An Unmitigated Disaster

Term unmitigated disaster came to my mind as I was studying our chosen text this morning in Jeremiah chapter 5 the term, which we often hear associated with serious disaster that is almost beyond repair. That is truly hopeless.

This particular text I tagged as a potential future sermon in July 1998 and dropped it into my file. 22 years ago. The coven interruption afforded the opportunity to examine this text as I interrupted my expository series and second Corinthians in taking up shorter portions of God's word for consideration.

These words were spoken by Jeremiah the Old Testament prophet to Israel.

The national people of God but they also have important very important applications for us today. We know that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine reproved correction instruction in righteousness. All Scripture. And when Paul by the Holy Spirit wrote those words. Most of the Scripture that was available to him and to the people of God in that day was the Old Testament. All Scripture, including the Old Testament. In fact, in that context.

All Scripture, especially the Old Testament is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproved correction, for instruction in righteousness. Therefore, we do not hesitate to consider this Old Testament passage this morning and see what God had in these words for his people in Jeremiah's day and what God has for us in this day of the 21st century shall examine first of all the background. Secondly, the text and thirdly some application is the background. Let me quickly give you some of the historical setting is the backdrop against which Jeremiah wrote Jeremiah prophesied during the last 45 years of Judy's history right up to the Babylonian captivity into the physical destruction of the city of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. He began his prophetic ministry in 627 BC in the 13th year of King Josiah, who turned out to be the last good king of Judah before its destruction. And he continued his ministry until 582 BC, or perhaps even for a year or two beyond that and who is Jeremiah most Christians know Jeremiah as the weeping prophet. The book of Lamentations was written by Jeremiah that is a book of book of Lamentations as he weeps over the condition of Israel, and particularly the city of Jerusalem. But if by understanding Jeremiah to be the weeping prophet you think he was a weak and effeminate man.

You are very very very mistaken. He was strong. He was bold he was courageous almost beyond understanding.

Only God could have sustained him in the ministry that he pursued. Jeremiah was a Levitical priest by birth and by lineage became a profit by the divine call of God, we learn this in the opening words of the book of Jeremiah, the word of Jeremiah, the son of Hill Collier of the priests who were and Anna thought in the land of Benjamin's call beginning in verse five God said before I formed you in the womb I knew you before you were born I sanctified you, I ordained you a prophet to the nations and said I all Lord God, behold, I cannot speak for I am a youth. The Lord said to me, do not say I am a youth for you shall go to all whom I send you whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you, says so Jeremiah took up his prophetic ministry and ministry primarily one of warning against judgment pending judgment against the nation of Israel. Notice these words in chapter 3, beginning at verse 12. Go and proclaim these words toward the north.

That's the northern kingdom of Israel and say return backsliding Israel says the Lord. I will not cause my anger to fall on you, for I am merciful, says the Lord. I will not remain angry forever only acknowledge your iniquity that you have transgressed against the Lord your God has scattered your charms to alien deities under every green tree you have not obeyed my voice, says the Lord. So Jeremiah was a prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel.

In fact chapters to three and four are pretty much taken up with his words to Israel.

Jeremiah was also an even more preeminently a prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah that we see in verses 15 and 16 of chapter 1 for behold, I am calling the families of all the kingdoms of the North, says the Lord.

They shall come, each one set and each one set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah, I will utter my judgments concerning the wickedness concerning all their wickedness because they have forsaken me, burned incense to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hand saw.

Jeremiah's ministry was wide reaching. It was to the northern kingdom of Israel already undergoing judgment and destruction. It was to the southern kingdom of Judah which would soon experience similar destruction and it was in part to all the nations of the earth as we read in the opening word verse five I ordained you a prophet to the nations. Verse nine the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth and the Lord said to me, behold, I put my words in your mouth. See, I have this day sexual over the nation and over the kingdoms to root out of the pool down to destroying to throw down to build and to plant. He had a big assignment that I can tell you and you already know this. If you have read the book of Jeremiah carefully.

