting Confers Obligation.
As it has been shown that all duty, and that alone, ought to be vowed to God in covenant, it is manifest that what is lawfully engaged to in swearing by the name of God is enjoined in the moral law, and, because of the authority of that law, ought to be performed as a duty. But it is now to be proved that what is promised to God by vow or oath, ought to be performed also because of the act of Covenanting. The performance of that exercise is commanded, and the same law which enjoins that the duties …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Meditations on the Hindrances which Keep Back a Sinner from the Practice of Piety.
Those hindrances are chiefly seven:-- I. An ignorant mistaking of the true meaning of certain places of the holy Scriptures, and some other chief grounds of Christian religion. The Scriptures mistaken are these: 1. Ezek. xxxiii. 14, 16, "At what time soever a sinner repenteth him of his sin, I will blot out all," &c. Hence the carnal Christian gathers, that he may repent when he will. It is true, whensoever a sinner does repent, God will forgive; but the text saith not, that a sinner may repent whensoever …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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