Call to Commitment

Herman, late in life, still living Jeremiah 33:3*.

 

The Word of God is not bound

      1.      Moreover the word of the LORD came to     Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 

      2.     "Thus says the LORD who made it, the LORD who formed it to establish it (the LORD is His name): 

 3.      'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' 

 4.      "For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah, which have been Pulled down to fortify against the siege mounds and the sword: 

 5.      'They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but only to fill their places with the dead bodies of men whom I will slay in My anger and My fury, all for whose wickedness I have hidden My face from this city. 

 Satan and his forces have no greater nemesis than the word of God. It reminds them of the purposes of God from before the foundation of the world. It tells how man can be freed from demonic bondage through the victory at Calvary. It shows Christ conquering death, coming out of the tomb and manifesting Himself alive to over 500 believers. It declares the defeat and eternal condemnation of the fallen angels. This is nothing to comfort them from Genesis to Revelation, so they fight desperately in a vain attempt to silence the word. But Paul wrote Timothy from prison: “The word of God is not bound” (2 T.2:9).

 Paul still had his pen and wrote letters from his cell more precious for the church than “silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times” (Ps.12:6). The Romanian songwriter, Nicolae Moldoveanu, had his pen and paper taken away, when he entered a Communist prison, but he still had his mind. He composed several hundred hymns, while being tortured by the devil’s agents, and stored them in his memory until he was released. He went on to write over 6,000 more, during the rest of his life. Testimonies still come continuously from the battlefront of victory through Christ.

 The devil, in order to satisfy his perverted nature, made countless vain attempts to silence the Word of God made flesh. Jesus told the demonic mob, which came to arrest Him, “This is your hour, and the power of darkness” (Lk.22:53). They took full advantage of that hour and did their worst, torturing Him and hanging Him on a Roman cross. It was all to no avail, when the Father turned it all around, to perform the necessary sacrifice for the salvation of men’s souls, and then raised Jesus from the dead.

 The word could not be bound in Paul’s day and it wasn´t bound in Jeremiah´s day, either.  Time has gone by, since he spoke the word in the last chapter. He is still shut up in the court of the prison and the word comes to him a second time (1). The Lord said that He will establish everything that He has said (2).

 I would like to tell a story, which concerns the powerful verse that follows. My friend, Herman Williams, a Navajo youth, who had never learned to read or write, was exploring the entire western side of the United States, from Arizona to Montana. He was hired by a Christian farmer in Montana, who exposed Herman to the things of God. The story is long and thrilling, and relates how this lawless, uneducated young man, bowed in surrender at the feet of Jesus.

 After the meeting, in which Herman’s life was transformed, the farmer’s family, ecstatic to see what had transpired in this Navajo’s life, gave him a Christmas present. It was only September, but they felt that Herman needed their gift immediately. It was a beautiful Bible with a genuine leather cover and costly India paper. They didn’t know that Herman had never learned to read or write.

 He took the Bible into the bunkhouse, where he could be alone, opened it and laid it on his bed. Suddenly, kneeling over it, sadness gripped his soul, tears streamed from his eyes to the point of his nose and fell onto the expensive paper. He knew that this was the book from the One, Whom he had just met and Who had given him a heavenly peace that he had never known existed, but…. he could not read a word from His book.   

 A year later, Herman found himself in a Bible school for Native Americans. Even though he was totally unqualified to study in the school, the staff felt that, with the help of his fellow students, he could, at least memorize some Scriptures, even if he could not read them. One day, he sat opposite a young lady student, who would help him learn a verse for that day. She took his Bible and opened it; it fell to the page, wrinkled from his tears, shed because he was unable to read and learn about his Savior.  

 She looked down at the page and then said, “Herman, here is a great verse for you to learn! It’s Jeremiah 33:3." The word was not bound, even for an unschooled Navajo boy, to whom the Holy Spirit spoke through his tears. He learned to read and write and eventually accumulated a library with over 1,500 books. I heard Herman terminate his testimony, quoting Jeremiah 33:3: "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." He added three words: “And He has!”

 That word continues to freely speak to us in the 21^st Century and has lost none of its authority and, I declare with all the sincerity that I have within me, that the entire arsenal of the Lord of Hosts is still available. God will answer the hungry heart and manifest Himself with heaven’s supernatural supply. Earth is totally ignorant of these treasures, but you and I can know them personally with wisdom that is unequaled here below.

