This wonderful section from Jeremiah makes the wonderful point that to practice what God delights in, honesty and justice, is to know God. But there is also the warning for Judah and their king that if they don’t turn back to do what is right, God’s day of wrath and judgement is at hand and there is no more time.
Jeremiah 22:13–17
[13] “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice, who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing and does not give him his wages, [14] who says, ‘I will build myself a great house with spacious upper rooms,’ who cuts out windows for it, paneling it with cedar and painting it with vermilion. [15] Do you think you are a king because you compete in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. [16] He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Is not this to know me? declares the LORD. [17] But you have eyes and heart only for your dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood, and for practicing oppression and violence.” (ESV)
And this is a strong statement by God swearing by Himself to make Judah a desolation for her sins, and we know from history they were conquered and taken into captivity except for a small group left to work the land for their new master Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. They did not respond to God’s call to turn back from their evil ways and do what was right, and they suffered terribly for it with many going into the pit.
Jeremiah 22:3–6
[3] Thus says the LORD: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place. [4] For if you will indeed obey this word, then there shall enter the gates of this house kings who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their servants and their people. [5] But if you will not obey these words, I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation.
Will our nation fare any better? As we watch our lawless nation descending deeper and deeper into depravity, the judgement of Romans 1 has already begun.