Running with Footmen

Intro

(NKJV) “5 “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?”

In order to understand our passage this morning, we must first understand the background of what is happening during this time.

(NKJV) “7 For I earnestly exhorted your fathers in the day I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, until this day, rising early and exhorting, saying, “Obey My voice.” 8 Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone followed the dictates of his evil heart; therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but which they have not done.’ ””

The Israelites in Judah were following the dictates of their evil hearts. They were committing murder, lying, stealing. These were the sins they were committing against themselves. But their sins continuted by committing idolatry by serving the false God Baal.

Who was Baal?

“According to Canaanite mythology, Baal was the son of El, the chief god, and Asherah, the goddess of the sea. Baal was considered the most powerful of all gods, eclipsing El, who was seen as rather weak and ineffective...The Canaanites worshiped Baal as the sun god and as the storm god—he is usually depicted holding a lightning bolt—who defeated enemies and produced crops. They also worshiped him as a fertility god who provided children and the worship of Baal was rooted in sensuality and involved ritualistic prostitution in the temples. Other forms of Baal worship included appeasing Baal required human sacrifice, usually the firstborn of the one making the sacrifice (). The priests of Baal appealed to their god in rites of wild abandon which included loud, ecstatic cries and self-inflicted injury ().” (edited and modified: https://www.gotquestions.org/who-Baal.html)

The worship of Baal embraced everything that God had prohibited. God forbade prostitution, human sacrifice and self-inflicted injury, yet these are the very foundations of Baal worship.

With all the sins the Israelites were committing against each other and against God, it was through Jeremiah God was warning His people that they were going to be punished if they did not repent from their sins.

Repent means to stop what you are doing and begin doing the opposite. God was telling the Israelites that they needed to stop living in sin and return to worshipping the One True God that delivered their ancestors from the land of Egypt. It was a reminder for them of how big their True God was and how they shouldn’t worship false gods like Baal.

The problem we have is the Israelites didn’t repent from their sins and they seemed to prosper rather than having the judgment of God rain down on them. Furthermore, Jeremiah discovered there was a plot by the people to take Jeremiah’s life. This is when it got personal. So Jeremiah now places himself in the pity role.

(NKJV) “19 But I was like a docile lamb brought to the slaughter; and I did not know that they had devised schemes against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be remembered no more.””

I was a cute cuddly lamb that was minding my own business, so this is my request to you O God...

(NKJV) “20 But, O Lord of hosts, You who judge righteously, Testing the mind and the heart, Let me see Your vengeance on them, For to You I have revealed my cause.”

(NKJV) “20 But, O Lord of hosts, You who judge righteously, Testing the mind and the heart, Let me see Your vengeance on them, For to You I have revealed my cause.”

(NKJV) “20 But, O Lord of hosts, You who judge righteously, Testing the mind and the heart, Let me see Your vengeance on them, For to You I have revealed my cause.”

Jeremiah essentially says, because they have threatened my life and because I’m tired of seeing the wicked prosper, let ME SEE your vengeance on them and in essence Jeremiah is adding the sooner the better. Surely God, you just want to bring judgment down on the wicked right now!

But judgment wasn’t coming that day although it would come. So as Jeremiah is looking around, he sees that the worse the people get, the more sins they commit, the more they prosper! That’s why Jeremiah says this...

(NKJV) “1 Righteous are You, O Lord, when I plead with You; Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?”

Jeremiah is essentially saying, God - your telling me that doom and gloom are coming and I’m sharing your message, but I see so much prosperity and happiness among the people as they commit sin. Why are you letting this happen? Why are they so happy when they are intentionally disobeying you? Where’s the thunder, where’s the lightning so I can start seeing the evil people zapped from the face of the earth?

Jeremiah’s question is one that still lingers today. Why do we see so much prosperity of the wicked? Why do we see so many smiles on the magazine covers when we see boyfriends moving in with girlfriends or when we see pictures of homosexual men and women in a relationship?

So why does God allow the wicked to prosper? Here is God’s answer to Jeremiah which came as a surprise to Jeremiah...

Think about this. If God did not delay judgement for our previous sins, would we ever have a chance to repent and turn to Jesus? No, both you and I have benefited from God’s longsuffering of our own personal sins and we saw the kindness of God which lead us to repentance. So too in this day and age, God delays judgment giving mankind the maximum amount of time to repent and turn from their evil ways to Jesus.

So why does God allow the wicked to prosper? Here is God’s answer to Jeremiah which came as a surprise to Jeremiah...

Running with Footmen

(NKJV) “5 “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?”

