Jeremiah 34:15-16: "Recently you repented and did what is right in my sight: Each of you proclaimed freedom to his countrymen. You even made a covenant before me in the house that bears my Name. But now you have turned around and profaned my name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again."
Slavery was a reality during the days of Jeremiah. Not only did certain Israelites have slaves from foreign nations, but they also had fellow Hebrews as slaves. The predominant reasoning for Jewish enslavement would have been as payment to satisfy certain financial responsibilities that a person may have been unable to pay with money or other assets. Therefore, this servitude would have been voluntary on the part of the Hebrew slave, and the Law of God demanded that this slave be treated respectfully and with dignity, like a hired worker might expect to be treated. And at the end of every seventh year, all slaves were to be released from their servitude should they desire their freedom (Jeremiah 34:14). In effect, a Jew would become a slave with the understanding that he or she was attempting to satisfy a financial need through his offering to work for a fellow Hebrew (see Leviticus 25:39f).
With the Babylonians invading the region of Judah, God sent a directive to the prophet Jeremiah to tell the Jewish people to release their slaves. To be sure, this was a horrific time for the Jewish people; slaves needed to be released from their obligations in order to address the indigenous needs of their immediate families. There was no time to waste; all people of Judah needed the freedom to prepare for the onslaught of the invading armies that had arrived.
At first, the Jewish slave owners agreed to the directive by the Lord, and they released their slaves; in fact, they consecrated their commitment by participating in a covenant ceremony at the Temple of the Lord. This receptiveness to the command of the Lord likely was the result of the intense pressure being placed upon the Jewish people by the Babylonian armies; in fact, at the time of this communication of emancipation from the Lord, Judah maintained only two fortified cities (Lachish and Azekah). All of the other cities had seen their defenses compromised by the powerful invading Babylonians.
Interestingly, God blessed the Jewish people for their response of obedience by having the king of Babylon withdraw his forces from the cities of Judah. One would think that the Jewish people would see that their positive response to the dictates of the Lord was bringing blessings to them, and they would continue to follow their path of submission; however, with this reprieve from the pangs of war came a return to slavery. This time the slave owners forced their former slaves into enslavement; these owners enjoyed forcing these servants into bondage in order that they might take advantage of them.
God saw such renewed rebellion as a "profaning of his Name." In turn, the Lord proclaimed that these Israelites would be given a "freedom to fall by the sword, plague, and famine." The Lord would bring the Babylonians back to the region to destroy the cities of Judah to punish the people of Judah for their persistent wickedness. No more would the patience and forbearance of the Lord be seen by the people of Judah.
There is a good word for us. As we read the account above, we must ask ourselves, "Are we apt to repent when we are experiencing difficulties in life, only to return to our rebellious ways when God brings relief from our misery and begins to bless us for our faithfulness to Him?" If the answer is "yes" then we know that our repentance is ineffective, for it desires liberation from the trials of life, rather than genuine determination to change behavior. When we only want to change our lives of sin in order to get out of a jamb and are quick to return to our sinful ways once we are not burdened by the consequences of our sin, we reveal the true (and sinister) intent of our hearts. If we have such a disposition toward our sin, we in effect are proclaiming our desire to continue in it, provided we can avoid any consequences for our sin. This is no repentance at all; rather, it is a hope to not have to suffer for our sinful ways. God hates such hypocrisy.
Let us not want to repent only to avoid the suffering that comes with such obstinacy; instead, let us truly surrender to the One True Lord of Hosts. For then our motivation is not fueled by the desire to see how much we can get away with; to the contrary, we will find ourselves with an earnestness to please our Lord and Savior. Let's be a people who truly want to follow the Lord.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The Greatest Impact
Jeremiah 32:17-18, 37b-39: "(Jeremiah prayed) 'Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the fathers' sins into the laps of their children after them' . . . . (God replied) 'I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them.'"
There is nothing more positively impacting to a society than for its fathers to display "singleness of heart" in uncompromising, unwavering allegiance to the One True LORD. The LORD communicates in the above passage that men of integrity and obedience to Him will bring blessing to their children (and ultimately a society). Of course, the antithesis equally is true . . . that men of dishonor and reckless, selfish rebellion against the LORD will bring devastation to the "laps of their children after them."
Lest I be too philosophical, let me interject an example to validate these truths:
There is a father who is egocentric by nature. He is not yielded to the Lord, has no longing for the Lord, and he does not delight in daily reflection of and dialogue with the LORD through His Word (the Scriptures). To be sure, this man in his selfish consumption, thinks only of himself; his determination of "expediency" is filtered through the guise of personal benefit that he himself craves with inordinate zeal. If a person, object, action, or goal ultimately satisfies this father's insatiable desires, he will determine it important and will pursue it passionately; otherwise, anyone or anything not satisfying his hedonistic tendencies will be perceived as wasting his time.
This father also is not inclined to embrace his calling as "minister" to his family . . . a man called to be an agent of blessing and grace to the sensitive needs of his wife and children. Because his family's needs are secondary to his own wanton desires, they are trivialized as insignificant. His family in turn struggles with the racking sobs of disappointment that their husband/father cares not for them. They feel rejected and abandoned by the one to whom they look more than anyone else for love and affirmation.
