Can you imagine what it must have been like to be an exiled Israelite during the time of this passage in Jeremiah? Israelites had been forcefully taken into Babylon and were living in fear, not knowing what their future would hold, and in a state of anxious “what ifs?”
If you can’t fully imagine what it was like, I am guessing at this time in our country’s history, you can relate to the tension, fear and flux that the Israelites were experiencing—apples to oranges, but probably very similar emotions.God warns the Israelites through the prophet Jeremiah that they need to take heed and be careful where they gather their information, focus on His word and not be deceived. For Israelites, this meant ignoring false prophets; for us, it might be limiting our news feed or time watching cable news.
In these surreal times, we can be prone to listen to voices that aren’t for our benefit. But one thing that stands out in this verse is God’s wording, “do not *let* (them) deceive you.” It is our choice to whom we listen during difficult times.
One choice is to listen to those who are trying to stir us up or even deceive us with ulterior motives. But these messages distract us and destroy our fellowship with God.
What are we to do instead? Listen to God. Trust God. Praise God, for just after this verse comes one that shares God’s message to Israel and to us: we have hope and a future secure in Him.
The importance of listening firstly to God was key to Israel’s future, and ours as well. And how much more hope and a future can we claim because of the Risen King?
Rejoice and focus on truth, not fear and sensationalism!
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