Contending with Horses
By J.B. Hixson, Ph.D.
05/31/2022
“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?” (Jeremiah 12:5)
As Jeremiah the prophet surveyed the spiritual decay in the midst of the land of Judah, he became discouraged. When would God judge the wicked and bring revival to His people? Understandably, Jeremiah was weary. He wanted relief and he wanted it now. He was becoming impatient with God’s timing. God’s response to Jeremiah’s complaint was not exactly what Jeremiah was looking for. God asked him, “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses” (Jeremiah 12:5)?
In other words, instead of promising Jeremiah better days ahead, the Lord pointed out that the prophet’s present conditions, unbearable though they may seem, were only a preview of what was to come. “Things were not going to get better,” God said, “they were going to get worse.”
The term “footmen” in this passage refers to the other prophets whom Jeremiah had confronted. The footmen represented his adversaries such as the prophets of Baal. The reference to “horses” refers to the coming military invasion of Babylon. God essentially asked Jeremiah, “If you cannot handle the assault when it is only verbal and philosophical, what will you do when it becomes physical?”
An old farmer friend of mine from Illinois used to put it this way: “If you can’t run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!” The fact of the matter is there are a lot of “big dogs” in this world today, and they are only getting bigger. God never promised that living the Christian life in the midst of a fallen world would be easy. In fact, Jesus promised just the opposite. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
As Christians, we are called to run with the footmen without becoming weary. Living in the midst of small difficulties prepares us for the larger ones lurking around the corner. The Bible says, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9).
This is essentially the same challenge that God gave Jeremiah when He told him not to become weary. The world is filled with footmen who will challenge our righteous actions and moral standards at every turn. Do not give in; rather, dig in! Hold your ground. Fight the good fight of faith.
It takes faith to look beyond life’s enemies and see the bigger picture. It takes faith to run with the footmen especially when you can hear the sound of thundering hoofbeats headed your way. Yet, “if we faint in the day of adversity, our strength is small” (Proverbs 24:10). Life is often unjust. God never guaranteed us that life will always be pleasant and fair. However, because of God’s promises in His word, we understand that in spite of our circumstances, God has not forgotten us. Nor has He abandoned us. He knows what He is doing.
The rest of the story in Jeremiah’s day bears this principle out. Even though the people of Judah did experience the devastating invasion of Babylon in 586 BC, God did not ultimately forsake His people. The people returned to their homeland some 70 years later and the temple was eventually rebuilt. Similarly, as we run with the footmen and contend with the horses, we must maintain our hope in God’s ultimate and complete salvation one day. Wherever you are today, hang in there. A better day is coming—but it may get worse before it gets better.
05/31/2022
“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?” (Jeremiah 12:5)
As Jeremiah the prophet surveyed the spiritual decay in the midst of the land of Judah, he became discouraged. When would God judge the wicked and bring revival to His people? Understandably, Jeremiah was weary. He wanted relief and he wanted it now. He was becoming impatient with God’s timing. God’s response to Jeremiah’s complaint was not exactly what Jeremiah was looking for. God asked him, “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses” (Jeremiah 12:5)?
In other words, instead of promising Jeremiah better days ahead, the Lord pointed out that the prophet’s present conditions, unbearable though they may seem, were only a preview of what was to come. “Things were not going to get better,” God said, “they were going to get worse.”
The term “footmen” in this passage refers to the other prophets whom Jeremiah had confronted. The footmen represented his adversaries such as the prophets of Baal. The reference to “horses” refers to the coming military invasion of Babylon. God essentially asked Jeremiah, “If you cannot handle the assault when it is only verbal and philosophical, what will you do when it becomes physical?”
An old farmer friend of mine from Illinois used to put it this way: “If you can’t run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!” The fact of the matter is there are a lot of “big dogs” in this world today, and they are only getting bigger. God never promised that living the Christian life in the midst of a fallen world would be easy. In fact, Jesus promised just the opposite. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
As Christians, we are called to run with the footmen without becoming weary. Living in the midst of small difficulties prepares us for the larger ones lurking around the corner. The Bible says, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9).
This is essentially the same challenge that God gave Jeremiah when He told him not to become weary. The world is filled with footmen who will challenge our righteous actions and moral standards at every turn. Do not give in; rather, dig in! Hold your ground. Fight the good fight of faith.
It takes faith to look beyond life’s enemies and see the bigger picture. It takes faith to run with the footmen especially when you can hear the sound of thundering hoofbeats headed your way. Yet, “if we faint in the day of adversity, our strength is small” (Proverbs 24:10). Life is often unjust. God never guaranteed us that life will always be pleasant and fair. However, because of God’s promises in His word, we understand that in spite of our circumstances, God has not forgotten us. Nor has He abandoned us. He knows what He is doing.
The rest of the story in Jeremiah’s day bears this principle out. Even though the people of Judah did experience the devastating invasion of Babylon in 586 BC, God did not ultimately forsake His people. The people returned to their homeland some 70 years later and the temple was eventually rebuilt. Similarly, as we run with the footmen and contend with the horses, we must maintain our hope in God’s ultimate and complete salvation one day. Wherever you are today, hang in there. A better day is coming—but it may get worse before it gets better.
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