Wednesday 23 November 2011

The Prophetic Traitor?

When Jeremiah preached the Word of God and brought a message of destruction note people on account of their rebellion against God, they regarded him as a traitor.  A prophet is a man who sees what others do not see - the true state of the people of God, and of the society in which they live.  He also knows and says what is needed to remedy the situation, as well as knowing what will happen to them if they persist in their rebellion. 

Today, our culture has turned away from the Lord God and disparaged His Word to it.  Why should God bless us? What grounds are there for expecting God to bless us?  None.  We have played the fool, we have sinned exceedingly!  Jeremiah was counted a traitor when he spoke like that.  But is was the message that God gave him to proclaim.  It is clear that Jeremiah was walking close to the Lord when he was able to discern exactly what was in His mind regarding His sinful people.  All their external religion appeared to the eye to be the right religion, but something important was missing!  The real heart of true religion was just not there!  So the entire external form of religion meant nothing to God - and He told them so!  They had turned away from God's revealed will given in the Law and in the Word preached by Jeremiah, so He was going to bring terrible judgement upon them.  His message was one of total destruction.  They would not survive; the Temple (on which they put so much store) would be razed to the ground, and the people would be taken away into exile for many decades.  Ans this actually happened according to the word preached by Jeremiah. For 70 long years they languished in Babylon. 

But God, being the dependable covenant God, also spoke an overwhelmingly gracious promise to them, that after 70 years were up, He wold bring them back to their own land again.  But Jeremiah's message was one of total destruction. As we say, things will get worse before they will get better!  

You know, at times God's servants see what church members and elders and even other ministers cannot see - they can discern the times and the seasons.  When they compare what they see in the Scriptures with what they see before them week by week, and knowing what God has said and done in the past, they have only one message for the people of God, and that's the message God has put into their hearts.  And woe betide that minister who changes God's message to the people for the sake of being popular!  He turns himself into a wolf in sheep's clothing, a mere hireling, a man who preaches for money - and there are many such in the churches today. 

If your minister appears at times to be harsh and hard in the things he is saying, ask yourself, why is he saying these things?  Where have they come from?  Are there reasons why he is bringing these messages to us?  Is God in this situation?  I am not defending the right for ministers to be rude or crude in the pulpit, but I am saying that they are conscience bound to tell the people what the Lord has put into their hearts to tell them.  Sometimes conscientious ministers are heart scared at what the Lord is saying to them.  At times they would rather run a mile than preach what God has said; but preach it they must, if they are to be deemed faithful servants.

Those who want to remain at ease in Zion might regard him as a traitor to their church, denomination, cause; and so be it!  But they are being faithful to their souls when they are being faithful to God's truth and when they are applying it with clinical precision to those listening to them.

So pray for your minister rather than roast him.  And never underestimate his love for your souls.

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