Jeremiah 36:23 And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.
Such has been the response of many kings of this earth and paupers too. The scroll spoken of here was no ordinary scroll. It was not the private musings of a mad doomsday prophet, but as (2 Pet 1:21) says, it was the inspired words of God given to a holy man. Therefore, the rejection and rebellious treatment of it were not only an insult to the man of God who penned it down but to the God of the man, whose words he was rejecting. This text can teach some lessons about our treatment of the word of God. We may never do just as Jehoiakim did, casting it into the fire, but we have in our hearts many times cut out the portions that cut us and as he did on that cold winter night, burned it to the comforting of his flesh instead of receiving it to the convicting of his soul and How often have we just read a leaf here and there instead of rightly dividing the word of truth?
Firstly, the word of God comes with pleasant ends in sight. Notice why God gave this word in the first place, “It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.” (Vs.3) God had a pleasant outcome in mind, forgiveness, but for the bitterness of repentance, they would not hear the message. How many times has the word of God come to us with bitter notes of a call to repentance? Dear reader, I would have you look beyond the bitter tears of repentance and guilt before God and see the pleasantness of forgiveness that lies beyond. He shows us our sins that he might forgive us our sins! As Brother Newton so famously wrote, "Twas grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved!" If today the word of the Lord comes to you and strikes you with the realization of your sin and calls you to repent before you stand before God, then do so, that is precisely why he sends it, that he might grant repentance unto life.
This is God’s purpose, but look at what rebellious man does. He cares not enough to consider the whole matter, “When Jehudi had read three or four leaves…” So many times men can’t even be bothered with the word that is so obviously bothering them. Of course, there are those outside of Christendom who have never read much at all or any at all, but keep in mind our subject, King Jehoiakim. He is not an illustration of a heathen who knows not God, but the man who, of all people, should have. His father was a Godly King, and upon receiving similar news, he repented and led the nation to revival. In our hour, we have many like this King, wearing the royal garments of Christianity, but having very little care for what God says. Living among God’s people, ruling over God’s people, yet their sermons or lives prove that they have as much respect for God’s word as did this wicked King.
Secondly, “He cut it with the penknife.” The fact that he decided to cut up the Word that was sent to cut him is no coincidence. In so doing, he assumed to have made himself master over the word of God. We’ve seen it in movies or read of it in books, someone receives an official document stating they are arrested or barred or making some legal claim and upon receiving it they just rip it up, that is the picture that should come to mind. Of course, a few scenes or pages later that same person is being arrested. The paper was just an extension of the law and the authority it holds over its citizens and was delivered to notify not to validate. So it is with the Word of God, the Word of God is simply an extension of the Authority God holds over his creation, you may rip it, cut it, burn it, disregard it, but his authority to carry out what is therein written will not be diminished in the least. Instead of attempting to become masters over the Word, cutting out those bits that don’t suit us, we should let it become masters over us, and it will cut out of our lives those bits that don’t suit Him.
Lastly, he "cast into the fire that was on the hearth until all the roll was consumed." Imagine the scene, a cold December night (vs. 22), wood burning on the hearth. Infuriated by the disturbance of such a restful evening with such disturbing news, he dissects the roll and casts it into the fire before him. Then, for a moment, an unbeknownst illustration is played out before his very eyes. If you have ever thrown a piece of paper into the fire, you know that for a moment the fire grows brighter and hotter. Before the eyes of this king, he got to, for a split second, feel the warming comfort that the word brings to a heart that lets it burn on the hearth of his heart, to see how brightly we can see at all times. Sadly, his burning of the scripture died out as quickly as it came up. So have entire nations, at times, gathered up the Bibles from their people, and for one night they warmed themselves by the warmth of the word that would have warmed them their whole life long. Oh, what folly it is to burn it in such a way! To consume it on our hearths' clay. No, this book is to burn only on the hearth of our hearts. It comes to light our midnights and warm our cold, dead hearts, and it will! For as long as it burns there.
What have you done with His word today? Let it cut you, let it comfort your heart, not your flesh, Let it be the master. Jehoiakim felt for a few seconds what he could have felt for a lifetime had he let it ignite the flame of repentance and faith in his heart. So, can you, dear reader, know the light and comfort of the word of God if you will hear it and receive it.
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