The book of Ezekiel is a prophetic book written by...uhm...who was that again...oh, yeah, that's right - EZEKIEL! Shocking, I know. God came to him in a vision during the Judean exile and Ezekiel is called by God to go to the exiled Jews and warn them about what will happen if they continue to rebel against their God.
1:4-21 - The theme of this passage from Ezekiel is definitely movement - can you see that? Ezekiel sees this vision of God and He is definitely not static. God is on the move...He cannot be contained by some man-made temple...He is roaming the earth. We see a stormy thundercloud swirling around with lightning coming out of it. We see huge wheels rolling back and forth. We see cherubim flying around. We see trails of fire shooting back and forth. God is depicted as living and active. God is at work and He is going to do whatever it takes to bring His people back to Him. Through these images we also get the impression of God as a warrior on the march. Lightning, storm, fire, and wheels (Like chariots) are all representations of war. Ezekiel can see immediately that God is active in the lives of His people and He is going to wage war on their unfaithfulness.
1:22-26 - This reminds me alot of the throne room imagery that appears in Revelation chapter 4. The expanse of crystal, the living creatures all around, the storms with lightning, etc. Both descriptions of the presence of God exude infinite power. This is not a God to be trifled with...this is not a God to turn your back on. The Israelites found that out the hard way, hopefully you and I don't have to in our lives.
1:28 - Even int he midst of this vision of judgment - there is hope. Do you see how Gos is described in verse 28? Ezekiel sees an image of a rainbow when he looks at the Glory of the Lord. After God flooded the world in Noah's time, He sent a rainbow as a promise that He would never again devastate the earth in such a fashion. The rainbow is a reminder of God's faithfulness to His promises. Though the people have brought the exile and the judgment upon themselves, God in His graciousness will welcome them back in the end.
2:1 - "Son of Man" - This phrase is used over 90 times in the book of Ezekiel to address Ezekiel. It is a very multi-faceted term. It is a reminder for Ezekiel that he is just a man - He is not God - and God wants him to understand his place in the relationship. God says, "Jump!" and Ezekiel says, "How high?" On the other hand, the rest of the people of Judah are consistently described as the "sons of Israel" - this carries the connotation that they are as rebellious and unfaithful as their forefathers. When Ezekiel is called the some of man, he is being set apart from the rest. An exact translation is actually - "the son of Adam (Adam means man)." Adam as you recall from Genesis was brought to life when God breathed the Spirit into him. Ezekiel is set apart by God and made a prophet when is is filled with the Spirit of God...He is the son of Adam.
2:2 - The spirit of God enables Ezekiel to do what his countrymen could not - to attain a level of faithfulness and commitment that is super-human. This reminds me to be thankful for the fact that we have access, through the blood of Jesus Christ, to the Holy Spirit of God every day of our lives! Thank you Jesus.
2:5 - Sadly, Ezekiel is told by God that his ministry will be a failure. God tells him that the rebellious people will not listen to his words. Then why is God making Ezekiel go through this charade. Because God is always one step ahead of the game (It is His "game" after all). Even though the people for the most part will not listen to Ezekiel, he will come and prophecy about God's judgement on the men and women of Judah. So that after the punishment has been poured out on the people, they will be able to look back and understand that God told them this would happen. It will lead to a revival among the people and a return to God. Sometimes success is defined by planting seeds for the Spirit of God to work through, even though you don't get to see the end result.
3:3 - Ezekiel is told to eat the scroll (i.e. God's Word/prophecies), and he does. The scroll tastes like honey to Ezekiel who is filled with the Spirit of God, but the words of God will be bitter and indigestible for those who are rebellious. This is something for each of us to think about. Is it easy for you to listen to hard truth about yourself? Is it easy for you to be challenged by God's Word and incorporate change in your life? Or do you get defensive and make excuses for yourself. A Spirit-filled life is one that enables us to hear God's truth and act on it.
3:14 - What does this mean? The hand of the Lord was on him, but he was still filled with bitterness and anger? What is going on there? Well, there is this war that is going on within Ezekiel at this point. He has been filled with the Spirit of God, so he fully understands God's wrath towards the people. He is filled with the righteous anger of God. Yet at the same time, the Israelite within him is weeping in bitterness at the fact that his people have to go through such harsh judgment so that they will return to God. He is torn between being absolutely livid at his people and brokenhearted for their suffering.
3:17 - God has called Ezekiel to be a watchman for the people of Judah. Whenever Ezekiel sees or hears God on the move, he must warn the people...he must call them to repentance...to turn back to God. Whether evil or righteous, the people must hear the warning and heed Ezekiel's advice. That is the only chance for hope for the people of Judah.
