Jeremiah 45 - Dealing with Disappointment?
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
We have big dreams. We make big plans. Then life disappoints us, and we can’t help but feel disappointed.
But do we have the right to complain?
Do we dare complain against God?
Baruch may have had big dreams and grand plans, but life certainly disappointed him.
He came from a family of significance.
He was the grandson of the governor of Jerusalem during the reign of King Josiah (2 Chron. 34:8).
His brother was an officer in King Zedekiah’s court (Jer. 51:59).
Perhaps Baruch hoped for some notoriety of his own as the scribe of a true prophet of God, Jeremiah.
Perhaps he even hoped to play the Elisha to Jeremiah’s Elijah and have the prophetic mantle handed down to him.
Perhaps he thought it was all beginning to come true in Jeremiah 36 when Jeremiah’s words, the words of God penned by Baruch, were read to the King of Judah.
In Jeremiah 36, God told Jeremiah to write down all the words that He had given to him. These words would be read to the people so that they would perhaps repent of their sin against God.
Jeremiah enlisted Baruch to write down the words.
He enlisted Baruch to read the words in the temple.
This was 605-604 BC in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, the time referenced in Jeremiah 45:1.
1 This is the message which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written down these words in a book at Jeremiah’s dictation, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying:
Baruch read the words to Judah’s officials.
And then this word was taken to King Jehoiakim.
Surely, King Jehoiakim would recognize Jeremiah’s prophetic brilliance and Baruch’s faithful contribution, but, no, King Jehoiakim actually rejected the Word of God. As he heard it read, he cut off section after section and burned them in the fire.
Baruch’s dreams were dashed.
His big plans had failed.
Consider Baruch’s disappointments for a moment.
He was burdened along with Jeremiah.
To hear of God’s wrath coming on Judah instead of God’s blessing would’ve burdened the prophet Jeremiah and his scribe Baruch.
He was threatened along with Jeremiah.
In Jeremiah 36, Baruch was advised to hide because King Jehoiakim’s advisors knew that he wasn’t going to respond well to the word of God—the word that Jeremiah delivered and Baruch wrote down.
He was rejected along with Jeremiah.
The word that Jeremiah delivered and Baruch wrote down was burned up, and although it was rewritten, it was still rejected by the king, and these men were rejected along with it.
He suffered along with Jeremiah.
When Jeremiah was in a dungeon or a cistern, Baruch must have feared that he would be made to join him.
He falsely accused along with Jeremiah.
When Jeremiah told the rebellious remnant that they were to go back to Judah instead of into Egypt, they said that Jeremiah was being manipulated by Baruch.
He was taken against his will to Egypt along with Jeremiah.
Rather than going back to Judah as God commanded, Jeremiah and Baruch were both made to go into Egypt.
[TS] All of this had to leave Baruch disappointed, and soon Baruch began to complain, saying, in Jeremiah 45:3…
Major Ideas
Major Ideas
#1: Baruch’s Complaint (v. 3)
#1: Baruch’s Complaint (v. 3)
3 ‘You said, “Ah, woe is me! For the Lord has added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my groaning and have found no rest.” ’
Q. What does the Bible say about complaining?
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing;
Q. How did God know about Baruch’s complaining?
His complaining (like our’s) is always before the face of God.
Q. Who is Baruch’s complaint aimed at?
God
Q. Who is mentioned most often in Baruch’s complaint?
Baruch; Baruch is focused on himself.
[ILLUS] A couple weeks ago, we had a family beach day planned that had to be canceled because Dalton was sick. Let’s say that I complained, “Why does he have to be sick? Why can’t we go to the beach? We’re not sick?”
Cheryl might’ve said to me, “You’re acting immature. You need to think about your son right now instead of yourself.”
Baruch’s complaining was immature because it was focused on himself. In his disappointment, he needed to focus on God.
So do we.’
[APP] Perhaps we are disappointed that we live in a society that is so confused about gender, sexuality, and marriage. Perhaps we complain that our culture exalts human autonomy above divine authority. Perhaps we grumble because people increasingly claim to believe nothing and increasingly abandon the church.
But when we complain, is our complaint focused on ourselves or on God? Are we more disappointed that we have to deal with all this wickedness or that all this wickedness offends the holiness of God?
Have we considered how offended God is by the evil in our society?
Have we considered what an affront it is to Him to have creaturely autonomy elevated above His Creator-authority?
Have we considered how it grieves Him that people claim to believe in nothing when He has revealed Himself in creation, in His Son, and in the Bible?
