Old Testament reading: Jeremiah 42-44
“Whether it is pleasing or displeasing, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God… that it may be well with us” (Jer 42:6). Johanan and his company declared themselves ready to receive whatever instructions the Lord would give, whether they liked them or not. Tragically, this beautiful statement of faith was not sincere. God revealed to Jeremiah the hypocrisy of their hearts and foretold that they would not do as the Lord had commanded. Accusing the prophet of lying, Azariah and Johanan took all the people and the prophet (by force) and made their way to Egypt, the very thing God had forbidden them to do. And, just like the Lord said, those who fled to Egypt would be destroyed so that none of the remnant of Judah remained (44:13-14). What should have begun in faith and future prosperity ended in condemnation and destruction. Regardless of how this encounter ended, the opening statement is quite beautiful and ought to reflect the attitude of all followers of Jesus! This kind of statement can only be made in sincerity by those who believe that whatever God commands is for their ultimate good. I am reminded of Deuteronomy 6:24, wherein the commandments of the Lord are said to be “for our good always.” It is not always easy to serve the Lord and receive all that he says, but it is always worth it (not to mention the only right thing to do!).
New Testament reading: Luke 14-16
The account of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) is thought by many to be a parable, but I am not among that number. If it is a parable, it is the only parable wherein one of the characters has a specific name, and it would be the only parable wherein a literal Bible character is involved (Abraham). Regardless, we should not miss the greater truths within the text. First, man does not go to his final eternal abode at death. Rather, he goes to a spiritual waiting place to await the Judgment (cf Rev 6:9-11; Luke 23:43). Second, those who are in this place are conscious. There is no such thing as “soul sleeping” as many affirm. Third, our identities and our deeds go with us into eternity (2 Cor 5:10; Rev 20:12-13). Each individual was still himself with the ability to remember those things that had taken place while on earth.
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