Submission

Jeremiah. I do not know a lot about him but I’ve been learning! That’s why today’s blog is about Jeremiah and the word he had from the Lord.

I have been going through the chronological Bible and boy, am I making some connections I haven’t made before! There was a section of last week where I had missed a bunch of days of reading. So thanks to the ESV and YouBible people, I listened to the scripture that I hadn’t read yet on my way to work. The section I was on was Jeremiah. What was really cool is that I was able to hear all the chapters as one and I found an amazing story indeed!

I’m going to start in chapter 18, since that’s where I started in my car.

The Lord gives Jeremiah a vision of a potter. Verse 4 says “but the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.”

It continues, “Then the Lord gave me this message, “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand. If I announce that a certain nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, run down, and destroyed, but that nation renounces its evil ways, I will not destroy it as I had planned. And if I announce that I will plant and build up a certain nation or kingdom but then that nation turns to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless it as I said I would? ... Say to them this is what the Lords says: I am planning disaster for you instead of good. So turn from your evil ways, each of you, and do what is right.”

I love that visual! The Lord can make good things out of bad even if the process sometimes hurts and takes a while. What we are about to find out is that Israel goes under such a process.

In chapter 26, the Lord tells Jeremiah that he needs to stand in front of the Temple of the Lord and make an announcement to everyone there. What I find really important is that He tells Jeremiah to “Give them my entire message; include every word.” (Jeremiah 26:2b) Then goes on to say, “Perhaps they will listen and turn from their evil ways. Then I will change my mind about the disaster I am ready to pour our on them because of their sins.” (Jeremiah 26:3)

Even before the Lord tells His people about his plans for their destruction, He is already hoping He doesn’t have to do it! I think we can all identify with not wanting to discipline our children, but we are willing to if we have to for their benefit!

So what does He say? “Tell them that the Lord says, ‘You must obey me! You must live according to the way I have instructed you in my laws. You must pay attention to the exhortations of my servants the prophets. I have sent them to you over and over again. But you have not paid any attention to them. If you do not obey me, then I will do to this temple what I did to Shiloh. And I will make this city an example to be used in curses by people from all the nations on the earth.’” (Jeremiah 26:4-6)

Ouch. Tough parenting. But in order to make a new pot the old pot has to be destroyed right?

But the crowd responded in typical bad behavior fashion:

“Jeremiah had just barely finished saying all the Lord had commanded him to say to all the people. All at once some of the priests, the prophets, and the people grabbed him and shouted, ‘You deserve to die!’” (Jeremiah 26:8)

All I can say is, “Run Jeremiah, run!”

However, the Lord took care of Jeremiah. Long story short, the people did not kill Jeremiah.

But King Jehoiakim was much different. The prophet Uriah was telling people the same thing and the king killed him. Not looking too good for Jeremiah or the people of Israel.

So now some Biblical history! In 2 Kings chapter 24 we find out that Babylon invaded the land of Judah and King Jehoiakim surrendered to King Nebuchadnezzar and paid tribute to him for three years. However, he then rebelled. When he rebelled, Babylonian, Aramean, Moabite and Ammonite raiders destroyed Judah (just like the Lord promised!) and Jehoiakim died. His son Jehoiachin became the next king (verse 6). He however, did evil in the sight of the Lord just like his dad and he only lasted three months! King Nebuchadnezzer came up and besieged Jesrusalem and King Jehoiachin surrendered.

So Jerusalem was destroyed, just like Jeremiah had told the people at the temple. King Nebuchadnezzar exiled 7,000 of the best troops and 1,000 craftsman and artisans who were fit for war (verse 16). King Nebuchadnezzar then appointed Zedekiah (formerly Mattanhiah) king. But as war continued, there was a lot of talk amongst the people to rebel against the Babylonians and regain their city back. King Zedekiah was caught between the will of his people and the will of the king who appointed him king of Judah!

Now back to Jeremiah, chapter 27.

