The Greatest Treasure
In the midst of this tragic description of Judah's spiritual condition, we find one of God's great jewels of truth buried in this book that primarily deals with spiritual apostasy. To acquire a genuine deep and personal knowledge of God is by far the greatest accomplishment in all of life. The greatest natural wisdom, strength, or wealth can't compare to the riches acquired when we know God.
If Israel and Judah had sought to know God, their people's lives would have been saved from so much pain and loss. The idols they began to worship and the children they sacrificed on their altars to Baal would have never been offered up to demons. The agonizing tears of those like Jeremiah would never have been shed.
Instead, they would have gained the unsearchable riches of God that come to those who know Him. Spiritual riches would have so satisfied them that sin and demonic idolatry would have had no attraction. Who God is and what He desires to do for His children is so far beyond what this fallen world could ever offer.
Just as God revealed Himself to be Abraham's "exceedingly great reward," so He has done for us (Gen. 15:1). Paul the apostle described the knowledge of God that we discover in the face of Christ as our greatest of treasures. It's a treasure that can fill us earthen vessels that we arewith the amazing provisions of God. They can enable us to endure whatever adversity or trial this fallen world throws at us (2 Cor. 3:18, 4:6-16). As we discover the riches of God, we find laid before us every spiritual blessing needed during our sojourn to the city whose builder and maker is God (Eph. 1:3).
This personal knowledge of God is light and life for every person in scripture we admire. They knew God. With that came everything else. That is why people such as Paul made the knowledge of God their greatest pursuit. How we evaluate what makes an accomplishment worthy of our life will in the end determine our life. If your aim is to know God, you will most surely look back on your life and see that this knowledge provided treasures for this life and eternity that are unequaled by anything this fallen world could ever offer.
-Calvary Church Boise
Created 11 months ago
