Blessed Are the Meek

Jesus said, "the meek shall inherit the earth."  I have always puzzled over that phrase.  I mean, I get the inheritance thing.  I've never inherited anything (my parents died poor).  But I always thought it would be nice to inherit something.  I'm just not sure what it would mean for someone to inherit the earth.  How exactly does one do that?  What exactly does one get when one inherits the earth?  But I digress.  The bigger question revolves around this notion of meekness.

So, according to Jesus, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."  (Matthew 5:5)  Who exactly are these people?  I mean where did they come from?  How did they acquire their meeknesss?  If I look around the Bible, I see quite an emphasis on meekness.  I mean, Jesus wasn't the first to coin this term.  If I go back to the Old Testament, for example, there are at least a couple of passages about the meek. 

"Seek ye the Lord all ye meek of the earth ... seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger."  (Zephaniah 2:3) (KJV)  So the meek are to seek meekness?  Really?  How exactly do they do that?  Do they know they're supposed to do that?  And this particular passage of Scripture seems to reflect the privilege of the meek.  I mean it says they'll be hid from God's wrath when He judges the world.  So that would be good, of course.  I'd like to be hidden from the wrath of God when He judges the world for its sins.

The psalmist inferred an even deeper level of privilege for the meek.  Or maybe it was responsibility he was writing about.  "The meek will he guide in judgment; and the meek will he teach his way."  (Psalm 25:9) (KJV)  So God will guide those of us who are meek, and he will teach us his way.  We just have to join the meek.  So again I'm asking, "Who are these people?"  And maybe more importantly, the question is how I can join them.  How can I be counted among the meek, at least from the Lord's perspective?  Will He judge me as meek?

1 Peter 3:4 gives us an even broader perspective on the subject of meekness.  It says that meekness is an "ornament" and that it goes with a quiet spirit.  And it tells us God thinks these things are very valuable. 

The Bible talks about meekness as if we all know what it is, how it occurs and how we can pursue it and make it our own.  If you ask me, that's being a little presumptuous.  I mean, are humans that smart?

Another psalmist says that God "will beautify the meek with salvation."  (Psalm 149:4) (KJV)  But more modern translations seem to choose other words.  I mean they don't use the word meek.  Rather they use words like "humble" as if they are interchangeable with "meek."  But I'm not sure they are. 

The dictionary seems to have two different ways of thinking about "meek."  One definition seems positive.  It says the meek are "humbly patient or docile, as under provocation from others."  It further says that the meek are "patient and long-suffering."  Those seem like pretty strong virtues to me.  I wouldn't mind being considered meek in that context.  But the dictionary also provides another context, which is much less appealing.  It says the meek are "overly submissive and compliant, spineless and tame."  I don't know about you, but I doubt that's the Biblical meaning of meek.

One thing that I've learned to do over the years is to look at Jesus.  I find that He's been the perfect role model for lots of things that I'm trying to figure out.  People put those bumper stickers on their car that say "WWJD?"  They're asking, "What Would Jesus Do?"  I don't think it's a good bumper sticker.  But I do think it's good advice for living.  We need to be looking to find out what Jesus would do.  If we'll stop and consider it, I find that Jesus models just about everything I need to know about successful living.

So in this context of humility or meekness, I look at Jesus and I don't see a spineless door mat.  In fact, I see a man who could get angry at injustice and ungodliness.  But I also see a man who was quick to forgive, slow to anger, and who experienced ... and expressed deep emotion.  When Jesus was falsely accused and tried, I see several behaviors that I find curious. 

Jesus did nothing to defend himself.  He wasn't defensive.  He made no statements on His own behalf.  He didn't try to justify His behavior.  He asked no questions of His accusers.  He answered their questions with as few words as possible.  And of course He didn't accuse others, but rather ask His Father to forgive them because they didn't know what they were doing (i.e., accusing Him unfairly).  Let's face it, those are odd behaviors.  But they are strong clues about this character trait of meekness.  I think they show us how to be meek.

