Jeremiah 38

From the day we are born till the day we die, we all live in the shadow of death. It may not seem so acute or the shadow so large as in times of war, famine, plague, or another crisis. Generally, we are rightfully busily engaged in this gift called life and tend not to focus on that inevitable outcome of our lives. But death is always around, stalking and taking the lives of people.

As we consider an unknown future, the thought came to my mind that ‘When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we do not need to fear it as a child of God. Death is problematic, but fear is an even more significant threat. Fear paralyzes people. It keeps them from moving forward, from doing what is right. The challenges the prophet Jeremiah faced in bringing God’s message of impending judgment to an unreceptive nation took continual courage to remain faithful to God and His message for His people. People often reject the truth because it is not what they want to hear. While many ignore the message, others threatened by the message become hostile to the messengers.

Fear does strange things to people. Some are almost superstitious in their avoidance of ‘negative talk.’ It is almost as if they believe that to silence the words means to avoid the reality to which they may point. So-called ‘gag orders’ are intended to keep someone from publicly stating a truth when it may be injurious.

How do we handle opposition toward us? What do we do with death threats? Persecution is a very real reality for believers. Jeremiah’s message was speaking directly against the establishment of his day. His message was counter-cultural, and many opponents wanted to silence him. How are we responding to God’s message today?

In Jeremiah 38, we discover three responses toward God’s message that some reject, while it is the only means of addressing our ultimate enemy: death.

Jeremiah 37

In the editor's synopsis of Barbara Tuchman's book, 'The March of Folly,' we see the historical tragedy of folly in human governance. "A phenomenon noticeable throughout history regardless of place or period is the pursuit by governments of policies contrary to their own interests. Mankind, it seems, makes a poorer performance of government than of almost any other human activity. Why do holders of high office so often act contrary to the way reason points and enlightened self-interest suggests? Why do intelligent mental processes seem so often not to function? ...It may be asked why, since folly or perversity is inherent in individuals, should we expect anything else of government? The reason for concern is that folly in government has more impact on more people than individual follies, and therefore governments have a greater duty to act according to reason.

In Jeremiah 37, we find that a relief force of Egyptians has drawn away the Babylonian from their siege around the city of Jerusalem. In this moment of respite, we see two fascinating incidents that reveal the nation's folly and the prophet Jeremiah's faithfulness. How do we respond in a crisis? Do we act with integrity and courage? Or are we overwhelmed, vacillating, and ultimately disobedient to what God reveals to us in His word? What may be more telling about our lives is our response after a crisis. How do we move forward? Do we go back to our lives before the crisis? Or do we make significant adjustments and grow as a result of the situation in our lives? Do we respond by renewed obedience toward God and His word? What is the outcome of an indifferent or apathetic life toward God? Our actions reveal the actual condition of our souls. Here in Jeremiah 37, we find a contrast between the beleaguered prophet and the indecisive king, who allowed political expediency to determine his course of action to the detriment of him and the nation. What can we learn from the poor decisions of others to make better choices for our lives?

Jeremiah 36, Jeremiah Series

We live in a society awash in lies posing as truth. What when wrong? What can we do about it? Jesus was challenged as to the heart of serving God. In his response, Jesus said, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (Matthew 22:37).’ This speaks of total commitment and developing a comprehensive understanding of Who God is and what He requires. It means that we need to develop a biblical worldview. It means that in ‘presenting our bodies as living sacrifices, we are to be transformed by renewing our minds (cf. Romans 12:2). We need to understand our world and see it the way God does. In his book, ‘How shall we live?’ Charles Colson relates: “Religion is not a reflection or product of culture, but quite the reverse. As the great twentieth-century historian Christopher Dawson argued, cult is at the root word of culture (taking ‘cult’ in its most basic meaning as a system of religious worship). The late political philosopher Russell Kirk agreed: ‘It’s from an association in a cult, a body of worshipers, that human community grows.

The oyster offers a good analogy. Oysters make their shells, so if the shell is badly formed, the problem is not in the shell but in the oyster. Likewise, when a culture deforms and decays, don’t ask what went wrong with the culture; ask what went wrong with the cult-the religious core.”

Our response to the word of God determines the answer. An indifferent and dismissive attitude does not diminish the message. God’s word is eternal, and what is being communicated will occur regardless of our response. Here in Jeremiah 36, we discover two very different responses to God’s word. The first group is struck with ‘fear,’ a deep concern for what God is warning the people about. This suggests that these individuals believed in and revered God and realized their danger because of their prior indifference.

The second group, led by the king, had no fear of God and literally discarded the words. The king burned the message in the fire burning in the firepot in his winter apartment. The king was left with no lasting family dynasty, and the nation suffered greatly.

So, how do we respond to God’s word? How is God’s word influencing, directing, and determining our lives? Are we just hearers, or are we doers of God’s word? Though there are only two responses toward God and His message, God’s actions also occur from those responses. So, what can we learn about human nature and God’s nature from interaction with His divine message? There are three things we learn from God’s revelation toward humanity.