Our theme for this month: “Mistakes”
Our Bible verse for today: “The Lord sent all His servants the prophets to you time and time again, but you have not obeyed or even paid attention. He announced, ‘Turn, each of you, from your evil way of life and from your evil deeds; But you would not obey Me.” Jeremiah 25:4-5; 7 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “It is a big mistake for people who know better to rebel against God.”
If you’ve read the book of Jeremiah then you know it’s basically fifty-two chapters of God saying to the Israelites, “I’m running out of patience with you! In a minute you’re going to get it!” But the Israelites didn’t listen and so, they got it. The next book of the Bible, Lamentations, tells that story. It’s essentially a record of the Jews in a Godly time out after having been spanked real good.
The thing is – they knew better. These people had been trained in righteousness. They had been raised in church and they knew God’s standards. Beyond that, they had been warned repeatedly. What we learn from their example is that it’s a big mistake for people who know better to rebel against God. He is very patient, and He will give us lots of chances to correct our behavior, but once He runs out of patience with us look out! The most powerful force in the universe is about to deliver some discipline you’re not going to soon forget.
We often talk about how the “nation” of Israel disobeyed God, and it’s true, the “nation” did disobey Him. But in order for the “nation” to have disobeyed Him it had to mean that “individuals” were disobeying Him. Therefore when we read that the nation was punished, what it really means is individuals were punished. Lots of the them. All of them.
It’s bad enough when an individual who knows better rebels against God and ends up suffering the consequences of their rebellion. But when you have lots of individuals rebelling, an entire nation of them, the magnitude of the Godly discipline becomes historic in scope and we end up with something like what we read about in Lamentations.
As I consider the history of the Jews, and I then observe the rapid downward slide we see occurring in our own society, I shudder to think about where our country is headed, of what lies ahead for us. It can’t be good. Is there a “Lamentations” in our own future? I think there could be.
But let’s not forget that as was the case with the nation of Israel, in order for the nation to be in rebellion the individuals who make up that nation have to be in rebellion. And although you and I as individuals may not be able to influence the entire course of the nation, we can be faithful and righteous in our own behavior. If enough of us do that, then the nation will no longer be in rebellion to God. People often say something like, “I’m only one individual. What can I do?” The answer is, “You can do your part.” And if enough of us do that, there will be an exponential ripple effect throughout society.
The history of the nation of Israel didn’t have to include the story that’s told in Lamentations. That only happened because enough individual Israelites allowed it to happen. But their story doesn’t have to be our story – and the solution begins with you and me. It’s a big mistake for people who know better to rebel against God. You and I know better. So let’s be the ones who obey Him instead.
God Bless,
Oak Hill Baptist Church 