11/30/12
Jeremiah 47-48
Jeremiah is given the word of the Lord about Philistia and Moab. Both of these nations are going to be wiped out. The Philistines live in Gaza and Ashkelon, right where the Gaza strip is now. The Lord brought total destruction. The sword of the Lord has come against it and will not be quiet. It is interesting that warfare still continues to plague this area. Now it is the Palestinians that claim this land and fight still against the God of Israel.
Ch. 48 is the Lord's Word against Moab. Modern day Jordan occupies this territory. Moab's sin was its pride. He trusted in his own achievements and treasures ( v7) He was arrogant toward the Lord. ( v 26) He was very proud, haughty, arrogant, and self-exalting. (v29) But God declared that He would break Moab like and undesirable vessel, make him a laughing-stock, put him to shame, and destroy him as a people. But, He also declares that He will restore the fortunes of Moab in the latter days.
Isaiah 15 is also a prophecy against Moab. There are quite a few similar statements. Both passages mention that every head is bald and beard cut off and that there is much wailing. Both mention the pride and arrogance of Moab and his false boasts. And both mention that the heart of God cries for Moab ( Isaiah 15:5 and Jeremiah 48:36).
God is compassionate and gracious and full of loving kindness, but He doesn't let the guilty go unpunished. And just like Philistia and Moab and Egypt and Israel, when we sin against Him, when we are prideful and arrogant and boast in ourselves, our achievements, and treasures.. He will bring upon us punishment. If we do not repent and turn to Him, that punishment means destruction.
But, He gives us Mercy and Grace through Jesus Christ and if we will just turn to Him and seek Him, He will pardon our sins and forgive us for our transgressions. Oh What a Wonderful God We serve!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
11/29/12 Jeremiah 44-46
The people of Judah disobey and go to Egypt. There they begin to worship the "queen of heaven"
and the gods of Egypt. They twist things around, believing that it was when they stopped worshiping the false gods that things went wrong. They refuse to believe anything Jeremiah tells them. So God sets His face against them to destroy all the remnant that has gone to Egypt, except for a few.
Egypt is also in the crosshairs of God's wrath. He is sending Nebuchadnezzar to defeat Egypt also.
In the middle of this God sends a message to Baruch, the scribe who writes for Jeremiah. It is a message of deliverance, " I will give your life to you", but also a warning. "But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them;" I can understand why Baruch was weary and groaning, why he had such great sorrow. The message he had just written for Jeremiah was heartbreaking. Disaster was coming , again! I can't imagine being forced to leave your land against your will, even though it had been ravaged by war, fire, and disease. And knowing that God had commanded you to stay, you are forced to go... knowing there was no hope in Egypt anyway.
God reaches out to Baruch in the midst of his despair. Don't seek things or success or power or escape... I will give you what you need - I will give you life.
Even in the face of trying circumstances that are in no way compared to what Jeremiah and Baruch were in, I need this reminder. Stop looking for answers, stop groaning about problems, stop seeking Life in any thing except in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the ONLY Way, Truth, and LIFE! Amen!
The people of Judah disobey and go to Egypt. There they begin to worship the "queen of heaven"
and the gods of Egypt. They twist things around, believing that it was when they stopped worshiping the false gods that things went wrong. They refuse to believe anything Jeremiah tells them. So God sets His face against them to destroy all the remnant that has gone to Egypt, except for a few.
Egypt is also in the crosshairs of God's wrath. He is sending Nebuchadnezzar to defeat Egypt also.
In the middle of this God sends a message to Baruch, the scribe who writes for Jeremiah. It is a message of deliverance, " I will give your life to you", but also a warning. "But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them;" I can understand why Baruch was weary and groaning, why he had such great sorrow. The message he had just written for Jeremiah was heartbreaking. Disaster was coming , again! I can't imagine being forced to leave your land against your will, even though it had been ravaged by war, fire, and disease. And knowing that God had commanded you to stay, you are forced to go... knowing there was no hope in Egypt anyway.
