Jeremiah was a prophet, appointed by God. Most all prophets were sent to confront Israel for idol worship, turning away from God and warning them of disasters that would occur if they did not, like God allowing enemies to overcome Israel and subsequent captivity. In the above scripture He was telling Jeremiah that despite what they go through, there will be a remnant. Today that remnant are true followers of Christ.
Christians are or can be like the nation of Israel. They believed in God, the One who physically took them out of the Egyptian captivity. He was their pillar of fire by night and cloud by day as He led them through the wilderness. He kept them miraculously clothed and fed.
So when we become Christians, when we truly obey the call to believe in Christ, He takes us out of our worldly captivity, our Egypt, and leads us in the right direction. He becomes our protection (fire and shade). He feeds us (His living Word). And one day we will be clothed in righteousness. Yes, we occasionally wander and He allows us our own wilderness experiences; however, He continues to love us and will draw us back to Him. Not all Christians will continue in their trust in the Lord. Some will fall away and God will allow them their rebellion...and their return to captivity.
What is captivity? It's the world view. It's what seems to be running rampant in greater measure today. Before I gave my life to Christ, I used to believe that hell was what we lived on earth and nothing could be worse. This happened because of an unhappy childhood...insecurity and mistrust based on a form of parental neglect and dysfunction. Oh, they loved me the best they knew how, I realize now, but in their own lives they had their own problems.
There is a real hell and it will be worse than anything we can imagine. God will not exempt anyone from that just because they do not partake in the "major sins" of the world or they go to church on Sundays. It's our commitment to Christ that counts, on a daily basis.
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
No one wants to hear this. No one wants to believe they do any of these things. I'm not totally beyond some of these myself. But God continues to work in us! We can look at that list and recognize ourselves somewhere, as much as we don't want to admit it. We must fear God (reverently), as part of our trust in Him. He must be number one in our lives, not our spouses, not our jobs, not our things.
In Christ, trusting Him, following Him, listening to His Word, desiring to know all the Truth that He is, devouring His Word and wisdom, He gives us the power to be godly (2Timothy 3:5) but we sometimes, maybe even often, do deny this power. How often I've heard a friend say her pastor keeps telling their congregation they just don't know the power we are given through Christ. He has told us, "You will do greater things than these," referring to all He had done on earth.
The world around us has a strange way of squelching, I believe. We don't want to offend because we see what happens when the name of Jesus is brought up. People will turn their backs on us just as they did in the days of Jesus. It's almost like our own persecution. A tough skin is necessary. Thankfully, God has provided a Way. Thankfully, there will always be a remnant to carry on the name of Jesus, who will not deny Him and who will remain with Him to the end.
This is what God is telling us even today:
Key words ... desiring to know!
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