Are You a Baruch?
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Last week, when we left Baruch and Jeremiah, they were in hiding. Writing.
Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, had become angry at the words of the Lord on the scroll written by Baruch the scribe. Jehoiakim threw the scroll into the fire in his winter palace and ordered that they be arrested.
“But the Lord had hidden them.” Jeremiah 36:26b
The events I’ve shared thus far, take us up to Jeremiah 36. Remember the astounding words recorded in 36:8… “Baruch did everything Jeremiah the prophet told him to do...". You see, Baruch “did good”. It “looked good”. But then we come to Jeremiah 45, with it’s 5 verses that reveal something more…
It’s as if Chapter 45 is a footnote reminder that God knows our hearts just as He knew the heart of Baruch. And while God asks us to serve Him in hard places, He is eager to see our hearts. Chapter 45 exposes Baruch’s heart and God’s powerful response.
Walk with me through Chapter 45 —— no judgement allowed, no criticalness can walk with us. Let’s “see” Baruch. He’s real. Honest. Human. He doesn’t run away and hide from God…he is seen by God…and he is brave enough to listen to God’s response.
The whole chapter is only 5 verses long. Here we go:
“When Baruch son of Neriah wrote on a scroll the words Jeremiah the prophet dictated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, Jeremiah said this to Baruch;
‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch: You said, “Woe to me! The Lord has added sorrow to my pain; I am worn out with groaning and find no rest.”
But the Lord has told me to say to you,
“This is what the Lord says: I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted, throughout the earth. Should you then seek great things for yourself? Do no seek them. For I will bring disaster on all people declares the Lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.’”
God knows our hearts. He knew Baruch’s heart. God knew Baruch was discouraged, weary, “Woe is me!”. God knew Baruch felt worn out, tired, finding no rest. Had Baruch even spoken how he felt outloud to anyone? We can not know. But what we do know is that God “hears” Baruch’s heart. Spoken or unspoken, God responds to the heart of a mere scribe.
Have you ever felt like Baruch?
“Woe is me!” Well, we don’t talk that way today, so let’s translate it and bring these feelings forward a few thousand years. For we indeed feel the same-same ways people felt in those long ago Biblical days. So let’s make it real and current. Here’s how we might say it, “Seriously!! Are you really asking me to re-write? Everything? You can’t be serious God. I’ve done what you asked. I’ve done what Jeremiah asked me to do. It’s not my fault the king burned what you had me write. Why do I have to rewrite it? I’m exhausted!! Make him rewrite it. What does it matter anyway? It won’t make any difference God. Nothing I do matters!”
Are you in any of those lines?
Do you ever feel like what you do is not making any difference at all?
That someone else should have to do it….cause you’ve already done your part??
That no one really cares anyway…
But whether Baruch spoke it our loud or not —— God heard his heart and he knew what was “inside” of Baruch’s heart. And what did God do? He gave more words in response than Baruch had even spoken or thought. God speaks firmly (no soft hand holding here). God reminds Baruch of exactly who GOD IS and that no thoughts of a man will alter what God will do. And then it lands. The sin-of-self is uncovered. God spoke it this way, “Should you then seek great things for yourself?”
Wham! God exposes that while recording the first scroll Baruch perhaps thought “I’ll record all these words for Jeremiah, serving God, and the outcome is surely going to be…(something great). The king will respond…and Jeremiah and I will be…. (something great).”
How many times have I sat in Baruch’s seat?
How about you…do you know the hardness of that seat?
Thinking the outcome of something we are doing is going to bring about …something special, wonderful, appreciated, applauded, cheered onward, fame, success, money, love, finally wanted, promoted, …what word might you add?
For you see, since Baruch had not been applauded for the first writing —— why would he imagine he would be for writing it all again?
There was something in Baruch’s heart that wanted something more than what he got. He just could not bear having to write again something that had gone so badly the first time around.
And here’s a big catch —— Baruch is still a good man serving a good Godly prophet. It’s only that the curtain has been pulled back, by God, to reveal something in his heart that needs to go.
And God’s amazing words in response to the exposure —— “Do not seek them”… (them being the ‘something good’ he had hoped for). God says to tired Baruch, “Do not seek them… but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.” God is letting Baruch know ——“I see you. I understand. But do not seek after what is not for you. I will be with you wherever you go… you will escape with your life.”
God does not ignore or condemn us.
He sees and understands us.
But understanding us does not mean He will coddle and pet us. Understanding us means He will put His finger right there on that spot that needs to be changed…and He will care for us as we let Him change us.
We will be better afterward than we were before. But something will have to go before something better can come.
5 verses expose Baruch.
What would my 5 verses look like?
For those who want their own way and do not want to be exposed for who they really are —— Baruch’s story stays soundly tucked behind heavy, dark, black-out curtains.
Oh but —— letting the light in…letting the Father put His great finger right on the spot that needs to change…letting go of what needs to change so something better can finally begin to grow…that is where life is truly found.
What would your 5 verses say?
What would God call out from your heart?
This is the only part I know —— that God’s response to you would not coddle or pet you…instead it would bring deeply needed clarity over what He lovingly wants you to stop, so He can lovingly lay a God-sized promise on you.
He is that good.
There were many hardships ahead for the prophet Jeremiah. And based on the culture and political climate of their day, without a doubt, Baruch had challenges ahead for him as well. But Baruch’s story, the parts that we know, should help us immensely as we think on
“What would my 5 verses say”? And how might the Good Father correct and redirect me?
If you happen to be thinking— “I think i’m ok, I don’t need 5 verses of exposure and correction, probably just one or two will be enough for me…” Well my dear friend…you might actually need 10 or 15 verses.
Conversely, if you’re thinking ——“Oh Lord, 5 verses would only be the beginning. But please, ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting’.” (Psalm 139:23-24)
Look beside you, all around you, and you’ll find yourself surrounded by the many of us who hold fast to the words of Jesus ——
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3-10
He’s that good and you are dearly loved.
