May 23rd, 2011
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

I am Against You

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Opening Prayer

Lord, this day is Yours and I am Yours. I praise You for Your gifts, commands, and grace.

Read JEREMIAH 21:1-14

[1] The word came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. They said: [2] “Inquire now of the LORD for us because Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps the LORD will perform wonders for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us.” [3] But Jeremiah answered them, “Tell Zedekiah, [4] ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I am about to turn against you the weapons of war that are in your hands, which you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonians who are outside the wall besieging you. And I will gather them inside this city. [5] I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm in anger and fury and great wrath. [6] I will strike down those who live in this city-both men and animals-and they will die of a terrible plague. [7] After that, declares the LORD, I will hand over Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the people in this city who survive the plague, sword and famine, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to their enemies who seek their lives. He will put them to the sword; he will show them no mercy or pity or compassion.’ [8] “Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the LORD says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death. [9] Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; he will escape with his life. [10] I have determined to do this city harm and not good, declares the LORD. It will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire.’ [11] “Moreover, say to the royal house of Judah, ‘Hear the word of the LORD; [12] O house of David, this is what the LORD says: “‘Administer justice every morning; rescue from the hand of his oppressor the one who has been robbed, or my wrath will break out and burn like fire because of the evil you have done- burn with no one to quench it. [13] I am against you, Jerusalem, you who live above this valley on the rocky plateau, declares the LORD- you who say, “Who can come against us? Who can enter our refuge?” [14] I will punish you as your deeds deserve, declares the LORD. I will kindle a fire in your forests that will consume everything around you.'”

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“Better, though difficult, the Right Way to go, Than Wrong, though easy, where the End is Woe” (John Bunyan).

Think Further

The forces of Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king, are at the gates of Jerusalem and the last king of Judah, Zedekiah, is on the throne. These are difficult times for the people of Jerusalem and for Jeremiah personally as he continues to preach an unpopular message. We have seen in the preceding chapters the deep personal anguish that the prophetic call on his life causes him. Despite the anguish, though, Jeremiah continues to speak uncompromisingly of God’s purposes in the history of the nations.

Yet, in a move typical of ancient Hebrew rhetoric, the finality of v. 7 (“no mercy or pity or compassion”) suddenly softens and the people discover that they do have a choice: between “the way of life and the way of death” (8; Deut. 30:19). The “way of life” entails abandoning the besieged city and surrendering to the Babylonian forces. For this message Jeremiah is accused of disloyalty by his compatriots. Throughout his ministry the prophet stays determinedly “on message,” and it is not primarily a political message. Rather, it is about the way of life and the way of death, and discernment of the sovereign will of God. There are times when the path of obedience is a path of dissent within our own cultures. Such obedience is always difficult and usually costly.

Jeremiah is constrained to express God’s disappointment at the breakdown of justice within the kingdom (9), even going so far as to say, “I am against you, Jerusalem” (13). As Western Christians in an increasingly fragile global village, the responsibility to declare our failure to “administer justice” must not be diverted. For we are never excused from the possibility that God looks at aspects of our own countries and says: “I am against you.”

Apply

Pray for discernment to recognize and courage to stand against those things that defy God in our culture.

Closing prayer

God of heaven and Lord of earth, I pray for the wisdom and the humility to know what is good in my culture and what I must oppose.

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