That meekness is not weakness has been made very clear to us in the Bible.  Numbers 12:3, for example, describes Moses as a man who was "very meek."  But of course Moses was strong and courageous.  Moses was deeply humble and self-sacrificing, a man of prayer who absolutely trusted God beyond measure.  Jesus was no wimp either.  He defined meekness in terms of His own character.  "...learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:"  (Matthew 11:29) (KJV)

A meek spirit enables a Christ-follower to maintain composure in the face of opposition.  It helps us to accept adversity without resorting to our sense of entitlement.  It produces a peace that "transcends understanding" (Philippians 4:7) (NIV).  So it seems that this meekness which the Lord speaks of, it is the "secret sauce" for all true Christ-followers.  Frankly, I think it is a gift from God.  He instills it in each of us as we seek Him and His ways.  Said differently, the Lord will work in us, as we seek Him, to change our perspective about everything.  Troubling things won't be as troubling.  Challenges won't be as intimidating.  Adversity won't steal our peace.  And of course pride will not be welcome in the hearts of those who are meek.

So, as Jesus said, "the meek shall inherit the earth."  Now, who are these people?  They are you and me, my friend.  They are you and me.  May you find an extra measure of meekness in your soul today.  And may you grasp it like a precious gem, committing to never let go of even the tiniest morsel of meekness that you can find.  For therein lies our treasure ... and acquiring it makes us His treasure!

Puzzling Perspectives

I write three blogs, do a lot of teaching, disciple several other men, and answer a lot of questions for people who have questions about God and His ways. Some might think that I have it all together when it comes to God. In fact, I've been accused as such (in less than loving ways). The truth is that I don't. I understand much - but not all.

There are still things of God which I don't understand. There are still things in Scripture that make me stand back and scratch my head. Some of the stories in the Bible really baffle me. And every once in a while, I run across something in God's Word that frankly sounds like fingernails on a chalk board or something. I'll just wrestle with it and usually ask something like, "Why would God do this?"

The story of Josiah is one of those stories. His story is told in 2 Kings (in the Old Testament). Israel had had a string of terrible kings over the years. The Bible talks about each one of them in detail, and usually says that they "did evil in the eyes of the Lord." In other words, they were terrible kings and failed to meet God's standards for leadership. But not Josiah.

Josiah's story opens when he was crowned king at eight (8) years old. He went on to reign for 31 years. And 2 Kings 22:2 says that King Josiah "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord ... not turning aside to the right or left." It's probably fair to conclude that this means he stayed focused on what mattered and didn't ever get distracted from his mission ... to do what was right in the eyes of the Lord.

The fact of the matter is that Josiah's story reveals that he was a fanatic about doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. What God said mattered very much to Josiah. What God wanted was of paramount importance to him too. When Josiah took over as king, he inherited an evil kingdom that had been ruled by a bunch of boobs for generations. It troubled him greatly when he realized how bad it was (i.e., how far from God it was).

The people were involved in idol worship, human sacrifice, and all kinds of things wrong. Josiah took the matter seriously and proved himself to be a ruthless reformer. He crusaded for what was good and right. He was relentless in destroying evil. He burned evil things and ground them into powder to make sure they were destroyed. He even had the priests in the false religions executed. Josiah called the people to repentance. He lead them in reestablishing worship of the one true God. And he rooted out evil in his kingdom at every chance.

The fact that Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord might lead one to conclude that God was satisfied. But one of Josiah's motives (from my point of view ) must have been established right after he first became aware of how far from God his kingdom really was. He consulted a prophetess, Huldah. She told him that God was going to destroy the kingdom and its people. She said God's anger was blazing and would not be quenched. She also told him that God acknowledged Josiah's heart of repentance --- and so would not bring about this judgment on the kingdom during Josiah's lifetime. He essentially said Josiah would reign peacefully.