The Lord tells Jeremiah to fasten a yoke to himself and send messages to the kings that have come to see King Zedekiah in Jerusalem (verse 3). This is what the Lord said:

“Charge them to give their masters a message from me. Tell them, ‘The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says to give your masters this message. “I made the earth and the people and animals on it by my mighty power and great strength, and I give it to whomever I see fit. I have at this time placed all these nations of yours under the power of my servant, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I have even made all the wild animals subject to him. All nations must serve him and his son and grandson until the time comes for his own nation to fall. Then many nations and great kings will in turn subjugate Babylon. But suppose a nation or a kingdom will not be subject to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Suppose it will not submit to the yoke of servitude to him. I, the Lord, affirm that I will punish that nation. I will use the king of Babylon to punish it with war, starvation, and disease until I have destroyed it. So do not listen to your prophets or to those who claim to predict the future by divination, by dreams, by consulting the dead, or by practicing magic. They keep telling you, ‘You do not need to be subject to the king of Babylon.’ Do not listen to them, because their prophecies are lies. Listening to them will only cause you to be taken far away from your native land. I will drive you out of your country and you will die in exile. Things will go better for the nation that submits to the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon and is subject to him. I will leave that nation in its native land. Its people can continue to farm it and live in it. I, the Lord, affirm it!”’” (Jeremiah 27:4-11)

Whoa!! That’s a big command from the Lord! Just like the clay submitted in the hand of the potter, the Lord wanted his people to submit to the authority God has placed over them or they would be destroyed! The Bible goes on to say that this was the same message to King Zedekiah. So the question is, did Zedekiah listen?

The Bible says that he didn’t listen (chapter 37 verse 2) but he called for Jeremiah and asked Jeremiah “Please pray to the Lord our God for us.” This makes me laugh. I feel like he did what many of us do today. We know we are not in the will of God, but we ask Him to bless our plans anyways. The Lord tells Jeremiah “The king of Judah set you to ask me what is going to happen. Tell him ‘Pharaoh’s arm is about to return to Egypt, though he came here to help you. Then the Babylonians will come back and capture this city and burn it to the ground.’”

How’s that for a direct answer?

Long story short, Jeremiah gets arrested on false charges. The king gives him special treatment as a prisoner. In my opinion (and I may be wrong) I think it’s because he believes Jeremiah. But deep down, he likes the idea of being a sovereign king. He likes the idea of being in control and calling the shots. However, he is having to conduct a war in a city that is low on morale and food. Letting his troops hear that they are going to lose doesn’t do much for them wanting to fight to save their city and make him king over it.

There comes a point where Zedekiah and Jeremiah have a heart to heart. Jeremiah has been in prison and the city is under siege. The king asks Jeremiah “I want to ask you something and don’t hide the truth” (chapter 38 verse 14). He asks what the Lord would have him do in this situation. Jeremiah tells him, “If you surrender to the Babylonian officers, you and your family will live, and the city will not be burned down. But if you refuse to surrender, you ill not escape! This city will be handed over to the Babylonians and they will burn it to the ground.”

I think this is an amazing point in King Zedekiah’s life! God is in the midst of bringing the destruction he promised on Jerusalem but he is giving the king one more chance. The Lord has already said it is his will for all nations to be subjects under Babylon and those who surrender will remain in their native lands and will live. Those who don’t will be destroyed. Surrendering to Babylon is equivalent to surrendering to the will of God, and this is the choice that King Zedekiah has at this moment!

Unfortunately, Zedekiah didn’t surrender. He said, “But I am afraid to surrender. For the Babylonians may hand me over to the Judeans who have defected to them. And who knows what they will do to me!” What is also not stated is that he would have to give up the dream of being a sovereign king and being in control.

Zedekiah was more afraid of what people would do to him rather than what the Lord would do through him. Because of his unwillingness to put his trust in the Lord, the Babylonians destroyed his family and Jerusalem. The very thing Zedekiah was afraid of happening if he surrendered happened because he didn’t surrender. The Bible tells us him and his family went through a gruesome and traumatic death.

While this is a very sad story in Zedekiah, the amazing thing is, God still brought about his glory through the Israelites. They were crushed just like the clay in the dream Jeremiah had under Babylon for a number of years. But the Lord reformed the pot and brought them back to their land to rebuild (details on that is a whole ‘nother blog). God still showed his glory to the nations and transformed the people of Israel though the reign of the Babylonians.

What should also be stated is you have that choice too. God is telling you to do something right now. I don’t know what it is. It may seem hard. It may be uncomfortable. But what you don’t realize is He has a plan for you and he wants you to fulfill it and see God’s glory shine in your life to those around you! What it takes however, is submission to the process. Being reformed into the person Jesus has planned for you isn’t easy.

This story taught me that yes, the process is hard. But I cannot let the fear I have had in my life keep me from surrendering to the process. I am going to have to give up control of a few things. But I hold onto the promise that God has that He has a future for me if I look for Him wholeheartedly.

I’m willing to do it and I have already begun the process. The question is, are you?