Like Animals to the Slaughter

Introduction

As a young primary school student - back when field trips were free - teachers took us to a place that I and other students never knew existed. Once inside the bus that would take us on our field trip, we were told that we were going to visit the slaughterhouse.

Once inside the slaughterhouse, they gathered us in smaller groups around the animal that was to be killed.

First, there was a loud bang from a handgun that was held at pointblank range and deadcentre to the head of the pig. Presumably fired a blank shot.

Next, there was the loud squeal that sound more like very high-pitched shrieks and the raging rustle of an animal trying to escape a container area just barely large enough to keep it contrained with some type of strap.

Finally, there was the gutting of the pig by the throat with a very sharp knife specifically designed the task. As the blood gushed out, the loud shrieks stopped and the pig just stood there, held in place by the straps.

It was all so suddent - taking just about a minute. When it was over, they took us to the place where icecream was made - it seemed just a stone’s throw away from the slaughterhouse - and we all got icecream. I suppose the icecream was intended to soothe our minds after what we had witnessed at the slaughterhouse.

Judah’s Slaughterhouse

If you’ve never been, I’d like to take you on a visit to a different slaughterhouse. If I were to give this today’s message a title, it would be: “Like Animals to the Slaughter.”

A God-forsaken Generation

Please open the pages of your Bible and go with me to the 7th chapter of the book of Jeremiah; we will read verses 28-34. I’d like to take my time as we read this passage so that we can glean/gather all that we can from it.

In the verses just read, God told Judah that they were a forsaken generation. He gave them the reasons for Him turning away from them - they rejected Him in their disobedience, they scoffed at truth, and refused to be corrected.

God also rebuked them for the worshipping of false gods and the sacrifice/slaughter of their children to such gods (vss. 31-32). You have no false gods, you say? What about that job you prayed and begged God for that now has you so busy that you no longer come to worship. Before you had it, you couldn’t get enough of worshipping and praising God, but somehow, now you can’t give God the time of day. What about that sick child that you begged God to heal, and now that he/she is up and about, you no longer have time to thank God because you have to go to this PTA, or some school function, or you have to take him to the park or over to some family members’s function to have fun with the other children in the family? That’s not you, yet? Well, what about the scrape you asked God to get you out of and to make sure that no one finds out because it would just be to embarrassing: you know that time when you went back over to his house, or to her house, knowing that you promised God that you would leave that woman’s husband, or that man’s wife alone; but you just had to sneak over anyway just to see if it was still good? And somewhere along the way while you were doing you, somebody came home unexpectedly? But God was merciful because you got out unnoticed with just a few scratches on your knees and maybe a sprained ankle. So, once again, you promised God that you would never do that again, but you haven’t been back to give praise for his mercy, yet. And you keep thinking about how good it was except that you had to make a quick get-away. These are idols that you have set up in your spirit against the living God (Colossians 3:5-11).

Consequences of Evil

While parents were slaughtering their children to false gods, the nation’s leaders - both political and religious - were contributing to the problem of evil in the streets because they spoke lies, oppressed immigrants, and engaged in murder of the innocent (vss. 4-10).

As I consider this passage, it makes me wonder whether our country, and Nassau/New Providence has become the slaughterhouse for our young men that die in our streets almost daily. The sad reality today is that one can be at home minding his/her own business and still get an unintended bullet through the head. It’s a horrible thing when ene can be travelling in a car that gets targeted by a lone gunman who in the process shoots a two-year old toddler in the head. Certainly, we need a solution.

National Prayer is Not the Solution - Repentance Is

Successive governments have for years grappled with our crime problem to some extent or another. However, they have no real solutions for this multifaceted problem. In an effort to solve or at least limit if not stop the rising and brazen murders gripping our society, our nation’s leader recently called for a national day of prayer. Now that the national prayer day is over, where to from here? What do we do now?No doubt there is power in prayer that is offered in faith however God demands repentance so that prayer may be heard by Him (vss. 16-20). Prayers without repentance is rejected by God.

I wonder whether this and successive governments as well as religious leaders, parents and families at large, have over the years used prayer as the icecream that soothes our traumatized minds and desensitizes our conscience to the slaughter that takes place on our streets, robbing parents of children, children of fathers, and our nation of our young men.

Jeremiah 7:23-26 affirms that God was calling His people to repentance so that it would be well with them, but they refused to listen and went backward instead of forward. They regressed instead of progressed. Often, people believe that obeying God snatches away opportunities, but the opposite is true. Obedience to God builds nations (Proverbs 14:34).

I’m old enough to remember a time when we as a people reverenced God far more. Unbelievers would turn down their loud godless music while passing a church building even if there was no gathering or worship going on at the time. During these times, murders were almost unheard of in our streets. Respect for older persons were at an all-time high, and even a stranger could correct a child - not so anymore. Children will cuss out an adult trying to correct them despite the adult’s gentle tone, and parents now more often than not support and validate such disgusting attitudes by the child. Is it any wonder that our country is in such upheavals as our young men are slaughtered in our streets?

God Understands Slaughter

The solution to our apparent chronic murder problem is found in the word of God, who himself understands slaughter and loss. He gave His only Son to be slaughtered so that those who obey God would live and not die (Isaiah 53:6-7). I wonder, how many more young men must die before the will of God is obeyed. How long will you, young man, reject God’s love as He tries to save you?

Today, as a young man, your life is at risk. According to what is happening in our streets, many more may not live to reach the age of 30 years old - this breaks my heart. More and more children, seemingly, will grow up fatherless - not because their dad rejected them but because he was murdered.

Young man, older man, whereever you are, surrender to God’s will. You may well save your own life from becoming a statistic. Do it for yourself, for your child/ren if you have any, and for your family in general. Let’s make our country a better place. Most of all, do it for your eternal reward. God loves you, and that is why He gave His Son for you - life for life - that He may reconcile you to Himself.

Believe that Jesus the Christ is His Son, repent from your sins, confess that Jesus is Lord, and be baptized in water so that the blood of the Christ will wash your sins away through this spiritual operation of God where He gives you a new heart, making you a new man. This invitation is also for you young woman, older woman, whereever you are; salvation can be yours if you would respond in the same way that God is asking of men.

Come to Jesus now.