Now you see, I would think that one of Josiah's motives would have had to have been to change God's mind. I imagine that Josiah, throughout his 31 years of crusading and reforming, must have thought at times that he might be appeasing God's anger. Maybe He thought God would be impressed by his consistency and would relent. Why do I think that? Because it would be my motive. It would be how I would have thought if I had been in Josiah's shoes. I would have wanted God to change His mind. And I'd be out to prove to God that my goodness could erase the badness of all the kings before me.

And in fact, Josiah did reign peacefully. The kingdom suffered no particular judgment from God. So for years, Josiah went on calling people to repentance, rooting out evil, and reestablishing the priority of true worship. He was whipping this kingdom and its people into shape, spiritually speaking. But then, God had the last word ... which in fact Huldah had predicted. Whatever Josiah might have thought during his 31 years of reign became irrelevant at the end of his reign.

2 Kings 23:26-29 brings a tragic end to Josiah's noble and righteous reign as king. After nearly two chapters of Josiah's efforts to please God, 2 Kings 23:26 opens with this, "Nevertheless, the Lord did not turn from ... his fierce anger ..." And it goes on to tell us that this wonderful king Josiah was murdered by enemies. Thereafter, the kingdom started to fall as God unleashed His wrath on it. In fact, the kingdom that Josiah spent his life cleaning up was totally destroyed and the survivors carted off in exile as slaves. There was nothing left of it.

I have to confess, stories like this make me want to say, "Really? Really, God? Did you really have to respond like this - to Josiah's 31 years of trying to right the wrongs of all the previous evil kings? So doing right on Josiah's part was all in vain then, Lord? It was all for nothing? Is that right?"

It's been said that we humans can never fully appreciate the ways of the Lord. It's when I encounter stories like this in the Bible that help me understand how true that is. You see, most of us humans would have given Josiah credit for his efforts to right the wrongs of all the previous kings he'd succeeded. I think humans tend to live in the moment much more than God does.

Or rather we give much more weight to what's in the moment than to what's been true all along. God doesn't do that. The people of Josiah's reign were an evil people. They didn't really repent and turn to the Lord. Josiah did. He tried to lead them there too. But they didn't go. They only did things because Josiah said to. It wasn't that they revered God any more. In fact, that they let Josiah destroy their false gods and shrines, etc. proves that they didn't revere the other gods much either. So maybe God's anger blazing against them was right.

I confess that my humanness sometimes gets in the way of my understanding of God. That human filter of fairness often shows up when I am looking at truth in the world. I know fairness isn't exactly Biblical. Rather justice is. Still, we want the dream to be true. We want the valiant efforts to succeed. We especially want the righteousness of one (or a few) to count for many (or all). But it never does. And I suppose we will never stop being dismayed at that truth in life. It just never does.

God is good. Of that I'm convinced. God is just. Of that I'm sure. God is faithful and loving. In that I'm secure. And God is forgiving. Of that I'm so grateful. But I have to tell you, God often doesn't make sense to me. Of that, I'm often perplexed.

No matter how strong my relationship with God gets, I still am sometimes confronted at the crossroads of His godliness and my human-ness - where things don't seem to compute or make sense. It is at these times that I must turn myself to Him and just be grateful that He is God.

Who Is God?

Often we hear people speak about God. God wants this or that. God says this or that. God likes this or that. God hates this or that. There's always someone who'll be glad to tell you - usually from a stage - what God says, wants, feels, thinks, likes or hates.

I've often wondered if this telling is really necessary. Frankly, I've never heard anyone tell me about God who didn't seem to have some sort of bias in their telling. I mean each person who tells me about God seems to emphasize some particular aspect of God's nature and character. Like maybe God is love (that's always a standard definition).

Can anyone really tell you about God? Can anyone really be told about God? I mean is any one person really capable of comprehending enough aspects of God such that they could tell it in a way that God could then be known? Or is any one individual really capable of hearing enough about God such that they could really know Him? (I doubt it ... in both cases.)

