Jeremiah 45 (ESV)
Message to Baruch
The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he wrote these words in a book at the dictation of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: You said, ‘Woe is me! For the LORD has added sorrow to my pain. I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest.’ Thus shall you say to him, Thus says the LORD: Behold, what I have built I am breaking down, and what I have planted I am plucking up—that is, the whole land. And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the LORD. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go.”
The above verses are spoken to and about Jeremiah's scribe (administrative assistant ???), Baruch, specifically, but, perhaps to all of God's servants, generally. Baruch was responsible to write out Jeremiah's prophecy and, at times, deliver them to the proper recipients. Baruch was the traditional messenger who had the right, responsibility and desire to say, "Don't shoot the messenger." Yet, that is exactly what would happen. Jeremiah would take God's prophecy that was less than favorable to Judah and Israel and give it to Baruch, who would write it down and deliver it to the authorities and people of the land. Since the prophecy was about God judgment, it was seldom received with favor. Thus Baruch would get the brunt of the reaction and negative response. Baruch serves as an example to us all ... those who want to serve God. God may use us as His instrument, but we ought to know that we are only the conduit for His glory, not the center of the show. Baruch was a man who apparently was unsettled in his life and, as the scribe, might have preferred rather to be the speaker. Yet, Baruch, like us, need to remember that God has a bigger plan. He has a plan that will, at times, bring disaster that will encompass even our own lives. We are in this world and we will suffer the affects of sin in this world. God will give us protection but that does not mean we will always sail through life unharmed. Our personal desires (for great things for "ourselves") must take a back seat ... in the trunk ... to God's plans and His glory. He will give us our life and that life is abundant. But, it is also part of the sufferings of this world. Sin breaks stuff. It breaks bodies, buildings and objects. Airplanes break as a result of sin in this world. Cancer exists as a result of sin in this world. God is judging this world and we can rejoice that He knows us and brings us through these things. But, He doesn't bring us through them without them having an affect on us. We can rest assured of these two things: 1). We will have the affects of sin on our lives. 2). We can have the assurance that God will bring us through it. We ought not to seek great things for ourselves, but for God and His Plan.
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