“WHAT
BURDEN?”
Jeremiah 23:33-40
When
God’s prophet, Jeremiah, came carrying the burden of the word of the Lord, it
burned like fire in his bones. He had a word from God to deliver. He was
assured by God himself that his word would be like fire to burn up the chaff of
human religion and a hammer to break in pieces every idol.
The weeping prophet took his
work seriously. He knew that he spoke as God’s ambassador. He knew that he
lived in and ministered to a generation under the judgment of God. But the
people to whom he spoke, following the prophets and priests of their day, laughed
him to scorn. Whenever he stood up to speak for God, they would derisively,
scornfully, mockingly say, “What is the
burden of the Lord?’
Because they despised God,
despised his Word, and despised his prophet, the Lord God told his faithful
servant to respond with a word of stern reproof. He said to Jeremiah, you
respond to these mocking infidels, “What
burden?” In other words the Lord said, you who have despised my word will never be
burdened with it again. “I
will forsake you!”
Over and over again, the
Lord God warns, Do not speak derisively of my word. He says, Since you have perverted my word by
scornfully saying “the burden of the Lord,”
your own words shall be your everlasting burden. Because you have despised my
word, I will utterly forget you “and cast you out of my presence: And I will
bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not
be forgotten.”
This word from God to the
people of Israel in Jeremiah’s day is the word of God to us today. “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear
what the Spirit saith.”
1. There is no greater blessing and privilege in this world than
that of having a man sent from God to declare to you the burden of the Word of the Lord. It is by the faithful
preaching of the gospel that God saves his elect and comforts, encourages,
strengthens, edifies, protects and inspires his saints (1 Cor. 1:18-24).
2. The preaching of the gospel is, to
those who are called, the power of God
unto salvation. All who are born of God, called by his Spirit,
and granted faith in Christ are born again by the incorruptible seed of his
Word (James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23).
3. You who despise the burden of the
word of the Lord court eternal reprobation, everlasting
abandonment by God himself! If God forsakes you to yourself, you
are as sure for hell as those who are already damned. You will seek to know
what God has spoken (Jer. 23:35, 37); but he will not send his word to you. He
will punish you and your house with the blind delusions of false prophets. What
light you had will be everlasting darkness and confusion to your soul!
Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For Today Radio Message #582
2734 Old Stanford Road -
Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438
Donald S.
Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net