Today's Scripture Reading (June 8, 2023): Jeremiah 49
We
live in a society where we seem undecided about the reason and length of the incarceration
of criminals. Part of the problem is that our criminal justice system does not
seem to be blind; differences exist between the length of time a criminal gets
placed behind bars that appear to be based on race and economic factors instead
of the seriousness of the crime. So, many of our fellow citizens are arguing
for the mass release of prisoners in our jails, especially for more minor offenses.
But another part of the problem is we are unsure why we incarcerate criminals.
Do we house criminals in our prisons strictly as a punishment for their crimes,
or do we want to rehabilitate them so that we can release them back into society
with better education and skills, hopefully making them less likely to re-enter
their life of crime?
The
argument rages. And in some ways, our reactions to the discussion go through a
rollercoaster ride, finding support for releasing the incarcerated during times
of low crime and being more responsive to longer criminal sentences during
times of high crime in our society. Of course, criminal penalties also vary
from country to country and culture to culture. And if we travel abroad, it is
always wise to know the laws and penalties before entering a different society
because ignorance of the law is never a workable defense for our misdeeds if we
violate a foreign country's rules.
We
often encounter passages that speak of God's anger or wrath when reading the
biblical story. And it is easy to conclude that God issues punishment for the
sake of hurting those who do wrong. It is an argument that says, "God is
getting back at those who refuse to follow him." So, the message we
receive is to follow God or be destroyed.
But
is that the biblical message? And sometimes, it seems that it must be. The northern
Kingdom of Israel was led by a string of kings who refused to follow God. As a
result, the nation was led into exile, and it never returned. I guess the
question we must ask ourselves is, "Does that mean God stopped caring for
Israel? Did God have to bring Israel back from exile, just as he would with
Judah, to prove his love for that nation?" The answer might surprise us. I
firmly believe God loved Israel as much as he loved Judah, even though he dealt
with them differently.
He
loved the Ammonites as well, and he promised through Jeremiah that although he
will use Babylon to discipline them, he would bring them back as well. It seems
that the restoration of Ammon happened at the same time God restored Judah. The
decree that sent Judah home was the same one that sent Ammon and Moab home as
well. And maybe that means that God's discipline always points toward
restoration and rehabilitation, even when that restoration is not apparent.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 1
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