Is Anyone Worthy? Jeremiah #14

How many "Kings" will it take to point us to the Truth?

Hi guys, and a big welcome to our new readers, as always I encourage you to pick up your bibles. This post hopes to add context and depth to your bible reading. This story is inspired by Jeremiah chapter 21-23. Here we go:

FROM ZERO TO “COUNSELOR”

Twenty years has passed from Jeremiah being in the pit of depression. Yes! I mean real depression where he cursed the day he was born and no amount of reason could help him. Our Sovereign God, in His Sovereignty — said nothing to Jeremiah. If the book of Jeremiah is telling me one thing, it is how God’s free will is not at the expense of our own. Amazing to witness such divine humility.

Jeremiah came through, and from being considered as the slime of society, was now summoned by the King himself, to give council to the royal court.

They begged Jeremiah, “Please speak to the Lord for us and ask him to help us. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon is attacking Judah. Perhaps the Lord will be gracious and do a mighty miracle as he has done in the past. Perhaps he will force Nebuchadnezzar to withdraw his armies.”

The fire had never left his bones, and Jeremiah spoke the words of God in reply. Words that would brand him a traitor by the very people he wept and cared for. In summary, he said, “Surrender to Babylon, and live, or don’t, and die!”

Words just kept on getting Jeremiah in trouble! Read closer, and we see a man who knew the value of the words of God. He knew that even though the people he loved would not listen — The words needed to be spoken, (perhaps for future generations and future nations).

ONE KING TO RULE THEM ALL

Pause! Because Jeremiah is going to take his reply a step further, leading to a prophecy of the coming Messiah. In doing so he will speak to 4 kings that have recently sat on Judah’s throne. I love you as much as fruitful Gilead and the green forests of Lebanon, he would say. But you will be dismantled, and “People from many nations will pass by the ruins of this city and say to one another, ‘Why did the Lord destroy such a great city?’ And the answer will be, ‘Because they violated their covenant with the Lord their God by worshiping other gods.’”

Jeremiah would show them their love for evil, how they failed to bring justice to the land and to it’s people, how it all came when they forsook the words of God. They failed as shepherds, destroying and scattering the very ones they were meant to care for.

And then BOOM! Out comes a message for the future, from the LORD, that must have blown the listeners away. (At least they blow this listener away!)

You will be scattered, but by I will bring you back!

You have been shepherd-less, but in that day I will give you true shepherds to look after you.

And:

“I will raise up a righteous descendant
from King David’s line.
He will be a King who rules with wisdom.
He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
And this will be his name:
‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’
In that day Judah will be saved,
and Israel will live in safety.”

A FINAL REFLECTION

When we look at the leaders of today, the systems of governance, it is and has always been evident that they all fall short. Is it not amazing to know that the time will come, when all the world will see that it is possible for a man to make the world right? For a man to rule the world with justice and righteousness. For wars to end and for peace to come on the earth. Yes, but only through the coming King, the Wonderful Counselor, the Prince of Peace, the Messiah, JHVH Tsidkenu*, THE LORD IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS!

And what better way to see the millennium reign of Christ, together with His faithful followers, as a fulfillment of this prediction?**

Though Kings failed, and Kings will fail, there is a hope we can hold onto. Knowing that whatever darkness may come, whatever Babylon might bring to exile and destroy and plunder, however far we may persecuted and scattered … Hold on, my friends, for the LORD has spoken good for the future. And one-day he will lead us to pastures green.

May the Lord bless you

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Thanks for being with me, See you next week for more on the prophet Jeremiah. If you enjoyed this, please subscribe and share for others to find the riches of God’s words, for us.

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Thank you.

*This is one of the Hebrew Names Given to GOD

** This takes an Historical Pre-Millenialist Approach to scripture, which I believe the closest to what the early church lived and believed. Another post and many more would be needed to explain the reasons for this.

Artwork was by my 6 year old boy, drawing Jeremiah’s scroll, and how it brings hope and happiness to those who believe. And of course, Jesus is on the throne if you look carefully.