Jeremiah 12:5-17
It is not clear if God is referring to Jeremiah’s
family, the false prophets or the horses soon to be coming from Babylon with
warriors on them. Give thought to how this relates to your life, the busy
pace, the demands of work, of family, of the culture, and in times of peace,
what happens when there is no jobs, sickness, and death?
Do not forget this is God responding to Jeremiah’s
complaint, and God reminds him that Judah His inheritance and the love of His
life is going to be turned over to His enemies. God is allowing this to happen
because of their rebellion not once, but often, and should this not bring to
our minds and heart that we also are that kind of people?
When God speaks these words in verses 10-11, about
the shepherds destroying His vineyard, the shepherds were the priests and the
leaders of Judah and one must ask how did they become destroyers? They
became full of self, and they believed their press, in sports, it is always the
down fall of a team, in business, it removes the competitive edge, and in the
church, it brings about our plans with no need to seek the mind of
Christ. Leadership always comes with responsibility, and it requires the
leaders to seek counsel, to search for wisdom and understanding, and that
leaves little room for self.
It is a dangerous thing for people or a nation to
rebel against a Holy God, and yet both Judah and Israel have a habit of doing
so. God’s time does not fit our time, nor does His thoughts ours, but in
keeping with His will He says that it is time for His people to come back
home. For His enemies to be uprooted and in the same manner as Judah but
if they looked to the Lord and taught His ways they also will be restored; now
that is far from our understanding. Have we so quickly forgotten that one
of our Father’s attributes is compassion? We like that God shows compassion,
but what happens to a people or nation who will not? “But if any nation will not
listen, then I will utterly pluck it up and destroy it, declares
the Lord.”
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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