What steps can we take to defend God's Word in our communities? Setting the Scene in Jeremiah 36 Jeremiah’s scroll reached King Jehoiakim, who brazenly sliced it apart and threw each piece into the fire. “Yet Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah had urged the king not to burn the scroll, but he would not listen to them.” (Jeremiah 36:25) Their courageous but rejected plea models how believers today can defend God’s Word when others attempt to silence or distort it. Step 1: Stand Up and Speak Out • Like Elnathan and his companions, refuse to stay silent when Scripture is attacked. • Jude 3 calls us to “contend earnestly for the faith.” • 1 Peter 3:15 urges us to be ready to give a reason for our hope—with gentleness and respect. Step 2: Preserve the Text Faithfully • Jeremiah dictated the scroll again after it was burned (Jeremiah 36:32). • Support reliable translations, accurate teaching, and responsible distribution—whether through Bible societies, church libraries, or digital platforms. • Acts 17:11 commends the Bereans for examining “the Scriptures daily” to verify truth. Step 3: Model Personal Obedience • Our lives should confirm what our lips defend. • Psalm 119:11: “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” • Let neighbors see Scripture shaping speech, choices, and family life. Step 4: Teach the Next Generation • Deuteronomy 6:6-7 tells parents to “impress” God’s commands on their children—at home, on the road, morning and night. • Host family devotions, youth studies, and Scripture-memory challenges so truth outlives us. Step 5: Engage Culture Respectfully but Firmly • Jeremiah’s friends addressed the king directly; they remained respectful yet unbending. • Participate in community forums, school boards, and media with a calm, confident commitment to biblical truth. • 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us that every word of Scripture equips us “for every good work.” Step 6: Surround the Effort with Prayer • While no public prayer appears in Jeremiah 36, Jeremiah’s entire ministry was undergirded by prayerful dependence on God. • Pray for soft hearts, open doors, and courage to keep proclaiming even when opposition mounts (Colossians 4:2-4). Step 7: Trust God with the Results • The king burned the first scroll, yet God preserved His message—proof that divine truth cannot be extinguished. • Isaiah 55:11: “So My word… will not return to Me empty.” • Our role is obedience; God guarantees the outcome. Take these steps, confident that Scripture is reliable, literal, and living—capable of transforming communities when faithfully defended and fearlessly proclaimed. |
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