Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20040815.htm

1 AND 2 KINGS: ENJOYING GOD'S BLESSING IN AN APOSTATE ERA
Part LXV: Discerning So As To Do God's Will When Facing Traumatic Challenges
(2 Kings 25:22-26 with Jeremiah's Account)
  1. Introduction
    1. Being able to discern so as to heed God's will during times of relative "ease" is often relatively easy to do.
    2. Yet, when traumatic events occur, our fears and confusion can cloud our discernment to our loss.
    3. Jeremiah and the remnant of Judah who survived the traumatic Babylonian invasion both had decisions to make on discerning and doing God's will, and that with starkly contrasting results. Comparing their thinking and actions reveals how we can discern and heed God's will even if we face traumatic challenges:
  2. Discerning So As To Do God's Will When Facing Traumatic Challenges, 2 Kings 25:22-26 et al.
    1. Those in Judah who survived the Babylonian invasion and destruction of Jerusalem, while facing additional trauma, mistrusted God's message through Jeremiah to stay in Judah and not to flee into Egypt:
      1. After Babylon's traumatic conquest of Jerusalem and its establishment of the puppet governor, Gedaliah in Judah, a jealous descendant of David named Ishmael assassinated him, 2 Kings 25:22-25.
      2. Though the Hebrew remnant of Judah took action against Gedaliah's killer, still fearing revenge from Babylon for his death, they planned to flee Babylon's reach by fleeing into Egypt, Jer. 41:2, 11-18.
      3. Yet, God by Jeremiah said He wanted them to stay in Judah where He would shield them, Jer. 42:7-12.
      4. The remnant errantly rejected this message, charging it was a trick by Jeremiah and his scribe to deliver them up to Babylon for harm; hence, they forcibly took Jeremiah with them into Egypt, Jer. 43:1-3, 4.
    2. However, the remnant's errant mistrust of Jeremiah's word was inexcusable if compared with Jeremiah's own capacity to discern and follow God's will under similar, traumatic pressure (as follows):
      1. Jeremiah was able to discern and heed God's will while he himself faced traumatic pressure:
        1. After Jerusalem's fall, Jeremiah was given the choice by his Babylonian overlord to settle wherever he wished; he could settle in Babylon or stay in troubled Judah or anywhere else, Jeremiah 40:1-5.
        2. Well, Jeremiah correctly chose to live in the troublesome land of Judah under Babylon's governor as follows: (a) First, the Old Testament forbade Israel from returning to Egypt for aid (Deut. 17:16) or from willfully returning to Babylon, Abraham's former land, cf. Genesis 12:1 (Hebrews 11:15-16). (b) Second, Jeremiah's staying in Judah fit God's precedent that he minister there, Jer. 1:4-5, 15-17. (c) Third, staying in Judah fit the will of the commander from Babylon whom God had let rule over His prophet, Jeremiah in accord with God's prophecy of Babylon's conquest of Judah, Jer. 40:1-2, 5; 37:7-8. (d) Fourth, staying in Judah best supported Jeremiah's own testimony due to past criticism: (+) Jeremiah had previously been falsely charged with trying to go to Babylon as a Hebrew traitor, Jer. 37:12-15. (+) Because of this past charge, since going to Babylon now that he had the liberty to do so could give others cause to doubt his loyalty to God's people, Jeremiah correctly stayed put!
      2. Yet, the Hebrew remnant of Judah errantly overlooked certain divine guidance signals in their fear:
        1. First, unlike Jeremiah, the remnant was willing to disobey a clearly known and established Old Testament Scripture passage in Deuteronomy 17:16 to flee into Egypt for aid.
        2. Second, opposite the proven track record of Jeremiah's prophecy about Babylon's conquest of Judah and Egypt's failure to help (Jer. 37:7-8), the remnant still foolishly sought futile Egypt's protection!
        3. Third, in light of the past charge that Jeremiah intended to go over to Babylon as a traitor, since he still dwelt in troubled Judah when he had the liberty to go to Babylon revealed he was loyal to God's people opposite the charge, meaning Jeremiah's message to stay in Judah was true, cf. "II,B,1,b,(d)"!
        4. Fourth, the remnant's refusal to believe Jeremiah's message was inconsistent with their own former claim that they trusted his integrity and calling as God's prophet, cf. Jer. 42:1-6 with 43:1-3. Such inconsistency in themselves exposed a failure to think clearly and align with God's confirmed will!
Lesson Application: In times of trauma, to keep a clear head so as to discern and do God's will, (1) we must (a) heed Scripture on issues it clearly addresses, (b) align with God's past precedents, (c) heed the ruling powers that be in God's will, (d) take the path that best protects our testimony, (e) maintain our previous commitments made to others in good faith and (f) be sure we are consistent within ourselves! (2) Failure to follow such guidelines out of fear will lead to missing God's will and blessing!