James 4:13-14: "Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."
It is amazing to see how we can get so wrapped up in the busyness of this earthly life and forget that life not only is a gift from God but is very brief. I remember growing up as a child, hearing my grandparents tell me how time moved more quickly the older they became; and now that I am getting older myself, I can see their perspective more clearly. Time does seem to pass more quickly. It seems like just yesterday that I graduated from high school and that was nearly 25 years ago!
So too, I am reminded each time I attend a funeral service of the uncertainty of the time we are given on this earth. To be sure, the Word of God tells us that the Lord has predetermined the number of our days before the first one came to be (Psalm 139:16); still, we are not guaranteed to live a long, healthy life on this earth. Just yesterday, I attended a funeral service; and at its conclusion, I took a few minutes to look around at the headstones to see the names and epitaphs inscribed on them (I find this very interesting). One particular stone had the deceased person's picture on it, and this intrigued me . . . so I made my way over to take a look. This young girl was born in 1952 and lived only ten years. Her picture seemed to show a healthy, young lady who emitted a radiant smile that projected hope, happiness, and great expectation for her future. I wondered what caused her untimely demise . . . was it an accident? an illness? I also noticed that the people buried beside her had the last name (which I presumed to be her parents). I wondered about the grief that they endured as a result of their daughter's death. Did her death hasten their own?
Each time that I walk through a cemetery, I am reminded of the brevity of life and the foolishness of our exhausted energies in trying to attain the vanities of this life. Maybe this is why so many people are uncomfortable with talking about death; it may very well be that avoidance is the mechanism that people use to divert any reflection upon their mortality and the ultimate loss of everything accumulated here on this temporal earth. For if one recognizes that he is not long for this world, and if he concludes that there is a Sovereign Lord to whom he will be responsible, then there is a decision now to be made as to whether that person will surrender to the Lord and follow Him . . . in this life.
Possibly this is why James, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, would follow the above cited verses with the following verse: "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins" (4:17). In the preceding verses, the context suggests the sinful presumption of a person who boastfully believes that he has plenty of time to do what his heart desires. The scriptures calls this presumed arrogance, "evil." And this presumption assumes that one has plenty of time to dedicate later in life for God, which supposedly frees him to pursue the temporal pleasures and not worry about God's expectations for him.
Scripture commands us to do all things at all times for the glory of God (I Corinthians 10:31). We should never forget that life is a gift and is never guaranteed. We should not take the time that we have for granted and consume ourselves with the vanities of life; rather, we should serve the Lord passionately and faithfully.
Maybe each of us would do well to visit cemeteries on regular occasion. Whereas it may not be a comfortable experience, it may be a beneficial one . . . reminding us that we may find ourselves in the Lord's presence soon (and with the way time passes, it will be sooner than you think!). This will remind us that we need to be committed now to Christ above all other persons and things.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
When Praying is a Fatal Mistake
Jeremiah 42:19-20: "O Remnant of Judah, the LORD has told you, 'Do not go to Egypt.' Be sure of this: I warn you today that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the LORD your God and said, 'Pray to the LORD our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.'"
After the Babylonians had laid waste the region of Judah, destroying much of Jerusalem and taking many Jews captive to serve as slaves, a small remnant of Jewish people led by certain army officers found themselves wandering in the southern regions of Palestine, trying to avoid capture.
By this time, these people who previously were abrasive to Jeremiah for his prophecies of doom and judgment, now approached him to discern what the LORD would have them to do. These officers realized that Jeremiah was a man of God and that His proclamations were directly from the LORD Himself; and for this reason, they sought out the prophet to receive Divine guidance as to where they should go. At least it appeared this was the case.
One almost can see the enthusiasm in Jeremiah's response when he told them that he would "certainly pray" to the LORD for them. The prophet of God promised to share with these Judeans everything that the LORD wanted them to know and do. The people then made a covenant to do whatever the LORD desired of them, and requested that the LORD act as a witness against them if they failed to do EVERYTHING that the LORD would dictate to the prophet. This remnant even acknowledged that the LORD might present something rather unfavorable to them; still, they professed their allegiance to the LORD and would do whatever He instructed for them.
God was not immediate in His response to Jeremiah's prayer. Though we are not given the exact reason for the delay, we can conclude that God knew that these people could get worked up into an emotional frenzy based upon their circumstances, and He wanted to reveal the lack of substantive commitment by these supposedly "recommitted" followers of the LORD. It also may be that the LORD delayed His response to reinforce to these people that He would not be manipulated by their sudden response of spirituality and be forced to give an immediate response. It may be that God wanted to make certain that these people knew that He was the One True God and would reply in His perfect, Providential time. It was not until ten days later that God would respond to the prophet . . . a seemingly long time for those who wanted to get quick answers to their probing questions.
When Jeremiah did receive the Word from God, he called together the army officers to give them the LORD's directive. The LORD instructed the people to stay in the land of Judah and not be concerned by the Babylonian presence there; the LORD wanted His people to trust in Him to guide and protect them, even though it appeared that the same demise that had befallen many of their brothers would overtake them should they stay in the land. God's directive was counter to their own understanding of personal survival (what faith is all about), and they did not like it at all.
The LORD already knew the intent of these people's hearts. They had made up their minds even before inquiring of the prophet, that they would make their way to Egypt to escape the Babylonians. These Israelites saw Egypt as their sanctuary from hunger and war, and they were determined to go there. They simply wanted to get the LORD's blessing for their predetermined intent; and even though they professed their commitment to do whatever the LORD commanded them to do, the LORD knew that they would never follow through with His command for them. The prophet warned the people that if they would go to Egypt, then the famine and sword that they attempted to avoid would follow them there and destroy them.