This father neither is inclined to assimilate his family into a community of genuine faith (i.e. the Church) so that they might be nurtured by other Godly believers of Jesus Christ, nor is he surrendered to his role as facilitator of familial worship of the Lord in his home. On the contrary, this father would rather sit in front of the television and "vegetate" on episodic garbage, or he would rather network with his friends in certain activities that may bring temporary enjoyment but in fact have no lasting substantive impact (e.g. golf, fishing, etc.). Whereas these activities per se are not inherently bad, their degradation is evidenced in the father's consumption of pleasure to the detriment of fulfilling his greater purpose of being a spiritual leader and "love"r in the home. Such abandonment of the family is a most heinous sin in the eyes of God Almighty. If this father would rather pass through life feasting upon his personal delights above the indigenous needs of his wife and children, who are eager for concentrated love, affection, and most importantly spiritual leadership, then he is no true father at all. This man is only a biological progenitor who is held in utter contempt by the LORD, and the LORD will not hold him guiltless for such vile disregard of his responsibilities as father and husband.
Tragically, the majority of fathers in our culture by their word and actions of indifference/self-centeredness reinforce to their children that self-satisfaction is the end to which they should strive. These children grow up understanding that "self" is the god to be worshipped.
Or perhaps equally tragic is the misconception by these children that "self" has no value at all, since their fathers seem to find them unworthy of love, affection, and instruction. As fathers shuffle their children off to the periphery of their busy, adult lives, they bring a "curse" to their children by causing them to conclude themselves to be a burdensome distraction. One only needs to canvass his immediate community setting and he soon will find in the eyes of its children the loss and longing of the genuine heartfelt love and affection of their fathers.
As a result of this abandonment by their fathers, these children fall prey to fear and low self-esteem that results in underachievement later in life (for fear of failure), poor relational decisions (due to the rationalization that no one will love them), and eventual chronic apathy, de-motivation, and bitterness in their adult lives (for the formulated opinions early in life that their dreams were undeserving of them). Such consequent decisions, driven by fear and insecurity, bring to these children a hellish adult life experience that will lack all the zest and fulfillment that God would have for them.
Sadly, this curse of the fathers (if they are even physically around for their children) is placed in the laps of their children who in turn repeat the cycle . . . and become the very detestable parents that lack spiritual integrity, love, and commitment to their children. As with the prior generation, so goes the next generation . . . and so on and so on . . . unless one is so fortunate to break free from the dysfunction through a miraculous work of God in his life.
May it ever be reiterated: God demands that fathers possess an unwavering commitment to Him as LORD; and the LORD expects that those fathers love their children and train them in the ways of righteousness. These mandates are paramount, for the LORD desires new generations of Godly offspring who would experience the blessedness of intimate association with Him as LORD (Malachi 2:15). Godly "fathering" will make the greatest impact in helping highly impressionable young ones to live lives of faithfulness to the LORD.
There is nothing more positively impacting to a society than for its fathers to display "singleness of heart" in uncompromising, unwavering allegiance to the One True LORD. The LORD communicates in the above passage that men of integrity and obedience to Him will bring blessing to their children (and ultimately a society). Of course, the antithesis equally is true . . . that men of dishonor and reckless, selfish rebellion against the LORD will bring devastation to the "laps of their children after them."
Lest I be too philosophical, let me interject an example to validate these truths:
There is a father who is egocentric by nature. He is not yielded to the Lord, has no longing for the Lord, and he does not delight in daily reflection of and dialogue with the LORD through His Word (the Scriptures). To be sure, this man in his selfish consumption, thinks only of himself; his determination of "expediency" is filtered through the guise of personal benefit that he himself craves with inordinate zeal. If a person, object, action, or goal ultimately satisfies this father's insatiable desires, he will determine it important and will pursue it passionately; otherwise, anyone or anything not satisfying his hedonistic tendencies will be perceived as wasting his time.
This father also is not inclined to embrace his calling as "minister" to his family . . . a man called to be an agent of blessing and grace to the sensitive needs of his wife and children. Because his family's needs are secondary to his own wanton desires, they are trivialized as insignificant. His family in turn struggles with the racking sobs of disappointment that their husband/father cares not for them. They feel rejected and abandoned by the one to whom they look more than anyone else for love and affirmation.
This father neither is inclined to assimilate his family into a community of genuine faith (i.e. the Church) so that they might be nurtured by other Godly believers of Jesus Christ, nor is he surrendered to his role as facilitator of familial worship of the Lord in his home. On the contrary, this father would rather sit in front of the television and "vegetate" on episodic garbage, or he would rather network with his friends in certain activities that may bring temporary enjoyment but in fact have no lasting substantive impact (e.g. golf, fishing, etc.). Whereas these activities per se are not inherently bad, their degradation is evidenced in the father's consumption of pleasure to the detriment of fulfilling his greater purpose of being a spiritual leader and "love"r in the home. Such abandonment of the family is a most heinous sin in the eyes of God Almighty. If this father would rather pass through life feasting upon his personal delights above the indigenous needs of his wife and children, who are eager for concentrated love, affection, and most importantly spiritual leadership, then he is no true father at all. This man is only a biological progenitor who is held in utter contempt by the LORD, and the LORD will not hold him guiltless for such vile disregard of his responsibilities as father and husband.
