Still Working

“For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.” (Ps 74:12 AV)

 According to my reading schedule, the psalm was written during the fall of Judah.  It is suggested the writer is reflecting on the return of Judah and Israel to Palestine.  This verse is a verse of encouragement.  There are no profound thoughts here.  There are no new nuggets from which to glean.  The writer makes a point of saying that God is his King of old.  He makes a point that God has always been his King for as far back as he can remember.  Present circumstances do not change that.  Then, he defines the attribute of God that makes Him king.  That is, providing salvation amid the earth.  There are other ways in which a king might manifest his power and authority.  He is able to administer the law.  He requires obeisance.  A king builds and prospers.  A king protects from enemy threats.  A king does much to prove that he is king.  The one aspect of our King of kings is that he works salvation amid the earth.  Not merely provides for it.  Rather, He works it.

I don’t know if you have ever seen this in your town or city, but it is a frequent sight in some larger ones.  Several months back, I was traveling through Chicago.  If you have ever traveled through the city, you understand the speed limit is just a suggestion.  If the city of Chicago or the state of Illinois could take pictures of each license plate that went through its borders and fined them for speeding, they could cancel all income taxes.  So, seeing a law enforcement vehicle is not as common as one would think.  I was traveling west and behind me, I saw a vehicle with lights on top, in the grill, and the shape of a law enforcement vehicle.  It was traveling on the shoulder.  Typically, when in pursuit, this is what a law enforcement vehicle might do.  Having an overly active conscience, of the tens of thousands of cars in front and behind me, I thought he was after me.  Slowing down to the speed limit, the car came closer and closer.  Then I saw a car pulled off in the shoulder.  Immediately, I knew I was free.  This vehicle passed me and it was then I realized what it was.  There is a service that curses the interstate and assists vehicles in distress.  One might call it road-side assistance.  Their whole function is to listen for and look for vehicles in distress to give them gas, coolant, or fix a minor problem that would quickly get them back on the road and alleviate a traffic jam.  They cruse the highways working salvation where and when they see a need.

We often think of salvation in terms of eternal salvation.  We often think of the salvation of God as a one-time occurrence.  When it comes to our sin issue being eternally resolved, it is.  But God works all sorts of salvation.  Not just from sin and death.  He saves from all sorts of predicaments.  A good king will know the state of his citizenry.  He will allow them to fend for themselves.  Up and until their needs meet their ability.  Then he steps in and solves the issues.  We often forget how much God does for us.  We assume things happen on their own.  Just this morning, an angel unawares worked with the timing of my dog to find something very valuable that my wife had lost.  The entire event was designed by the miraculous hand of God.  Otherwise, we may have hazarded our belongings and even our lives.  But, God is working salvation amid all the earth.  All we must do is open our eyes and look for it.

Dedication Matters

“And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you: Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.” (Jer 35:18-19 AV)

The Rechabites were a family of the tribe of Judah.  Apparently, their forefather instructed them to be nomads, refraining from any product made from the vine.  This would have been a Nazarite type vow but going to the extreme of owning no land, tilling no fields, and building no houses.  None of these things were required.  There is evidence they kept this vow to at least three generations.  Earlier in the chapter, the LORD instructs Jeremiah to set before the Rechabites vats of wine with cups from which to drink.  To a ‘t’, they declined.  Expressing the seriousness of the vow, they would not go so far as to touch the wine.  It was this loyalty that the LORD recognized and promised there would be a descendant of the Rechabites who would always have an audience with God.

The factory in which I was employed had safety and procedure manuals which we were required to read and abide by.  These safety and procedure manuals covered most of what the worker would encounter on any given day.  What they did not cover was work ethic or organizational skills.  These manuals did not cover interpersonal skills.  They did not cover volunteer overtime.  There were a lot of things these manuals did not cover.  There were written and unwritten rules.  These rules were for the benefit of the individual as well as the team.  Rules like the safest manner in which to stage material for your line while not obstructing the ability of a neighboring line to function.  When review time came around, the first criteria for raises or promotions were to measurable criteria.  Attendance, zero safety violations, line output, and quality control.  Then the manager would look at the next tier of criteria.  Things like promptness, use of resources and time, and interpersonal skills.  Lastly, he or she may look at some of those intangibles.  A disciplined work ethic or a willingness to stay dedicated to the company in ways the company may not have (at least in writing) required of the employee.  Such as, coming in on one’s own time to be trained in skills not required for the job.

