Gateway Baptist Church
July 13, 2025
  • Holy Holy Holy (Nicaea)
  • Are You Washed In The Blood (Washed In The Blood)
  • Higher Ground
  • We Have Heard The Joyful Sound (Jesus Saves)
  • The King Is Coming

  • Jeremiah 3:6-14

    My family knows that when we go on road trips, there will always be a detour. Some detours are great, while others can get us lost. I am not afraid to go down a dirt road until there seems to be no end in sight. One trip I took was in Nevada while I was waiting for a load. In Nevada, it is easy to get lost. A road that was partly dirt and partly paved, winding over hills and through valleys, continued. I was on this road for at least two hours. The map in the truck and road atlas showed the road to get you to Oregon eventually. After another hour, I was in the Cascade Mountains on the side of the mountain, still on a dirt road. I stopped and thought I either press on with no guarantee or return to where I started. In that moment, I did three things: I acknowledged, I proclaimed, and I returned where I began. This is what YHWH is telling Jeremiah to tell Israel and Judah.
    Three ACTIONS that they must do for YHWH to forgive them: Return, Acknowledge, and Proclaim.

    Return:

    We read about these two sisters and how the elder began the harlotry in Ezekiel 23:4-10. They saw a road they wanted to explore. A road that would lead to sinning against YHWH. That is what sin is. It is seeing something that looks enticing and maybe even exciting, but leads you to go further away from YHWH. Look what YHWH said, “she went up on every hill and under every green tree….” Just like that road that seemed like an adventure, and I saw some beautiful sights, it was leading me nowhere—the same with chasing after adventures that will lead you further away from YHWH.
    Ezekiel 23:4–10 ESV
    4 Oholah was the name of the elder and Oholibah the name of her sister. They became mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem. 5 “Oholah played the whore while she was mine, and she lusted after her lovers the Assyrians, warriors 6 clothed in purple, governors and commanders, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses. 7 She bestowed her whoring upon them, the choicest men of Assyria all of them, and she defiled herself with all the idols of everyone after whom she lusted. 8 She did not give up her whoring that she had begun in Egypt; for in her youth men had lain with her and handled her virgin bosom and poured out their whoring lust upon her. 9 Therefore I delivered her into the hands of her lovers, into the hands of the Assyrians, after whom she lusted. 10 These uncovered her nakedness; they seized her sons and her daughters; and as for her, they killed her with the sword; and she became a byword among women, when judgment had been executed on her.
    YHWH thought that after Israel had had enough of whoring around, she would return to Him. But she did not. I can only imagine where that road would have eventually taken me, but I had had enough of that adventure, and my fuel gauge was getting low. Israel’s fuel gauge (YHWH’s patience) was getting low. 2 Kings 17:13; YHWH had warned both Israel and Judah about turning from His laws. This is what they did when they chased after Assyria’s lifestyle.
    2 Kings 17:13 ESV
    Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”
    We also commit ourselves to sin when we drive down a road that leads us away from YHWH. But what is worse than Israel’s sin is her sister Judah’s treacherous acts. Judah saw the sins of her sister and did them, but acted holy by playing the good sister, keeping with the sacrifices. Jesus spoke about the two sons whom the father asked to work in the vineyard (Matthew 21:28-32). The same applies to Israel and Judah. Judah talks to the Lord as if they are obedient, but they are more detestable than their sister, Israel.
    Matthew 21:28–32 ESV
    28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.
    We either return or repent; that's what 'return' means. So, when we repent, we are returning to YHWH and to the point where we went astray.
    YHWH tells Israel that their following action after returning is to acknowledge their guilt.

    Acknowledge:

    Remember when I was on the mountain and I had to acknowledge I did not know where I was or where that road would take me? Israel was to acknowledge their guilt of rebellion against YHWH. Their guilt was scattering their flavor amongst foreigners. They were chasing unequal yoke people who had led them down the road of perdition that was not built for them by YHWH, but instead was built by Satan.
    What does He mean by acknowledging? To notice or become aware of something. Just as I had to acknowledge I had no idea where I was headed or what lay ahead, I noticed I was lost. Those who were in captivity had to acknowledge they had rebelled against YHWH. It is the act of confessing that they had sinned. Leviticus 26:40.
    Leviticus 26:40 ESV
    “But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers in their treachery that they committed against me, and also in walking contrary to me,
    Once we and they return, acknowledge that our last action is to go and proclaim.

    Proclaim:

    When I arrived back in town, I proclaimed to everyone who would listen not to go down that road. Jeremiah is proclaiming YHWH’s grace and mercy. Listen to what YHWH says, “I will not be angry forever.” His anger would be lifted off of them if they returned and acknowledged. How would they not proclaim that to everyone they meet?
    We are commanded to “Go and Proclaim” Mark 16:15. Just like them, we have been forgiven so much. Who did they serve? Who do we serve? Not a god who does not forgive, but The God who not only created us but also redeemed us. Listen to David, Psalm 86:15.
    Mark 16:15 ESV
    And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
    Psalm 86:15 NASB95
    But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.
    David knew who YHWH was. He was merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love and steadfastness. Let us not be those who keep going down the road that leads to perdition.

    Application:

    Return: repent and come back to where YHWH is. Remember, Peter had to be restored before Christ would make him into the apostle he was called to be. John 21:15-19
    John 21:15–19 LSB
    So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep. “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.” Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!”
    Acknowledge: confess. We know that salvation is through confession. We can enjoy a life free from condemnation through confessing our sins. 1 John 1:9
    1 John 1:9 NASB95
    If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
    Proclaim: You are forgiven by His mercy and grace, go and tell the world. Matthew 28:19
    Matthew 28:19 DARBY
    Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit;

      • Ezekiel 23:4–10NASB95

      • 2 Kings 17:13NASB95

      • Matthew 21:28–32NASB95

      • Leviticus 26:40NASB95

      • Mark 16:15NASB95

      • Psalm 86:15NASB95

      • John 21:15–19NASB95

      • 1 John 1:9NASB95

      • Matthew 28:19NASB95

  • I Surrender All
  • The Bond Of Love
Gateway Baptist Church
gatewaybaptistchurch@live.com
8128533787
11 members