Tuesday: Returning to Egypt
If you haven’t read ahead, Jeremiah 42:1-22 could be very exciting. What will the people do? Would they reach out in faith, a faith that is revealed in obedience, and remain in Judah? Or would they make the same mistakes that were made in the past, and instead of following a clear thus saith the Lord,
do what they want to do, despite the Lord’s clear warning in the last few verses of chapter 42 about what would await them if they did go back to Egypt?
Read Jeremiah 43:1-7. What did they do?
Image © Krieg Barrie from GoodSalt.com
When God’s Word does not agree with our intentions or desires, we tend to have doubts about its divine origins. Likewise, the people and the leaders had doubts about Jeremiah. Apparently, in Israel, only the circumstances had changed, but the people remained the same in their thinking and in their heart. They excused themselves from their vow by attacking the prophet Jeremiah. However, they did not want to attack the aged Jeremiah directly. So they blamed Baruch, his friend and sometimes scribe, and turned their wrath against him, claiming that he had turned the prophet against them.
Read Exodus 16:3 and Numbers 16:13. What parallels exist between what the people said to Jeremiah and what their ancestors said to Moses?
Human nature is human nature, always looking for someone else to blame for its problems, always looking for an excuse to do what it wants. Thus, for whatever reason, Baruch was accused of wanting all of his countrymen to die by the hand of the Babylonians or to be taken into exile there. Jeremiah 43:1-7 does not say why the people thought Baruch wanted this to happen, any more than Scripture explains why the children of Israel thought Moses wanted them to die in the wilderness after they had left Egypt. People in the thrall of emotions and passions may not have sound reasons for their thinking. How crucial it is then that we keep our passions and emotions submitted to the Lord!
How often do we allow emotions or passions to cloud our judgment or even override a clear thus saith the Lord
? How can we protect ourselves from letting emotions and passions get the better of us? (See 2 Cor. 10:5.)
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Human fraternity is always incline towards Egypt.our behavior is more of an Egypt than Canaan.we don't embrace change despite warning ⚠ to us by God thr.today's prophets whom we hate and victimise the way the Israelites did.
Many of us a pretty good at enumerating the ways that we are returning to Egypt but when it comes to the crunch we are either at a loss to do something to change the flow, or we dismiss it as simply a sign of the end-times and we should expect more of the same. Some of us hope for the Holy Spirit to come along and fix things for us, so we pray for that to happen.
There are in fact a few things that we can do. Firstly we need to recognise that any change has to start at the individual level. We need to make a conscious decision to raise the level of our own spiritual experience. Secondly we need to start asking the Holy Spirit to show where we are needed, and then listen carefully. The Holy Spirit speaks with a soft voice and seldom comes with rushing winds and flames descending from heaven. Often it is a mere suggestion that you should say a kind word or do something nice for someone. We may not make a difference to the whole world or even a particular church, but we may make a difference to the person that is next to us.
Good thoughts, In my own personal experience as well as observing the western Christian culture, I find that we are generally very comfortable in the situation we find ourselves in and we are not looking for anything to disrupt our place to much. We are ok with God asking us to give a little but to be exposed to testing truths that cause a radical change in our lives we are not really interested. Sometimes I think we are fearful that God may ask us to do something radical so we don't really seek Gods advice.
Such was the situation with Judah I believe, they were, like us, wanting God to agree with their plans.
It does start with my heart and your heart. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from MY sin.
It is not surprising if stalwarts of the truth fiercely turn against it when they have a competing agenda which is challenged or their pride of influence is threatened. Among these are those who feel they are owed a lot because of what they have contributed to the church or God’s cause and the fame derived from praise by others. These often enjoy sharing the spotlight with the Lord.
Such was the case of Johanan and fellow captains who had emerged as champions of right and defenders of God’s people (Jeremiah 41:11-18). Pride increased to match their exploits (Jeremiah 43:2), and having obtained the confidence of the people in a suggestion motivated by fear (Jeremiah 42:11-16), they could not reverse themselves without loss of some standing.
Their persona had outgrown submission and they justified their course with the thought that they were championing the cause of a victimized group. All elevated leaders face this risk. The church has not seen the last demonstration of this. Like Jeremiah the faithful remain true to God’s word even if shouted down and compelled to pass through Egypt (Jeremiah 43:5-7).
It is better to lose something submitting than to assert one’s rights and gain the illusion of victory for a season, only to suffer worse and ultimate destruction (Jeremiah 42:13-18).
Whatever the fear, even unto death, there is never greater safety in subscribing to a human construct or devising a way of escape which brings into question the word of the Lord versus submitting to the tried and trusted way the Lord has led His people in the past. If fear threatens to rise in the heart ask for more love (1 John 4:18).
Quoting - "Their persona had outgrown submission and they justified their course with the thought that they were championing the cause of a victimized group. All elevated leaders face this risk. The church has not seen the last demonstration of this."
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It seems to me that as a Church we have gone to the civil law courts quite frequently over the last 20 years or so. To me this has always been a daring step to take. But if we feel that we need to resist a perceived evil by going to "law" for civil redress, and for "justice", then I think we must climb over definite barriers in order to do it. (1Cor 6:1-7, Rom 12:19, Matt 5:39.)
If Christ's kingdom were of this world then yes, we would do well to resist [in this way], and to fight matters through the law courts, but His kingdom is not of this world. (Jn 18:36) Still though, we sometimes imagine that we should "fight" to defend His honor, as Peter imagined that He should fight in His defence.
"Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? WHY DO YOU NOT RATHER SUFFER YOURSELVES TO BE DEFRAUDED?" (1Cor 6:7)
We, more than any other people on the face of the earth, should understand the dangers of a Church going to the State, in order that the will of the Church might be enforced. How quickly we have claimed 'exemptions' for this, and, feeling that we are in the right, rise up and go to the world (Egypt) for help.
but the problem is so hard for Jeremiah to be FORCED going to egypt
when leaders will do evething possible to inducted members in accepting false things
I believe we should do as God said , be slow to anger and quick to listen . thus avoiding having to react irrationally to certain situations and pointing The blame ramdomly, making false accusations.
I think many of us find ourselves in the same difficult situation: we have grown up thinking/believing/understanding our relationship with Jehovah in a certain way, now something different comes along and if we accept it our whole way of being will change. Could this be true/real/right? Is Jehovah changing His mind about us?
it is amazing that G...OD's children from all ages do find themselves in trouble , when Their DAD is acting contrary to their desires
It is true that in the Bible, Paul advises us against litigation in the secular courts with respect to personal or corporate grievances, he also reminds us to be in the world but not of the world. If the government offers the church tax breaks ,concessions and other benefits, it would be foolhardy to reject them providing we do not become beholden to the government. Using the legislative system in certain matters cannot be construed as "going to Egypt", it is only if we trust a secular power more than we trust God. I remember running to the bomb shelter back in Germany when the air raid siren sounded, and while there many people prayed for safety trusting in the Lord for deliverance, but the bomb shelter was provided by the government. By all means take what the government offers but remember that the Law of God transcends the law of man and His justice will be done and He shall repay, if not in this life, certainly in the next. We would do well to heed the words of the prophets and this includes the words of Ellen White, who in many churches today seems to be ignored. The Lord keep us faithful and true to endure to the end is my prayer. Blessings to all.
Hallow
I great you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
I have a question
The very sad story which i read to Jeremiah is that, after he had been told Judas that they should not return to Egypt because it will be like refusing the God message however, Jeremiah returned to Egypt with them. why did he go with them to Egypt while God told them not to return to Egypt, was he not contradicting on Gods' words?
Azariah and Johanan and all the proud men forced everyone to go where there were political leaders and as you know Jeremiah was not the prophet of Israel and Judah only but he was of all nation's. 1 Corinthians 6:1-7 he was not contradicting God's words in other ways he upheld the words of God. In fact he was honoring his leaders
Stewart would you please clarify specifically what you mean by the church going to the courts frequently over the last 20 years or so?
Thank you.
Michelle,
in terms of specifics I would refer to the "trademark" litigation initiated by the church. I believe it was in 1981 that the SDA General Conference successfully registered the words "Seventh Day Adventist" with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This "trademarks" action originally took place after a small church in Hawaii was found [in 1980] to be using "SDA Congregational Church" as its name. (This little church was not affiliated with the SDA church.)
With the trademark secured, the SDA church went on to take the Hawaiian church to court, to enforce the removal of offending signage. It was deemed "confusing" for non-affiliated churches to share a key element in their names, and yes, I agree that this can be confusing for people.
And yet it is no less confusing for people to see the name "Christian" being used by groups that differ widely in terms of belief and practice.
More recently, the SDA church took another group, the [former] Creation SDA church, to court over the same issue. The first in a series of lawsuits was filed by the SDA church against the "Creation SDA church" in 2006. The senior minister of the offending church (Walter McGill) was sent to prison briefly in 2012 (and again subsequently,) for persisting in his use of the trademarked name.
Now I am not saying that I agree with the teachings of the Creation SDA church : I strongly disagree with them, and would offer them no support. However, in my view, we as a church would do better to allow them to use the term "Seventh Day Adventist", rather than going to court in an effort to resist a perceived offender.
There are people I know of, that see our courtroom battles as petty "in house" squabbles. They see both groups keeping Sabbath, both exhorting preparation for the Second Advent, both using the writing of Ellen White, and both groups sharing the same "state of the dead" teaching. All the other doctrinal distinctions seem irrelevant to these onlookers; and so, in an effort to "protect" (or "save") our God-given name by going to "law", we have risked defiling it.
....power of answered prayer isn't in the result one has hoped for..it's in the courage of accepting it especially if it turns out to be negative. During the raid of Judah during Nebuchadnezzar's tym people inquired from prophet Jeremiah whether they shud seek refuge in Egypt or stay... Jeremiah 42 vs 1-22 They didn't like the response and ended up insulting the prophet.. Jeremiah 43 vs 1-7.. Negative responses aren't always welcome but He says ... for I know the plans that I've for u... for I formed u and know u by name... what greater hope than in these words... many dreams go on without becoming a reality bcoz the Lord knows the end from the beginning. May the Lord help us
For us returning to Egypt is not where we worship but who we worship, Jehovah sets the terms of His Covenant, we either accept them or we return to Egypt.
a christian is a true replica of a prisoner who goes back to crime after he is released.we are not tired of suffering from sin
We are so quick to blame others for what we want to do. To easy our wrong into right. Wrong is wrong all the way around the world. Right is right all the way around the world. No matter what way a man think. The word of God said there is a way that the man thinkth but the end is destruction.
One thing I am reminded God's word quickens ,why because of the principles in it ,e.g commenting on Andile's
You rather be pro-active than to react,
Look,listen and decide,
We have programmed ourselves to hear what we want to hear.
How could we accept what the Prophet Jeremiah was saying
Our nature is easy to gravitate towards sin ,(Egypt)
It's difficult to trust the truth
When faced with a choice to believe God's promise or find a solution we think would be better, so often we depend on our knowledge and wisdom, even when the evidence of God's providence is there to encourage us. God never asks for "blind faith" since there is no such thing. Blind faith is really presumption.
This move by the remaining people to go to Egypt was simple unbelief shown in their actions contrary to the message from God they had asked for and promised to obey. Without faith, it is impossible to please the LORD. Only through faith in His exceeding great and precious promises will we partake of His Divine nature.