Tuesday · 2026-10-20

I checked the BYU Religious Studies Center (rsc.byu.edu) and The Joseph Smith Papers (josephsmithpapers.org) but found a more directly relevant source for Jeremiah 2 on the Church's official website.

In Jeremiah 2, the Lord expresses profound disappointment with Israel, comparing their actions to a bride forgetting her husband and children forgetting their mother. He laments that His people have committed two great evils: forsaking Him, the "fountain of living waters," and hewing out broken cisterns that can hold no water. This chapter highlights their spiritual decline, as they turned away from the true source of sustenance and sought fulfillment in false gods and alliances that ultimately proved empty.

1. This commentary emphasizes the intimate relationship God desired with Israel. How might understanding this metaphor of a forgotten spouse or mother deepen our perception of God's sorrow over spiritual apathy today?
2. How can we, in our daily lives, actively remember and embrace the Lord as our "fountain of living waters" to avoid the spiritual pitfalls of seeking satisfaction in "broken cisterns," thus reinforcing our trust in His strengthening power when we feel inadequate?

Daily Scripture Reading

Jeremiah 2

The Lord calls Israel to remember their covenant relationship with Him, lamenting that they have forsaken Him, the fountain of living waters, for broken cisterns that hold no water. He chastises them for their apostasy and seeking help from foreign nations rather than relying on Him.

• Read Jeremiah 2:1-13. Ponder the Lord's tender recollection of Israel's early devotion and His sorrow over their turning away.
• Read Jeremiah 2:14-19. Consider the consequences of Israel's choices to abandon the Lord and seek other alliances.
• Read Jeremiah 2:20-37. Reflect on the Lord's continued pleading with Israel to return, despite their deep spiritual decline.

Source

Robert J. Woodford, "Jeremiah 1–20," Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual, 2022. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/old-testament-seminary-teacher-manual-2022/jeremiah/jeremiah-1-20?lang=eng.