"Enquire, I pray thee, of the Lord for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; if so be that the Lord will deal with us according to all His wondrous works, that he may go up from us."
Conclusion of 1st section of 4 sections in this chapter, verses 1 - 2; Conclusion of sentence, verses 1 & 2;
Enquire, I pray thee, of the Lord for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; - word study - all the words that begin with "P", pray; word study - Make, maketh; Jeremiah is the prophet of the Lord for this time to God's people. Zedekiah is the king of Judah, and it is noted of him that 'he did evil in the sight of the Lord.' But, as in most places and times, when catastrophe strikes, men will seek the hand and ear of God. Babylon has come against the land and nothing is stopping them. So the king send Jeremiah to God to enquire, to pray for the people. It is the old adage of men, they only seek the hand of God to get them out of the trouble. But they largely have no interest in serving the Lord. For a great while, the kings of Judah have done evil in the sight of the Lord, and the people followed them in this sin. The land was defiled in filth of wickedness of idolatry and abominations. The people are defiled and have forsaken and forgotten the Lord. But now war has come and they need God. But does God need them? And it is the prophets job to enquire and pray before God for help, answers and direction.
'enquire'
if so be that the Lord will deal with us according to all HIs wondrous works, that he may go up from us. - word/phrase study - I will's of God; word study - all; word study - go; Jeremiah is the prophet of the Lord. He is being sent to ask of God for help and mercy against the king of Babylon and his army. This is a specific request from the king of Judah for the Lord to do, what only the Lord can do. He is asking the Lord to deal with this situation and take care of it. He gives recognition of the things that God has done before with all their wondrous works. And the final result which the king is seeking from the Lord is that God would make him to go away from the city and the land. Even though God has already spoken through Jeremiah that God was allowing and bringing the king of Babylon as a judgement against them for their great iniquities against Him. Now, God is able to do what the king is requesting, but the sins of the people had not been repented of, nor dealt with.
WE are taught in prayer and in our life situations, 'the will of the Lord be done.' God's will is right. God's will is to be sought. So that when evil things happen and come about, we seek His will to help, lead and guide. And as this verse phrase shows us, we should remember the accounts of Scripture, the history of the church and our own experiences of all of God's wondrous works. Set time aside and remember what the Lord has done, is doing and has said HE will do. God changes not, and HIs will and ways are the same. The same wondrous works of old, can be as new as today. But understanding and discerning why things and what things are happening according to HIs will is necessary. God was going to judge Judah for their gross abominations. God must judge, this is consistent upon nations, churches, families. And through God's wondrous works, consider how He has done this. God raises up kings and putteth down kings. God blesses in the affairs of life; God curses that same life to the people that sin against Him. God adds, multiplies and makes fruitful; God takes away, removes and undoes the things of the land, people and their existence. Nothing is too hard for God. See wherein HIs wondrous works has been done in direct relationship of a people and how they followed Him took heed to Him or withdrew from Him and forsook Him. According to our responses, God response is reciprocal.
'That he may go up from us'. What a needful prayer is found here for our current plights of life. Our enemy has come down and is working with great vengeance against the church, our families and our nation. And even though Christ said, 'upon you I will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it'; we see the enemy wining far too many victories. It is not because the ear of the Lord is deaf or His hand shortened, but because our sins and our iniquities have separated us form Him. God is the same, HIs wondrous works are still possible and present. Yet, we have changed. WE have not gotten more holy and faithful, but less. We have not drawn closer to Him, but further. And now the enemy has come and is doing his worst work on the souls of men. To seek God for mercy and help. And as much as we may seek for our enemy to go up from us, at the same time, may we seek that the Lord not go up for us. Survival and its importance has never been more than this that God be with us and among us in power and Presence. May the enemy go up from us, but Lord stay Thou with me at all times. And the reciprocal, may we not go up from Him, and go to the world or selfish sins. Far too many have left their first love and departed from that good and right way of life.
Started: August 6, 2022
Finished: