Truth or Consequences

If we don’t deal in God’s Truth, we shall reap the consequences.

The Search for Truth Seemed Futile. - 5.1-6; 12-17

As we read this passage, we find yourself being reminded of another familiar passage of Scripture which took place much earlier in history. We recall that Abraham was involved in a very similar scenario. When he was being visited by the angelic trio, Abraham questioned the Lord as they look towards Sodom and Gomorrah. He knew that his nephew, Lot, lived there. His question to God was would God really destroy the area if they could find only five righteous people? If even a handful of righteous individuals were there, He would not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.

Here, we find God approaching Jeremiah with a similar challenge. “If you can find a man, if there is one who does justice, who seeks truth, then I will pardon her.” God challenges Jeremiah to find just one single person who dealt honestly and who sought after truth. Interestingly, we see that if Jeremiah could find just one single person, God would actually forgive Jerusalem.

Today, I believe that the search is still on. God is looking for individuals who will stand up for truth and be counted, even when they are in the minority. God is looking for people who will deal honestly, even though someone else might be making an unheard of profit by their dishonesty and deception. God is looking for people within churches all over, who will live in absolute integrity, no matter what the cost. And my friends, there usually is a cost. Sometimes, Satan will make it look as if the one who is living a life of integrity is the one who is guilty. Meanwhile, a vocal group goes about strutting as if they are the martyrs.

However, God knows the heart today, just as he did in Jeremiah's time. A person can even use God's name, knowing that they were actually lying. The reality is that God still looks for truth.

According to these verses, it seems that God's judgment, so far, had no affect on the people, whatsoever. In fact, the Bible says they "refused to take correction." “They have refused to repent.” We can all probably recall a time when people who were being disciplined or punished refused to repent? We definitely know that this will be the case during the end times, during the great tribulation.

Jeremiah hoped it was those who were poor and ignorant, not having any religious training, who chose to respond in this way. The reality, however, was even the leaders who were nobles and leaders, who had religious training and knew God’s commandments, had defied God. As a result of that rebellion, judgment had to take place. The people were arrogant; lying about God. Jeremiah 5:12–13: “They have lied about the Lord And said, “Not He; Misfortune will not come on us, And we will not see sword or famine. “The prophets are as wind, And the word is not in them. Thus it will be done to them!”” They were suggesting that God would not do anything to them, since they were God’s chosen. This was from the false prophets, the leaders. It was from those who knew the writings of Moses, had heard the words of God's true prophets, and had observed what God had previously done to the northern kingdom. Because of their arrogance, God promised that they would also be captured by a foreign people. Everything they said would not happen was exactly what was going to happen to them.

In the United States, we have been incredibly blessed with freedom of worship, along with so many other freedoms. We have had almost 250 years of this blessing. But that does not guarantee that it will continue; similar to what Judah was going to experience. In my heart, I tremble. I believe that the time for the freedom we currently have, will be seriously shortened, unless God finds individuals who will be people of truth and who will deal honestly.

If we don't deal in God's truth, as a nation, we shall reap his consequences.

The people of Judah were searching, but for the wrong thing. Instead of truth, they were searching for untruth, while convincing themselves that it was the truth.

The Search for Untruth Seemed Favorable. - 5.7-11

In these verses, God is pointing out to the people that even with all of the provisions and blessings that He had poured out upon them, they still were ungrateful. In fact, they were actually pursuing false gods. Even though they had all they needed, they still coveted and lusted after that which was not their own. Instead of acting like God’s people, they were behaving like animals in heat. They believed that involving themselves with temple prostitutes of Baal, they would get the rain they needed for a good harvest. The oaths which they made was in the name of false gods. God's question in verse 9 is rhetorical; "Shall I not punish these people . . . ?"

Again, we only have to look at our nation and multiple churches which call themselves evangelical, but are concerned only with pleasing people and being socially acceptable, so that attendance numbers and finances increase. There was a worship of sex during Judah’s time, just as there seems to be a worship of sex in our nation. Are churches like that immune to what Judah had experienced? Have many of these churches not become susceptible by buying into the myth that we can participate in all the things the world has to offer, yet remain Christ-like. It is so simple to go along with what the majority of people are doing. I am not suggesting that we go back to horse and buggy thinking. I am not suggesting that everyone throw out their computers and television sets and smart devices.

Yet, I wonder if some of that mentality might be of some benefit. How distracting from the things of God are those things? How many receive blessing after blessing from God, yet somehow assumes that they should have more? Yet consider what an amazing impact a single person or a small group can have for the glory of God. Maybe the question should be asked this way; how many would willingly state with Job, "the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”?

It is interesting to see God instructing Babylon in Jeremiah 5:10: ““Go up through her vine rows and destroy, But do not execute a complete destruction; Strip away her branches, For they are not the Lord’s.” God is not suggesting that the vineyards be uprooted completely; only strip away the branches, or heavily prune it.

