Jeremiah 42 – 46

Verse 42:3 opens with the people asking Jeremiah for guidance from God:

Pray that the Eternal your God will tell us where to go and what to do.

As you read the story you find out that the people really didn’t want this, but rather to be told what they wanted to hear. How many times have we done something like this ourselves? We ask for guidance and when we get it we don’t like it only to change direction. Verse 42:10 is very clear on what God wants of his people:

“If you will stay here in this land, I will bless and protect you. I will rebuild you and not tear you down. I will plant you anew and not uproot you. For I deeply regret the disaster I had to bring upon you.

But if they go to Egypt the “wars <they> fear and the famine <they> dread will follow <them> into Egypt.” (v42:16) Seems like a simple option, say and prosper or leave and die. The choice is clear, but not what the leaders wanted to hear. They wanted to be “safe” in their minds and said “these words are lies!” (v43:2) With that their minds were made up, even though Jeremiah attempted to sway them, off to Egypt and death was the decision.

Verse 44:10 is God lamenting their disobedience:

To this day, I’ve seen no evidence of sorrow or regret for what has been done by My people. They have shown no reverence for Me, nor have they obeyed My law and the decrees I set before them and their ancestors.”

They go into Egypt worshiping idols and other gods without any though to the one true God who saved them so many times. God will play only so long with our insolence and then he breaks. As you read on He still gives them an opportunity to save themselves, but they choose to do what they want.

The sad part of this story is we still see this rejection every day in the church. Sometimes it’s by teaching and other times it’s the congregation just saying no. There has been some questionable teaching, mostly notably the “Prosperity Preachers” who require you to give to them to receive “monetary blessings from God”. They twist scripture out of context to get hoards to believe that giving to Pastor XYZ will give them great wealth and therefore happiness.

I wonder what God truly thinks about us today? Does Jesus really cover a multitude sins or are we just a ticking time bomb? I know I live in fear sometimes of doing things wrong and not figuring it out until it’s too late. Revelations is “a coming” and we need to be ready!