The Jeremiah was not popular with the people to whom he ministered. That's an understatement. He was strongly opposed. In fact, we can only identify two people who became followers of his message of the truth which he proclaimed it all.

The 45 years that are recorded of his ministry. Throughout this book, but he was faithful, and God promised to protect him and to deliver him, and God did exactly that. Now what was Jeremiah dealing with Willie was dealing obviously with the rebellion of God's national people Israel is we've already read the northern kingdom, Israel spiritual adultery and judgment that is detailed in chapters 2, three and four and Jude is rebellion.

As we shall look at some of those elements in chapter 5, example as God commissioned Jeremiah to search throughout Jerusalem and Judah to find one righteous person and he couldn't do it incredible chapter 5 verse one run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem and see and know and seek in her open places if you can find a man if there is anyone who executes judgment who seeks the truth and I will pardon her now.

I will pardon him. I will pardon her find one man who is faithful and I will hold back the judgment and on it goes. Reminds us of Abraham's prayer for Sodom if Abraham had Jeremiah's prophecy. He might've gone a little lower and praying for the Lord.

You can find to get down to is a 10 when he stopped.

You can find 10 righteous man in Sodom, we withhold judgment and God said if I find 10 I will withhold judgment. We don't know what would've happened if Abraham said if you can find one you didn't go that low. We didn't dare God told Jeremiah if you can find one faithful man one man who obeys me one man who trusts me throughout the land of Judah. I will hold back my judgment. Jeremiah couldn't find that person, Jeremiah assumes that what God spoke about not being able to find a faithful man applies only to lower classes.

He was thinking surely this is true of the poor people, the uneducated people. The riffraff we might call them see that in verse four. Therefore, I said surely these are poor people can find a righteous man. They are foolish.

They do not know the way of the Lord. The judgment of their God. I will go. Verse five to the great man and speak to them, for they have known the way of the Lord. The judgment of their God, but these have altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds he found out it wasn't restricted to the lower classes.

It also applied to the upper classes to the rulers to the rich to the ones that society considers to be great. There were no righteous people among them. In this chapter he describes the rampant sexual immorality that characterized that day. Verse seven. They have committed. Halfway through the verse they have committed adultery and assemble themselves by troops in the harlot's houses. They were like well fed lusty stallions. Everyone neighing after his neighbor's wife shall I not punish them for these things says the Lord shall I not avenge myself on such a nation is this he found widespread idolatry all throughout the land.

These people who had been clearly told not to make any graven images not to bow down to any God except the Lord God think they knew the commandments with the ignore them completely. Notice verse 18.

Nevertheless, in those days, says the Lord.

I will not make a complete interview. It will be when you say why does the Lord God do all these things to us then you shall answer them. Just as you have forsaken me, and served gods in your land, serve foreign gods in your land so you shall serve aliens in the land that is not yours.

Speaking of the coming captivity. There was general lawlessness all throughout society.

That's what God is getting out of these words of Jeremiah, verses 22 and following do you not fear me, says the Lord, will you not tremble in my presence.

I who have placed the sands as the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass beyond it, and though it's waves tossed to and fro, yet they cannot prevail. Though they roar. They cannot possible cannot pass over it.

But this people has a defiant and rebellion rebellious heart.

They have revolted and departed, and on a ghost. Was he say the same when it comes to the ocean.

I have built boundaries. I put the ocean in the basins that I prepared for it and I erected boundaries so that it could not cover the whole earth, the shortening of water to do that and did so in the flood. In fact it did so in the earliest days of creation week, but God scooped out ocean basins in the command of the waters to go to their place and he put shorelines and boundaries over which the waters would not pass in God is saying the waters old baby, but I have erected boundaries for my people.

I have given them commandments, I have given them instructions I have given them. Thou shalt not send those shelties are boundaries which they have totally ignored. They refuse to submit to the boundaries that I have given they are lawless people and finally he accuses them of exploitation.

You've made yourself rich and often times by taking advantage of the poor of the widows, the orphans, the defenseless, you have exploited them for your own gain. You think I will judge you for these things.

That's the background. Now we come to the text in verses 30 and 31, an astonishing and horrible thing is committed has been committed in the land. The prophets prophesy falsely, the priest ruled by their own power and my people love to have it so but what will you do in the end this is the text that explains much of what we've seen in the earlier chapter. This text contains exposure reveals a pulls back the covers to show what's really going on in the hearts of people. In spite of what may be going on outwardly, externally, and Sarah moaned the only it is a text of explanation week come to understand why the nation of Israel has come to the the terrible conditions the appalling conditions that it is now experiencing it as a text of warning is a text that tells us unmitigated disaster has already begun default and will continue to fall, unless you heed the words of the prophet. So in our text of verses 30 and 31 we see first, a tragedy declared. Second, the problem described in third the consequences considered what is the tragedy that is declared well. He calls it an appalling and horrible thing has happened in appalling the old King James says wonderful but that's certainly a misleading translation in our understanding of the English language today that they had meant anything to create a great wonder. Could be good or bad. Now we considered only that which is good but the Hebrew word means that which is astonishing, stupefying, shocking and appalling thing has happened. Secondly, it is called a horrible thing that causes horror to those who view it.

That's the tragedy that is declared something is terrible something is appalling something is horrible and what is this what is this horrible thing that is come to the land of Israel and Judah.

Is it a plague that is destroying people that they're dying like flies. Is it covered 19×100 is an invasion of foreign armies that have common answers no, not yet. That will come but has not come yet. Is it a famine, the scum of the land and again not yet up until now, God says you have taken the range that I have sent the form and the latter rains and have enjoyed the harvest and have not given me the honor that I do that I'm due for giving these things to you, is it an economic depression. No, not yet.

There are wealthy people in the land who are enjoying the good things of life or what is this appalling and horrible thing that has happened to the land and here it is. The problem is described, the prophets prophesy falsely, the priest ruled by their own power. My people love to have it so what's the problem is horrible, appalling thing that is happened it is number one God's word is corrupted. Number two God's authority is displaced in number three God's people are complicit. God's word is corrupted. The prophets prophesy falsely the prophesying, but do not prophesying God's word, the prophesying, falsely Ezekiel talked about something similar in his prophecy. By the way Ezekiel in Jeremiah's ministry overlapped in part, while Ezekiel was in captivity by the river T-bar. Jeremiah was back in the lion prophesying to the people there but here's what Ezekiel says in a similar vein in chapter 13 the word of the Lord came to me saying Son of Man prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God. Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing but haven't had a vision from God, O Israel, your profits are like foxes in the desert you have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle in the day of the Lord not holding up a bulwark to hold back corruption into to maintain the ways of God. They have envisioned futility and false divination saying, thus says the Lord. But the Lord has not sent them yet. They hope that the word may be confirmed goes on to talk in this vein. Then he says in verse 10, because indeed because they have seduced my people saying peace when there is no peace. They are comforting people when there ought to be warning is a time for warning, but instead they are speaking false peace. So God's word is corrupted by the prophets who are prophesying falsely. They haven't abandoned their prophetic function. There still speaking, there still preaching, but they have altered their message instead of proclaiming the word of God there proclaiming things out of their own heart. They are telling people what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear they are voiding anything that is discomforting messages about sand, about the need of repentance or the need of God's people to sacrifice to honor God. These things are strangely lacking from all of their prophecies, but instead they are soothing people they are saying peace peace when there is no peace of you ever noticed how how many phrases from the Bible been picked up and used in the political realm over the years and this is one of them back in the early years of our country when Patrick Henry was trying to to stir up support to to rebel against England for the Revolutionary war. He picked this word out of the Bible said these these people who are saying, peace, peace are saying it falsely. They say peace peace where there is no peace. The war has already begun.