Sadly, these Judeans accused Jeremiah of lying and conspiring to hand them over to the Babylonians. In direct defiance to the LORD, these people headed for Egypt; they were intent on saving themselves rather than listening to the LORD. And given that we later find Jeremiah with this remnant in Tahpanhes (Egypt), we can speculate that these officers forced the prophet of God to go with them as well.
The true intent of these people's hearts was revealed after they settled in Egypt, for soon after their arrival, these Jews began to offer incense to false gods, including the Egyptian gods and goddesses. To exonerate their actions, these Israelites even fabricated a lie, saying that they were doing everything they had promised to do (44:17) [of course, they previously had promised to follow the LORD's commands to them (see 42:5-6)]. These Jews even suggested that the "Queen of Heaven" [i.e. Ishtar, goddess of Egypt] was the one that provided for them in Judah, and the judgments that they had experienced in Judah were the result of their failing to continue to offer incense and sacrifices to her. Jeremiah rebuked them by reminding them that the LORD of Hosts was the one who brought judgment upon them; but they would have none of it. Jeremiah then communicated to them the following judgment: The LORD had seen the duplicity of their actions that did not follow the verbal promises that they had made; therefore, He never again would permit them to invoke His Name. Instead, God promised by His "Great Name" that He would bring harm upon the Israelites, not good; and the overwhelming majority would be destroyed in Egypt. As a sign to confirm this Divine disaster for these Jews, the LORD would hand Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt over to the Babylonians, permitting the Babylonians to invade the Egyptian territory.
This is a tremendous word for us today. It is a tragic pandemic within Christendom to see people presumably make a covenant to follow the LORD, yet quickly fall away from their commitments when there is no personal benefit for them. Just as with the Jews who migrated to Egypt to escape God's judgment and continue to enjoy their idolatrous ways, so too we find people today who say they want to hear God's will for their lives, but they soon disavow any allegiance to His dictates and return to their sinful ways of rebellion against the LORD. The foundational problem here is a lordship issue . . . who is on the throne of one's life. If the person is more interested in personal satisfaction and exaltation, he will seek out the LORD only to get some benefit or sanction for behavior. The concept of discipleship is foreign to such a person, as they desire themselves to be a god unto themselves. May we never find ourselves in this condition; rather, may we continue to submit ourselves to the Lordship of Christ and be attentive to His will for our lives, no matter how difficult the directive may be for us.
We must remember that praying to God and not listening is a fatal mistake. Let's attune our ears and hearts to the Lord, listen for His directives to us, and follow them faithfully.
After the Babylonians had laid waste the region of Judah, destroying much of Jerusalem and taking many Jews captive to serve as slaves, a small remnant of Jewish people led by certain army officers found themselves wandering in the southern regions of Palestine, trying to avoid capture.
By this time, these people who previously were abrasive to Jeremiah for his prophecies of doom and judgment, now approached him to discern what the LORD would have them to do. These officers realized that Jeremiah was a man of God and that His proclamations were directly from the LORD Himself; and for this reason, they sought out the prophet to receive Divine guidance as to where they should go. At least it appeared this was the case.
One almost can see the enthusiasm in Jeremiah's response when he told them that he would "certainly pray" to the LORD for them. The prophet of God promised to share with these Judeans everything that the LORD wanted them to know and do. The people then made a covenant to do whatever the LORD desired of them, and requested that the LORD act as a witness against them if they failed to do EVERYTHING that the LORD would dictate to the prophet. This remnant even acknowledged that the LORD might present something rather unfavorable to them; still, they professed their allegiance to the LORD and would do whatever He instructed for them.
God was not immediate in His response to Jeremiah's prayer. Though we are not given the exact reason for the delay, we can conclude that God knew that these people could get worked up into an emotional frenzy based upon their circumstances, and He wanted to reveal the lack of substantive commitment by these supposedly "recommitted" followers of the LORD. It also may be that the LORD delayed His response to reinforce to these people that He would not be manipulated by their sudden response of spirituality and be forced to give an immediate response. It may be that God wanted to make certain that these people knew that He was the One True God and would reply in His perfect, Providential time. It was not until ten days later that God would respond to the prophet . . . a seemingly long time for those who wanted to get quick answers to their probing questions.
When Jeremiah did receive the Word from God, he called together the army officers to give them the LORD's directive. The LORD instructed the people to stay in the land of Judah and not be concerned by the Babylonian presence there; the LORD wanted His people to trust in Him to guide and protect them, even though it appeared that the same demise that had befallen many of their brothers would overtake them should they stay in the land. God's directive was counter to their own understanding of personal survival (what faith is all about), and they did not like it at all.
The LORD already knew the intent of these people's hearts. They had made up their minds even before inquiring of the prophet, that they would make their way to Egypt to escape the Babylonians. These Israelites saw Egypt as their sanctuary from hunger and war, and they were determined to go there. They simply wanted to get the LORD's blessing for their predetermined intent; and even though they professed their commitment to do whatever the LORD commanded them to do, the LORD knew that they would never follow through with His command for them. The prophet warned the people that if they would go to Egypt, then the famine and sword that they attempted to avoid would follow them there and destroy them.
