Read Jeremiah 40.
Proverbs 16:7-"When a man's ways please the LORD, he makes even his
enemies to be at peace with him."
Chained and herded along with all the other captives, Jeremiah had been taken
to Ramah. Here, the captain of the guard decided the fate of each one.
Many were marched to Babylon. The poorest of the poor were allowed
to stay in the land.
The captain's words to Jeremiah in verses 2-3 clearly indicate that he knew who
Jeremiah was and about the messages from God that he delivered. Jeremiah
was not part of the rebellion and posed no threat. Indeed, God's message
to Judah was to surrender to the Babylonians. As a result, Jeremiah was
unchained and given absolute freedom. Not only that, the captain presented
Jeremiah with provisions and a present.
Jeremiah chose to stay in Judah. His ministry changed. No longer
would he be preaching to kings and the people of Jerusalem. Jerusalem had
been destroyed and the seat of government moved to Mizpah. Those
remaining were either very poor, a remnant of soldiers in the field who just
discovered what happened, or untrustworthy rebels.
Years had passed and the prophecies of the LORD concerning Judah's downfall
came true. Jeremiah suffered but not at the hands of the enemy. It
was his own people who refused to listen to God's word that tried to do him
harm. Even the unbelieving captain could see that God's word was true.
Ultimately, trust for our lives must be in the Sovereign LORD. He is
working His plan in His time. Meanwhile, He requires us to be faithful
servants, taking what comes-good and bad-knowing that there are rewards waiting
for those who love Him. It is by faith, not by feeling or by sight, that
we hold on to this truth. "And without faith it is impossible to
please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and
that he rewards those who seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)
No comments:
Post a Comment