 Did you catch the condition? “Call upon Me.” – that means pray! I was talking to our youngest son, Mike, a pastor, just a few moments ago. The church has just begun a quarterly three days of fasting and prayer with meetings together twice a day. He said that the people are beginning to get excited about it and more are attending. I remarked that they have to shed the attitude of an entire generation, at least, that has tried to exist without a weekly meeting, which should be totally dedicated to prayer. With few exceptions, prayer has gone out-of-style in the modern church. Was it just a day or two ago, that our oldest son, Dan, also a pastor, told us that there is not room anymore in a private home for the Wednesday night prayer meeting? His church has been faithful in prayer for years and the results are evident. God has heard and shown great and mighty things!

 The next two verses, 4 and 5, describe the vain attempt in Jerusalem to resist God’s council and try to fend off, what God’s had purposed through Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon. Even the most comfortable houses, those of the kings, have been torn down, in order to fortify the walls of the city against the Babylonian siege. All resistance is in vain; God has determined judgment because of their wickedness.  

 

Cleansing and forgiveness

 6.      Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. 

 7.      And I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return, and will rebuild those places as at the first. 

 8.      I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. 

 9.      Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.' 

 Now the good news. Jesus said: “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Mt.9:13; Mr.2:17 and Lk.5:32). Salvation is for those, who have provoked the Lord’s anger; it is for sinners! The remainder of this chapter is comfort for the captives, defeated by the Babylonians because of their sin. If it were not for sin, none of this suffering would have taken place. If it were not for sin, Christ would not have had to suffer the cruelty of the cross. He was the innocent Lamb; we were the guilty criminals.

 John Wesley commented: “The miserable disturbed state of a nation being compared to wounds and sickness, the restoring of it to a peaceable prosperous state is fitly called its health and cure. I will bring them again to a quiet and peaceable state in which they shall abide many days.”

The text tells of an abundance of peace and truth. No nation or any individual can know peace without truth. Israel has worshiped false gods and listened to false prophets. This must be replaced and restored by truth. Unless we are willing to face the discomfort and pain of truth, any cure or health is beyond our grasp. The apostle John described Jesus as “full of grace and truth” (Jn.1:14). Then he said, “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn.1:17)… not only grace, but also truth. On the cross of Christ, “Mercy and truth have met together: righteousness and peace have kissed” (Ps.85:10). This is true mercy and peace, and true grace. Be on guard against false substitutes.

Thank God that He is a God of restoration. There is a place, to which the sinner can return. The prodigal found that his father was eager for his return (7). There is cleansing from iniquity and pardon from sin. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown says, “All their iniquity – both the principle of sin within, and its outward manifestations in acts.” The work is thorough; it takes away the punishment and the pollution that made punishment necessary (8).

 More importantly, their restoration will bring glory to God. It will bring Him joy and praise and will honor Him universally. His work will be proclaimed worldwide and the news will bring a wholesome fear of God, to the point of trembling. It is not a fear of retribution, but one that brings awe. Read, particularly, the Gospel of Mark, beginning in 1:27, and go on and notice how often people were awestruck, when they saw the mighty works of Jesus (9).

 

A pleasant scene in the future

 10.  "Thus says the LORD: 'Again there shall be heard in this place—of which you say, "It is desolate, without man and without beast"—in the cities of Judah, in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, 

 11.  the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say: "Praise the LORD of hosts, For the LORD is good, For His mercy endures forever"—and of those who will bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause the captives of the land to return as at the first,' says the LORD. 

 12.  "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'In this place which is desolate, without man and without beast, and in all its cities, there shall again be a dwelling place of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. 

 13.  In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the South, in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, the flocks shall again pass under the hands of him who counts them,' says the LORD. 

  The people are dejected and depressed at the devastation of Jerusalem. Its desolation brings a dreadful silence. No man walks the streets, no useful animal is carrying a rider or a burden, no birds sing in the trees (10). Sadness will turn to joy, crying to gladness, weddings will again be celebrated, and praise will ascend to God. His people will know His goodness and eternal mercy. The captives will be set free and return to their homes (11).

 The outlying areas are also desolate, without flocks and herds or their shepherds. Once again, the useful animals are missing… the oxen plowing, the horses and donkeys are not carrying a burden (12). The country areas will be restored, along with the rural population. The Lord describes with detail the various geographical areas… the mountain towns, those in the valley, in the southland, Benjamin to the north of Jerusalem, and the towns of the territory of Judah. The flocks will increase and be counted (13).

