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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

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Jeremiah 36

Josiah was one of the greatest kings in the history of Judah. Three of his sons and one of his grandsons also reigned after him, but their years as kings were far below the standard of the reign of their father and grandfather. In the days of Johoiakim, one of the sons of Josiah, we have recorded a very disappointing episode showing a callous disregard for the Word of the Lord.

We might expect that the king would have paid more attention to the Word of the Lord after suffering some of the setbacks that he faced. The episode described in this chapter took place during a time when Babylonian forces were coming against Jerusalem. Though the final destruction of the city would come later, in a first mini-exile, a number of people would be taken away to Babylon. Whatever adversity he faced prior to this event, rather than it leading to a godly repentance, it appears that the king has become hardened in rebellion against God.

The occasion described here came by God’s instruction. The Lord told Jeremiah to record on a scroll all the words that God had spoken to him over his years of prophetic ministry. Some of these words were specifically directed against Israel and Judah, but other messages were for different nations. Much of what would have been contained on a scroll like that would have been close to the content of large sections of the book we call Jeremiah in the Hebrew Old Testament. The Lord indicated that these words were to be read, and that the proper reaction to this revelation would be a sincere repentance that would be expressed in mourning for sin, but also a true change of heart expressed in new behavior.

The writing of a scroll like this was a time-consuming and expensive project. It involved many hours of effort on the part of Jeremiah who dictated the words, and also Baruch his scribe who recorded the words on the scroll. The effort was not only physical, time-consuming, and expensive. It would also be emotionally taxing, since the speaker was reviewing messages of the utmost importance for the nation that came from God, messages that had not been adequately considered and obeyed.

Baruch took the product of these efforts to the Lord’s house, and read these words in the hearing of the people during a day of fasting. It appears that there were two other audiences granted to a group of religious and civic officials who listened to the words on the scroll. The message of Jeremiah seemed to find its mark in the hearts of some of these important people, and they determined to have this message read to the king. Neither Jeremiah, nor even Baruch was present for this, since everyone understood that the reading of these words could bring great trouble upon these men.

The reaction of the king was scandalous. Despite the objections of some of his officials, the king cut off strips of the scroll as it was read and tossed these into the fire that was warming the assembly in the winter house of the king. Throughout the history of God’s speech to men, there can be little doubt that there have been many disrespectful reactions by those who heard the Word of God, yet this is one of the most memorable, breath-taking in its defiance of the power and authority of God.

This was not the final Word, however. God set Jeremiah onto the task of preparing a second scroll with essentially the same message. This time there was an additional curse on Jehoiakim, that he would have none to sit on the throne of David. It was as if the Davidic kingdom was over at this point until the arrival of the new King many centuries later. That final King, the Lord Jesus Christ, would have a reign as king that would last forever and ever.

What was it in the message of Jeremiah that disturbed Jehoiakim so deeply and provoked such a deep and impious reaction? We are told that it was the prophet’s forthright word that the king of Babylon would come and destroy the land, and that he would cut off from it man and beast. The King refused to accept this word.

Burning the scroll can never change the Word of God. The King heard the words of God. There really was no benefit that could come from trying to destroy the evidence. Why would he do this, except to express his complete disdain for the Lord’s prophet and for the message that he came to speak?

When the Word of God came in person, the reaction of the proud was similar to this. Killing the Son of God could never have changed the fact of the Word of God incarnate. In His death He accomplished His mission. How do you stop someone who will achieve His deepest goal when you put Him to death? Though enemies despised the Word of the Lord, there was nothing that anyone could do to stop the saving power of God’s Word.

posted by Pastor Magee @ 7:00 AM

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