This was the sin of Israel

 Jeremiah 52:1-34

As one reads chapter 52, it's a recap of what happened to Israel, the temple, and Jerusalem.  The why is documented, the people were worshipping a temple of tradition, of wealth, and power and not the God who had chosen them above all the people of the earth.  King Zedekiah did what was evil in the sight of God, and it came to a place where the LORD could not overlook their sin.

I’m always amazed how many go to Bible studies and sit under great teachers, but seem to have so little application in life from the study.  I am totally shocked by how I act when things don’t go how I want them to.  This past week I was cooking steaks for my family and ask that they let me know when they were close to home so I could time the meal.  My wife was with our daughter and son-in-law and our grandson Zach on a little road trip, and we had established a time for them to be home.  I am getting the fire in my egg ready to put the steaks on, and I place a phone call to one of them to see about their location, then the next call and the next call, but no reply.  I’m not happy about getting no response, and they show up about ten minutes later, and I’ve gone from concern to mad.  Why, because I was looking inward, my expectations were not met and yet it was a setup from the one who Jesus calls the thief.  Later that evening, I had to agree that my anger was not Christ-like, and I said nothing, but inside of me a war was raging, and I had to understand the enemy had set me up.

Anytime tradition, buildings, or people are the focus of worship and not the risen Christ we have moved to idols.  This was the sin of Israel, and it is easy to put others, family, preachers, teachers and especially children in the place where only God should be in our life.  And for many, it may be the replacing of the Holy Spirit with the Holy Bible, and that can be very dangerous.  The Bible is a living book that's taught by the one Jesus told us had been sent to guide us into all truth, the Holy Spirit. 

That is why we must study the Scriptures, for in them we learn that our flesh wars with the Spirit that is living in us, that is unless there is no battle and the flesh is in total control.  Romans 8:9-11, “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”  Now do not buy into this, a civil war is going on inside of you, the old man got crucified, and you are a new Creation in Christ Jesus.  But the flesh has long ago learned to get its needs met outside of Christ and must be taught to submit to the Spirit.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice