Hammer Time - Jeremiah 22-26

Jeremiah 23:29 “Is not My word like fire?” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?" Jeremiah was sent to the nation of Israel to prophesy what God was about to do to the nation. He ministered, delivering the Word of the Lord, for 23 years, at least (25:3). During that time the peop;le refused to listen; the false teachers taught the opposite of the words the Lord told him to say; and they attempted to have him killed. Now that is the sign of a "successful" ministry. In our world today we would be counseling Jeremiah to make a career move. Maybe he could go into sales! Or, maybe he was a better "fit" to do warehouse inventory or write software programs. Jeremiah, by the world's standards, did not have a succesful ministry. He had only a few followers and a few believers who would heed his teaching. He was sent to the house of Isreal with a message to give in and go willingly into captivity. Most of us, if we were there, would probably not listen. If a prophet came today and told us to give in to China and don't resist but willingly go into captivity, what would we do? Of course, we don't have the commission Israel did, but I trust you get my point. Few listened to Jeremiah and even fewer obeyed. But, here is the power of God's Word. Is it not a "fire" and is it not a "Hammer?" God's Word, according to Hebrews 4:12 is powerful, quick, cutting, discerning and dividing. Is it any wonder today we have authors trying to water it all down? Is it any wonder today we have people with itching ears wanting to have a list of "how to" do something every Sunday morning rather than how to "obeying Someone?" God's Word is a fire and a hammer. Those are two instruments that can be used for good or bad. A fire can warm the heart and a hammer can build a shelter. Or, a fire can destroy the shelter and a hammer can wound the heart. God's Word, to those who recieved it (just as in Jeremiah's day) can and is a shelter and a warmth to the soul to those who submit to it and to those who desire its message. However, to those who reject God and who want to do their own thing, God's word is a fire to burn their soul and a hammer to crush their confidence and security. Many rejected God's Word in Jeremiah's day. His ministry looked the worse for that. However, he was sent, like us, to deliver the hammer and the fire. How it was received was not up to Jeremiah. That was up to his audience. He was simply to deliver the hammer and the fire.