Category: New Testament

When God Orders The Steps – Jeremiah

~ Sowmya Gali

Jeremiah 1: 4 -10

Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Then I said, “Alas, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, because I am a youth.”

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the Lord.

Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

Jeremiah prophesied during the reign of five kings of Judah – Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah. Despite the revival that took place during the reign of King Josiah, the people of Judah reverted back to their evil ways. Despite the warnings from various prophets, the people continued to indulge in their abominations. During his life time, Jeremiah witnessed Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, invade, ransack, and capture Judah and the city of God – Jerusalem. The king of Babylon launched three campaigns, took captive the Jews and brought them as slaves to Babylon.

When God called Jeremiah, He told him that He appointed him as a prophet even before he was conceived in his mother’s womb. Jeremiah may have been a young man when God called him. In his case, Jeremiah didn’t have a choice. He was hand picked by God to speak the words that God commanded. Despite his protestation of his being a youth, God appointed him as a prophet. Jeremiah had to endure mockery, torture, starvation, whenever he prophesied. In his latter years, he grew fearless of the punishments he received because he knew he was in God’s hands.

Jeremiah constantly reminded the people of Judah to seek the ancient paths, paths where God led them. However, they refused. Jeremiah reminded them to listen and obey the watchmen appointed for their own good. However, they did not listen. Jeremiah warned them about the invasion of a foreign pagan kingdom who could obliterate the kingdom of Judah and destroy the temple. Yet, they ignored. Once the people were taken into captivity, he told them to settle in the foreign land, plant gardens, and pray for their rulers. Even though, Jeremiah was far away in Judea, he sent letters filled with prophecies from God through messengers to the exiles in Babylon.

When the commander of Nebuchadnezzar left behind a remnant in Jerusalem, Jeremiah urged the remnant to remain in the land to tend and take care of the remains. He tried his best to convince them to stay in Judea to be under God’s protection. However, a group of people did not heed to Jeremiah’s warnings and chose to take the help of Egyptians. Jeremiah too was forced to go with them. God warned that they would be captured and killed. Jeremiah may have lost his life when Nebuchadnezzar chased after this remnant who tried to escape to Egypt.

In all his life, Jeremiah remained faithful to God, obeyed His commands and spoke only when God commanded him to speak. His prophesy that the children of Israel will return home after seventy years of captivity and rebuild the temple and the city gave immense hope to Daniel, Ezekiel and other exiles in Babylon. Jeremiah did not live to see the prophesy being fulfilled but he accomplished the work that God appointed him for. Jeremiah’s life was ordered by the Lord even before he was conceived. Nothing could go wrong even though he did not understand in that moment.

Dear Saints, we go through life wondering where we are headed. In several instances, we don’t understand the will of God. We cruise through life thinking that some day we will hit the target. However, if we trust God with our lives, and our future irrespective of the trials we might have to face, of the uncertainty we might have to deal with, of the mockery we might have to endure and so much more, we can be rest assured that our end goal will be accomplished. God, in His divine plan, will accomplish all His purposes. When God orders our steps, nothing can go wrong. All we must do is submit to His will and walk in obedience.

Jeremiah 29: 10 – 14

For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.

When God Orders the Steps – Ezekiel

~ Sowmya Gali

Ezekiel 2: 1-5

And He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.”

2 Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me.

3 And He said to me: “Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day.

4 For they are [a]impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’

5 As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know that a prophet has been among them.

The Prophet Ezekiel was in exile on the banks of the River Chebar in Babylon. He would have started his life as a priest at the temple in Jerusalem if he was still there. As he was contemplating his situation and the situation that the Israelites have found themselves in, he was shown a vision of the glory of God. The vision left him paralyzed in fear and he fell on his face. He then heard the voice of God speaking to him to rise up. In his fear, he couldn’t even stand up on his feet. Then the Spirit entered him and set him on his feet.

God charged him to speak to the house of Israel. God also said that He will put the words in his mouth and he is to speak to the house of Israel just as God commands. He is to speak boldly and not be afraid. He also forewarned him that he will face ridicule and persecution but he must still continue to speak what God commands him to. Whether the rebellious people listen to him or not, he must still speak without hesitation or fear. God then feeds him the scroll and tells him that He has appointed him as the watchman. Good or bad, he must speak the Words of God courageously.

Ezekiel didn’t have a choice but to obey the command of God. He did everything that God commanded him to without excuses. When God asked him to lay on his left side for 390 days representing the number of years of sin that the nation of Israel was in, he lay on his left side. God then asked him to lay for 40 days on his right side for the nation of Judah, he obeyed. God commanded that he eat only a certain portion of food by weighing it accurately, Ezekiel obeyed. When God commanded that he should not mourn or shed a single tear when his wife dies, Ezekiel obeyed.

The Spirit of God carried him by his hair to see the abominations happening in the temple in Jerusalem. He witnessed the Spirit of God leaving the temple and Jerusalem. His heart was broken. He pleaded with God to remember the remnant that is still faithful. God in his mercy, gave him a glimpse into the highest heavens where he abides. God revealed to Ezekiel the future glory that awaits His children. While Daniel was in the palace seeing the visions of Israel’s restoration and the future glory, Ezekiel was among the exiles doing God’s bidding and witnessing the awesome glory of God.

We wonder what it must take to be like Ezekiel. Unlike Moses who was giving reasons to be exempt from God’s calling, Ezekiel simply obeyed. God revealed Himself to Ezekiel in such a glorious way that he just couldn’t say no to God’s commands. Many of us are witnesses to God’s miracle power, His provision, His protection, His healing, His leading not once but numerous times. We may not be witnesses to the glory of heaven but have experienced the power of God in our lives. Without excuses, we must be willing to obey His call. When God orders our steps, we don’t have to be afraid of the ridicule, temptations, distractions, obstacles that come our way. They are taken care of by God Almighty. We must just forge ahead with the task He assigns us.

Dear Saint of God, we may not understand God’s ways on this side of heaven but we must stick to straight and narrow path that God sets us on. It may not be of our choosing but if we obey God, He will make it right in such a way that we are left to wonder the perfection and the precision with which God unfolds His plans and fulfills them. God, in His infinite wisdom, will reveal to us His beautiful plans as we take that step of obedience.

We all have seen or heard of fresh water rivers, when they flow into the sea, their fresh water becomes salty. However, Ezekiel witnesses a river flowing from the House of God, when it flows into the sea, freshens the sea – a sea of fresh water, teaming with life.

Ezekiel 47: 8 – 9

Then he said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down in to the Arabah; then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the sea, and the waters of the sea become fresh.

It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.   

Jesus said that we who believe in Him, and receive Him, out of him will flow rivers of living water. Dearly beloved, the river we carry within will freshen the lives around us. Our task is to simply obey the command of God, stick to the straight and narrow path, allow God to order the steps, and forge ahead. For the reward that awaits us is much worthy than all the pain and struggles we go through on this side of heaven.