A few stray thoughts this morning, as we come to the end of Jeremiahs messages.
About half-way through the revelation that Babylon would be defeated in battle I started thinking to myself “Okay, I get it…Babylon will fall. Why do we need to keep describing it again and again?” After I had read a little further I realized that Jeremiah had sent this message to the exiles living in Babylon at the time. The exile had already begun, as the dates and numbers tell us in 52:28-30. If I were exiled to a country that had murdered my children or my family and had burned down everything that I value, I would want to hear in detail about how they would be made to pay for their crimes. I would also want to know that God still loved me, even though I deserved everything I had received.
The extended description about the fall of Babylon tells me that God still loves His people, even though they have failed to return His love. This is encouraging, because it means that God still loves the annoying people that you know who don’t agree with your faith in Christ. And, God still loves you….even when you don’t get it right. In fact, even when we decide we don’t love God, He still loves us.
My grandson recently came with his parents to stay at our house while his Dad attends college. It has provided me with new insights into how children think. He and I are the best of friends, but occasionally I will do something that he doesn’t like, and the worst thing he can think of to express his anger and frustration with me is to say “I don’t like you anymore” or something along that line. Of course, it doesn’t change my feelings from him at all. I understand he is a child, and can’t possibly understand what he’s saying. I know that he has a lot of growing yet to do, and is simply trying to express himself, even when he doesn’t do a good job of it. He cries, he pouts, he throws tantrums….but he also laughs and smiles and sings little songs when he’s happy. And hanging out with him brings great joy to my heart…even when he’s driving me crazy.
Looking back at Israel and Judah in exile for their disobedience, I see (possibly from God’s perspective) what’s going on. The nation has been “sent to it’s room, and has lost the privilege of having a cell phone. In fact, God has taken their phone and burned it in front of them. When the temple was destroyed they lost their ability to communicate regularly with God. Maybe the cell phone metaphor doesn’t work for you. In that case, consider that God took away their credit card, or their car. Whatever. They are being punished, but they are not unloved. In fact, the reason they are being punished is because they are loved. If they weren’t loved, they would have been destroyed.
I don’t know that I can consider Israel “spiritual children” since they have had the benefit of godly leaders, the temple and 600 years of history with God as their ever present leader. (period of Judges and the kings). Maybe they are rebellious teenagers, who certainly are treated differently than children. Either way, God still loves them, and He still loves us.
I had another “stray thought” today: as I read 51:46 (don’t panic) I was reminded of what Jesus said in Matthew 24 about “wars and rumors of wars” and how we should not be worried or afraid. This is the same thought here. In fact, I think we are actually exiled in the “fallen earth” right now, and even though the enemy at times seems to be winning the battle, God is still in control. He has already told us that He will win this war, and has described in Revelation how it will come to pass. We have been told, just like the exiles, to be ready to leave when the opportunity presents itself. It was many years before Jeremiah’s words came true, but they did happen, just like he said.
Remember Isaiah? He prophesied that a man named Cyrus would conquer Babylon. 140 years later, he did. Cyrus’s father wasn’t even born when God gave this insight.
And now, God has told us what is going to happen. The earth will fall, every knee will bow to God, every tongue will confess that He alone is God, there is no other. And, those who have made this good confession prior to death, prior to being forced to admit it, will be permitted to enter into heaven. All others will be punished eternally.
It’s simply taking some time to unfold…but it will come to pass, don’t doubt it for a minute.
Faithfully,
PR