I will not have Pity...the Wayfarer 7/3/14

I will not have Pity
 7/3/14

“And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and sons together, saith the Lord: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.”

(Jeremiah 13:14)

God’s compassion and mercy; His pity; has limits. As the compassion, mercy and pity or the past are forgotten, (along with blessings already having been given), those limits are rapidly reached.

As was Israel, God’s people today are and have been blessed for long periods of time with that compassion, mercy, and that pity for such a creature that never seems to learn from the constant mistakes of the past that, eventually, when repeated enough, deny that compassion, mercy and pity which is the very grace that was given Noah when the rest of the world refused to acknowledge that those things had been given in grand portions for so long, and chose to follow their own ways instead of that demanded by God.

Jeremiah was sent to a people in total disregard of what was intended to be kept and done and followed to give warning; to provide a light at the end of the tunnel to those willing to see it instead of the darkness of that tunnel alone, wandering in that darkness instead of focusing on the light given them if they would only continue toward that light.

Thus saith the Lord unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.

So I got a girdle according to the word of the Lord, and put it upon my loins.

And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying,

Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, Go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.

So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the Lord commanded me.

And it came to pass after many days, that the Lord said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.

Then went I to Euphrates, and digged and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.

Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Thus saith the Lord, after this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall be even as this  girdle, which is good for nothing.

For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the Lord: that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.”

(Jeremiah 13:1-11)

The lesson given to Jeremiah through the girdle was easily understood by that old prophet in its intent to advise him about what was wrong with the people he was sent to.

That same lesson should be equally easily understood by those claiming Christianity, as that same lesson was given throughout Christ’s ministry as well.

What had happened in the time of Jeremiah that prompted this lesson was simply that that closeness that was desired by God, that special place in the Universe for his people was being denied by them to be what it was.

They refused then, refused during the time of Jesus ministry, and refuse now, to hear His words, walking ever in their own pride, their own teachings, own imaginations of perfection, hiding the real and tangible perfection offered them through the scriptures given, and most singularly the promises given through the teachings and sacrifice of Christ Jesus.

By following what they want instead of following what is demanded by God, they refuse that closeness, taking their own pride, their own “wisdom” over  all that has been given making profession of any closeness worthless to God, having forsaken that very closeness in search of everything but it as they hide that intended closeness from themselves and others.

God would still willingly bless, and give honor to His children, if only they chose to accept the gifts given, would EARN the name of being those children, and would experience the intended glory, if only they would choose to listen: but they still will not hear!

“Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?

Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants  of this land, even the kings that sit upon David’s throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.

And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the Lord: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.

Hear ye and give ear; be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken.”

(Jeremiah 13:12-15)

Just as any parent, worthy of the name of being a parent, not just an abuser, will give ample guidance and warning to a child before issuing any punishment, so too does God give more than ample guidance and warning to all of the people that he allows to exist and breathe his air.

Just as a parent, a caring and loving parent, would rather give the hugs and kisses that show the closeness of that parent to their child, would rather give rewards for the good behavior than having to withhold those rewards, God too interacts with His children.

Just as limits are reached that make it possible only to withhold those rewards and dole out appropriate punishment if a child is truly loved, a parent wishes to assure that unacceptable behavior is understood, and will not be tolerated, so too does God reach those limits… and the spanking begins!

“Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and my eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive.

Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.

The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.

Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?

What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? For thou hast taught them to be captains and as chief over thee, as a woman in travail?

And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered and thy heels made bare.

(Jeremiah 13:16-22)

What indeed will we say when that punishment is given? Can any claim ignorance once having heard and been given the warnings that have been issued throughout time? Can any deny the pride of self that deafens them to the requirements given in order to reap reward instead of punishment?

Yet, the denial of God’s glory continues, and the pride of men is touted in its place as all the requirements are ignored, all the warnings are ignored, all the promises are laughed off as being the just rights given, not by God, but by governments and men in authority who gladly choose to accept that acclaim and glory as their own while continuing to mislead, deceive and rob God’s children of their birthright.

Lift up your eyes! 

Open them! 

Open your ears to the truth that is available for the hearing!

 Sooner or later all will eventually see the iniquity, and what has been hidden will be seen for what it is…  that truth, that way and that life that is the promise will be acknowledged...

 The pride lust and complete denial of God that exists even within those claiming that closeness, willing to give lip service to that closeness, unwilling to accept the requirement for action to maintain the actual closeness they claim will also be seen for what it is.

“Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.

This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the Lord; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.

Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.

I have seen ty adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! Wilt thou not be made clean? When shall it once be?

(Jeremiah 13:23-27)

I hear quite regularly that the Old Testament is only the school teacher. It is usually stated by those who fail to recognize the efficacy of what was learned by the One that was given us to be our Teacher, Christ Jesus!

Throughout His ministry, the lessons learned from that teacher are repeated over and over again... in parables, in miracles performed, in response given to those who themselves denied the need to follow the teachings absorbed and followed by Jesus, given not by any other prophet, not any single man, but by His father through those prophets that he quoted, both lesser and greater as is defined by the “scholars” refusing the teachings given by either those teachers learned from by Christ, or the teachings given by Him  that repeated the importance of those very teachings.

The crux and totality of His teachings, His ministry, even His willingness to be sacrificed were and are intended to restore that closeness that is given us by God, when we choose to accept it.

That sacrifice given by Him so willingly, is now the only covenant that is acceptable to God. That conformity to the teachings left us by Him is still a requirement of that acceptance.

That denial of those teachings in favor of the teachings of man hides the blessings and closeness desired by God, and is a stain on any and all that cannot be erased except by total acceptance of both the sacrifice and teachings which begin with the message to:

“Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!

Concluding with the commandment to:

“Love one another, as I have loved you.”

And a commission, a specific task, a requirement, a demand to:

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the son and the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:”

 Lip service without total observance is inadequate. Lip service alone continues to hide the truth, and obscure that truth from any observer.

As Jeremiah observed, so fittingly, you cannot do what is required if you continue to be committed to the evil instead of the good, the scattering and the punishment is coming for those who have forgotten and are in denial of the requirements set forth by God, still trusting in the falsehood that continues to be the prevalent teachings of men.

I stumbled upon an Old Russian proverb that states that if you chase two rabbits at once, you cannot catch either one of them.

It is a marvelous way of saying the same thing said by Jesus when he told us:

“No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

(Luke 16:13)

Know who is truly your master. You prove who that master is by service in action, not by mere lip service.

You prove the choices made to hide from that closeness to God or to proclaim it to the world, by you actions not just your words.

Either you is, or either you aint!

I close in prayer, you is!

I remain ever the same humble and willing servant, self-acknowledged sinner, saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, having no master but Him, willing student to the teachings, and willing respondent to those teachings as well.

I remain the soldier, proclaiming the victory on that field of battle that ever rages more furiously around me in full knowledge that that Master has total control of the outcome, and that that victory may only be assured through Him alone, not by works, not by words but by proof of His TRUTH, His WAY, and His LIFE that lies at the end of that battle.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen
the Wayfarer