Almost every marriage begins with exciting romance and sincere anticipation for a lifetime of happiness together. But sometimes it doesn’t work out that way. Jeremiah 2 begins with God paging through the wedding album, looking back on the early days of His marriage to Israel. With an ache in His heart, He remembers how His bride adored Him when they were first married. All she wanted was to be close to Him. And He treated her with honor and respect, passionately protecting her, for she was the apple of His eye (v 1-3). That was then, but the honeymoon is over now. Neglect and unfaithfulness have ruined the relationship. Of course, God did not leave His people; they have dumped Him. In this case, the adultery is spiritual. No longer reveling in His faithful love, God’s people have been having affairs with worthless idols. And the nation’s spiritual leaders were unable to help restore the marriage, for they too have walked away from God to sleep with idols (v 4-8). The rest of the chapter gives evidence of the infidelity. As the LORD brings charges against His faithless wife, there is a tone of shocking outrage. Even the pagans are loyal to their gods, which don’t actually exist! It’s hard to believe, but the living God has been abandoned by His people (v 9-12). Imagine living in a dry desert, finding a fresh spring of bubbling water, then leaving it behind to dig your own leaky cistern, hoping to catch rainwater. This could only be described as dumb! Yet this is what God’s people did when they rejected His covenant with them to proposition other nations in foolish political alliances. The water they were drinking would turn bitter (v 13-19). Like a wild ox that smashes its yoke against the barn to run off into the fields, God’s people had left their husband, yelling back over their shoulders, “We will not serve You!” Like a prostitute on the street corner waiting for some action, they were shacking up with gods they hardly knew. Jerusalem was like a wild vine yielding sour fruit, and their sin was leaving an indelible stain (v 20-22). When God’s people leave their husband, it is like a young camel running loose in the desert, without direction or restraint. To forsake the LORD is to behave like a donkey in heat, determined to sin and unable to stop (v 23-25). Like most guilty parties, Jerusalem tries to defend herself. She is in denial, even blaming her spouse, though she has been doing all the cheating! But this plea of innocence only leads to her condemnation, for God is not only the spurned husband; He is also the prosecuting attorney and the righteous judge (v 26-37). For further meditation: