You know what God loves? He loves obedience. Today’s story out of Jeremiah tells of a family God promises good things to because of their obedience. Not even their obedience to him- their obedience through many generations to an ancestor. It’s interesting- you can find it in Jeremiah 35.
The other story for today is one of defiant disobedience. God gives Jeremiah a message. Jehoiakim, king of Judah, has kicked Jeremiah out of the temple, so Jeremiah dictates a message to be written on a scroll. Eventually Jehoiakim has the opportunity he needs- the opportunity all of Judah needs. It’s a chance to hear the words of God, repent, and avert the coming disaster. God, through Jeremiah, has been warning and pleading with his people to repent; “perhaps…each one of them will turn from his evil way. Then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.”
The day comes, and Jehoiakim hears the words of opportunity. The words that would bring freedom and forgiveness. Do you know what he does? It’s so defiantly arrogant! Picture the scene- Jehoiakim, surrounded by sycophants and luxury. A roaring fire, as the king is in his winter quarters. The scribe starts reading.
Jehoiakim, after a few minutes of listening, stops him.
Good, right? He is listening, and he wants to consider the words and repent.
But no.
As soon as he hears three or four columns read, “Jehoiakim would cut the scroll with a scribe’s knife and throw the columns into the fire in the hearth until the entire scroll was consumed by the fire in the hearth. As they heard all these words, the king and all of his servants did not become terrified or tear their clothes.”
Tragic disobedience.
We have the gift of these Old Testament stories at least in part so that we can see God’s heart. He longs to shower us with good things- forgiveness, protection, love. But we position ourselves to receive his beautiful gifts only through obedience.
May we, and all our children, be a people who obey.
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