3:25ff - This is a strange passage, but Ezekiel becomes a mouthpiece for God. Literally, God makes him into was amounts to a microphone for His truth. Ezekiel is removed from walking among the people...God binds him so that he cannot leave. God makes it so that he cannot talk, except for when he is speaking the words that come directly from God. He cannot beg God to have mercy on the people, because the time for mercy has passed and the people will only receive judgement from God's mouthpiece.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Lamentations Chapters 3-5
3:19-24 - All the horrible things that have been described in the book of Lamentations so far, paint a pretty bleak picture for the Jewish people. I love that in the midst of pain, suffering and judgment, the author still has the faithfulness to believe that God is a God of compassionate love. When everything is falling apart (Usually due to our own sinful choices, or those of others around us), there is only God to turn to. He is the only one that can provide the strength that we need. Sadly, it is in the times of greatest need that people often choose to blame God and turn from Him.
3:25 and 26 - This reminds me of King Saul, who refused to wait. Early in his reign as king he was going off to war and wanted Samuel the prophet to make sacrifices and cry out to God for their army. Samuel was delayed in coming, so instead of waiting, Saul just made the sacrifices himself (Something he wasn't supposed to do). He refused to wait on God...just decided to do his own thing. How often does that describe the way you choose to act? As is clear in the second half of verse 25, waiting does not mean doing nothing. Waiting on the Lord means seeking God with your heart and soul and listening where He is calling us to go. Before you make huge decisions and determine how you are going to respond to something - wait on God...cry out to Him.
3:32 and 33 - This is something that we all need to understand...though God is allowing His people to be punished for their sins, this does not mean that He is not compassionate. This passage says that He does not willingly afflict His people...He unwillingly does what He has to do for the good of His people. He does what needs to be done because He loves them so much. If punishment is the only thing that will make stubborn people see the error of their ways...God is willing to punish (Like any loving parent would).
3:39 - If you are alive and blood is pumping through your veins, you really have nothing to complain about. Your life is a gift from God...something He allowed you to have today - life! Everyone deserves death for their sins and their disrespect towards God, but instead we receive grace through Jesus Christ! Yet another undeserved gift we receive. Our sinful actions will always have dire consequences and there is no one to blame but ourselves. I think the author is trying to tell us something - "Stop whining and turn back to God!"
3:55-57 - When you have hit rock bottom...when you are in the depths, there is only one place to turn - God. God is our strength...God is our refuge...we do not have to fear because we have God with us. I personally really need to hear this verse today...I have been struggling with some doubts and needed this reassurance. I open the Word today and come to this verse and God is whispering to my soul..."Do not fear, I am with you." Thank you Lord!
4:10 - Again the utter defilement of the people is illustrated by the fact that during the siege of Jerusalem, women have begun to boil their own babies and eat them as food to survive. That is so sick I don't want to believe it! These innocent babies are forced to pay for the sinful selfishness of their families. I want to know where the fathers are...where are the leaders standing up and demanding that these atrocities stop? They are nowhere to be found, and you start to understand why these people needed to be judged by God.
4:22 - God always takes a strong stance against sin - it is in His nature. Sin is like an attack on God Himself and the creation that He put in place...it must be fought against...it must be destroyed. When we choose to sin, we are setting ourselves in opposition to God. As Christians today, we cannot allow ourselves to think that sin is trivial because of the sacrifice of Jesus. There are people that believe that! There are people that believe that they can basically do whatever they want because God loves them and Jesus died for them. Well, I would suggest that they come and read Lamentations. I would suggest that they read Hebrews 10:26 and following. When we trivialize sin in our lives, we are trivializing the sacrifice of Jesus Christ...and I promise you...you don't want to be in that camp!
3:25 and 26 - This reminds me of King Saul, who refused to wait. Early in his reign as king he was going off to war and wanted Samuel the prophet to make sacrifices and cry out to God for their army. Samuel was delayed in coming, so instead of waiting, Saul just made the sacrifices himself (Something he wasn't supposed to do). He refused to wait on God...just decided to do his own thing. How often does that describe the way you choose to act? As is clear in the second half of verse 25, waiting does not mean doing nothing. Waiting on the Lord means seeking God with your heart and soul and listening where He is calling us to go. Before you make huge decisions and determine how you are going to respond to something - wait on God...cry out to Him.
3:32 and 33 - This is something that we all need to understand...though God is allowing His people to be punished for their sins, this does not mean that He is not compassionate. This passage says that He does not willingly afflict His people...He unwillingly does what He has to do for the good of His people. He does what needs to be done because He loves them so much. If punishment is the only thing that will make stubborn people see the error of their ways...God is willing to punish (Like any loving parent would).
3:39 - If you are alive and blood is pumping through your veins, you really have nothing to complain about. Your life is a gift from God...something He allowed you to have today - life! Everyone deserves death for their sins and their disrespect towards God, but instead we receive grace through Jesus Christ! Yet another undeserved gift we receive. Our sinful actions will always have dire consequences and there is no one to blame but ourselves. I think the author is trying to tell us something - "Stop whining and turn back to God!"
