Psalms 16:1-2 and 31:1-3

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Jeremiah 1:1-6:17. The Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind at many points through this patch of pasture, but He pressed upon my mind a question implied in the LORD’s observation:

Jeremiah 2:6 Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?

Jeremiah 2:8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.

It’s not presented as an interrogative, but as I read these verses, I heard the Spirit frame it as one in my heart: Why don’t my people ask for Me?

The back story is necessary to enhance the significance of the question. Jeremiah had received his call, and it was the most expansive calling any prophet received: “See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms.” Wait! Full stop! Jeremiah was set “over the nations and over the kingdoms”?  But that’s not all: he was set over them to “root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:10). We never witness Jeremiah doing any of this, but GOD said this was his divinely appointed mission. He prophesied to the nations and kingdoms regarding God’s judgment, resulting in the destruction of some, and a promise of building and planting for others.*

God lists a great many complaints against Judah, but the one that caught my attention this morning was this: “What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt?” (Jeremiah 2:5-6a). The people had walked after vanity — what is worthless, transitory, unsatisfying. In doing this, they became vain—a corrupting influence that led others astray.**

Along the still waters, the Spirit seemed to press me with the implied question: “Why don’t my people ask, ‘Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt?’” (Jeremiah 2:6). Especially the priests, why have the teachers of the people not raised this question? (Jeremiah 2:8).

I thought about this for a while. God was ready to answer this question, but He wondered why they did not seek the answer. Why hadn’t the people stopped to think about what happened to the GOD of our fathers, the GOD Who demonstrated so great power and showed such wonderful glory to their fathers? Why weren’t they seeking the GOD their Bible spoke of?

The question was the answer to their troubles. If they had stopped to think about it, they would see that their fathers were not perfect; they had their challenges. If they were asking after the GOD Who led their forefathers from Egypt, they would know God would not want them to return to Egypt. But this is exactly what the vanity walkers ended up doing (Jeremiah 44—compare Exodus 32). They would have seen that the difference was that, when their forefathers were rebuked under Moses, they repented of their idolatry and stood by the man of God. God’s people must look to the GOD of our forefathers to see the way forward out of our troubles.

I thought about the “New Cart” churches, which have chosen a new way and set Jesus outside their doors (Revelation 3:20). I thought of the lack of manifest power even in the churches that have remained faithful to the doctrine and to separation and holiness, the woeful weakness, the “little strength” of our churches today, including the Lighthouse (Revelation 3:8). The answer is not a “forward look,” new methods or manners taking our cues from the world (1 John 2:15-17). The answer is to ask the question: “Where is the LORD Who sent His Spirit upon the early church, when tongues of fire appeared on each head?” (Acts 2). “Where is the LORD Who countermanded the king’s commandment and walked into Peter’s prison and walked him out? Where is the LORD Who rebuked the wicked ruler whose heart was lifted up with pride and smote him so that he was eaten of worms?” (Acts 12). “Where is the LORD Who carried Philip to a man reading his Bible seeking answers?” (Acts 8). Where is the LORD Whose Spirit rebuked the witches and warlocks who attempted to interfere with Gospel preaching?” (Acts 13). In short, where is the LORD of Pentecost?

Why do we not ask that question? It is the same reason Judah did not. A contemporary of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, pointed to the cynicism of God’s people: “The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not” (Ezekiel 8:12; 9:9). Our version of the same thing is only different in that we have dismissed any expectation of God working miracles and manifesting His Sovereignty over the affairs of men.

Jeremiah 6:16 declares the answer to the reason why we don’t have revival today:

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

Jeremiah 6:17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

The watchmen have cried concerning this thing, but it seems most stubbornly refuse to understand the answer is to ask, “Where is the LORD of Acts?” Modern Christianity does not “ask for the old paths, where is the good way.” The watchmen God has set over us, who call us to return to the “old paths,”  are ignored. The answer is “we will not walk therein.”

In the valley,  kneeling in the shadow of His Cross, the Spirit in His “still small voice,” whispered in my heart the old path that has been forsaken is Jesus’ call to discipleship: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Answering that call answers it all. But it’s more than wearing a cross; it’s the bearing of it. Most Christians today skip the part about self-denial. No one can fulfill the call who does not first forsake all (“Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). Denying himself comes before taking up his cross, and this must be reaffirmed every day.

At the table, my Shepherd anointed the head of this sheep with His oil, and He filled my cup with His sufficient grace. We went together into the harvest, goodness and mercy following.

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live asap:

https://rumble.com/v74zm0i-shepherds-pasture.html

[*Jeremiah’s mission is expressly carried out in Jeremiah 2-45, against Jerusalem, followed by chapters 46-51, a section called The Judgment of the Nations. This creates a list of ten nations expressly named for judgment, and only five included a promise of at least some restorative blessing. The nations expressly named are Judah (Jerusalem) (Jeremiah 2-45), Egypt (Jeremiah 46), Philistia (Jeremiah 47), Moab (Jeremiah 48), Ammon (Jeremiah 49”1-6), Edom (Jeremiah 49:7-22), Damascus (Aram/Syria) (Jeremiah 49:23-27), Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor (Arab tribes) (Jeremiah 49:28-33), Elam (ancient Persia/modern Iran) (Jeremiah 49:34-39), and Babylon (Chaldea) (Jeremiah 50-51). All of these received a prophecy of divine judgment. Those scheduled for destruction are as follows: Philistia, Edom, Damascus, Kedar/Hazor, and Babylon. The nations God promised to restore a remnant are as follows: Judah (full restoration), and varying degrees of limited restoration are promised to Egypt, Moab, Ammon, and Elam.]

[**The word vanity translates הַהֶ֖בֶל (ha-hey-bell; an adverb describing what they walked after—something worthless, that does not satisfy). The word vain translates וַיֶּהְבָּֽלוּ (Vaw-Yeh-Heh-bawl; an adjective describing what those who walk after vanity become: vain, worthless, with an added connotation that they lead others to follow after their way. They become a corrupting influence on others.]