Good Morning Friends,
God’s messenger does not always have good news
to bring. Sometimes God’s message is a word of warning or even an announcement
of judgment. That’s the word that Jeremiah brought to the people of Judah. God’s
patience with them had run out. It was time for judgment.
God had instructed them to obey Him. That was
His consistent message from the very beginning of His relationship with the
people of Israel. God told Jeremiah, “From the time I brought your forefathers
up from Egypt until today, I warned them again and again, saying, ‘Obey me.’
But they did not listen or pay attention; instead they followed the
stubbornness of their evil hearts.” (Jeremiah 11:7-8)
Instead of obedience, the people of Judah chose
disobedience. They continued to worship God in the ceremonies that He had given
them, but they also worshiped false gods in clear disobedience to God’s commands.
“You have as many gods as you have towns, O Judah; and the altars you have set
up to burn incense to that shameful god Baal are as many as the streets of
Jerusalem.” (Jeremiah 11:13)
Because of their disobedience, God told
Jeremiah to announce the coming of judgment. In response, instead of repenting,
the people of Judah turned against the messenger! They plotted to kill him
thinking that if you get rid of the messenger then his message will not come
true.
God protected Jeremiah from death, but not from
all the pain of the opposition that there was to his message and to him. God’s
messengers must sometimes bring bad news and sometimes bear the hatred and
opposition of those who do not want to hear that message! God’s message is not
just about peace and blessing and health and prosperity. It’s about truth. And
sometimes the truth is hard to hear!
His, by Grace, Steve
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