Today’s readings.. (1 Samuel 29,30), (Jeremiah 5), (Matthew 16)

What do people today love to have, love to do? What were the words of God to Jeremiah stating what God saw. that his people loved to have? Are there parallels today?

God said, “An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land; the people prophecy falsely and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so” [Ch.5 v.30,31]

Why would the people love to have it this way? In earlier verses we read more of God’s complaints about the attitude that had developed among his people, “They do not say in their hearts, ‘Let us fear the LORD our God.’ ”[v.24] They had not appreciated that he provided the “rain in its season, the autumn rain and the spring rain.” They were taking God’s blessings for granted. God says he sees, “their houses are full of deceit; therefore they have become great and rich” [v.27].

There are so many parallels with similar attitudes in this 21st Century. Human nature has not changed in 2500 years! So often wealth is built up by clever dealing, manipulating the stock market, so that trading often is no more than gambling. So much of the “wealth” that exists today is not the result of honest labour.

Even worse than this there is no fear, that is, no awe of God, the great Creator. As we have quoted, “the priests rule at their direction.” Today, politicians in many countries gain power and keep it by promising to give what the people want and pass laws that allow all sorts of behaviour.. Now, look at the spiritual scene.

It is tragic today that many who see themselves as being in the service of God bring a false message to those who hear them: a particular one is – ‘your loved ones who died are still alive, they are in heaven looking down on you’. They also say, ‘God is totally a God of love, he always forgives whatever you do that is wrong – once saved you are always saved!’

Jeremiah laments about those who “have spoken falsely of the LORD and have said of God, ‘He will do nothing; no disaster will come upon us… ” [v.12]. In tomorrow’s chapter (6) we will read, “Thus says the LORD ….Hear, O earth, behold I am bringing disaster upon this people, the fruit of their devices, because they have not paid attention to my words” [v.16,19] May we all pay more and more attention to God’s words.