Today's Bible Reading: JEREMIAH 39:11-18, 40:1-6, 52:12-27; 2 KINGS 25:8-21; 2 CHRONICLES 36:15-21; LAMENTATIONS 1:1-22
2 Chronicles 36:15-16
The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD rose against his people, until there was no remedy.
Every day we see warnings. There specific signs and labels that caution us from continuing on a path or consuming a product. They are meant to protect us and others from harm and impending doom. To disregard the warnings could lead to devastating results. Warnings are all around us. These are in the form of signs that direct us from destruction, and labels that seek to divert us from danger. But they are ineffective if they are not heeded.
Our text tells of the Lord “persistently” sending messengers to admonish his people to repent and return to Him. The passage clearly says that it was His “compassion” for His wayward people that compelled Him to send His emissaries to warn them of the impending danger and encourage them to come back to Him. His hope was their healing not their harm.
The Lord doesn’t act impulsively. He is patient. He most often reveals His plan before He carries it out. He speaks. Through scripture and the saints He clearly makes His intentions known. He sends messengers before He moves. He gives warning before He pours out his wrath. He gives time for repentance. He gives opportunity to obey. He is longsuffering toward those He loves.
Yet for many His pleas fall on deaf ears. Their hearts are cold to His cry. They are hardened in their sin. They are resilient in their rebellion. They despise His intrusion into their life and His demands for them to change. They disregard His pleas. They mock His messengers. They scoff at the message. Unwilling to change, they continue their wayward course.
Yet the Lord persists in His pleas. His desire for them drives Him. He hopes they will hear and heed. He refrains from dispensing His Judgment until He has exhausted every means possible to persuade them. The words of Jeremiah resound with the patient persistent plea of the Lord, “For twenty-three years . . . the word of the LORD has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened. And though the LORD has sent all his servants the prophets to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention. They said, “Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land the LORD gave to you and your ancestors for ever and ever. Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them; do not arouse my anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you.” “But you did not listen to me,” declares the LORD, “and you have aroused my anger with what your hands have made, and you have brought harm to yourselves.” (Jer 25:1-7). Again and again the Lord reached out to them and again and again they rejected Him “until there was no remedy”. We can never say that our Lord has not been extremely patient and abundantly persistent with us. Our sinful rebellion against Him did not lead Him to reject us. His compassion for us would not let Him.
Oh what grace has been poured out upon us. We have experience in Christ the full measure of His love for us. When we have run from Him, He has run to us. He has not given up on you, and He won’t. Even if He must punish you, it is because of His love for you. So listen to the warnings when you hit that wandering patch in your pilgrimage. He will in love continually call you to come to Him that no harm may come upon you. So “turn now” before there is no remedy and you bring “harm to yourselves.”
Today thank the Lord for the redemption that we have in Christ. Thank Him that His love for us compels Him to continually call out to us to respond to His love. Praise Him that He has not and will not give up on you no matter how far you have fallen. He will send His message and His messengers to graciously and lovingly remind you of His love for you. Ask Him to help you heed His word and walk in His ways before there is no remedy.
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