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CHURCH LETTER
'Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth'
The title of this Letter comes from the fifteenth chapter of Jeremiah, whose name has a meaning of `whom Yahweh raises up', and we know from the opening verse of his book that Jeremiah was a priest and as such was aware of the righteousness of the LORD - as can be seen throughout the whole book. We also know that there is no chronological order in this book for it was `cut up' to permanently show King Jehoiakim's utter contempt for the Word of the LORD brought to him by Jeremiah, the scroll cut up and thrown into the fire by him, as seen in chapter 36. But the truth of God's Word was permanently shown when finally the army of Nebuchadnezzar burnt and destroyed Jerusalem and Judah was taken into captivity in Babylon! However we learn from Scripture and from history the life-span of Jeremiah's faithful ministry. The opening verses state: `to whom the Word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah . . . in the thirteenth year of his reign', whilst in chapter 39 we read: `and in the eleventh year of Zedekiah . . . the city was broken up'. Thus history shows us the total number of years of Jeremiah's ministry as 41 years, revealing that he spoke during the last probationary period of the southern kingdom of Judah which culminated in destruction and death and captivity in Babylon.
This, then, is the background to this Letter - which then raises the questions: `Do we see here an interesting principle for today's redeemed people, and is `Old Testament' Scripture now obsolete for those who live in the joy of the `New Testament', OR do we hold all Scripture as the one revealed Word of God'? It is said by many that the `Old' is merely inspirational for we now live by faith in His Righteousness (as written by Paul the Apostle) but this Righteousness of the LORD alone was spoken of continually by the ancient prophets in the `Old'. The Law was introduced to lead us to conviction of sin - which could only be dealt with by the Righteousness of God through acceptance of Jesus. When writing to the Galatians Paul clearly speaks of this: `But if you are led by the Spirit you are no longer under (the condemnation of) the Law'. To willingly break the Law is to deny the righteous life that has been given to those who believe and places us under the law of sin and death, requiring repentance to set us free through the work of the Holy Spirit who lives within those who believe.
This brings us back to the understanding that all Scripture is inspired by God for `instruction in (the) Righteousness (of God) and the proof of the Scriptures to be so'. We have written more fully on this in our Church Letter `On that day I will make Jerusalem . . ' As Paul writes in his Second Letter to Timothy: (3:16)
" All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for
doctrine, or reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. "
May we open up the word `reproof', although the meaning is clearly obvious? However within the context of this verse the meaning is to reprove any error that may be spoken concerning Scripture - that is, all Scripture is the Word of God in all its inspirational revelation. With the words `all Scripture is given' we come to the clear understanding that the `Old' as well as the `New' is a living Prophetic Word for today . . . and beyond. Therefore the warnings and the blessings are revealed for our time also and should not be cut up and thrown into the fire by modern `Jehoiakims' lest the same disaster overtake them. In an earlier Letter `Who is blind but My servant' we wrote that there is but one people of God who are chosen, called out and separated unto Him. It is false dichotomy to separate God's people into `old' and `new', and this has led to violent persecution of the old by the new for the title `Christian' is man-made and is a description not a title, with the meaning of `Christ's people'. There is but one chosen people, the Olive Tree which is `Israel'. Some branches are broken off because of unbelief and non-acceptance of Jesus as Messiah, whilst others are `wild' branches grafted in. With that in mind we see that all Scripture is inspired by God and given to His people and prophetically outworked `according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will', as Paul wrote to the Ephesians.
And so we come to three chapters which are `cut out' of the Book of Jeremiah - that is, chapters 13 to 15, which can be seen to be `cut out' or separated from the rest of the book - and as a living inspired Word we can apply its warnings and encouragement to our present time. The central chapter 14 reveals that what follows came directly from the LORD to Jeremiah, but only when understanding had come to Jeremiah was he then told to `speak this word to them'. This was followed by a further entreaty from Jeremiah, `Have you rejected Judah completely?'. Chapter 14 opens with the words:
" This is the word of the LORD to Jeremiah concerning the drought (which
led to famine as the crops failed through lack or water): Judah mourns,
her cities languish, they wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem. "
There was no water . . . no blessings came from heaven . . . the land was dried up and the people were starving . . . `but we are your chosen people?'