Sadly, these Judeans accused Jeremiah of lying and conspiring to hand them over to the Babylonians. In direct defiance to the LORD, these people headed for Egypt; they were intent on saving themselves rather than listening to the LORD. And given that we later find Jeremiah with this remnant in Tahpanhes (Egypt), we can speculate that these officers forced the prophet of God to go with them as well.
The true intent of these people's hearts was revealed after they settled in Egypt, for soon after their arrival, these Jews began to offer incense to false gods, including the Egyptian gods and goddesses. To exonerate their actions, these Israelites even fabricated a lie, saying that they were doing everything they had promised to do (44:17) [of course, they previously had promised to follow the LORD's commands to them (see 42:5-6)]. These Jews even suggested that the "Queen of Heaven" [i.e. Ishtar, goddess of Egypt] was the one that provided for them in Judah, and the judgments that they had experienced in Judah were the result of their failing to continue to offer incense and sacrifices to her. Jeremiah rebuked them by reminding them that the LORD of Hosts was the one who brought judgment upon them; but they would have none of it. Jeremiah then communicated to them the following judgment: The LORD had seen the duplicity of their actions that did not follow the verbal promises that they had made; therefore, He never again would permit them to invoke His Name. Instead, God promised by His "Great Name" that He would bring harm upon the Israelites, not good; and the overwhelming majority would be destroyed in Egypt. As a sign to confirm this Divine disaster for these Jews, the LORD would hand Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt over to the Babylonians, permitting the Babylonians to invade the Egyptian territory.
This is a tremendous word for us today. It is a tragic pandemic within Christendom to see people presumably make a covenant to follow the LORD, yet quickly fall away from their commitments when there is no personal benefit for them. Just as with the Jews who migrated to Egypt to escape God's judgment and continue to enjoy their idolatrous ways, so too we find people today who say they want to hear God's will for their lives, but they soon disavow any allegiance to His dictates and return to their sinful ways of rebellion against the LORD. The foundational problem here is a lordship issue . . . who is on the throne of one's life. If the person is more interested in personal satisfaction and exaltation, he will seek out the LORD only to get some benefit or sanction for behavior. The concept of discipleship is foreign to such a person, as they desire themselves to be a god unto themselves. May we never find ourselves in this condition; rather, may we continue to submit ourselves to the Lordship of Christ and be attentive to His will for our lives, no matter how difficult the directive may be for us.
We must remember that praying to God and not listening is a fatal mistake. Let's attune our ears and hearts to the Lord, listen for His directives to us, and follow them faithfully.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Doing the Right Thing
Jeremiah 39:15-18: "While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him: 'Go and tell Ebed-Melech the Cushite, 'This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city through disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. But I will rescue you on that day, declares the LORD; you will not be handed over to those you fear. I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the LORD.'"
Included in just a few verses of the Holy Scriptures is the story of Ebed-Melech of Cush. We don't know very much about this man, other than he came from a region of eastern Africa near modern day Ethiopia. How he got to Judah, we also do not know. One wonders if his predecessors were captured years before when King Asa of Judah defeated King Zerah the Cushite at the Valley of Zephathah (see 2 Chronicles 14). The battle truly was a miraculous display of the power of God over seemingly insurmountable odds. Zerah had a mighty army of many thousands and was an indomitable foe in the region, but King Asa called upon the Lord for victory and the Lord responded to the king's request. We know that this Divine blessing occurred because, "the eyes of the LORD (were looking) throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts (were) fully committed to him" (2 Chronicles 16:9). King Asa at the time of this battle did what was "good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God" (2 Chronicles 14:2), and the Lord rewarded him for his faithfulness.
Fast forwarding to Ebed-Melech in Jeremiah's day, we know that there would have been a noticeable distinction between this man of African ethnicity and the Jewish population in Judah; and unfortunately this distinction likely would have brought disadvantage for the man who was not of true Jewish descent. We also know that Ebed-Melech likely was a eunuch in the royal palace, which was a common fate for a person (particularly of noble lineage) to be taken into captivity after a military defeat and assigned to the position as slave to the king.
One can only imagine the disposition of most people of noble lineage, who were taken away to a foreign land to serve as slaves . . . most would be embittered at the presumed twist of fate that would bring them to such a miserable state in life. Of course with Ebed-Melech (as with Daniel later), his commitment to the Lord in the midst of his difficult life experience aided him in triumphing over his circumstances to be all that God desired for him to be. In fact, it may be that Ebed-Melech was introduced to the One True God AFTER he had been taken captive by the Jews and placed in servitude to the king. Of course, this is speculative since we do not know for certain how Ebed-Melech came to serve in the house of Zedekiah.
The one thing that we do know about Ebed-Melech is that he was a man who knew that Jeremiah, the prophet of God, did not deserve to be thrown into a cistern to be left to die. Previously the officials of Judah had enticed the king to permit them to perpetrate this heinous sentence upon Jeremiah; and unfortunately, Zedekiah acquiesced to the wishes of his council.
There are several observations that we can note about the response of Ebed-Melech:
1. First, he was willing to approach the king. Whereas his position would have given him certain privileges with the king, still it was dangerous to approach the monarch to address a situation not first inquired of by the king. Ebed-Melech might have been executed if he approached the king without invitation or if he introduced a topic of no interest to Zedekiah.
2. Secondly, Ebed-Melech was willing to identify the behavior of the other royal and religious leaders as "wicked." Of course, this declaration would not have been popular with those who had positions of influence in Judah and had the ear of the king. By Ebed-Melech's identifying these leaders' behavior as evil, he in effect was suggesting that the king's granting them license to destroy Jeremiah also was a disdainful act. This bold declaration put the Cushite's life on the line. The king could have become so enraged at such a suggestion, that he could have ordered the Cushite executed.
