The Nation’s Way Forward and the Strength of Its Defense Jeremiah 5:1–6
The Nation’s Way Forward and
the Strength of Its Defense
Jeremiah 5:1–6
Jeremiah 5:1–6 “Roam to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and look now and take note. And seek in her open squares, if you can find a man, if there is one who does justice, who seeks truth, then I will pardon her. And although they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’ surely they swear falsely.” 3O Lord, do not Your eyes look for truth? You have smitten them, but they did not weaken; You have consumed them, but they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to re-pent. Then I said, “They are only the poor, they are foolish; for they do not know the way of the Lord or the ordinance of their God. I will go to the great and will speak to them, for they know the way of the Lord and the ordinance of their God.” But they too, with one accord, have broken the yoke and burst the bonds. 6Therefore a lion from the forest will slay them, a wolf of the des- erts will destroy them, a leopard is watching their cities. Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces, because their trans- gressions are many, their apostasies are nu- merous.
Historically, we can discover through Scripture that there is always a reason why a nation or a people prospers or perishes. What was the reason that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed? When we look at Genesis 18:26 and the verses that follow, it is clearly recorded that they perished because there were not even a few righteous people there. Abraham, the father of faith, was a man who feared God. He revered God with such awe that even the mention of God’s holy name would make him tremble. God sent angels to Abraham and said, “Can I hide this secret from you? I cannot keep this confidential matter from you.” The father of faith, Abraham, was astonished and asked, “What is it?” God replied, “I will cause sulfur and fire to rain down upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and I will make fire come up from the ground. I will lift up the city of Sodom as one lifts a dish and overturn it completely.”
Abraham’s nephew Lot was living in Sodom and Gomorrah. Scripture records that before the judgment of sulfur and fire came upon those cities, Sodom and Gomorrah were like the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve sinned (Gen 13:10). It was described as a land that was good to live in. When Abraham heard that the land where his nephew lived would be destroyed by sulfur and fire, he was astonished and said, “God, please forgive me for speaking so boldly. What if there are fifty righteous people there?” After receiving the answer that the city would be spared for their sake, he asked again, “Lord, do not be angry. What if there are only forty five righteous people? Or forty? Or thirty? Or twenty?” Each time God replied, “I will not destroy the city.” Finally, Abraham made his final plea: “What if there are only ten?” God answered, “If there are ten righteous people, I will not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.” Yet in the end there were not even ten righteous people, and so Sodom and Gomorrah came under judgment, with sulfur raining down like a storm and fire rising up from the ground.
If you go to the area around the Dead Sea in the land of Israel, you can see physical evidence of this with your own eyes, leaving no room for doubt. If the Jewish nation was warned that it would be destroyed because not even one righteous person could be found, then Korea as well must have people who truly believe with hearts that genuinely fear God. Those who know they cannot live without God in their hearts, who hold fast to God’s commandments and the testimony of Jesus, who practice justice with reverence and seek the truth, are the very people who will become the lifeline of a nation and its true defense. How many times have you deeply contemplated the nation while praying, seeking to be filled with the Holy Spirit, filled with grace, filled with the Word, and surrounded by God’s favor? It is not just me asking this question. At this time, I do not wish to speak on a political level but on a spiritual one. Through the Scriptures, I want us to examine the causes behind the rise and fall of nations and peoples, so that we may receive God’s miraculous grace. My prayer is that you will ultimately become a remarkable, great, and mighty people of God so you can serve as the lifeline of this nation and its people, the true defense of the country.
The prophet Jeremiah discerned the causes behind the rise and fall of nations and peoples from a spiri- tual standpoint.
First, he declared that the cause does not lie in whether a nation governs well or poorly. Second, he declared that the prosperity or decline of the economy cannot be the reason why a nation and its people perish.
Third, he declared that neither proper nor improper education is the determining cause. Fourth, he declared that the reason is not whether a nation’s military power is strong or weak.
The Bible tells us that when the people of a nation forsake God, serve lifeless idols, disregard God’s commandments and the word He gives, and become blinded by worldly pleasures, amusements, and luxury, that nation and its people are bound to perish. Long ago, the prophet Jeremiah said that the heart of man is more deceitful and corrupt above all things.
Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?”
Therefore, from the perspective of the prophet Jeremiah, how should each and every one of us, after deeply examining ourselves before God and becoming righteous through faith, live for the sake of the nation’s way of survival and the revival of its people? Our families are important, but before putting our families first, we must first become believers who practice justice and pursue the truth. If there is even one person who practices justice and seeks the truth, God will not destroy us.
What must you and I do to become the hope and lifeline of our na- tion and people, and a source of strength for our country’s security?
First, we must become believers who have received God’s forgiveness of our sins (Jer 31:34).
Scripture warns us that if one sins, both the individual and the nation will perish. The Apostle Paul plainly declared to the believers in Rome that the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). Likewise, the prophet Ezekiel recorded the word of judgment, saying that the soul who sins shall surely die (Ezek 18:4, 20). Here, the Jewish nation that had fallen into sin was destined for death; yet I urge you to take note of this word: if even one righteous person could be found in Jerusalem, God said He would forgive them. The only way to be forgiven and live before God is to seek Him. There is no other way but to wait upon God’s mercy and grace.
Second, the way is to recognize that we are sinners and repent.
In the Bible, humanity—that is, the countless descendants of Adam—is described with the words, “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Rom 3:10–18). It says that their mouths are like open graves and that they have the venom of serpents. Their hands and feet are quick to shed blood and bring destruction. This is how God defines fallen mankind. ‘Why, then, does God declare that there is no righteous person?’ As we think deeply about this, each of us should come to confess that we are sinners. And when we do, we can believe that Jesus, who came as the Savior of sinners, will forgive all our sins. Therefore, Scripture teaches that the person who recognizes that he is a sinner and repents is a genuine person, a humble person, and a righteous person. It also says that such a person is one who practices justice.
Proverbs 21:3 To do righteousness and jus- tice is desired by the Lord more than sac- rifice.
A person who practices justice is one who is not swayed by selfish interests, who hates unrighteousness, and who is able to say that what is right is right, and what is wrong is wrong. It is because of people who remain silent, even though they clearly know something is evil, merely because they have been treated to a few meals or received a little money, that a nation comes to ruin. Those who commit sin have already been rejected by God, yet God plainly declares that a nation perishes because of those who become mute, saying to themselves, “I was promoted because of that man,” or, “I got this job because of that person,” and therefore refuse to speak the truth (Jas 5:12).
Third, we must be people who clearly distinguish between yes and no, between affirmation and denial.
As we read in Matthew 5:37, the Lord teaches, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’” The nation comes to ruin because of those who say “yes” to what is not so, and call right that which is not right—those who are neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm. Next, the Scripture speaks of those who seek the truth. It says that the poor in spirit are the ones who seek the truth (Matt 5:3). Those who are proud live delighting in themselves, saying that they are rich and have need of nothing, lacking nothing at all.
A person who seeks the truth is one who is poor in spirit and hungers and thirsts for righteousness (Matt 5:6). Such a person cannot be satisfied with anything in life apart from Jesus Christ, who is the true Truth. Jesus is the beginning, progress, and completion of one’s business. Yet many believers pray before starting a business, saying, “I will live according to Your will. If I prosper, I will contribute to Your body, the church.” Thus, Jesus is acknowledged in the beginning and in the course of their endeavors, but along the way they try to add their own clever schemes. Then, when success finally comes, they set Jesus aside, make themselves the center, and are no longer able to live faithfully in the life of the church. I believe that a person who is filled with faith becomes a source of strength both for himself and for his people, and also becomes a defense for the nation.
The one who is poor in spirit, who hungers and thirsts for righteousness, who knows that he cannot live apart from Jesus, and who recognizes that Jesus is the beginning, the progress, and the final completion of all his endeavors—the one who knows that every breath he takes, every time he sleeps and rises, is by the love and grace of Jesus Christ—that person, I believe, becomes the very source of vitality for this people and a defense for the nation. But the leaders of the people of Judah betrayed God and all ran after the world (Jer 5:5).
