SOAP 12/07/2016; Jeremiah 8:10b-11

Today's reading: Colossians 1, 2, 3, 4*

S) "¹⁰ '... From the prophet even to the priest
Everyone practices deceit.
¹¹ 'They heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially,
Saying, "Peace, peace,"
But there is no peace.'"

Jeremiah 8:10b-11 (NASB)
*This verse was highlighted before I kept these entries online, so I wrote a new entry

O) This chapter is part of a long discourse, where the LORD is exposing just how far His people have gone away from His ways. In a sense, these two verses really summarize the depth of their fall. Of all of God's people, the prophets and priests had always remained the most faithful. From the very beginning, Moses (himself a prophet) and Aaron (the first of the Levitical priests) were clearly the most faithful of that generation (although they themselves were disqualified from entering the promised land). Then into the judges, we see the prophetess Deborah rebuking the judge Barak (Judges 4). Even with the very first king of Israel, Samuel had to rebuke Saul. Nathan had to rebuke King David. Even after the split of the kingdom, when Jeroboam erected golden calves in Israel, all the Levites left their lands behind, to go to Judah so they could remain faithful to the LORD (2 Chronicles 11:14-16). So, we see example after example, throughout the checkered history of Israel, and even Judah, that the priests and prophets had, for the most part, remained faithful to God even if the kings and people had become unfaithful. However, here in the final days of Judah, after the kingdom of Israel had already been taken into exile for their unfaithfulness, even the priests and prophets (Jeremiah excluded, I think) had become deceitful. They were charged with ministering to the people, with speaking the truth of God to them, and bringing reconciliation between God and His people, but they weren't doing it. They were saying there is peace, but there was no peace. They were saying that the people were healed (spiritually, that is), but they were not.

A) There is a sense in which all believers are called into the royal priesthood (1 Peter 2), because we are ministering to the world, trying to share the gospel and facilitate that reconciliation between God and His creation. And, in a smaller scale, there is a sense in which I operate as a priest over my family, in that I am leading them to serve God, to worship Him. In that role, I have a responsibility to lead them in truth. I cannot call something acceptable that is not acceptable to God. I cannot mislead them into a false sense of security. I must hold firmly to the truth of God's standard for righteousness, carefully observing His holiness, and openly leading by example in confession and repentance. I have a duty to lovingly care for my family when I see there is sin or brokenness. It is not up to me to heal them, though. That is the role of God alone. But, I should be leading them back to the presence of Jesus, that He may do what He does as our merciful and faithful high priest.

P) Father God, thank You for the mercy and healing that You are so quick to give. Thank You for the promise to sanctify me in Christ Jesus. Thank You for leading me, to conform to the truth as You have declared it, and for opening my eyes and ears to know Your standard of righteousness. I know that the culture of this world would rather redefine what is good, than to submit to the only One who is good, but that is not what I want. I don't want the false promises of the world, I want peace with You. Help me to lead my family in truth. Help me to be bold, in confessing the truth according to Scripture. Let me be unwavering in my commitment to this. I know that this must be done in love, or else it will become a fruitless endeavor, so please keep my heart soft. Let me always seek the good of my wife and children, according to what You define as good. I know that You can, and will, heal every spiritual hurt that we have. Every wound we endure can be healed when we are reconciled in peace with You. Even our physical hurts are only temporary, until we are raised in glory with Jesus. So, let me lead my family in love, so they may be healed in truth, and have peace with You. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.