If One Member Suffers, All the Members Suffer With It

As I mentioned some time ago, I want to take a look at how Jeremiah responded to the suffering of Judah at the time of the Babylonian exile, in the hope that we can glean some principles or lessons on how we can righteously respond to suffering. I mentioned that in the coming posts I'd like to explore five lessons that Jeremiah can teach us on how to suffer well. We'll consider the first of those today: Jeremiah identifies with, and suffers alongside, his people.

What is immediately identifiable at the opening of Jeremiah’s lamentations is that he himself laments and mourns over the destruction of his people. He shares in Israel’s pain, by identifying himself with her. He even personifies Israel and speaks for her in the first person. Notice, in 1:2 he says, “She weeps bitterly in the night and her tears are on her cheeks…” But then he switches to the first person: “For these things I weep; my eyes run down with water; because far from me is a comforter,” and so on (Lam 1:16, 18, 20-21). Later he identifies himself with Israel by referring to them and himself collectively in the first person plural (Lam 3:40-47). He also speaks as himself and tells of his own tears and trouble (Lam 2:11; 3:48-50), his own affliction and brokenness (Lam 3:1-4), and his own shame and despair (Lam 3:14-18). Though he has spent forty years telling them that this destruction would come unless they repented, he did not celebrate their destruction in spiteful vengeance, as if to say, “I told you so!” Rather, their misery moves him to compassion and to prayer.

In a similar way, this godly compassion and love-for-God’s-people-because-they're-His ought to cause in us the same sentiment. We are to identify with the sufferings of our brothers and sisters, suffer with them, weep with them (Rom 12:15), and comfort each other out of that genuine compassion.

This principle is carried through into the New Covenant ministry of the Church. 1 Corinthians 12 says that the Church collectively is Christ’s body, and that those who make up the body are its individual members. And so, Paul reasons, if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it (1Cor 12:27, 26). Because we belong to the Lord, not one of us lives or dies to ourselves (Rom 14:7), for we are united to Him as His body (Rom 6:3-7). And if we are united to Him, we are united to one another (1Cor 12:12-14).

When Lazarus had died, and Jesus had finally arrived at Bethany, Mary was so grieved that she didn’t even leave the house as Jesus was approaching (Jn 11:20). When she did get up to meet Jesus, those around her thought that she was simply going to weep further at Lazarus’ tomb (Jn 11:31). Then, in her grief, she falls at Jesus’ feet and almost blames Him for her brother’s death. You can almost see her incredulous, tear-filled gaze at Jesus as she says through the sobs, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (Jn 11:32). She was heartbroken.

Then the text says, “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled” (Jn 11:33), and then in verse 35: “Jesus wept.” Though the Jews interpreted His weeping as love for Lazarus – which of course had something to do with it – notice that the text says that it was Mary’s weeping in grief that moved Jesus in spirit. Jesus is grieved not only out of compassion for Lazarus (whom, by the way, Jesus knew He was going to raise from the dead within minutes), but because He identified with the suffering of Mary, who was dealing with the pain of losing her brother.

In the same way, then, friends, if the love of Christ is in us, the compassion of Christ must be in us. This compassion was in Jeremiah for Jerusalem at the time of the exile. And the man who wept with them for 40 years, warning them of the coming judgment that had now taken place – the only man who did not deserve the punishment brought upon Israel – did not stand self-righteously aloof with his arms folded and a smirk on his face, saying, “I bet you wish you would have listened to me!” Nothing could have been further from the truth. Instead, he identified with his people and suffered along with them.

And so should we.

My eyes fail because of tears,
My spirit is greatly troubled;
My heart is poured out on the earth
Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.
- Lamentations 2:11 -

Jeremiah's Five Lessons

1. He identifies with, and suffers alongside, his people.
   
2. He acknowledges that sin is at the root of suffering (even though not all suffering is a direct result of personal sin).
3. He acknowledges God’s absolute sovereignty in his suffering.
4. He recognizes that although God is sovereign, He is not the enemy.
5. He sets his hope entirely on, and rests in, God’s character.

Jesus Came Not to be Useful, but to be Precious

"No amount of working will make Me precious to you."

Amen.

Be benefited by this.

The Abrahamic Covenant in the Book of Joshua

Don't forget to mouse over the verse references.

The Abrahamic Covenant enters as a theme in the book of Joshua early in chapter 1, when Yahweh encourages Joshua by reminding them that he is going to lead God’s people into the land that He swore He would give to their fathers (Josh 1:6). Also, before the sons of Israel go into battle against Jericho, Yahweh commands that they be circumcised (Josh 5:2-3); that is, that they be given the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 17:10-14). In the book of Joshua, we see the prospect of the fulfillment of the long-awaited promise to Abraham: “To your descendants I will give this land” (Gen 12:7).

And in Joshua, the Israelites do go into the land that Yahweh promised to give them in covenant with Abraham. It even seems to suggest that they conquered all of the land (Josh 10:40; 11:16). Indeed, “So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that Yahweh had spoken to Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes, Thus the land had rest from war” (Josh 11:23).