What becomes of a business that has departed from God, an individual who has departed from God, a family that has departed from God, a workplace that has departed from God, an occupation that has departed from God, and a nation and people that have departed from God? It is not I who am saying these things, but the Scriptures themselves. How foolish such individuals, families, nations, and peoples become!
Isaiah 1:2-3 Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; For the Lord speaks, “Sons I have reared and brought up, but they have revolt- ed against Me. 3An ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know, My people do not understand.”
I will keep repeating this until your ears ring. You and I are not going to live eighty or ninety years forever on this earth. It has been appointed for the descendants of fallen Adam to be born once and to die once, and after that comes the final judgment before God’s great white throne. It is the truth that things will happen according to our faith, that we are repaid according to what we have done, and that we reap what we have sown. God sent us into this world to do His work, not to leave us struggling merely to make a living. Because people are so lacking in faith, He says, “Consider the birds of the air. They neither sow nor water, nor weed nor reap, and yet I care for them. Are you not much more precious than the birds? Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and I will add all these things unto you. Do not be anxious.” (Matt 6:26-33).
The widow of Nain had already lost her husband, and then her only son, the one she depended on for everything, also died. As they were carrying out the body, the whole town was weeping. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said, “Do not weep.” He told her not to weep because He Himself would take responsibility for the situation (Luke 7:13). When He told them to stop the funeral procession, the people said that the young man was already dead. But the Lord said, “He is not dead, but asleep.” A dead person cannot rise, but someone who is asleep can be awakened. When He said this, everyone mocked Him. Then He commanded, “Young man, arise!” (Luke 7:14) With the very word by which He created the universe and all things, He gave the command. I believe that when that word is in your hearts, and He says to this nation, “Arise,” it will rise. Do you know how precious each one of you is? I believe that each one of you can become a source of vitality for this nation, and that each one of you can become a part of Korea’s strength and defense. Please do not doubt.
When Elisha became sick with the illness by which he would die, King Joash came to visit him. The king of the nation himself confessed to Elisha, saying, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!”—in other words, “You are the weapon of this nation, its armament, its defense, and my father” (2 Kgs 13:14). Joash had witnessed the army of Aram coming against Judah and saw them all struck with blindness through a single prayer of Elisha. He had also seen a million enemy soldiers retreat through the prayers of the prophet Elisha. Did Elisha possess any weapons? No. He was a great man of God who knew with certainty that there is nothing impossible when one places absolute trust in God and prays to Him. If the prayers of the prophet Elisha became the source of vitality for his nation and the defense of his people, then you also must become those who bear this nation and people upon your shoulders in prayer. For no matter how powerful nuclear weapons may be, faith in God is greater and more powerful still.
Just as the city of Jericho fell when the people marched around it seven times and shouted according to the command given through God’s servant, and just as the people of Israel entered in and defeated the enemies (Josh 6:20-21), I believe that that same God is our God. And just as a fish cannot live apart from water, so you and I cannot live apart from the Word of God revealed in the Old and New Testaments.
The only way for this nation’s sur- vival is to seek God.
Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
The way to seek God is to hunger and thirst for His Word. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, the revealed Word. Without the Scriptures, how can we know God?
Therefore, the way is to obey the Word of God; that is, to live according to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. There is no other way but to fulfill the commission God has entrusted to us and to carry it out faithfully as He has commanded.
Jeremiah 17:22–23 “You shall not bring a load out of your houses on the sabbath day nor do any work, but keep the sabbath day holy, as I commanded your forefathers. 23Yet they did not listen or incline their ears, but stiffened their necks in order not to listen or take correction.”
Hosea 6:6 For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rath- er than burnt offerings.
1 Samuel 15:22–23 Samuel said, “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordina- tion is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.”
Amos 8:11 “Behold, days are coming,” de- clares the Lord God, “When I will send a famine on the land, not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the Lord.”