Now we need to step back to the first chapter of this triology, chapter 13, for the answer as to why there came the drought which led to famine: `Go and buy a linen girdle (belt) and put it round your waist, but do not let it touch water' - that is, put no water in the pouch of the girdle. The LORD then instructs Jeremiah to take the girdle to the Euphrates and hide it in the rocks, only later to return to find the girdle `ruined and completely useless'. We know that the ancient prophets often `spoke' their prophecies by symbolic acts, and here in the linen girdle we have a graphic and tragic example of this, for in the dry world in which those people lived it was customary to carry water in a leather girdle pouch around their waists. Jeremiah is told to buy a linen girdle (made by either silk or linen) which was worn by the elite of the land but which was incapable of holding water for such people had their needs relieved by others less worthy, such as slaves. Such people went through a symbolic need but in reality they used their own wealth to meet their needs. So Jeremiah was told to take their `empty pride', hide it where the waters of the Euphrates would wash over it, and within days this symbol of self-righteousness and pride would be ruined and worthless!
As we read on into the chapter we can see the fulness of that prophetic act, for it speaks of the armies of Babylon crossing over the Euphrates to destroy their empty pride, taking them into captivity after destroying all they had believed in. Verses 12 to 17 record Jeremiah being told to speak to the people - and here we see that it is `the LORD God of Israel' who speaks, the Covenant-keeping God of all creation Who is about to use what He has created and allowed to come into being to chasten through destruction and captivity His chosen people who are girded around His waist, a precious girdle indeed! However these verses speak of earthenware bottles filled with wine that He will smash to pieces. The Hebraic word used for wine here is `yaryin', a full intoxicating wine which if drunk to excess will lead to drunkeness - the meaning being that the LORD's people are so drunk with their own pride in their position of being a chosen people that they live with empty water girdles of their own making. The words he had to speak no doubt filled Jeremiah with dread and fearful of his own life: (v 14)
" I will smash them one against the other . . . . I will not pity or spare them,
nor have mercy but destroy them. "
Verse 15 and following then reveals the great distress and anquish of the LORD God of Israel:
" Hear and give ear, be not proud for the LORD has spoken. Give glory to the
LORD your God before He causes darkness and before your feet stumble on
the dark mountains . . . . . . But if you will not hear it, My soul shall weep
in secret places for your pride and My eyes shall weep and run with tears
because the LORD's flock is carried away captive. "
Such words lead Jeremiah to deep heart-rending intercession:
" Oh LORD - a call upon his Covenanted promise;
Oh Hope of Israel - a reminder of His Fatherhood;
Oh LORD, Who is in the midst of us. "
Jeremiah then reminds the LORD of what the false prophets were saying to the people: `You shall not see the sword of famine or only to hear the reproach'. God answers: `These prophets speak lies in My Name. I sent them not, neither did I speak to them'. However the words of those false prophets who spoke lies in the LORD's name would certainly turn back on them as the sword of famine consumed them! But Jeremiah's entreaties were of no avail, as we shall see in chapter 15, the last chapter of this triology:
" Then said the LORD to me, `Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me
My heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from My
Presence, let them go'! "
The time for entreaties was past for this people, and the reason is seen in verse 4:
" I will cause them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth because
of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah King of Judah did in Jerusalem. "
Such a short time from the reign of the godly King Hezekiah - and all because of the destructive idolatrous work of his son Manasseh who encouraged the people to turn again to the pagan gods - but the coming destruction, death and captivity could not be turned away. And so in this verse 4 we read that the people of Judah were to be `removed into all the kingdoms of the earth'. In this one line of one verse the prophetic nature of Scripture is revealed, for as we know the `removal' for Judah was into Babylon but `into all the kingdoms of the earth' pointed forward to the Great Diaspora of AD 70, and as prophecy is a living word it points to continuous Diasporas until the end of this Age!
