Category: Bible

Reactions to God’s Word

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21 Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Elishama the secretary. And Jehudi read it to the king and all the officials who stood beside the king. 22 It was the ninth month, and the king was sitting in the winter house, and there was a fire burning in the fire pot before him. 23 As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a knife and throw them into the fire in the fire pot, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the fire pot. 24 Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments. 25 Even when Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. – Jeremiah 36:21-25

 

Like father like son?

Not in this case.  The reaction of King Jehoiakim to the reading of the inspired word of God stands in stark contrast to that of his father, King Josiah, as recorded in 2 Kings chapter 22.  When the Book of the Law was found in the house of the Lord it was brought before King Josiah.  Shaphan the secretary promptly read it to Josiah.  Upon hearing the words of the Book of the Law, King Josiah tore his clothes in humility.  The word of God convicted him.  He commanded Hilkiah the priest who found the Book, Shaphan the secretary who read it to him, and other leaders to go and inquire of the Lord on his behalf.  He was afraid of the wrath of God because of the disobedience of God’s children in regards to God’s word.

Josiah’s Humility

When God’s counsel was sought, Josiah was assured that the wrath of God would be meted out upon Jerusalem and it’s inhabitants because they forsook God and made offerings to idols, thus provoking God to anger.   However, because Josiah’s heart was penitent, and he humbled himself before the Lord when he heard God’s word, Josiah would be “rewarded”.  God assured him that he would go to his grave in peace, and his eyes would not see all the disaster that was coming as a result of the disobedience of the people.  But Josiah wasn’t concerned only about himself, he was burdened for the people.

Josiah’s Consecration

Josiah assembled the people at the house of the Lord, and he personally read from the Book of the Covenant that had been lost there.  In the presence of the people, he “made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes will all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book.”  And the people joined him.  After consecrating himself to the LORD, Josiah commanded the people to destroy their “instruments” of idolatry.  Josiah not only removed a lot of items related to idol worship, he also restored the Passover.  What did God think of Josiah’s reaction to His word?

God’s Assessment

25 Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him. – 2 Kings 23:25

Jehoiakim’s Arrogance

If only Jehoiakim could have been more like his father.  Instead, his arrogance stands in stark contrast to Josiah’s humility.  When his official (Jehudi) comes to him with the word of God, Jehoiakim is far from penitent.  Instead of recognizes the authority of God’s word over his life, he acts like he is superior to the Word.  It is he who stands in judgement.  As the scroll is being read to him he is cutting it and burning it.  This reaction is so appalling that verse 24 states, “Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments.”  Remember God’s intention stated in verse 3?  “It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, so that every one may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”  Jehoiakim’s behavior is not only foolish, it is reckless.

Jehoiakim’s Denial

After Josiah humbled himself before the LORD and his people, he placed an order to “inquire of the LORD”.  He wanted to hear more from God.  After Jehoikim finished burning the scroll, he also placed an order.  He wanted God’s messengers, Baruch and Jeremiah seized.  Unlike his father, he did not want to hear more of God’s word.  He didn’t want to hear it any more.  He did not want to share the word of God with the people as his father did.  Instead, he wanted to deprive them of it.  The consequence?  See how this compares with what is stated about Josiah above:

God’s Assessment

30 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: He shall have none to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat by day and the frost by night.

Not exactly going to your grave in peace!  Amazing how different a father and a son can be.  A good reminder on just how personal our faith is.  There will be no coattail Christians in heaven.  Our salvation is contingent upon what we do individually with the truth of the Gospel.

The reactions of Josiah and Jehoikim I believe, also give evidence of the uniqueness of the Word of God.  What else can cause the brokenness we see in Josiah?  What else can cause the animosity we see in Jehoikim?  Both were convicted, yet they responded in different ways.  History is full of people on each ends of this spectrum.  Those that humble themselves before the Word want to share it just as Josiah did.  Those that rebel as Jehoikim did, want to destroy it.

Why such strong reactions?  The Word is alive!

God’s Word of Warning

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2 “Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today. 3 It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, so that every one may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.” – Jeremiah 36:2-3

Turn or burn

You have heard the expression. The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once preached a sermon with the title.  The text he preached from was Psalm 7:11-12.

11 God is a righteous judge,
    and a God who feels indignation every day.

12 If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword;
    he has bent and readied his bow.

God is loving.  God is long-suffering.  In His grace, He warns us of the consequences of our sins and gives us time to repent.  As I mentioned in the last devotion, to ignore the Word of God is foolishness.  Unfortunately, as we look at today’s text from Jeremiah, we see foolishness exemplified.

