Jeremiah 17:8, commentary and pictures

The verse pictures a person who trusts in the Lord and makes Him his hope as a tree set by abundant water, drawing all that sustains spiritual life through a living connection of faith with God. The water is the Lord Himself as the fountain of living waters and the only source of healing and salvation, set against broken cisterns and muddy streams that cannot satisfy. Blessing rests on this trust, while trusting in man and making flesh one's arm brings barrenness like a desert shrub in parched and salt land. Heat and drought mean hardship, temptation and adversity, in which the trusting soul remains unafraid, fresh and green, untroubled by anxiety, and steadfast in bearing fruit in good words and deeds. That fruitfulness is kept alive by daily prayer and meditation and by refusing to lean on human strength, wisdom or sympathy instead of God alone.

Tree Imagery Explained

The tree planted by the waters and spreading its roots by the river is the person who trusts in the Lord and makes the Lord his hope, kept spiritually alive and fruitful through hardship by a vital connection of faith. That connection is maintained by faith, and through it the soul receives from God all that ministers to the life of the soul. Trust in God so sustains fruitful faith that turning to the Lord wholeheartedly is the remedy for those who have relied on human strength, in contrast to trusting in human strength which brings a curse and barrenness of soul with no refreshing. The one so planted remains spiritually steady, with the leaf staying green and fruit-bearing never stopping when heat and drought come.

As a flower must have root in soil to receive air, dew, showers and sunshine, sinful man can find hope and righteousness only in God. No human being is or remains righteous any longer than he has faith in God and maintains that vital connection with Him, looking to Jesus and receiving Him as the only Saviour. To trust in this way is to look to God to be saved, to come to Him for rest, and to ask Him for wisdom which He gives liberally without reproach, with childlike love, faith and perfect trust that seeks to get nearest to the Father above every other person and rests in safety in His wisdom and strength.

Not seeing when heat comes means being unafraid, unharmed and unwithered by hardship, with heat unable to wither the leaf. The green leaf means staying spiritually alive and fresh, and not being careful in the year of drought means being untroubled and without anxiety. Neither ceasing from yielding fruit means continuing steadfastly to bear fruit, flourishing and always green. This stability and fruitfulness belong to another class, beginning with leaders, who humble their souls before God, confess sins, become truly converted, are emptied of selfishness, see self-confidence die, and lose the disposition to dominate and control.

The waters are the Lord as the hope of Israel and the fountain of living waters, from whom alone come healing and salvation. Forsaking the living waters to hew out broken cisterns that can hold no water brings barrenness of soul with no refreshing, while trusting the Lord keeps spiritual life fresh and fruitful. Safety and fruitfulness come not from drinking the turbid streams of the valley nor from walking in the sparks of one's own kindling, and not from implicit confidence in the ideas and opinions of human authors, but from learning meekness and lowliness of heart in Christ's school, having self and ambition subdued and self hid in Christ, drinking the water of life proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb, with Christ within as a well of water springing up into everlasting life, and receiving vivid impressions from the Word of life.

The spreading roots picture faith striking deep into Christ for firm support through trials. They hold firm like the deep roots that hold a cedar steady in a tempest. They are like a vine whose tendrils entwine about God instead of clinging to human support, so that when shaken loose from people and left prostrate such a person can stand upright toward heaven in the strength of God and flourish without human help, never in vain and never shaken away from Him, for God is a present help in time of trouble.

Blessing Contrasted With Curse

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is, and the verse is a precious promise and assurance from the highest Authority to such a person. He shall be as a tree planted by the waters spreading roots by the river, kept green and fruitful when heat comes and untroubled in the year of drought, steady and fruitful like a tree by abundant water, with green leaves, unafraid, continuing to yield fruit. The verse means God's people are to rely on God alone, shutting themselves up with Him in trouble instead of looking to human beings for help, opinions, sympathy, succor, and counsel, and He never fails a trusting soul. It represents another class in the churches, beginning with the leaders, who humble their souls before God, confess their sins, and become truly converted, so that selfishness is emptied from their hearts, self-confidence dies, and the disposition to dominate and control disappears, a figure foretold by the prophet that has been fulfilled and is being fulfilled in present history. This blessing calls those who believe the end of all things is at hand to show faith by works, to speak truth persuasively, to take the burden of laboring for souls who know not the truth as faithful humble messengers, to be guarded on every side, and to humble the heart before God in prayer for clear spiritual eyesight with the intense interest the condition of the world warrants before it is too late.