Tragically, the majority of fathers in our culture by their word and actions of indifference/self-centeredness reinforce to their children that self-satisfaction is the end to which they should strive. These children grow up understanding that "self" is the god to be worshipped.
Or perhaps equally tragic is the misconception by these children that "self" has no value at all, since their fathers seem to find them unworthy of love, affection, and instruction. As fathers shuffle their children off to the periphery of their busy, adult lives, they bring a "curse" to their children by causing them to conclude themselves to be a burdensome distraction. One only needs to canvass his immediate community setting and he soon will find in the eyes of its children the loss and longing of the genuine heartfelt love and affection of their fathers.
As a result of this abandonment by their fathers, these children fall prey to fear and low self-esteem that results in underachievement later in life (for fear of failure), poor relational decisions (due to the rationalization that no one will love them), and eventual chronic apathy, de-motivation, and bitterness in their adult lives (for the formulated opinions early in life that their dreams were undeserving of them). Such consequent decisions, driven by fear and insecurity, bring to these children a hellish adult life experience that will lack all the zest and fulfillment that God would have for them.
Sadly, this curse of the fathers (if they are even physically around for their children) is placed in the laps of their children who in turn repeat the cycle . . . and become the very detestable parents that lack spiritual integrity, love, and commitment to their children. As with the prior generation, so goes the next generation . . . and so on and so on . . . unless one is so fortunate to break free from the dysfunction through a miraculous work of God in his life.
May it ever be reiterated: God demands that fathers possess an unwavering commitment to Him as LORD; and the LORD expects that those fathers love their children and train them in the ways of righteousness. These mandates are paramount, for the LORD desires new generations of Godly offspring who would experience the blessedness of intimate association with Him as LORD (Malachi 2:15). Godly "fathering" will make the greatest impact in helping highly impressionable young ones to live lives of faithfulness to the LORD.
Monday, June 15, 2009
God's Redemptive Plan in the Midst of Trial
Jeremiah 29:7b: “Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
This was a rather incredible directive by the LORD to the people of Judah, namely that they were to pray for the prosperity of their captors (the Babylonians) who were destroying the land of Judah and taking many of its inhabitants away into captivity.
Part of this mandate for these Israelites to pray for the prosperity of the Babylonians involved the LORD’s fair and just discipline of His chosen people for their abject rebellion against His sovereignty (see 30:11b). God in His ineffable glory and holiness would not permit the chronic disobedience of these Israelites to go unpunished. As with all sin, there was a consequential payment for such disobedience against the Lord. There was no way that these wayward people could avoid the judgment that was before them.
Still, in the midst of this Divine sentence, the people were called to act in faith that the LORD ultimately would redeem His people from their misery in captivity and restore them to the place that been promised to them since the days of their forefather Abraham (see Genesis 12). Part of this faith necessitated these Israelites surrendering to the yoke of bondage and praying for their captives’ success. Yes, I did say “their captives’ success.” God promised that those who responded with surrender to capture and enslavement would fulfill God’s ultimate purpose of redemption and restoration. In the immediate future, the conditions were likely to be abysmal; but, God promised that He would save them out of the land of exile and restore peace and security to them (30:10).
For the ones who were unwilling to submit to such harsh stipulations and would rather fight for their supposed freedom, the Lord declared that He would send “sword, famine, and plague and would make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth” (29:18). It was not that the LORD was averse to His people enjoying the blessedness of freedom (for in reality, the LORD never wanted bondage to be in the equation); rather, the LORD had to bring the wickedness of His people to account, and He determined that the best execution of justice would come at the hands of the invading Babylonians.
Still, God in His infinite mercy decreed that His temporal judgments would eventually draw the descendants of these exiles to the LORD, thus breaking the repetitive cycle of wickedness that had been passed from one generation to the next. Even in the midst of enacting judgment, God was working out His redemptive purposes for future generations to come.
This is a tremendous word for us today. As we reflect upon our sinful ways and the consequences that we have experienced (or are experiencing) for our wickedness, we must be willing to submit ourselves to the will of God and permit Him to orchestrate His restorative plan in our lives, even if that plan of redemption involves temporal pain and frustration. We must see that our immediate struggles may be designed by our loving Lord to mature us and strengthen our resolve to follow Him faithfully.
God does not always promise that He will remove the fallout that comes from our sinful practices; still, what He does promise is ultimate deliverance from the deserved eternal condemnation for our sinful ways, if we simply would submit ourselves to the yoke of His will and permit Him to work out His redemptive plan in us. What we have to be willing to do is wait for Him to work out His sovereign purposes . . . in His timing. To continue to fight against God’s plan of redemption is to invite hardship, disappointment, and ultimately destruction. We must not perpetuate our disloyalty by thinking that we are capable of rescuing ourselves from our despicable plot. Let’s surrender ourselves to the One True Lord and permit Him to refine us so that once we are “tried and purified, we can come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).
This was a rather incredible directive by the LORD to the people of Judah, namely that they were to pray for the prosperity of their captors (the Babylonians) who were destroying the land of Judah and taking many of its inhabitants away into captivity.
