Show the Way

In Jeremiah 42, the leaders of the people go to God’s prophet Jeremiah. They ask him to pray and find out from God what they should do. That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do (Jeremiah 42:3). Jeremiah promises them he will pray and tell them everything God tells him. (verse 4) The people say they will obey God’s word. (verses 5-6) Jeremiah prays, but God doesn’t answer him immediately. And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah (verse 7). Then, Jeremiah tells the people God’s message.

Sadly, the response wasn’t what we would expect. A big shot named Azariah and all the proud men (43:2) called Jeremiah a liar. A discussion between them and God’s man ensues.

Now, here are the bones of this story:    

•      The people were absolutely right to seek God’s will.
•      The people were right when they promised to do whatever God wanted.
•      Jeremiah did his duty and prayed for guidance.     
•      He waited ten days for the answer. (Sometimes, God’s answers aren’t immediate. I wonder what the people were thinking while they waited: Was Jeremiah putting them off? Had he lost touch with God? Why was it taking so long?)
•       Jeremiah tells them God’s words.      By now, someone who thinks he’s something has gathered some followers who don’t care what God says.
•       The result of the people’s rebellion and disobedience was God’s judgment. (chapter 44)

When the people could so easily have obeyed God—as they swore they would—and enjoyed His blessing, they chose instead to follow a charismatic leader with his own group of cronies, ignore God’s word, and reap the consequences.

What’s the application for us?

We have God’s Word, the Bible. It’s all written down. We don’t even have to wait ten days to read it. It’s our choice whether or not to read it, whether or not to heed it, whether or not to obey it.

If we choose to obey, we’ll be blessed. If we choose to disobey, we can expect to lose God’s blessing.

Things haven’t changed much in 2,600 years!