Proper 19 / Pentecost 17 / Ordinary Time 24
Devotional
Water From the Rock
Lectionary Devotional for Cycle C
Object:
I looked on the earth, and lo, it was waste and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light.
-- Jeremiah 4:23
The picture that Jeremiah drew of God's judgment could easily be a description of a nuclear war followed by a nuclear winter. The earth "was waste and void; and [the heavens] had no light. I looked on the mountains, and lo, they were quaking, and the all the hills moved to and fro. I looked, and lo, there was no one at all, and all the birds of the air had fled ... the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins...."
Whether by nuclear war or global warming that destroys the ecology, the picture is of the destruction of the fragile balance that permits life on earth. In either case, it is brought about by the foolishness and greedy pride of humanity that believes they are immortal. It is almost a return to the pre-creation chaos noted in Genesis 1 before God began to speak God's creative word.
Jeremiah saw this as a global judgment in which all of humanity experienced the consequence of turning their backs on God. It was reflective of the judgment spoken in Psalm 14. Yet Jeremiah did not see this as a victory of sin over God's creative intent in creating the earth. God was still the one that measured the judgment. "The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end." The picture was of the arrogance of humanity running wild and, yet, God was still in charge.
The hope for humanity lies not in the progress of human knowledge. We have repeatedly seen how each new invention and each new technology holds the potential for both good and evil, and often we see its destructive edge. Our advance in knowledge will not save us from destruction. Our hope lies in the sovereignty and faithfulness of God who measures judgment and will not give up.
-- Jeremiah 4:23
The picture that Jeremiah drew of God's judgment could easily be a description of a nuclear war followed by a nuclear winter. The earth "was waste and void; and [the heavens] had no light. I looked on the mountains, and lo, they were quaking, and the all the hills moved to and fro. I looked, and lo, there was no one at all, and all the birds of the air had fled ... the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins...."
Whether by nuclear war or global warming that destroys the ecology, the picture is of the destruction of the fragile balance that permits life on earth. In either case, it is brought about by the foolishness and greedy pride of humanity that believes they are immortal. It is almost a return to the pre-creation chaos noted in Genesis 1 before God began to speak God's creative word.
Jeremiah saw this as a global judgment in which all of humanity experienced the consequence of turning their backs on God. It was reflective of the judgment spoken in Psalm 14. Yet Jeremiah did not see this as a victory of sin over God's creative intent in creating the earth. God was still the one that measured the judgment. "The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end." The picture was of the arrogance of humanity running wild and, yet, God was still in charge.
The hope for humanity lies not in the progress of human knowledge. We have repeatedly seen how each new invention and each new technology holds the potential for both good and evil, and often we see its destructive edge. Our advance in knowledge will not save us from destruction. Our hope lies in the sovereignty and faithfulness of God who measures judgment and will not give up.