Part of this mandate for these Israelites to pray for the prosperity of the Babylonians involved the LORD’s fair and just discipline of His chosen people for their abject rebellion against His sovereignty (see 30:11b). God in His ineffable glory and holiness would not permit the chronic disobedience of these Israelites to go unpunished. As with all sin, there was a consequential payment for such disobedience against the Lord. There was no way that these wayward people could avoid the judgment that was before them.
Still, in the midst of this Divine sentence, the people were called to act in faith that the LORD ultimately would redeem His people from their misery in captivity and restore them to the place that been promised to them since the days of their forefather Abraham (see Genesis 12). Part of this faith necessitated these Israelites surrendering to the yoke of bondage and praying for their captives’ success. Yes, I did say “their captives’ success.” God promised that those who responded with surrender to capture and enslavement would fulfill God’s ultimate purpose of redemption and restoration. In the immediate future, the conditions were likely to be abysmal; but, God promised that He would save them out of the land of exile and restore peace and security to them (30:10).
For the ones who were unwilling to submit to such harsh stipulations and would rather fight for their supposed freedom, the Lord declared that He would send “sword, famine, and plague and would make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth” (29:18). It was not that the LORD was averse to His people enjoying the blessedness of freedom (for in reality, the LORD never wanted bondage to be in the equation); rather, the LORD had to bring the wickedness of His people to account, and He determined that the best execution of justice would come at the hands of the invading Babylonians.
Still, God in His infinite mercy decreed that His temporal judgments would eventually draw the descendants of these exiles to the LORD, thus breaking the repetitive cycle of wickedness that had been passed from one generation to the next. Even in the midst of enacting judgment, God was working out His redemptive purposes for future generations to come.
This is a tremendous word for us today. As we reflect upon our sinful ways and the consequences that we have experienced (or are experiencing) for our wickedness, we must be willing to submit ourselves to the will of God and permit Him to orchestrate His restorative plan in our lives, even if that plan of redemption involves temporal pain and frustration. We must see that our immediate struggles may be designed by our loving Lord to mature us and strengthen our resolve to follow Him faithfully.
God does not always promise that He will remove the fallout that comes from our sinful practices; still, what He does promise is ultimate deliverance from the deserved eternal condemnation for our sinful ways, if we simply would submit ourselves to the yoke of His will and permit Him to work out His redemptive plan in us. What we have to be willing to do is wait for Him to work out His sovereign purposes . . . in His timing. To continue to fight against God’s plan of redemption is to invite hardship, disappointment, and ultimately destruction. We must not perpetuate our disloyalty by thinking that we are capable of rescuing ourselves from our despicable plot. Let’s surrender ourselves to the One True Lord and permit Him to refine us so that once we are “tried and purified, we can come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).
Friday, June 12, 2009
Don't Distort God's Word
Jeremiah 23:28b, 38b-40: "'Let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?' declares the LORD . . . . You used the words, 'This is the oracle of the LORD,' even though I told you that you must not claim, 'This is the oracle of the LORD.' Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your father. I will bring upon you everlasting disgrace-everlasting shame that will not be forgotten."
In reading through chapter 23 of Jeremiah, one finds the hope of redemption of the remnant of God's people who would be rescued by the LORD and be given the blessing of eternal life. This reference, of course, is to the hope that is found exclusively in Jesus Christ, who alone is the Door through which God's grace is afforded (John 10:9).
Still, in the remainder of the chapter, the Lord warns the lying prophets and priests, who would distort the Scriptures to justify their wicked behavior. These were the religious leaders who participated in the most heinous acts in the temple in worship of Baal, the fertility god of the neighboring pagans. Though they presented themselves as surrendered to the Lord, in reality, they were people as debased as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah (23:14). To encourage the people who had joined in the chicanery of their religious demonstrations, the prophets proclaimed that God would only bring peace to the land; in no way would these leaders proclaim the truth of the Scriptures, that the Lord was angered by the gross wickedness of these people who previously had been blessed by the Lord above all nations. These leaders claimed to have dreams from the LORD that all was well; yet nothing could be further from the truth.
Of course, God would not be mocked by such perjury of His Word. Whereas these religious leaders claimed to have a word of the Lord, God would now bring eternal judgment upon them for their wickedness and their false witness against Him. God specifically exclaimed, "I will surely forget you and cast you out of my presence . . . I will bring upon you everlasting disgrace." No remission of sins would be found for these leaders of rebellion against the Lord.
There is a good word for us in this passage, namely that we must be soundly committed to the veracity of God's Word. We must revere its truths and herald it truthfully and faithfully. We know that the Word of God is a guiding lamp (Psalm 119:105) that not only inspires us to obedience but convicts us of our sin leading us to repentance (2 Timothy 3: 16-17). Therefore, we must uphold the precious Word of God and not attempt to distort its presentation to satisfy any wicked behavior in our lives. The Scriptures are quite direct toward those who would manipulate God's Word . . . they will be held in contempt and be subjected to eternal damnation.
Therefore, let us surrender ourselves to the LORD and uphold His Word with faithful fidelity. We will find the blessing of God if we do so.
In reading through chapter 23 of Jeremiah, one finds the hope of redemption of the remnant of God's people who would be rescued by the LORD and be given the blessing of eternal life. This reference, of course, is to the hope that is found exclusively in Jesus Christ, who alone is the Door through which God's grace is afforded (John 10:9).
