One thing that puzzled Jeremiah greatly as he endured and suffered at the hand of those who walked wickedly. So he reasoned with the LORD in Jeremiah 12:1-4. He was sure that God could stand to reason thus he dared to reason with Him. Addressing the Lord, Jeremiah acknowledged that He the righteous God would deal righteously. But what did not make sense to him was why did He allow the wicked to continue in their prosperity?
In verse
2, Jeremiah felt as if it was the Lord who
had planted them. Like fruitful trees, those wicked people were not only
fruitful but seemed to be firmly and securely planted and continue to bear
fruit. In the second part of verse 2, Feeling that God was being tolerant and
lenient with them, Jeremiah pointed out that they were hypocrites that would
talk as if they were very intimate with God but their hearts were miles apart
from Him. Whereas Jeremiah was sure that God knew everything about him
perfectly and could read him like an open book. He was sure God
could see His heart and attitude.
Verse 3 seems to hint that the wicked people, especially those
from Anathoth, his hometown was persecuting him. Feeling the intensity of the
persecution of the wicked people, he then pled that God would quickly deal with
them. He asked God to “drag them off like sheep to the slaughter” and earmark
them for the day of destruction. The prophet in verse 4 then wondered how long
would God endure the wicked adversaries, when they were truly the cause of
Judah’s predicament. Because of them, the vegetation withered suggesting that
there was a famine. Besides that, the animals were also suffering. Those
whose hearts were for God were left wondering how long they would have to
endure suffering at the hand of these recalcitrant.
One question had long been asked. The question is Why
do the wicked seem to prosper and the righteous seem to suffer? Asaph the
Psalmist answered this question ably in Psalm 73. He was
affected by what he saw as the prosperity of the wicked. When he thought of how
the wicked had prospered, he wondered if it would be advantageous in being
righteous or living righteously. As he contrasted the seemingly good and rich
lives of the wicked with that of the righteous, he became self-absorbed and
started to pity himself. But then, as he encountered the Holy and Sovereign God
and factored Him into his life, he had a change in attitude. From
that perspective, it dawned on him that being righteous and living righteously
certainly had more advantages than being wicked and living wickedly.
In Psalm 73:23-26, everything clicked for the
Psalmist when he encountered God. That connection led him to a deeper hunger
and desire for God. He knew that nothing could truly and deeply satisfy him
outside of God. He realized that a departure from God would spell death, but
drawing near to Him would be life indeed. The temptations we face
in life are real and enticing. Humans, even saints, face the common temptation
to envy the well-off. But this Psalm tells us that when we place God in focus,
we will be fortified against the temptation of the wicked. When we resolutely
take our stand with God, we will find the strength to resist the temptation and
enticement of the world and evil. His Spirit will help us to stay the course of
life and find our ultimate reward in Him. Life will never be lived in vain when
God is at the center of our life. Let us serve Him and take heed of His
instruction!
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