“Then came Jeremiah from Tophet, whiter the Lord had sent him to prophesy…” -Jer. 19:14

“Tophet.” When Jeremiah heard the Lord speak to him regarding his next assignment, I think it would be safe to assume that he was anything but thrilled. Jeremiah was one of God’s mightiest prophets. Part of what made Jeremiah mighty was his determination. And this is why God chose him for the task.

In 2 Kings 23:10 we read that Tophet was a place where parents made their sons and daughters “to pass through the fire of Molech.” Molech was a Middle-Eastern god affiliated with the Egyptians, Phoenicians, Canaanites, and was the national god of the Ammonites. The idol was hallow and brazen, having the head of an ox and outstretched human-like arms. Within the base of the idol fire was kindled so that sacrifices could be made to this pagan deity. When the arms of the statue would get hot, little children would be placed within them to be slowly burned. So that the father and mothers of these children would not have to hear the cries of their little ones, the priests would beat drums to drown their screams out and to soothe the souls of the sacrifices.

After this practice was outlawed by King Josiah, Tophet became a place of refuse. In today’s vernacular we would say a trash pit, a garbage heap, and a dump. Here animal carcasses, human waste, the dead bodies of criminals, and trash were piled up. Needless to say, disease found its home here in Tophet. To keep disease and sickness from spreading and to keep the air purified as best as possible, hot fires were burned almost all the time.

When speaking of the lake of fire where the wicked dead would go after their resurrection and judgment at the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11-15), Jesus carefully chooses this place as his illustration. Tophet was the best example of eternal hell that existed during the life and times of Jesus. And he warned his hearers that such a punishment existed in the afterlife for those who would not follow him into everlasting life (Mt. 10:28-33; Jn. 14:6).

What do you think Tophet smelled like? What do you think it looked like? What was the condition of the people who made their dwelling there? I would say that crazy, appalling, and inhumane would be deep understatements. And yet, Tophet was Jeremiah’s assignment from God. And notice what the verse said, “Then CAME Jeremiah FROM Tophet…” Jeremiah did what God asked him to do. He had taken the elders and priests into this place and preached God’s Word of righteousness to them. If Jeremiah had it difficult, think of Christ. He was called to go into the underworld of wicked spirits and preach the word of righteousness to demonic spirits (1 Pet. 3:19).

As preachers of Jesus Christ, some of the places God calls us to preach will look like, smell like, and have the very appearance of hell. But this is where the captives are held (Lk. 19:10). When we make the decision firmly in our hearts and cry, “Lord where you go….I go,” then we will be able identify will the great apostle when he said, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Cor. 12:9). Tophet or no Tophet, let’s follow.

Prayer:
“Lord I have made the decision to follow you. I will boldly go where you call me today. If that means that I have to go to Tophet, I will go. And I am convinced and I fully can expect that while I am there, the power of Christ will dwell in me and upon me to release those held captive by the power of darkness. I am your hands, feet, and mouthpiece. Today I will release the bound, tormented, and afflicted. I am not concerned about my comfort, but am concerned about your Kingdom. Thank you Holy Ghost for your power. I have it and it will shine through everywhere I go. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN!”

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God;” -Eph. 2:8

The Bible tells us that when we are saved we become sons of God (Rom. 8:16). We are adopted into the family of heaven and we take on the nature of our heavenly Father (Eph. 4:24). As children who are highly prized in the eyes of our loving creator, we are recipients of the different graces that God bestows upon us. In Ephesians 2:8 we are told that the faith that brings salvation is a gift of God. Anything that is given to us as a gift by God can be utilized to fulfill our intended purpose: “…let them HAVE DOMINION…” (Gen. 1:26).

We are told in Romans 12:3 that EVERY MAN has been dealt the measure of faith. Paul is not speaking of every man in the world, but rather, every man who has come under the household of faith (Gal. 6:10). Every born-again person walking this earth has faith in the inner man, whether they are conscious of it or not. There is such a man walking this earth without faith, however, the Bible calls him “unreasonable and wicked” (2 Thess. 3:2).

It wasn’t enough for salvation to just cover our access into heaven. Unfortunately, religion has painted a sloppy picture in our minds of the saving power of God. Salvation is the all-inclusive word of the gospel and incorporates every aspect of our natural human existence (Mk. 10:30).

Faith was given to us by God as a channel of connecting heaven and earth. James tells us that “every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights…” (James 1:17). Stop and think about this for just a moment. Look what this verse just told us. The good and perfect things of God must COME DOWN. Until they come down, they remain spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3). Thank God for spiritual blessings, however, they were never intended to just stay within that realm; they were meant to be sent into this human, earthly realm. As soon spiritual blessings cross over into this realm of touching, seeing, hearing, tasting, and feeling they become natural blessings or physical blessings.

Not to step on any religious toes or kick over sacred cow, but what good would it have done us if Jesus stayed in heaven? The prophets would have continued to speak of him coming and it would have brought refreshing to the hearts of the people. But that is not enough to satisfy the demands of sin. Despite all the comforting words of prophetic heralding, the human race would have still been stuck under the slave master of sin and death. The Father knew that the son had to LEAVE HEAVEN, where man cannot touch, taste, see, hear, or feel, and come into the realm where man CAN touch, taste, see, hear, and feel (Phil. 6:6-8). This was the first and greatest example of a spiritual blessing being made a physical reality.

The procedure of things coming down from heaven has not changed. It is through earnest expectation and FAITH (Phil 1:20). Why did Jesus come? He was expected! Every time an Old Testament Saint made a blood sacrifice that was faith offered up to God expressing earnest belief that the Messiah was coming.

Putting a demand on heaven with the faith that has been given to us is pleasing to God. When we use our faith to touch heaven, the blessings of God flow. Faith is the highway that spiritual blessings use to cross over into earthly blessings. And it is just the opposite. “By faith Enoch was translated…”(Heb. 11:5). Faith was the highway that Enoch used to cross from the physical to the spiritual.

Friends, we have FAITH! It is so pleasing to God when we use it because we stop working under the weak and beggarly elements of this world and start operating as HE does! When a Father sees his son on the basketball court scoring all the points, while the other team struggles to defend him, the father says, “That’ my boy!” Well when we use our faith, God says, “That’s my child!!”

Use YOUR FAITH today. It is your greatest tool!

Prayer:
“Father, thank you for giving me faith! I have it. It was given to me. And it is a mighty tool to put me over in this life. My faith in Christ brings HEALING! My faith in Christ brings PROVISION! My faith in the blood of Jesus turns spiritual blessings into material, tangible blessings! I will not be defeated today Lord! I have to access all the good and perfect things of heaven! They are my inheritance, as I am your adopted child! Thanks be to YOU, OH LORD, which ALWAYS causes me to triumph! IN JESUS NAME!”