The Bible says that none of us can really ever comprehend God. We can know Him intimately. But we can never understand Him or His ways. They are not of this earth. They are not even of our species! Perhaps when we get to heaven - and break free of this human dimension that is so limiting - we may be able to really comprehend God. Until then, it seems we have to live with a considerably incomplete knowledge of God.

I'm in the process of making a new friend right now. He's quite an intelligent man, a capable business executive. He's also no slouch in the area of spiritual maturity either. You could call him a ministry leader, for sure. But he asked me a question this week that got me to thinking. The question was about how some people get a view of God that is negative. They may see God as mean and controlling. He wanted to know if I had any insight as to how such a view could be acquired.

As I pondered my new friend's question, I could think of people who have such a view of God. Usually they fear Him in unhealthy ways. More often than not, people who view God as mean and controlling also don't have a very good relationship with Him either. On the other hand, I thought of the people who see God as this loving grandfather sitting in the rocking chair on the porch, probably dispensing candy all day. That's not a very good perspective to hold either.

I realized that both views of God are incorrect. They're just flat out wrong. He is not a mean, controlling god. Nor is He a wish-granting genie of a god. Rather He is God. And these views of Him that package Him in one direction or the other seem as evil as not believing in God at all. Frankly, atheists could be better off than people who have a distorted view of God. At least an atheist can come to the truth without the baggage and missed preconceptions that need to be dealt with!

I like to look at the Old Testament to see the character and nature of God. I see, for example, that He is just - but not fair. Somehow, we humans seem to think that fairness goes hand-in-hand with justice. God wouldn't share that view with us. Life ... which God invented ... just isn't fair. Isn't that odd?

One thing I see about God's nature and character is a rather swift and harsh response to sin and evil. Throughout the Old Testament God is dealing with evil people and sin in some astonishing ways. Those events are starkly absent in the New Testament. What's different? Did God change His mind about sin? I don't think so.

In the New Testament, we have Jesus. He stands in between us and God now. The Bible says He intercedes for us with God. So I see that if not for Jesus, God would still be burning cities with sulphur, turning women into pillars of salt, etc. To be sure, God is unchanging. He response to sin hasn't changed. He is a Holy God - who cannot tolerate sin. It's not even a choice for Him. But today Jesus changes how we experience God's response to sin.

Yes, God is all loving. His responses to sin have nothing to do with His love for us. In fact, that God loved us enough to send His Son as a Savior says quite a bit about His true nature and character. God knew that His response to sin would never change. He also knew that we could never stand up to that response. So He sent Jesus to stand in the gap on our behalf. Jesus makes us holy and acceptable to God. But make no mistake, God still sees sin the same way. And He still hates sin as much today as He did in Bible times.

After years and years of walking with God, talking with God, listening to God, studying God's Word and worshipping God, I'm just now beginning to come to some comprehension of God. And it's limited. In fact, the more I know God and understand Him, the more convinced I am that it is impossible for any human to tell another about God. At best, we can make the introduction, and allow God to reveal Himself to others as they seek Him themselves.

Human Nature

I’m involved in a class on Character Development right now – at my church. There’s quite a large group of people taking it too. It’s a great class and I think we’re all enjoying the journey.

But I have to confess that the notion of being intentional to develop Christian character seems a bit odd to me. I mean, why doesn’t the character of Christ just manifest itself in the lives of the Christians the day they become Christians? If I were in charge of the universe, I think that’s how I’d probably do it.

The dilemma for Christians trying to nurture the character of Christ in themselves is that eternal struggle between our spiritual being and our human being. Said differently, it seems that no matter how hard we try – or how good we get, our basic human nature is still working against us.

Let’s take fear, for example. We all have fears; they seem to be inherent in our nature. Maybe you’re afraid of snakes. Perhaps it’s heights that makes you queasy. Or possibly the fear of flying troubles you. Now the Bible tells us that (God’s) perfect love drives out all fear. Repeatedly God tells us (in His Word) to not fear.

