Day 248: When the going gets tougher – Jeremiah 12 vs 1 – 6
1-2 Lord, you always give me justice when I bring a case before you. So let me bring you this complaint: Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why are evil people so happy? You have planted them, and they have taken root and prospered. Your name is on their lips, but you are far from their hearts. 3 But as for me, Lord, you know my heart. You see me and test my thoughts. 4 Drag these people away like sheep to be slaughtered! Set them aside to be slaughtered! How long must this land mourn? Even the grass in the fields has withered. The wild animals and birds have disappeared because of the evil in the land. For the people have said, “The Lord doesn’t see what’s ahead for us!”
5 “If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses? If you stumble and fall on open ground, what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan? 6 Even your brothers, members of your own family, have turned against you. They plot and raise complaints against you. Do not trust them, no matter how pleasantly they speak.” Jeremiah 12:1-6 New Living Translation's paraphrase (English Standard Version link)
Even though he was a prophet of God, things got to a stage where Jeremiah wanted some answers. That should encourage us because we may have felt like that sometimes too. So what was the problem that Jeremiah puts before God? (vs 1-2)
It worried him that people who were dishonest and cruel seemed to be doing fine. It was as if they had God's blessing. In fact, they happily used God's name even though He was nowhere in their hearts. That's a sad thought because it means that people today might also use the name of Jesus and yet not be genuine Christians at all. What made the problem worse for Jeremiah? (vs 3)
It seems that he could honestly say he was trying to be obedient to God – and perhaps he also knew what it’s like to have that troubled conscience if he let the Lord down. Many Christians experience this. They see wicked people seemingly without a care - yet they themselves often face difficulties as they try to be faithful to God. What did Jeremiah want God to do about the situation? (vs 4)
That might sound harsh. But Jeremiah was looking at the damage these people had caused the nation. He believed it was their sinfulness that had brought God's judgment to the doorstep and soon the Babylonian armies would invade the land. They had thrown off all restraint because they said God can't be bothered with the nation. So Jeremiah is basically saying: “Lord, wouldn't it be better to get rid of those people rather than letting the whole nation be ruined?” What do you make of God's reply to Jeremiah in vs 5-6?
Rather than respond to Jeremiah's complaint – the Lord deals with his discouragement. It's as if God was saying that Jeremiah had only begun the work as a prophet and, though he was still in the easier part of the journey, he was already discouraged. What would he do then when the going got really tough? There were signs of that already in that even members of Jeremiah's own family were starting to turn against him. God cautions Jeremiah to not be taken in by any smooth words they spoke to try and discourage him from faithfully speaking God's message to the nation. There are lessons for us here.
Firstly, it's not surprising if we sometimes have questions about the way God does things. We can't see the whole picture so there will be times when we wonder where things are heading. Secondly, we mustn't be upset if we don't get the answers we're looking for. When the disciples asked Jesus when His Kingdom would come he replied: “It's not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and will be my witnesses.” (Acts 1:7-8) Finally, we see that obedience to God may lead to some tougher situations that tire us out. But don't give up - the Lord will be with us just as He was with Jeremiah.