3. Ebed-Melech also recognized Jeremiah as a prophet of the Lord. He knew that a messenger of God should not be treated with such contempt. This suggests that Ebed-Melech was not a part of the popular wicked trends of the people of Judah, who wanted to destroy Jeremiah for preaching against their immoral, idolatrous behavior. Ebed-Melech was a man who stood for the Lord when it was popular to do so.
Through the Providence of God, King Zedekiah did not become angry at his eunuch; instead, he instructed Ebed-Melech to take 30 men to rescue Jeremiah from the dark pit of mud. Why 30 men? Perhaps the king knew that if he sent Ebed-Melech alone, the officials responsible might have overtaken him and killed him to prevent Jeremiah's rescue. It seems that the king knew that this change of plans would not have been very popular, though it was the right thing to do.
Ebed-Melech secured some rags and worn-out clothes to use as ropes to lift Jeremiah from the cistern; and after rescuing the prophet, he took him to stay at the courtyard of the guard. Although Jeremiah would be freed from death, the officials and the king apparently still had an expectation that the prophet be incarcerated.
Later, after the eighteen month siege of Jerusalem, the Babylonian army overtook the city. They put to death the king's sons and all the nobles of Judah. After forcing Zedekiah to watch the demise of his sons, they put out his eyes, and carted the regent to Babylon in bronze shackles. All of those who tried to stop Jeremiah from heralding his warnings of Divine judgment for the wicked rebellion of the people were now dead, captured, or fleeing in the wilderness. In all of this hysteria, Jeremiah remained confined at the courtyard of the guard. The first word of instruction by the Lord to the prophet was in reference to the Cushite who had saved Jeremiah's life earlier. Specifically, God told Jeremiah to go and tell Ebed-Melech that even in the midst of His judgment upon the people of Judah, the Lord would save the Cushite from the Babylonians because Ebed-Melech trusted in the LORD (Jeremiah 39:18). God's salvation came to the one who feared the Lord and was willing to stand for what was right, even though it very well could have cost him his life.
This is such a good word for us today. We live in a culture that thrives in its own wickedness. It loves to perpetrate behaviors and actions that clearly are in opposition to the will of the Lord. How many of us have the resolve of Ebed-Melech to stand for what is right, even though it is not popular and might even bring persecution? We know from this account in the book of Jeremiah that God ultimately brought vindication and salvation to His Cushite servant for his faithfulness to Him as Lord. May we seek to be like Ebed-Melech and be willing to take a stand for the Righteousness of the Lord, knowing by faith that God will be with us, protect us, and ultimately reward us for our faithfulness to Him.
Included in just a few verses of the Holy Scriptures is the story of Ebed-Melech of Cush. We don't know very much about this man, other than he came from a region of eastern Africa near modern day Ethiopia. How he got to Judah, we also do not know. One wonders if his predecessors were captured years before when King Asa of Judah defeated King Zerah the Cushite at the Valley of Zephathah (see 2 Chronicles 14). The battle truly was a miraculous display of the power of God over seemingly insurmountable odds. Zerah had a mighty army of many thousands and was an indomitable foe in the region, but King Asa called upon the Lord for victory and the Lord responded to the king's request. We know that this Divine blessing occurred because, "the eyes of the LORD (were looking) throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts (were) fully committed to him" (2 Chronicles 16:9). King Asa at the time of this battle did what was "good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God" (2 Chronicles 14:2), and the Lord rewarded him for his faithfulness.
Fast forwarding to Ebed-Melech in Jeremiah's day, we know that there would have been a noticeable distinction between this man of African ethnicity and the Jewish population in Judah; and unfortunately this distinction likely would have brought disadvantage for the man who was not of true Jewish descent. We also know that Ebed-Melech likely was a eunuch in the royal palace, which was a common fate for a person (particularly of noble lineage) to be taken into captivity after a military defeat and assigned to the position as slave to the king.
One can only imagine the disposition of most people of noble lineage, who were taken away to a foreign land to serve as slaves . . . most would be embittered at the presumed twist of fate that would bring them to such a miserable state in life. Of course with Ebed-Melech (as with Daniel later), his commitment to the Lord in the midst of his difficult life experience aided him in triumphing over his circumstances to be all that God desired for him to be. In fact, it may be that Ebed-Melech was introduced to the One True God AFTER he had been taken captive by the Jews and placed in servitude to the king. Of course, this is speculative since we do not know for certain how Ebed-Melech came to serve in the house of Zedekiah.
The one thing that we do know about Ebed-Melech is that he was a man who knew that Jeremiah, the prophet of God, did not deserve to be thrown into a cistern to be left to die. Previously the officials of Judah had enticed the king to permit them to perpetrate this heinous sentence upon Jeremiah; and unfortunately, Zedekiah acquiesced to the wishes of his council.
There are several observations that we can note about the response of Ebed-Melech:
1. First, he was willing to approach the king. Whereas his position would have given him certain privileges with the king, still it was dangerous to approach the monarch to address a situation not first inquired of by the king. Ebed-Melech might have been executed if he approached the king without invitation or if he introduced a topic of no interest to Zedekiah.
2. Secondly, Ebed-Melech was willing to identify the behavior of the other royal and religious leaders as "wicked." Of course, this declaration would not have been popular with those who had positions of influence in Judah and had the ear of the king. By Ebed-Melech's identifying these leaders' behavior as evil, he in effect was suggesting that the king's granting them license to destroy Jeremiah also was a disdainful act. This bold declaration put the Cushite's life on the line. The king could have become so enraged at such a suggestion, that he could have ordered the Cushite executed.
