God Draws the Driven

This morning's sermon contained a warning from God to the children of Israel who departed from God through idolatry without repentance.  Through the prophet the LORD said in Jeremiah 27:14-15, "Therefore do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, 'You shall not serve the king of Babylon,' for they prophesy a lie to you; ¹⁵ for I have not sent them," says the LORD, "yet they prophesy a lie in My name, that I may drive you out, and that you may perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you."  False prophets were saying articles taken from the temple would soon be returned and they would not serve Nebuchadnezzar.  God said if His people believed the lie and refused to submit to the yoke He fashioned for them--to serve the king of Babylon--He would forcefully drive them from the land He gave them as an inheritance.  If they would not submit to God's word voluntarily, they would be driven to go where they did not want to.  This prompted my consideration of this pattern in Scripture.

As those redeemed by faith in Jesus, Christians are provided an incredible privilege of a relationship with the living God.  God created this world and all that is in it, and His desire is for people He created in His image to know Him, to respond to His love demonstrated to us while we were yet sinners.  We observe this from the very beginning.  After God created Adam, he had fellowship with God as they walked together in the Garden of Eden.  But sin resulted in the spiritual death of Adam, Eve and their offspring.  Adam and his wife were sent out of the garden as it says in Genesis 3:24:  "So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life."  Adam disobeyed God by eating from the tree, and thus he was driven from his dwelling place and rest.

God called Nebuchadnezzar His servant, and without realising it Nebuchadnezzar was God's chosen instrument to bring judgment upon nations--including His own erring people.  Though God established Nebuchadnezzar on the throne, when he was lifted up with pride (having ignored God's warning through Daniel's interpretation of his troubling dream), God drove him made and he was driven from men for 7 years.  Daniel rehearsed the situation years later in Daniel 5:20-21:  "But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. ²¹ Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses."  When Nebuchadnezzar's sense returned to him, he praise the God of Israel who restored him to his throne and former glory.

After Jesus entered Jerusalem, He cleansed the temple in Matthew 21:12-13:  "Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.¹³ And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"  Jesus did not show partiality between buyer or seller when He drove them out of the temple, for though they had a thriving business they had no business being in God's house due to their iniquity.  In a short time Jesus was lifted up on Calvary and draw all people to Himself as Messiah. These passages illustrate well how idolatry, idolatry, pride, greed and sin brings awful consequences--even being driven from the presence of the LORD.  The remedy for our sin is to return to the LORD in humble repentance, to take Christ's yoke upon us by submission to Him and walking with Him.

God has always expressed desire to draw near to His people and dwell among them, whether it was in the Garden of Eden, in the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt, when God established His people in Canaan, in the tabernacle and temple, and by Christ coming who gives the Holy Spirit who indwells us.   When people meet in Jesus' name, there He is in the midst.  God's desire is for us to abide with Him forever (for He has freely offered eternal life for all who believe in Jesus), and our rebellion, unbelief and sin prevents us from enjoying the fellowship and closeness God supplies today by His grace.  God is faithful and loving to always draw those driven away for sin to Himself.  Let us take to heart and put into practice the exhortation of James 4:8-10:  "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."