God reaches out to Baruch in the midst of his despair. Don't seek things or success or power or escape... I will give you what you need - I will give you life.
Even in the face of trying circumstances that are in no way compared to what Jeremiah and Baruch were in, I need this reminder. Stop looking for answers, stop groaning about problems, stop seeking Life in any thing except in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the ONLY Way, Truth, and LIFE! Amen!
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
11/28'/12 Jeremiah 40-43
Jeremiah is freed from his chains by Nebuzaradan, the Chaldean captain of the the bodyguard. This man knows exactly what Jeremiah has been telling Judah, that God has brought about all that has occurred because of the sins of Judah. This foreigner "gets it" while the priests and kings and leaders don't! This man also offers Jeremiah anything he wants. He can go with Nebuzaradan and be taken care of in Babylon, he can go back to Mizpah where the remnant of Judah is staying, or he can go wherever he wants. Jeremiah, God's prophet was thrown in prison by God's people and freed by a captain in Babylon. How backward that seems, but that is so often the way things seem to happen.
It is the same way Jesus was treated. Killed because of the Jewish leaders, when the Roman authority wanted to release Him.
Gedaliah takes over the governing of the remnant in Judah. But, Ishmael comes along and kills him. He also takes the people with him until Johanan comes to the rescue. This starts out well, but takes a bad turn. Johanan and his fellow commanders come to Jeremiah and ask him to pray and seek the Lord's direction for what they should do next. Jeremiah prays and speaks the Word to the people, and although they had pledged to obey, they instead call him a liar and head to Egypt. And they force Jeremiah to go with them. This spells doom for Egypt too.
It is not enough to pray and ask God to reveal His will for us.
It is not enough for us to pray and pledge that we will obey.
It is only when we pray, listen, and OBEY that we will bring about God's wonderful plan for us, to bless us and save us. To build us up and not tear us down, to plant us and not uproot us. ( 42:10)
Like the remnant of Judah, we deceive ourselves if we pray and pledge to obey, but refuse to follow through. "Trust and Obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!"
Lord Jesus, Help me to hear when You speak and to obey completely. Help me to truly hear the Voice of the Shepherd.
Jeremiah is freed from his chains by Nebuzaradan, the Chaldean captain of the the bodyguard. This man knows exactly what Jeremiah has been telling Judah, that God has brought about all that has occurred because of the sins of Judah. This foreigner "gets it" while the priests and kings and leaders don't! This man also offers Jeremiah anything he wants. He can go with Nebuzaradan and be taken care of in Babylon, he can go back to Mizpah where the remnant of Judah is staying, or he can go wherever he wants. Jeremiah, God's prophet was thrown in prison by God's people and freed by a captain in Babylon. How backward that seems, but that is so often the way things seem to happen.
It is the same way Jesus was treated. Killed because of the Jewish leaders, when the Roman authority wanted to release Him.
Gedaliah takes over the governing of the remnant in Judah. But, Ishmael comes along and kills him. He also takes the people with him until Johanan comes to the rescue. This starts out well, but takes a bad turn. Johanan and his fellow commanders come to Jeremiah and ask him to pray and seek the Lord's direction for what they should do next. Jeremiah prays and speaks the Word to the people, and although they had pledged to obey, they instead call him a liar and head to Egypt. And they force Jeremiah to go with them. This spells doom for Egypt too.
It is not enough to pray and ask God to reveal His will for us.
It is not enough for us to pray and pledge that we will obey.
It is only when we pray, listen, and OBEY that we will bring about God's wonderful plan for us, to bless us and save us. To build us up and not tear us down, to plant us and not uproot us. ( 42:10)
Like the remnant of Judah, we deceive ourselves if we pray and pledge to obey, but refuse to follow through. "Trust and Obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!"
Lord Jesus, Help me to hear when You speak and to obey completely. Help me to truly hear the Voice of the Shepherd.
Monday, November 26, 2012
11/26/12 Jeremiah 37-39
Jeremiah is arrested and put into a prison/ dungeon at the house of Jonathan the scribe. Next he is kept in the court of the guardhouse, and thirdly he is thrown into a cistern of mud. Several times he is interviewed by the king, secretly, and given opportunity to warn the king about what was coming. Zedekiah had ample opportunity to obey the Word of the Lord, but his pride and patriotism kept him from yielding to the king of Babylon. Unfortunately, the results were even worse than he probably imagined. He watched while his sons were killed in front of him and then his eyes were blinded and he was bound by bronze fetters and taken to Babylon. His beloved city was burned just as Jeremiah had warned.
After the siege, after the destruction, all that is left of Judah are the poorest of the people and Jeremiah. The poor are given vineyards and fields. Jeremiah is freed from imprisonment and taken home by Gedaliah. Ebed-Melech, the Ethiopian who rescued Jeremiah from the muddy cistern is also delivered from those who hated him, because he trusted in the LORD.
God gave Israel and Judah every opportunity to repent and return to Him. He is compassionate and patient. He greatly desired them to live. He would have gladly saved the city, if they would just trust Him and obey His Word. But they did not.
This same God, longs to have compassion on us! He will pardon our iniquities, He will heal our sinful hearts, and He will set us free from sin and death and destruction. Oh that we will open our hearts to Him. May we truly listen and obey! Jesus Christ is our King. He came to save us. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Come out from the city, from the world of pride and self. Place your trust in the only One Who knows what tomorrow holds. Oh Lord God, I place my hope in You!
Jeremiah is arrested and put into a prison/ dungeon at the house of Jonathan the scribe. Next he is kept in the court of the guardhouse, and thirdly he is thrown into a cistern of mud. Several times he is interviewed by the king, secretly, and given opportunity to warn the king about what was coming. Zedekiah had ample opportunity to obey the Word of the Lord, but his pride and patriotism kept him from yielding to the king of Babylon. Unfortunately, the results were even worse than he probably imagined. He watched while his sons were killed in front of him and then his eyes were blinded and he was bound by bronze fetters and taken to Babylon. His beloved city was burned just as Jeremiah had warned.
After the siege, after the destruction, all that is left of Judah are the poorest of the people and Jeremiah. The poor are given vineyards and fields. Jeremiah is freed from imprisonment and taken home by Gedaliah. Ebed-Melech, the Ethiopian who rescued Jeremiah from the muddy cistern is also delivered from those who hated him, because he trusted in the LORD.
God gave Israel and Judah every opportunity to repent and return to Him. He is compassionate and patient. He greatly desired them to live. He would have gladly saved the city, if they would just trust Him and obey His Word. But they did not.
This same God, longs to have compassion on us! He will pardon our iniquities, He will heal our sinful hearts, and He will set us free from sin and death and destruction. Oh that we will open our hearts to Him. May we truly listen and obey! Jesus Christ is our King. He came to save us. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Come out from the city, from the world of pride and self. Place your trust in the only One Who knows what tomorrow holds. Oh Lord God, I place my hope in You!
Friday, November 23, 2012
11/23/12 Jeremiah 35 Words of Life
Jeremiah dictates a book to Baruch a scribe, writing all the Words that God had spoken to him through the years... 20 years of warnings, prophecies, and reminders. When the scroll is completed Baruch is told to go on a "fast" day to read the words. It is over a year before this happens.
The day comes and Baruch courageously stands and reads the Word of God through Jeremiah, to the crowd. Micaiah hears and reports this to the officials, who then call for Baruch to come and read the words to them. They tell Baruch to take Jeremiah and go hide. They then report the words to the king Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim demands to hear the words and when Jehudi begins reading it Jehoiakim refuses to listens and cuts it in pieces and burns it.
