S) "13 How shall I admonish you?
To what shall I compare you,
O daughter of Jerusalem?
To what shall I liken you as I comfort you,
O virgin daughter of Zion?
For your ruin is as vast as the sea;
Who can heal you?
14 Your prophets have seen for you
False and foolish visions;
And they have not exposed your iniquity
So as to restore you from captivity,
But they have seen for you false and misleading oracles."
Jeremiah 43:2-3 (NASB)
O) Jeremiah was lamenting the final exile of the kingdom of Judah. The leaders of Jerusalem refused to heed the warnings of Jeremiah. He knew they weren't going to listen, but he was still heartbroken when they refused to repent. In this passage, he struggled to find some way to comfort them, and it hinges on two difficulties. First, they were still largely unrepentant. How could he comfort them when they would not hear his admonishment? How could they be healed if they were still refusing to hear him. His second difficulty was the precedent set. Jeremiah saw the way the leadership had reacted to his prophecy (truly the words of the LORD) and the false-prophecy of the oracles in the kings' courts. In these two hurdles, we see a link: the word of the LORD is not always pleasant.
A) Bear with me as I draw this up...
The word "prophet" comes from a Hebrew word meaning "bubble up" or "fountain" which becomes something like "utterance." So, a prophet is a person who speaks, utters, the words of the LORD. In this sense, all Scripture is actually prophecy. Now, let's refer back to the third line of v.14, "And they have not exposed your iniquity," We see a direct reference to the first line of v.13, now. Now, as we apply that to the Bible, what do we see? The Bible should absolutely be an admonishment. In fact, if I read the Bible, and it does not expose my iniquity, then I'm doing it wrong. Now, let's not forget the fourth line of v.14, "So as to restore..." being the ultimate mission of the Bible, right? However, we should be very careful not to separate "admonish" and "prophesy" because they clearly go hand-in-hand, and I think this is never more true, than with the Bible. There is some difference of opinion, regarding Gifts of the Spirit in the modern church. I think, regardless of how we define terms like, "continuing revelation" or where prophecy goes from confirmation of specific Scripture to application of Biblical concepts - one thing is abundantly clear throughout the Bible: a word from God is never completely positive. Even reading Messianic Prophecies reveals destruction and judgment. I don't want to be part of a church community that only ever tells me positive things. "Encouragement" is only good if it actually gives courage. And, what use is courage if it is not married to action? No, I think I'd much rather hear challenging words. I'd much rather be convicted, then love can be proven in encouragement that cultivates action.
P) Father, as I read through Your words, I see over and over that You have a standard of behavior. I have failed that standard countless times, and will no doubt fail again. So, I am reminded again, to be thankful for the single most important gift of grace: the death, burial, and resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ, my Savior. In that, I am redeemed, but not yet perfected. So, as I read the Scriptures, I pray that the Holy Spirit stirs in me, to admonish me as I read. Let the Your holy words be prophetic to me, every single day. If ever I am reading the Word, and I do not feel convicted about something, if I am not challenged to repent, to change, in some way, then make me immediately aware. Please let that be the day I am in heaven in Your presence, perfected, because I fear what it could mean otherwise. Please continue Your work in me, until the day of completion, just as the Word says, in Philippians 1:6. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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