Six Questions

Jeremiah 2:14-19

Have you ever had a conversation with God, not where you were doing the talking but where God was asking the questions?  Now what is so troubling about those conversations is God is not looking for information, He is aware when a sparrow falls to the ground, and He knows the number of hairs on your head.  He has named all the stars, and that seems appropriate because He created them.   God has six questions for His people; 1) “Is Israel, a slave?”  That’s a very thought-provoking question, what if God ask that of you?  I bet the majority would say are you crazy, we are citizens of the “Land of the free, and the home of the brave.”  But you did not answer the question, are you a slave?  The Scriptures tell us that according to Proverbs 22:7 (NIV), “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.” “In 2015, the average debt-ridden U.S. household carried $156,584 in mortgage debt, and $33,090 in student–loan debt.  Americans collectively owe $11.86 trillion in debt, with $901 billion alone tied up in credit card debt.  The numbers are staggering, and they depict a nation enslaved.” (Make Agreements Cautiously page 75)

The second question God ask, “Was Israel-born into slavery?”  It’s a much shorter answer, no, but like the borrower, their choices and the desire for stuff, not willing to wait, has enslaved them.  They also began to look at the neighbors and leave the God of their Father’s for gods made of stone, and metal, gods they could see but not gods that could see or do anything.

The third question; “Why then has he become prey?”  When sheep leave the safety of the shepherd the wolves, lions, and others find them easy pickings.  When Israel left the Lord to seek other little gods, Israel’s enemies found easy pickings.  Has America and the Western world left the protection of the Lord?

The Assyrians were the young lions the Scripture is referring to, and Egypt has become allies with the Assyrians in the destruction of Judah.  And God ask the fourth question: “Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the Lord your God when he led you in the way?”  Much like you and I they did not enjoy this line of questions, for them, like us in the United States left the God who had blessed and provided for them to seek little gods that could not hear nor could they see.  Worthless gods!

The fifth and six questions are much the same: “And now what do you gain by going to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile?”  “Or what do you gain by going to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates.”  Jeremiah is pleading with Judah to turn back to God, but they kept on rebelling, and they would leave the promise land by being captive of the Assyrians.

America, can a nation change its gods and not fall into the hands of an angry God?  How long before we are destroyed, but if we who are followers of Christ confess and repent, will our Father show mercy?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice