Jeremiah the Prophet indeed lived in a “day of evil.” In fact, God primarily used His noble Prophets to rebuke His people Israel when they began to succumb to such evil.
And it is that dear old “weeping Prophet” whom I quote this morning. “Thou art my Hope in the day of evil,” prayed this dedicated man of God. Quoting Jeremiah 17:17.
A ton of truth in a thimble of words!
THOU, O Lord, art my HOPE … even when the evil day comes! And he may have had in mind the imminent day Jerusalem (thus the Nation of Judah) “fell” into the hands of the wicked Babylonian Empire, into the clutches of King Nebuchadnezzar and his dynasty.
This great Half-Verse (today’s Text) is part of Jeremiah’s now famous “Sermon at the Gate.” Now just a bit more of that 17th chapter … “Thus said the LORD unto me; Go and stand in the GATE of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in ALL THE GATES of Jerusalem; and say unto them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by THESE GATES: Thus saith the LORD …”
“Thou art my Hope in the day of evil!”
Hint … this is a classic example of “preaching” and “praying” simultaneously, I see. Many a great Preacher has done this. Some even ejaculating a Line of Prayer right in the middle of a great doctrinal Sermon! Pleading for power (out loud) as they expound the Word!
“Thou art my Hope in the day of evil!”
Yes, our days are ever becoming darker and darker … more and more evil! Paul told us this would happen … “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in THE EVIL DAY, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13
Even Solomon predicted such: “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the EVIL DAYS come not,” Ecclesiastes 12:1
“This know also, that in the last days PERILOUS TIMES shall come.” Hard, evil days, times … 2 Timothy 3:1.
And America may be on the verge (like Israel and Judah before her) of having to endure the “evil day.” (Because of our blatant rebellion against Almighty God.)
Should unrighteousness reign in America, in spite of all we Christian citizens can do, we must (as did Jeremiah and a host of others) indeed “hope/trust” in God, in our dear Lord!
Again our Text … “Thou art my hope in the day of evil.”
The Hebrew word “hope” here is unusual, meaning “shelter, refuge, place of safety!”
And the noun “evil,” not so unusual, means “active, malignant, vicious, spreading wickedness!”
Wow!
We may sooner rather than later have to memorize Verses like … “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee,” Psalm 56:3.
Or maybe even recall Jesus’ Words in Revelation 2:10 … “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”
Then again, Jesus could come today and take us Home! Matthew 24:24, our Lord’s Word again … “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”
Meanwhile … let us meaningfully, wholeheartedly echo Jeremiah: “Thou art my hope in the day of evil.”
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Here’s the idea one more time: “Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.” Psalm 143:9
.