But tell that to my body when the airplane hits turbulence, the oxygen masks drop and the flight attendants look worried! God’s perfect love didn’t fail to drive out fear. No, my human nature rebelled against that perfect love and gave fear a role it didn’t deserve. This is craziness!

Another example might be understanding. The Bible tells us not to lean on our own understanding. But let’s face it, it’s kind of hard not to. I mean, we’ve been leaning on our own understanding since we were old enough to lean.

Seriously, as a toddler, we began to lean on our own understanding. I see a cookie, I understand that it’s good for me, and I want it. I may even go to great lengths to get it. Those decisions I make or actions that I take, even as a toddler, are based on my own understanding.

And the situation doesn’t get any better as I get older. In fact, it gets worse. My understanding seems to grow – or at least my perception of it does. So even if I know I shouldn’t lean on my own understanding, I’m likely to consider that my understanding is pretty good. I trust my instincts. And our culture would tell us that’s usually a good thing too!

Why doesn’t it ever occur to us naturally that our own understanding could be incomplete – or flawed? Why doesn’t our human nature like to allow for the possibility that I could be wrong? Does human nature always start with the default that it’s right and knows everything it needs to know?

After careful analysis and consideration, I’ve come to the conclusion that this whole human experience is pretty perverse. It’s a travesty actually. And it can’t help itself. God says one thing. My human nature says another. It’s pre-disposed to behave that way it seems.

Cartoons used to portray a demon on one should and an angel on the other shoulder, both whispering their ways into the ears, trying to persuade us of their logic and reason. This isn’t too far from the truth!

There is a spiritual battle going on inside the life of a Christ-follower. It is the Holy Spirit, using God’s Word, prayer, conviction and other forms of communication to tell us how to live. Maybe it’s the voice of the devil, using suggestion, peer pressure, media and other forms of communication to tell us how to live.

But of course they have absolutely opposing views! And my poor brain is supposed to sort those things out. Despite the fact that the demon can look and sound like the angel, I’m not to be deceived. I’m to quiet the noise of the demon and magnify the voice of the angel on the other shoulder.

Some people say that the devil on my one shoulder, telling me to do wrong, is the voice of the devil himself. That may be the case. But I have to wonder what’s the difference then between the devil and my basic human nature. They seem to be quite similar at times and in many ways!

Is there such a thing as “human nature?” Or is that just a cop-out that we take to place the blame somewhere besides on ourselves?

Wikipedia, the on-line encyclopedia, says that human nature is a theory that certain behaviors, thinking patterns, etc. are inherent to human beings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_nature). Quite frankly, if that's true, then perhaps human character isn't all it's cracked up to be. It begs the question about where we can draw the line between human nature and human character.

On the other hand, God created us in His image ... as spiritual beings. So maybe God doesn't care much about human nature. Maybe He wants us to rise above human nature and move to godly character (which of course would be more useful than human character). Yes, I think that is the case.

So my conclusion, thus far, is that human nature is not to be regarded as having any power or authority. In other words, we are not to yield to it. As Christ-followers, I believe it will honor God if we rise above our human nature, and move to godly, Christ-like character. And when we do, human nature - among other things - gets defeated.

God is Great

There are many wonderful stories in the Old Testament which really give us comprehensive pictures of God's nature and character. They help us grasp a great deal about what matters to God, how He thinks and much more.

One of my favorite places in the Old Testament is in the book of Judges, which tells the story of how God used 12 different people over a span of more than 300 years to save Israel. Why did Israel need to be saved 12 times in the span of just a few hundred years? Because they forgot God and "did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord." Put another way, Israel and it's people became sinful instead of righteous - which got them into all sorts of trouble. And God had to pick a hero on 12 different occasions to salvage things for them. (He did this each time Israel "hit bottom" and cried out to God - finally returning to the Lord.)

In Judges 10:18, an angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah and his wife, who asked the angel it's name. (Being a manifestation of God Himself, they didn't realize the angel was God.) Look at the angel's response to this question. He said, "Why do you ask my name? It is beyond your understanding." Really? Can you imagine?

