In nearly completing my study of Jeremiah I found myself rooting for the remnant of Israel. God gracefully allowed a few men and women to stay behind and to tend the land while others were either slaughtered or taken as slaves to Babylon. Things were by no means easy for the remnant, especially when there were some enemies in the camp. Some men assassinated the king appointed by the king of Babylon and this sent the remnant into a panic. They were certain that this would bring more terror on them by the king of Babylon. While their fears were legitimate and sincere, their prayers were not. They found the prophet Jeremiah, who was also left behind, to ask him to pray to God about what they should do. They wanted to know whether they should go to Egypt to flee from the king of Babylon or stay put in Israel. They vowed that they would listen to whatever God instructed them to do. At this point, as I said earlier, I am rooting for them and was so glad that they were seeking God and vowing to obedience. So you can imagine my shock, disbelief, and distaste when I continued to read and discovered that all along they were never sincere. Jeremiah took several days to pray and hear from God and this was God's response.
Jeremiah 42:10 ‘Stay here in this land. If you do, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you. For I am sorry about all the punishment I have had to bring upon you. 11 Do not fear the king of Babylon anymore,’ says the LORD. ‘For I am with you and will save you and rescue you from his power. 12 I will be merciful to you by making him kind, so he will let you stay here in your land.’
13 “But if you refuse to obey the LORD your God, and if you say, ‘We will not stay here; 14 instead, we will go to Egypt where we will be free from war, the call to arms, and hunger,’ 15 then hear the LORD’s message to the remnant of Judah. This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and live there, 16 the very war and famine you fear will catch up to you, and you will die there.17 That is the fate awaiting every one of you who insists on going to live in Egypt. Yes, you will die from war, famine, and disease. None of you will escape the disaster I will bring upon you there.’
18 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Just as my anger and fury have been poured out on the people of Jerusalem, so they will be poured out on you when you enter Egypt. You will be an object of damnation, horror, cursing, and mockery. And you will never see your homeland again.’
Can't you just hear God's heart in this response? He is crying out to the remnant with love and wanting to show them mercy and build them up! This broke my heart, which I will share why shortly. However, Jeremiah reveals the true heart of the remnant.
Jeremiah 42:19 “Listen, you remnant of Judah. The LORD has told you: ‘Do not go to Egypt!’ Don’t forget this warning I have given you today.20 For you were not being honest when you sent me to pray to the LORD your God for you. You said, ‘Just tell us what the LORD our God says, and we will do it!’ 21 And today I have told you exactly what he said, but you will not obey the LORD your God any better now than you have in the past. 22 So you can be sure that you will die from war, famine, and disease in Egypt, where you insist on going.”
Sure enough, the remnant called Jeremiah a liar, binds him up, and insists on going to Egypt. If you continue to read you find the Lord holds true to His word and Egypt, along with the remnant, meets great destruction by the very king they were running from. Usually when something I read in Scripture gets this type of response out of me it is because either I am currently in a similar state or someone I know is, or because I have been there in the past. Actually, I too am guilty of this both in the past and in the present. I come to God like a magic genie. I come with prayers and intentions to obey but only if it is something that I want. This is absurd! Who do we think we are fooling? I must be honest in my prayers and if I am unwilling to obey then I should not ask God at all. He is not someone just to check in with while you go about your own way. He wants ownership of our lives. Why? So that He can show us His love, mercy, and build us up just like He wanted to do with the remnant! This is why my heart was broken. How many times have I left God holding out His hands ready to do great things for me, but instead gone about my own way?! I have just recently asked my wife to help hold me to prayer. I, by nature, am a high achiever. I do not like to sit and wait and when I think something is good I like to go for it, and quickly. Before I make any decisions in my life I want to speak with God and honestly pray to Him and be willing to do His will no matter what! I know this is way easier said than done but I hope this powerful, and very clear illustration of the runaway remnant will be forever cemented in my mind and heart, and yours if you are reading this.