For workers bearing responsibility in sanitariums and schools, it assures wisdom to know where to labor and how to place themselves to accomplish the greatest good when they serve God with humility of heart, seek Him in united prayer, earnestly desire to know and do His will, and remain teachable as little children, and the whole seventeenth chapter of Jeremiah is worthy of special study. God's workers need this faith that He will do as He has said, and doubting that He has time to notice them dishonors Him, for He is not unmindful of their labors but values their work and appoints divine agencies to cooperate with those who labor together with Him.

In direct contrast, the cursed man who trusts in man, makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from the Lord becomes like the heath in the desert dwelling in parched wilderness and salt land. The secure life comes from holding to the Lord as the hope of Israel and the fountain of living waters instead of forsaking Him, from whom alone come healing and salvation. Those who are spiritually blind and have forgotten that they were cleansed from their old sins become like a desert shrub that does not recognize when good comes, whereas those who realize their need and hunger for salvation are ready to receive help.

Trusting in man brings barrenness of soul with no refreshing, cuts off spiritual life, and leaves a person spiritually barren, whereas trusting the Lord keeps spiritual life fresh, secure and fruitful. The person who trusts in the Lord and rests hope in Him is like a tree rooted by water, sustained by a vital connection with God from whom the soul receives what it needs, remaining spiritually alive and continuing to bear fruit even in hardship, heat and drought. Forsaking the living waters to hew broken cisterns that hold no water brings that barrenness with no refreshing. Those who make people their support are cut off from spiritual life, and depending on human wisdom instead of God does not help people grow in grace or know Christ.

To make flesh one's arm is to cease looking to Jesus for strength and efficiency and to depend on finite, erring fellow men. Depending on men for strength and influence dishonors God, denies His sufficiency, and covets human influence, and it makes His people weak. It separates the soul from God, and Satan lays this dependence as a trap to lead men astray and win them to his side. Israel showed this when they wanted to be like other nations and be guided by visible human power rather than by invisible divine power, asking for a king, a choice that led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the nation. No man, however learned or elevated, can be trusted unless he holds his confidence in God firm unto the end, as Solomon shows, for though beloved of God and entrusted with building the temple he allied himself with idolatrous nations through marriage and in later years forsook the temple of God to worship in groves prepared for idols. To set God aside as insufficient and lean on the arm of the world instead of the arm of God for recognition and influence to do some great thing is a mistake that turns aside the work God desires to accomplish through His chosen people.

Childlike trust seeks to get nearest to the Father above every other person and rests in safety in His wisdom and strength. Such trust is like a child's love, faith and perfect trust, looking to God to be saved, coming to Him for rest, and asking Him for wisdom which He gives liberally without reproach. The one who so trusts is made stable and fruitful, rooted beside abundant water, untouched by heat and untroubled in drought, always green and continually yielding fruit, in opposite to the cursed man who trusts in man, makes flesh his strength, and whose heart departs from the Lord.

Endurance Through Testing Trials

Heat and the year of drought are hardship, temptation, danger and adversity, and the one who trusts in the Lord and makes Him hope is not overcome by them but stays green and does not cease yielding fruit. Like a tree rooted beside water, such a life is sustained by God through heat that does not wither its leaves and drought that does not stop its fruit, in contrast to relying on human strength and turning away from the Lord. For physicians this is faithfulness amid temptation and danger by relying on God's strength and truth rather than on human power. Those who consecrate soul, body and spirit to His keeping need not be overcome by adversity, their words will be right, and their lives will bear fruit in good words and deeds.

The one who finds wisdom is as that rooted tree, and being rooted in God's wisdom and word gives lasting benefit, resilience and continued fruitfulness even when heat and drought come. The leaf stays green and the tree keeps bearing fruit, picturing the steady endurance that wisdom imparts. The testing time reveals the difference between a genuine Christian and a half-hearted or hypocritical professor. Opposition and persecution may cause the latter to yield, but the true Christian like an evergreen stands firm and does not fail, with stronger faith and brighter hope and with hope kept bright through hardship.

