They do not say in their heart, “Let us now fear the LORD our God, who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest. ”Your iniquities have turned these things away, and your sins have withheld good from you” (Jeremiah 5:24-25). While God is blessing; while the rain comes in its season and God has reserved the appointed time of the harvest, iniquities cause us not to see the blessings. What iniquities? For among My people are found wicked men; they lie in wait as one who sets snares; they set a trap; they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become great and grown rich (Jeremiah 5:26-27). While our nation was greatly blessed by God, among us were those whose greed has withheld good from us. They have caused a bad report in our nation. They have grown fat, they are sleek; yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked; they do not plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless; yet they prosper, and the right of the needy they do not defend (Jeremiah 5:28). It is written those doing those things are, “among My people.” Look first at the Church.
Those who fear not the Lord God, but are written of as “My people” have grown fat and grown rich by deceit. Then He said to them in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation” (Mark 12:38-40). Beware of those among you who practice deceit. Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury (Mark 12:41-44). The money the rich put into the treasury was the widow’s money they received when they devoured her home. The widow truly put in her livelihood, and the rich also put in her livelihood. The widow put in more than all the rest. Those who did not fear God withheld good from her.
Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! they walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance. In Your name they rejoice all day long, and in Your righteousness they are exalted. For You are the glory of their strength, and in Your favor our horn is exalted (Psalm 89:15-17). The blessings are known to those that praise the Lord! Those of the light see the blessings and rejoice in God’s name all day long. In the righteousness of God they are exalted – they do not practice deceit to exalt themselves, because God is the glory of their strength. Praise the Lord!
Our circumstances do not make us rich or poor. The bank does not hold our wealth; neither can a righteous man be known by his clothes. When our report is one of defeat at the hands of those that practice deceit, we do not see our blessings. Our blessings appear (are made known) to us as we praise God, the giver of all good things. The poor widow is rich in understanding, while the rich thief never has enough and is never content. The ones that thought they took the blessings of the poor widow and made themselves rich, are poor in their own hearts. God blessed the widow. God sent the rain to both the widow and the thief, but only the widow knew it was from God.
Let us now fear the LORD our God, who gives rain in its season to the just and the unjust. The harvest is His, and He gives us an appointed time to harvest what is His. If we receive the harvest with thanksgiving, we see the blessing. If we take the harvest with a heart of greed, we do not see the blessing we have received. Do not take another’s blessing. If you do not see your blessing, start praising God and it will be revealed to you.
© 2009, Tim D. Coulter Sr.