Year of Exposure Day 27: Having no conviction concerning the word of God, will lead to destruction.

““But I am afraid to surrender,” the king said, “for the Babylonians may hand me over to the Judeans who have defected to them. And who knows what they will do to me!” Jeremiah replied, “You won’t be handed over to them if you choose to obey the Lord. Your life will be spared, and all will go well for you.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭38‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Have you ever known somebody who tends to do whatever the group they’re with is doing? Indeed, for some, their opinions change according to which opinion they have most recently heard. It’s like they have no guiding force, rather accommodating to the circumstances in which they find themselves.

Additionally, these people may be “lazy” thinkers. That is, whatever sounds good at the time, is what they think, until they hear something else that sounds better.

Now, people who are as we have just described, can get into a lot of trouble, particularly if they fall in with bad company or fall on hard times. But, as great as the potential is for the trouble that arises from being given to such change, not having a positive conviction (and faithfulness) concerning the word of God, can lead to unthinkable destruction.

James, in considering the double-minded person, gives this commentary:

“But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The context here was in terms of recognizing that you are lacking wisdom. James instructs that one who lacks wisdom should ask the Lord to give them wisdom. And, when asking Him to do so, believing that He will do it, they will receive. However, if the one asking doesn’t consistently believe, they shouldn’t expect that they will receive anything.

Now, even though the reference here was in terms of asking God for something, in this case, asking for wisdom, this same principle applies to anything we desire from the Lord. In fact it applies to our relationship with God in general.

In our opening scripture we see that Zedekiah uses his fear for his well-being, as an excuse for not obeying the word of the Lord.

Sadly, this theme of being uncommitted in terms of the word of the Lord, was illustrated over and over in what we are told about Zedekiah.

In fact, Jeremiah ended up in a mud pit because Zedekiah went along with some of the leaders’ anger toward the prophecy Jeremiah was giving.

“Now Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jehucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malkijah heard what Jeremiah had been telling the people. He had been saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Everyone who stays in Jerusalem will die from war, famine, or disease, but those who surrender to the Babylonians will live. Their reward will be life. They will live!’ The Lord also says: ‘The city of Jerusalem will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon, who will capture it.’” So these officials went to the king and said, “Sir, this man must die! That kind of talk will undermine the morale of the few fighting men we have left, as well as that of all the people. This man is a traitor!” King Zedekiah agreed. “All right,” he said. “Do as you like. I can’t stop you.””

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭38‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Zedekiah allowed the men to do as they pleased to Jeremiah, do as they pleased to the prophetic word of the Lord.

However, when Ebed-Melech came and plead Jeremiah’s case, Zedekiah allowed Jeremiah to be saved.

“But Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, an important court official, heard that Jeremiah was in the cistern. At that time the king was holding court at the Benjamin Gate, so Ebed-melech rushed from the palace to speak with him. “My Lord the king,” he said, “these men have done a very evil thing in putting Jeremiah the prophet into the cistern. He will soon die of hunger, for almost all the bread in the city is gone.” So the king told Ebed-melech, “Take thirty of my men with you, and pull Jeremiah out of the cistern before he dies.””

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭38‬:‭7‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT

Tragically, although Zedekiah allowed Jeremiah to be saved, he wasn’t finished acquiescing. And, it would lead to his terrible fate.

Friend, our valuing of God’s word, our obedience to His instruction, should not be contingent on anything. Wavering between believing and not believing, valuing God’s word and not valuing His word, walking in obedience and not walking in obedience, has proven to be the undoing of many souls.

Peace to you.

Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!