September 28, 2016
Jeremiah 4:5-18
Observations from a not all that educated person and yet one who by the standards of this world was considered successful. Some of the advice I would offer to a person asking about success; find a job that you enjoy and work to be the best at your trade. You will make mistakes but if you want to be the best, you will learn from them and not repeat them. No one owes you anything, and yet each day you have a choice, choose to be kind, thoughtful and forgiving to everyone you come in contact with, and it will not only bless them, but you will also find favor with both God and men. I discovered that the borrower is a slave to the lender, so dream big, but hold off buying till you can pay cash. By doing this, you will be defeating one of the tools used to apply pressure to your relationship with your spouse. I believe the two things that destroy families, communities, and nations are greed and fear, and if you can understand how the deceiver uses them, then you would not fall victim. But this is the most important, seek a relationship with God’s Son, and ask the Father to give you a hunger and a thirst for righteousness so that you can experience satisfaction.
So how does that have anything to do with Jeremiah 4:5-18, I’m not sure but let me try to connect the dots. Beginning with verses five and six; “Declare in Judah, and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say, “Blow the trumpet through the land; cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble, and let us go into the fortified cities!’ Raise a standard toward Zion, flee for safety, stay not, for I bring disaster from the north, and great destruction.”
Now it is of the utmost importance for a person to understand who is crying fire, or wolf, and in this case, Jeremiah is saying this is God speaking to me and it’s coming out of my mouth. He is not the guy on radio and television selling the fear package on gold; it is not the one on the internet trying to buy a smart car to save the world, nor is it a voice of fear. Fear is easy to sell, even the fear of someone who is a Christian, or trying to sell you on not using fossil fuels to save the planet. No this is the Creator of all things, who is all knowing giving a warning of what is about to take place!
Do you recall the account of Paul Revere riding his horse on the evening of April 18, 1775, to warn patriot leaders and surrounding townspeople that there was an impending British invasion in the town of Lexington, Massachusetts? The British were coming, and the patriot leaders and townspeople needed that information to protect and engage the enemy. Jeremiah was warning the leaders and people that the Babylonians from the North were bringing God’s judgment. A loving God was begging His people to repent and to leave the area in time to find safety.
God is declaring the courage of both king and officials and the priests, and the false prophet will fail, and they will be astounded. Now they are blaming God for not protecting them, as if, He was not aware of how sinful and rebellious they had become.
As we look at these words in verses14-18, take inventory of your heart, and the sin of your nations, and ask this question, is it fear based when God is the spokesperson? O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil, that you may be saved. How long shall your wicked thoughts lodge within you? For a voice declares from Dan and proclaims trouble from Mount Ephraim. Warn the nations that he is coming; announce to Jerusalem, “Besiegers come from a distant land; they shout against the cities of Judah. Like keepers of a field are they against her all around, because she has rebelled against me, declares the Lord. Your ways and your deeds have brought this upon you. This is your doom, and it is bitter; it has reached your very heart.”
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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