My friends, the world offers not only the aspect of accumulation, but an ungodly mindset that is disguised as truth. Based upon God's Word, we know that this cannot be true. It is simply untruth masquerading as real truth. Sadly, many have become too lazy to distinguish the difference because they are so set in their comfortable lives.

While the search for untruth seems so favorable, and can so easily be rationalized and explained away as new truth, those who choose the way of the world might end up like Judah, actually believing that the search for real truth would be a waste of time.

If Christians do not deal in God’s truth, we shall reap His consequences

The Search for Truth Seemed Foolish. - 5.18-31

I don't want to give you the impression that Jeremiah had more than his share of bad days. Listen carefully, as once again, God provides a glimmer of hope. "Yet even in those days,” declares the Lord, “I will not make you a complete destruction.” The saving of the remnant was not based upon the nation, but purely upon the fact that God had made a promise to Abraham and David. God has the final word in all that will take place.

The people needed to take notes on what would perhaps be one of the most important history lessons of all time. Jeremiah 5:21–25, “‘Now hear this, O foolish and senseless people, Who have eyes but do not see; Who have ears but do not hear. ‘Do you not fear Me?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do you not tremble in My presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, An eternal decree, so it cannot cross over it. Though the waves toss, yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot cross over it. ‘But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; They have turned aside and departed. ‘They do not say in their heart, “Let us now fear the Lord our God, Who gives rain in its season, Both the autumn rain and the spring rain, Who keeps for us The appointed weeks of the harvest.” ‘Your iniquities have turned these away, And your sins have withheld good from you.” They needed to be reminded that God is indeed an awesome God. God is not someone Who we can approach recklessly or flippantly. God is not someone to be treated irreverently. He is the one who set up the boundaries and controls all of creation.

Sadly, the people in their arrogance, haughtiness, and irreverent attitude had no fear of the Lord. They did not recognize that even the simple blessings of the rains and harvest were being withheld because of their sinfulness.

Not only is this negligence going to be judged, but there is even a worse wrong, if that is even possible. There were those who were bent on destroying other people. “For wicked men are found among My people, they watch like fowlers lying in wait; they set a trap, they catch men.” Here, they are not setting bird traps, but trying to trap people. Instead of taking care of the poor, they were making the poor worse off and profiting themselves. The leadership was doing all the evil plotting they could imagine in order to fill their own pockets and develop their own influence and power; even to the point of rejecting God and His ways.

The truly sad part is seen in verse 31: “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule on their own authority; and My people love it so!” Prophets and priests were sharing lies and untruths about God, yet refusing to acknowledge God and ruled by their own logic and not God’s Word. Sadly, God’s chosen people actually loved things just the way they were, absolute corruption and no love nor justice.

You see, there was no one amongst the people with the courage to stand up and say that this was wrong. There was no one who Jeremiah could find that was honest and point out the truth. People would rather experience acceptance among a bunch of powerful lovers of lies, than be among the persecuted lovers of truth. When a nation becomes that corrupt, there is no hope. The very last question in verse 31 should have caused them to consider their ways; “But what will you do at the end of it?”

Final Thoughts

Many have seen, in the case of Judah, and we are seeing in our own nation, that if we don't deal in God's truth, we shall reap his consequences.

The following story was on CNN, 20/20, and Life Magazine. In a book written by Ted Engstrom in the mid 1980s, entitled, "Integrity," Ted writes:

For Coach Cleveland Stroud, and the Bulldogs of Rockdale County High School in Conyers, Georgia, it was their championship season. 21 wins and five losses on the way to the Georgia boys basketball tournament in March. Then a dramatic come-from-behind victory in the state finals.

But now the new glass trophy case outside the high school gymnasium is bare. Earlier this month, the Georgia High School Association deprived Rockdale County of the championship after school officials said that a player who was scholastically ineligible had played 45 seconds in the first of the school’s five postseason games.

“We didn't know he was ineligible at the time; we didn't know until a few weeks ago,” Mr. Stroud said. “Some people have said we should have just kept quiet about it; that it was just 45 seconds and the player was not an impact player. But you've got to do what's honest and right and what the rules say. I told my team the people forget the scores of basketball games; they don't ever forget what you're made of.”

If God were to send out a challenge, where would you and I be? Would God see us and know that there is a person who loves truth and will only deal honestly? Or would He see someone who is searching for untruth, yet daring to label it truth? Or would He see someone who has just decided to accept things the way they are, because you have begun to love untruth? Would He see someone who feels like this whole thing of living lives of absolute integrity is foolish and worthless in our society today?

May God help us to be lovers of truth; God's truth. And may we live it out day by day.