“Flee from Babylon!
Run for your lives!
Do not be destroyed
because of her sins.
It is time for the LORD’s vengeance;
He will repay her what she deserves.
Jeremiah 51:6 NIV
In other words, Run Away! Run Away!
I just couldn't shake these words from Monty Python from my head as read today's passage from Jeremiah. Babylon is going to be destroyed and Jeremiah warns everyone to run away. It would have seemed absurd to those that heard that message. After all who could bring down the great city-state of Babylon? Why would anyone fear a nice little Rabbit?
A brief recap of the scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail:
In the film, King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table are led to the Cave of Caerbannog by Tim the Enchanter, and find that they must face down both the Rabbit and the Black Beast. The Cave of Caerbannog ("caer bannog" being Welsh for "turreted castle") is the home of the Legendary Black Beast of Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh. This is guarded by a monster which is initially unknown. King Arthur and his knights are led to the cave by Tim the Enchanter, and find that they must face down its guardian beast. Tim verbally paints a picture of a terrible monster with "nasty, big, pointy teeth!", so terrifying that Sir Robin soils his armour. When the guardian appears to be an innocuous white rabbit, surrounded by the bones of the fallen, Arthur and his knights no longer take it seriously. Ignoring Tim's warnings ("a vicious streak a mile wide!"), King Arthur orders Bors to chop its head off. Bors confidently approaches it, sword drawn, and is immediately decapitated by the rabbit to the sound of a can opener. Despite their initial shock, Sir Robin soiling his armor (again), and Tim's loud scoffing, the knights attack in force, but are driven to "run away!" as the rabbit leaps and attacks, killing Gawain and Ector. The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch is then used to kill the beast and allow the quest to proceed.
So what's my point?
We put our trust in things based on perception and not truth and reality.
So our sense of well-being varies based on the stock market.
Our feelings of security vary based on the evening news.
Our confidence in the future is dependent on words from our government.
Didn't work out to well for the people in and around Babylon.
Didn't work out to well for the folks that thought the bunny was safe.
Won't work for you today.
Things that last come from God - Peace, security, your future.
What are you trusting in for these things?
My hope is that you are not trusting a nice bunny that could be a "killer" or for that matter a modern day "Babylon."
It's your call. Maybe this note is your holy hand grenade.
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