3. Ebed-Melech also recognized Jeremiah as a prophet of the Lord. He knew that a messenger of God should not be treated with such contempt. This suggests that Ebed-Melech was not a part of the popular wicked trends of the people of Judah, who wanted to destroy Jeremiah for preaching against their immoral, idolatrous behavior. Ebed-Melech was a man who stood for the Lord when it was popular to do so.
Through the Providence of God, King Zedekiah did not become angry at his eunuch; instead, he instructed Ebed-Melech to take 30 men to rescue Jeremiah from the dark pit of mud. Why 30 men? Perhaps the king knew that if he sent Ebed-Melech alone, the officials responsible might have overtaken him and killed him to prevent Jeremiah's rescue. It seems that the king knew that this change of plans would not have been very popular, though it was the right thing to do.
Ebed-Melech secured some rags and worn-out clothes to use as ropes to lift Jeremiah from the cistern; and after rescuing the prophet, he took him to stay at the courtyard of the guard. Although Jeremiah would be freed from death, the officials and the king apparently still had an expectation that the prophet be incarcerated.
Later, after the eighteen month siege of Jerusalem, the Babylonian army overtook the city. They put to death the king's sons and all the nobles of Judah. After forcing Zedekiah to watch the demise of his sons, they put out his eyes, and carted the regent to Babylon in bronze shackles. All of those who tried to stop Jeremiah from heralding his warnings of Divine judgment for the wicked rebellion of the people were now dead, captured, or fleeing in the wilderness. In all of this hysteria, Jeremiah remained confined at the courtyard of the guard. The first word of instruction by the Lord to the prophet was in reference to the Cushite who had saved Jeremiah's life earlier. Specifically, God told Jeremiah to go and tell Ebed-Melech that even in the midst of His judgment upon the people of Judah, the Lord would save the Cushite from the Babylonians because Ebed-Melech trusted in the LORD (Jeremiah 39:18). God's salvation came to the one who feared the Lord and was willing to stand for what was right, even though it very well could have cost him his life.
This is such a good word for us today. We live in a culture that thrives in its own wickedness. It loves to perpetrate behaviors and actions that clearly are in opposition to the will of the Lord. How many of us have the resolve of Ebed-Melech to stand for what is right, even though it is not popular and might even bring persecution? We know from this account in the book of Jeremiah that God ultimately brought vindication and salvation to His Cushite servant for his faithfulness to Him as Lord. May we seek to be like Ebed-Melech and be willing to take a stand for the Righteousness of the Lord, knowing by faith that God will be with us, protect us, and ultimately reward us for our faithfulness to Him.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Serving the LORD is Not Always Pleasant
Jeremiah 37:15: "They were angry with Jeremiah and had him beaten and imprisoned in the house of Jonathan the secretary, which they had made into a prison."
During the reign of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah before the Babylonian Captivity, the prophet Jeremiah experienced some of the most intense persecution from the people of Judah for his stand for the Lord.
To be sure, Jeremiah previously had endured much turmoil for his obedience to the Lord from the wicked people of Judah. When the prophet began to warn the people of God's pending judgment, the people cursed him and plotted to kill him (Jeremiah 11:18-19, 15:10). People were constantly watching Jeremiah hoping to find something to use to indict him for treason (which would bring his execution [20:10]). The priest (Pashhur) had Jeremiah taken and beaten and put in stocks for his prophecies against Judah (20:2). Later, when Jeremiah was prophesying against the wickedness of the people at the courtyard of the temple, the religious leaders and the people who followed them grabbed Jeremiah and said, "You must die!" Through the Providential intervention of the Lord, Jeremiah's life was spared; but one of his fellow prophets, Uriah, was not so fortunate, as he was "struck down with the sword (26:23).
By the time of Zedekiah's reign, Jeremiah's words had fallen on deaf ears, for none of the people "paid any attention to the words the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet." (37:2). As the Babylonians were attacking Jerusalem, Jeremiah attempted to leave the city to secure property in the region of Benjamin, but he was arrested by the captain of the guard and accused of the traitorous act of leaving to join the Babylonians. Jeremiah attempted to discredit the false charges, but these officials of Judah had been looking for a good excuse to destroy the prophet.
After beating Jeremiah ruthlessly, the accusers, placed him in a vaulted cell in a dungeon and left him there for a very long time. We are not told how long, but one can just imaging day after day the agonizing torture that such confinement in a dark, dank cell would have brought to the prophet of the Lord.
Almost as if to test the resiliency of the prophet, King Zedekiah brought forth Jeremiah from the dungeon to inquire what was the latest word of the Lord in regard to the Babylonians. We could see the temptation that we might have faced in such a predicament. After having gone through so much rejection and torture for so long, we might have been inclined to say, "Long live the king! Everything is going to work out just fine." How many of us would have capitulated to such pressure, feeling as if the Lord had abandoned us to misery, and now we were ready to break free from the pressure that ministry had brought us. It is rather incredible that Jeremiah would continue to proclaim to Zedekiah his royal demise, knowing that such a response would likely result in his return to the very prison in which he had been confined for so many days already.
