JEREMIAH 21:8 : “Now you shall say to this people, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.”‘”
According to Aesop’s fables, a long time ago when the world was young, the birds and the beasts were engaged in a bitter war. The bat, not wanting to be on the losing side–whichever that might turn out to be–tried to be on both sides.
Whenever the birds won a battle, he would fly with them, telling everyone he was a bird. When the beasts won, he would walk around, assuring everyone that he was a beast. Because he refused to make a choice, he was rejected by both the birds and the beasts. From that day on, according to Aesop, the bat has had to go into hiding, living in dark caves, only daring to come out at night.
God instructed Jeremiah to put before the Israelites a choice. The armies of Nebuchadnezzar surrounded the city of Jerusalem. Those who defected to the Chaldeans, God said, would be spared; those who stayed in the city were doomed.
This was the very opposite of what the people expected. Surely God would not allow His holy city to be conquered. They were faced with the choice of believing God as He spoke through Jeremiah or their false prophets, who assured them Jerusalem would not fall. One way was life, the other way was death, and there was no middle ground.
There are still many false prophets in the world. They speak eloquently of what God has done or will do. But their words don’t square with God’s words as found in the Bible. To choose the former is to choose death; to choose the latter is to choose life–but a choice must be made. Taking both sides is not an option.
Have you decided yet what you will choose? Make your choice today. Will it be the wisdom of the world, which brings the way of death? Or will it be the wisdom of God’s Word, which brings the way of life? The choice is yours, but a choice must be made. You can’t have it both ways.
WHEN IT COMES TO LIFE AND DEATH, THERE’S NO THIRD OPTION.