But still Jeremiah persisted in his entreaties to the LORD, seen in the great anquished cry from his heart:
" Woe is me, my mother, that you have bourne me, a man of strife, a man
of contention to the whole earth. I have never lent in usury and have
never borrowed in usury, yet everyone curses me. "
God's prophet, once called and then tested, could only then speak the LORD's words to an apostate rebellious people who would not hear those words, which led to the scorn and humiliation which Jeremiah's anquished cry revelaed. But Jeremiah, who knew his God heard at last the words he knew would come. The Covenanted word of his Righteous, Merciful God could not be revoked, even by a sinful idolatous people, for He had them bound around His waist as a `silken girdle', not as an empty symbol but filled with His mercy and grace - as spoken in verses 11-14:
" The LORD says: `Surely it shall be well with your (Israel's) remnant,
. . . and I will make you and your (Jewish) enemies pass into a land
which you do not know, for a fire is kindled in My Name which shall
burn against you (the people of Judah)'. "
Jeremiah's cries were heard, and in the captivity that followed a remnant would be kept until the purifying fire had cleansed that remnant, for as we know they were brought out of captivity led by Nehemiah, another righteous man whose great distress over the LORD's city of Jerusalem caused the king to release him on the journey back to rebuild the gates and walls of Jerusalem, resulting in the final return of a remnant of 42,360 people under Zerubbabel. It was the faithfulness of this one man, Jeremiah, who knew the righteousness of his God, that caused this remnant to be saved and returned to Jerusalem.
Jeremiah accepted the judgement of the LORD with joy, as seen in verses 16-21:
" Your words were found and I did eat them, and Your Word was to me a
joy and a rejoicing in my heart, for I am called by Your Name, O LORD
God of Hosts . . . . `And I (the LORD) will deliver you out of the hands
of the wicked and I will redeem you out of the hands of the terrible'. "
Jeremiah's work for the LORD and His people was done, but we know from a later Scripture that he forced together with a remnant of the people to be taken into Egypt. Eventually the armies of Nebuchadnezzar also invaded Egypt and so they were destroyed in Egypt and not saved in Babylon!
The closing words of chapter 15 show Jeremiah's faithfulness to his calling:
Verse 17: `I sit not in the assembly of the mockers' - he sat alone
Verses18-19: `You will be My Mouth' - still in great distress but still speaking God's word
Verse 20: `I will make you a fortified wall of bronze to this people . . . . (as you speak) they will not overcome you'
Verse 21: `And I will redeem you out of the hand of the wicked and I will ransome you out of the hand of the terrible'
It is well known and accepted that Scripture is a Living Prophetic Word and therefore speaks and outworks itself throughout all ages. And so we see the words of Jeremiah again outworked many centuries later when again the elite of Jerusalem walked with their empty silken girdles around their waists, not accepting the words of One greater than Jeremiah. His crucifixion resulted in the death and scattering of the people with the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in 70 AD! But the LORD was faithful to His Covenanted Word for they (Israel) were worn as a girdle around His waist when they were brought back into the Land in 1948 and when later in 1967 all Israel (broken-off branches and regrafted-in branches, for there is only one Israel) entered another Probation Period of 40 years which ended in 2007 with a world-wide financial and economic crash. As surely as the Probation Period of Josiah's time ended in Jerusalem's destruction, and the later Probation of the time of Israel's greatest Prophet, the Lord Jesus, who cried `Father, forgive them' ended the same way, so a storm of destruction is gathering over all Israel, both broken-off and regrafted-in branches, for `a fire has been kindled in His Name which will burn against you'.
Somewhere today's `Jeremiahs' have been called to listen to Him. False prophets may well call for revival but today's Jeremiahs will call for repentance. They too will `sit alone' and will be the LORD's true mouthpieces for He will ensure that His Word will be spoken. A deepening `captivity' is outworking itself. Do not go down to Egypt to escape it!
Selah
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