3:55-57 - When you have hit rock bottom...when you are in the depths, there is only one place to turn - God. God is our strength...God is our refuge...we do not have to fear because we have God with us. I personally really need to hear this verse today...I have been struggling with some doubts and needed this reassurance. I open the Word today and come to this verse and God is whispering to my soul..."Do not fear, I am with you." Thank you Lord!
4:10 - Again the utter defilement of the people is illustrated by the fact that during the siege of Jerusalem, women have begun to boil their own babies and eat them as food to survive. That is so sick I don't want to believe it! These innocent babies are forced to pay for the sinful selfishness of their families. I want to know where the fathers are...where are the leaders standing up and demanding that these atrocities stop? They are nowhere to be found, and you start to understand why these people needed to be judged by God.
4:22 - God always takes a strong stance against sin - it is in His nature. Sin is like an attack on God Himself and the creation that He put in place...it must be fought against...it must be destroyed. When we choose to sin, we are setting ourselves in opposition to God. As Christians today, we cannot allow ourselves to think that sin is trivial because of the sacrifice of Jesus. There are people that believe that! There are people that believe that they can basically do whatever they want because God loves them and Jesus died for them. Well, I would suggest that they come and read Lamentations. I would suggest that they read Hebrews 10:26 and following. When we trivialize sin in our lives, we are trivializing the sacrifice of Jesus Christ...and I promise you...you don't want to be in that camp!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Lamentations Chapters 1 and 2
This is a very short book written as a mournful poem about the destruction of Judah. It is heart-breaking, but serves as a warning for believers in any age and ends in hope.
1:1 - God's beloved daughter, Judah, rejected His love and gave herself away to others. She sold herself into prostitution with false gods and greed. Because of the choices of the people of Judah, they have become enslaved...enslaved to lies...enslaved to Babylon...enslaved to suffering. When we turn our backs on God...when we say God is not enough and we try to find fulfillment in earthly lusts and possessions and other humans - we find ourselves as slaves. Instead of being the heirs of the Most High God - the sons and daughters of the Creator - we are enslaved to things that are killing us. I have seen beautiful princesses of God - young teenage women who so desperately seek affection that they throw themselves to boy after boy in search of what can only be found in a relationship with God. They become slaves and it is heartbreaking.
1:6 - This verse reminds me of Jeremiah 52:7, when the warriors and the king of Judah escape from the Babylonian siege (Very bravely leaving behind the women and children). After 2 years of being trapped in Jerusalem and malnutrition, they are weak and overtaken very easily. Like the powerless deer described in this passage, they are slaughter in the fields.
1:9 - The people of Israel refused to think about the future. They thought only of the moment...thought only of whatever would bring them instantaneous pleasure. So the fall was catastrophic...they were blind and had no idea it was coming, because they refused to look at where their choices were leading them. Many of my high school students (And people of any age to be honest) often dwell in the "now" and do not think about the consequences of their actions. They believe they have all the time in the world to get their faith in order...they refuse to accept that their choices are going to have serious repercussions when it comes to their souls...and they couldn't be more wrong. The fall is really hard when you don't look at where you are going.
1:17 and 18 - The people cry out to God but they do not get the help they are looking for...He does not listen to their cries. This seems cruel, bit verse 18 tells us that God is absolutely in the right (He has quite the habit of being that way). You cannot reject God, refuse God, dishonor God, spit in God's face with your actions and words, and then expect Him to come running when you call. I am not saying the situation is hopeless, but there are some dire consequences when people who claim to be believers dishonor God with their lives.
1:19 - Other human beings can never give us what we need - NEVER! People cannot bring fulfillment to our lives. When we try to rely on those we have used as replacements for God in our lives, they will always let us down in the end. Always. We were created to worship God...not other human beings.
2:7 - This theme has come up over and over again in scripture. As God punishes His people for what they have done, He is also hurt in the process. He is shamed because of the actions of His people...His name is mocked and brought low because of the sins of His people. Never forget that your sins don't just affect you...they affect the whole community of believers and God Himself.
2:14 - People often have a bad habit of listening only to those who tell them what they want to hear. Don't be one of those people...that only leads us further and further away from the will of God.
2:19 - All there is to do when everything is falling apart is to cry out to God. That is all that is left for the people of Judah...everything else is gone...there is no hope but God. And that is exactly why God allows His wrath to be poured out on His own people...so that they will return to Him.
