Thursday, September 15, 2016

Up-Rooted

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Now this is what the Lord says:  “I will uproot from their land all the evil nations reaching out for the possession I gave my people Israel.  And I will uproot Judah from among them.  But afterward I will return and have compassion on all of them.  I will bring them home to their own lands again, each nation to its own possession.  And if these nations truly learn the ways of my people, and if they learn to swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’ (just as they taught my people to swear by the name of Baal), then they will be given a place among my people.  But any nation who refuses to obey me will be uprooted and destroyed.  I, the Lord, have spoken!”   Jeremiah 12:14-17(NLT)
Jeremiah didn’t have an easy message to hear.  God was about to discipline his chosen family by up-rooting them along with the surrounding evil kingdoms that had helped corrupt his people.  The destruction would lead to captivity and slavery for the whole nation.  They had become the opposite of an obedient witness for JHWH

The point is well-made that you cannot take a prophecy that was given to one person or nation and apply it directly to another.  That isn’t good Biblical interpretation. 

You can, however, look closely at a prophecy like Jeremiah’s and draw lessons that are universal and always apply, no matter what nation, or what individual.  As Paul wrote to Timothy: 

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.  2 Timothy 3:16(NLT)

It is in this way we again make the point that America, birthed in the robes of freedom, justice, and, as de Tocqueville penned, “…pulpits aflame,” has decayed to the point of killing their unborn, turning to the ways of Sodom and Gomorrah, and become a nation of disrespect towards the God who shined the light and goodness of blessing upon this people.  What’s worse is we congratulate ourselves on how blessed we are, and how pleased God must be that he blesses America, land that we love.

A look at the worship attendance reality of the average church in America tells quite a different story; even the basic command to remember to be faithful in worship with other believers is ignored:

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.  Hebrews 10:25(NLT)
          ·       On any given Sunday less than 20% of Americans attend church
         ·       Nearly 6 of 10 church members are totally inactive[ii]

Collectively, America is not a godly nation…not even close.

As in Elijah’s day the remnant of faithful believers who will pray for this nation, refuse to bow the knee to contemporary culture’s ways, and stand in the gap for righteousness are about all that’s keeping us from being destroyed like Israel of old.

For You Today


Here’s a good question – not an easy question – about your walk with Christ today:

What is it that marks me as part of a faithful remnant in a faithless land?

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road…have a blessed day!
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NOTES

[i] Title Image: By ericskiff/Glitch010101, via Wikimedia Commons

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