THE LORD SPOKE (October 27)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 38-39

“Obey the Lord...then it will go well with you....” (Jeremiah 38:20)

The circumstances under which those words were uttered were some of the worst in Israel’s history. Jerusalem was under siege. The Babylonian army was ready to pounce. Her claws were bared. The taut ripple of muscle was a telltale sign that the kill was imminent.

King Zedekiah was a weasel. When his officials called for the death of Jeremiah, though he had himself been in consultation with the prophet, he caved in. He “preserved” Jeremiah’s life by having him thrown live into a cistern. A fine prison. This one was dry except for the slime in the bottom. But who would remember to deliver food when the Babylonians attacked? It was certain death for the old man - if not from the dank conditions, then certainly from starvation.

Zedekiah could have saved him. He should have. Jeremiah was the only one talking sense from the very beginning. By now it was pretty apparent that the voices saying that the enemy wouldn’t ever come as far as Jerusalem were wrong. All they could say about Jeremiah now was, “This man is making everybody afraid” (38:4). Afraid indeed. So namby-pamby Zedekiah has him thrown in jail.

But Ebed-Melech (a foreigner from Cush, who’s name means “servant of the king”) goes quietly to Zedekiah and suggests that Jeremiah might just have the right word from the Lord for this situation. The sniveling king sneaks out to a consultation at one of the gates to the Temple. It’s too late to stop the Babylonians. But surrender would preserve the king’s own life and save Jerusalem. That advice came from God Himself and Jeremiah is able to promise the king, “Obey the Lord by doing what I tell you. Then it will go well with you, and your life will be spared.” (38:20).

Zedekiah was faced with a choice. On the one hand was a clear and certain word from the Lord God Almighty (38:17) with a promise of His salvation. On the other hand was, at best, the vain hope that he might somehow escape the city and not be captured by the Babylonian beast. But then what? Where would he go?

Was that a hard choice? Apparently it was, for Zedekiah took the wrong fork in the road. But is that any different than the choices we face. We have the clear word of Scripture to turn from our wicked ways to follow God’s path of righteousness. Again and again, the Bible says, “Here’s the path - walk in it!” Why do we choose still to sin?

Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.
Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word....
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Psalm 119:35-37,105

Psalms 81-82

It’s the way God made us. Some of us may not be so very musical in terms of producing beautiful sound, but we all have music in our hearts. God has given us all an ear for melody. Since those first sweet strains of a lullaby hummed by our mother’s lips, we resonate with the sound of music. God has put a tune in our soul.

Psalm 81 jumps out at us in the opening lines with...

Sing for joy to God our strength;
Shout aloud to the God of Jacob!
Begin the music, strike the tambourine,
Play the melodious harp and lyre.
Sound the ram’s horn....

Throughout Scripture many different people, and at many different times and circumstances, have recommended singing to us as a means of spiritual expression:

• Moses: “I will sing unto the Lord.” (Ex. 15:1)
• Miriam: “[You all] sing to the Lord!” (Ex. 15:21) - it’s a plural imperative
• Deborah: “I will sing to the Lord, I will sing; I will make music to the Lord, the God of Israel.” (Judg. 5:3)
• Isaiah: “Sing unto the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy....” (Is. 12:5-6)
• David and other psalmists: (Get out a concordance and look up the dozens of references!)

The New Testament likewise commends singing to express our joy in the Lord:

Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (Col. 3:16; c.f. I Cor. 14:15 and Jas. 5:13)

Psalm 81 serves as a summary of many other references in that it gives us the two results of music in our hearts and a song upon our lips: joy and strength. It’s really like the proverbial chick-and-egg question. Which comes first? The music or the joy and strength? Do joy and strength produce music? Or does music contribute to joy and strength? The answer is, yes! And in this God is glorified.