What point was the angel making here? Well several places in the Bible tell us that we cannot fully comprehend the ways of the Lord. We're told that He doesn't think like we do, knows much more than we could ever know, and that we - in our broken, human form - would not be able to even face Him (His glory would be to great). The angel was simply saying that His name, which would reveal much about Himself, is mysterious beyond our human ability to comprehend. He was saying that His name is too wonderful for humans to even imagine.

Have you considered that? Are you aware that, even as a Christian, the nature and character of God are still beyond your human ability to understand or even imagine?

We talk about God being great. But folks, let's face it, His greatness goes beyond anything that we could ever be referring to when we speak of Him. How is that possible ... that there could be a greatness beyond human comprehension or imagination? But God tells us there is. It is found in His name. It is found in His nature and character.

The next time you hear someone say that God is great, remember this angel's words to Manoah and his wife. And try to imagine the things that you cannot comprehend or imagine.

God Hates Haiti?

Millions of Christians and Muslims debate whether adherents of the two faiths worship the same god. Lately, I’ve been wondering if I worship the same god as some other Christians. For example, take Pat Robertson. Please.

On his television program this week, the reverend and onetime U.S. presidential candidate discussed the devastating earthquake that leveled much of Haiti, leaving tens of thousands of people dead and many more injured.

“Something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about,” Robertson said. “They were under the heel of the French—you know Napoleon the third and whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, ‘We will serve you if you will get us free from the prince.’ True story. And so the devil said, ‘OK, it’s a deal.’ And they kicked the French out. The Haitians revolted and got something—themselves free. But ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after another.”

Was Robertson telling the truth? Here are historical facts: The Haitian Revolution, led by slaves, took place from 1791 to 1804. The region, Saint-Dominique, was a French colony. The rebellion broke out in the aftermath of the French Revolution, which advanced the philosophy that all human beings are endowed with God-given rights. As the slaves launched their revolt, some of them turned to the only god they knew, seeking blessings in a ceremony led by Dutty Boukman, a Voudo (voodoo) priest.

Implications of the Haitian Revolution were enormous. The revolt eliminated slavery on Hispaniola, the island where Haiti is located. Haiti became the first democracy in Latin America, and democracy spread throughout the region. The revolution even strengthened the United States, because it led to the Louisiana Purchase, through which our country bought what became 13 states west of the Mississippi River for $15 million—or 3 cents per acre.

So, according to Robertson, God continues to “curse” Haitians in 2010 because their ancestors—impoverished slaves, yearning to breathe free—turned to the only god they knew anything about, leaning on beliefs that sprung from African animist folk religion. God drops buildings on children because of an event that took place 219 years ago. Oh, yeah, and back then, God took the side of slaveholders instead of slaves. And that same God plays favorites, allowing the United States to close the best real estate deal in history while punishing the Haitians for the very act that made the real estate deal possible.

That’s a god with which I’m not familiar.

Maybe Pat Robertson worships a made up version of the Old Testament God, remembering parts of verses, such as, “God stores up a man’s punishment for his sons,” (Job 21:19) or “The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge” (Ezekiel 18:2). But those verses don’t even reflect the God of the Old Testament, who forsook the notion that people are punished for the sins of others (Jeremiah 31:30, Ezekiel 18:4). So it would seem that Pat Robertson is simply making up his own god and loosely basing it on the real God who is.

Fortunately, I—and millions of Christians like me—worship God who loves, suffers and weeps with the poor. And since Haitians are among the poorest on Earth, we’re confident God’s divine heart breaks for them, as do ours. Many Haitians have turned to Christ and now worship this true God of love as well. This is not a god who directs natural disasters to afflict the innocent. This is not a god who holds 200-year-old grudges. This is the God whose wrath kindles against the arrogance and mean judgmentalism of the proudly religious, like Robertson, but melts with the tears of Haitians.

