October 11, 2011
Life Lesson: Sin requires judgment. Sin can distort our judgment of good and evil. God calls us to repent and to have moral outrage for violations of His holiness.
I've had a hard time reading these chapters. I wish I could skip over them and not write what I hear it saying. It's heavy stuff and will probably take me several days. It's been five days since I last wrote. That time has been spent reading these chapters in the KJV, NIV, and NCV. What has been hard to read, and difficult to write about, is the refusal of God's people to surrender their lives to Him and the consequences that most certainly will follow.
Jeremiah 14:10 - "They love to wander from me; they don't stop themselves from leaving me." I guess that says it all right there, in the very first sentence written about these chapters. "They love to wander from me." There it is. That is what is discouraging and heavy about these chapters. Understanding there are some people who truly don't "get it" and they love what they are doing. So why would they change? Because of their pride and selfish ambitions, they have no desire to change and therefore—won't. Oh, I don't want to write those words, but it is Truth.
No wonder I've wished I could avoid writing about this. If people could only see, if they could only see. Why would anyone change their hearts and minds to a new way of thinking and turn (repent) from their ways when, "they love to wander from me; they don't stop themselves from leaving me?" They are doing what they love. They are convinced their actions have brought no consequences and they are instead victims. But God says (immediately after the statement, "they love to wander from me") this: "So now the LORD will not accept them. He will now remember the evil they do and will punish them for their sins."
God goes on and says, Jeremiah—stand back. Step aside. The time for accountability has come. Even if they try to come to me now I will not listen. Even if they try to bring me offerings I will not accept them. And Jeremiah responds with—but God, the prophets are telling the people there won't be consequences and there won't be suffering and "I, the LORD, will give you peace in this land." They are even using your name LORD as a way to give a false sense of security.
The people of Israel were creating their own "reality." They were listening to what they wanted to hear instead of "truth." They were finding ways to excuse and prove that the things they were doing were okay. They refused to look inward. They loved what they were doing. They only thought about what they wanted and whatever it took to achieve it, no matter who or what was in their way. It was all about them and what they wanted.
Jeremiah could see what was coming. The people of Israel refused to see what was coming. They chose instead to listen to what the false prophets were saying, words they wanted to hear, instead of listening to the LORD's words sent through Jeremiah. They chose to follow self-serving prophets, the "delusions of their own mind," false teachings, worthless maneuvers, and wishful thinking. They chose to believe the lies of the world instead of the Truth of God. And God said, "I didn't send these false prophets who are using my name." The very things they are saying won't happen, will happen—to them. I will punish them.
God was their only hope. Jeremiah 14:22 - "Does the sky itself have the power to send down showers? No, it is you, LORD our God. You are our only hope, because you are the one who made all these things." God was (is) their only hope. But these were people who "love to wander" from Him. And God said, "I would not feel sorry for (them) even if Moses and Samuel prayed for them. Send them away from me!Tell them to go!" There comes a time when enough is enough, and God is ready to bring judgment.
Jeremiah was still feeling sorry for the people. I'm pretty sure he was wondering if there was anything else he could do so they would "get it"; so they would understand the error of their ways and the consequences that were sure to come. And God says, Jeremiah—this isn't about what you do or do not do. Even if Moses and Samuel prayed for them I would not feel sorry for them. What I mean to happen will happen.
Sin requires judgment! People mistakenly think that just because they "seem" to get by with their disobedience, that God is not watching or He is unaware and there will not be any consequences or judgments related to their actions. God is more patient than man can ever imagine, but accountability WILL eventually happen.
Part of the consequences Judah was now going to be subjected to was a direct result of the choices Manasseh made years earlier.
Addendum: 7/19/16 ~ It doesn't get any easier reading this and understanding that some people will truly never "get it" because they love what they are doing and they have no desire to change.
Next Entry: Jeremiah 14:1 – 17:27 (Continued)
Life Lesson: Sin requires judgment. Sin can distort our judgment of good and evil. God calls us to repent and to have moral outrage for violations of His holiness.
I've had a hard time reading these chapters. I wish I could skip over them and not write what I hear it saying. It's heavy stuff and will probably take me several days. It's been five days since I last wrote. That time has been spent reading these chapters in the KJV, NIV, and NCV. What has been hard to read, and difficult to write about, is the refusal of God's people to surrender their lives to Him and the consequences that most certainly will follow.
Jeremiah 14:10 - "They love to wander from me; they don't stop themselves from leaving me." I guess that says it all right there, in the very first sentence written about these chapters. "They love to wander from me." There it is. That is what is discouraging and heavy about these chapters. Understanding there are some people who truly don't "get it" and they love what they are doing. So why would they change? Because of their pride and selfish ambitions, they have no desire to change and therefore—won't. Oh, I don't want to write those words, but it is Truth.
No wonder I've wished I could avoid writing about this. If people could only see, if they could only see. Why would anyone change their hearts and minds to a new way of thinking and turn (repent) from their ways when, "they love to wander from me; they don't stop themselves from leaving me?" They are doing what they love. They are convinced their actions have brought no consequences and they are instead victims. But God says (immediately after the statement, "they love to wander from me") this: "So now the LORD will not accept them. He will now remember the evil they do and will punish them for their sins."
God goes on and says, Jeremiah—stand back. Step aside. The time for accountability has come. Even if they try to come to me now I will not listen. Even if they try to bring me offerings I will not accept them. And Jeremiah responds with—but God, the prophets are telling the people there won't be consequences and there won't be suffering and "I, the LORD, will give you peace in this land." They are even using your name LORD as a way to give a false sense of security.
The people of Israel were creating their own "reality." They were listening to what they wanted to hear instead of "truth." They were finding ways to excuse and prove that the things they were doing were okay. They refused to look inward. They loved what they were doing. They only thought about what they wanted and whatever it took to achieve it, no matter who or what was in their way. It was all about them and what they wanted.
Jeremiah could see what was coming. The people of Israel refused to see what was coming. They chose instead to listen to what the false prophets were saying, words they wanted to hear, instead of listening to the LORD's words sent through Jeremiah. They chose to follow self-serving prophets, the "delusions of their own mind," false teachings, worthless maneuvers, and wishful thinking. They chose to believe the lies of the world instead of the Truth of God. And God said, "I didn't send these false prophets who are using my name." The very things they are saying won't happen, will happen—to them. I will punish them.
God was their only hope. Jeremiah 14:22 - "Does the sky itself have the power to send down showers? No, it is you, LORD our God. You are our only hope, because you are the one who made all these things." God was (is) their only hope. But these were people who "love to wander" from Him. And God said, "I would not feel sorry for (them) even if Moses and Samuel prayed for them. Send them away from me!Tell them to go!" There comes a time when enough is enough, and God is ready to bring judgment.
Jeremiah was still feeling sorry for the people. I'm pretty sure he was wondering if there was anything else he could do so they would "get it"; so they would understand the error of their ways and the consequences that were sure to come. And God says, Jeremiah—this isn't about what you do or do not do. Even if Moses and Samuel prayed for them I would not feel sorry for them. What I mean to happen will happen.
Sin requires judgment! People mistakenly think that just because they "seem" to get by with their disobedience, that God is not watching or He is unaware and there will not be any consequences or judgments related to their actions. God is more patient than man can ever imagine, but accountability WILL eventually happen.
Part of the consequences Judah was now going to be subjected to was a direct result of the choices Manasseh made years earlier.
Addendum: 7/19/16 ~ It doesn't get any easier reading this and understanding that some people will truly never "get it" because they love what they are doing and they have no desire to change.
Next Entry: Jeremiah 14:1 – 17:27 (Continued)
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