August 13, 2022
Daily Devotion:
"Dedicated Warriors… "
Jeremiah 48:10
New King James Version
10 Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord deceitfully, and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood.
No, you didn't misread that second sentence. For all the times God has condemned bloodshed, this time it is his idea! In fact wielding the sword is characterized as being “the Lord's work"! What's more, there is harsh censure for anyone unwilling to do that deadly work! Perhaps those who have fought in bloody battles as members of the military can help us makes sense of this hard passage. But for those of us who have never even picked up a weapon in anger, all of this is strange indeed. As always, context is the key. Today's passage is found in the middle of Jeremiah's tirade against the people of Moab, who for years have worshiped the god Chemosh. Perhaps you recall the time when Israel's King Joram joined forces with Judah's King Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom to attack Moab, then under the leadership of King Mesha. The battle was going so badly for Mesha that, in desperation, he sacrificed his son to Chemosh! The battle actually turned in Moab's favor, intensifying all the more the Moabite's love affair with their national god.
But now the time of Moab's destruction is at hand. God is fully intent one executing punishment long promised. And for those who will be God's agents of wrath, this is no time for hesitation. The battle must be engaged! It is time for bloodshed in the name of righteousness and justice! Although God no longer asks that you and I wield literal swords drawing actual blood, there are still battles to be fought. Moral conflicts, cultural wars, and doctrinal skirmishes all beg for brave and dedicated warriors. In the important battles of our own day, “a curse on him who keeps his sword from bloodshed!”
The disturbing question is: Can I recall any battle I have fiercely fought on behalf of God's righteous cause?
