Jeremiah 43-44 -- Hearing God's Words And Refusing To Listen

Once Jeremiah finished delivering God's message to the Jews who'd been away from Judah and who'd returned after the Babylonians had overtaken the land and decided to live just like their defeated brothers, their leaders let pride lead them where their hearts should not have gone.  They accused Jeremiah of lying about what God was saying.  They forced the entire entourage to travel to Egypt despite God's clear call for them to remain in the land.  They were following a cult of personality led by Johanan.

When they arrived in Tahpanhes, Egypt, God directed Jeremiah to deliver his final action sermon.  He buried some large stones underneath the brick pavement in front of Pharaoh's palace there.  God directed him to say, "I will soon send for my servant, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.  I will set his throne over these stones ... He will bring death to those who are supposed to die ... Nebuchadnezzar will wrap Egypt around him ... and he will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt."

What had caused this?  Jeremiah tells them and us:  The people were doing evil ... burning sacrifices to false gods.  What God asked next is still what He asks us today:

"Why are you doing such great harm to yourselves? ... Why do you want to make Me angry? ... You will destroy yourselves  ... Even to this day the people of Judah are still too proud.  They have not learned to respect Me or follow My teachings.  They have not obeyed..." 

The women were burning incense to other gods with the full approval of their husbands.  Their justification was that it had worked before and they were therefore going to do it again, regardless of what God had to say.  Never mind that their country was in ruins because of it!  Jeremiah told them, "You sinned against the Lord your God.  You did not obey Him or follow His teachings ... You did not keep YOUR part of the agreement with Him ... So go ahead.  Do the things you promised, and keep your promises.  But hear the Word of the Lord ... "I am watching over them, not to take care of them, but to hurt them.  The Jews who live in Egypt will die from swords or hunger... A few will escape ... then those who are left alive will know if My word or their word came true."

What a shame to know God and then willfully ignore what one knows, taking their own paths instead, despite His warnings!  When God says, "Why are you doing such great harm to yourselves?" too often we think that we know better than Him.  Such hubris!  Such pride!  When He asks, "Why do you want to make Me angry?" how can we possibly have the courage to answer?  And when He warns us, "You will DESTROY yourselves," how can we not listen and stop what we're doing?

Satan's deceptions and our own sinfulness and pride blind us to the truth because we've let him take up residence in our hearts instead of allowing God to reside there.

Father, hold back Satan and expose his deceptions.  Allow those I love to hear You crying out these same words today.  Let them hear and be moved to agree with You and to repent.  Don't let Satan's foothold take root in their souls.  Rescue them, Father!

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford