Teaching Rebellion Against the Lord- Jeremiah 27-29 and Titus 3
We must be very careful not to do anything that would teach others to rebel against the Lord. Sometimes, it can be something subtle that we say or do that leads people to think it is right to go against what God has told us to do. At other times, we might be guilty of blatantly leading people to rebel against God. Either one is very serious.
Jeremiah had to deal with this a lot in his ministry. The leaders and the people did not like the fact that he told them to submit to the king of Babylon, since he was God's agent of punishment on them. They did not like his prophecy that it would be 70 years before the exiles would return to the land. Therefore, false prophets arose who said that the exile would be short, and they should break the yolk of Nebuchadnezzar. When they did this God sent a severe punishment on them for teaching rebellion to God. Even if we don't like God's will, we must not rebel. We must know that His will is always best for us, even if it is not pleasant. He was getting the Israelites to the place where they would call on Him, and He could bless them with the good future He wanted for them.
Titus must have been having some similar problems with the churches on Crete. Paul told him to make sure people were subject to the rulers and authorities. They were there because God ordained them, and to rebel against them was to rebel against God. Also, Paul told Titus to reject a divisive person after two warnings. Those who are divisive have strayed from the Lord, and they are trying to get others to join them. They are teaching rebellion against God. They may seem to be saying something good like the false prophets of Jeremiah's day, but they are leading people away from God's will. We must not be divisive or listen to those who are divisive for this reason. I have seen God remove rebellious people from a church just like he removed the false prophets in Judah. God is serious about punishing rebellion against Him.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 30-31 and Philemon.
Jeremiah had to deal with this a lot in his ministry. The leaders and the people did not like the fact that he told them to submit to the king of Babylon, since he was God's agent of punishment on them. They did not like his prophecy that it would be 70 years before the exiles would return to the land. Therefore, false prophets arose who said that the exile would be short, and they should break the yolk of Nebuchadnezzar. When they did this God sent a severe punishment on them for teaching rebellion to God. Even if we don't like God's will, we must not rebel. We must know that His will is always best for us, even if it is not pleasant. He was getting the Israelites to the place where they would call on Him, and He could bless them with the good future He wanted for them.
Titus must have been having some similar problems with the churches on Crete. Paul told him to make sure people were subject to the rulers and authorities. They were there because God ordained them, and to rebel against them was to rebel against God. Also, Paul told Titus to reject a divisive person after two warnings. Those who are divisive have strayed from the Lord, and they are trying to get others to join them. They are teaching rebellion against God. They may seem to be saying something good like the false prophets of Jeremiah's day, but they are leading people away from God's will. We must not be divisive or listen to those who are divisive for this reason. I have seen God remove rebellious people from a church just like he removed the false prophets in Judah. God is serious about punishing rebellion against Him.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 30-31 and Philemon.