Though God spoke in this way, we also see that He says, “…very much of the land remains to be possessed” (Josh 13:1). Further, Israel’s failure to conquer all of the land does not remain morally neutral. In fact, an emphasis in Joshua – which will become an even greater emphasis in the book of Judges (cf. Jdg 1-2) – is that failure to conquer the land is disobedience to Yahweh. For though He commanded Israel to utterly destroy the nations that they might completely possess the land (cf. Josh 6:17-24; 7:11-15; 8:8, 26-28; 10:28-40; 11:8-15, 21-22), we are told repeatedly that they do not do so (Josh 15:63; 16:10; 17:12-13). Exasperated, Joshua chastises Israel in 18:3: “How long will you put off entering to take possession of the land which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has given you?” So, notwithstanding Joshua 11:23, Israel did not take possession of the whole land.

And yet, in 21:43-45, it seems to suggest that the Abrahamic promise is fulfilled: "So Yahweh gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. And Yahweh gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; Yahweh gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the good promises which Yahweh had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass."

Joshua says that Yahweh gave the land to Israel as He had sworn to their fathers (thus emphasizing the covenant promise), gave them rest, and not one of the promises failed but came to pass. However, after that declaration, in 23:4-5, as Joshua is addressing Israel before his death he says, “Yahweh your God, He will thrust [these nations] out from before you and drive them from before you; and you will possess their land, just as Yahweh your God promised you.” After saying that Yahweh gave them all the land and rest of every side according to the promise to the fathers, Joshua then speaks of the complete possession of the land according to the promise of Yahweh as an event that is yet future.

So what are we to conclude from this? Well, what we see in Joshua does indeed relate to the Abrahamic Covenant. Yahweh’s covenant faithfulness is put on display in how He constantly works and fights for Israel (Josh 1:9; 6:16; 8:7; 10:10-14; 11:20; 23:3; 24:1-13, 17-18) to fulfill His promise to give them the land (cf. Gen 12:7; 15:7, 18). However, the disobedience of Israel (cf. Deut 19:8-10) despite even the steadfast faithfulness of Yahweh also is the theme of the Sinaitic/Mosaic Covenant, the administration of which is also present in Joshua (Josh 1:7-8; 8:31-35; 22:2-5; 23:6, 11, 15-16; 24:26).

Therefore, we should understand that Yahweh gave Israel the land, demonstrating His unwavering faithfulness to His word. But Israel failed to completely possess the land, demonstrating their typical disobedience. The Abrahamic promise that His descendants would be given the land as an everlasting possession (Gen 17:8; cf. Gen 13:14) is not fulfilled in Joshua. As promised (cf. Num 33:55-56), this disobedience brought further disobedience until finally Israel and Judah were themselves dispossessed from the land in acts of Yahweh’s judgment (2Ki 17:6; 25:8-11).

Thus the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant remains a future event when Israel will be restored from captivity, gathered from where they are scattered, and brought back to the land with circumcised hearts (cf. Deut 30:1-6; Jer 30-33; Ezek 20:33-44; 36:22-38), where they will possess it as an everlasting possession (Gen 17:8; cf. Gen 13:14).

"As for you, O house of Israel," thus says the Lord Yahweh,
"Go, serve everyone his idols; but later you will surely listen to Me,
and My holy name you will profane no longer with your gifts and with your idols.
For on My holy mountain, on the high mountain of Israel," declares the Lord Yahweh,
"there the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve Me in the land;
there I will accept them
and there I will seek your contributions and the choicest of your gifts,
with all your holy things.

As a soothing aroma I will accept you when I bring you out from the peoples
and gather you from the lands where you are scattered;
and I will prove Myself holy among you in the sight of the nations.

And you will know that I am Yahweh, when I bring you into the land of Israel,
into the land which I swore to give to your forefathers.
There you will remember your ways and all your deeds
with which you have defiled yourselves;
and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight
for all the evil things that you have done.

Then you will know that I am Yahweh
when I have dealt with you for My name's sake,
not according to your evil ways or according to your corrupt deeds,
O house of Israel," declares the Lord Yahweh.'"

- Ezekiel 20:39-44 -

His Mercies Are Over All His Works

So, seminary and other responsibilities have totally gotten the better of me for the month of October. Thanks to all of you for being patient with me. I do still intend to get those few posts out eventually on learning how to suffer righteously from Jeremiah in the book of Lamentations. For now, here's something that I came across from a site called Creation Moments. It's pretty amazing. It's a sort of "Isn't Evolution Wonderful?" kind of thing that Dan Phillips does from time to time. May we worship God for the wonder of His creation. For He but spoke, and it was done. He commanded, and worlds came into being and stood at attention (Ps 33:9).

Genesis 35:17 - When she was in severe labor the midwife said to her, "Do not fear, for now you have another son."

Ever since Old Testament times, midwives have been helping mothers during the birthing process. They are especially valuable should there be difficulties since they not only offer an extra set of hands, but experience in dealing with common problems. Some of the scientists who were studying amoeba behavior observed some very strange behavior which suggests that some amoebas, too, employ midwives.

