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Devotional thoughts (Monday through Thursday mornings) from the pastor of Exeter Presbyterian Church in Exeter, NH // Sunday Worship 10:30am // 73 Winter Street

Friday, February 01, 2008

Jeremiah 21

What a surprise to hear from a King of Judah who wants to inquire of the word of the Lord through Jeremiah! Here we have suddenly moved ahead chronologically to the time of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah during the time of the deportation of the people to Babylon. We have fast-forwarded to the time of that king’s final hope for deliverance from his enemies. At the final hour in a long trial we may find ourselves suddenly willing to turn to God, but could it be that it will be too late, at least for the gift that we may be seeking at that time?

King Zedekiah has sent an official (not the same Pashhur as in the previous chapter) to Jeremiah. While he instructs him to inquire of the Lord for the nation, he is well aware of the specific threat against them, mentioning here both the country and the leader. His only hope is that the Lord will do a wonderful deed as he did in the days of Hezekiah when Isaiah announced God’s mercy in delaying his judgment against Judah.

The word that he receives is nothing like what he wants. He desires that the weapons of the Babylonians would be rendered ineffective against the Lord’s people, and that somehow these weapons would be turned against the Babylonians themselves. What happens instead is that the Lord says that it will be the weapons of the army of Judah that will be turned back against themselves. There is no longer any remaining question of “if” God will destroy Jerusalem. The only question is “when.” It appears that the frightening answer is that the judgment will come immediately.

That is not the only horrifying detail. To add to the certainty of the events that are foretold here, the Lord announces through Jeremiah over and over again that He will be the one doing these things. He says, “I will strike down the inhabitants of this city.” “I myself will fight.” “I will give Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand” of his adversary. This will not be the fate merely of the king, but of the people. The victor, Nebuchadnezzar, will accomplish his violent plan, but the Lord is the one who is bringing this about.

The way of righteousness now is through a patient submission to this sanction as coming from the hand of the Almighty. It is not the Lord’s aim at this late date to call for repentance. The time has come for Judah to face the sanction of the Sinai Covenant, just as Israel did some time before from the hands of the Assyrians. The one who resists this sanction will die by the sword, by famine, or by pestilence. The safe and even godly way is to willingly face the verdict of God coming to them through the Babylonian rulers.

How could things have ever gotten this bad? No last minute provision of a ram in the thicket. No sudden destruction of the multitude of the opposing forces. Simply face this sanction of exile as those who must trust the only true God, for it is God Himself who will fight against them. He has set His face against Jerusalem for harm, and there is no way to stop the coming destruction.

The chapter closes with a statement against the house of David, now represented by Zedekiah. The Lord is against the king. The pride of the one who presumptuously declares that no one will be able to take Jerusalem does not in any way please the Lord. The evil deeds of the king and the people speak against them. The destruction of Jerusalem will be like a fire that devours everything for miles around.

If this is the anger of God that comes against His people for their violation of the Sinai Covenant; if this is the fate of the people in the land of God’s gift, how would we face the day of His final wrath against us for our violation of His moral Law? There will be no special new hope of putting off that day when the Judge of all the earth comes to judge. The only hope for us is the one old answer that has been the trust of the righteous for centuries. God Himself must be my substitute. This is what has happened through the provision of our holy Messiah Jesus Christ.

When we hear the sound of the trumpet; when the sun turns to darkness and the moon to blood on that great day of the Lord, there will be no remaining opportunity for anyone to send a messenger to inquire of the Lord as to whether there would be a way of putting this all off for another generation. Today is the day to respond to the Lord with true faith and complete surrender. This is what the believer has done. He hears the word of God and believes. He responds to the call of Christ now, not presuming that any deal could be arranged when the heavens begin to look ominous with the frightening return of the Lord. There is no benefit that comes from delay, or from efforts at alignment with God on some future occasion. Now is the day of salvation.

posted by Pastor Magee @ 7:00 AM

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