February 21: A WISE MASTER BUILDER

“…Yet return to Me,” says the LORD. Jeremiah 3:1

Right from the start, Jeremiah made a distinction between the priestly training into which he was born and the call that came directly from God to the prophetic mission. One role did not preclude the other. The stern messages from the LORD for the people of Judah were for the express purpose of freeing them from the influences and attitudes that would block their relationship with Him. There were things in their lives that needed to be rooted out, pulled down, destroyed, and thrown down (see 1:10). The literal meaning of the name Jeremiah is “Yahweh Throws.” But He will not forcefully remove these things from any of us; He respects our decision to allow it . . . or not. Fortunately, the final two concepts listed in verse 10 are these: To build and to plant. Building and planting is most successful with the proper preparation of clearing away obstacles. The priestly side of Jeremiah gratefully included messages of assurance from God: assurance of forgiveness for all who desired it, the proof of that desire made evident by their turning away from erroneous and wicked practices.

The southern kingdom of Judah had had unfettered access to the counsel of the LORD, just as the northern kingdom had had before they disintegrated. Neither Judah nor Israel were confused regarding the differences between God’s way and the twisted ways of the surrounding godless nations. This is why God referred to His people as backsliding. His pleadings with them through Jeremiah made no secret of His willingness to accept them back into the fold, if only they would choose to return to Him. For they have perverted their way; They have forgotten the LORD their God. “Return, you backsliding children, And I will heal your backslidings.” (3:21b-22a)

Jeremiah faithfully assumed the role of a wise master builder (see 1 Corinthians 3:10). He made it a point to encourage the people of Judah to lay the foundation of their spiritual life solidly, beginning with a thorough work of repentance and wholeheartedly returning to the truths of God as clearly laid out in His word. This was befitting of his priestly work. For generations, they had been building with unstable “materials” that could easily go up in a puff of smoke. Later, Paul likened unwise building to choosing wood, hay, and straw (v.12), and Peter likened the building of genuine faith as something much more precious than gold (1 Peter 1:7). Jeremiah likened the stubborn, unrepentant ones of his day to the dross that is removed in the process of refining silver. His words were like fire that brings a test. The smelter refines in vain, For the wicked are not drawn off. People will call them rejected silver, Because the LORD has rejected them (Jeremiah 6:29b-30). The prophets and apostles are in one accord: faith of all kinds will be tested by fire. It is only by the goodness, kindness, and generosity of God that we are given spiritual “building materials” that will stand the test. It is up to each one to take heed how he builds (1 Corinthians 3:10).

And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and they saw [Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego] on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them. Daniel 3:27

Note: Because of the hardheartedness of the majority in Judah, Jeremiah lived to see his prophecy fulfilled: Babylon would come upon Judah with disaster and destruction. Even so, God protected His faithful few.