1:1 - God's beloved daughter, Judah, rejected His love and gave herself away to others. She sold herself into prostitution with false gods and greed. Because of the choices of the people of Judah, they have become enslaved...enslaved to lies...enslaved to Babylon...enslaved to suffering. When we turn our backs on God...when we say God is not enough and we try to find fulfillment in earthly lusts and possessions and other humans - we find ourselves as slaves. Instead of being the heirs of the Most High God - the sons and daughters of the Creator - we are enslaved to things that are killing us. I have seen beautiful princesses of God - young teenage women who so desperately seek affection that they throw themselves to boy after boy in search of what can only be found in a relationship with God. They become slaves and it is heartbreaking.
1:6 - This verse reminds me of Jeremiah 52:7, when the warriors and the king of Judah escape from the Babylonian siege (Very bravely leaving behind the women and children). After 2 years of being trapped in Jerusalem and malnutrition, they are weak and overtaken very easily. Like the powerless deer described in this passage, they are slaughter in the fields.
1:9 - The people of Israel refused to think about the future. They thought only of the moment...thought only of whatever would bring them instantaneous pleasure. So the fall was catastrophic...they were blind and had no idea it was coming, because they refused to look at where their choices were leading them. Many of my high school students (And people of any age to be honest) often dwell in the "now" and do not think about the consequences of their actions. They believe they have all the time in the world to get their faith in order...they refuse to accept that their choices are going to have serious repercussions when it comes to their souls...and they couldn't be more wrong. The fall is really hard when you don't look at where you are going.
1:17 and 18 - The people cry out to God but they do not get the help they are looking for...He does not listen to their cries. This seems cruel, bit verse 18 tells us that God is absolutely in the right (He has quite the habit of being that way). You cannot reject God, refuse God, dishonor God, spit in God's face with your actions and words, and then expect Him to come running when you call. I am not saying the situation is hopeless, but there are some dire consequences when people who claim to be believers dishonor God with their lives.
1:19 - Other human beings can never give us what we need - NEVER! People cannot bring fulfillment to our lives. When we try to rely on those we have used as replacements for God in our lives, they will always let us down in the end. Always. We were created to worship God...not other human beings.
2:7 - This theme has come up over and over again in scripture. As God punishes His people for what they have done, He is also hurt in the process. He is shamed because of the actions of His people...His name is mocked and brought low because of the sins of His people. Never forget that your sins don't just affect you...they affect the whole community of believers and God Himself.
2:14 - People often have a bad habit of listening only to those who tell them what they want to hear. Don't be one of those people...that only leads us further and further away from the will of God.
2:19 - All there is to do when everything is falling apart is to cry out to God. That is all that is left for the people of Judah...everything else is gone...there is no hope but God. And that is exactly why God allows His wrath to be poured out on His own people...so that they will return to Him.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Jeremiah Chapters 50-52
50:17-19 - This is a great illustration and a simple retelling of the Book of Jeremiah. The sheep (Judah) have gone astray...they have left the safety of their shepherd's flock (As Israel turned away from God). Because of this, the sheep were hunted down and devoured by lions (Assyria and Babylon). But fortunately, the sheep have a tenacious shepherd who goes out and finds them and brings them back into the fold. That is the story of Jeremiah in a nutshell.
50:31-32 - This verse really struck me between the eyes, because I know I struggle with pride so much. In fact, as I was reading this passage, I was having trouble focusing on the text because my mind kept wandering back to an incident where I had my pride wounded and was wondering what I needed to do about it. Suddenly, this verse cuts through the fog and grabs my attention. I need to be reminded often about how God feels about those who are selfishly proud or who take pride in themselves. The proud are the enemies of God...He will bring them low and I don't want to be against Him!
51:7 - This is really great imagery from Jeremiah. Babylon offers this cup of their culture to the world and the people around them greedily drink it up. They want what Babylon has - they want power, prestige, wealth, etc. They gulp down what Babylon is offering and soon find out that is does nothing but drive them mad. My mind immediately jumped to the chief export of the United States - our cultural madness. As Christians in the United States, what can we do to bring cultural changes to a country that sells its brand of self-centered consumerism all over the world? Many of us have drunk it up too...what needs to change in my life...in yours?
51:15-16 - If there was any doubt about Babylons chances at standing against God, Jeremiah clears that all up pretty quickly. God is the creator and the sustainer of everything and his wrath will not be escaped. Something it wouldn't hurt for you and I to remember 0n a daily basis.
52:4-5 - They were besieged for almost two years...can you imagine that? No you can't. Re-read chapter 19 if you want to see how Jeremiah describes what will happened. Trapped in a walled city for two years. The filth and disease must have been rampant. Famine and starvation lead to cannibalism. Fear and depression probably lead to suicides and infighting. This is an utterly heartbreaking punishment that the people of Judah have brought down on themselves.
52:17 - The decorations in the house of the Lord are torn down. They are broken to pieces and shipped back to Babylon. Bronze that was once used in worship of the Lord, goes back to Babylon to be turned into weapons and mirrors and pots and pans...it is totally humiliating to God. Don't forget that when human beings reject their creator they not only bring humility on themselves, but on the name of God too.
