Every 7th year, at the Feast of Tabernacles, the Law was read to the assembled Israelites, as commanded in Deuteronomy 31:10-11. Integral to that ceremony was the reading of the curses on law-breakers and the blessings on those who kept the law. This ceremony was a reminder that there are only two ways to live, either obedience to the Lord, or disobedience. Grace-enabled obedience, expressing love for the Lord (John 14:15) is the only joyful and fruitful way of life. We consider Jeremiah 17:7-8 The tree by the water.
1. Gracious planting
Verses 5-6 deal with the ungodly, ‘whose heart turns away from the Lord’. There is a powerful contrast with the man ‘who trusts in the Lord’ (v7). These verses bear a strong resemblance to Psalm 1. It is clear this life is all of grace. There are 2 indicators:
(i). Blessed: the conferring of divine favour. We do not bless ourselves. Note Paul’s question in 2 Corinthians 4:7. In the Covenant of Grace God bestows riches beyond imagining.
(ii). Planted: We do not plant ourselves. In saving grace the Lord ‘plants’ his people. He is the source of all spiritual life and growth (Ephesians 2:8). God’s work cannot fail.
2. Firm trust
The sovereignty of God does not take anything away from our responsibility to believe. Faith is ‘the gift of God’ (Ephesians 2:8), but we must exercise it. Blessing is for ‘the man who trusts in the Lord’. The word used has the sense of ‘leaning’ – putting our weight on someone we believe will support us. Saving faith requires a personal commitment – we put ‘confidence’ in the Lord. We must forsake reliance on anyone or anything else. There will be ongoing service in faith – ‘sends out its roots’. Faith involves not just a single moment, but a whole life.
3. Testing drought
We have a vivid description of ‘a tree planted by the water’ (v8), a powerful description of a believer filled with life and nourished by God’s gracious provision. There is too a recognition that testing times will come – ‘heat…a year of drought’. Jesus gave warning in John 16:33. There are hard experiences we share with everyone else and trials that come because of our faith. The verse provides a warning to be ready and make sure we are rooted in the Lord. With his help we can rejoice in ‘trials of many kinds’ (James 1:2). He is working out his good purpose.
4. Abiding fruit
These verses are full of encouragement for ‘the man who trusts in the Lord’ (v7). In the inevitable trials he will not be overwhelmed because the Lord supplies the needed grace, ‘the water…the stream’ (see also Psalm 36:9). If we fully rest in the Lord we will be free from fears and worries (v8). Remember that Christ has ‘overcome the world’ (John 16:33). In addition to enduring, we can ‘bear fruit’ – godly character (Galatians 5:22ff). Partly that is the result of trials (Romans 5:3ff), and so we can be trusting, tested and fruitful, ministering to others.