Heaven only knows how much damage is done by the theological regurgitation of Robertson. But now, the rest of us must bestow Christ’s love upon Haiti. It's simply too bad that Pat Robertson isn't willing to love the Haitian people like the real God, our heavenly Father, commands us to.

God's Viewpoint

The Old Testament provides wonderful, comprehensive views of God's character and nature. For those of us who wonder what God is really like, I don't think there's any better window to look through than that found in the Old Testament.

The New Testament tells us that Jesus now stands between us and God, acting to intercede with God on our behalf. I wonder how many people actually grasp the enormity of that role that Jesus plays.

Jeremiah 8 is an example of what I'm talking about. Here God speaks to Jeremiah about his chosen people, who were then called the Jews, Jerusalem, Israel, etc. Today they are called Christians. At any rate, let's look at what God says to Jeremiah about these people whom He loved and called to be His own.

“Why then have these people turned away? Why does Jerusalem always turn away? They cling to deceit; they refuse to return. I have listened attentively, but they do not say what is right. No one repents of his wickedness … Each pursues his own course … my people do not know the requirements of the LORD. …

God is looking at a group of sinful people. They are undoubtedly His people. But they are living deceived lives as God's people. He watches them. He listens to them. But God does not like or approve of what He sees and hears of them. He believes that they are trying to live life on their own terms --- instead of on His terms. And He concludes that they are ignorant people.

The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of the LORD, what kind of wisdom do they have? … From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit.

God predicts the outcome here. He says the people will suffer. They will be humiliated. It is their own fault. They seem to embrace their ignorance - perhaps out of pride. They are greedy. And the spiritual, religious leaders are no better in God's view. They seem to be living deceived lives as well. They believe lies and they don't believe (Biblical) truths. It is how religious people get to the point where they "practice deceit." Mind you, God isn't saying that these are sinister people, trying to spin lies. They are living the lies.

They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace. Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush.

God is taking aim at the pastors, the priests and the church leaders. He says they are treating the condition of the people too mildly. They don't seem to realize what kind of spiritual crisis the church is in. Are they in denial? It would seem so! And are they (the church and its leaders) ashamed of their fallen spiritual state? No. God sees no remorse, no shame and no contrition in any of them. He is ashamed of them. But again, these are an ignorant people.

So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when they are punished,” says the LORD. “I will take away their harvest,” declares the LORD. … “What I have given them will be taken from them.” - Jeremiah 8:5-13

So God concludes His little talk with Jeremiah by again predicting that this spiritual brokenness being unaddressed in the church will end in calamity. In fact, God says He must punish the people for their unconfessed sins. Mind you, they are His people. He called them. He chose them to be His own. But they are proud and ignorant. They are unrepentant. And God is not pleased. He must strike them with loss to get their attention. And God is indeed sad about that. It's as if, as a parent, He is saying, "This is going to hurt me more than it is going to hurt you."

So here is the thing. We today serve the same God. We are His people, called and chosen to be His own. And yet we exhibit the exact same behaviors. We are in precisely the same condition as what God observed with Jeremiah in the Jews back then. And we know that God doesn't change. So it isn't much of a stretch to see how God feels about this.

If there is any good news about this situation it is found in Jesus Christ, who intercedes with God on our behalf. We are also a forgiven people. But I find it sobering to see that without Jesus, it would be just us and God. We in our sin, and He in his anger. It is indeed a sobering proposition. And I wonder if perhaps we are not putting too much on Jesus Christ. Shall we go on sinning, not repenting --- and expecting Jesus to make it all right with God?

I don't think today's Christians would ever entertain such a preposterous notion. Who in their right mind, for example, would ever dare to test God? Yet that is precisely what we do when we continue to live in our pride and ignorance.

It is time for Christ-followers to grow up and act like godly people. It is time that we acted like God's chosen people. Let us strive for that and see what God has to say when He observes an obedient people, led by obedient pastors and priests!