We have meditated on Jeremiah 5:13-30 reminding us that the lack of the fear of the LORD is one of the causes of sins and transgressions. Today, we shall continue with Jeremiah 6:1-16, reminding us to find and walk in God's good way.
BE SEPARATE
Jeremiah 6:1 O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.
The kingdom of Judah included two tribes, Judah and Benjamin. The prophet Jeremiah's hometown was in Anathoth of the tribe of Benjamin (Jer 1:1). Jerusalem was assigned to the tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18:28), after that it became the capital of the united kingdom under king David. Jerusalem was a capital of the administrations (including kings, princes, ruling elders, chief captains, scribes, judges, and so forth), a capital of worship (including the high priest, priests, Levites, and worshippers), and also a capital of the noble and the wealthy although there were still working and lower class people there. Sadly, the people in Jerusalem from the leaders to inhabitants were corrupt, covetous, deceitful, idolatrous, ungodly and unrighteous. They refused to hear God's Word of warning through His true prophet Jeremiah. Consequently, the holy and righteous God had to chastise His unrepentant people. As the king, the high priests, the Levites and the people of Judah in Jerusalem did not listen to God's Word through Jeremiah, Jeremiah called his countrymen, the children of Benjamin, to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem to avoid "great destruction" from the north, even from Babylon. Jeremiah told them to blow the trumpet (for warning of danger and war) in Tekoa and to set up a sign of fire (by standing on a tower, holding a burning torch, and waving it) in Bethhaccerem. Tekoa was the hometown of the prophet Amos (Amos 1:1), and a fenced town near Bethlehem. Bethhacceremwas a town between Tekoa and Bethelehem. However, the Benjamites did not believe nor respond to Jeremiah's call either, so they would be chastised together with the Judahites.
God used Jeremiah to expose the sins of the people in Jerusalem so that they might repent, but sadly they refused to repent of their sins:
- She is wholly oppression in the midst of her (v 6).
- As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness (v 7).
- Violence and spoil is heard in her (v 7).
- From the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness (v 13)
- From the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely (v 13).
- They were not at all ashamed of the abomination they committed (v 15).
We are also living in this ungodly and unrighteous world today. Many enjoy living in sins, ungodliness, immorality and idolatry. They do not fear God nor honour His Word and warnings. They are not ashamed of their abominations, even homosexuality, same sex marriage, abortion, and so forth. Surely, God's righteous judgement will come upon this world, and God commands us to come out and to be separate. What about us?
2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
BE INSTRUCTED
Jeremiah 6:8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited. 9 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets.
God commanded His people to be instructed, that is, to willingly and humbly receive the instruction and teaching from the Lord with a meek, teachable, and receptive mind and heart. Regrettably, the people of Judah refused to be instructed, so God had to fulfil His Word of warnings and judgement upon them. What about us? Are we humble enough to be instructed by the Holy Spirit through His Word?
Psalm 25:9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
LISTEN TO GOD'S WORD
Jeremiah 6:10 To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. 11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.
God spoke to His people and gave them His warning again and again, but they refused to listen to His Word. They only wanted to hear what their sinful flesh (old man, sinful nature) wanted to hear. They wanted to hear good things about themselves, whereas they were living against God's holy Word! They could not endure to hear God's Word because "the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it." Their ears were uncircumcised because they did not set their ears apart from their sinful nature and fleshly lusts in order to listen to God's Word (Colossians 2:11). Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to the Jewish leaders, reminding them of God's gracious plan and work since the days when He called Abraham, but they did not want to listen to God's Word, so Stephen said to them, "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. 52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: 53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it" (Acts 7:51-53). It is the same today, many do not like to hear God's Word of truth about His holiness, righteous judgment, anger, fury, and wrath against their sins, worldliness, and ungodliness. They turn to lying words of men, the words that are pleasing to their ears (2 Timothy 4:3-4). However, hearing and obeying God's Word is like a wise man who built his house upon the rock (Matt 7:24-25). What about us?
