Jer. 34:10-11 "Now when all the princes, and all the people, which had entered into the covenant, heard that every one should let his manservant and everyone his maidservant, go free, that none should serve themselves of them any more, then they obeyed, and let them go.
But afterward they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids."
It is so easy to start a project or to get excited about a big plan and begin it. How many of those ideas and projects make it beyond the first few days of excitement and beginning?
God's people had ignored His word for many years. They had not practiced the year of the Sabbath where every seven years they were to set free their brethren who had become slaves in the previous six years. As Judah was under siege, and Jeremiah was proclaming God's coming judgement, God's people covenanted to obey, and set their brethren free.
Their intentions were enough to get them to begin. They set them free, "But afterward they turned" and reenslaved their fellow Israelites. This reminds me of The Parable of the Sower in Mt. 13:3-8. Some of the seed fell among thorns and were eventually choked by them and became unfruitful. According to Mt. 13:22, the thorns here represent the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches.
I can imagine that the struggle of doing your own work when you'd previously had slaves, and the cost of paying a servant would be a definite deterrent to willing obedience in the slaveowners' minds. But just because it was difficult and required hard work and sacrifice did not mean that they were not required to obey God's word and do it. God condemns their reenslavement of their brethren in Jer. 34:15-17 and pronounces definitive judgement on them for it.
1Cor. 9:24 "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain it.
You have to finish the race to win the prize. Starting isn't enough.
2 comments:
Ouch, that is so true and something I have really felt the Lord dealing with me about. Excellent point!
i am constantly struggling with that since I have dreams of selling, being a person of my time, getting up, etc... and all of these things are so easy to start but not to continue let alone complete... like this one too!
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