There is no other way but to receive God’s grace. I believe that the grace of God will come upon those who trust in Him and depend upon Him alone. Upon those who love God alone and live for Him, His grace will not depart. His grace, mercy, compassion, and love will remain with that person. Therefore, the one who is faithful to God is the very one who can truly be faithful before his nation and people. How faithfully did the Apostle Paul and Stephen live? Did they ever declare of themselves that they had been faithful? No. After Paul and Stephen had departed from this world, God Himself bestowed upon them the commendation, saying, “Indeed, they have been faithful.” (Rev 2:10). Therefore, you also should not pride yourselves on having been faithful, but rather understand that what matters is striving to be faithful.
We must pray for this nation and people, our homeland.
If one of our children goes astray, don’t we become anxious, lose sleep, and shut ourselves away in grief? Don’t we tremble at the mere sound of the front door opening, our anxieties deepening as if the very ground will cave in? But have we ever bound this nation before God in prayer and offered it up to Him for the sake of its well-being and prosperity? If the Lord were to ask you and me such a question, we ought to be able to answer. Have you truly prayed? Did you pray before coming to church today? As the hymn says, “Prayer will lead us into the light of rest.” When all seems dark before us, there is nothing left but prayer. If the nation perishes, then you too will perish. This nation is our homeland. Only when we recognize that our nation is our ancestry and our parents, that it embraces my wife, my husband, my children, my possessions, and even my very identity, can we truly love our country. If the nation falls, where then are our parents? Is believing in Jesus merely so that you alone may be saved? In childhood, we know only our father and mother, but as we grow and mature, we come to realize that the nation itself is our family. We must possess a faith of a higher order. If the nation collapses, then my possessions, my deeds, and all that I own become meaningless. Even my wife will be of no help.
Long ago, the prophet Isaiah proclaimed these things, and the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel likewise foretold them. Even when Jeremiah spoke of such days to come, people called him a madman. But when the boiling pot from the north would finally pour down toward the south, they would then be thrown into utter panic, crying out, “Save my life!” What good would that do then? When the men of God have all been taken away, who will remain to prophesy? Therefore, the consistent message throughout both the Old and New Testaments is this: when people are saying, “Peace and safety,” seek God and do not disregard His Word.
When King Asa reigned, an army of one million Cushites came up against him (2 Chr 14:9). In today’s terms, it would be like facing three hundred tanks equipped with advanced weaponry. As this vast army advanced with the most modern weapons of that day, King Asa, in his desperation, prayed, “O God, You must come between the strong and the weak.” (2 Chr 14:11). And through that prayer, the million-man army was driven back. Between the strong and the weak, man must not stand in the middle—God must. The moment Asa sought God, the Lord was so pleased that, as the Scriptures declare, He granted the nation the blessing of peace, enabling it to enjoy a season of tranquility and prosperity. Only when the nation is at peace can individuals and families also enjoy peace. The peace that God gives us is different from the peace the world gives (John 14:27). I believe that the peace which remains forever, which does not flee, perish, or come to an end, but abides eternally with God, has been placed within the hearts of you who believe in Jesus. Therefore, believe that receiving God’s counsel is the way by which a people may find their path of survival and their true defense. A person or a nation that receives God’s counsel is one that acknowledges its own weakness.
A person who receives God’s counsel is one who acknowledges his own weakness, who does not rely on the world, and who prays earnestly. There is nowhere else to turn. There is no one upon whom we can depend but God alone, and there is nothing that endures forever except the unchanging love of our Lord.
Such individuals, families, societies, and nations will find the way of life opened to them under the blessing of God.
Though North Korea watches our nation with hostile intent and seeks an opportunity to carry out its schemes, they shall not prevail. I believe that in the Republic of Korea there stands the precious church, purchased with God’s own blood and planted and established by Him. Therefore, no matter what weapons men may devise with their wisdom and cunning, I urge you to have the assurance that a single prayer from you can cause every enemy to retreat. Live with a sense of purpose and worth. Hold fast to the faith that says, “I am a part of this nation’s defense.” For we possess the weapon of the Word of God. When we receive God’s Word and offer it back to Him in prayer, I believe that you yourselves will become spiritual weapons, and the enemy will not be able to gain a foothold in the Republic of Korea. In order that a miraculous movement of repentance may arise among this people, whenever you meet one person after another, sow the gospel of Christ and proclaim, “The only way of survival for our people is to return to God. There is no other way but to seek Him. There is no other way but to receive His mercy, love, and compassion. If there is one thing this nation absolutely needs, it is the help of God. Therefore, believe in Him.” And may you faithfully fulfill the commission of evangelism.