The scientists were studying an amoeba that lives in the digestive tract of reptiles. As all amoebas, they reproduce by splitting in half. Scientists noted, however, that this particular species is not very good at it. Up to a third of the time, the amoebas fail to split. They begin the process but never manage to complete it. When that happens, the amoeba is doomed to exist as long as it can with two sets of genetic information.

But as scientists watched, when an amoeba had difficulty dividing, other amoebas would move in on it and help the division process, thereby serving as a midwife. Further study revealed that the amoeba having difficulty dividing releases a chemical which apparently summons help to finish the process. The midwife amoeba have been seen traveling up to 40 times their own length to help in the birthing of a new generation.

The Bible teaches us that God cares for all of His creatures. Here we see that He provides even for the needs of the lowly amoeba. How much more does He love us and provide for our needs!

Yahweh is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works.
All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Yahweh,
And Your godly ones shall bless You.
They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom And talk of Your power;
To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts
And the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
Yahweh sustains all who fall And raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to You, And You give them their food in due time.
You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing.
Yahweh is righteous in all His ways And kind in all His deeds.
Yahweh is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He will also hear their cry and will save them.
Yahweh keeps all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy.
My mouth will speak the praise of Yahweh,
And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.
- Psalm 145:9-21 -

Learning from Jeremiah: How to Righteously Respond to Suffering

As I might have mentioned before, I’ve recently received the privilege of shepherding a Bible study as a ministry of Grace Community Church. I can’t thank God enough for the dear saints there, and I’m really at a loss for how they have already been such an encouragement to me.

After meeting four times in the Spring, we took some summer months off, as that is their custom. So when it came time to meet again, I was very excited to see everyone. I especially was excited to review the lessons we had gone through before our break. We laid what I thought was a good foundation, and I was looking forward to reinforcing that with a bit more interpersonal discussion.

But at around 1:30 in the afternoon I got a call letting me know that the son-in-law of the woman who hosts the study had died in a car accident early that morning. I don’t even know what to write after that. Immediately I went into prayer-mode, asking God how I was going to shepherd the folks in the Bible study through this. Should we do a message on suffering? Should we skip the message altogether and just pray together? Should we just go on as planned?

Well, I prayed for pretty much the rest of the afternoon. I certainly was reminded of how small and helpless I am when compared to a sovereign God. But it was good to depend on that sovereign God’s grace. In any case, I went to the Bible study – which met at someone else’s house that night – prepared to do any one of those three things.

Those affected directly by the tragedy (obviously) weren’t there that night, and so after asking for people to share how they had responded (emotionally, mentally, spiritually) to this bad news, I discerned that the most beneficial thing for us to do that night was to consider how we should respond to trials and suffering. I wanted to equip them -- and me -- with a rock solid theology of suffering while not yet in the midst of it, so that when we do go through various trials we will be able to fight the unbiblical attitudes, thoughts, and actions that we are tempted to have in those trying times. The best defense against responding to suffering unrighteously is to prepare to suffer well before that suffering comes. Plus, I also wanted to shepherd them in such a way that they would be equipped to comfort those affected by the accident in a Biblical way.

Upon much reflection, I think I can honestly say that I have never felt as weak while presenting a message as I did that night. And yet God was indeed faithful, and proved to us again that when we are weak, then we are strong, for He is strong for us on our behalf, and thus magnifies His sufficiency in our insufficiency. May His name be praised!

The lesson that I taught, and that I’d like to share with you over the next few posts, was a fairly quick, whole-book study on the book of Lamentations. Many times when we suffer, the first book we think to go to is Job. And that’s not wrong. That’s why the book of Job is in the Bible – to teach us how to respond to suffering righteously. But the suffering that Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, endured at the time of the Babylonian captivity was just as severe. Job’s sufferings were indeed horrifying, yet there’s something to be said for the fact that his sufferings were fairly personal. Jeremiah’s sufferings, on the other hand, were on behalf of an entire nation wickedly brutalized and ripped from its land. On top of that, Jeremiah himself had not followed in the unfaithfulness of his countrymen which brought this judgment upon them. All the while, he acted righteously and proclaimed the word of Yahweh as the sole voice of faithfulness. Certainly his suffering is worth considering, and the way he responds is worth imitating.

Over the next few posts, I’ll present five lessons that we can learn from Jeremiah about how to respond to suffering righteously. They are both ways of thinking and ways of acting. They are:

1. He identifies with, and suffers alongside, his people.
2. He acknowledges that sin is at the root of suffering (even though not all suffering is a direct result of personal sin).
3. He acknowledges God’s absolute sovereignty in his suffering.
4. He recognizes that although God is sovereign, He is not the enemy.
5. He sets his hope entirely on, and rests in, God’s character.

Also, see a companion post for lesson 3 by John Piper and Jonathan Edwards, as well as a postscript from Charles Spurgeon.

Hope you’ll join me!