pramsay posted on August 15, 2006 15:19 451 views
The title is shocking to say the least. Add to that scene the action of slicing up the pages with your pocket knife and then heaving them into the fire. Even more blasphemous! That’s exactly what King Jehoiachim did. Jeremiah’s God-given prophecies were written on a scroll and then read out to the public in the temple. The princes got wind of it and they asked for a private ‘royal’ reading. They themselves wanted to hear the written word. Just in case the King reacted negatively they advised Jeremiah to make himself scarce.
King Jehoiachim was sitting in his winter house warming his toes at the fireplace when they arrived with the scroll. Jehudi was the reader. You can almost see the wrinkles being rearranged on the King’s face as a curious expression turns into a scowl of contempt. Several columns into the scroll, the King lurched forward and grabbed his sharp penknife. He yanked the scroll away from Jehudi, sliced it up and then heaved each piece into the fire. The flame brightened for a few seconds as the written word ignited and burned.
It was the ninth month, and the king was sitting in the winter house,
and there was a fire burning in the fire pot before him.
As Jehudi read three or four columns,
the king would cut them off with a knife and throw them into the fire in the fire pot, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the fire pot.
Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments.
(Jeremiah 36:22-24)
To hear the Bible being read and then to burn it is horrendous. Do you know what the next worst thing is? To read it but then ignore it.
The King didn’t like Jeremiah’s God given prophecies and he showed his disdain and utter disregard for the words by chucking them into his winter wood stove. But what about me? Are there parts of the Bible I can read and then dismiss or discard or ignore? Do I use the penknife of my mind to sliver off verses I don’t like or I don’t think are really all that important or essential to my christian life? Do I click on certain verses, press delete and then move them to my recycling bin? Verses that bother me about something I’m doing or failing to do? … the Scriptures that make me squirm a little until I find a way to justify ignoring them?
Get a magnifying glass out (not a knife) and read the Apostle Paul’s words to Timothy stated like this in the Amplified Version:
“Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction,
for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error
and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness
(in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action), So that the man of God may be complete and proficient,
well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
(2Timothy 3:16-17)
The happiest believers are those who delight in reading and in obeying the Word of God. When they read their Bible today, they are the ones who first breathe a little prayer: “
Lord, I am about to read my Bible. Speak to me as I read. Show me the direction I should take. I want to do Your will. My desire is to obey and submit to the Word of God. Speak to me as I read. I am listening. I love Your Word.” Try it.
Try what?!!
Try praying a prayer like that before you read!