But God is not through yet. He has Jeremiah dictate the words again, adding more to it ! And one of the things added is that Jehoiakim will not only know that the Words are true, he will experience it himself. He will die and not be buried like a king and he will not have any descendants to sit on the throne of David.
The Word of God cannot be destroyed by man. It cannot be manipulated, it cannot be ignored. There are grave consequences for trying to destroy, ignore, or manipulate the Words of God. He will not be stopped from His purposes or His plans.
So thankful that the Words written by Baruch at the dictation of Jeremiah have been preserved. So thankful that the Lord, God of hosts, Creator of heaven and earth, speaks again and again, calling us to listen, to find Him, to find Life. Wonderful Words, Beautiful Words, Wonderful Words of Life!
Jeremiah dictates a book to Baruch a scribe, writing all the Words that God had spoken to him through the years... 20 years of warnings, prophecies, and reminders. When the scroll is completed Baruch is told to go on a "fast" day to read the words. It is over a year before this happens.
The day comes and Baruch courageously stands and reads the Word of God through Jeremiah, to the crowd. Micaiah hears and reports this to the officials, who then call for Baruch to come and read the words to them. They tell Baruch to take Jeremiah and go hide. They then report the words to the king Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim demands to hear the words and when Jehudi begins reading it Jehoiakim refuses to listens and cuts it in pieces and burns it.
But God is not through yet. He has Jeremiah dictate the words again, adding more to it ! And one of the things added is that Jehoiakim will not only know that the Words are true, he will experience it himself. He will die and not be buried like a king and he will not have any descendants to sit on the throne of David.
The Word of God cannot be destroyed by man. It cannot be manipulated, it cannot be ignored. There are grave consequences for trying to destroy, ignore, or manipulate the Words of God. He will not be stopped from His purposes or His plans.
So thankful that the Words written by Baruch at the dictation of Jeremiah have been preserved. So thankful that the Lord, God of hosts, Creator of heaven and earth, speaks again and again, calling us to listen, to find Him, to find Life. Wonderful Words, Beautiful Words, Wonderful Words of Life!
Thursday, November 22, 2012
11/22/12 Jeremiah 35
In this message from God, Jeremiah is told to call in a family, the Rechabites, for a special meeting. These are descendants of a man named Jonadab, the son of Rechab. Jonadab is known for aiding Jehu against King Ahab. He then led his family to be different than the rest of the Israelites. They never drank wine, they never built houses (living in tents) and they never were farmers - no fields and no vineyards. They were committed to obeying the instructions of Jonadab and refused to drink wine even when Jeremiah is instructed by God to give it to them. The Rechabites had reluctantly come to live in Jerusalem only because of the army of the Chaldeans.
God uses this family as a contrast to the house of Judah. The Rechabites obeyed their father Jonadab, a man who was no longer living and had no more influence in their lives. But Judah refused to listen to the Words of the Lord God, the Almighty Living One, though He spoke again and again!
The Rechabites are rewarded for their faithfulness and obedience to the commands of their earthly father. Judah is punished for their unfaithfulness and refusal to obey the commands of their Heavenly Father.
When we listen to God's Word and obey Him, the benefits are overwhelming - Ps. 102 reminds us to Bless the Lord and to not forget any of His benefits. He pardons all my iniquities, He heals all my diseases, He redeems my life from the pit, He crowns me with lovingkindness and compassion, He satisfies my years with good things..... etc. On this Thanksgiving Day I offer my thanks to my Heavenly Father and remember all of His benefits, His blessings. You have redeemed me by the blood of the Lamb, You have given to be New Life in Christ, You have made me whole, righteous, and blameless in Jesus my Lord. To surround me with Your Lovingkindness and compassion is to surround me with Yourself. Thank You my Lord. May I walk this day in Your Spirit and Honor You in all that I do and say. Amen.