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 12:1–6

God indicated that if Jeremiah found his present circumstances difficult, his future situation would be even worse (Jer. 12:5). God used two metaphors to make this point-a race and a cross-country walk. If Jeremiah had raced with men on foot and was complaining about being worn … out, how could he compete later with horses? Or if Jeremiah would stumble (bāṭaḥ, should be trans. “trust”; cf. NIV marg.) in safe country, how could he manage if he were thrust into the thickets by the Jordan? “Thickets” were the dense growth along the Jordan River. The idea of this second question could possibly be paraphrased: If Jeremiah could trust in God only in a time of peace, how would he manage when the going got tough? God continued His response to Jeremiah by indicating that even his own family had betrayed him. Evidently they had joined the plot against Jeremiah at Anathoth. So God warned Jeremiah not to trust them in spite of their outward words of Praise.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 12:1–6

God indicated that if Jeremiah found his present circumstances difficult, his future situation would be even worse (). God used two metaphors to make this point- things are going to get worse before they get better. If Jeremiah had raced with men on foot and was complaining about being worn out, how could he compete later with horses? In other words, don’t lose your perseverance because it is going to get worse before it gets better. Or if Jeremiah would stumble (bāṭaḥ, should be trans. “trust”; cf. NIV marg.) in safe country, how could he manage if he were thrust into the thickets by the Jordan? “Thickets” were the dense growth along the Jordan River. Jeremiah could move easily through the country, but it would become much more difficult to move through the thickets by the Jordan. The idea of this second question could possibly be paraphrased: If Jeremiah could trust in God only in a time of peace, how would he manage when the going got tough? God continued His response to Jeremiah by indicating that even his own family had betrayed him. I would say the going got tough when even your own family betrays you. Evidently they had joined the plot against Jeremiah at Anathoth. So God warned Jeremiah not to trust them in spite of their outward words of Praise.

God says to Jeremiah, if you think life is tough now, with people plotting your murder, even your own family members and that the wicked are prospering, things are only going to get worse before they can get better. But God’s answer wasn’t complete just yet, we are going to see God’s plan in just a few verses down.

So why does God allow the wicked to prosper? So they will see God’s kindness and repent of their sins.

(NKJV) “15 Then it shall be, after I have plucked them out, that I will return and have compassion on them and bring them back, everyone to his heritage and everyone to his land. 16 And it shall be, if they will learn carefully the ways of My people, to swear by My name, ‘As the Lord lives,’ as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they shall be established in the midst of My people.”

This falls in line with a passage in the NT that addresses this same issue.

(NKJV) “9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

In these passages, we learn that God is compassionate and longsuffering towards us. We learn that God is not quick to shoot out judgment on people for none of us would ever live past our teenage years if that were the case.

Think about this. If God did not delay judgement for our previous sins, would we ever have a chance to repent and turn to Jesus? No, both you and I have benefited from God’s longsuffering of our own personal sins and we saw the kindness of God which lead us to repentance. So too in this day and age, God delays judgment giving mankind the maximum amount of time to repent and turn from their evil ways to Jesus.

But don’t get me wrong, for those who don’t repent, judgement is coming just like God tells Jeremiah.

(NKJV) “17 But if they do not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation,” says the Lord.”

HOPE

(NKJV) “58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

Think about this. If God did not delay judgement for our previous sins, would we ever have a chance to repent and turn to Jesus? No, both you and I have benefited from God’s longsuffering of our own personal sins and we saw the kindness of God which lead us to repentance. So too in this day and age, God delays judgment giving mankind the maximum amount of time to repent and turn from their evil ways to Jesus.

(NKJV) “10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

(NKJV) “1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 1162 One (Last) Try Did It

1162 One (Last) Try Did It

A discouraged minister once dreamed that he was standing on the top of a great granite rock, trying to break it with a pickaxe. Hour after hour he worked on with no result. At last he said; “It is useless; I will stop.”

Suddenly a man stood by him and asked, “Were you not allotted this task? and if so, why are you going to abandon it?”

“My work is in vain; I can make no impression on the granite,” was the minister’s reply.

Then the stranger solemnly replied, “That is nothing to you; your duty is to pick, whether the rock yields or no. The work is yours, the results are in other hands; work on.”

In his dream the minister saw himself setting out anew his labor, and at his first blow the rock flew into hundreds of pieces.

Much like this illustration and the life of Jeremiah, it feels like we are not making an impression on the lives around us. But remember, the results are in God’s hands, we must be faithful to continue serving the Lord and leave the results up to Him.