Verse 1 tells us that this warning came during the fourth year of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah.   This date is significant.  Chapter 46 tells us that this was the year that Babylon conquered Egypt.  After Pharoah Neco killed King Josiah, Judah had been subject to the rule of Egypt.  Although they were a vassal of Egypt, God has been warning His people of an imminent and greater danger of an enemy from the North.  The people seemed indifferent.  Hard to believe we can not take God seriously despite the fact that one prophecy after another is fulfilled before our eyes.  One might think Nebuchadnezzar and his approaching army would get the attention of God’s children.  Just in case, God is giving Jeremiah another warning.  Disaster is at your doorstep.  Turn so I can forgive your iniquity and sin.  Or else.

Man’s Sin & God’s Heart

Can you hear the longing of God?  Can you feel the passion of His heart?  Look at Psalm 7 closely.  “God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.”  Talking about sin is not politically correct.  It is not popular.  It is not the way to fill an auditorium.  But it is the loving thing to do.  Like the children of Israel in the days of Jeremiah, man still has a problem with sin.  And so does God.  It makes Him angry.  He extends His hand of mercy and too often men slap it.  He offers His grace and men reject it.  In so doing, by default, they are choosing the fires of hell.  Turn or burn.

“It may be…that every one may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”  God’s passion for sinners sent Jesus to the cross.  In the death and resurrection of Christ, God offers the only means of salvation from sin.  To avoid condemnation, man must repent of his sins and place his faith in the atoning work of Christ’s shed blood.

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” – John 3:16-18

Life in Christ

Apart from Christ, men stand condemned and are destined to perish.  This is not my opinion but is the truth.  This is what God says in His Word.  His Word of warning.  The Words He inspired Jeremiah to write down were fulfilled.  His children suffered the consequences just as He told them and so will we if we do not turn.  God takes sin very seriously and so should we.  Now is not a time to ignore.  Now is not a time to procrastinate.  Now is the time to heed God’s warning and turn from your sins.   Perhaps Jesus can convince you.

19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried,23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” – Luke 16:19-31

The God Breathed Word

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“In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today.'” – Jeremiah 36:1-2

Zig’s Routine & Al’s Opinion

Years ago my brother attended a conference and had the privilege of hearing Zig Ziglar speak.  One of the things that Zig shared with his audience that day was that he began every day reading the newspaper and the Bible.  According to him, that way he knew what both sides were up to.  What he said tongue in cheek certainly has a lot of truth to it.  As I have stated once before, I am not a proponent of the media.  I am convinced that journalism is dead.  In its place, indoctrination is alive and well.

What little I see of the media is nothing more than a biased editorial.  Buried along with journalism are dialogue and debate.  From their grave diatribe flourishes.  By default, if someone disagrees with you they are not only wrong but unworthy of having an opinion.  We are quick to call names and attack the character in an attempt to marginalize those with whom we disagree.  Think I’m exaggerating?  Wear a Trump t-shirt in Los Angeles or DC and let me know how that works for you.  We need to be very careful about what we feed our minds with.  Our beliefs will certainly play out in our behaviors.  When Al Capone “owned” the papers in Chicago he made this statement, “Everybody reads the newspapers, and most people are stupid enough to believe what’s in the papers.”  Al Capone is long gone, but the devil is still busy causing division with deception.  But he is no match for God.

God Inspired

We live in an age of information overload.  As the printed page has given way to digital, we find the world at our fingertips.  While this can be convenient, it in no means guarantees that what we are exposed to is accurate.  I was recently in Gettysburg and saw this quote, “Not everything you read on the internet is true.” – Abraham Lincoln.  In contrast, I find today’s passage from Jeremiah refreshing.  When God wanted to communicate to Israel and Judah, He spoke to the prophet Jeremiah and commanded him to take up a scroll and record the words that He would speak to him.  So it is with the entire Bible.  When we read it we are reading the Word of God.  We are not reading Jeremiah’s opinion on the latest events.  We are not being subjected to Isaiah’s attempts to indoctrinate us with his political convictions.  Nor is Moses trying to justify his actions.  Not at all.  When the authors of the Bible picked up “quill” and scroll, they did so at the inspiration of God Himself.  Such is what Paul tells us in the New Testament.

