Justice and the Prophets
Called to God's Work of Justice
Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5)
Practice Justice
Jeremiah 27:1-11 New International Version
Judah to Serve Nebuchadnezzar
27 Early in the reign of Zedekiah[ a] son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yoke out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck. 3 Then send word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 Give them a message for their masters and say, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Tell this to your masters: 5 With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please. 6 Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him. 7 All nations will serve him and his son and his grandson until the time for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate him.
8 “‘“If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation with the sword, famine, and plague, declares the Lord, until I destroy it by his hand. 9 So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your interpreters of dreams, your mediums or your sorcerers who tell you, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon.’ 10 They prophesy lies to you that will only serve to remove you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish. 11 But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live there, declares the Lord.”’”
For Reflection
The world was in chaos. Each nation competed in a struggle for the accumulation of power, and the people were pawns. Domination and exploitation were worshiped. The idolatry of power was the driving force. Through His prophet, Jeremiah, God announced a cleansing. The people must choose and suffer the consequences of their folly,
So, if you put the choice that the Israelites faced into common USA terms, it might sound like this.
The prophet speaks, "The Lord spoke to me, saying, 'Align yourselves with the Lord. Send emissaries to all the nations and tell them that the Lord, the creator of all things, will give all the countries to the president of Russia. Ignore the naysayers, for those who follow them, will perish. If any country will bow to Putin and serve him, that nation will remain in its own land and live there. This reign will last for two generations. Then great leaders will arise in the nations and this domination will be overthrown.'"
Just as the people did not know what God had in mind for Nebuchadnezzar, Americans would not know what God had in mind for Putin. The request forced the issue of trust or faith in God's promise.
What! Are you kidding me?
Would you trust the Lord? Or would you follow the advice of the false prophets who advocate violence to maintain the US desire for a world relationship characterized by domination, exploitation, and force? Would you take the Lord's gift of time to regenerate the world order? Would you take the Lord's time to allow God to develop righteous leaders that would restore a world based on communion, friendship, equitable distribution of resources, and partnership?
Pray
Pray prayers of praise and thanksgiving for the love God has shown to us. Pray and muster up the courage to be obedient to the will of God.
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