Jeremiah pleaded with the king to not return him to the prison at the house of Jonathan the secretary. The prophet had been so abused at that place, that he knew that to return to that cell in effect would be his death sentence. In a strange twist of events, spurred on by the gracious hand of the Lord, the king consented to Jeremiah's request, though he would confine him to the courtyard of the guard. Jeremiah would be given bread to eat until the city of Jerusalem ran out of available food for the people to eat.
Although Jeremiah was still confined to a specific location within the city, he was given greater flexibility to move about, and this added freedom gave him opportunity to share with people the coming judgment of the LORD upon the people of Judah at the hands of the Babylonians. The officials, who were listening to Jeremiah, would have none of it, and again incited the king to execute the prophet of God. The weak king, who tended to acquiesce to the wishes of his leadership, gave Jeremiah over to these officials to do with him as they willed. With haste, these royal officials took Jeremiah and threw him into a deep cistern full of mud and left him there to die of starvation. One wonders as Jeremiah was being lowered in the dark pit in the ground,what was going through his mind. Many of us might have been thinking "I narrowly escaped death by being imprisoned in a vaulted cell for many days, only to be thrown into this dark hole filled with mud and no opportunity of escape. I guess I should have kept my mouth shut when the king show me favor by releasing me from the vaulted cell." What we must remember is that Jeremiah previously had experienced an incredible encounter with the Lord (see chapter 1) that gave him the resolve to press on in obedience no matter the consequence. Though the road of obedience was tortuous and perilous, Jeremiah knew that it was the path that he had been called to traverse, no matter the cost.
We would do well to remember this account of Jeremiah as we continue to serve the Lord. We must not forget that serving the LORD is not always pleasant; in fact, it can be filled with pain, rejection, and persecution from those who would defy the One True Lord of Hosts in favor of their own desires. As with the prophet who was strengthened in his commitment through a divine encounter by the LORD, so too we will be fortified in our calling by keeping our eyes and ears attune to God's words of direction and inspiration for us. And we know that He will speak to us, as we remain committed to him through our commitment to His Word (the Scriptures) and through earnest, fervent prayer.
May we have the revolve of Jeremiah to press on in the callings placed upon us by the Lord, in order that His purposes might be fulfilled through us for His glory and the furtherance of His glorious kingdom.
During the reign of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah before the Babylonian Captivity, the prophet Jeremiah experienced some of the most intense persecution from the people of Judah for his stand for the Lord.
To be sure, Jeremiah previously had endured much turmoil for his obedience to the Lord from the wicked people of Judah. When the prophet began to warn the people of God's pending judgment, the people cursed him and plotted to kill him (Jeremiah 11:18-19, 15:10). People were constantly watching Jeremiah hoping to find something to use to indict him for treason (which would bring his execution [20:10]). The priest (Pashhur) had Jeremiah taken and beaten and put in stocks for his prophecies against Judah (20:2). Later, when Jeremiah was prophesying against the wickedness of the people at the courtyard of the temple, the religious leaders and the people who followed them grabbed Jeremiah and said, "You must die!" Through the Providential intervention of the Lord, Jeremiah's life was spared; but one of his fellow prophets, Uriah, was not so fortunate, as he was "struck down with the sword (26:23).
By the time of Zedekiah's reign, Jeremiah's words had fallen on deaf ears, for none of the people "paid any attention to the words the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet." (37:2). As the Babylonians were attacking Jerusalem, Jeremiah attempted to leave the city to secure property in the region of Benjamin, but he was arrested by the captain of the guard and accused of the traitorous act of leaving to join the Babylonians. Jeremiah attempted to discredit the false charges, but these officials of Judah had been looking for a good excuse to destroy the prophet.
After beating Jeremiah ruthlessly, the accusers, placed him in a vaulted cell in a dungeon and left him there for a very long time. We are not told how long, but one can just imaging day after day the agonizing torture that such confinement in a dark, dank cell would have brought to the prophet of the Lord.
Almost as if to test the resiliency of the prophet, King Zedekiah brought forth Jeremiah from the dungeon to inquire what was the latest word of the Lord in regard to the Babylonians. We could see the temptation that we might have faced in such a predicament. After having gone through so much rejection and torture for so long, we might have been inclined to say, "Long live the king! Everything is going to work out just fine." How many of us would have capitulated to such pressure, feeling as if the Lord had abandoned us to misery, and now we were ready to break free from the pressure that ministry had brought us. It is rather incredible that Jeremiah would continue to proclaim to Zedekiah his royal demise, knowing that such a response would likely result in his return to the very prison in which he had been confined for so many days already.
Jeremiah pleaded with the king to not return him to the prison at the house of Jonathan the secretary. The prophet had been so abused at that place, that he knew that to return to that cell in effect would be his death sentence. In a strange twist of events, spurred on by the gracious hand of the Lord, the king consented to Jeremiah's request, though he would confine him to the courtyard of the guard. Jeremiah would be given bread to eat until the city of Jerusalem ran out of available food for the people to eat.
Although Jeremiah was still confined to a specific location within the city, he was given greater flexibility to move about, and this added freedom gave him opportunity to share with people the coming judgment of the LORD upon the people of Judah at the hands of the Babylonians. The officials, who were listening to Jeremiah, would have none of it, and again incited the king to execute the prophet of God. The weak king, who tended to acquiesce to the wishes of his leadership, gave Jeremiah over to these officials to do with him as they willed. With haste, these royal officials took Jeremiah and threw him into a deep cistern full of mud and left him there to die of starvation. One wonders as Jeremiah was being lowered in the dark pit in the ground,what was going through his mind. Many of us might have been thinking "I narrowly escaped death by being imprisoned in a vaulted cell for many days, only to be thrown into this dark hole filled with mud and no opportunity of escape. I guess I should have kept my mouth shut when the king show me favor by releasing me from the vaulted cell." What we must remember is that Jeremiah previously had experienced an incredible encounter with the Lord (see chapter 1) that gave him the resolve to press on in obedience no matter the consequence. Though the road of obedience was tortuous and perilous, Jeremiah knew that it was the path that he had been called to traverse, no matter the cost.