Still, in the remainder of the chapter, the Lord warns the lying prophets and priests, who would distort the Scriptures to justify their wicked behavior. These were the religious leaders who participated in the most heinous acts in the temple in worship of Baal, the fertility god of the neighboring pagans. Though they presented themselves as surrendered to the Lord, in reality, they were people as debased as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah (23:14). To encourage the people who had joined in the chicanery of their religious demonstrations, the prophets proclaimed that God would only bring peace to the land; in no way would these leaders proclaim the truth of the Scriptures, that the Lord was angered by the gross wickedness of these people who previously had been blessed by the Lord above all nations. These leaders claimed to have dreams from the LORD that all was well; yet nothing could be further from the truth.
Of course, God would not be mocked by such perjury of His Word. Whereas these religious leaders claimed to have a word of the Lord, God would now bring eternal judgment upon them for their wickedness and their false witness against Him. God specifically exclaimed, "I will surely forget you and cast you out of my presence . . . I will bring upon you everlasting disgrace." No remission of sins would be found for these leaders of rebellion against the Lord.
There is a good word for us in this passage, namely that we must be soundly committed to the veracity of God's Word. We must revere its truths and herald it truthfully and faithfully. We know that the Word of God is a guiding lamp (Psalm 119:105) that not only inspires us to obedience but convicts us of our sin leading us to repentance (2 Timothy 3: 16-17). Therefore, we must uphold the precious Word of God and not attempt to distort its presentation to satisfy any wicked behavior in our lives. The Scriptures are quite direct toward those who would manipulate God's Word . . . they will be held in contempt and be subjected to eternal damnation.
Therefore, let us surrender ourselves to the LORD and uphold His Word with faithful fidelity. We will find the blessing of God if we do so.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Following the Lord Will Cost You Everything
Jeremiah 26:20: "Now Uriah son of Shamaiah from Kiriath Jearim was another man who prophesied the same things against this city and this land as Jeremiah did. When King Jehoiakim and all his officers and officials heard his words, the king sought to put him to death. But Uriah heard of it and fled in fear to Egypt. King Jehoiakim, however, sent Elnathan son of Acbor to Egypt, along with some other men. They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him struck down with a sword and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people."
When a people are disloyal to the Lord and follow instead their selfish desires, they will hate to hear words of truth from the Lord through His messengers. This certainly was the case with King Jehoiakim and the people of Judah during the days of Jeremiah. Jeremiah and other prophets had been sent by the Lord to these wicked people to call them to repent, with warning that the fullness of the Lord's wrath would fall upon them if they did not turn from their wickedness. God specifically instructed Jeremiah upon his calling as prophet that the people would fight against him . . . it would not be a popular ministry for those called to rebuke the wayward people of Judah. And many prophets of God suffered for fulfilling their responsibilities that the Lord had given them.
In the passage just before the cited verses above, Jeremiah had been summoned by the Lord to the courtyard of the Temple, to preach repentance. The priests, prophets, and the people at the Temple heard Jeremiah and seized him, threatening to kill him for such words of rebuke toward the people. Then, certain royal officials went to the King to tell him of the recent events and hoped to sway the king to kill the prophet of God. Jeremiah responded with a warning that if they killed him, who had come in the name of the Lord to speak the truth, they would be guilty of the death of an innocent man of God. The officials would back down this time; in a strange twist of events, these leaders feared that such punitive measures against Jeremiah would bring terrible disaster upon themselves (see 26:19).
Still, it was remembered that other prophets of God were not spared execution for prophesying against the wickedness of Judah. A prophet by the name of Uriah proclaimed the same warnings to Jehoiakim, and like Jeremiah was threatened for such words. Uriah attempted to flee for his life to the land of Egypt, but the King was so enraged by the audacity of this prophet, that he sent his henchmen to Egypt to find Uriah and bring him back presumably in chains to Judah for execution. I wonder sometimes what was racing through Uriah's mind when these bounty hunters captured him and shackled him to start the long trek back to Palestine. Day after day as he was forced a little further through the desert back to Judah, was he pondering his fate? Would the king who had been so determined to capture this man of God, relent of his anger and free the prophet of the order of execution? Would the prophet be subjected to heinous torture then be executed? Did he feel remorse that he had fled for his life in the first place? Was he determined to stand for God even if it meant his death? I'm sure that many thoughts raced through his mind as he was forced back to the court of Jehoiakim.
Whereas Uriah sought to save his life when the threats of execution first came his way, now the prophet found himself again before his accusers. Though we don't know the events that occurred just prior to the order of execution, I wonder if the king gave the prophet the opportunity of recanting of all of his proclamations in order to save his life. If this is the case, then we know from the outcome that Uriah stood for the LORD. In any event, the king ordered that his executioner draw his sword and put Uriah to death. Then in a demonstrative statement of disrespect for the emissary of the Lord, the king had the body of the prophet thrown into a common burial plot. I'm sure that Jehoiakim thought this execution would put fear in other prophets like Jeremiah who felt called to preach against the king and his subjects. Of course we know that God would not be mocked from such disdainful acts against His truth and His called ambassadors; true to His Word, the LORD would bring the mighty Babylonians to destroy these wayward people for their treasonous acts against the TRUE KING . . .THE LORD OF HOSTS.