[TS] Look at how God turns Baruch’s attention from Baruch to God…
#2: God’s Correction (Jeremiah 45:4)
#2: God’s Correction (Jeremiah 45:4)
4 “Thus you are to say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Behold, what I have built I am about to tear down, and what I have planted I am about to uproot, that is, the whole land.”
Q. How does God correct Baruch’s perspective?
By calling Baruch to focus on God instead of Baruch.
Q. How does God comfort Baruch’s disappointment?
God reminds Baruch that He is ultimately in control.
Q. Is God being immature by turning the attention to Himself?
No. Because God is God, it really is all about Him. God was saying to Baruch, “You think all this has cost you? Consider what it is costing Me!”
[ILLUS] Jesus was once saying how hard it is for rich people to enter the Kingdom of God, when Peter said, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You,” (Mark 10:28).
What was Peter really asking? Wasn’t it, “What about us? Will we get in or will we be disappointed?”
Jesus responded patiently, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much…” (Mark 10:29-30a).
But Jesus could’ve responded to Peter, “You’ve given up a lot for Me, have you? What about what I gave up to come to you?”
[APP] When this world is disappointing us and we think the price is too high and we are tempted to complain against God, recall the price that Jesus paid; remember what it cost Him to deliver us from this world of disappointment!
Look at the Garden of Gethsemane and consider what it cost Him!
Look at Him beaten and scourged and mocked and remember what it cost Him!
Look at Him nailed to the cross and remember what it cost Him!
He who was rich became poor for our sakes!
He who knew no sin became sin in our place!
There was only one who suffered as the just for the unjust—and that one was God in the flesh, Jesus Christ!
When we are disappointed and tempted to complain against God, let us remember Jesus!
[TS] Look at how this short chapter wraps up…
#3: God’s Correction (cont.) (v. 5)
#3: God’s Correction (cont.) (v. 5)
5 ‘But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I am going to bring disaster on all flesh,’ declares the Lord, ‘but I will give your life to you as booty in all the places where you may go.’ ”
Q. What wrong with Baruch seeking great things?
It’s in the phrase “for yourself”.
The great missionary, William Carey, said, “Attempt great things for God, expect great things from God,” but Baruch was attempting great things for himself and expecting great things for himself!
[ILLUS] I saw a video the other day where this younger guy was saying that he was leaving the ministry. He said that what as ministry in his formative years looked great. It looked like cool stages, big crowds, and public recognition. But when his ministry didn’t look like that, he was disillusioned; he was disappointed. He said, “I realize now that I go into the ministry for the wrong reasons,” and so he’s out.
Maybe Baruch got into the whole thing for the wrong reason.
Maybe he got in to chase greatness and was disappointed when he got suffering instead.
God told him to be content with his life.
Q. Why do you think God told Baruch to be content with his life?
Because God’s judgment cost so many others their lives.
Because to live in right relationship with God by the grace of God is a greater treasure than any earthly greatness we could chase.
Because to live in right relationship with God by the grace of God is a great treasure even in the midst of great suffering.
[TS] Let’s consider one more thing before we close…
Conclusion
Conclusion
Q. Why do you think Jeremiah 45 is included at this point in the book of Jeremiah when its talking about something that happened during the reign of King Jehoiakim? King Zedekiah was the last king of Judah, but even he had been hauled off to Babylon, and at this point in Jeremiah, Jeremiah and Baruch are in Egypt, so why do you think this lesson on disappointment is included here?
Critical commentators say that a later editor made a mistake by placing this account here rather than around Jeremiah 36 where they say it belongs.
But while the account may be out of place chronologically, it is perfectly in place thematically.
Consider what has gone before in Jeremiah 42-44.
The people were warned not to go to Egypt, but they did because they thought they would escape the wrath of King Nebuchadnezzar. God, however, said that He would bring King Nebuchadnezzar to Egypt just like He brought him to Judah. All of God’s people in Egypt would die there except for a few escapees.
Consider what will come after Jeremiah 45 in Jeremiah 46ff.
God will declare His wrath on other nations too.
Jeremiah 45 is placed here to help God’s disappointed people get the correct perspective.
They shouldn’t be focused on themselves but on God.
Jeremiah 45 is placed here to help God’s disappointed people trust in God’s control.
All that is happening is happening by the sovereignty authority of God Almighty.
Jeremiah 45 is placed here to help God’s disappointed people to be content with living in right relationship with Him as a treasure even when we’re disappointed.