We would do well to remember this account of Jeremiah as we continue to serve the Lord. We must not forget that serving the LORD is not always pleasant; in fact, it can be filled with pain, rejection, and persecution from those who would defy the One True Lord of Hosts in favor of their own desires. As with the prophet who was strengthened in his commitment through a divine encounter by the LORD, so too we will be fortified in our calling by keeping our eyes and ears attune to God's words of direction and inspiration for us. And we know that He will speak to us, as we remain committed to him through our commitment to His Word (the Scriptures) and through earnest, fervent prayer.
May we have the revolve of Jeremiah to press on in the callings placed upon us by the Lord, in order that His purposes might be fulfilled through us for His glory and the furtherance of His glorious kingdom.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Not Heeding the Word of God
Jeremiah 36:29-30: "Tell Jehoiakim king of Judah, 'This is what the LORD says: You burned that scroll and said, 'Why did you write on it that the king of Babylon would certainly come and destroy this land and cut off both men and animals from it?' Therefore, this is what the LORD says about Jehoiakim king of Judah: He will have no one to sit on the throne of David; his body will be thrown out and exposed to the heat by day and the frost by night.'"
After four years of King Jehoiakim's evil reign, which was filled with wickedness and idolatry against the Lord, God summoned the prophet Jeremiah to inscribe on a scroll sacred words of judgment decreed from His Sovereign Heavenly throne. Whereas the edict from God was descriptive of the coming judgment that would befall the people of Judah for their detestible sins, God still was using these words redemptively with the hope that the people would respond to His warnings by confessing their sins and turning from their wickedness (Jeremiah 36:3). Tragically, they would not respond with repentance.
Jeremiah received the words of the LORD and summoned Baruch his scribe to write them down. This was not an overnight process, for it would be a year before Jeremiah could send his scribe to the temple to communicate the Lord's words to the people (see 36:9). It is interesting that Jeremiah did not go himself, because he was "restricted" from going to the temple. Whereas we don't know exactly why the prophet was forbidden to be at the temple (especially since in chapter 35 we find that Jeremiah was in fact there and had been there on previous occasions [see Jeremiah 26:7, and 7:2]), presumably, this "restriction" was caused by previous confrontations that the prophet had had with the evil religious leaders at the temple. Specifically, Jeremiah had gone to the temple to declare to the priests and prophets that if they did not heed the words of the Lord, confess their heinous sins, and turn from their wickedness, then God would make the temple and the city of Jerusalem "an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth." The religious leaders would not have such an obscure prophetic figure discredit their prestigious positions within the community, and they sought to kill him. Later, when Jeremiah would bring the rather insignificant, nomadic Recabites to the temple grounds and decree to them that the Lord would bless them for their faithfulness by permitting them to serve Him, this was a further slap in the face of the religious elite. It is no surprise that Jeremiah was forbidden to step one foot on the temple grounds.
Baruch took the words of the Lord and shared them while the people were participating in a fast. We are not necessarily told in the chapter whether the fast was part of a ritualistic formulation that had been observed without much attention to obedience to the Lord or if the fast was called in response to the invading Babylonians who by this time were dominating the Judean landscape with their vast armies. In any event, Baruch read to the people from the room of the secretary in the upper courtyard at the entrance of the New Gate of the temple. This place of prominence would have helped the scribe communicate the words of God to all the people in the vicinity. When the officials heard the message, they went to King Jehoiakim to share what Baruch had done; the king in response summoned an official to secure the scroll and return to read what was inscribed on it. As Jehudi, one of the king's officials, stood before the king and read the first words of God's judgment against Judah, the king snatched the scroll, cut it to pieces, and threw it into a firepot nearby. Rather than falling prostrate in fear at the Divine Edict and tearing their clothes in mourning, the king and his attendants showed neither concern nor respect for what God had communicated to His people. In fact, the king summoned one of his sons and several other officials to find Jeremiah and Baruch and arrest them.
I find this response of Jehoiakim interesting, given that his father, King Josiah, had twenty-five years before found the sacred Book of the Law in the temple and upon hearing the words of God's judgment, tore his clothes and humbled himself before the Lord (see 2 Kings 22). It is amazing that his son did not follow a similar path, and one has to wonder if Josiah's passing over of Jehoiakim for the throne in preference to his younger son, Jehoahaz, was in part due to Jehoiakim's rebellious spirit. Or possibly Jehoiakim resented his father for passing him over for succession of the throne for Jehoahaz and lived a life completely counter to His father's life of obedience to the Lord [see 2 Kings 23:25]. (NOTE: Little history is given for Josiah's eldest son, Johanan, thus leading to the possible conclusion that he died at an early age). Jehoahaz only served three months before being captured by Pharoah Neco and carted off in bondage to Egypt, giving Jehoiakim opportunity to secure the throne.
God would not be mocked by such disrespect for His Word. He summoned Jeremiah to write His Words again down with an addendum that the kingdom would be taken from Jehoiakim and his descendants; in fact, the king would die and his body would be shown disrespect by being thrown out on the streets and exposed to the elements. The offering of grace had passed for the king, his family, and his kingdom. Now the wrath of God was to be poured out upon them with such furor that they would be consumed by it.