52:31-33 - Jehoiachin is brought out of prison by the Babylonian king. He is treated with kindness and respect. Give clothes, a place to stay, and food for life. Doesn't this seem like such a strange way to end the book of Jeremiah? Why is it that Jeremiah ends by telling us this tid-bit of information? Because Jehoiachin is in the line of King David...even in the midst of exile, the line continues on...hope still exists...God is faithful.
50:31-32 - This verse really struck me between the eyes, because I know I struggle with pride so much. In fact, as I was reading this passage, I was having trouble focusing on the text because my mind kept wandering back to an incident where I had my pride wounded and was wondering what I needed to do about it. Suddenly, this verse cuts through the fog and grabs my attention. I need to be reminded often about how God feels about those who are selfishly proud or who take pride in themselves. The proud are the enemies of God...He will bring them low and I don't want to be against Him!
51:7 - This is really great imagery from Jeremiah. Babylon offers this cup of their culture to the world and the people around them greedily drink it up. They want what Babylon has - they want power, prestige, wealth, etc. They gulp down what Babylon is offering and soon find out that is does nothing but drive them mad. My mind immediately jumped to the chief export of the United States - our cultural madness. As Christians in the United States, what can we do to bring cultural changes to a country that sells its brand of self-centered consumerism all over the world? Many of us have drunk it up too...what needs to change in my life...in yours?
51:15-16 - If there was any doubt about Babylons chances at standing against God, Jeremiah clears that all up pretty quickly. God is the creator and the sustainer of everything and his wrath will not be escaped. Something it wouldn't hurt for you and I to remember 0n a daily basis.
52:4-5 - They were besieged for almost two years...can you imagine that? No you can't. Re-read chapter 19 if you want to see how Jeremiah describes what will happened. Trapped in a walled city for two years. The filth and disease must have been rampant. Famine and starvation lead to cannibalism. Fear and depression probably lead to suicides and infighting. This is an utterly heartbreaking punishment that the people of Judah have brought down on themselves.
52:17 - The decorations in the house of the Lord are torn down. They are broken to pieces and shipped back to Babylon. Bronze that was once used in worship of the Lord, goes back to Babylon to be turned into weapons and mirrors and pots and pans...it is totally humiliating to God. Don't forget that when human beings reject their creator they not only bring humility on themselves, but on the name of God too.
52:31-33 - Jehoiachin is brought out of prison by the Babylonian king. He is treated with kindness and respect. Give clothes, a place to stay, and food for life. Doesn't this seem like such a strange way to end the book of Jeremiah? Why is it that Jeremiah ends by telling us this tid-bit of information? Because Jehoiachin is in the line of King David...even in the midst of exile, the line continues on...hope still exists...God is faithful.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Jeremiah Chapters 47-49
48:7 - It is a scary thing to read passages like this and be a part of our culture. When we place our hope and trust in material goods and human strength, we set ourselves against God. We declare that these things are more important to us than God and we become His enemies. Why is it so hard to learn that these things we put so much stock in...spend so much money on...give so much time to...are powerless to give us what we are searching for?
48:44 - This is the original "out of the frying pan, into the fire" statement. If you run, you will fall into the pit. If you climb out of the pit, you will be caught in the snare. That sounds pretty un-fun "out of the pit and into the bear trap!" This is something I don't think we realize sometimes...you cannot run from the wrath of the Lord...you cannot run from judgement. Throw yourself on His mercy.
49:6 and 39 - Even in the midst of three chapters of judgement, suffering and pain - we see that God is working for the greater good of all people. There is hope for the Ammonites and the Elamites, even though they have spent generations rejecting God. There is hope because God is good and even His anger is aimed at bringing redemption in the end. Know that no matter what you have been through...what you have done...there is always redemption waiting when you turn to God.
48:44 - This is the original "out of the frying pan, into the fire" statement. If you run, you will fall into the pit. If you climb out of the pit, you will be caught in the snare. That sounds pretty un-fun "out of the pit and into the bear trap!" This is something I don't think we realize sometimes...you cannot run from the wrath of the Lord...you cannot run from judgement. Throw yourself on His mercy.
49:6 and 39 - Even in the midst of three chapters of judgement, suffering and pain - we see that God is working for the greater good of all people. There is hope for the Ammonites and the Elamites, even though they have spent generations rejecting God. There is hope because God is good and even His anger is aimed at bringing redemption in the end. Know that no matter what you have been through...what you have done...there is always redemption waiting when you turn to God.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Jeremiah Chapters 44-46
44:7 and 9 - God continues the conversation started n the previous chapter by speaking through Jeremiah to the Jews who fled Judah for Egypt despite God's instructions to stay. God questions them, "Why have you left even though I told you to stay? Have you already forgotten that it was your lack of listening that brought destruction upon Judah?" They are stubborn people that refuse to learn from the past...that sounds a little familiar!
