January 8, 2023 - Living a Confusing Times within a Wrong Paradigm

Jeremiah 27, Jeremiah Series

How do we live under unpopular political leadership? It is a question that we are constantly faced with in dealing with changing leaders and political philosophies. Where do we look for answers when society as we know it is faltering? The psalmist speaks of the hour when the 'wicked bend their bows, and they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?' (cf. Psalm 11:2-3).

The foundation spoken of here is the moral fibre and values of a people. The simple answer is to 'take refuge in the Lord' (Psalm 11:1).' To remember whose world this really is. 'The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on the earth; his eyes examine them (cf. Psalm 11:4-5). This is God's world, and He will ultimately act. While we are waiting, what should our response be? Revolt? Rebellion? Complaint and criticism? Compliance? Or is there a different response that is being called for? In Jeremiah 27, we are about to discover who is behind the unpopular political leadership. What we learn should help us respond to even the most oppressive governments. Oppressive governments are often God's tools of chastisement. These are moments that ought to cause us to consider. It is a time when we should humble ourselves and cause us to stop looking for human solutions and political leaders for answers and instead surrender our lives anew before God. God is ultimately in charge of our world. He appoints whoever He desires to rule over people.

Walter Brueggemann points out: "Yahweh may assign power to anyone Yahweh chooses. ...Yahweh does not need to give explanation or justification, does not need to give account to the nations." Who are we to call God to account for his actions, which are higher than our ways? We are accountable and answerable to God; this includes those God uses as His appointed leaders. God will ultimately judge every person, including every leader, for how they lived and served as leaders.

So how should we respond to unpopular political leaders? There are three things we need to consider from our text and how it applies to our current context.