June 1, 2011
HURRY UP AND WAIT
Jeremiah 42
Crystal Page
Central Truth
Obeying Christ is often much harder than it first seems, but the eternal reward -- and even peace here on earth -- surpasses any fleeting comfort we may be seeking.
Key Verse | Jeremiah 42:6
"Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will listen to the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us when we listen to the voice of the LORD our God." (Jeremiah 42:6)
Jeremiah 42
Warning Against Going to Egypt
1 Then all the commanders of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest, came near 2 and said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Let our plea for mercy come before you, and pray to the LORD your God for us, for all this remnant—because we are left with but a few, as your eyes see us— 3 that the LORD your God may show us the way we should go, and the thing that we should do.” 4 Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I will pray to the LORD your God according to your request, and whatever the LORD answers you I will tell you. I will keep nothing back from you.” 5 Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the LORD your God sends you to us. 6 Whether it is good or bad, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.”
7 At the end of ten days the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah. 8 Then he summoned Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest, 9 and said to them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your plea for mercy before him: 10 If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you. 11 Do not fear the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not fear him, declares the LORD, for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand. 12 I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and let you remain in your own land. 13 But if you say, ‘We will not remain in this land,’ disobeying the voice of the LORD your God 14 and saying, ‘No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we shall not see war or hear the sound of the trumpet or be hungry for bread, and we will dwell there,’ 15 then hear the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: If you set your faces to enter Egypt and go to live there, 16 then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are afraid shall follow close after you to Egypt, and there you shall die. 17 All the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to live there shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. They shall have no remnant or survivor from the disaster that I will bring upon them.
18 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: As my anger and my wrath were poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so my wrath will be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You shall become an execration, a horror, a curse, and a taunt. You shall see this place no more. 19 The LORD has said to you, O remnant of Judah, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Know for a certainty that I have warned you this day 20 that you have gone astray at the cost of your lives. For you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the LORD our God, and whatever the LORD our God says, declare to us and we will do it.’ 21 And I have this day declared it to you, but you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God in anything that he sent me to tell you. 22 Now therefore know for a certainty that you shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence in the place where you desire to go to live.”
Dive Deeper | Jeremiah 42
My prayer for most of my adult life: "Lord, I want to do Your will, but I need You to show me what it is."
God's answer: "Keep walking with Me, seeking Me, and I'll show you your next step, in My time."
My translation: "Keep waiting . . . ."
As with my own experience, the Israelites begged Jeremiah to ask God what their next step should be when the Babylonians were coming to destroy their city. They promised they would do whatever the Lord said, thinking God would confirm that they should flee to Egypt. Very clearly, Jeremiah instructed them not to go to Egypt because God would protect them only if they remained in Judah (verses 9-12). Additionally, Jeremiah forewarned them about what would happen if they disobeyed (verses 13-18). Jeremiah knew they would choose to flee anyway.
When I first read this, all I could think of was the Israelites' direct disobedience and how, if they had just listened, they would've saved themselves so much suffering. What were they thinking? Well, hindsight is always 20/20. After more consideration, I realized that God was reminding me, "This is you, Pistol!"
Whether it's my job, where I'll live, or any next thing I have to look forward to, I often pray the prayer above only to be disappointed with the answer, "Wait for Me." I want what I think is best, and I want God to confirm it. When He doesn't, I incorrectly assume it is because I'm doing something wrong (i.e., I'm not trying hard enough). In reality, God simply wants me to seek Him and pursue a relationship with Him. He'll work out the details. (Psalm 37:34a)
Scripture says, "'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.'" (Jeremiah 29:11) We must be reminded by His Word and by other believers that, while we may not understand what is happening in our lives or may think that life is too hard, His plan is the best plan -- far better than any plan we create. The Word says, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10b, NIV) Such a provision shows us just how much He loves us. (Ephesians 3:16-19)
Discussion Questions
1. Does His love for you seem real? Do you know He has a plan for you?
2. Are you listening to the entirety of what He's trying to tell you, or are you just looking for confirmation of what you want to hear?
3. What are you holding on to that's keeping you out of His will? What will it take for you to let it go?
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
JEREMIAH 40-44 (MAY 30-JUNE 3)
Read Jeremiah 44:1-10.
What did God repeat four times in this passage? (Hint: What were the people doing that made Him angry?) Why would He repeat it four times? What had the people not learned so far? (Verse 9)
Have you ever struggled with also doing the "wrong thing" over and over again?
What does He call us to do when we sin (i.e., do the wrong thing)?
How do you learn from your mistakes? What does it mean to repent?
What keeps you from repeating the same "wrong things" over and over again?
ACTIVITY: Get 24 blank note cards. You are going to create your own memory game. Have everyone make pictures on only one side of the cards. Remember to make matching pictures. Do all 12 sets. Then play the game together.
After playing, discuss the idea of learning from your mistakes. What did you do to help remember where the different pictures were? How would this help you learn to repent and do the right thing when you make mistakes in life?