Come on wake up and uses that in the political context that often happens, but sadly, so many times people are even willing to take words from the Bible about liberty, freedom all kinds of things and use them in the political realm but ignore the original message and ignore the biblical context ignore what God is actually saying to people they don't want to hear that they want to hear. So in this way, God's word is corrupted. Secondly, God's authority is displaced. We are told, the priest ruled by their own power or they rebuy their own authority to word power. There has the idea of authority. They are ignoring divine regulations that they don't welcome and that the people don't welcome and they are substituting in their place humanly manufactured rules.

In most cases humanly manufactured ceremonies and and ways to carry out the Jewish religion. Malachi was dealing with something similar little bit later on after the Babylonian captivity. After the restoration.

He talked about the priest who were offering on the altars animals that did not qualify. According to the word of God laying the sick, the ones that God said would not be received, but they ignored the regulations of God. They are instead ruling by their own authority and saying were willing to accept this and it made the people happy.

They could worship God more cheaply. No sacrifice needed and that made the priest popular. The people happy with the priest and so you scratch my back, I scratch yours. That's what's going on. As the priests are substituting humanly manufactured rules in the place of God's law. Things that usually require little inconvenience or sacrifice, and were not done with the description of the problem. The prophets are prophesying falsely, the priest or ruling by their own authority, but thirdly, God's people are complicit. My people what are appalled by these things, my people are resisting these things. My people are calling out to the priests and prophets to please give us the word of God know my people love to have it so who are these people are God's people by external identification.

They were all identified as the people of God because they were part of the nation of Israel. As we've already seen Jeremiah search through the nation couldn't even find one whose heart was truly right with God by these God's people.

Well, they are to call them today professing Christians in many cases, church members who are unconverted, calling themselves Christians but know nothing of the grace of God. Know no change of heart. No new birth. God's people by external identification, love, a religion that feeds not opposes their fleshly desires feel good religion.

People love it like it is. Turn on your television to the program that comes out of I think it's Houston, the largest church in United States of America. You know who I'm talking about in and listen to the feel good religion that comes out of that setting an end.

The 25,000 people the crowd into that stadium to be a part of that or they love it. They love it and this one.

Joel O'Steen said years ago on television.

When asked specifically to the ever preach about sin. He said oh no no people are dealing with negative things all week long. When they come to church. They need something to make them good any positive things they don't need negative things.

No, I don't ever preach about sin Jeremiah described that how many hundreds of years before Joel O'Steen never came along. So God's people in name only love a religion that makes them feel good and encourages their fleshly desires. I am amazed to break in here with an application like don't have written down probably never would get the letter later on I amazed at how many people who go to to churches that are identified as evangelical churches talking about mainline liberal chart churches were not talking about churches that nearly everybody understands have departed long time ago and are prostate.

The people go to churches that are generally independent churches, evangelical churches and don't think there's anything wrong with unmarried people living together without the benefit of marriage. In fact, the poll said that 47% of evangelicals people identify themselves as evangelicals is nothing wrong with that as long as they are committed to each other.

What do you think marriage is that's the commitment should you not willing to be married here, not to each other stupid foolish to see God's people love to have it so and thus they despise, avoid and ridicule to prophets who tell them the word of God. How many times I've heard people say I hope you are one of those know what's coming next hellfire and brimstone preachers. I think they are talking about somebody who stopped around the platform and spit my learned mother talking about a somebody who talks about sin and the need for repentance and the need for change in sacrifice. That's up hellfire and brimstone preacher.

I don't want to hear that you don't either today, God's people love to have it so don't realize that they are apostate.

They are deceived they are condemned they are on their way to eternal destruction. That's the problem described in one of the consequences. One line describes it so well. What will you do in the end, there are temporal consequences, and there are eternal consequences. Temporal consequences when this kind of activity goes on for a while.