The figure foretold has been fulfilled and is being fulfilled in present history in another class in the churches, beginning with the leaders. They humble their souls before God, confess their sins and become truly converted, and their lives reveal the inward transformation. Selfishness is emptied from their hearts, self-confidence dies, and the disposition to dominate and control disappears. Like a tree planted by the waters spreading roots by the river, they do not see when heat comes but keep a green leaf, are not careful in the year of drought, and do not cease from yielding fruit. The image is steadfast trust expressed in a life of obedience and endurance.

Prayer Nourishing Fruitfulness

Daily prayer and meditation bring Heaven's blessing, strengthening moral and spiritual life like a tree planted by flowing water. As such a tree stays green in leaf and bears fruit in its season and in due time, so the person strengthened by Heaven grows in spiritual and moral strength and produces fruit in due time.

The one who prays daily with faith has petitions heard by God, who works for him with divine power and makes his path luminous with divine light. With Jesus dwelling within, with truth exemplified in the life and the gospel of salvation dwelling in the heart and beaming in the countenance and speech, he becomes a representative of Jesus and His witness, with power attending his labors to reach others, remaining spiritually fresh and yielding abundant fruit.

Those who pray much and diligently use the means within reach, who are instant in prayer and make their lives fragrant with good works, will grow like a tree by the river. They remain wholly victorious without faltering or failing of the eternal reward, with their last days the most triumphant, always green in spiritual life and ever abundant in fruit. God will bless such faithfulness with physical, mental and moral power.

Trust Applied to Callings

Trust in the Lord bears directly on teachers who have received great spiritual light with clear and repeated evidence, for to receive such light without improving it places them under divine rebuke and displeasure, and the tree that stays fruitful through heat and drought calls them to judge themselves, end controversy with God, lay aside sharpness, severity and inflexible human rule-keeping that denounces and punishes students, make straight paths lest the lame be turned out of the way, and feed the flock gently as overseers of the blood-bought church. Physicians likewise remain faithful amid temptation and danger only by relying on God's strength and truth rather than human power, making the great Medical Missionary their strength instead of leaning on a human leader. Workers bearing responsibility in sanitariums and schools receive the precious assurance from the highest Authority that the one who trusts in the Lord and makes Him hope will stand steady and fruitful like a tree by abundant water, staying green and yielding fruit through heat and drought, with wisdom to know where to labor and how to place themselves to accomplish the greatest good when they serve with humility of heart, seek God in united prayer, earnestly desire to know and do His will, and remain teachable as little children, and the whole seventeenth chapter of Jeremiah repays special study.

God's workers need faith that He will do as He has said, for to doubt that He has time to notice them dishonors Him, while in fact He is not unmindful of their labors but values their work and appoints divine agencies to cooperate with those who labor together with Him. Safety and fruitfulness do not come from trusting in man and making flesh an arm and departing from the Lord, nor from implicit confidence in the ideas and opinions of human authors, but from learning meekness and lowliness of heart in Christ's school, having self and ambition subdued and self hid in Christ, drinking not the turbid streams of the valley nor walking in sparks of one's own kindling but drinking the water of life proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb, with Christ within as a well of water springing up into everlasting life, receiving vivid impressions from the Word of life. Believers in present truth therefore turn away from authors that teach infidelity, keep the works of skeptics who deny God and despise His word off library shelves where children can reach them, no longer deem knowledge of such writings essential to a good education, and give no place to the agents of Satan, for nothing vindicates them and a clean thing cannot come out of an unclean.

The contrast between curse and blessing is to be read before the people who need it, especially leaders not walking in the light whose principles and actions weaken the hands of God's appointed leader and prevent God from prospering His church, calling them to respond to the messages sent them. To hear those messages and make no response, to remain unaffected, to stay too proud to admit a wrong course, and to brace against every appeal reveals the determined self-chosen spirit of Nadab and Abihu and causes the Lord to give men up to their own perverted imaginations. Depending on men for strength and influence to gain recognition and do some great thing sets God aside as insufficient and leans on the arm of the world instead of the arm of God, denying His sufficiency, coveting human influence, making His people weak, and turning aside the work He desires to accomplish through His chosen people. Israel showed this in wanting to be like other nations and be guided by visible human power rather than invisible divine power in asking for a king, a choice leading to the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the nation, and Solomon showed that no one however learned, beloved, or elevated can be trusted unless confidence in God is held firm to the end, for though entrusted with building the temple he allied with idolatrous nations by marriage and in later years forsook God's temple to worship in groves prepared for idols.

