No Paradise Here

“But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God, Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell:” (Jer 42:13-14 AV)

In one sense, we cannot blame these Jews for wanting to escape to a place that seems a far cry from the trouble they just left. Babylon had come, took away most of the nation, and burned their capital city to the ground.  They left behind a small remnant to care for the land.  The poorest of the nation were left behind to husband the land.  Babylon left Gedeliah as governor, but a man by the name of Ishmael killed him, all the Jews that were with him, and all the Chaldeans that stood watch over the whole land.  Furthermore, when a group of worshippers came to Jerusalem for to worship, Ishmael met the in Mizpah and killed all but a few there.  He threw their bodies in a pit and left them there to rot.  If I were one of the remaining Jews, I think I would also flee to Egypt.  As long as the LORD was chastening Israel, who in their right mind would want to stick around for that?  The problem is, the made an assumption that would not be true.  They thought they could flee troublesome circumstances and on this side of glory there may be a place that had no trouble.  This is not the case.  Eventually, Babylon would invade Egypt and God’s hand would find them there.

There isn’t a soul that enjoys living with stress day in and day out.  We want to live in peace and contentment.  It is summer time.  Many are seeking an escape from the demands of life.  Just yesterday found me sitting on a porch swing of a large lodge overlooking a lake.  It was warm, but the breeze was coming off the lake and it felt heavenly.  There was human activity, but compared to the large city in which I dwell and minister, it was very quiet.  It was a place where one can forget the problems of life and enjoy the simplicity which is God’s creation.  However, the day came to an end and we had to return to our hectic life in the big city.  Part of me enjoyed that day.  Part of me didn’t.  I have come to realize that trouble means growth.  I have come to realize the LORD allows or sends hardships as opportunities to change who and what we are.  They are opportunities to overcome and feel the joy which accompanies a victory.

So much of our “Christian” community is designed to avoid troublesome times.  Weak doctrinal stands mean no arguments or striving for the truth.  No separation standards mean no battle with the inner man to overcome our own desires.  Hiring a staff to meet our needs rather than volunteering to help minister to the needs of others means we are spoiled, catered to, and fed.  Many of our churches have gone down into Egypt thinking they can exist trouble free.  Not so.  Perhaps in the short run.  However, like the changing of the seasons, it will not remain that way.  Just look at all these types of churches that are now learning of the immorality that has been going on behind closed doors among their leadership.  Trouble free Egypt is an illusion, It doesn’t exist. The battle is coming whether we want it to or not.  There is no distance far enough that will separate us from the trouble this world brings.  It is better to stay in the battle than to flee from it.  That is what Jeremiah was trying to share with those who went to Egypt.  Better to submit to the correction of the LORD than to think one can flee from it.  It will find you whether you want it to or not.