Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: Jeremiah 42-45
Jeremiah 42:3
That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
Something happened in ten days. At the beginning of chapter 42 the leaders of the remnant left in Jerusalem came to Jeremiah and asked him to pray for them. They promised that whatever God told the prophet to tell them they would do. They even said: Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God. (vs 6).
Ten days later God’s Word came to Jeremiah, and he faithfully spoke God’s Word to those who asked him to pray for them. Their response? They said that he was lying. They said the Lord God did not send him. They accused him of treason. So according to 43:4 they obeyed not. They did flee to Egypt and even dragged Jeremiah with them.
Ten days. They went from being willing to obey God no matter what to total and complete disobedience. They paid the price. Babylon carried out two destructive and decisive battles against Egypt in 583 and 563 BC. No doubt many of God’s people died in these battles. It didn’t have to be that way. They could have lived in safety in Babylon, or by remaining in Jerusalem.
What happened in those ten days? There is no Biblical answer for it. Perhaps during those ten days the doubters dissuaded them. Or the enemy of God put doubt in their minds. Or they thought that Jeremiah was taking time to orchestrate their deaths. Whatever happened it was not good. As Dr. Bob Smith would say, “They stopped in doubt that which they started in faith,” which is never good. Or perhaps they simply projected upon Jeremiah that which they would do if they were in his place. After all, “Usually them doin’ the accusin’ are the ones doin’ the doin’.” Whatever the case, they rejected God’s Word.
Someone may say, “If Jeremiah would have immediately told them that which God would have them to do they would have done it. Why wait?” The answer is as simple as it is spiritual. Jeremiah did not immediately know God’s Word on the matter. If he would have responded on the spot it would have been his word not God’s Word. He needed time to pray, to walk with God, today we would add to study God’s Word on the matter.
This dramatic story plays itself out over and over again, even, and especially unto today. The names are different, the situation is different, the issues are different but the result is the same. God’s people sometimes start out with a desire to perform all of God’s will, but given time and circumstance with God’s great enemy at work in their hearts and minds, they falter. How many soul winners have led someone to Christ that promises to obey the command of baptism, but while waiting until Sunday, something happens? They don’t attend the church service as they promised, therefore are not baptized, and when the soul winner comes by they hide. We have all faced that. Or someone begins to tithe to their church and the transmission on the car goes out, or the hot water heater breaks down, or they get a big raise, and it would be too much to give 10% of that. On and on we could go. Ask any pastor, they probably have an abundance of stories of individuals that promised to obey God’s will no matter the cost, but then some days later the cost was too high.
Beware of the ten days. For the Lord God of Heaven does not operate on our schedule. Wait on the Lord. He will always direct the prayerful person in His due time. Sometimes He allows some time to pass to prove the resolve and love of His people. Will they be faithful to Him or not? After all, if they won’t obey after a few days, they won’t for a lifetime.
Dr. William T. Howe
Comentários