Don Guthrie

Does God punish?

Re: Verse reading – Jeremiah 11:18-23; 12:1-6; 17:14-18; 20:7-18 (day seven)
“Behold, I am about to punish them! The young men will die by the sword, their sons and daughters will die by famine.” (11:22) It is an idea often denied in this permissive generation. We do not imagine a God who punishes people for their moral choices. We doubt or deny the certainty of consequences, either positive and negative. Gradually the conviction has eroded away that 1) there is a God, 2) He is morally good, 3) He holds people responsible for their choices. It is not a new problem. People in Jeremiah’s day said, “He will not see our latter end.” (12:4) Like moderns, they imagined a morally absent and generally tolerant God. One who did not judge behavior nor shape outcomes. Jeremiah warns them to turn from such thinking. They refuse and miss the offered mercy. “Vengeance is mine, I WILL repay”, says the Lord. (Romans 12:19) What do you believe, friend? What have you taught your children?

Prayers for justice

Re: Verse reading – Jeremiah 11:18-23; 12:1-6; 17:14-18; 20:7-18 (day six)
“O Lord Almighty. . .let me see your vengeance upon them.” (11:20) Jeremiah is not alone. The Bible records MANY prayers for the wicked to be brought to justice, made to experience the vengeance of God. Revelation 6:9-10 is another example. “I saw the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and they cried out, ‘How long , O Lord. . .will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood?’ ” To reconcile these prayers with the prayer of Christ on the cross (“Father, forgive them”) various approaches have been employed. Perhaps the best is to remember that justice is a permanent part of God’s character and righteousness. His anger toward all who are unholy is not unholy. It is not wrong for his people to pray for judgment to come. Higher still for us to pray for mercy which comes through repentance and faith. One prayer is good. The other is even better.

When holy is hard

Re: Verse reading – Jeremiah 11:18-23; 12:1-6; 17:14-18; 20:7-18 (day one)
“But if I say, ‘I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” (20:9) Jeremiah is “between a rock and a hard place”. His service to God is unwelcome, unsuccessful (by any human measure) and unsatisfying. A hard assignment emotionally, physically and personally! He weeps often from the sheer stress. And when he tries to reduce the stress, the Spirit of God will not allow it. No escape. This cross has to be carried. Will we have similar moments? Moments when our service to Christ does not “pay” in anything but further disappointment? I think so. ” American Dream” Christianity proposes that faithful people will always be satisfied and happy. Biblical Christianity proposes that faithful people will sometimes be called to tasks that are holy and hard.

Reformation – then and now

RE Verse reading – Jeremiah 18:1-12; 19:1-15 (day seven)
“REFORM your ways and your deeds.” (19:11) We look back on the Reformers with respect and gratitude. 1517. Martin Luther nailing 95 Theses to the door of the All Saints church in Wittenberg, Germany. John Calvin writing the Institutes of the Christian Religion. Such courage! But do we recognize our own responsibility? Each of us is called to reform his own ways and deeds. “If I cannot change the world, I will change my part of it”, says the obedient heart. God calls us to do so. We are not lifeless clay. (This is the place where the analogy of Jeremiah 18 breaks down.) We are humans, created in the image of God, with great capacity for moral thought and action. We are not victims! “Can a man be born (new) when he is old?” (John 3:4) Yes! By the Spirit, through faith (as expressed in obedience) life can be reformed. “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” (1 Timothy 4:7)

Point of no return

RE Verse reading – Jeremiah 18:1-12, 19:1-15 (day six)
“Then break the jar while those who go with you are watching, and say, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty says, I will smash this nation and this city just as this potter’s jar is smashed and cannot be repaired.’ ” (19:10-11) It is called “the point of no return”. Aviation term referring to the point in a flight, due to fuel consumption, it becomes impossible to return to the base from which the plane took off. Do people ever reach this place? When the consequences come and it becomes impossible to get back “what we had”? The Bible says yes. Parents who love children warn them of such things. Pastors who love congregations. In Jeremiah 18, Judah is compared to wet clay. Elastic. By Jeremiah 19, the picture is different. Now the clay is hard and unyielding. The time for justice has come. “He found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.” (Hebrews 12:17)

Does God change His mind?

