Jeremiah 4:1-18

“For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: ‘Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your hearts...’” (Jeremiah 4:3–4, NKJV)

Devastation was on the horizon. A hot desert wind would soon blow from the north, destroying everything in its path. The Babylonians would invade Judah and Jerusalem. But was there anything the Jews could do to stop this?

God only brings judgment as a last resort, for He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, let alone His own people. They could avert this disaster if they would deal radically with themselves. Their hearts had been hardened by sin and rebellion. Their ears were deaf to the prophets, including Jeremiah. As long as they were in this condition the seed of God’s word could have no effect. If they wanted to avoid the inevitable judgment, they had to do three things immediately.

First, they needed to break up their fallow ground. This meant submitting to God’s Word and to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and turning from their sins.

Second, they must not sow among thorns. If they did, then the thorns would choke out and destroy their fruitfulness. Jesus said that the thorns are the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and desires for other things (Mark 4:19).

Third, they needed to circumcise their hearts. This meant cutting away the cravings that sought to gratify their flesh. As God is holy, so they were to be holy, touching no unclean thing and having an undivided heart.

Likewise, I believe that our nation is under the judgment of God for our sins, and conditions will only get worse. But I also believe that we can avert this disaster if enough people do these three things. This is the first step in bringing spiritual revival. Let us put our hands to the plow and get to work!