Scripture Readings: Deuteronomy 9.13-21 and John 2.23-3.15
The suffering that accompanied the Babylonia Captivity of the 6th century B.C.E. is virtually impossible for most of us to comprehend. Human ordeals of this magnitude usually produce thoughtful reflections along the lines of “What went wrong and why?”
Jeremiah recounts the failure of his people, as he warns of the coming despair. For the Jewish captives a number of bad choices conspired to produce horror and destruction at the hands of the brutal Babylonians.
First, they chose the wrong gods to worship. Like those who surrounded them in the land of Judah, the people turned to gods of their own making—idols fashioned out of gold.
“Everyone is stupid and without knowledge;
goldsmiths are all put to shame by their idols;
for their images are false,
and there is no breath in them.
They are worthless, a work of delusion;
at the time of their punishment they shall perish.” (Jeremiah 10:14-15)
Second, they failed to recognize the power and presence of the one true and living God, the God who created everything, including the gold from which they fashioned false gods. The people settled for less than the best option, an option readily available to them.
Why?
Possibly they wanted to fit in to the culture of the land.
Possibly they wanted to fit in to the culture of the land.
Perhaps they sought to be in control of their own lives, worshiping gods that could be fashioned with their own hands and carried about as if a good luck charm of sorts.
The God they rejected in the process could not be controlled nor limited nor manipulated to serve their own selfish, limited purposes. This God created all that exists! This God called for humble and real submission, not the human games of some religious cult.
“Thus shall you say to them: The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.
It is he who made the earth by his power,
who established the world by his wisdom,
and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.
When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,
and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightnings for the rain,
and he brings out the wind from his storehouses.
Not like these is the Lord, the portion of Jacob,
for he is the one who formed all things,
and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance;
the Lord of hosts is his name.” (Jeremiah 10:11-13, 16)
The prophet promises the coming captivity that would destroy the nation, wounding it for generations (Jeremiah 10:17-24). Sadly, his prophecy proved true and accurate. Babylon destroyed Judah and sacked the city of Jerusalem, carrying the Jews away into a captivity of 70 long years, a captivity during which many rediscovered the true and living God.
Jeremiah understood that only humble repentance offered any remedy for the coming pain and dislocation of captivity:
“I know, O Lord, that the way of human beings is not in their control,
that mortals as they walk cannot direct their steps.
Correct me, O Lord, but in just measure;
not in your anger, or you will bring me to nothing.” (Jeremiah 10:23-24)
Jeremiah uses the strong word “stupid” twice in this short text: Everyone is stupid, without knowledge and deluded (10:14-15); the shepherds, the leaders of the people are stupid and don’t inquire of the Lord so that their flocks are scattered (10:21).
The Lenten season serves as a time of introspection and honest self-scrutiny. Passages like the one for today force us to grapple with tough, life-altering questions. Questions like...
- Who is my God, really? Is God a God of my own making? Or, is God the Lord who comes to claim my life for purposes beyond my comprehension?
- Who is in charge of my life, really?
- What/who function as the idols of my life?
- What/who do I substitute for God? Upon whom or what do I depend as I live my life? How is that working out for me?
- Do I value control more than I want to admit? Do I seek to make God in my own image?
- Who/what is the source of my wisdom and understanding?
- What stupid things do I continue to do? What stupid ideas do I continue to entertain? In what ways am I deluded?
- Am I a stupid leader? How are the folks who follow me doing?
- Am I even paying attention as life speeds past me?
- Do I consider the consequences of my current worldview?
Read and pray the words you’ll find at Jeremiah 10:23-24.
Rev. Larry James, FirstChurch member, President & CEO CitySquare