What's it doing to your country. What's it doing to your nation. What's it doing to your society you're having more more people who pay no attention to law and order and to morality and so society becomes more and more disrupted and dangerous one that permeates all of society then and in all integrity is gone honestly is gone you can't trust people. You can't trust anybody you can't depend upon law enforcement because we want to defund the police why when that goes on for a while how you keep your nation from utter ruin. How will you get your values and standards back when you come to the place where you realize all of we went too far and shouldn't have let them go will you do in the end, when you find out that these things are not brought back easily. In fact, they're not brought back at all apart from divine aid and that's your whole problem you wanted to ignore God all along you'd love to bring back the things that will make society prosperous and blessed but you don't want to bring back the law of Almighty God and surrendered him what he going to do when this kind of feel good. Religion has ruined your nation. That's the milder consequences.

What about the eternal consequences. What will you do in the end, what will you do in the day of judgment. But when you do when your religion is exposed as a false religion that has no saving merit whatsoever which leaves you without a plea as you stand before a holy God and are called into account what will you do when you find out that all that you have called your Christianity is a bunch of lies and it's too late now to repentance too late to go find the truth, it's too late to cling Christ into the gospel. What will you do in the end will obviously have already spilled over into some applications. I couldn't help but let me give you several more Jeremiah talks about prophets and priests. Profit is one, is who professes to speak God's word to the people and the priest is one who pointed the way to God, who assist people in their relationship with God in the Old Testament.

Of course they did this at the temple, the tabernacle the temple through the sacrifices into teaching, but those general ideas are actually combined in the office of pastor today or loosely subsumed under the word we use when we caught about preacher that's a good old southern term for a pastor or an evangelist or anybody who preaches the word of God, preacher.

I like that we need to preachers who are preachers. What we need are preachers who not only profess to speak the word of God, but actually speak the word of God.

What we need are are preachers who point people to God and assist people in a relationship to God. Rather than actually prevent them or put barriers in the way of their coming to God. So by way of application. First of all let me mention what is the preacher's primary duty. That's clear from this passage in our day. The preacher's primary duty is not to make people feel good.

I think many times when you come to church and hear truth that you believe in and and revel in it makes you feel good but that's not the main purpose people whose hearts are right with God and love the truth that they are hearing it does make them feel good.

Sometimes I have preached what I thought were very hard and harsh messages and I've had people tell me all that was so encouraging and I'm thinking really. I didn't intend for it to be. I didn't think it would be but it was because their hearts resonated with the truth and they found much comfort and peace in hearing the word of God, knowing of the mercy of God. But even though that happens, and I think it happens regularly. That's not the preacher's primary purpose is to make people feel good and it's certainly not the preacher's primary purpose to make people like him. I'm sorry. I hope you like me but if you don't it's okay really is. People do get mad at me sometimes. I hope it's for the right reasons. I know I'm a sinner I'm sure. Sometimes people get mad at me for the for reasons other connected with my own Adamic nature rather than for truth, but made by God's help and grace.

May it always be that when people get mad with me that it's because I have will not budge on truth that they are not willing to accept. And so we've come to. That's not pleasant and I'm afraid there many preachers who are willing are willing to stand for truth. When people don't like it, and when it makes them unlike disliked by the people, but it's not the preacher's primary duty to make people feel good.

It's not the preacher's primary duty to make people like him. It's not listen to me now. The preacher's primary duty to be your friend again. That's fine.

I'm not saying the preacher should try not to be your friend to try to keep himself from being your friend, but that's not his primary duty.

Lotta people. That's what they want. They want the pastor to be their friend, that's good, up to a point. But as we'll see in the next application that I reasons why there's a limit to that. You got to understand that's not the preacher's primary responsibility is to be your friend. What is his primary responsibility to proclaim God's truth to you. That's it. To proclaim God's truth to you in season and out of season truth that you like truth that you don't like all the word of God to preach the truth to preach the truth that you love and to preach the truth that you would rather avoid that he's a faithful preacher. He's going to preach at all, and he's going to help you, hopefully to change to repentant a change in those areas where the truth is, rubbing the wrong way. What did Oliver Greene say I miss that man along with the Lord long now with the Lord. An interesting man.

