“Not Carried Away Captive Into Babylon” (Jer 40:7)

“Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon” (vs7).

God will save the poor. We can be sinners, rebellious saints, frustrated, and proud, and He will save us, if we come to Him. But, if we rebel, argue with God, and declare Him unjust in afflicting us, seeking help other than faith in Christ, we’ll be damned forever.

The way is DIFFICULT for sure, impossible with men, but God does all that it takes to save the HELPLESS. This doesn’t require anything but faith: do you and I believe what God has promised (eternal life), God is able to do without your help and strength? If so, then you and I shall be saved by God who saves sinners, helps the feeble, and does good to people who should be damned.

Jeremiah despised God’s counsel and yet obtained more mercy and grace: we are similar. We squander mercy, murmur when life is hard, and complain, even calling God a liar, when He is perfect and just.  Jeremiah said, “Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuses to be healed? Will you be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail“ (Jer 15:18)? … What pity and patience God shows in restoring us. He told Jeremiah, “I will make you unto this people a fenced brazen wall: and they shall fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you: for I am with you to save you and to deliver you, says the Lord”  (Jer 15:19-20).  This pity and FAIRNESS/justice in God draws us to Himself, as we see that He is right: He hasn’t asked more than He gives, the reward is so worth the time of pain down here, and the SALVATION is from hell eternal - “And [Nebudchadnezzar, God’s instrument of pain] burnt the house of the Lord, and the king‘s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every GREAT man‘s house burnt he with fire“ (2 Kings 24:9).

Don’t be discouraged that you’re afflicted; know the afflicted are those whom He saves, even as only the poor remained in the land when terror came. God’s word says, “Blessed is the man whom you chasten, O Lord, and teaches him out of your law, that you may give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be dug for the wicked” (Ps 94:12-13), and again, “The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked” (Ps 58:10-11), and again, “the four and twenty elders”, God’s elect, “and the four beasts”, those who lead them in worship, the preachers of Christ, “fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia”, as the smoke of the wicked eternally ascends from hell (Rev 19:3-4).

We have GREAT reward coming, so it is WORTH following God here. He is MERCIFUL, gracious, generous, pitiful, compassionate, and good.  He does only right, and He will save ALL that call upon Him, not by works of righteousness that we’ve done (merit), but by love and compassion that He gives.

“A Virtuous Woman” (Ruth 3:10-11)

“And he said, Blessed be you of the Lord, my daughter: for you have showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as you follow not young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to you all that you require: for all the city of my people does know that you are a virtuous woman” (vs10-11).

If we come to God in the gospel, then He’ll give Himself FREELY unto us.  Coming to God is rewarded for all that come by faith, which glorifies God, saying that what God’s promised, though I’m evil, He will surely do (Rom 4:20-22). This will bring us joy, peace, power, and every blessing of faith. He will help us indeed, even as He helped Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to serve and honor God in the flame. He will ensure that we are not hurt, but we are LIBERATED by the flame that we endure, so that this trial of faith will do nothing but LIBERATE us to know and enjoy God forever in Jesus Christ. God puts us in positions TOO HARD for us, so that we can glorify His grace, being MIRACULOUSLY saved by God.

Trust Him for holiness of conduct, and He’ll GIVE it to you (Ex 12:8-9). Trust Him for obedience, and you have it. Just deal with Him in the FREENESS and delight of grace, whereby God is PLEASED to do us good by Jesus Christ and the GRACE that He righteously earned, so that God is HOLY and gracious both, by Christ, and you‘ll have your petition. We can‘t have a million things, but we CAN have God, so seek Him in the freeness and sovereignty of grace.  He’ll give Himself to you.

God answers prayer, hears the call of sinners, and saves His people by grace. Learn the word “grace” and know it is free, mighty, and glorious: it subdues and eases the heart, it works SALVATION on God’s terms, God’s way, unto God’s glory in Jesus Christ, causing us to do His will.

We don’t come to Him able; we come by faith, and He enables us. We don’t come STRONG; we come by faith, and He puts might in us to obey (Eph 3:16-17). We don’t even come PRAISING God with our joy; we come EMPTY and He saves us to the praise of His glory, which we see.

Of all things in this world you can’t have (fame, honor, worship, etc), you and I may have God who is above all.

Men mock at God, and yet He is patient and REWARDS all that BELIEVE: He will not cast you off, if you come trusting Him to do you good for Jesus’ sake.  Amen.