Healthy Independence-10

HEALTHY INDEPENDENCE-X—Jeremiah 17:1-14

Attention:

Enough Is Enough:

A couple with three children waited in line at San Francisco's Pier 41 to buy tickets for a boat trip to the historic Alcatraz prison.

Others watched with varying degrees of sympathy & irritation as the young children fidgeted, whined, picked at & punched one another.

The frazzled parents tried, without success, to reprimand their kids publicly without causing a scene.

Finally they reached the ticket window.

The exasperated Dad said, “Five tickets, please”...“Two round trip, three one way.”

The children exhibited unhealthy independence that had to be dealt with!

Unhealthy Independence must be dealt with, so that a Healthy Independence prevails!

Jn. 17:15-16—Jesus prayed for His disciples:—“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.”

God’s people must exhibit a ‘Healthy’ independence from the world in which they live.

?Are you walking/living INDEPENDENTLY of that which has potential to destroy you spiritually? The prophet Jeremiah contrasted two major aspects of Independence—Independence from God versus independence from the world.

*Dependence upon YHWH brings independence from worldly influence.

What can be gleaned by contrasting healthy & unhealthy independence?

*How can I be independent of worldly influence?

So far we’ve found that A Healthy Independence Engages(deals with/handles/manages)...

1. A RESIDENT REBELLION(:1)

2. An ABERRANT EDUCATION(:2)

3. BLINDLY SIGHTED BENEFITS(:3-4)

4. An ANGERING LIFESTYLE(:4e)

5. MISPLACED/Aberrant TRUSTS(:5)

6. The ‘CURSE’ Of MISPLACED/Aberrant TRUST(:6)

7. A CORRECTED TRUST(:7)

8. A TELLING PLANTING(:8)

9. INTERNAL DECEITFULNESS(:9)

10. A THOROUGH & DECISIVE SEARCH(:10)

11. BROKEN ENDEAVORS(:11)

12—A Healthy Independence Engages(deals with/handles/manages)...

The ENTIRE SCOPE Of TIME(:12-13)

Explanation:(:12-13)

:12—“A glorious high throne from the beginning

Is the place of our sanctuary.”

“A glorious high throne”...

This verse begins by describing a ready admission by the faithful, that ‘THE’ eternally living God(YHWH)—is sovereignly omnipotent—THE King with all power.

The faithful recognize, are party to, & surrendered to YHWH’s “gloriousness” of that sovereign omnipotence It is a testimony to YHWH as ‘THE’ Creator.

No one other than YHWH Himself, commands or can command “a glorious” & “high throne”!

Job 42:1-6—YHWH-God had given His servant Job, a painful lesson on the limitations of human wisdom—“Then Job answered the LORD & said: “I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Listen, please, & let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, & you shall answer Me.’ “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust & ashes.””

Ps. 139:1-6—<<For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.>> O LORD, You have searched me & known me. You know my sitting down & my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path & my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind & before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.”

“Glorious”—dwbk kaw-bod' Rarely--dbk kaw-bod’—Noun Masc.—1) Glory, honor, glorious, abundance—1a) Abundance, riches, 1b) Honor, splendor, glory, 1c) Honor, dignity, 1d) Honor, reputation, 1e) Honor, reverence, glory, 1f) Glory. Strong—properly--Weight, but only figuratively in a good sense--Splendor or copiousness.?From—dbk kaw-bad'; OR--dbk kaw-bad'; a primitive root; To be heavy, i.e. in a bad sense(burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense(numerous, rich, honorable); causatively--To make weighty(in the same two senses).

“High”—Mwrm maw-rom’—Noun Masc.—1) Height—1a) Height, elevation, elevated place—1a1) In a high place(adverb), 1b) Height, 1c) Proudly(adverb), 1d) Of nobles(fig.). Strong—Altitude, i.e. concretely--an elevated place; abstractly--Elevation; figuratively--Elation; or adverbially--Aloft.

“Throne”—aok kis-say’, OR--hok kicceh kis-say’—Noun Masc.—1) Seat(of honor), throne, seat, stool—1a) Seat(of honor), throne, 1b) Royal dignity, authority, power(fig.). Strong—properly--Covered, i.e. A throne(as canopied).?From—hok kaw-saw’—properly--To plump, i.e. fill up hollows; by implication--To cover(for clothing or secrecy); a primitive root.

“From the beginning”...

This tells us that YHWH’s “glorious high throne” has always been His, from even before time began by means of God’s own declaration!(Gen. 1:1) His eternal existence is recognized by all those thruout time, who find “sanctuary” in Him. IF you do NOT find sanctuary in the One who rules “From the beginning” then you are trusting in an insufficient, inadequate ‘little-‘g’ god’! And such a ‘little-‘g’ god’ is incapable of saving your soul FROM hell, as well as being incapable of saving your soul TO heaven!

Not only does this verse set YHWH apart as the Author of “the beginning” of all things(cf.-Gen. 1:1-2:1), but also as the Author of ‘Israel’s’ “beginning.” And that speaks to YHWH’s INTENTION that Israel would trust & be witness to the truth of & the desire of the eternal Almighty God!