Sword and Fire

The book of Jeremiah is so rich! I started studying this book in August 2019. I wish I could say that I've been reading a little bit every day, but I can't. I get distracted sometimes. I get lazy sometimes, too. I love studying, but sometimes I struggle to get started. Maybe you can relate?

Anyway, the book of Jeremiah has been so eye-opening to me! A lot of us know Jeremiah 29:11; as a matter of fact it is on my way just above the desk where I am writing. We love to think about God having good plans for us. That verse is a positive nugget among a lot of other words that are not so positive for the people to whom the book is written. I think I've mentioned this before, but the book is written to people who are being disobedient. God asks them to repent. Matter of fact, at some points, He begs them to repent. He really wants to be good to them. He really wants to give them hope and a future now, and not have to let the things happen that need to happen to get their attention. This is where swords and fire got my attention.

Jeremiah Chapters 46-51 address the nations who came against Israel. God punished Israel and had these nations attack, destroy, and take the people as slaves, but God doesn't allow those same nations to escape unscathed. They receive punishment as well.

So, in Jeremiah 47 a phrase jumped out at me, and I went on a treasure hunt: the sword of the Lord.

What is this sword of the Lord? Is it the same sword as the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:7, Hebrews 4:12) or our tongue which is said to be a sharp sword (Proverbs 5:4, Psalm 57:4)? What I found is that the sword is used on external enemies. You are probably thinking, duh! Of course a sword is used on enemies. God uses the sword on our enemy Satan through His word (Ephesians 6:7), on the nations that persecuted Israel, and during wars with other nations. He doesn't often use the sword directly on His people, though.

We know, too, that the sword is an offensive weapon. It is actually the only offensive weapon in Ephesians 6. In Jeremiah 47 the sword is symbolic of actual, physical destruction against the Philistines. They are going to be killed by the sword and also a flood. The amazing thing about this is God used Nebuchadnezzar to mete out this defeat. Nebuchadnezzar is the one who kept coming back and taking the nation of Israel as slaves. His nation, Babylon is where Daniel and many others were in exile for 70 years. According to livescience.com "The Philistines disappear from written history during the 6th century B.C. when the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II (reign ca. 605 BC – c. 562 BC) conquered the region and destroyed several cities, including Ashkelon." This lines up with Jeremiah 47.

While on this treasure hunt through scripture, the references led me to other verses about fire. The correlation being the word. God says that the Word is a sword, but He also calls it a fire. The theme of fire is also found in Jeremiah, specifically chapters 5, 20, and 23. Fire is purifying, and not just destructive. I recently watched a show (because I have lots of time right now to do so) where the family's house burns to the ground. I won't spoil the ending, but the point of the show was that all of the fires set by one's actions in the end burned the entire "house" down symbolically and literally. There was a major reset in that family's life. God's refining fire can reset our life, too.

Usually the Word described as fire was reserved for the people of Israel, not for their enemies. Likewise, we are told in Matthew 3 that there will be fire to burn up the chaff. The religious folks are giving John the Baptist a hard time. Well, he has a word for them from the Lord.

“As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

“His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Matthew 3:11-12 (NASB)

So, what do we prefer? Would we rather be an enemy of God and be destroyed by the sword, or follow Him and be purified with fire. Both involve pain, but the fire is for our good and brings us out purified, cleansed, and closer to the Lord. The sword, well it just takes life away.

I choose the fire.

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