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In the book of
Jeremiah we find the prophet being commanded by the Lord in
Ch. 36:2-3 to write down the words that God had spoken to him
in a book that through the reading of those words the people
might turn from their evil ways. Jeremiah did exactly what the
Lord commanded him. This book, with its condemnation of Israel
and Judah, eventually ended up being read in the presence of
king Jehoiakim. After just a few pages had been read, the king
became so infuriated he cut the book into pieces with a
penknife and threw the pages into the fire. This account is
found in Ch. 36:20-24. The concluding verse of that passage
notes of the king and his court, “Yet they were not afraid
nor rent their garments.” Certainly a sad state of affairs
when the leaders of the people so violently reject the word of
God that they become enraged at its reading and seek to
destroy it.
Many today are
concerned that our leaders have rejected God’s word in a
similar fashion. No, we do not see them cutting up the
scriptures and casting them into the fire, but rather we see
in the laws they enact and the lifestyles they embrace actions
that speak just as loudly regarding their attitude toward the
word of God as those of king Jehoiakim. Because of this
apparent forsaking of the precepts of God by many of our
leaders, some have come to fear for the future of the church
and our freedom to worship and teach the truth as we do now.
Well that very concern should cause each of us to strengthen
our faith in the Lord and, as many before us have done, serve
the Lord our God regardless of the consequences that may come
our way.
But consider
what occurred following king Jehoiakim’s book burning. In
Ch. 36:32 we see that Jeremiah took another book and wrote all
the words the Lord had spoken to him and added many more
besides those. The king’s rejection of the word did not stop
its proclamation. The powerful may reject it, those in
authority may oppose it, but the word of God continues to work
for good in the lives of men.
Many years
after the life of the prophet Jeremiah, we find the account of
the Apostle Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost in Acts
2. Following the crowds plea of “Men and brethren, what
shall we do?” we find Peter answering that question in v.38.
The results are seen in v.41, “Then they that gladly
received his word were baptized: and the same day there were
added unto them about three thousand souls.” The word of God
cannot be thwarted by a king’s knife. They cannot be burned
by any leader of man, legislated away by any government, or
declared archaic by changes in societal norms. Those have all
occurred before but the word of the Lord continues to be
proclaimed and accepted by good and honest hearts.
So where is
religion headed? Well that depends on us. Just as Jeremiah and
the prophets suffered rejection and often punishment for
preaching of the word, we should be prepared for the same
treatment. Just as Jesus demonstrated in speaking the words of
the Father regardless of the consequences, we must follow that
same example. And just as Peter overcame the ridicule of the
crowd on Pentecost to proclaim the good news that saves
men’s souls, we must have that same courage knowing that our
efforts to teach and live by God’s word will ultimately lead
to an eternal home with God, not only for us but for those who
hear us.
Religion, as it
has been described in the Bible, is all about the people. The
greatest obstacle to where religion is heading in our time is
the same as it has been in the past. The people must know
God’s word. Many today “have a zeal of God, but not
according to knowledge” (Rom. 10:2). Many “know God, but
glorify him not as God” (Rom. 1:21). Some are “tossed to
and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine.”
People have been this way in the past and these problems still
exist today. How have these difficulties been overcome in the
past? By the word of God being “heard among many witnesses,
the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to
teach others also” (II Tim. 2:2). By heeding the exhortation
to “study to show thyself approved unto God”(I Tim. 2:15).
By “desir(ing) that ye might be filled with the knowledge of
His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” That is
the future of religion just as it has been since the days of
Jeremiah.
Where is
religion headed? It all depends on you.
Victor White
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