In our text, Judah is on the verge of falling to the Babylonians.  The Rechabites are gathering in Jerusalem for fear of the Chaldeans.  Jeremiah sets before them a test of their dedication to obedience and loyalty.  Now that they reside in the city, perhaps they will let down their guard.  Thinking they may be meeting their end, why not relax the vow.  They are going to die anyway.  But they didn’t.  They held fast to their vow even though the LORD never required it of them.  It was this level of discipline and integrity the LORD recognized and rewarded.  We are conditioned to do the bare minimum.  Only that which is required of us.  We are motivated by circumstances.  As long as we don’t suffer for evil choices and are blessed for good choices, that is enough.  The vast majority of us think that way.  But there is the rare Rechabite who is willing to go above and beyond was is required.  He or she is willing to stay on point and do what others are not motivated enough to do.  These Rechabites never went into captivity.  They were allowed to stay behind and care for the land.  Dedication, discipline, and integrity gave liberty where others lost theirs.

Encouragement From Prison

 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” (Jer 33:3 AV)

Jeremiah received this word while in the prison.  He was let down into a pit of more and muck.  This was made real to me when we took a missions trip to Ireland.  We visited Ross castle which we very near the Gap of Dunloe.  On the outside, it didn’t strike one as overly impressive.  But I do remember some of the insides.  I remember the banquet room very well.  The table was massive and the trophy mounts if now extinct Irish elk were impressive.  But one feature stood above them all.  The access to the dungeon was right off the great room.  It was very small.  They allowed visitors to descend into the pit, but it was discouraged.  Access was extremely tight.  Personally, I did not go down.  It was interesting in the fact it was restored far better than it was originally kept.  Completely painted and kept immaculately clean, that would not have been the condition almost a millennia ago.  It would have been dark, slimy, filthy, and unbearable.  This is the condition of our prophet and this is the context of which the above word of encouragement came to our man of God.  The exact meaning of this promise is that which the Spirit desires we consider.

If I am Jeremiah, I would hope the word above was the LORD’s way of telling me I shouldn’t lose hope because I would soon be taken out of that place.  He would be, but that is not what follows this divine suggestion.  If I am Jeremiah, I would hope this verse above was news that my situation would not be as unbearable.  I would hope this word of encouragement meant my suffering would soon be made a bit easier.  Especially since I had served the LORD so faithfully in a seemingly hopeless situation.  If I am Jeremiah, I am thinking that I gave my life to preach the word of God to a generation that would not heed a word.  Surely, that would have earned a respite from the persecution  I might now feel.  If I am Jeremiah, I am thinking the word above applied to my case because of all those years of mistreatment and no results.  Surely, the LORD would be kind to me for all that I have done for His glory.  If I am Jeremiah, I am thinking that perhaps the princes that defended me a few short months or years ago would take pity on me and free me.  Which they would eventually do.  But not until he has suffered a bit.  If I am Jeremiah, I am hoping the word above meant those who cast me into the dungeon would pay for their rebellion and I would be vindicated as soon as this word was spoken.

This is not what follows the verse above.  What follows is God’s promise of benevolent restoration to the children of God.  What follows is not good news for Jeremiah specifically, rather, the good news of restoration for the very nation that had plunged him into misery.  This may not seem like good news to Jeremiah, but those who are called into the service of declaring God’s word understand this.  Years ago, I did a boo-boo.  I vented.  Given the opportunity to preach, knowing that I was not in the right frame of spirit, all I did was to complain about the situation of which I found myself.  I was soundly chastened by two young preachers who followed me.  I deserved some of what they said.  However, they did remark that I should put up with all the abuse because they sacrifice to pay my paycheck and meet my needs.  They were young.  They will learn.  What they did not understand is that the majority of my frustration was not envy, resentment, or malice.  Rather, frustration over my congregation’s lack of desire to more completely walk with God and the consequences that would come of it.  I would have gladly given up any remuneration if they would simply surrender to God and live right.  This was the source of my frustration.  So, when Jeremiah received word that Israel, one day, would repent and walk after the God whom he served, even though he was knee-deep in the mire, it was all the encouragement he needed!  If God’s people, who are called by God’s name, would humble themselves, hear His voice, and obey His word, the man of God can, does, and will endure any hardship that comes his way with joy in his heart.