In this message from God, Jeremiah is told to call in a family, the Rechabites, for a special meeting. These are descendants of a man named Jonadab, the son of Rechab. Jonadab is known for aiding Jehu against King Ahab. He then led his family to be different than the rest of the Israelites. They never drank wine, they never built houses (living in tents) and they never were farmers - no fields and no vineyards. They were committed to obeying the instructions of Jonadab and refused to drink wine even when Jeremiah is instructed by God to give it to them. The Rechabites had reluctantly come to live in Jerusalem only because of the army of the Chaldeans.
God uses this family as a contrast to the house of Judah. The Rechabites obeyed their father Jonadab, a man who was no longer living and had no more influence in their lives. But Judah refused to listen to the Words of the Lord God, the Almighty Living One, though He spoke again and again!
The Rechabites are rewarded for their faithfulness and obedience to the commands of their earthly father. Judah is punished for their unfaithfulness and refusal to obey the commands of their Heavenly Father.
When we listen to God's Word and obey Him, the benefits are overwhelming - Ps. 102 reminds us to Bless the Lord and to not forget any of His benefits. He pardons all my iniquities, He heals all my diseases, He redeems my life from the pit, He crowns me with lovingkindness and compassion, He satisfies my years with good things..... etc. On this Thanksgiving Day I offer my thanks to my Heavenly Father and remember all of His benefits, His blessings. You have redeemed me by the blood of the Lamb, You have given to be New Life in Christ, You have made me whole, righteous, and blameless in Jesus my Lord. To surround me with Your Lovingkindness and compassion is to surround me with Yourself. Thank You my Lord. May I walk this day in Your Spirit and Honor You in all that I do and say. Amen.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Nov. 21, 2012 Jeremiah 34
Zedekiah tries to get the people to do something right - to release every Jewish slave from those who have "bought" them, as commanded by God - on the 7th year they should be set free. And the people did it, but then they turned around and took them back into slavery. God reminds them about how He had brought them as a nation out of slavery in Egypt. But because of their actions He is now sending them to the sword, pestilence and to famine. He is releasing His claim on them. They wanted freedom from His Law - the Covenant He had with them. Well, He is granting it - but they are getting release from His Blessings on them also.
Isn't this just like us? We want "freedom" to do our own thing, freedom from religion.. as the atheists say... but along with that "freedom" comes a release from God's blessings. From peace and joy and love, and hope, and healing and salvation.
When God is our God, He gives us all His blessings, but He wants all of our will, to obey His commands, to turn to Him. To trust Him. He knows what is best. Am I trying to do things my own way, am I holding onto things or people or attitudes that I need to release? Forgive me Lord and let Your Will be done in every part of my life. You are my God and I will obey You.
Thank You for being a God of compassion and loving kindness, Who pardons our iniquities.
Keep me in Your Hands I pray.
Amen
Zedekiah tries to get the people to do something right - to release every Jewish slave from those who have "bought" them, as commanded by God - on the 7th year they should be set free. And the people did it, but then they turned around and took them back into slavery. God reminds them about how He had brought them as a nation out of slavery in Egypt. But because of their actions He is now sending them to the sword, pestilence and to famine. He is releasing His claim on them. They wanted freedom from His Law - the Covenant He had with them. Well, He is granting it - but they are getting release from His Blessings on them also.
Isn't this just like us? We want "freedom" to do our own thing, freedom from religion.. as the atheists say... but along with that "freedom" comes a release from God's blessings. From peace and joy and love, and hope, and healing and salvation.
When God is our God, He gives us all His blessings, but He wants all of our will, to obey His commands, to turn to Him. To trust Him. He knows what is best. Am I trying to do things my own way, am I holding onto things or people or attitudes that I need to release? Forgive me Lord and let Your Will be done in every part of my life. You are my God and I will obey You.
Thank You for being a God of compassion and loving kindness, Who pardons our iniquities.
Keep me in Your Hands I pray.
Amen
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