By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher
Text: Jeremiah
29:1-23
John 16:33
I have said these
things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will
have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
(ESV)
While each of us would like to live
in a utopian world free from problems, but we live in a fallen world full of
hatred and strife. This is why Jesus told his followers that they could find
peace in following Him and His teachings with the warning that in this world,
we would experience tribulation. However, Jesus did remind His disciples that he
overcame the world, which occurred with his death, burial, and resurrection (John
16:33). The utopian world we seek will occur when Jesus returns to
establish His millennial kingdom (Revelation
20:1-10). Until that time, believers, the Church, have a mission of taking
the Gospel to the world (Mark
16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).
Jeremiah is in Jerusalem and
while there writes a letter to those in exile in Babylon (Jeremiah
29:1-3). This letter is a letter of instruction and encouragement,
instructing the exiles to,
1) Build
houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat what they produce (Jeremiah
29:5-9) – The letter also instructs the exiles to take wives in Babylon and
to have sons and daughters so their population can multiply and increase (Jeremiah
29:6). They are also to seek the welfare of the city they live in and pray on
the city’s behalf (Jeremiah
29:7). The letter also instructs the exiles not to listen to the false prophets
in Judah and Jerusalem for they are not prophets of the Lord (Jeremiah
29:8-9). In essence, the Lord is instructing the Jews in exile to live
normal lives.
2) Have
hope (Jeremiah
29:10-14) – The Jews in exile knew they were not living in the land
promised to them by God yet are instructed by God to live normal lives building
houses, taking wives, having children, and multiplying their numbers. However,
without any hope the exile will end would make this difficult, and why God
reminds them that the exile will only last seventy years (Jeremiah
29:10). God reminds his people that exile is not their future but that God
has a future bringing hope after they pray and return to God (Jeremiah
29:11-14).
3) Not
listen to the false prophets in Jerusalem (Jeremiah
29:15-23) – The reason for the exile is the sin of not making the Lord God
thir only God but to have duplicitous worship of God through ritual and pagan
gods (Jeremiah
25:4-7). The act of obediently going into exile involves turning one’s back
on this duplicitous worship and turning to God while in exile. Those remaining
in Judah and Jerusalem believe a loving God will not punish their duplicitous
worship and return the items of worship to the Temple (Jeremiah
28:1-4). This listening to false prophets and remaining in Jerusalem
instead of turning their backs to their duplicitous worship and disobedience to
God in repentance has the consequences of sword, famine, and pestilence (Jeremiah
29:17).
The prosperity gospel teaches
that those in Christ will have an abundant life of wealth and freedom from
trouble (John
10:10). The error in this teaching is its shallow materialistic definition
of abundant life for Jesus also warned his believers that they could have peace
in Christ but not without tribulation (John
16:33). Abundant life in Christ is a life that has trouble in this world
but the hope of eternal life (John
3:16). The Jews in exile are experiencing peace and even instructed to
build houses while in exile and have children (Jeremiah
29:4-6). God also instructs them to pray and seek the welfare of the city in
which they live while in exile (Jeremiah
29:7). Through Jeremiah, God is telling the Jews in exile that they will
have peace in the middle of the tribulation of exile because of their obedience
to God (Jeremiah
29:11). In contrast, those remaining in Judah and Jerusalem will suffer
sword, famine, and pestilence due to their continued rebellion and lack of
obedience to God’s instructions to go into exile (Jeremiah
24; 27; 28).
As Christians, we are ambassadors
for Christ in a dark world of chaos, hatred, and tribulation (2
Corinthians 5:20). Christians are ambassadors of reconciliation to Christ,
the one bringing peace because he overcame the world through his death, burial,
and resurrection bringing reconciliation to God (2
Corinthians 5:16-19; Romans 10:9-10). This message of reconciliation is the
Gospel message God’s people are to spread throughout the world (Mark
16:15; Matthew 28:19-20). A covid dominated world in chaos needs God’s
people to serve as ambassadors spreading this message of reconciliation.
Reconciliation to God begins when
one decides to accept Jesus as their Savior. If you are reading this and have
not prayed to accept Jesus as your savior, I invite you to do so now by praying
with me,
Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans
3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans
6:23). I ask you to forgive me of my
sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1
John 1:9). I believe you died, spent
three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord
of my life.
May God
challenge and bless those reading this post.
No comments:
Post a Comment