Flame in the Wilderness

“Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jer 31:2-3 AV)

It is important to remember even though the LORD must correct us, He hasn’t ceased to love us.  This is the context of Jeremiah chapter thirty-one.  There has been chapter after chapter of judgment and warning.  It must have been overbearing for the people to hear what they needed to hear.  Having rebuked and reproved, the LORD gives Jeremiah a message of exhortation.  His preaching is balanced by something Israel can never forget.  No matter how much they mess up, God still loves them.  No matter how much they disappoint, the LORD will still honor His covenant.  No matter how unfaithful they have been to Him, He will remain faithful forever.  That which the Spirit drew me to this morning is the first phrase I have underlined.  Israel found grace in the wilderness.  In context, that was Babylon and those left behind to till the land.  Prophetically, it will be the wilderness to which Israel flees in the time of Jacob’s trouble. 

When the LORD must correct, it often leaves us in a state of wilderness.  A state of unpredictability, lack of control, and no long term plan to improve our wilderness.  It is in those times we need to find the grace which God has provided.  They normally come is the little things that make the wilderness bearable.  I spent several years in the Boy Scouts.  It is not the same as the Boy Scouts of today.  I would not recommend a Bible-believing Christian get involved with them.  There are so many other alternatives that accomplish the same goals while keeping separate from the promotion of immorality.  Anyway, one of the merit badges one could earn was called wilderness survival.  Some merit badges were required.  This was one of them.  Usually, this merit badge was one you earned while attending summer camp.  Most of the work was textbook work.  The scout had to read and memorize certain plants.  Plants and trees that could be eaten as opposed to those which would poison the consumer.  The scout had to learn his knots and the appropriate knot for each occasion.  He had to learn how to build a temporary structure that would protect him from the elements.  He had to learn how to start a fire without matches and in wet conditions.  He had to learn triage.  He had to learn the identification of animal tracks.  Then came the test.  The leader would take his class on a remote part of the camp which had little to no access to the rest of the camp.  We left in the morning.  In the afternoon, we were tested on what we had learned.  The leader would randomly give out scenarios of physical injury and we had to administer triage and remain ‘injured’ until the test was over.

Then came the overnight test.  We were to build a lean-to.  A structure from branches, string, and our poncho.  We had to build a sleeping area with pine needles as our mattress.  Each scout had to build their own.  There was no communication allowed between scouts.  We were being trained on how to survive in the most extreme of circumstances.  At least for a fourteen-year-old.  No flashlight.  Only one match.  A hatchet, string, compass, poncho, mess kit, fishing line, hook. and the clothes on our backs. We were then tasked to assemble a meal from what we found in our immediate area.  Clover for a salad,  a panfish for our meat, and sumac for our tea.  Cooked over an open fire, it was delicious.  We were also tasked to keep our fire going throughout the night.  It some ways, this wilderness experience was a nightmare.

But, there is power in a flame.  There is something to be said for a campfire at one’s side.  As long as that fire remained, there was hope for warmth, food, and rescue.  Even though all of life’s comforts were removed, that little campfire was all the hope we needed.  When one is in dire straights, the feeling he gets when he has accomplished a flame is hard to explain.  Falling asleep and waking up the next day to see your fire has grown cold, knowing you have no more matches, is a sinking feeling.  Hopefully the flint you brought along will work.  That little fire was the grace in our wilderness.  It was the sum total of all hope.  We had learned how to gather and protect the wood from rain.  We had learned how to start a fire even if the wood was wet.  Nothing could conquer us because we had a fire.

The LORD asks us to go through hard times.  These times of correction are meant to serve one of two purposes.  They are meant to either correct sin (which was the case in Jeremiah 31) or build our faith (as in Abraham offering Isaac).  Either way, they are difficult, to say the least.  In those times, the LORD does not abandon us.  According to verse two of our passage, he loves us too much.  He provides grace in the middle of the wilderness.  Even if it’s a flicker of flame, it is there.  We forget that sometimes.  We are overwhelmed with the trouble that is all around us that we forget to look for the flame of grace.  It is there.  He isn’t hiding it.  Our eyes are not accustomed to looking for that flicker.  Like a small distant campfire in the wilderness, we have to learn how to look for it.  Shifting the eyes so our peripheral vision picks it up, we have to look at what we are not looking at.  It is there.  God has provided it.  We simply have to choose to look for it.

Effectiveness In The Midst of Hostility

“And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.” (Jer 29:7 AV)

The LORD’s instruction to His people was to learn to peaceably co-exist with their captors.  If they saught the peace of the city to which they would be carried away, not only would they personally have peace, but they would also be benefiting the city as well.  This would also help to ensure their safety.  Although we know by the book of Esther it was not always the case, for the most part, the Jewish population had a good testimony above all others in the eyes of their captive governments.  Not only were the people to seek the peace of the city, but they were also told to pray for that city.  They were to be more concerned with the depravity of the city and the city’s need of God then they were the conditions of their own captivity.  This is why the reader will notice Jews rising to the top of administrations.  There were Daniel and his three acquaintances.  There were Mordecai and Esther.  There was Nehemiah.  There was Moses.  There was Jeremiah.  There was Joseph.  On and on the list goes.  We see God use those believers who learn to live in peace and pray for the peace of their captors rather than look for every opportunity to stir strife or dissension.

