Focal Passage: Jeremiah 36:4-8, 16-18; 45:1-5
Jeremiah was a great prophet of the Lord. He was faithful to the end proclaiming God’s judgment on Judah in spite of constant rejection. Baruch proved to be a valuable friend, encourager and servant to the prophet during some of Jeremiah’s most difficult days.
Faithfully represent those you serve. Jeremiah had become such a nuisance to the people of Judah that the king and his officials and the temple priests forbade the prophet from entering the temple anymore. Therefore, Jeremiah asked his friend and scribe Baruch to be his spokesman. Baruch must have known that this would most likely elicit the same negative response from those in power. Yet, he faithfully did all that Jeremiah asked him to do.
Baruch believed in the Lord and knew that Jeremiah was God’s chosen instrument to speak His word for His people. God had called Baruch to be a faithful servant of the prophet and he fulfilled that role completely, regardless of the outcome.
God has called us all to specific tasks and ministries for His kingdom. Most likely, this mission will inevitably lead to challenges, obstacles and opposition. Be faithful like Baruch and stay committed to God’s purpose in your life.
Moore
Give credit where credit is due. Amazingly, when the people heard Jeremiah’s prophecy through Baruch, they accepted the words and were moved to repentance. They wanted to elevate Baruch as a new prophet. Yet, Baruch was quick to give Jeremiah all the credit. God can do amazing things when we do not care who gets the credit.
The most important thing for the church is to share the message about Jesus the Messiah. That is the greatest prophecy the world has ever heard — and needs to hear today. Too often we give too much credence to who is delivering the message, rather than the message itself. God called Jeremiah to be His mouthpiece. He called Baruch to serve Jeremiah.
Thankfully, Baruch was faithful to both his calling and the man he was called to serve. Through Baruch, Jeremiah’s important declaration from God reached all the way to the king.
God rewards our service, often in ways we don’t expect. God spoke another prophecy to Jeremiah who dictated these words of judgment through Baruch. In every proclamation of judgment from God, there is an implicit promise of preservation for God’s faithful. Even in the midst of suffering and loss, God’s presence and promise remains. He is on His throne and nothing comes as a surprise to Him.
In the world today, there is much that should concern us. Injustice, hatred and violence seems rampant and God will not allow that to stand forever. Perhaps, God is in the process of judging our culture’s slide to degradation, and we live in times very similar to Jeremiah and Baruch as they proclaimed God’s call to repentance and faith to a generation that had rejected His word.
May we remain committed to the cause of Christ regardless of the world around us. God’s Word is clear. He will judge this world of sin and “bring disaster on all humanity” (Jeremiah 45:5). However, He will preserve His people and give us the final victory. We cannot fully grasp how God will ultimately reward us for our faithfulness. Yet, we know that the “sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). B&R