44:16-17 - After being warned again and again the people defiantly refuse to listen. The women boldly say to Jeremiah's face that they will worship whoever they want to worship...and where are the husbands? Silent. Refusing to take up their role as spiritual leaders in their families. All the people do not understand that it was their idolatrous sin that got them into the terrible position they find themselves in the first place. They want to blame God. They want to blame Jeremiah. They want to blame the lack of sacrifices they have made to false God's. When what they really need to do is come to grips with their own guilt and repent.
45:5 - A bleak future gets prophesied over Baruch who is Jeremiah's scribe. Jeremiah tells Baruch not to set his sights on the things of this world or worldly success, because everything they know will be destroyed by God due to the idolatry of the Israelites. Jeremiah and Baruch have a ministry of repentance that God has called them to, but it will not end successfully...they will be rejected and abused for doing the will of God. But God promises that Baruch will be given his life in the end. The Bible never tells us that following God's will is easy! And I have to say, there is a beautiful simplicity in which Baruch will be able to function. He will have nothing, so he cannot be obsessed with the meaningless of this world, and he will not be successful so he will not have to deal with pride issues - all that is left for Baruch is utter reliance on God.
46:11 - The Egyptians had a very advanced culture with many medical breakthroughs in the ancient world, but they had nothing to bring healing to the soul. In fact, they culture was absolutely corrupt and did nothing but putrefy people's souls. They may have been healthy on the outside, but they were twisted and sick on the inside. Sounds a lot like the US to me.
46:28 - There is always a bit of hope thrown in at the end of violent prophecies about the future. God uses vile nations as a tool for judgment against the sins of the Israelites to discipline them, but in the end those nations will be destroyed and a remnant in Israel will always remain. God is faithful to His promises and the Jewish people are His chosen priest nation.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Jeremiah Chapters 40-43
40:2ff - I always find it interesting when non-believing characters from the Bible seem to have a better understanding of God then God's own people do. This pagan Babylonian official Nebuzaradan affirms Jeremiah as a prophet more than any Israelite ever has! He says, "I know you prophesied about us winning this war, and I know that your God has allowed this to happen because your people have sinned against Him." Nebuzaradan gets it! He understands what has just happened and most of the Israelites and Judeans do not! He allows Jeremiah to go and choose where he wants to end up...he says he can come to Babylon and be completely taken care of, or he can choose to stay behind. Though life would have been easier in Babylon for Jeremiah, he chooses to stay behind because he has been called to speak to the Children of God.
40:9 - Apparently Gedaliah is one of the few Israelites who also seems to understand the prophecies of Jeremiah. He knows that God has allowed the conquering to take place and encourages his fellow countrymen to work with the Babylonians.
40:16 - Gedaliah seems like a competent enough leader...he listens to Jeremiah, is respected by his fellow Jews, and is working well with the Babylonians...but he refuses to listen to the advice of men that come to warn him about a possible assassination attempt. This turns out to be a huge mistake on his part!
41:2ff - Ishmael and the men with him come to Mizpah and have dinner with Gedaliah, a sign of companionship and hospitality. But Ishmael is a treacherous man who uses the hospitality and trust of Gedaliah to slaughter the man and take all of the people following him captive. It strikes me as ironic that Ishmael is so zealous for his country that he is willing to kill fellow Jews, but that he is working with the Assyrians. Does he really think the Assyrians are going to be better than the Babylonians? The issue has never been about physical power...it has been about spiritual faithfulness, and Ishmael is a great example of the lack of faithfulness to God during this time in Israel's history.
41:5 - Not only is Ishmael willing to kill Jewish leaders that are working with the Babylonians, but he is willing to slaughter a group of Jewish pilgrims who have come to worship God so that he can have a little more time to escape before anyone finds out that he has killed Gedaliah. The pilgrims show up at the wrong time, so he kills them...plain and simple. Ishmael is willing to slaughter faithful Jews in order to "cleanse" the land - that seems like pretty twisted logic to me.
41:17-18 - After Johanan and the others capture back the people who were taken from Gedaliah and chase Ishmael off, they prepare to head to Egypt so they will not have to face the wrath of the Babylonians. They are right to be scared. When revolts broke out in newly conquered territories in ancient times, the revolts were dealt with swiftly and violently. Even though Johanan and his followers did not kill Gedaliah, they do not know that Nebuchadnezzar will believe them...they are ready to flee.
42:2ff - In a move that actually makes sense, they decide to go to Jeremiah and ask him to speak to God on their behalf before they leave for Egypt. They say that they want to know what God wants them to do. They swear to Jeremiah that whatever God tells them to do...they will do. I think they only do this because they assume that they already know what God wants them to do. They are just trying to cover their bases spiritually. There is no way that God would want them to remain behind, right?
