Jeremiah goes to Egypt

Reading Jeremiah 40-43 for last Sunday's message was genuinely moving, and unusually relevant. The writer must warn you, dear reader, that from time to time he is obliged to comment on the times, as God's servants did throughout the Bible. So does he in this article. If you are allergic or averse to political commentary, you may want to stop reading now.

In Jeremiah 42 the prophet solemnly warned the arrogant leaders of the Jewish remnant NOT to go down to Egypt. The leaders ignored him and even called him a liar---even after asking him to pray for them and swearing to obey God's will "whether favorable or unfavorable". It can't help but see the similarity to Congress. Instead of listening to The People whom they claim to represent, our Congress-critters seem to be representing the will of The Investors, that is, the rich, voting to lay upon The People a tax burden of hundreds of billions. It's unthinkable.

Jeremiah must have felt as frustrated when the leaders not only ignored and accused him of conspiracy for his denunciation of the plan to go to Egypt, but then took him with them! But he did not write any frustrations. It seems this insult didn't even surprise him. They considered that he was one of their subjects and compelled him, along with all the people, to go to Egypt, the very place the king of Babylon had not yet conquered, the very next place on his list.

And there, in Egypt, Jeremiah continued to warn them. So I must continue to warn the senators and congressmen under MY watch. I will not weep for them; they are arrogant. I do weep for the people who will suddenly be inundated with the kind of national collapse that has beset nations in recent years, Iceland, Japan, Argentina and Zimbabwe come to mind. The people who lead this country, and most of those who are following, have ignored all voices of reason, and long ago stopped reading history. I'm not sure many of them ever tried to discern God's will, not since Abe Lincoln's day.

But I will not bail on my country. I will pray and preach to the end. I am in the same boat. May God help me to preach the gospel in a time of political upheaval. For that is the only saving grace. May God give us wisdom to "store up treasure in heaven", instead of banks or 401-ks, where taxmen do not break in and steal, etc.