Why The Wicked…
At the start of Jeremiah 12, Jeremiah posed a question to the Lord: “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? And why do all who are treacherous thrive?” God responds: “If you have fought with the infantry and had a hard time, how can you face the cavalry?”
“If you have run against men on foot (infantry) and they have wearied you; how can you contend with horses (cavalry)? Jeremiah 12:5
Jeremiah was discouraged. He had been God’s spokesman of impending judgment on the nation of Judah.
The shepherds (kings, priests and prophets) of Judah had forsaken the Lord leading God’s people with them. God’s people loved it to be so and embraced the lies of their teachers and leaders and ran after wickedness. God promised to send a foreign conqueror, Babylon, to chasten them. As that judgment loomed, Jeremiah grew increasingly perplexed.
What was God getting at? Simply put, the Lord doesn’t completely answer Jeremiah’s question- He leaves that mystery shrouded in the darkness of His Providence and Sovereignty. Rather He reminds Jeremiah of duty and destiny. Jeremiah has a duty, to resist the evil- to contend, to fight, to stand. But there is also a destiny predicted in this verse. God is saying the enemy has sent the infantry, but the cavalry is coming. If you’re ready to quit now, how can you ever hope to engage the more difficult foe?
So here is the lesson. God brings battle’s to bear in our lives. These battles are not meant to destroy us, no, they are meant to develop us. God also orchestrates things so that infantry comes first and cavalry comes later. God is training us for bigger and more difficult tasks. He doesn’t throw the hardest thing at us out the gate; no He develops and hones our abilities so that when we face foes we are capable in His strength of winning. This is why the longer we live the more perplexing it can be. The foes we face as we age don’t get easier to defeat, they get stronger and more vicious.
God has us engaged in a great conflict for His Kingdom and glory. The attempts of the Evil One are focused on destroying God’s kingdom. Our lives are to be devoted to His glory. As you face your particular foe, don’t grow weary- the cavalry might be on its way.
Because of grace,
Tim
Thank you Pastor Tim. A great lesson for all of us. God is always developing our abilities to fight evil. Our job is to stay the course, keep the faith, and continue to fight for the Kingdom. Great message and a motivational lesson.