As we think about our modern day, we must pause and reflect upon our own disregard for the words of the Lord as found in His Holy Scriptures. How often do we show contempt for His Divine edicts by refusing to obey them, instead choosing to follow our own evil schemes. We as a nation would do well to hear the message that God is giving to us through His Scriptures during this age of grace, repent of our sins, and submit to Him as our King. If we continue down the same path as Jehoiakim and the people of Judah 2600 years ago, we should expect the same consequences from the LORD. He is a God of constancy, and will not permit His commands to be disregarded. If we are unwilling to surrender ourselves to Him and follow Him faithfully, we can only expect a similar fate as is prophesied in Jeremiah 36.
After four years of King Jehoiakim's evil reign, which was filled with wickedness and idolatry against the Lord, God summoned the prophet Jeremiah to inscribe on a scroll sacred words of judgment decreed from His Sovereign Heavenly throne. Whereas the edict from God was descriptive of the coming judgment that would befall the people of Judah for their detestible sins, God still was using these words redemptively with the hope that the people would respond to His warnings by confessing their sins and turning from their wickedness (Jeremiah 36:3). Tragically, they would not respond with repentance.
Jeremiah received the words of the LORD and summoned Baruch his scribe to write them down. This was not an overnight process, for it would be a year before Jeremiah could send his scribe to the temple to communicate the Lord's words to the people (see 36:9). It is interesting that Jeremiah did not go himself, because he was "restricted" from going to the temple. Whereas we don't know exactly why the prophet was forbidden to be at the temple (especially since in chapter 35 we find that Jeremiah was in fact there and had been there on previous occasions [see Jeremiah 26:7, and 7:2]), presumably, this "restriction" was caused by previous confrontations that the prophet had had with the evil religious leaders at the temple. Specifically, Jeremiah had gone to the temple to declare to the priests and prophets that if they did not heed the words of the Lord, confess their heinous sins, and turn from their wickedness, then God would make the temple and the city of Jerusalem "an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth." The religious leaders would not have such an obscure prophetic figure discredit their prestigious positions within the community, and they sought to kill him. Later, when Jeremiah would bring the rather insignificant, nomadic Recabites to the temple grounds and decree to them that the Lord would bless them for their faithfulness by permitting them to serve Him, this was a further slap in the face of the religious elite. It is no surprise that Jeremiah was forbidden to step one foot on the temple grounds.
Baruch took the words of the Lord and shared them while the people were participating in a fast. We are not necessarily told in the chapter whether the fast was part of a ritualistic formulation that had been observed without much attention to obedience to the Lord or if the fast was called in response to the invading Babylonians who by this time were dominating the Judean landscape with their vast armies. In any event, Baruch read to the people from the room of the secretary in the upper courtyard at the entrance of the New Gate of the temple. This place of prominence would have helped the scribe communicate the words of God to all the people in the vicinity. When the officials heard the message, they went to King Jehoiakim to share what Baruch had done; the king in response summoned an official to secure the scroll and return to read what was inscribed on it. As Jehudi, one of the king's officials, stood before the king and read the first words of God's judgment against Judah, the king snatched the scroll, cut it to pieces, and threw it into a firepot nearby. Rather than falling prostrate in fear at the Divine Edict and tearing their clothes in mourning, the king and his attendants showed neither concern nor respect for what God had communicated to His people. In fact, the king summoned one of his sons and several other officials to find Jeremiah and Baruch and arrest them.
I find this response of Jehoiakim interesting, given that his father, King Josiah, had twenty-five years before found the sacred Book of the Law in the temple and upon hearing the words of God's judgment, tore his clothes and humbled himself before the Lord (see 2 Kings 22). It is amazing that his son did not follow a similar path, and one has to wonder if Josiah's passing over of Jehoiakim for the throne in preference to his younger son, Jehoahaz, was in part due to Jehoiakim's rebellious spirit. Or possibly Jehoiakim resented his father for passing him over for succession of the throne for Jehoahaz and lived a life completely counter to His father's life of obedience to the Lord [see 2 Kings 23:25]. (NOTE: Little history is given for Josiah's eldest son, Johanan, thus leading to the possible conclusion that he died at an early age). Jehoahaz only served three months before being captured by Pharoah Neco and carted off in bondage to Egypt, giving Jehoiakim opportunity to secure the throne.
God would not be mocked by such disrespect for His Word. He summoned Jeremiah to write His Words again down with an addendum that the kingdom would be taken from Jehoiakim and his descendants; in fact, the king would die and his body would be shown disrespect by being thrown out on the streets and exposed to the elements. The offering of grace had passed for the king, his family, and his kingdom. Now the wrath of God was to be poured out upon them with such furor that they would be consumed by it.
As we think about our modern day, we must pause and reflect upon our own disregard for the words of the Lord as found in His Holy Scriptures. How often do we show contempt for His Divine edicts by refusing to obey them, instead choosing to follow our own evil schemes. We as a nation would do well to hear the message that God is giving to us through His Scriptures during this age of grace, repent of our sins, and submit to Him as our King. If we continue down the same path as Jehoiakim and the people of Judah 2600 years ago, we should expect the same consequences from the LORD. He is a God of constancy, and will not permit His commands to be disregarded. If we are unwilling to surrender ourselves to Him and follow Him faithfully, we can only expect a similar fate as is prophesied in Jeremiah 36.
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