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Thwarted Ambitions (Jeremiah 36)
The seriousness of the situation finally seemed to be dawning on the people of Judah. In Jeremiah 36:9, the people gathered in the temple for a day of fasting before the Lord. Through his professional connections with other scribes, Baruch manages to secure a good public place, in the window of Gemariah at the entrance to the temple. Here Baruch proceeds to read the scroll that he has written at Jeremiah’s dictation. After Baruch’s reading of the message, court officials ask him to give them a private reading. After inquiries as to where the message comes from, the officials decide to bring it to the king’s attention. For a brief moment it looks as if there might be change in Judah. For Baruch this is a moment of hope. Should things turn around, then his support for Jeremiah will pay off. In the possible reformation he will be a man of importance, maybe elevated to a high position in the government.
What did the king’s response mean to the future hopes of Baruch, at least on a professional level? See Jeremiah 36.
Scrolls were made of papyrus and were expensive. They had to be copied by hand. This made each scroll a scarce and precious resource. This particular scroll was God’s message to King Jehoiakim. The king and his servants showed a deliberate insult to God by systematically cutting and burning the scroll. The burning of the scroll meant the loss of many hours of hard work by Baruch.
Baruch, who may have hoped for an honored position in court, now realizes that he has backed the “wrong” player and effectively sabotaged his future as a scribe at the royal court of Jerusalem. He also has angered the most powerful man in the kingdom. Here’s a clear case where someone’s stand for the Lord has cost him something.
Together with Jeremiah, Baruch is now a marked man. Royal agents comb the city, seeking to get hold of these defeatists. Following God is no path for cowards or people who want to use God in order to make a nice career for themselves. Being God’s messenger does not represent a life driven by personal ambition but rather involves letting God’s will unfold in our lives, whatever the cost. At times, that cost can be very great.
What has following the Lord cost you? When was the last time you had to lose or sacrifice something important to you because you stood for a biblical principle or for a commandment from God? Think through the implications of your answer, whatever it is.
| TUESDAY | December 21 |
The seriousness of the situation finally seemed to be dawning on the people of Judah. In Jeremiah 36:9, the people gathered in the temple for a day of fasting before the Lord. Through his professional connections with other scribes, Baruch manages to secure a good public place, in the window of Gemariah at the entrance to the temple. Here Baruch proceeds to read the scroll that he has written at Jeremiah’s dictation. After Baruch’s reading of the message, court officials ask him to give them a private reading. After inquiries as to where the message comes from, the officials decide to bring it to the king’s attention. For a brief moment it looks as if there might be change in Judah. For Baruch this is a moment of hope. Should things turn around, then his support for Jeremiah will pay off. In the possible reformation he will be a man of importance, maybe elevated to a high position in the government.
What did the king’s response mean to the future hopes of Baruch, at least on a professional level? See Jeremiah 36.
Scrolls were made of papyrus and were expensive. They had to be copied by hand. This made each scroll a scarce and precious resource. This particular scroll was God’s message to King Jehoiakim. The king and his servants showed a deliberate insult to God by systematically cutting and burning the scroll. The burning of the scroll meant the loss of many hours of hard work by Baruch.
Baruch, who may have hoped for an honored position in court, now realizes that he has backed the “wrong” player and effectively sabotaged his future as a scribe at the royal court of Jerusalem. He also has angered the most powerful man in the kingdom. Here’s a clear case where someone’s stand for the Lord has cost him something.
Together with Jeremiah, Baruch is now a marked man. Royal agents comb the city, seeking to get hold of these defeatists. Following God is no path for cowards or people who want to use God in order to make a nice career for themselves. Being God’s messenger does not represent a life driven by personal ambition but rather involves letting God’s will unfold in our lives, whatever the cost. At times, that cost can be very great.
What has following the Lord cost you? When was the last time you had to lose or sacrifice something important to you because you stood for a biblical principle or for a commandment from God? Think through the implications of your answer, whatever it is.
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