42:9ff - Jeremiah comes back to them after ten days and tells them the exact opposite of what they wanted to hear. He says that everything will be alright if they remain in Israel. God is more powerful than the Babylonian leaders and He will protect them from any wrath that might be coming their way. They wanted confirmation on their escape to Egypt and instead, God called them to stay put. Ever been there yourself? Think you have everything all figured out and you want God to affirm YOUR plan for your life when all the sudden He is calling you to do something that couldn't be further from what you wanted to do. So the Judeans are faced with a dilemma - what are they gonna do?
43:2 - The leaders call Jeremiah a liar and they refuse to listen to what he has to say. They didn't get the answer from God that they wanted, so they choose to reject God's instructions. I can understand where they are coming from - to stay behind would almost look like suicide...the Babylonians are gonna come back and somebody has got to pay for the murder of Gedaliah (The Babylonian appointed official!). From the human perspective, the will of God seems impossibly hard. But you cannot simply look at the situation from a human perspective...God is at work in the events of the world. God often calls us to do things that are truly impossible by our own strength, but He is willing to offer us His strength and He does not place a call on us for no reason. We must learn to trust God and to go faithfully where He calls us to go. The more we ignore His path and try to go our own way, the weaker our faith becomes. The more we trust God and choose to chase Him down paths that seems impossible to us, the more faithful we become.
43:6 - Then they left for Egypt and "took" all the other Judeans with them, including Jeremiah.
43:8ff - When they get to the outskirts of Egypt, Jeremiah pulls out another one of his powerful sermon illustrations that come straight from God...and talk about dramatic! He takes huge stones tears up the cobblestone streets of Talphanes (I'm sure the Egyptian officials were really pleased about that!), then he buries the stones and covers them back up. The Jewish people are all watching him do this and after he is done he says, "These stones will be a foundation for the throne of Nebuchadnezzar, because God is going to once again use him as a tool to bring judgement to the world! There is no escape for you who refused to listen to God. Babylon will take over Egypt next...they will destroy the Egyptian idols and all the Jews who refused to stay behind as well!" That had to be a really fun sermon to hear for everybody, the Egyptians and the Jews. There is never a happy ending when the people of God refuse to follow Him and listen to His voice.
40:9 - Apparently Gedaliah is one of the few Israelites who also seems to understand the prophecies of Jeremiah. He knows that God has allowed the conquering to take place and encourages his fellow countrymen to work with the Babylonians.
40:16 - Gedaliah seems like a competent enough leader...he listens to Jeremiah, is respected by his fellow Jews, and is working well with the Babylonians...but he refuses to listen to the advice of men that come to warn him about a possible assassination attempt. This turns out to be a huge mistake on his part!
41:2ff - Ishmael and the men with him come to Mizpah and have dinner with Gedaliah, a sign of companionship and hospitality. But Ishmael is a treacherous man who uses the hospitality and trust of Gedaliah to slaughter the man and take all of the people following him captive. It strikes me as ironic that Ishmael is so zealous for his country that he is willing to kill fellow Jews, but that he is working with the Assyrians. Does he really think the Assyrians are going to be better than the Babylonians? The issue has never been about physical power...it has been about spiritual faithfulness, and Ishmael is a great example of the lack of faithfulness to God during this time in Israel's history.
41:5 - Not only is Ishmael willing to kill Jewish leaders that are working with the Babylonians, but he is willing to slaughter a group of Jewish pilgrims who have come to worship God so that he can have a little more time to escape before anyone finds out that he has killed Gedaliah. The pilgrims show up at the wrong time, so he kills them...plain and simple. Ishmael is willing to slaughter faithful Jews in order to "cleanse" the land - that seems like pretty twisted logic to me.
41:17-18 - After Johanan and the others capture back the people who were taken from Gedaliah and chase Ishmael off, they prepare to head to Egypt so they will not have to face the wrath of the Babylonians. They are right to be scared. When revolts broke out in newly conquered territories in ancient times, the revolts were dealt with swiftly and violently. Even though Johanan and his followers did not kill Gedaliah, they do not know that Nebuchadnezzar will believe them...they are ready to flee.
42:2ff - In a move that actually makes sense, they decide to go to Jeremiah and ask him to speak to God on their behalf before they leave for Egypt. They say that they want to know what God wants them to do. They swear to Jeremiah that whatever God tells them to do...they will do. I think they only do this because they assume that they already know what God wants them to do. They are just trying to cover their bases spiritually. There is no way that God would want them to remain behind, right?
