Headlong into Danger

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Opening Prayer

Loving Father, You speak words of promise and I answer with words of praise. You are good and Your mercy is forever.

Read Jeremiah 6:1-15

^[1] “Flee for safety, people of Benjamin! Flee from Jerusalem! Sound the trumpet in Tekoa! Raise the signal over Beth Hakkerem! For disaster looms out of the north, even terrible destruction. ^[2] I will destroy Daughter Zion, so beautiful and delicate. ^[3] Shepherds with their flocks will come against her; they will pitch their tents around her, each tending his own portion.” ^[4] “Prepare for battle against her! Arise, let us attack at noon! But, alas, the daylight is fading, and the shadows of evening grow long. ^[5] So arise, let us attack at night and destroy her fortresses!” ^[6] This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Cut down the trees and build siege ramps against Jerusalem. This city must be punished; it is filled with oppression. ^[7] As a well pours out its water, so she pours out her wickedness. Violence and destruction resound in her; her sickness and wounds are ever before me. ^[8] Take warning, Jerusalem, or I will turn away from you and make your land desolate so no one can live in it.” ^[9] This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Let them glean the remnant of Israel as thoroughly as a vine; pass your hand over the branches again, like one gathering grapes.” ^[10] To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the LORD is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it. ^[11] But I am full of the wrath of the LORD, and I cannot hold it in. “Pour it out on the children in the street and on the young men gathered together; both husband and wife will be caught in it, and the old, those weighed down with years. ^[12] Their houses will be turned over to others, together with their fields and their wives, when I stretch out my hand against those who live in the land,” declares the LORD. ^[13] “From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. ^[14] They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace. ^[15] Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them,” says the LORD.

Meditate

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22). Compare with 2:10. A reminder to keep our ears open to hear the voice of the Lord.

Think Further

Jeremiah paints a sobering picture of Jerusalem. It is a city that lacks safety. That is why the people of Benjamin must flee (1). What makes it unsafe is that Jerusalem is filled with evil, and destruction is to be visited on it (1-5). The alarming thing is that even though oppression, wickedness, sickness, greed and deceit (13,14) are everywhere in the city (7), the people seem oblivious to the danger they are in. They should be rushing towards repentance and change, yet their response is one of complacency (14,15).

The problem for Jeremiah is that, in spite of the urgency, no one seems to be listening to his prophecy (10)–not even the priests or prophets. Judah’s ears are shut and the whole culture has moved away from its relationship with God to ways of injustice and immorality. It’s so different from the inspirational vision of Psalm 78:1-7, where people are urged to pass God’s truth down the generations, so that those yet unborn would put their trust in God. Here, what is being passed down is sin and corruption.

The disaster coming to Judah is not only punishment for sin. It is the result of the people’s violation of their identity, denying the truth of who they are as God’s covenant people. When we apply this prophecy today, we must first apply it to ourselves in the church, for our own identity is as members of the body of Christ. Our calling is to integrity and truth. Before we can ever rebuke our culture for apostasy or destructiveness, we need to allow God’s Word to convict us, so that we think and act as the people we are–Christian disciples–and are ready always to seek God’s forgiveness and peace.

Apply

How might your identity as a Christian be challenged today? Confess where integrity and truth might be lacking, and receive God’s forgiveness.

Closing prayer

Merciful Father, I am reminded of my call to walk before You and others, with sincerity and integrity. Cleanse my heart and clarify my focus on You, and You alone.

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