SEE AND ASK FOR THE GOOD OLD WAY AND WALK THEREIN
Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
The backsliding people of Judah were walking in the ways of the world with ungodly lifestyles and heathen idolatry. The Lord commanded them to stand in the ways, figuratively speaking, to consider all the ways they had known, and to see and observe, and to ask for the old or ancient paths from those who knew God's Word and way from the Holy Scripture to make sure of where the good way was to walk therein. The good way is unique and true from the Lord and His Word! Only God is good, and His Word is good, so the good way is His good way in the boundary of His holy Word, leading to eternal life. They had to come back to their Lord and His Word, the Holy Scripture, to find rest for their souls. Disappointedly, they did not want to walk in God's good way. They wanted to walk in their own ways and worldly ways, leading to ungodliness and destruction unawares, while they still thought that they were fine, that God was with them, and that they would not be judged nor taken in capitivity to Babylon!
What about us? We are living in the end times with similar worldliness, ungodliness, and deception everywhere! "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25). Many deceive themselves by thinking that all the religions are good, all the churches are good, and all ways can lead them to Heaven! Many do not want to examine all the ways, to ask for the old good way from God's Word, the Holy Scriptures, nor to walk therein! What about us?
PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF WALKING IN GOD'S GOOD WAY
1. Not all ways lead to eternal life and to God the Father
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov 14:12; 16:25).
2. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only one living and true way, by whom we come to God the Father
Jehovah Witnesses believe that only their believers and followers of their group are saved and that they are walking in the way to Heaven, while their faith and practices are not Biblical! What a deception! You and I should not be deceived by any church or any "Christian" group claiming that only the members of their church or their group are saved. The Lord Jesus confirms that He Himself is the only living and true Way, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). Many are following their church leaders, but the most important is whether they and their church leaders are really following the Lord Jesus Christ Himself! "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27). The Lord Jesus also confirms that He is the only Source of spiritual Life and strength, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5). Many are in their church or their "Christian" group but not really in the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. They trust in the Lord for "great" works but not truly depend on Him nor submit to His will, His Word and His way! That is why they have no spiritual life and strength to live, worship and serve the Lord acceptably before God! Moreover, only the Lord Jesus Christ can lead you and me to God the Father in the holiest through His blood-shedding death and resurrection, "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;" (Hebrews 10:19-20). God the Father is so holy that when you and I really come to Him, we must always need and trust in the blood of the Lord Jesus to wash us, cleanse us and sanctify us; otherwise, we are not truly in the holiest where the Father is!
3. Do not walk in the broad way, leading to destruction although so many are walking therein
The Lord Jesus says, "for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat." Many usually prefer the easy and broad way because they feel comfortable with it, without under any restriction or control from God's Word. They like the comfortable way they live, the comfortable way they worship, and the comfortable way they serve the Lord! They love to do whatever they like and to walk in any way they like. They do not want to be confined to the boundaries of God’s Word with so many "dos and don'ts." What about us?
4. Walk in the narrow way, leading to eternal life although very few are walking therein
Many “Christian” leaders are proud of their Gospel or Crusade Campaign with costly advertisements, ear-soothing messages and worldly music that may bring hundreds or thousands to Christ! However, people cannot enter into Heaven by just repeating the preacher’s or pastor's prayer except if each of them comes to the Lord Jesus Christ personally in repentance and submission! The Lord Jesus confirms, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: ...14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13), and "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able" (Luke 13:24). Truly, we are not able to walk in God's good way, holy way, righteous way and narrow way by our own strength. That is by the Lord's grace and strength alone, "for without me ye can do nothing." Thus, you and I should not be proud nor despise others. If we are able to see and find the Lord Jesus as God's only good Way to the Father, and if we are able to walk in His narrow and righteous way in the boundaries of His Word, we must humbly give thanks, praise and glory to God alone.
5. Walk as the Lord Jesus walked
1 John 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
The Lord Jesus has set a good and perfect Example for us to follow (John 13:15). We ought to humbly walk with the Lord, walk after Him, and walk as He walked in our life, worship, service, and ministry according to His Word.
May the Lord graciously open our eyes to see His good way, open our ears to hear His good Word, open our heart to humbly receive His good instruction, and strengthen us to walk in His good, true and living Way each day. Amen. HN.
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