Changing Our Prison Clothes
The book of Jeremiah ends with a chapter giving the details of the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. We have read these same things before as we have been reading through God's Word this year. However, there was one verse that jumped out at me as I read this historical account. I pray that the Lord shows you verses in the same way, so you can receive His message for you, and then, you can share it with others. Jeremiah 52:33 is a simple verse, nothing complicated. The new King of Babylon decided to pardon King Jehoiachin of Judah, after he had been brought to Babylon at the fall of Jerusalem and put in prison for several years. Then, Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes, and he dined regularly in the presence of the King of Babylon for the rest of his life. That is the historical fact that God wanted us to know, but it reminds me of something that happens to us as believers.
When we become a Christian, we are pardoned from our sins by the King of the universe. It is not because of our works of righteousness, but it is a gift of His grace when we trust Jesus as Lord and Savior. Then, we are to take off our prison clothes from being in bondage to sin, and we are given Jesus' righteousness as our garment, a clean white robe to put on. The question is, "Have we taken off the old prison clothes and put on the righteousness of Christ, as we should?" I thought of this because of preaching through Ephesians 4-6 the last several months at North Henry. Paul exhorts us to put off the Old Man and to put on the New Man, and he gives us direction in that process of sanctification. When we are pardoned, and we have changed our prison clothes, then, we can dine in the presence of the King of the universe for the rest of our lives, since we are living in righteousness and have a close relationship with Him. What a blessing it is to know that All-mighty God longs to dine with us every day, so we feast on His Word and grow stronger and stronger in Him.
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Tomorrow, I intend to read Lamentations 1-3.