Inquire

Jeremiah 21:1-2 ESV

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchiah and Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, saying, “Inquire of the Lord for us, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is making war against us. Perhaps the Lord will deal with us according to all his wonderful deeds and will make him withdraw from us.”

The hymnist, William Cowper, tells us that “Behind a frowning providence Faith sees a smiling face” and this truth bore fruit not only in Cowper’s life but more importantly in the biblical text. As Jeremiah is given the task of prophesying to a generation that not only rejects God’s message but is also willing to “shoot the messenger” as well. The previous chapter ends with Jeremiah pleading with God asking why he was allowed to leave his mother’s womb wishing he had simply died there!

He was brought to that point by the abuse he had suffered at the hands of his people and at the hands of Pashhur. The very man sent by Zedekiah to inquire of Jeremiah is the same that begins chapter twenty by beating him when he heard his prophesy. God’s smile holds something of Irony as Haman was forced to lead Mordecai through the streets so too is Pashhur required to come to Jeremiah. As Pashhur has already rejected the message of God from Jeremiah he is required to ask to hear it again!

This is what reveals the two-faced nature of Zedekiah and his kingdom. Even as he acknowledges God’s use of Jeremiah, as seen here and later in his care for his life during the siege, he persists in rejecting the message from him. This helps us to see that he is looking for blessing on his decisions not for help in making those decisions. “It’s good to be king” and he is unwilling to acknowledge that he isn’t King, God is.

Christians often fail to inquire of God. I often remember fasting to “get direction” from God on what course of action to take. Yet, to truly inquire we must listen. We must listen not to our own sinful hearts but to the words of scripture. I am easily manipulated by the latest movie or a three-year old’s quivering lip and tear stained face, that doesn’t make my hearts inclination right! We must continually conform or hearts and minds to the words of scripture. We must do the ground work of weeks, months, and years poured over God’s word that we might be prepared to listen. Zedekiah and Pashhur already knew God’s answer they simply went looking blessing on their evil action. This is what is called proof texting. When people scour the scripture to find support for actions they know are wrong but they want to be right.

Even as Josiah responded not to Prophecy but to the written word of God. Recognizing the sinful behavior of his people and the just penalty it would require. His son rejects both the written Law and the condemnation of God’s Prophet. He had already determined his path, have you already determined yours? Recognize that in our age we have the “Moses and the prophets” to correct us and shape us. If these aren’t enough to give you direction then you will never listen “even if someone should rise from the dead.”

CRUCE, DUM SPIRO, FIDO