A Life in Exile

In our look at lessons from the Old Testament, I’m happy to be able to share a few from my favorite prophet—Jeremiah. You may have heard of Jeremiah as the Weeping Prophet, and it’s true that he does cry a lot over the state of his own people. He certainly had reason to cry, for them and for himself. Israel had forsaken God, and they were facing the consequences. Unfortunately, it was down to Jeremiah to let them know what they were. Not a job to be envied by any means.

The ninth chapter of Jeremiah is pretty much wet with tears. It begins by these words:

If my head were a flowing spring, my eyes a fountain of tears, I would weep day and night over the slain of my dear people. (Jeremiah 9:1 CSB)

It just gets darker and wetter from there, as he talks about the desolation of the land and the wailing women, learning how to mourn for the dead. All the wisdom, strength, and riches of Israel were nothing. There was no room for boasting. Her sin had been laid bare before the nations. If there was any reason for a nation such as this to boast, it definitely wasn’t in her own abilities. Thus, the chapter ends with our focus verse.

But the one who boasts should boast in this: that he understands and knows me—that I am the Lord, showing faithful love, justice, and righteousness on the earth, for I delight in these things. This is the Lord’s declaration. (Jeremiah 9:24)

No reason to boast.

We’ve all seen them. The boasters. Whether in school or our workplace, there’s always that one person who is so full of themselves. They can do no wrong. They’re the greatest, and they’re letting everyone know it. Boasting is as old as dirt and is a characteristic of the devil himself. I find it funny that he can boast when he knows he’s fighting a losing battle, but that’s the way of boasters. They cover up their own insecurities and weaknesses by pumping themselves up.

We’ve seen this throughout history, and Israel saw it in the nations that surrounded them. They puffed themselves up against the scrawny Chosen Nation, knowing they had the upper hand. They failed, however, to recognize a very large hand that was over that insignificant people—the hand of Almighty God. Pharaoh learned his lesson about boasting. The Babylonians did, and the Amalekites, the Philistines (think Goliath), and countless other nations that would boast strength in the face of what they saw as weakness.

We see it today. Bullies boast. When a person doesn’t like you, they call you names and boast of their own strength and ability. Most evangelical Christians are facing that kind of talk today, if not directly, then as a group. Who are we to stand against the taunts of the world? The atheists, the intellectuals, the secularists, the pro-this or anti-this groups? They’re all boasting and calling us names.

It’s true. We in general are not the boasting types, as Christ followers. He calls us to humility, meekness, gentleness, kindness, and self-control. Instead, we take our licks from a boasting world around us.

What we know that they don’t know.

Israel had to learn their lesson the hard way, and I don’t think they’ve done much boasting since they returned from the exile. Even in today’s climate of hatred, the nation-state of Israel is actively calling on God to rescue them in the face of their enemies. They know they’re up against a formidable foe. So are we.

Paul learned from his nation’s history and from an encounter with the God of history and changed from a boasting kind of guy to a man of a single focus on Christ and his power. Look what he says about the reason the world boasts:

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Paul, in writing to the church in Corinth, wants them to understand that it’s okay when others attack, accuse, or tear down the hope we have in Christ. As we stand strong in the Lord and live by his Word, the world crumbles, stumbles, and falls. In Christ, we have a power, that is above all powers. In Christ, we have wisdom that is above all wisdom. In Christ, we have weakness that is stronger than the strongest man.

For this reason, as he encourages the Church, he returns to the words of the weeping prophet.

Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, so that no one may boast in his presence. It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom from God for us—our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption—in order that, as it is written: Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

Don’t boast, even when you can.

In reality, Paul could have stood up to many in the world. He spoke multiple languages, was a Roman citizen, educated by the best in Jewish circles, and a leader in the highest order of the religious community. He wrote countless letters, traveled thousands of miles, endured crazy hardships and attacks, and even lived through stoning and snakebites. If anyone could boast, it was Paul. But, that wasn’t the Paul who was a servant of Jesus Christ. He chose, instead, to follow the example of his Master.

So let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one the Lord commends. (2 Corinthians 10:17-18)

How does a person win a contest or race? Is it by jumping up and down and saying, “I’m the best! I know I am”? No, it’s by exerting the effort to compete and waiting on the judge to give the verdict. We don’t commend ourselves for anything in this world. We boast only in the work of Christ. Will we be rewarded? Yes, but at a time when he chooses to say our race is run.

Grace and Peace

If you missed the last Learning from the Past post, click HERE, or start the series from the BEGINNING.