Re: Verse reading – Jeremiah 18:1-12; 19:1-15 (day one)
It is a trick question, I suppose. The true answer is that God never acts contrary to His own word and character. His does, however, leave Himself room for “flexibility” depending on how His word is received. He can (and does) warn nations of coming judgment. If that nation repents, He “will relent from the calamity planned” (18:8) He can (and does) announce His blessing on nations. If that nation becomes overconfident, takes His blessings for granted and moves into evil, He “thinks better of the good with which I had promised to bless it” (18:10) From our side, it may appear that He is changing His mind. From His perspective, God is ruling the world with absolute moral consistency. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. The one who sows to his own flesh . . .corruption; the one who sows to the Spirit. . .eternal life.” (Galatians 6:7-8)

Stand at the gate!

Re: Verse reading – Jeremiah 7:1-16 (day seven)
“Stand at the gate of the Lord’s house and there proclaim this message.” (v 2) Early in my years as a minister, I was too timid. For fear of offending (or of being rejected) I spoke softly, rarely taking the risks necessary to be noticed and heard. Probably a common “young” mistake. Maybe the reason that God instructed Jeremiah to “stand in the gate of the Lord’s house”. Three gates lead from the Court of the Gentiles into the Holy Place. To climb those stairs and turn back to face the people in that courtyard would have placed Jeremiah up high and visible to thousands. Paul had similar words for his young preacher-boy, Timothy. “Let no one look down on you because you are young, but in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself!” (1 Timothy 4:12) “Stand up, Stand up for Jesus, you soldiers of the cross” says the old song. Encouragement you need?

What does a sinner need?

Re: Verse reading – Jeremiah 7:1-16 (day six)
“It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it ‘a robbers den’ “. (Matthew 21:13 and Jeremiah 7:11) Jesus thought often about Jeremiah. Identified with him. Was inspired by him. Even quoted him. Days before the cross, Jesus used Jeremiah’s words. The same mistake was being made. A robbers den is a place where criminals go to feel safe without repentance. Temple worship was serving a similar purpose . No urgency of the conscience. No reminder of a glorious and holy God. No call to righteousness. Just “feel good” sermons, patriotic pride and fellowship. A place to rest, not repent. 6 years ago, I didn’t need encouragement. I needed surgery! Massive, painful surgery. Strange. Short-term hurt was long-term help. Spiritually true, Jesus believes. Encouragement or conviction? Community or a call to repentance? What does a SINNER need? What does a sinner NEED? These are the courageous questions that motivated the Savior.

A trip to Shiloh

Re: Verse reading – Jeremiah 7:1-16 (day one)
“Go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I made my name to dwell at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel.” (v 12) It was small city in the North. Gone now. Destroyed by the invading Assyrian army. Significant in history because the Lord had often appeared to Israel there. “And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, because the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.” (1 Samuel 3:21) When Jeremiah needed to challenge the stubborn idea that God would NEVER let Jerusalem fall (because it was a holy place, a “God” place) he used Shiloh as an illustration. God did let Shiloh fall! Just because a place or a church or a person has been holy in the past, it does not prevent present judgment. A glorious past is no exemption. Go to Shiloh. See for yourself.

Weakness is no excuse

Re: Verse reading – Jeremiah 1 (day seven)
I feel insecure, sometimes. Inadequate for the challenges facing my family, church and soul. Anyone with me? I am tempted in these moments to live in denial. If I ignore these threats, they will go away, right? My plan is to not have one! Self-awareness of weakness is permitted, I think, until it sends the believer into retreat or paralysis. I am impressed with God’s warning to Jeremiah. “Do NOT be dismayed before them.” (v 17) Reminds me of similar words given to Joshua. “Have I not COMMANDED you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) The days ahead will challenge all of us. Jesus warned us to be ready. We ARE weak. Truly. This fact, however, does not exempt us from duty. Courage is required. He has commanded us to trust Him and be strong. Weakness is no excuse.