WHAT WILL YOU DO IN THE END? WILL YOU LOVE LIES? ~ A Study in Jeremiah

 

My mother was a creative person. If she did not do something well, either she did not do it at all, or she worked hard to perfect it before displaying it to family and friends. Once she mastered a skill, she usually moved on to some other area of craft. For a time, she quilted. Her quilts were admired from as far away as Germany due to her meticulously placed stitches. When I think of this idea of God’s remnant in Scripture, I always think of my mom’s stash of her most-loved fabric pieces used in her elaborate quilts. These remnants were lovingly set apart for an intended or specific use already in the mind of the creator for the next work or masterpiece. Usually, it was only the smallest scraps of material that could not be used for anything that were thrown away.

God has always faithfully preserved for Himself a believing Jewish remnant. The definition of remnant in Scripture is: ‘a remainder or residual (surviving, final) portion:—that had escaped, be left, posterity, remain(-der), remnant, residue, rest.’ It is the left-over amount from a bigger piece. We can talk about a remnant of food; a piece of material, cloth, or fabric; or even a group of people. When we think of God’s remnant of people, we can know that they have been set apart before the foundation of the world for His holy purposes, and He will be faithful to keep them to the end.

Jeremiah’s message is judgment, judgment, judgment. His message is harsh but true. However, in that message of judgment we also see the glimmer of hope of God’s mercy when He speaks of not making a total destruction of His people. God is faithful, even when His people are not. We can look way back to see this idea of God preserving His remnant. Noah and his family were remnants saved from the flood in Genesis 6. In Genesis 19, it was Lot and his two daughters who were saved from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. When Elijah believed he was the only one left in Israel who had not bowed the knee to idols, God revealed to Him that He had reserved a remnant for Himself of 7,000 “whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him” in 1 Kings 19. We can see that God continues to speak to us about this remnant in Romans 9. Even the true Church is a remnant in that out of all the people who have ever lived in this world…out of the ‘many’…God has chosen the few who will find the way to eternal life. Our hope in this remnant thread found throughout Scripture is that if God has chosen us, He will keep us to the end.

“Yet even in those days,” declares the LORD, “I will not make you a complete destruction.” (Jeremiah 5:18) Jeremiah 30:11 says this: ‘For I am with you,’ declares the LORD, ‘to save you; for I will destroy completely all the nations where I have scattered you, only I will not destroy you completely. But I will chasten you justly and will be no means leave you unpunished.’

Often, when we go through trials and suffering, the first type of question that comes to our minds and sometimes out of our mouths, even as believers, is this: “Why, Lord? Why have You allowed this? Why have You ordained this for me? What is Your purpose in this, Lord?” Even when we quickly acknowledge His hand in sending the trial, we cannot understand why and sometimes question His purpose. Trust me, I really could not understand the need for me to go to prison to learn anything!!! Yet, prison was one of the most fertile grounds upon which I was ever taught. While the classroom may vary, the Teacher leads us where He knows we will best be able to learn the lessons He has planned for us.

God told Jeremiah that the people would ask him this very question: “Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?” I find the form of the question quite fascinating. It shows how deceived this people was in believing that their idolatry should not affect their relationship with the one true and living God. It shall come about when they say, ‘Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?’ then you shall say to them, ‘As you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’ (Jeremiah 5:19) Thomas Constable says that this question the people ask is the question with which the whole Book of Jeremiah deals. They acknowledged Him or professed Him as their God, yet He says they had forsaken Him. Since they had decided to serve foreign gods in the land He had given them, He will send them to the foreign lands of those idols to serve strangers. It was only fair. Deuteronomy 28:47-48 said the same thing: “Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in the lack of all things; and He will put an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you. We must guard our hearts and the desires found therein, because often God will give us what we think we really want. We will find out it was not all that temptation was cracked up to be!

Jeremiah would answer for them the ‘Why’ question. But he would also answer the ‘What’ question. What was their true state spiritually? It was anything other than what they believed it to be. They believed they were moral, upstanding citizens, ‘the chosen people of God’.

God says they were being judged for their immorality. As such, they had no fear of God. Ignoring the message of judgment, they lived foolishly, irreverently, and without gratitude for all God had done for them. “Declare this in the house of Jacob and proclaim it in Judah, saying, ‘Now hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see; who have ears but do not hear. Do you not fear Me?’ declares the LORD. ‘Do you not tremble in My presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, an eternal decree, so it cannot cross over it. Though the waves toss, yet they cannot prevail; though they roar, yet they cannot cross over it. But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and departed. They do not say in their heart, “Let us now fear the LORD our God, Who gives rain in its season, both the autumn rain and the spring rain, Who keeps for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.” ‘Your iniquities have turned these away, and your sins have withheld good from you.” (Jeremiah 5:20-25) God’s people tossed Him a bone here and there. They used His name only when it was advantageous to them in some way. They saw what was going on around them, yet they interpreted it completely contrary to God’s Word—their interpretation was always in a way that lined up with their living their best life now. They heard God’s Word, yet it went in one ear and out the other—it never reached the place of the heart where it would produce change in their lives.

