July 21, 2024 - Jeremiah 35-38

The Lord instructed Jeremiah to write on a scroll words that called the people back to God.  Now, Jeremiah had been forbidden from going into the temple and, so, he had his scribe, Baruch, write the words and read them in the temple, which he did in the presence of the people and all the officials.  The officials had the scroll read in the presence of the king, Jehoiakim.  As Jehudi read, paragraph by paragraph, Jehoiakim would cut a section off with a knife and throw it into the fire.  The scroll was rewritten but the king continued in his stubborn sinfulness until the Lord declared to  Jeremiah:  “He shall have none to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat by day and the frost by night.  And I will punish him and his offspring and his servants for their iniquity” (36:30-31).  Jeremiah had previously declared that the kingdom would come to an end but, here, the Lord seems to reach out one more time.  With the troops of Babylon lurking on the horion, you would think that Jehoiakim, much like a drowning man, would grasp any hope given to him.  But, no.  How foolish!  Rather . . .

Return, O wanderer, return,

And seek thy Father’s face;

Those new desires which in thee burn

Were kindled by his grace.

Return, O wanderer, return,

He hears thy humble sigh;

He sees thy softened spirit mourn

When no one else is nigh.

Return, O wanderer, return,

Thy Saviour bids thee live;

Come to his cross, and grateful learn

How freely he’ll forgive.   -- William Bengo Collyer (1812)