 What is mentioned to this point has been very pleasant and provides scenes that all Israel longs for and which they have not seen in recent history. They are beginning the fearful 11^th year of Zedekiah’s reign, in the last stages of an awful siege, and Babylon will soon enter Jerusalem.

 

The Lord's Eternal Covenant with Israel

 14.  'Behold, the days are coming,' says the LORD, 'that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah: 

 15.  'In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David A Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. 

 16.  In those days Judah will be saved, And Jerusalem will dwell safely. And this is the name by which she will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.' 

 17.  "For thus says the LORD: 'David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; 

 18.  nor shall the priests, the Levites, lack a man to offer burnt offerings before Me, to kindle grain offerings, and to sacrifice continually.' " 

 19.  And the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 

 20.  "Thus says the LORD: 'If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season, 

 21.  then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers. 

 22.  As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the descendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister to Me.' " 

 23.  Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 

 24.  "Have you not considered what these people have spoken, saying, 'The two families which the LORD has chosen, He has also cast them off'? Thus they have despised My people, as if they should no more be a nation before them. 

 25.  "Thus says the LORD: 'If My covenant is not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth, 

 26.  then I will cast away the descendants of Jacob and David My servant, so that I will not take any of his descendants to be rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will cause their captives to return, and will have mercy on them.' " 

 Beginning in verse 14, however, the prophecy takes on tremendous significance, turning to a future time of remarkable political restoration of unbelievable proportions. The Lord called it “that good thing,” superior to all other promises. It is the promise of the prophetic Branch, heralded by Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah, as well as Jeremiah. This is Messianic prophecy at the highest level, the promise of promises. A Son of David will come to sit upon the throne of Israel and rule the world in perfect judgment and righteousness (15).

 Paul also prophesied of the time, when all Israel will be saved (Ro.11:26). Jerusalem will become the city for which it is named, the City of Peace. No enemy will be able to even attempt to attack it for its defensive protection will be absolutely impenetrable (16). The promise to David concerning the kingdom will be perfectly fulfilled (17) and the priesthood of Aaron, as well. A foreshadow of this day was seen by Zachariah when Zorobabel, the offspring of David, was a king, but without a throne, and Joshua was a high priest without a temple. However, both the reign of David and the priesthood of Aaron and Levi will take on unearthly, heavenly proportions, as described in the book of Hebrews (18).

 Israel will reach a place of perfection during the Millennial Reign, to all that God intended from the beginning, before He called Abraham. Christ will reign, not only as the Son of David, but as the Root of David, who initiated and purposed the Davidic throne, before the earth was formed. He saw to the genealogy, and then called David out of the sheepfolds, out of obscurity, as the youngest child and lowly shepherd. Christ will serve as High Priest, beyond the Levitical Priesthood, as the undying Priest of the order of Melchizedek  (He.7:17).

 The Lord then sets His seal to the prophecy with a guarantee (19).  The covenant with Israel will be perfect throughout the Millennium, throughout which day and night will continue (20). Therefore, the covenant with David will stand, as will the Priesthood (21). When the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore can be counted, then His covenant can be challenged. The population will be innumerable and the Kingdom and Priesthood will be sure (22).

One more assurance is added to this certain prophecy (23). The people in humanistic unbelief think that Judah and Israel have no future. What God began, they think, He has failed to finish. Says the Lord, this is to despise Israel, as a people without a God, therefore without a future (24). They are blaspheming the nation, as well as its God. All that was ordained in the days of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the unfolding of the eternal plan of God in Genesis, will go on to total completion. The Nation of Israel will not fail, but go on to perfection. They will be led, according to the promise to David, and through his royal line.  

 It is exactly what God is insisting, concerning His faithfulness to Israel, that I would argue here against any suggestion that the church could replace it. It is proof of the permanence of the nation. Let me review it quickly: He said that He will not cast them off, as if they would no longer be a nation. He makes it very specific and names Jacob’s descendants, as well as David’s. Then He goes back to the patriarchs and says that their captives will return. There is no way to do justice to this portion, unless we take it literally. He makes it very sure that He will be faithful to Israel. If He is not, how can we be sure that He will be faithful to you and me?

 Who can fault God’s faithfulness in nature? Thomas Chisholm (1866-1960) gives this testimony in his famous hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness”

Summer and winter, springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

 

 * The photo shows Herman visiting the ruins of ancient Philippi and, on the same trip, was interviewed on the commercial television station in Strumica, Macedonia, for four hours. He went to several countries in Europe including a newly re-unified Germany, shortly after the Berlin Wall fell. He was openly received everywhere.