Jeremiah 36 ~ Cutting to Fit

“Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning on the hearth before him. And it happened, when Jehudi had read three or four columns, that the king cut it with the scribe’s knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. Yet they were not afraid, nor did they tear their garments, the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words.” Jeremiah 36:22-24 ESV

What do you do with what you don’t like? A seemingly simple question yet one that nonetheless posits a response. When you encounter something in your life that just doesn’t sit well with you, what do you do with it? For me, I simply don’t like having those things around. I mean why would I surround myself with things I don’t care for? Instead, I choose to put them away, out of sight, out of mind. But what if that said unliked thing was actually good for you? What if the very thing you didn’t care for held great value and promise for you? And so brings a question to the doorstep of you, me, and the entire world today…what do you do with the Word of God when it delivers a message you don’t like?

We see an extreme example of the handling of the Word of God in Jeremiah chapter 36. The Lord instructs Jeremiah to write down all the prophetic words that he has been receiving and then present them to the people of Jerusalem. This time, instead of verbally speaking God's Word to the people, Jeremiah is to write them down and allow them to be read. In this manner, they can be read aloud countless time by countless eyes and thus pondered, reacted to, and done. A powerful point that many times the written word strikes us a harder blow than simple spoken words. Yet as the written Word of God is received by the hard heart of evil king Jehoiakim, we see something done that I think most all people today would deem as pure wickedness…yet the same act happens deep within hearts all over this planet today.

As king Jehoiakim reads the Words of God from the scroll he holds in his very hands, it tells of the forthcoming judgement, destruction, and enslavery of his city, Jerusalem. A judgement that is the result of years of recklessly rejecting God and His statutes in lieu of worshiping the false gods of other lands. And what king Jehoiakim reads he doesn’t care for at all. And what does he do with what he doesn’t like? He grabs a nearby scribe knife, a small sharp knife used by scribes to trim their reed pens and to cut and splice parchments, and he then uses that knife to simply cut and remove the pieces of God’s Word that he does not like. And to ensure those written Words will not revisit him in the future, he tosses them into his fire. The holy written Word of God relegated to warm his chilly palace throneroom.

As I was studying through this chapter, and especially this passage, I came across this quote from Pastor David Guzik which sums up Jeremiah 36:23 ever so well. Please allow me to share:

“The practice of cutting God’s word continues. Today, some want to decide for themselves what is true and false in the Bible, what actually happened and what is only a fairy-tale story. Some want to decide what moral teaching should be kept for our present age, and which they believe we have “progressed” beyond. Some want to cut the biblical authors and books so completely that they have no connection or harmony between them. Then, and now, God’s word is cut before it is burned.”

Regardless of your view or interpretation of God's truth today, it doesn’t change God's truth. God's truth stands well outside of mankind’s ability and desire to alter it, change it, or make it more palatable for their chosen sin to peacefully exist alongside the righteousness of God. Don’t let God's truth be your enemy today because it doesn’t carry the message you desire. Simply let God's truth be God's truth. And in that, commit to address it boldly, refusing to cut out what you don’t like, especially when the truth of God's Word touches spots in your life that are sinfully tender. For you see, the truth, power, and correction of God’s Word is essential for those that desire to be molded and refined by the Lord and Savior they have committed to serve and follow.

What will you do with the Word of God today? Will you reach for the scribe’s knife or instead choose to open the ears of your spirit and heed the truth of God's instruction?

I pray today the truth of God’s Word is a good friend to you, guiding you in its perfect ways ~ Dan

“For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing the soul and the spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

silhouette of paradise, San Franciso, Nayurit, Mexico