PIDGIN TALISMAN

Jeremaya 7:1-10

'God tell Jeremaya: “Make yu stand for di temple gate kon shaut tok dis message: ‘Judah pipol wey dey pass thru dis gates kom woship God, make una listin! Make una hear wetin God won tok. Oga wey bi Israel God wey dey rule all of us sey, Make una shange from di kind life wey una dey live kon do di rite tin. If una shange, I go allow una stay for dis land.’ Make una nor bilive di lie wey make una dey sey, ‘Wi dey save, bikos God temple dey here! Yes! God temple dey here!’ Make una shange from di kind life wey una dey live kon dey do di rite tin. Make una respet each oda too. Make una stop to opress di strenjas among una; shidren wey nor get papa and mama and wimen wey dia husband don die. Make una stop to kill innocent pipol and woship oda gods, bikos e go distroy una. If una stop to do all dis tins, I go allow una stay for dis land wey I give una grand-grand papa as dia propaty. “But make una si una life! Una dey bilive lie-lie words wey nor go save una. Una dey tif; kill; dey sleep with who una nor marry; dey lie; dey swear; dey offa sakrifice give juju and dey woship gods wey una nor know before. Wen una don do all dis tins wey I hate finish, una go kom stand for my present inside my temple kon dey sey, ‘Wi dey save!’ Una tink sey una really dey save wen una dey do all di tins wey I hate? '

 

Talisman na any object wey people believe say fit chase evil, bring good luck or favour, or get religious/magical power to protect, heal or even harm person wey dem make am for. E fit be small thing wey you carry for body or keep for house, and people dey believe say e fit cause “miracle” or magical result. 

For Isaiah 3:18–20, God talk say Him go remove things like amulets and charms from Him people during judgment time, to show say He no support that kind practice at all. Many people waka through life dey believe say some objects dey give them luck; others think say talisman go protect or help them. Some go carry rabbit leg, or wear “lucky” cap, shirt or tie; some get “lucky” coin and many other things wey dem believe go bring them favour. But talisman dey tied to magic, superstition and divination—things wey God clearly forbid for Deuteronomy 18:10–12. 

Many Christians even get their own type of talisman: cross chain, angel pin, or special way of praying wey dem believe say if dem use, God must answer the prayer. This kind mindset dey show lack of trust for God protection and fit turn to idolatry, as we see for Exodus 20:3. You don ever tell yourself, “Na my lucky day”? Or you don ever see coin for ground and say, “Find a penny, pick am up, all day long you go get good luck”? Most of us don talk or think this kind thing at one time or the other. 

Some words no dey Bible at all, and one of them na “luck.” 

For Matthew 17:27, Jesus tell Peter make e go catch fish and take money from the fish mouth pay tax. That one no be luck; na miracle! Person fit think say na “good luck” to find money like that, but for this matter, e no get anything to do with chance or fortune. Jesus know exactly where the money dey, and as Peter obey Jesus instruction, na so e see the money. 

When e reach talisman matter, people of Judah no better pass us. 

Through Jeremiah, God correct the wrong belief say the temple itself fit guarantee their safety. Instead of to put faith for God, dem put faith for object—just like many people today. 

For verse 2, God tell Jeremiah make e stand for gate of the Temple preach message wey expose how dem dey depend on temple as if na big religious charm. Different from today talisman wey small enough to wear or carry, Judah own talisman na the Temple itself. This passage prove say no object fit give anybody luck. 

People wey dey live for Jerusalem that time dey put all their hope for one “ultimate good-luck charm”: the Temple. Dem believe say as long as the Temple still dey Jerusalem, dem get God favour and protection from harm, as verses 4 and 10 show. Meanwhile, thier lifestyle full of sin—dem dey oppress strangers, maltreat widow, neglect orphan and worship false gods for verses 5–7. E resemble today world, no be so? 

Their faith misplace. Instead of trusting the invisible God, dem trust physical building. Psalm 31:6 talk am: “I hate those wey hold onto worthless idols; but as for me, I trust in the Lord.” Exactly so—talisman dey worthless. 

True faith no dey mix with superstitious belief for any object. God want personal response to Him and will. Anything we do for God—prayer, fasting, communion, to go church—suppose flow from love and obedience to God, no be as “method” to buy favour or protection. Jesus dey enough; we no need talisman or lucky charm join am. 

Talisman na belief in occult, and this one dey pain God because na idolatry. Tarot cards, Ouija board, crystal ball, witchcraft, spells and all those things wey people take “find luck” dey evil and demonic. Those things no suppose near us at all; dem dey harmful, dey deceive and dey break our fellowship with God. Even if person say e no really “believe” in them, e still no suppose touch or play with them. Talisman no get real power; all power belong to God alone. 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 

- I dey rely on physical objects, rituals or symbols for protection or favour instead of trusting God completely? 

- When good thing happen, how I dey respond—na “luck” I call am or I dey quickly recognise say na God hand? 

- I dey depend on church attendance, title or religious object for security instead of living life of obedience to God? 

- Which steps I fit take make my faith stand for Christ alone and no be for superstition? 

PRAYER: Lord, help me always put my trust for You, wey don guarantee my safety, and no be for any physical object, in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2xLiBDLm8ncKP90epW8gnq?si=Gl9vxVwPSc6cz0nhuz4-Bw


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