A story about a man named Jed, uh Jeremiah.
Gonna tell you a story bout a man named Jed...I bet you sang the next line ...A poor mountaineer barely kept his family fed..
Actually the man I want to talk about is not named Jed. He is called Jeremiah.
Once upon a time there was a nation, a mighty nation. It had 5 rulers over a 42 year period. Kind of like two term presidents. The first fellow was named Josiah in the 1620's and he wasn't too bad a fellow. But each one after him was wicked.
So along comes Jed - I mean Jeremiah and he hears God talking to him. God tells him that he knew him even before he was in his mothers womb and that even back then he had chosen him to be a prophet.
Jeremiah isn't all that happy to hear that, probably like some of us when we get a call to do something that requires sacrifice, like teach Sunday School or sing in the choir. So he says,
"Who me? I am too young to know what to say!" But just like an earthly father Heavenly Father has an answer.
"Don't say that. You have to do what I say. Don't worry, I will put the right words in your mouth."
Jeremiah is an obedient son and God tells him to go out and remind the nation that they had started out devoted to Him and loving Him. Even though He hadn't changed the people strayed and followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.
Anybody remember a faithful nation that began with some illegal aliens coming to America to escape religious persecution?
God continues his conversation with the people of Judah.
"I brought you to a rich fertile land and you defiled it."
Maybe take a look around at the stewardship we as a nation and a world practice. Pipelines, strip mines, water defiling, filthy air, fracking and so on.
God begged the nation to return to him, he still loved them
"Return, faithless people, for I am your Husband."
For over forty years God used Jeremiah as his instrument as he pleaded, warned and finally threatened Judah.
What became of young Jeremiah as he became not so young? Here is a hint: He did not find oil and become a Hollywood millionaire.
At first he is unpopular, no one wants to hear that stuff. Eventually he is hated, persecuted, imprisioned and heartbroken. In despair he asks God,
"Why do the wicked prosper? Why do they live a life of ease?"
God admits he is DONE. He hates Judah and He will destroy her. Then begins a series of cataclysmic events, drought, famine, war, starvation ,captivity and false prophets.
Sure enough Babylon is allowed to conquer Judah. Jeremiah keeps trying to advise them, asking them over and over to accept their slavery and repent to God. They award him with the Wooden Ox Yoke Award. They fasten on him a yoke which research indicates if it were a single yoke weighed about 15 pounds.
The story of Judah drags on for more chapters, but I will stop here for now. So, if you need hit over the head with the points here we go:
Our nation was founded by those seeking to be able to worship in their own way.
Our leaders have become wicked men
We have turned from God, worshipping money, power and prestige.
We have defiled our world.
We have had wars, famine and destruction in much of the world.
How much longer will God plead with us to repent?
How many more chances do we need? Or get?
I pray for our world and the people who are suffering in natural disasters. I pray that our leaders will open their eyes and see right. I am praying for each of you.
Actually the man I want to talk about is not named Jed. He is called Jeremiah.
Once upon a time there was a nation, a mighty nation. It had 5 rulers over a 42 year period. Kind of like two term presidents. The first fellow was named Josiah in the 1620's and he wasn't too bad a fellow. But each one after him was wicked.
So along comes Jed - I mean Jeremiah and he hears God talking to him. God tells him that he knew him even before he was in his mothers womb and that even back then he had chosen him to be a prophet.
Jeremiah isn't all that happy to hear that, probably like some of us when we get a call to do something that requires sacrifice, like teach Sunday School or sing in the choir. So he says,
"Who me? I am too young to know what to say!" But just like an earthly father Heavenly Father has an answer.
"Don't say that. You have to do what I say. Don't worry, I will put the right words in your mouth."
Jeremiah is an obedient son and God tells him to go out and remind the nation that they had started out devoted to Him and loving Him. Even though He hadn't changed the people strayed and followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.
Anybody remember a faithful nation that began with some illegal aliens coming to America to escape religious persecution?
God continues his conversation with the people of Judah.
"I brought you to a rich fertile land and you defiled it."
Maybe take a look around at the stewardship we as a nation and a world practice. Pipelines, strip mines, water defiling, filthy air, fracking and so on.
God begged the nation to return to him, he still loved them
"Return, faithless people, for I am your Husband."
For over forty years God used Jeremiah as his instrument as he pleaded, warned and finally threatened Judah.
What became of young Jeremiah as he became not so young? Here is a hint: He did not find oil and become a Hollywood millionaire.
At first he is unpopular, no one wants to hear that stuff. Eventually he is hated, persecuted, imprisioned and heartbroken. In despair he asks God,
"Why do the wicked prosper? Why do they live a life of ease?"
God admits he is DONE. He hates Judah and He will destroy her. Then begins a series of cataclysmic events, drought, famine, war, starvation ,captivity and false prophets.
Sure enough Babylon is allowed to conquer Judah. Jeremiah keeps trying to advise them, asking them over and over to accept their slavery and repent to God. They award him with the Wooden Ox Yoke Award. They fasten on him a yoke which research indicates if it were a single yoke weighed about 15 pounds.
The story of Judah drags on for more chapters, but I will stop here for now. So, if you need hit over the head with the points here we go:
Our nation was founded by those seeking to be able to worship in their own way.
Our leaders have become wicked men
We have turned from God, worshipping money, power and prestige.
We have defiled our world.
We have had wars, famine and destruction in much of the world.
How much longer will God plead with us to repent?
How many more chances do we need? Or get?
I pray for our world and the people who are suffering in natural disasters. I pray that our leaders will open their eyes and see right. I am praying for each of you.
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