DIVINE AUTHORITY CHALLENGED

       "when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice" Prov 29:2

                                 Edward Proffitt, Th.D.

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The prophet Jeremiah is one of the most colorful figures to walk across pages of the Bible. His very name evokes in us the idea of trouble and lamentation. He is so human that most of us can readily identify with him. We watch him go from durations of great delight to deep despair in a short period of time.

 

Jeremiah was affected by the lingering misery of a wearied nation that had come to disregard God in its daily affairs. The priests were ruling by their own authority, the people had forgotten God. They hewed cisterns in the sand, and neglected the forgiveness of God. Perhaps worst of all, they seemed to love the state they were in. By their conduct, they were saying, "Get out of the way God, we can manage this parade by ourselves."

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When self-will challenges divine authority, there will always be some terrible corresponding effects. One of those effects will be a lack of reverential awe of God. Jeremiah sums up the attitude of the people: "They have belied the Lord, and said, It is not He; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine"(Jeremiah 5:12).

 

Verse 14 says "Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them". The people did not deny the existence of God. They were too smart for that. They simply denied God's authority and His right to work in their lives. Like spoiled children they said, "He won't do anything about the way we're living." The battle for the soul is fought at the point when a person says "What right does God have in my life?"

 

Our self-willed society does not want to dump God altogether. We just want to keep Him at a comfortable distance. We want enough of God to live respectable lives, but not enough to alter our lifestyles. There is a great gulf between the God of the Bible and the god of modern folk religion.

 

The god of folk religion is seen as a god of sentimental love, rather than holy love. The evidence of folk religion is seen in child abuse, pornography, abortion on demand, crime, drugs, pleasures and drunkenness. Until the God of the Bible is given His rightful place in our society, we will continue to see a disregard for truth and justice. Self will -- is it not something for "the God of the Bible people" to pray about?