There is a tremendous word for us in this passage. When God calls us to ministry, He doesn't promise that the road will be easy. There are likely to be hurdles and heartaches along the way. Though we may not find the same demise that Uriah faced, we still can be called to suffer for the cause of our Lord. This may take the form of alienation, betrayal, lost opportunity, or in some instances and settings, it may cost us our families, our homes, and even our lives. We don't know what the temporal future holds for us who are surrendered to our Lord as the One True King and Savior; still, we know that in eternity, our Lord will rectify all things and bless those who have been unjustly persecuted for Him.
Let us press on to be the people that God has called us to be, no matter what personal sacrifice we must give in exchange for such commitment. Whereas our surrender to the Lord may cost us everything, we know that the Lord will bless those who diligent seek Him and obey Him.
When a people are disloyal to the Lord and follow instead their selfish desires, they will hate to hear words of truth from the Lord through His messengers. This certainly was the case with King Jehoiakim and the people of Judah during the days of Jeremiah. Jeremiah and other prophets had been sent by the Lord to these wicked people to call them to repent, with warning that the fullness of the Lord's wrath would fall upon them if they did not turn from their wickedness. God specifically instructed Jeremiah upon his calling as prophet that the people would fight against him . . . it would not be a popular ministry for those called to rebuke the wayward people of Judah. And many prophets of God suffered for fulfilling their responsibilities that the Lord had given them.
In the passage just before the cited verses above, Jeremiah had been summoned by the Lord to the courtyard of the Temple, to preach repentance. The priests, prophets, and the people at the Temple heard Jeremiah and seized him, threatening to kill him for such words of rebuke toward the people. Then, certain royal officials went to the King to tell him of the recent events and hoped to sway the king to kill the prophet of God. Jeremiah responded with a warning that if they killed him, who had come in the name of the Lord to speak the truth, they would be guilty of the death of an innocent man of God. The officials would back down this time; in a strange twist of events, these leaders feared that such punitive measures against Jeremiah would bring terrible disaster upon themselves (see 26:19).
Still, it was remembered that other prophets of God were not spared execution for prophesying against the wickedness of Judah. A prophet by the name of Uriah proclaimed the same warnings to Jehoiakim, and like Jeremiah was threatened for such words. Uriah attempted to flee for his life to the land of Egypt, but the King was so enraged by the audacity of this prophet, that he sent his henchmen to Egypt to find Uriah and bring him back presumably in chains to Judah for execution. I wonder sometimes what was racing through Uriah's mind when these bounty hunters captured him and shackled him to start the long trek back to Palestine. Day after day as he was forced a little further through the desert back to Judah, was he pondering his fate? Would the king who had been so determined to capture this man of God, relent of his anger and free the prophet of the order of execution? Would the prophet be subjected to heinous torture then be executed? Did he feel remorse that he had fled for his life in the first place? Was he determined to stand for God even if it meant his death? I'm sure that many thoughts raced through his mind as he was forced back to the court of Jehoiakim.
Whereas Uriah sought to save his life when the threats of execution first came his way, now the prophet found himself again before his accusers. Though we don't know the events that occurred just prior to the order of execution, I wonder if the king gave the prophet the opportunity of recanting of all of his proclamations in order to save his life. If this is the case, then we know from the outcome that Uriah stood for the LORD. In any event, the king ordered that his executioner draw his sword and put Uriah to death. Then in a demonstrative statement of disrespect for the emissary of the Lord, the king had the body of the prophet thrown into a common burial plot. I'm sure that Jehoiakim thought this execution would put fear in other prophets like Jeremiah who felt called to preach against the king and his subjects. Of course we know that God would not be mocked from such disdainful acts against His truth and His called ambassadors; true to His Word, the LORD would bring the mighty Babylonians to destroy these wayward people for their treasonous acts against the TRUE KING . . .THE LORD OF HOSTS.
There is a tremendous word for us in this passage. When God calls us to ministry, He doesn't promise that the road will be easy. There are likely to be hurdles and heartaches along the way. Though we may not find the same demise that Uriah faced, we still can be called to suffer for the cause of our Lord. This may take the form of alienation, betrayal, lost opportunity, or in some instances and settings, it may cost us our families, our homes, and even our lives. We don't know what the temporal future holds for us who are surrendered to our Lord as the One True King and Savior; still, we know that in eternity, our Lord will rectify all things and bless those who have been unjustly persecuted for Him.
Let us press on to be the people that God has called us to be, no matter what personal sacrifice we must give in exchange for such commitment. Whereas our surrender to the Lord may cost us everything, we know that the Lord will bless those who diligent seek Him and obey Him.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The Bush and the Tree
Jeremiah 17:5-8: "This is what the LORD says: 'Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."
God is the Master of analogy. He loves to use imagery (metaphors, similes, and personification) to teach us invaluable lessons from His Word; and in the citation above, He contrasts a bush in the wastelands with a tree growing by a stream of water to teach us of the importance of trusting not in ourselves but in Him alone.
