Jeremiah 41
Hey New Life,
Our Daily Bible passage from this week comes from Jeremiah 41. It's a messy, bloody, and horrific passage. We see not only an assassination but a genocide. In this passage, I want us to meditate on two aspects: 1. The Danger of Pride 2. The Result of Envy
In the previous passages, we've seen Judah go into exile, leaving a remnant behind. This remnant did not stay humble and grateful, but instead, they grew into prideful complacency. They believed that they were safe and comfortable under the rule of the foreign governor, Gedaliah.
Pride is at the root of sin. Adam and Eve believed they knew better than God and ate the fruit. It's easy for us to think that we know better or we're in total control. This leads us to complacency. Instead of being humbly dependent on the LORD, we trust in ourselves, our control, and our strength. We've seen many characters in the Bible fall devastatingly, due to such pride.
Second, we see the result of envy. Ishmael was of royal blood, and he believed he had a claim to governance, far more than Gedaliah. He grew envious of Gedaliah's growing power and popularity, so at the right moment, he not only killed the governor but the Judeans with him. He also killed 70 men who were trying to appeal to Gedaliah.
Envy results in bloodshed. Our envy causes us to tear down others to build ourselves up. It makes us consumed with ourselves, resulting in death. We tear others down, while killing ourselves in the process. We die to our humanity and our righteousness. We lose sight of who God is and who we are in Him.
The cross is the antidote for both pride and envy. The cross shows us how sinful and depraved we are, since that was the required payment for our sins. This humbles our pride. But it also shows us the depths of God's love, showing us that His love is the only one that satisfies and saves. It fills our hearts so much that we don't need to be envious of others, because we have all we need in Him.
How are we prideful? Complacent? Envious? May the cross rebuke and humble us. May it satisfy us and give us peace.
“Cheer up! You're a worse sinner than you ever dared imagine, and you're more loved than you ever dared hope.” -Jack Miller
Have a blessed week!
In Christ,
Pastor Tim
