Deliverance into Conformity to God and His Word.

 By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Jeremiah 21:1-14

 

Romans 12:1-2

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

(ESV)

 

As the government of the United States continues to spend, spend, spend to fund its giveaway programs like free education, childcare, and unemployment benefits that take away the incentive to work, it is ignoring the laws of economics.  While government officials can ignore the laws of economics for a time, the consequences of ignoring these laws do not exempt falling prey to the consequences of violating them.  The main law of economics is the law of supply and demand.  Products with limited supply become more valuable with their prices going up while products with an overabundance of supply go down in value. 

 

A recent example was the toilet paper shortage during the beginning of the pandemic.  As the demand for toilet paper increased due to panic, store shelves went bare, and the price of toilet paper increased due to demand exceeding supply.  Similarly, if the government floods the economy with money through giving out stimulus checks, child tax credit checks, and offering free health care and education, people have more money, and demand for products increases.  This increased demand makes it necessary for suppliers to make more products but, if there is a shortage of workers due to people choosing to remain on unemployment instead of working, the result is shortages and inflation.  Adding to the problem is the reduction of the supply of crude oil, causing a reduction in the supply of fuel and an increase in gas prices which increases the cost of delivering products to stores, fueling more inflation.  Ignoring the basic economic law of supply and demand has the consequences of inflation, something beginning to happen in the United States. 

 

Judah has continued to rebel against God, intending to continue in the sin of worshipping other gods (Jeremiah 16:10-13).  This rebellion has the consequence of expulsion from the Promised Land into exile in a foreign land (Deuteronomy 28).  Instead of realizing their sin and repenting of it, the people of Jerusalem and Judah believe they are an exception to this law and that God will deliver them just like He delivered them from the army of Egypt at the Red Sea (Exodus 14).  It is this belief that led king Zedekiah to send Pashhur and Zephaniah to Jeremiah asking for deliverance from the army of the King of Babylon who is making war with them (Jeremiah 21:1-2).  However, instead of praying for deliverance for Judah and the people of Jerusalem, Jeremiah reminds them of their rebellion against God and its consequences (Jeremiah 21:3-10).  Jeremiah then gives a word from the Lord to the House of David to execute justice, delivering from the hands of the oppressor so God’s wrath does not annihilate Judah and the nation of Israel (Jeremiah 21:11-14). 

 

The men sent to Jeremiah by king Zedekiah have an arrogancy that since they are the chosen of God, God will not allow harm to come from them by the king of Babylon (Jeremiah 21:2).  They believe that God will deliver them from their enemies just like he did with the army of Egypt at the Red Sea.  While it is true God did deliver his children at the Red Sea, he was delivering them from slavery towards freedom in the Promised Land.  They are right in believing God will deliver them this time as well, but the path of deliverance is different and will come through a period of exile in Babylon where the people can reflect on and repent of their rebellion.  God is not going to deliver Judah back into their rebellion but wants to deliver them from their rebellion towards freedom from their sin. 

 

Today, we live under the dispensation of God’s grace with our salvation dependent on the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 5:8).  However, this does not mean we are to continue in sin knowing our salvation is secure in Christ (Romans 6:1-4).  Instead, we are to lose conformity to the world and its sin and seek conformity to God through the renewing of our minds through God’s Word (Romans 12:1-2).  Sin has consequences in one’s life even if they received salvation through professing Jesus as their Savior.  The finished work of Jesus on the cross delivered us from sin but not the consequences of continuing in sin after our profession of faith and why we must be students of God’s Word, losing conformity to the world and gaining conformity to God.  A world in chaos must see God’s people living lives of conformity to God’s Word and the order, peace, and joy it brings in life.  I pray God challenges and blesses everyone reading this post.