As we reflect upon these teaching illustrations, we learn several key points:
First for the bush (i.e. the person who sets his heart toward his own strength and turns away from the LORD):
The bush finds itself in a barren wasteland. Wastelands in the land of Israel were arid, infertile places that few plants and animals could grow let alone thrive. As one thinks about this imagery, one pictures a bush standing isolated in the desert. The unimpressive bush fails to fulfill its God-given purpose to produce fruit, because it is planted in soil that lacks the vital nutrients for prosperous growth and it lacks the much needed water that provides and sustains life. It is of no benefit for those passing by; in fact, people will look upon the plant with disdain, for it is such a disappointment in not producing the anticipated fruit for which it was designed.
Whereas the warmth of the climate may have been attractive at first, the bush now finds that the scorching heat and lack of substantive water supplies are starving it of much needed nourishment. Even if an occasional rain shower passes by, its positive benefits are quickly lost as the conditions of the land quickly evaporate the much needed rain, leaving the bush without any relief. Whereas the bush may have thought the setting to be a great place for cultivating itself, it now finds itself secluded and starved. Not only does it lack water and nutrients, but it also lacks the support of other vegetation to help shade it from the ill effects of the arid climate. In the end, the bush withers away, for it is not connected to the perpetual stream that would bring it life and vitality.
In thinking of a plant lacking a harvest of fruit, one is reminded of Jesus' encounter with the fig tree in Mark 11:12f. Jesus had become hungry and looked to a certain fig tree for fruit but found none. From a distance, the tree had green leaves and appeared to Jesus as if it should have fruit; but upon closer inspection, the tree was a major disappointment . . . a lot of show with not much substance. Jesus responded by cursing the tree, so that it would never produce fruit again. When the disciples returned to the tree later, they noticed that it had withered all the way to its roots. Since it was of no use to the Master, it was destroyed.
In contrast, the tree by the stream (i.e. the one who puts his faith and trust in the LORD) has a very different outcome:
The tree is planted next to a perpetually flowing stream, that brings health to the plant no matter the circumstances. Even if the tree finds itself in the same dry, abysmal terrain of the bush, the difference is found in the tree's connectivity to the stream . . . the true source of life. The tree has no fear WHEN (NOT IF) the heat comes. This tree knows that the stressful circumstances of its climate will come each day; still, there is no worry about its condition, for the tree has its life sustenance close by. Its leaves continue to thrive, and it produces fruit to be a blessing to any person passing by. Even in the year of exceptionally impressive drought, the tree continues to grow and produce with noticeable distinction.
And because the stream provides the adjacent soil with the nutrients for vegetation to thrive, the tree is likely to find other productive plants nearby. This tree is not isolated, but enjoys the association with other trees and plants that are connected to the same water source. As the tree enjoys its sense of community, it benefits from the adjacent trees which help to shade each others roots from the damaging rays of the sun.
God is the Master of analogy. He loves to use imagery (metaphors, similes, and personification) to teach us invaluable lessons from His Word; and in the citation above, He contrasts a bush in the wastelands with a tree growing by a stream of water to teach us of the importance of trusting not in ourselves but in Him alone.
As we reflect upon these teaching illustrations, we learn several key points:
First for the bush (i.e. the person who sets his heart toward his own strength and turns away from the LORD):
The bush finds itself in a barren wasteland. Wastelands in the land of Israel were arid, infertile places that few plants and animals could grow let alone thrive. As one thinks about this imagery, one pictures a bush standing isolated in the desert. The unimpressive bush fails to fulfill its God-given purpose to produce fruit, because it is planted in soil that lacks the vital nutrients for prosperous growth and it lacks the much needed water that provides and sustains life. It is of no benefit for those passing by; in fact, people will look upon the plant with disdain, for it is such a disappointment in not producing the anticipated fruit for which it was designed.
Whereas the warmth of the climate may have been attractive at first, the bush now finds that the scorching heat and lack of substantive water supplies are starving it of much needed nourishment. Even if an occasional rain shower passes by, its positive benefits are quickly lost as the conditions of the land quickly evaporate the much needed rain, leaving the bush without any relief. Whereas the bush may have thought the setting to be a great place for cultivating itself, it now finds itself secluded and starved. Not only does it lack water and nutrients, but it also lacks the support of other vegetation to help shade it from the ill effects of the arid climate. In the end, the bush withers away, for it is not connected to the perpetual stream that would bring it life and vitality.
In thinking of a plant lacking a harvest of fruit, one is reminded of Jesus' encounter with the fig tree in Mark 11:12f. Jesus had become hungry and looked to a certain fig tree for fruit but found none. From a distance, the tree had green leaves and appeared to Jesus as if it should have fruit; but upon closer inspection, the tree was a major disappointment . . . a lot of show with not much substance. Jesus responded by cursing the tree, so that it would never produce fruit again. When the disciples returned to the tree later, they noticed that it had withered all the way to its roots. Since it was of no use to the Master, it was destroyed.
In contrast, the tree by the stream (i.e. the one who puts his faith and trust in the LORD) has a very different outcome:
The tree is planted next to a perpetually flowing stream, that brings health to the plant no matter the circumstances. Even if the tree finds itself in the same dry, abysmal terrain of the bush, the difference is found in the tree's connectivity to the stream . . . the true source of life. The tree has no fear WHEN (NOT IF) the heat comes. This tree knows that the stressful circumstances of its climate will come each day; still, there is no worry about its condition, for the tree has its life sustenance close by. Its leaves continue to thrive, and it produces fruit to be a blessing to any person passing by. Even in the year of exceptionally impressive drought, the tree continues to grow and produce with noticeable distinction.