God Breathed

16 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” – II Timothy 3:15

Paul says that all Scripture is breathed out by God (theopneustos).  Just as the life of Adam was breathed into him by God, so it is with the Bible.  God, Himself is the origin.  He alone is the source.  Like the other authors God chose to use, Paul knew that he was simply an agent working on God’s behalf.  Don’t believe Paul?  Listen to what Jesus had to say.

4 “But He answered, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” – Matthew 4:4

When the devil tried to tempt Him in the wilderness, Jesus quoted words that proceeded from the mouth of God.  What a great weapon to wield against the devil’s wiles.  Peter, who himself was sifted by the devil penned these words at the inspiration of God.

21 “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” – II Peter 1:21

Peter would not take credit for his writings.  Nor did he attribute any credit to the Prophets.  Again, they were only instruments God chose to use to accomplish His task.  They were “carried along” by the Holy Spirit.

The Bible, Read it and Believe It!

Every Book.  Every Chapter.  Every Sentence.  Every Letter.  Inspired by God.  All of it is True!!

Every day, we have the Truth of God at our fingertips.  Might we be wise enough to read it.  Might we have the faith to believe it.  The fool isn’t the one who reads the newspaper.  He is the one who ignores God’s word.

“I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man.  All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us from this book.”  Abraham Lincoln

Lost in the House of the Lord

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“I have found the Book of the Law in the House of the Lord.” – 2 Kings 22:8

Jesus “lost” in the House of the Lord

Not much is known about Jesus’ childhood.  Luke chapter two records the account of Joseph and Mary taking Jesus to Jerusalem for the Passover when He was twelve years of age.  After the feast, Jesus was left behind inadvertently.  It took a day for Joseph and Mary to realize Jesus was not in their company and they headed back to Jerusalem.  After three days (that magical number) of searching, Jesus was found in the Temple.  When questioned by his distressed parents Jesus told them He wasn’t lost.  Rather He was right where He belonged, in His Father’s house.  Not the first time the Word of God was “lost” right where it was supposed to be.

The Book of the Law lost in the House of the Lord

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign in Jerusalem.  He would reign for thirty-one years.  In the eighteenth year of his reign, the Book of the Law was found in the House of the Lord during a building project.  The book made its way to King Josiah.  When King Josiah heard the words of the Book of the Law he tore his clothes.  He was convicted by Truth and feared the wrath of God.  His fear was that the wrath of God would be kindled against His people because they did not obey His word. Apparently, they were ignorant of God’s word because they had “lost” it.  In the House of the Lord?!  God’s verdict, “Behold, I will bring disaster on this place and on its inhabitants, all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read. Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore My wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.” (2 Kings 22:16-17). I appreciate Josiah’s desire to repair the Temple, but it makes me wonder what God thinks of building projects while His Word is neglected?  What good are busy hands with idol minds?

God’s Word or Idolatry?

When the Word of God is lost in the House of the Lord, idolatry runs rampant.  How quickly the golden calves come out of the fire when the Word is “silent”.  When the Word is lost, so are the people.  If the “House of the Lord” is not the home of the Word of the Lord what is it?  How many churches in our day have lost the Word?  What type of idolatry is taking place in many of the churches where Christ it supposed to be preached?  Charles Spurgeon was probably one of the greatest preachers and evangelists ever to live.  When asked what his “secret” to preaching was his reply was simple, “I take my  text and make a beeline to the Cross.”  Jesus belongs in every church.  He belongs in every pulpit.  Charles Spurgeon wanted Christ exalted every time he preached.  No tickling ears.  No compromising Truth.  No apologies.  No way!  The Word was not going to be lost on his watch.  I wish every so-called Christian church could say the same, but sadly that is not true.  We could probably go into many churches on any given Sunday and search for Jesus and never find him.  Reason to be distressed for sure.

What’s in your House?

When Joseph and Mary finally found Jesus in the Temple, “He was sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.”  What a picture.  The young Jesus in the Temple sitting, listening and learning.  The greatest Teacher ever, as a child, modeling for His children what they should be doing.  I am thankful for my local church and the faithfulness of the leadership to the Word of God.  Jesus is proclaimed as the Way, the Truth and the Life; without shame.   The Word of God is opened every Sunday and expounded.  Please don’t think I am boasting.  I’m just expressing my gratitude.  Paul admonished Timothy to guard the Treasure that was entrusted to him.  Every Christian church is responsible for doing the same.  The Word should never be lost in the “House of the Lord”.  No Christian should ever take the Word for granted.  Hopefully, it is not lost in your church or your home!

“I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your Word.” – Psalm 119:16