Jeremiah

Jeremiah 12:1-

The first six verses of this chapter probably tie very closely to chapter 11.  Jeremiah was being persecuted and the people were plotting his demise.  This drives Jeremiah to file a complaint.  He acknowledges God is always righteous when dealing with him; why then does it seem like the there is injustice with the wicked? 

Why do the wicked prosper?  This question is asked in many places in the bible.  We are not given a straight answer to this question.  Why do the faithless seem to live at ease in this life?  It just didn't seem right.  They have plenty, their crops grow and bear as good or better than the righteous.  And yes, they acknowledge its from God with their lips but their life doesn't truly reflect this.  It's not in their hearts. 

• Knew him
• Saw him
• And tested his thoughts.

This seemed like a standard he was held to, but the wicked weren't held to this.  Jeremiah set himself up as righteous and suffering while the wicked don't.  It's as if Jeremiah didn't mind suffering as long as the wicked were dragged off and slaughtered.  How does wishing ill of others somehow make us feel better? 

The land was suffering from sin and judgment.  The righteous suffered with the wicked.  The 'people' speaking in verse four are the wicked mocking Jeremiah's prophecies.  Jeremiah was calling for repentance and trust in the Lord; the people were essentially saying, "Why? He will not see what happens to us."  While they believe the prophecy's will not happen, they also said Jeremiah would die before they happened.

Jeremiah 12:5-6

God answers Jeremiah's complaint; not with an explanation or sympathy.  He gives two analogies that let Jeremiah know its going to get a whole lot worse.  If a little suffering by your relatives is bothersome, what's it going to be like when the entire land attacks you?  He needed to prepare himself for worse times, stop complaining and looking back in self-pity.  The worst was yet to come. 

It's ok for us to take our complaint to Lord. We just have to know that He does not owe His servants an explanation of His ways. Many times, when we speak our grievance in the shadow of the Most High God, we come realize how small it seems. Sometimes our scale of what's important needs calibrated. When we look to our eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, just, yet loving heavenly Father, we come to realize his grace is bigger than our complaint, our situation or suffering. It's not that our concern is so small He doesn't care. It's not that we are insignificant and out of his sight. On the contrary, it's when we see that He is so big, yet, He's gone to such great lengths to love us and draw us to him, we come to know He's not left us in our suffering. He wants us to experience life, in Him, with Him. In Jeremiah's case, He didn't bring him to this place of suffering to abandon Him there. Likewise, if you are His servant, He will never leave you or forsake you. He suffered first - on the cross, for you. Suffering is part of our adventure - suffer in the presence of the One who suffered for you.

Jeremiah 12:7-13

Verse eleven has bookends with same idea; there was cause to be laid to waste because there was no cause for care to be laid to heart.  In between, there are three words coming from the same root word meaning 'to make uninhabited'.   The words for wasteland, desolate and will be laid waste are a play on word sounds in the Hebrew. 

The sword of the Lord, by the hands of Babylonians will devour.  There would be no doubt this came from the Lord.  No one will escape this, including Jeremiah.  The suffering he complained about would get worse.  The just would suffer with the unjust.  Their crops would be devoured by the invading army.  They would sow, but have nothing to reap but thorns.  All this will happen at the Lord's anger for their sin, rebellion and broken covenant.

Jeremiah 12:14-17

Amidst the despair of suffering and the unanswered questions, God offers a future hope.  While the worst of the suffering was yet to come, there is also a day coming.  This will be a time when Israel will be brought home and the nations will be sent home.  The offer of salvation will go out to them.  If they learn the ways of God's people and swear by His name, then they will have a place among His people.  If, however, they do not listen, he will completely destroy them.  They will be judged for their rebellion.  Hope is found in the redemption and salvation of God, not in the destruction of those we consider enemies.   

©2018 Doug Ford