The Bigger Picture
Jeremiah’s warnings to his nation fell mostly on deaf ears. John McLaughlan sees parallels in today’s UK Church
In the book of Jeremiah certain dates locate his ministry in the history of Judah. Not every prophecy has a date attached, but one particular date occurs four times. It is the “fourth year of Jehoiakim” – according to 46:2 the year that Nebuchadnezzar finally defeated Pharaoh Neco at the battle of Carchemish.
Prior to this battle, Pharaoh Neco had defeated the army of Judah and killed King Josiah. From there he turned north and fought the Babylonians at Carchemish. There appears to have been no clear victor, for both sides retreated, but four years later Nebuchadnezzar actually defeated the Egyptians at Carchemish. In the minds of the people of Judah that event would be their ‘9/11’. The world scene was changing fast and Judah was only a small player with no power to influence what was happening.
We can summarise Judah’s unhappy situation at this point: They had only recently suffered defeat in war and had lost a good king and many men, leaving widows and orphans to do the hard work of providing for the families. The enemy Egyptian forces now occupying Judah would, presumably, have plundered the land and abused the inhabitants; and the Babylonians – cruel by reputation (see Habakkuk 1:15-17) – would soon be coming to Judah. It was into these years of sorrow, uncertainty and fear that the LORD spoke through Jeremiah.
We do not know if His word (Jeremiah 25:1ff) came to Jeremiah before the battle, while the battle was being fought, or after the battle was ended. One thing we know is that Jeremiah makes no direct reference to the battle although Nebuchadnezzar is mentioned by name. The main points in Jeremiah 25 are that the people have not listened to the prophets that the LORD has sent to them (verse 4), they have not obeyed the prophets and repented, forsaking other gods (verse 5 & 6), and the LORD will bring Nebuchadnezzar to punish them and take them captive to Babylon for seventy years (verses 9-14). The remainder of the chapter deals with the LORD’s judgment upon the nations. It is interesting that the LORD does not tell the people to pray for their land or to pray against their enemies and neither does He offer them any consolation in their circumstances.
In Jeremiah 36:1, in that same “fourth year of Jehoiakim” the LORD told Jeremiah to write down “all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, against Judah, and against all the nations” (verse 2). Jeremiah has Baruch write his words on a scroll and tells him to read the scroll at the Temple as he “cannot go into the house of the LORD” because he has been banned from doing so. Baruch initially reads the scroll as directed and there appears to be no reaction to the prophecy (verse 8) but then he appears to read the scroll again in the Temple during the “fifth year of Jehoiakim” (verse 9) to a more select audience who see the seriousness of what Jeremiah is saying and believe that the king should hear what is written on the scroll. The scroll is read to the king who, piece by piece, burns the scroll in the fire…
After Baruch has taken and delivered Jeremiah’s dictation to him (as recorded in chapter 36), the prophet is given ‘the word of the Lord’ for his scribe (Jeremiah 45). Baruch is emotionally disturbed by the tenor of Jeremiah’s prophecy; he is distressed and can find no rest. The LORD asks Baruch why, even in the light of what he had just written, he is seeking great things for himself? Baruch had impressive family connections: His grandfather was Mahseiah (Jeremiah 23:12) who was governor of Jerusalem in Josiah’s reign (2 Chronicles 34:8); his brother would rise to be chief chamberlain in the court of Zedekiah (Jeremiah 51:59), so perhaps Baruch’s breeding led him to seek greater importance than to be a mere scribe to Jeremiah. The Lord’s message is humbling. Amidst such turmoil Baruch’s personal ambition is inappropriate, to say the least. God provides the reality check… nothing is guaranteed except the scribe’s physical survival – a gracious promise, given the immediate future!
Do we see parallels in the Church today?
It may be that only in hindsight is this particular “fourth year of Jehoiakim” seen as significant. In our day, we in the church are sated with information about ‘everything’. We learn about many events and many decisions, but that does not mean we can fit the pieces together to see the bigger picture of the ‘moves’ and ‘shakings’ that affect us all. By threading the repeat references to Jehoiakim’s ‘fourth year’ the emerging picture is of a time of great fear on the world scene, of a people who claim to be the LORD’s own people but who reject His prophets and refuse Him their obedience. We see a rebellious king who despises the LORD’s Word and would destroy God’s messengers, and individuals who, incredibly, in the midst of such godless instability, insecurity, fear and hardship, appear to be concerned only for their own advancement!
Today’s world is beset with multiple agonising problems for which there seems no solution – and no willingness to seek wisdom from God. To those who hold some kind of ‘dominionist / authority’ position and who claim that we Christians will rule on earth even before Jesus returns, I would ask how they would explain their theology to our brothers and sisters who are being killed and suffering for Jesus today? The LORD sovereignly raises up nations and peoples who (albeit unwittingly – and unwillingly) serve His purposes but whose values are abhorrent to us – read Habakkuk! The people of Judah and Jerusalem had to face up to the prospect of being ruled by Nebuchadnezzar – God’s “servant”! (Jeremiah 25:9) What about our day? Are we secure enough in Christ for whatever may come our way as the people of God?
The church needs to heed what the Word of God says and do what it says. In Jeremiah’s day Josiah had initiated a revival of true religion after they found the Book of the Law (2 Kings 22) but the reforms did not go deep and the nation sank back into false religion. They did not repent, as the prophets time and again had told them to. There are things that we do not need to pray about – repentance is one of them. Jesus said that if “your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you” Matthew 5:30): He did not say pray about it, or, speak to your pastor – What He said was that we should just do it! We need to be radical (‘get to the root’) in our dealings with the Lord and His Word!
It’s time to take God seriously!
We see today’s ‘church’ leaders, so-called, dismissing and neutralising the Word of God. They may not actually cut up the Word of God and burn it as Jehoiakim did, but essentially, they are doing the same thing. It is hard to see a way back for those in the church who condone those things that the LORD calls abominations! It is easier sometimes just to keep our mouths shut when things are said and done in Christ’s name that in truth dishonour His name, but sometimes you just have to speak up and stand up for Christ and His truth. Perhaps there will be those in our day, in our nation, whose lives will be in danger for speaking up for the truth of the LORD’s Word.
In such days we should not be seeking our own advancement and advantage. Let the world live that way. Jesus showed us His way, the way of the Servant whose only aim was to honour His Father and to do His will. Are we true followers of this Jesus? It’s so easy to fall into the trap of knowing – even speaking and teaching – what Jesus requires of us whilst never actually taking up our cross to follow Him!
The same Spirit who inspired Jeremiah’s prophecy in the troubled Jerusalem of 605 BC can give us insight to interpret the sign of our times as clearly as the prophet. Jeremiah was conditioned by the LORD’s Word. Quite naturally therefore, he heard the LORD speak through His Word. Let us be of the same mind and heart as Jeremiah who wept and prayed while others merely worried.