"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT GOING FORWARD IN THE LORD OR GOING BACKWARDS"
Jeremiah 7:23 “But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’”
Jeremiah 7:24 “Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.”
(Taken from today's reading in The One Year Bible 10/6/14)
Some explanatory thoughts, applications, questions and a prayer:
These are God's Words through His prophet Jeremiah to the Southern Kingdom of Judah. God was seeking over and over again to call the people back to that right relationship with Him. So, He would send them one prophet after another, yet they rejected out of hand the Word of God, and eventually suffered greatly for it.
These two verses give us the way forward and also describe what can happen if God's Word is rejected, men go backwards away from God.
1. God does give commands to His people.
Jeremiah 7:23 “But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’”
Here we have the message of God through Jeremiah to the people of God.
It's a simple message. And it's a message that is connected with a promise.
Jeremiah 7:23 “But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’”
God was calling His people to obey His Word, and He promised that He would be their God. Very simple.
But there was more.
God also said they would be His people
And through their obedience they would walk in His ways, and it would be well with them.
What a loving God we have to tell us what we ought to do, and why, and what will happen as we do.
2, God's people can choose to obey God's command or go their own way.
Jeremiah 7:24 “Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.”
The Bible records the truth.
The truth here and at this time, and so often in the lives of people today, is found in this verse.
Jeremiah 7:24 “Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.”
God was calling the people to obey Him, and they did not.
God was calling the people to incline their ear to Him but they would not.
Instead of obedience and listening to God and going in His ways, the people listened to the counsels of their own hearts and the dictates of their evil hearts, they wound up going backwards and not forward.
Here's how these two verses read in the NLT:
Jeremiah 7:23 “This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Only do as I say, and all will be well!’”
Jeremiah 7:24 “But my people would not listen to me. They kept on doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward.”
In short summary all would have been well if the people had simply obeyed God. The fellowship between the people and God would have been restored. All would have been well if they would have merely obeyed God.
However, the people chose to disobey, they would not listen to God, that was the choice they made. They were stubborn and listened to their own evil hearts. The result, they went backwards away from God.
Some Questions:
1. Do you ever think about the truth contained in these verses?
2. Obedience to God brings blessing, and disobedience leads one away from God?
3. Do you ever consider the difference between a pure and holy God's Words and ways, and the evil desires of your own heart?
4. What a difference there is, wouldn't you agree?
5. Do you know that there is hope for the person who has gone backwards, it's called grace, and goodness, and it leads one to repentance and back into a fruitful relationship of blessing with God. God will receive you if you are away from Him, and turn back to Him.
A Prayer:
Father, You speak and we can hear. You speak and direct us into Your ways. We choose to listen and obey or not listen and not obey.
No wonder You taught us to pray, "lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” (literally the evil one). There is evil within our fallen natures and there is the devil and his angels who love nothing more than for us to not listen and not obey You. They encourage us to go our own way, and they know full well what will happen. O Lord, forgive us for any sin in our lives and lead us in Your ways, Lord. May we hear, listen, obey, and enjoy the blessed life You have for us. We pray for all those we know this very day who have gone backwards and ask that Your goodness will lead them to repentance, turning back to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
