Tuesday August 7

Jeremiah 36:2-3

"Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah till now. Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, each of them will turn from his wicked way; then I will forgive their wickedness and their sin."

Jeremiah 36:23-24

Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll, the king cut them off with a scribe's knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was burned in the fire. The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear, nor did they tear their clothes.

God instructed Jeremiah to record His words on a scroll so they could be shared. The people of Israel and Judah continued to ignore God's directions and followed their own desires. The scroll was yet another way that God wanted to give His people a chance to turn repent of their wickedness and return to Him. After all they had done to turn their backs on Him, He still was giving them the option to choose His mercy over His judgement. 

How did they respond to the scroll? King Jehoiakim burned the scroll piece by piece and tried to have Jeremiah arrested. My heart breaks as I think about this. Because the king took a message straight from the Lord (a message of warnings, repentance, and forgiveness) and he burned it as if it were garbage... and I know that I do the same thing when I stubbornly refuse to repent of my sins. 

How did God respond to the king's actions? Jeremiah 36:31 "I will punish him and his children and his attendants for their wickedness; I will bring on them and those living in Jerusalem and the people of Judah every disaster I pronounced against them, because they have not listened."

My prayer is that all of us will learn from the mistake that King Jehoiakim made. He was given a chance to repent of his sins and he literally threw it away. God wants to give us all the gift of forgiveness, a gift that is to be cherished, not thrown away!