Almost a decade ago, I volunteered and served as a hospital chaplain.  Many of my independent Baptist brethren accused me of compromise.  They erroneously believed I was compromising my individually held biblical convictions in order to work with faith traditions that believed a false plan of salvation.  They erroneously assumed I was hindered in my liberty to share the gospel of Christ with patients I might meet, or worse yet, be required to administer some rite which in good conscience, I could not do.  There were restraints put on my liberty but rather than fight against those restraints, I found a way around them that would honor the restriction but still effectively minister to the soul in need.  One of those restrictions was I could not promote my particular faith and had to support theirs. In good conscience, I could not.  The workaround was to introduce myself as a volunteer Chaplin who pastors a church in the area.  That led to a question of what church.  After I answered that, the next question was what I believed.  I learned to answer questions that would honor the restriction but would naturally generate questions from the patient.  In this way, I was not aggressively promoting the gospel, but rather, generating an atmosphere where I could share my faith.  The point is, I didn’t fight what seemed like an unreasonable compromise.  I simply asked the LORD to give me wisdom in how to do that which He called me to do while keeping peace with those who ruled over me.  This opened doors of witness that I would never have ever had before.

Whether we like it or not, in this world we are captives.  The believer is always in the minority.  We will always live in a hostile world.  Our calling is not to rise up and fight off the physical restrains of an ungodly government for the sake of personal liberty.  That doesn’t mean we should reasonably fight for it if it can be won.  What this does mean is we are not called to fight a physical battle for liberty.  We are called to fight a spiritual battle for the sake of freeing those who are captive to sin – not governmental control.  As Paul said, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Eph 6:12 KJV)  Some may look at my words and accuse me of being a sheeple or compromiser.  To be a sheeple, one must believe all those who are trying to control you are saying.  I do not.  I don’t have to believe it in order to comply.  Rather, I choose to fight a bigger battle than the little one which the pre-occupied have chosen to make large.  The battle we are to fight is for the souls of mankind and that requires we seek peace, pray for peace, and pray for those who wish to control us.

The Burden of Believing a Lie

“And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more: for every man’s word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God.” (Jer 23:36 AV)

 The context is very important here.  In verse thirty-four, the false prophet, the carnal priest, and the backslidden people say they will punish the faithful prophet for his message.  They do not appreciate, nor will they follow, the message of the preacher.  They are so upset at the truth they threaten to exterminate the messenger.  Like that is going to change anything.  Then, the LORD tells our preacher to respond with a question.   In verse thirty-five, the prophet is to respond by asking the disobedient the words and nature of the word of the LORD.  If you will not accept the message the LORD gave to me, you tell me, what did the LORD say?  How did the LORD answer your request for His word?  As they responded, we see the consequences the LORD lays upon the disobedient.  Whatever they believe the LORD said, will be their burden to bear.  If they are found out to be wrong, there will be no opportunity to correct it.  It will be too late.  They will bear the burden of believing and preaching a lie.  In the context of Judah and Jerusalem, it was believing and preaching peace when the LORD is preaching judgment.

The factory I worked in, like most factories, had safety hazards.  We had safety coordinators whose job it was to recommend safety procedures to the assembled coordinators who would then make factory-wide safety protocols.  These coordinators were then responsible for taking these protocols to their respective departments, educating their fellow employees, and enforcing the new protocols by writing up those who did not follow them.  We had a coordinator who was also our department EMT.  He had gone through training and was medically qualified to administer first aid.  What was rather ironic was this young man was the worst at following the very protocols he was part of creating.  He would stick his hand in moving equipment.  He would not lock out his line with safety locks.  This would permit someone else the ability to start up a line while it was being worked on.  He repeatedly failed to use safety gloves while working with his utility knife.  Others told him to follow his own rules or something bad was going to happen.  He was young and super-fast in reacting to his environment.  He believed he was impervious to consequences because he had the dexterity to avoid it all.  However, time and chance caught up to him.  And he tore up his hand by sticking it in moving equipment.  His sincere belief did not stop eventual consequences.

