Whatcha gonna do when He comes for you?
As a kid, I remember the theme song and the opening of the show COPS. Bad boys, boys, whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?
This comes to mind in reading the last verses of Jeremiah chapter 5. Yes, for this blog post, it seems that I am starting at the end of the chapter.
“An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?”
You would think that this verse would certainly have struck fear into the heart of Jeremiah’s listeners. The evident problem is that it DID NOT. We see this reality when we look at the unbelieving world. Truthfully, when we takes our eyes off our Savior, we also fail to rightly fear the LORD. But Scripture is clear. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Conversely, a lack of fear signals a perilous form of foolishness. Let’s look through this chapter and make a couple of observations & applications on what a lack of fearing the Lord looks like.
Failure to fear God is seen when we forget His power
Throughout Scripture, God needs to remind His people of some elementary truths about who He is, and what He has promised to be to His people. For example, He reminds His people that He is merciful, steadfast, and unchanging. In this unique chapter, God points out His power as Creator, Sustainer, and the One who has set the very laws of nature in place.
“Do you not fear me?, declares the LORD. Do you not tremble before me? I place the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; though they roar, they cannot pass over it. But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and gone away. ”
2. Failure to fear God is seen when we spurn His discipline
In verse 3, Jeremiah notes, “You have struck them down, but they have felt no anguish; you have consumed them, but they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to repent.” Ever seen a toddler receive a spanking, and they refuse to flinch? They might refuse to let out a whimper, cry, or acknowledge the act of disciple. In their heart, this toddler is failing to own up to the underlying offense for which they are being corrected. Remember that God’s desire is to discipline as a loving father disciplines his child (Hebrews 12:7).
“They do not say in their hearts, ‘Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives the rain in its season, the autumn rain and the spring rain, and keeps for us the weeks appointed for the harvest.’”
3. Failure to fear God is seen when we have ungrateful hearts
Part of fearing the LORD is recognizing the provision and blessing that come from His hand. Leading up the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, Judah enjoyed relative prosperity. They became fat and sleek through the wealth they accumulated through dubious commercial practices (5:28). They failed to depend on and give thanks to the LORD for all He had given to them. Application: When we are quick to complain and demonstrate ingratitude, it’s a likely sign that our eyes are not fixed on our generous God (Jehovah Jireh). This ingratitude should warn us that we are not rightly fearing Him. Biting the hand that feed us. Unwise.
Don’t Resist Arrest
So, back to the question. Whatcha gonna do when He comes for you? Do not resist Him. As real and palpable as God’s wrath and chastisement are, so also are His steadfast love and desire to restore. When the Holy Spirit convicts you of forgetting His power, repent and remember. When the Lord disciplines, do not spurn His correction. Listen, learn, and ask for His grace to repent. When you feel salty and ungrateful, or you feel like a self-made man/woman, recognize that the blessings that have rained down on you are from Him. These blessings are not only material, but include first and foremost, the gift of His own Son Jesus Christ.
Every aspect of Jeremiah 5 points us to God’s heart, seen squarely in the midpoint of the chapter, in verse 18. But even in those days, declares the Lord, I will not make a full end of you.
His desire is not to make an end of us, but to bring us to repentance and restore us to Himself. I leave you with the truth about our God from Psalm 103. When He comes for you to discipline, run to Him, not from Him.
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.”