Many years ago, a wicked king was presented with a copy of God’s word. The king commissioned a man to read it for him, and after only reading a few paragraphs, the king took the scroll and cut it with a penknife, then destroyed it by throwing it in the fireplace (Jeremiah 36:21-23). By way of divine commentary, Jeremiah records that after the king destroyed God’s word, “they were not afraid, nor did they tear their garments…” (Jeremiah 36:24).
But here’s what has captured my attention with regard to this historical event: As bad as it was for the king to destroy the word of God, it was also incredible, from God’s perspective, that no one feared him enough to tear their garments in light of what was done.
Here’s the thought I want to leave you with — While we may never have the nerve to flagrantly destroy a Bible because we don’t like what it says, might we be guilty of being calloused when we witness others contemptuously “destroy the Bible?” Have we feared? Have we torn our garments? Have we clothed ourselves with sackcloth?
Friends, there’s a time for every purpose under heaven. There’s a time to laugh (Ecclesiastes 3:4), but there’s also a time to put away laughter and lament, mourn, and weep (James 4:9). Don’t allow yourself to become desensitized by an ever increasing culture of disrespect for God and his word. Much of our media (television, movies, music, Internet, etc.) is destroying God’s word just as flagrantly as did that king with his penknife. What will our reaction be? Will we continue to watch, listen, chuckle, and even share, or will we lament, mourn, and weep? Give it some thought.