Just because we choose to believe a falsehood doesn’t inoculate us against that falsehood.  The LORD is not obligated (in fact it would be against His nature) to accept the fact we believe a lie simply because we hold it sincerely and with, what we assume to be, a pure heart.  A falsehood is a falsehood not matter the spirit or intention for which it is held.  The people of Judah were told if they believe in peace when there was going to be correction, they would bear the burden of that belief.  Part of that burden was a harsher judgment when Babylon did arrive.  When the enemy arrived, Judah was told to surrender and they would be taken into captivity with less severe consequences.  However, because they fought against the king of Babylon, their city was burned, the were taken into custody in a very shameful way, men lost their lives, and leaders lost their prodigy.  It wasn’t pretty.  Many hold onto false beliefs because they believe sincerity is the authority for such a belief.  Things like salvation by faith plus works – false.  Christian liberty means liberty to live as one pleases – false.  Calvinism – false.  No such thing as hell – false.  Salvation by good works alone – false.  God does not judge – false.  The government is the solution to all our problems – false.  There are consequences for believing and preaching lies and it is the faithless that bear their own burden.  God will not excuse our willful ignorance.  There will be ramifications.  Seek the truth and find it.  Only then can we be free from ourselves.

They Rejoice At Your Fall

“Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.” (Jer 22:9 AV)

It is both horrific and ironic that the ones who lead Israel into compromise are the same ones who understand exactly what happened to them.  Those who are speaking above are the neighbors of Israel that led them into compromise.  These neighboring nations enticed Israel into idol worship and immorality.  These were non-believers.  These were people who claimed they didn’t worship the God of Israel and worshiped other gods.  They claimed (although, apparently not true) they didn’t believe in the God of Israel.  Looking above, they most certainly did believe in the existence of the God of Israel.  What they refused to do is submit to Him.  This is exactly the case from the time of Adam and Eve until now.  John tells us that Jesus Christ is the light that lights every man that comes into this world.  This means, everyone has an intuitive knowledge of the existence of the One true God.  Denying it doesn’t make it so.  Someone who is lost is under the condemnation and wrath of God.  They refuse to submit to Him by repentance from sin and trust in Jesus Christ.  From the verse above, we see those who would reject God also know the people of God suffer because of their disobedience towards Him.

Have you ever noticed that kid you went to school with who seemed to get away with murder?  That no-good kid who was so smart, he could out whit the teachers.  This kind of kid wasn’t usually one of the popular ones.  He wasn’t usually one of the outwardly rebellious ones.  He was the kind of kid who was really smart and talented at strategic thinking.  He was the one who didn’t have a whole lot of friends, but rather, he made friends of the easily manipulated.  He, or she, would be the one who would set up others to take the fall while he walked away scot-free.  There was such a person in my class.  No matter where I went to school, and I went to a few, there was always the one person who fits this description.  After being burned once, you learn real quick not to make friends with a person like this.  I was fortunate.  Even though these guys tried to make victims out of me, I never took the bate.  Not so true with my other classmates.  There was on fella in particular.  He will remain nameless.  He was susceptible to this allurement all the time.  He was rejected by the ‘in’ crowd.  He didn’t fit in with the nerds, either.  He would be the toady for a master manipulator and suffer the consequences more deserving of his boss.  His master knew that eventually, he would get caught.  He didn’t refuse to believe in the existence of the teacher or her ability to inflict justice.  He simply knew how to get around it for a very long time.  The way he figured it, he was going to eventually get caught, so his pleasure was seeing others take the fall because he eventually will, too.

The world is a cruel place.  The child of God must understand this.  They are doomed.  And they know it.  So, the only pleasure they can derive from their fatal condition is to see the fall of those who will not suffer as they will.  This is satanic.  It is right out of Revelation chapter twelve.  Being eternally removed from access to heaven, and knowing his days are numbered, the Devil turns his attention to what God loves in an attempt to destroy it.  Pure contempt on his part.  Learn this lesson.  The world does not care about you.  In fact, they take pleasure in your failure.  They use the excuse they do not believe in God and therefore not accountable to Him.  They believe stating a position of unbelief grants them the liberty to do as they please.  However, when the child of God is chastened, they clearly state their belief in the existence of God.  So, the enticement to walk after them is wicked to the deepest degree.  It may seem innocent.  It may seem as though the world is simply blind to God’s existence and therefore, we can cut them a little slack.  Have compassion on them and try to reach them; absolutely.  But we cannot let our guard down and think for a moment their enticements are based on ignorance of God.  They certainly are not.