Jeremiah 2:1

 Jeremiah 2:1 says, Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,  Verse two adds, Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.  God's word once more came to Jeremiah and told Him to go and to remind the people of Jerusalem about their promises made to Him in the wilderness.  God had lead them out of Egypt, and sustained them in the wilderness, and they made a covenant with Him to obey His word.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, He leads us out of the wilderness of sin and commands us to go and share the gospel with all those that we can.  Verse three continues, Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.  God had Jeremiah to remind the people of Jerusalem that they were the first fruit of His people.  The people of Israel were not called so that they would be the only ones who were God's people, but to be the first of His people and to spread His word to all the world.  Verse four declares, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:  God called for all His people to hear Him, even if they were divided as a nation.  All of God's people need to hear Him today, even if we a separated in some earthly way.  Verse five adds, Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?  God asked those who were supposed to be His chosen people what iniquity their fathers had found in Him that had caused them to become vain, or self centered.  We need to make sure that we never become vain about our relationship with God.  Verse six states, Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?  God said that His people, who He had delivered from Egypt and all the dangers they encountered afterward, no longer sought Him.  God has delivered us from the power of sin and death if we are followers of Christ, and we can never begin to be complacent in our faith if we are to be successful in our walk with God.  Verse seven adds, And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.  God said that He gave His people an abundant land, and that they made their heritage an abomination.  Verse eight adds, The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.  God said even the religious leaders had stopped following His word and had gone after false gods.  We can never afford to allow false gods to come between God and us.  Verse nine declares, Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children’s children will I plead.  God said that He would still plead with His people and their children to come back to Him.  God does not give up on people easily.  Verse ten continues, For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.  God called on the people of Israel to look at the other nations around them.  Verse eleven concludes, Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.  God said these other nations who worshipped false gods had not changed them for other gods.  There are many nations around the world today who worship false gods, and they seem at times to be more devoted to their gods than we as Christians are to the One true and Living God.  Verse twelve declares, Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.  God said that even the heavens should be astonished at the fact that His people had turned away from Him.