Jeremiah had forewarned Israel to obey God and turn away from sin for years. Nobody paid attention to his sermons. God ultimately dispatched the Babylonians to chastise Israel for her transgressions. Jeremiah counseled the Israelites not to rebel against the Babylonians or engage in combat with them (see, for example, Jeremiah 27). Nebuchadnezzar most likely urged his men not to hurt Jeremiah for this reason when they had taken Jerusalem (Jeremiah 39:12).
So when a commander of the Babylonian army found Jeremiah among the captives, this is what happened: “The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, “The LORD your God pronounced this disaster against this place. The LORD has brought it about, and has done as He said. Because you sinned against the LORD and did not obey His voice, this thing has come upon you. Now, behold, I release you today from the chains on your hands. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you well, but if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, do not come. See, the whole land is before you; go wherever you think it good and right to go.””
Free to choose
By myself amid the Israelites Jeremiah has the freedom to reside in Jerusalem or Babylon. Regarding God’s retribution for Israel’s transgression, the heathen soldier speaks the truth. Even though he might not have considered the Lord to be his own God, he speaks here like a prophet. Even the words of those who reject Him are a means by which the Lord can chastise His people. There are repercussions for sin. Sins are punished by God. It is an indication of His grace if He has already chosen to do so in this life, as it prompts us to turn from our sins.
God’s guidance
Jeremiah is informed by the Babylonian soldier that he has the freedom to decide what to do. It is not mentioned in the scriptures that God gives Jeremiah advice. God thus grants Jeremiah the ability to create free will. What does that tell us about the direction of God? We can find ourselves in one of three situations when faced with a decision:
- God has given us two options: following his instructions or disobeying them. If so, it is evident what we must do, which is to submit to God’s will as it has been made known to us via His Word.
- The Lord makes it very evident to us in our spirits what has to be done. That being said, we shouldn’t anticipate that this will occur frequently. Additionally, we should exercise caution because it is possible to confuse [God’s voice] with your own thinking. Therefore, it’s crucial to check if our trusted brothers and sisters feel the same direction we do, even if we believe we hear God’s voice.
- God gives us the freedom to chose, therefore we should do as we please. We will frequently find ourselves in similar circumstances. It is reasonable to believe that God has a purpose for us and will carry it out in our life. However, we don’t have to ask for a direct message from Him. When making decisions, we can apply our wisdom. That wisdom ought to be based on a determination to serve God and pay attention to the counsel of fellow Christians. However, we don’t have to worry that by selecting one option over another, we will miss out on God’s intentions for us.
In this tale, Jeremiah ends up in that final spot. And it also frequently applies to us. That’s a soothing idea. Because it demonstrates to us that we frequently live in accordance with God’s will and have the chance to serve Him, regardless of the decisions we make. You can use your life to exalt God whether you want to work as an accountant or an educator. You can deepen your faith regardless of who you marry—Juliette or Vivian. You can serve God in Davao or Manila, wherever you relocate. “There is freedom where the Spirit of the Lord is” (2 Corinthians 3:17). We are free to serve God.
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