Blessing and moral power come from trusting the living mighty God as the source of all strength and keeping identity as His peculiar people, while turning away to go to the world for strength through forbidden alliances and dependence on worldlings weakens moral power. Israel's alliances with heathen neighbors prove this, for they became leavened with evil practices, lost first love and zeal for God's service, gained only disappointment from the advantages sought, caused loss of many souls, and the experience of Israel will be the experience of all who do the same. Trusting people who disregard God and His law is unsafe, and relying on their worldly counsel or example brings disappointment, while depending far less on men and placing dependence far more in God is safer and better for standing before God. Men if given opportunity and left to themselves lead the flock into strange pastures, and satanic agencies link arms with men who should stand free from seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, so watchfulness is required to meet each crisis, and those who rely on the Lord and follow His leading remain fruitful even in difficulty whereas reliance on human wisdom leads to failure.

The verse forbids putting finite men where God should be, being under the controlling power of one man's mind and judgment, making an iron rule for others, harnessing and driving men by human mind, and binding minds or talents under human judgment and control. That course is Satan's object, dishonors God, separates the soul from God, and brings confusion, distrust and loss of faith, while trusting the Lord keeps appointed workers sustained by the Holy Spirit to speak and act according to His dictates, looking to Jesus and receiving Him as the only Saviour, maintaining vital connection with Him and receiving what ministers to the life of the soul, since sinful man finds hope and righteousness only in God and no one remains righteous longer than that connection is kept. Each believer is therefore to carry personal responsibility before God rather than depend on man, looking to God for guidance and following counsel received from Him. No man in whatever position is to teach his fellow to look to him for wisdom or take God's place, and church authority that accepts responsibilities contrary to the gospel plan gives false education when its permissions and forbiddings lead believers to trust in man instead of God, while those bearing God's message exalt the message not self, walk humbly day by day under the Great Shepherd as faithful caretakers, and God will exalt them in due time.

One walking in God's counsel leads brethren to turn to God as the only Source untainted with human error instead of looking to him to define duty, sees the peril of encouraging any to look to man for wisdom, and refuses to be brains and conscience for brethren, so that when laymen and workers alike are taught to look to God in humility many dangers are averted. Trusting the Lord alone means not leaning upon sympathizing friends or any earthly help for opinions, sympathy, succor and counsel, but shutting oneself up with God in trouble, being separated and shaken from every earthly support to look to God alone, and He never fails a trusting soul. Forsaking the living waters to hew broken cisterns that hold no water brings barrenness of soul with no refreshing, while trusting the Lord keeps spiritual life fresh, green and fruitful through heat and untroubled in drought, and in affliction gives courage, hope, faith, cheerfulness and trust that cannot be gained while surrounded by human sympathy.

Those who believe the end of all things is at hand show faith by works in contrast to the cursed man who trusts in man and whose heart departs from the Lord, for the blessed man who trusts in the Lord draws continual life from Him and remains steadfast and fruitful under trial like a tree by the waters with roots by the river, unwithered by heat and still yielding fruit in drought. This calls them to speak truth persuasively, take the burden of laboring for souls who know not the truth as faithful humble messengers, stay guarded on every side, and humble the heart before God in prayer for clear spiritual eyesight with the intense interest the condition of the world warrants before it is too late. Placing man where God should be and trusting in man to do the work which the Lord God of Israel alone can do leaves His people in darkness and turns blessing received into condemnation, but when they draw nearer to God, use God-given powers in harmony with Him in faith and humility, dwell on Christ's lessons, set things in order, let God speak to hearts, and succeed in winning people through grace, He becomes their power and efficiency, educates them, leads them in safe paths, comes with His Spirit into their midst, works a repentance not to be repented of, and makes them light-bearers whose light shines in good works and who do not walk in darkness.