Just as the prophet Samuel of old confessed that he would not sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for his nation and his people, so may you and I become spiritual Samuels on this day, and I bless you in the name of the Lord that you may become the spiritual way of survival and the defense of this nation and people. I believe that the God of Samuel shall be our God.
1 Samuel 12:23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way.
Look at Jonah in ancient times. In the city of Nineveh there were one hundred and twenty thousand souls who could not discern between right and wrong. Yet when Jonah himself repented and went forth proclaiming God’s message, a decree of fasting was issued from the king down even to the animals. God was so pleased that although He had resolved to destroy the city of Nineveh, the city was saved through Jonah’s earnest cry. Though many today speak of the Republic of Korea and say, “It is corrupt,” or speak in despair concerning its condition, I take confidence in this.
As we read in today’s passage, God said that if only one person could be found in the streets of Jerusalem who practiced justice and sought the truth, He would pardon the city. Considering that there are over ten million churchgoers in the Republic of Korea, is there not a single person among them who practices justice and seeks the truth? I believe that there surely are such people. There is no need to look elsewhere; we need only find them in our own church.
How many there are who strive simply to live! Though poor and unable even to afford much to eat, they labor and save with great difficulty, and when they have managed to gather a million won, they bring it and offer it for the construction of the church sanctuary. Yet when you visit their homes, you find that they do not even have another million won left to their name. Though I do not say it to them, whenever I see such people I pray, “O God, I believe that a soul and a heart like this will never come to ruin. Please fulfill the desires that are in their hearts according to Your will.” There are some who, because their bills are wrinkled, moisten them with water from their mouths, lay them between newspapers, and carefully iron them. One can tell when money has been ironed. Will not God receive the heart and devotion that went into such preparation? More precious than hurriedly pulling something out without thought is the heart that has prayerfully and sincerely prepared the offering beforehand. How precious is a single soul! I believe that the responsibility of leading this nation and its people to God rests upon all of us, myself included. Therefore, so that the day of this nation’s repentance may be hastened and so that this people may receive God’s blessing, may you and I strive diligently, neglecting nothing, receiving God’s grace, and faithfully fulfilling the commission entrusted to us, until at last we all enter heaven together without a single one found wanting.
Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
He has promised that His peace will guard our hearts and our minds. Therefore, having received this blessing, I bless you in the name of the Lord that you may become spiritual weapons and a defense force that will save this nation.
Let us pray.
O God, through the prophet Jeremiah You commanded that men should go quickly through the streets of Jerusalem and search diligently. For You had made a covenant that if even one person could be found who practiced justice and sought the truth, You would not destroy the city of Jerusalem. In the same way, we are confident that if among this great city of Seoul, with its population of more than ten million, there is but one person who seeks justice and pursues the truth, this nation shall never be swallowed up by another nation.
Lord, do we not have churches throughout the Republic of Korea? Do we not have Your holy sanctuaries? Do we not have Your precious people? Surely, we believe that there is hope for the Republic of Korea. Grant a blessed work whereby, from the president down to the humblest citizen, people may seek after You. Make us churches that truly pray. Deliver us from places where we blame others, judge others, criticize others, and curse others. Make us a blessed people who depart from such things. Grant that our lives may begin with prayer and end with prayer, from beginning to end. May the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments be richly stored within our hearts through the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Whenever we come before Your Word, whenever we hear it, grant that we may understand it and receive it.
Wherever we may go, grant that we may live with holy confidence, saying, “I am a source of vitality for this nation and people; I am a defense for this nation and people,” and thus walk faithfully before You. And as we ask and desire all these things, we exalt and honor the precious name of Jesus and offer unto You our prayer of thanksgiving. Amen.
December 8, 1985
Sunday Afternoon Service
Sermon by Rev. Abraham Park
26년도 6월호