Honest Work

“Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.” (Jer 48:10 AV)

This statement is directed toward the Chaldeans.  They were directed to chasten the Moabites.  The Moabites were protectorates of Israel.  Israel controlled the territory even though the Moabites governed themselves.  Yet, the Moabites refused to allow the God of Israel to influence their nation.  Instead, they became a stumbling block to Israel, leading them into apostasy.  When Babylon invaded Judah, Moab rebelled.  God commanded Nebby and the Chaldeans to invade Moab, yet they chaffed at it.  So, the LORD makes this statement to those who are the human tool of His hand upon the disobedient.  The chapter does not reveal the motive behind Babylon’s reluctance to exercise judgment upon Moab.  It really doesn’t matter.  When the LORD directs His servants to serve, they really need to serve.  Doing so only half-way is not good enough.  God expects us to serve to our fullest ability.

We know this passage has to do with violence.  But it can be applied no matter the calling.  Babylon was called to be the chastening hand of God in the middle east, starting with Israel.  We are not called to be that chastening hand of God.  At least not to that degree.  We may be called to chasten our children, correct employees, or if we are in full-time Christian service, to correct those sheep under our care.  But invading the house of a disobedient saint is not in our purview.  This principle can apply no matter what we are called to do.  Keeping back is the problem here.  In context, it is the sword.  This is certainly easy to do.  No one likes confrontation.  Well, most do not like it.  We may hold back preaching the truth because we know the reaction will not be a good one.  We may hold back rebuking a saint for unsaintly behavior.  We may not go visit someone because we know it will end in an argument.  There are other ways we can hold back.  We can hold back compassion because we are burned out.  We can hold back instruction because we are frustrated over having to argue the same truths over and again.  We can hold back laboring with our hands because we feel like we are the only ones doing it. 

The deceit here is not improper motive.  The deceit here is feigning faithfulness and stewardship when one has not completed the call of God on one’s life.  Working those things which we enjoy while avoid those parts of God’s call which we would rather not is working the work of God in deceit.  We may not like to perform certain tasks.  But those tasks are still required.  It takes a mature and disciplined person to work the work of God with complete faithfulness.  It takes a saint who is willing to chasten himself into what he does not like to do so that the work of the LORD will continue.  This is where Babylon failed.  This is where you and I cannot.