And because the stream provides the adjacent soil with the nutrients for vegetation to thrive, the tree is likely to find other productive plants nearby. This tree is not isolated, but enjoys the association with other trees and plants that are connected to the same water source. As the tree enjoys its sense of community, it benefits from the adjacent trees which help to shade each others roots from the damaging rays of the sun.
This is a great story which is analogous to our connectivity to the Lord. It is of vital importance for us to be connected to the Lord, for only He can provide us with the spiritual nourishment for us to fulfill our purpose of producing fruit for His glory. Therefore, we must stay close to the Stream of Life (i.e. the Lord) in order that we might weather the storms of life, and continue to thrive for the Lord in all circumstances.
When we are connected to the Lord, we also receive the blessing of fellowship with other followers of Christ. We are able to mutually encourage and support each other along the path of life, until the day of our glorification, when we forever will enjoy the Lord and each other in a state of eternal perfection and wholeness.
Let us learn from this simile of the Lord that we must never put our allegiances in our own accomplishments and abilities; rather, let us surrender ourselves to the Lord and savor the blessed benefits of His grace and provision for our souls. We then will thrive in our lives, producing a wonderful display of spiritual fruit that glorifies the Lord and contributes to the furtherance of His beautiful Kingdom!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Don't Misuse God's Word
Jeremiah 23:29f: "'Is not my word like fire,' declares the LORD, 'I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. Yes,' declares the LORD, 'I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, 'The LORD declares.' Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,' declares the LORD. 'They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,' declares the LORD . . . . 'If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, 'This is the oracle of the LORD,' I will punish that man and his household . . . . every man's own word becomes his oracle and so you distort the words of the living God, the LORD Almighty, our God . . . . I will surely forget you and cast you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your fathers. I will bring upon you everlasting disgrace-everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.'"
If there is one thing that we learn from the above citation, it is the sacredness of the Word of the Lord. Our Great God has given to us His choice morsels of truth that we are not to distort to satisfy our own wanton lusts; rather we are to revere and obey these Words for they are the timeless, directive proclamations given to us that we might know His ultimate Will for our lives! The problem with the people of Judah during the days of Jeremiah was that their religious leaders were distorting the words of the Lord to condone their wicked ways. They adjusted their interpretation of Scripture into one that justified their defiance of God's propositional truths that had been given to the Israelites 1000 years before (see Deuteronomy 28).
God was very direct with these wayward leaders. He proclaimed that He would severely punish all those who would distort His Word; these religious figureheads would not escape the eternal punishment of the Lord for propagating their wickedness as something encouraged from the Word of the Lord.
This is a good word for us today. We regularly find in our culture many different groups that attempt to purport their sinful ideologies by manipulating Scripture to say something that it has never said or by attempting to discredit the Word of the Lord to a place of insignificance to their contemporary experiences.
Just as God would not hold the person in Jeremiah's day guiltless for distorting the truths of God's Word to meet his selfish desires, so too we will find that our Lord will punish the man today who treats the Scriptures with such contempt. We are not to manipulate the eternal Words of God to satisfy our longings, rather we are to surrender ourselves to the Righteous, Holy Words of the LORD and let them saturate our souls with conviction (leading to repentance) and inspiration (leading to obedience and worship of the One True God).
May we ever treat the Holy Bible as just that . . . HOLY . . . that is "Set Apart" and worthy of our focused attention, reverential fear, and determined obedience. It is only then that the blessings of Our Sovereign Lord will flow to us as we follow His will for our lives.
If there is one thing that we learn from the above citation, it is the sacredness of the Word of the Lord. Our Great God has given to us His choice morsels of truth that we are not to distort to satisfy our own wanton lusts; rather we are to revere and obey these Words for they are the timeless, directive proclamations given to us that we might know His ultimate Will for our lives! The problem with the people of Judah during the days of Jeremiah was that their religious leaders were distorting the words of the Lord to condone their wicked ways. They adjusted their interpretation of Scripture into one that justified their defiance of God's propositional truths that had been given to the Israelites 1000 years before (see Deuteronomy 28).
God was very direct with these wayward leaders. He proclaimed that He would severely punish all those who would distort His Word; these religious figureheads would not escape the eternal punishment of the Lord for propagating their wickedness as something encouraged from the Word of the Lord.
This is a good word for us today. We regularly find in our culture many different groups that attempt to purport their sinful ideologies by manipulating Scripture to say something that it has never said or by attempting to discredit the Word of the Lord to a place of insignificance to their contemporary experiences.
Just as God would not hold the person in Jeremiah's day guiltless for distorting the truths of God's Word to meet his selfish desires, so too we will find that our Lord will punish the man today who treats the Scriptures with such contempt. We are not to manipulate the eternal Words of God to satisfy our longings, rather we are to surrender ourselves to the Righteous, Holy Words of the LORD and let them saturate our souls with conviction (leading to repentance) and inspiration (leading to obedience and worship of the One True God).
May we ever treat the Holy Bible as just that . . . HOLY . . . that is "Set Apart" and worthy of our focused attention, reverential fear, and determined obedience. It is only then that the blessings of Our Sovereign Lord will flow to us as we follow His will for our lives.
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