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Thanks to Baruch ...
Posted : 8 Jun, 2011 07:39 AM
... we have "all of the words of the Lord" that He gave Jeremiah!!! :-)
Here is an uplifting, encouraging, and inspiring article about one of our brothers in the Lord who, as a confidant and secretary to the prophet Jeremiah, gave of himself wholeheartedly to help Jeremiah record and proclaim God's words.
Love, Steve
Baruch: The Work That Endures
By Jennifer Rosania
Have you ever considered how costly it was for the devoted men who committed God�s message to written form? Recording the Lord�s pronouncements was sometimes dangerous, yet the prophets passed on His words in the desperate hope that people would turn to the Father in repentance. Their tears and blood often flowed as a result.
If those holy men didn�t truly believe the Lord, and if their faith wasn�t firmly grounded in Him, they would never have had the courage to take on such an important task. But because of their wholehearted commitment to God, we have the privilege of reading their inspired testimonies�how they shared our heartaches and struggles but prevailed by trusting God through it all (Heb. 11).
If anyone ever had a reason to feel hopeless and discouraged, it was Baruch�confidant and secretary to Jeremiah, the weeping prophet (Jer. 9:1). Baruch lived through one of the most tumultuous times in Judah�s history, during the Babylonian siege and eventual overthrow of Jerusalem.
Judgment had come to the people of Judah because of their sinfulness, and Jeremiah�s prophecies, understandably, were extremely unpopular. Through him, the Lord declared, �Circumcise yourselves . . . inhabitants of Jerusalem, or else My wrath will go forth like fire and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds� (Jer. 4:4). Jeremiah�s faithful proclamation of God�s message earned him the scorn of those in power. He was beaten, thrown in prison, and banned from the temple.
Knowing the difficulty of Jeremiah�s situation, one might imagine that Baruch would have been wise to stay out of it. After all, as a scribe he was an extremely learned man and most likely from a distinguished family. Some have even surmised that Baruch had royal blood and a promising future ahead, despite the Babylonian invasion. So when Jeremiah asked him to record God�s words and read them aloud at the temple, no one would have blamed Baruch for saying, �No, thanks.� Why would anyone choose persecution?
Yet Scripture records the truth: �Baruch wrote on a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord . . . [and] did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading from the book the words of the Lord in the Lord�s house� (Jer. 36:4, 8).
Baruch honored God despite the consequences, which were many. Think about it. His hopes and dreams were shattered. With pagan forces in the process of conquering the nation, his deportation was almost certain (2 Kings 24). And he would most likely never see his home or family again. Baruch knew what the Lord required of Judah, but his countrymen refused to listen. And he must have daily felt the immense pressure of preaching such an unpopular message.
He was brave, but not invulnerable. At one point, in fact, he acknowledged a moment of severe pain, sorrow, and despair�much like those you and I experience. He cried out, �Woe is me! For the Lord has added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my groaning and have found no rest� (Jer. 45:3).
The Lord, understanding his struggle replied, �Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don�t do it! I will bring great disaster upon all these people; but I will give you your life as a reward wherever you go. I, the Lord, have spoken! � (v. 5 nlt). In other words, life may not have turned out the way Jeremiah�s assistant expected, but God would protect him even if the political situation forced him from home.
Baruch was a person like you or me. Yes, he had the extraordinary task of recording the book of Jeremiah, but he represents what the Lord can do through any faithful life. His story is also an example of God�s absolute reliability�a fact demonstrated by the scribe�s suvival through the Babylonian invasion, as promised (Jer. 43). Some Jewish traditions even hold that after he spent time in Egypt, he was eventually taken to Babylon,where he became Ezra�s teacher.
Baruch�s life was fruitful despite his circumstances, and ours can be too. Always remember, whatever we do in obedience to God endures, regardless of how difficult or hopeless the situation may seem. There are higher callings than pursuing greatness for ourselves. If we commit to seeking the Father above all things and always obey Him regardless of the consequences, what we do in service to His kingdom is sure to last.
Copyright 2011 In Touch Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. www.intouch.org. In Touch grants permission to print for personal use only.
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