SOAP 08/10/2014; Jeremiah 5:1

Today's reading: Jeremiah 5, 6; John 12

S) "¹ Roam to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem,
And look now and take note.
And seek in her open squares,
If you can find a man,
If there is one who does justice, who seeks truth,
Then I will pardon her."

Jeremiah 5:1 (NASB)

O) Similar to the discussion that the LORD had with Abraham, about Sodom, in Genesis 18:22-33, here God asks Jeremiah to seek even a single faithful person in the city of Jerusalem. There is something to be said, that God jumps straight to a single person who seeks truth, because when Abraham pleads with the LORD, he narrows it down to ten, and God agrees to spare Sodom. That says two things - first, that Jerusalem was possibly worse-off than Sodom; second, that God was more willing to offer mercy to Jerusalem. That second point is the bigger point, I think, and the reason I highlighted this verse in the first place. In this verse, it isn't even Jeremiah who seeks mercy for the people. It is the LORD who brings up this offer for mercy! Too often, I think we envision God as a judge, who is seeking to execute His wrath (as justified as it is), but then Jesus steps in, just in time, to stop the God-Judge from striking His gavel. More and more, as we read verses like the one above, we see that it is a compassionate God-Judge, who is delaying the gavel as long as He can, seeking some potential way to offer mercy, to pardon sins.

A) The first thing I considered, was the personal gratitude this creates in me. God is actively seeking to pardon me. That is the reason He sent Jesus to redeem me. The next thing I thought, was that there is only One who always did justice, only One who sought truth. Jesus was the One who fulfilled that quota. We are pardoned because of the righteousness of Jesus. I pray that God delays His punishment, until my loved ones can receive His pardon, through Jesus Christ.

P) Father, there is only One who completely did justice and sought truth. Only Your Son could fill that quota, but He perpetually fills that need, as the One who lives forever, doing justice and seeking truth. Please delay the execution of Your righteous judgment, for the sake of Christ, long enough for the people I love to see the pardon that You offer through Jesus Christ our Lord. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.