“Reform Your Ways And Your Actions And Obey The LORD!”

“Reform Your Ways And Your Actions And Obey The LORD!”(Jer.26:1-16&24).
Sometimes, one is tempted to believe that we are living a lie when we claim that “the church of Christ is the conscience of society, the mouthpiece of the oppressed, and the voice of the voiceless.” The claim is justified, but the practice is often the problem. From biblical times, it is the state that has often stepped in to put order in the church of Christ.
What happened to Jeremiah vindicates the political leaders but questions the integrity of the religious authorities. The LORD had asked Jeremiah to stand in the courtyard of the LORD’S house and speak to all the people who came to worship in the house of the LORD.
The message was a call to repentance so that the LORD should not bring punishment on the people.
But see the irony: The priests, the prophets, were the ones who led the people to sieze Jeremiah and said to him, “You must die!”
The officials of Judah heard and took their seats to listen to Jeremiah. Jeremiah repeated his message to them:“Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the LORD your God. Then, the LORD will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced againstyou.”
It is then that “the officials and all the people said to the priests and prophets, ‘This man should not be sentenced to death. He has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.'”
Instead of the priests and prophets being the first to identify the voice of God, it was the state officials who educated the priests and prophets! What an irony! In later days, while the Sanhedrin found Jesus guilty of blasphemy, it was Pilate who found no reason why Jesus deserved the death sentence. The same thing happened to Paul. When the princes of the early church almost split the church concerning the Arian controversy, it was Emperor Constantine who convened the Church Council of Nicea to reconcile the church!
That aside, what do you do when your life is threatened because you have spoken the word of the LORD to a hostile people?
Jeremiah’s answer is the answer for those messengers who are persecuted unjustly: “As for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right. Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on the city and on those who live in it, for in truth the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”
Jeremiah risked his life to pass on the LORD’S message, which angered the priests and prophets because it rocked their boats and threatened their comfort zones! Be bold and honest in being the LORD’S mouthpiece, and you will have people like Ahikam who will support you, and you will not be handed over to the people to be executed.
To all of us, “today if you hear God’s voice harden not your hearts. “Reform your ways and your actions and obey the LORD your God.”
Prayer: Holy Spirit, help us to receive God’s word and reform our ways and actions and obey the LORD. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.
03/03/2026.