Some of you know who I'm talking about. He probably was the first one to say it but he said if you rub in the The wrong way. Turn the cat around. The problem is that with the Robin, if you're Robin truth the right way and it's Russell and the further and turn the cat around the preacher's responsibility to give you a second application that it occurred to me in studying this passage in your wonder where this came from because it doesn't seem to be in the passage, but I think you'll see it. I think this passage also not only tells us something about the preacher's primary duty also tells us something about a parent's primary duty because a similar appearance primary responsibility to their children is not to be liked by your children. Again, you'd rather be in. There's no reason to deliberately try to make them dislike you, that would be wrong as well. But I see too many modern parents who seem so worried that they may do or say something that will make the children dislike them that they are able to parent their children. According to the word of God. Your primary responsibility is not to make your children like you, nor is your primary responsibility to make sure that the way you deal with your children is approved by your friends if your friends are basing their ideas on the Bible well and good, but if they are basing their ideas on modern psychology opposed to the word of God, then it doesn't matter whether they approve of your parenting style are not your responsibility is to be true to God's word not to substitute the latest sociological techniques in the place of God's word, you who are parental responsibility to teach and model. In practice, God's word in your life and for your children and if you don't what we do in the end, when your children are grown and you realize your mistake 02 late if you don't, what will you do when children seek popular religion instead of the Bible. Where did they learn that I took them to church. I taught them the gospel, yes, but you modeled a willingness to alter the word of God when it wasn't desirable. And guess what now you children doing the same thing and they're just doing it to go to a greater degree. There are consequences to abandoning the word of God. Application number three, popular religion is worse than no religion at all. It's more deceptive is more difficult to abandon to shake loose from people have no religion oftentimes again this is only by the work of God spirit, but many times I've had them cite. I've gone this far, long gone this way long enough. It's about time for me to get into church the people who are caught up in popular Ridge religion generally take the position I'm in church I'm fine don't talk to may popular religion is worse than no religion.

Popular religion may be represented by the mega church. I'm not saying all mega churches are this way, but people crowd in for the show for the rock music for this smoke machine. Yeah makes them feel good.

Sometimes it's a mega church that is deceptive and worse than no religion at all.

Or sometimes it's a little family church community church that's been there for decades and decades and decades and it's the one your parents went to in your grandparents went to and nothing wrong with this.

This is part of our heritage as a part of our culture. This is part of our community. Yes, but the word of God was abandon a long time ago. God's word is not being proclaimed in all your hearing is useless pablum to make you feel good and all the religion consists of is too good to be be a good person be a good neighbor and be a good in society and everything will be all right, and you are terribly deceived and what you going to do in the end what you going to do when you stand before the day of judgment and have no atonement for your sin in my final application is short and sweet and to the point, but it is this ignoring truth does not banish it. It's still there and it's going to face you someday allow many people seem to have this crazy idea that if I say I don't believe some minutes gone. I don't have to worry about. I've had people tell me talking to them about the gospel trying to get them to see their need.

Trying to get them have some sense of concern for their soul may be mentioned to them that hell awaits those who don't turn in repentance and faith to Christ and they say why don't believe in hell like lesson of the story. If I don't believe it helps nothing to worry about. I don't have to think about that friends you may not believe in hurricanes, but if one comes through in a flat you just as much as the guy who does ignoring truth does not banish it. God's truth is unchanging God's truth is indestructible. God's truth is forever in God's truth will be vindicated at the appointed time the day is coming when every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father. Everyone will do that every nonreligious person will do that acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord. Every religious person who abandoned the true Lordship of Christ in their life will have to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and that they have rebuilt sinfully against him, ignoring truth does not banish it. God's truth is unchanging and forever God's truth will face you on the day of judgment.

Therefore, I plead with you, as Jeremiah pled with the people of his day. Here the word of the Lord hear the warnings of God recognize where you are straying from God's word. Quit justifying your sinful acknowledge your sin and repent of your sin and turn to God with your whole heart, shall we pray father take your word in the play to our lives today is only your spirit can do. We pray in Jesus name