February 26: Doing My Part

Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

During World War II those of us who lived on the Gulf Coast were asked to do our part. All houses had to have black-out curtains over all windows and black tape over the top halves of car head lights to prevent a night glow. German submarine commanders could more easily see merchant vessels silhouetted against a lighted background. Further, posted signs warned us, “Loose lips sink ships,” a reminder that German sympathizers could be listening to seemingly casual remarks.

• God used Jeremiah to show that at times we must walk by faith rather than reason (vv. 6-9). Imagine the horror of hurricane Katrina bearing down on the inhabitants of Mississippi. What would have been the reaction if one man walked next door to his neighbor and said, “I know you have been wanting to buy my house. Well, I’m ready to sell it to you.” The seller would probably be ready to make a cash sale right then, but he would have thought the buyer to be foolish.

Jeremiah faced a national disaster as invaders from Persia menaced the land. At that venture a cousin of Jeremiah’s offered to sell a piece of tribal land to him, reminding him of his family obligation to purchase the property. After consulting with spiritual advisors, Jeremiah learned the purchase was God’s will. Even after the captivity, family heirs would have a right to the land, though the purchase at the time was unreasonable.

• Second, there are times when believers must exude confidence rather than discouragement (vv. 27-29). At that moment the enemies armies were hauling in dirt to form mounds (“mounts” in the KJV), to allow their troops to breach the walls of the city. What did the message from the Lord say? God reassured the prophet of His ability to perform acts too hard for humans to understand. He could sweep away the mounds of earth, but He chose a different approach. The city would fall to the invaders. Pestilence and famine would follow the sword. When the storms of life assail us, we find confidence in God’s assurance that He works all things for good to those who serve Him (Rom. 8:28).

• Third, God called on Judah as disaster was overtaking them to rest in acceptance rather than denial (v. 30). Beginning with the times of the Book of Judges and extending through the ministry of Jeremiah, Israel and Judah smugly relied on their standing as God’s Chosen People to convince themselves He would never allow pagans to devastate their land. Further, they never faced the reality that their idol worship had pushed aside the true worship prescribed in the law. From their “youth,” that is (1) the entire generation alive at the time as well as (2) the history of the nation from its infancy, they had provoked God’s anger. The two histories came together in a common judgment.

• Fourth, even in the midst of disaster, God’s people are distinguished by hope rather than despair (vv. 37-38). God assured Judah He would gather them from among the nations, bring them again to Jerusalem, and be their God. Many interpreters see a two-fold fulfillment. The first began to be realized at the end of the 70 years of captivity. The second is perhaps being fulfilled today. We await the final hope, that Israel will own our Messiah as their God.

• Finally, God’s people came to rely on new hearts rather than dead rituals (vv. 39-41). Jeremiah joined other prophets in cutting away the additions of formalities in favor of an internal law written in the “fleshy tables of the heart” (Jer. 31:31, 33; with 2 Cor. 3:3). This internal covenant is assured by God.