We have no sympathy for the child who defiantly disobeys his loving parents. Why? Paul Washer has said: “A great help during temptation is to remember that to sin is more than just breaking a rule; it is to grieve the person who loves us beyond measure.” The authority given to parents by God through laying down clearly defined laws and enforcing them to guard and protect the child is based upon God doing the same for us—because of His love for us. He has set in place boundaries for us that train us in righteousness. Rebellion results when there is no healthy fear of authority.

In Israel and Judah’s case, God pointed out that even the sea obeyed Him. The waves may rise up in a tempestuous storm raging loudly. There are things around us that may tempt us to fear. Yet that same sea that tempts us to fear in a storm obeys God! All of creation obeys the boundaries God has put in place for it. The rains which gave them the appointed weeks of harvest obeyed God. God had blessed His people through the creation He controlled. The Canaanites believed it was Baal who gave them the rains that made the land fruitful. Judah had adopted this blasphemous belief. God had even instituted the seven weeks between Passover and the Feast of Weeks each spring to remind them of His goodness to them in giving them a good harvest. Instead of thanking Him for the harvest, they were praising Baal! God said His people were stubborn and rebellious in their hearts. Thus, they turned aside from their only protection and provision in departing from Him. They, indeed, were a senseless and foolish people. While not ignorant of what God wanted from them, they were just too obstinate in their hearts to comply.

They were being judged by God because they were unjust in their dealings with men. For wicked men are found among My people, they watch like fowlers lying in wait; they set a trap, they catch men. Like a cage full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit; therefore, they have become great and rich. They are fat, they are sleek, they also excel in deeds of wickedness; they do not plead the cause, the cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; and they do not defend the rights of the poor. Shall I not punish these people?’ declares the LORD, ‘On a nation such as this shall I not avenge Myself?’ (Jeremiah 5:26-29) Together they were God’s people. They were to represent Him to the surrounding nations. As God had taken care of them, they should have watched out for the less fortunate among them. Instead of loving their neighbor as themselves, they eagerly watched for opportunities to exploit those who were weak like hunters snaring birds. They were like well-fed fat cats catching birds just for the fun of it. They got rich by defrauding the poor. Consequently, the rich got richer and the poor wasted away. The Lord holds those close to His heart who are orphans, widows, and poor. He expects His people to take care of them. When the Lord puts forth the questions, “Shall I not punish these people?” “On a nation such as this shall I not avenge Myself?” the reader screams, “Yes, Lord!” But before we are quick to point fingers, we must ask ourselves: “What am I doing to plead the case of the fatherless or defend the rights of the poor?”

Lastly, they were being judged because they had corrupt leadership. The Lord always saved His most scathing rebukes for religious leaders who were leading His people astray. George Whitefield (1714-1770) said, “As God can send a nation of people no greater blessing than to give them faithful, sincere, upright ministers, so the greatest curse that God can possibly send upon a people in this world is to give them over to blind, unregenerate, carnal, lukewarm, unskillful guides.” “An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule on their own authority; and My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?” (Jeremiah 5:30-31) The message of the false prophets was the same heard in liberal churches today: God will not judge sin! He will not punish us, for He is a God of love. Everything is going to be okay. Don’t worry; be happy! They preach inspirational messages attempting to apply a Band-aid on a growing cancer. And the people love it so! They want to be lied to. Is it any wonder our country has been given over to lying leaders or that it has become so acceptable to lie in our day? God has given us over to the desires of our wicked hearts in this nation. Paul told Timothy this day would come: Preach the Word…For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. (2 Timothy 4:2-3) People do not want truth; they want lies that entertain their flesh instead of doctrine that teaches them and feeds their souls. They want words that soothe their legitimate fears, not conviction that leads to repentance. They want to have their consciences appeased, not confronted by an indictment of sin that sends men to hell. They may love being deceived about their spiritual state now—as it allows men to live according to their fleshly desires—but what will they do at the end of it? In other words, “You may love those lies now, but will you love those same lies at the end of your life?” Those who love lies will die and find themselves in hell. They should have asked, “Is there any real hope for us?”

At the beginning of Chapter 5, Jeremiah was looking for one righteous man. He found not one. Before the wrath of God is poured out upon the earth in the time of the Tribulation, we see a similar scenario: John saw in the right hand of God the title deed to the earth. It was sealed with seven seals. A strong angel proclaimed with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” No one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. John began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it. One of the elders said, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:1-5) He was the hope of Judah for those who would repent of their sin and turn to God. The remnant. He is our hope…our only hope…as well! What will you do in the end?