They have healed the wound of my people lightly saying, “Peace, peace” when there is no peace.
– Jeremiah 6:14
What imagery in this verse? I’m going to read it again. Just picture this. It’s talking about, again, much like we prayed according to in Jeremiah chapter 5, the leaders among God’s people, the prophets and priests who are not faithfully representing God to the people, not faithfully proclaiming his word. God says, “They’ve healed the wound of my people lightly.”
Jeremiah 6:14 Warns Us of Avoiding Repentance
God is saying, “They are not treating the wounds of my people.” How are they not treating the wounds of my people? They’re saying “Peace, peace” when there is no peace. They’re basically speaking soothing, comforting words over them instead of speaking directly to their sin and their need for repentance. And they’re giving nice talks to people who are carrying on in their sin and they’re avoiding themes like judgment and replenishment and the need for repentance.
Could I just say that again and let it soak in like how possible this is for us today to hear, to give nice talks to people about God while avoiding themes like judgment and punishment and the need for repentance. It is so easy and possible for leaders in the church, for followers of Jesus, to treat wounds, sins, struggles among God’s people lightly and say “Peace, peace” when the reality is there’s no peace. Oh God.
Jeremiah 6:14 Teaches Us that Peace is Found in Jesus
We know that peace is found in you, Jesus, and what you did on the cross and your resurrection from the grave. But we know the pathway to peace is repentance, is turning from sin. And if we indulge in sin and continue in sin and pursuing the ways of this world, that there is no peace there. That that leads to destruction, that that leads to punishment, that leads to judgment, that leads to ultimately hell.
God, we pray that you would help us to hear your word and to experience true, deep healing through repentance, through taking sins seriously in our lives, to taking sin seriously in the church. And as we take sins seriously in our lives and in the church, to receive grace deeply, to receive healing deeply, to receive peace truly. God, we pray for this kind of peace, for this kind of repentance in our lives and our churches, and in the world around us. Help us not to say peace, peace when there is no peace.
Proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel
God, help us to proclaim the good news of the gospel that others might experience true peace today in our workplaces, in our neighborhoods, and in our families, God, with people we just so happen to meet today. God, help us to proclaim the peace that’s found in Jesus alone and not to, in any way, give off the impression that there is peace apart from Jesus; not true eternal lasting peace.
God, help us to heal wounds in others’ lives rightly with your word and your love. Not lightly with lies and deception or silence that ultimately leads people to experience your judgment. God, we pray for the Minangkabau people of Indonesia. Seven million people, hardly any followers of Jesus. God, there’s no peace there, no true, lasting eternal peace.
Praying for the Minangkabau People of Indonesia
God, we pray for the proclamation of the gospel and the spread of your peace among the Minangkabau people of Indonesia. And all the people, groups of the world, god, we pray that you would help us to proclaim peace in Jesus that’s found in repentance, turning from sin and the false gods of this world. God, we pray all of this in light of your word in Jeremiah 6:14 in Jesus name, the name of the one who makes peace possible. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
