Today's reading serves as a warning to those who believe they can perform heinous acts without consequence.
God spoke to the prophet Jeremiah, illustrating that through the nation of Israel's trying times, He led the people through the wilderness into fertile land, while repelling attacks from those who would bring harm to Israel. However, the people of Israel forsook God and began to worship worthless idols, thereby bestowing worthlessness upon themselves.
God took umbrage with the religious leaders who knew the law, yet did nothing to steer the people away from defiling the relationship between themselves and God. As a result, God decided to bring charges against the people of Israel, resulting in punishment for their betrayal.
Jeremiah's job was to go forth and spread the message. The issue, then as now, is that people do not want to hear the truth about their actions (or lack thereof).
As believers, we are in a similar position to Jeremiah. In today's world, we have governments in Israel and the United States of America that have forsaken God. Under Benjamin Neteayhu, Israel continues to relentlessly bomb Palestinian civilians in Gaza, leveling almost all buildings and killing defenseless people, and placing survivors in a state of starvation.
In the United States, Donald Trump continues to illegally detain and deport immigrants without due process, thereby destroying families, seeks to lie and whitewash the history of Black Americans, takes food out of the mouths of needy people domestically and internationally, and strips healthcare from millions of Americans, along with attempting to use the military in a racist attempt to intimidate Black mayors of major American cities.
We can not disregard events in Israel, America, or many other places in the world. Like Jeremiah, we must go forth and proclaim the truth about God's word, which dictates that we will not make many friends while speaking the truth. It is challenging for those who have forsaken the Word of God to hear the truth, as they worship political power and money, which are worthless in God's eyes.
As God brought charges against those who forsook Him in the time of Jeremiah, so he will against the evil-doing leaders of today.
Don't turn away; there are different ways to confront today's evil. Tell the truth. You will be doing God's work.
Join us for our next service on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at 11 a.m. For the link, please email us at info@northchurchnyc.org.
