August 5th~Shake Off the Dust

Jeremiah 25:15-38

Jeremiah 36:1-32

Jeremiah 45:1-46:28

Jeremiah again prophesied judgment against Judah, the people of God, and the surrounding nations. He warned Egypt that Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonians would ruin their country and that its capital at Memphis would be leveled. He also predicted Babylon’s eventual fall and the return of the people of Judah. “I will destroy the nations to which I have exiled you, but I will not destroy you. I must discipline you. I cannot let you go unpunished” (46:28).

The most important event today was the scroll on which Jeremiah wrote God’s warnings and which Baruch read to the people of Jerusalem, the priests and other officials, and which eventually made it to King Jehoiakim. Of course Jehoiakim, in the hardness of his heart, rejected the scroll, tore it up, and threw it in the fire.

Imagine pleading with friends and family not to board a train because you knew that a bridge down the line had collapsed and that everyone on board would surely die. Now, imagine that your loved ones refused to believe you, and they climbed aboard the train anyway. How dumbfounded and heartbroken you would be, to think that you did all that you could but to no avail.

Such was the ministry of Jeremiah. He pled with the people to turn from their evil ways, knowing that they were headed off a cliff. No one took him seriously; the King, his advisers, and all the people happily went to their doom. No wonder Jeremiah was known as the “Weeping Prophet.”

God is often viewed by skeptics as heartless and cruel, especially in the Old Testament; but, what they fail to see, or refuse to believe, is that before He pronounced judgment on anyone, He always gave them fair warning. However, oftentimes, His prophets were ignored. What was He to do with those who refused to listen?

Daily Reflection

One of the reasons that we, as believers, do not readily share the Gospel with others is that we fear rejection or repercussions. Today, especially, there seems to be a spirit of disdain for the things of God. Have you ever experienced this type of rejection when sharing Christ with someone or when expressing your beliefs? Describe it here. How did you feel?

What are you to do when you are rejected like this? Are you to get offended, to quit talking about the things of God, or to walk away from your faith? No, of course not. Jesus told His disciples that if anyone did not receive their words to “shake off the dust from your feet” and go to the next person (Matthew 10:5-14).

Remember, Jesus called you and I to be “fishers of men” (4:19). As a fisherman, you are not commanded to catch fish, but rather you are simply commanded to fish, to cast your line. Not all fish will be interested, and that’s okay. The people whom the Lord has drawn to Himself, by His Spirit, will be open and willing to hear you. Those are the ones you are to pursue.

Keep in mind that those who reject the Gospel are not rejecting you. They are rejecting Christ. As long as you openly share the good news of God, you have done what the Lord has asked. If someone takes your “scroll,” tears it up, and throws it into the fire, what are you to do? Shake off the dust from your feet and move to another fishing hole.

BiAY.org | Day 217 — 148 Days to Go