Scripture Daily

Context No. 1203 of 4322 · Baruch

Context · Reflection

Baruch 6:1-16: in context

1A copy of a letter that Jeremy sent to those who were to be led captives into Babylon by the king of the Babylonians, to give them the message that God commanded him. 2Because of the sins which you have committed before God, you will be led away captives to Babylon by Nabuchodonosor king of the Babylonians. 3So when you come to Babylon, you will remain there many years, and for a long season, even for seven generations. After that, I will bring you out peacefully from there. 4But now you will see in Babylon gods of silver, gold, and wood carried on shoulders, which cause the nations to fear. 5Beware therefore that you in no way become like these foreigners. Don’t let fear take hold of you because of them when you see the multitude before them and behind them, worshiping them. 6But say in your hearts, “O Lord, we must worship you.” 7For my angel is with you, and I myself care for your souls. 8For their tongue is polished by the workman, and they themselves are overlaid with gold and with silver; yet they are only fake, and can’t speak. 9And taking gold, as if it were for a virgin who loves to be happy, they make crowns for the heads of their gods. 10Sometimes also the priests take gold and silver from their gods, and spend it on themselves. 11They will even give some of it to the common prostitutes. They dress them like men with garments, even the gods of silver, gods of gold, and gods of wood. 12Yet these gods can’t save themselves from rust and moths, even though they are covered with purple garments. 13They wipe their faces because of the dust of the temple, which is thick upon them. 14And he who can’t put to death one who offends against him holds a sceptre, as though he were judge of a country. 15He has also a dagger in his right hand, and an axe, but can’t deliver himself from war and robbers. 16By this they are known not to be gods. Therefore don’t fear them.

This is the Letter of Jeremiah, a warning to the exiles heading into Babylon, where they will see impressive idols carried on shoulders, worshiped by crowds. Do not be afraid of them, the letter urges; say in your heart, it is you, Lord, we must worship. Then it mercilessly exposes the idols. They are wood overlaid with gold and silver, dressed in purple robes, but they cannot speak; their faces have to be dusted because the temple grime settles on them; the priests steal their gold; they cannot save themselves from rust or moths, cannot deliver themselves from thieves, cannot even swat away the corrosion on their own faces. By this, the letter concludes, they are known not to be gods; do not fear them.

The whole letter works to break the spell of intimidation. The exiles will be surrounded by a splendid, confident idol-worship, great crowds processing before gilded gods, and the natural response of a small, defeated people is to be overawed and afraid, to think these gods must be real and strong to command such devotion. The letter systematically dismantles that fear by pointing at what the idols cannot do. They cannot speak, cannot move, cannot protect their own gold from their own priests, cannot keep the dust off their faces or the moths out of their robes. A god you have to dust, a god that gets robbed, a god that rusts, is no god at all. The refrain is do not fear them. And underneath the mockery is a positive claim: my angel is with you, I care for your souls. The cure for being intimidated by impressive false powers is a clear sight of their impotence and a settled trust in the living God who actually keeps your soul. Whatever looks imposing and demands your fear, ask what it can actually do; the idols could do nothing, and neither can the modern powers that overawe us.

What impressive but powerless thing intimidates me and demands my fear, and would a clear look at what it actually cannot do free me to fear only the living God who keeps my soul?

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