42:9ff - Jeremiah comes back to them after ten days and tells them the exact opposite of what they wanted to hear. He says that everything will be alright if they remain in Israel. God is more powerful than the Babylonian leaders and He will protect them from any wrath that might be coming their way. They wanted confirmation on their escape to Egypt and instead, God called them to stay put. Ever been there yourself? Think you have everything all figured out and you want God to affirm YOUR plan for your life when all the sudden He is calling you to do something that couldn't be further from what you wanted to do. So the Judeans are faced with a dilemma - what are they gonna do?
43:2 - The leaders call Jeremiah a liar and they refuse to listen to what he has to say. They didn't get the answer from God that they wanted, so they choose to reject God's instructions. I can understand where they are coming from - to stay behind would almost look like suicide...the Babylonians are gonna come back and somebody has got to pay for the murder of Gedaliah (The Babylonian appointed official!). From the human perspective, the will of God seems impossibly hard. But you cannot simply look at the situation from a human perspective...God is at work in the events of the world. God often calls us to do things that are truly impossible by our own strength, but He is willing to offer us His strength and He does not place a call on us for no reason. We must learn to trust God and to go faithfully where He calls us to go. The more we ignore His path and try to go our own way, the weaker our faith becomes. The more we trust God and choose to chase Him down paths that seems impossible to us, the more faithful we become.
43:6 - Then they left for Egypt and "took" all the other Judeans with them, including Jeremiah.
43:8ff - When they get to the outskirts of Egypt, Jeremiah pulls out another one of his powerful sermon illustrations that come straight from God...and talk about dramatic! He takes huge stones tears up the cobblestone streets of Talphanes (I'm sure the Egyptian officials were really pleased about that!), then he buries the stones and covers them back up. The Jewish people are all watching him do this and after he is done he says, "These stones will be a foundation for the throne of Nebuchadnezzar, because God is going to once again use him as a tool to bring judgement to the world! There is no escape for you who refused to listen to God. Babylon will take over Egypt next...they will destroy the Egyptian idols and all the Jews who refused to stay behind as well!" That had to be a really fun sermon to hear for everybody, the Egyptians and the Jews. There is never a happy ending when the people of God refuse to follow Him and listen to His voice.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Jeremiah Chapters 37-39
37:2 - A haunting legacy that sounds a great deal like the the descriptions of the lives of many of the kings in 1st and 2nd Chronicles. Zedekiah's name goes down as synonymous with faithlessness and corruption. It is passages like these that make me think about my own legacy? What is the legacy that I am going to leave behind? How about you? What will people say about us when we are gone? How will they summarize our lives? Live out an eternal legacy.
37:3 - The audacity of these leaders of Judah is boundless! They reject God's call to faithfully follow Him...they deny that Jeremiah's prophecies are legitimate and call him a liar...they serve only themselves and oppress the weak...yet when things get tough they come running immediately to Jeremiah, asking him to put in a "good word" with God. We act like this sometimes, don't we? Live our lives completely oblivious to the presence of God and the work of God in this world...totally focused on ourselves and our pleasure...and then everything falls apart and we go running to God. God deserves so much more from us.
37:12 - What does it mean when it says that Jeremiah is going out to receive his portion from among the people? Well, it seems that Jeremiah is leaving Jerusalem after the Babylonian siege has been lifted for a short time...he is going to the land of his ancestors - the Benjaminites - and will lay claim to his share of the land there. He knows for a fact that there is not going to be much left of Jerusalem, so he is going to get the ancestral land he is due. But the guards accuse him of trying to turn traitor and go over the other side and they beat him and throw him in prison. Old Testament prophet is a really tough gig!
38:2 - I read these passage and you have to give Jeremiah credit for his willingness to speak the truth that God has placed on his heart no matter what...his commitment is incredible! At any time, in any culture on the earth - telling people on your side to give up and go over to the side of the enemy would be considered treasonous behavior and probably be worth getting killed for. But Jeremiah knows that his words are the truth from God, and he cares more about the people of Israel than he does about his own life. He wants to give them a chance at salvation and continues to teach the hard truth even when death is looming over his head. And to think, there are times when you and I are scared to represent God's name and truth because somebody might think we're weird...pretty pathetic.
38:6 - I thought it was interesting that the passage very clearly states that Jeremiah was lowered down by ropes into the cistern. I mean, they want to kill this guy right? They hate his guts...why not just shove him in the cistern and get it over with? I think that they lower him down into the cistern so they won't have his blood on their hands figuratively. I think in some twisted way they have convinced themselves that if they place him on the bottom of the well alive and he "just happens" to die of natural consequences (Like starvation or death by mud), then they won't actually be the ones that killed him. Just an interesting detail, that further illustrates the twisted nature of the leaders of God's people.
38:12 - Here we have another interesting detail that is on the opposite end of the spectrum from the first...Ebed-Melech not only fights for Jeremiahs release and goes to get him out of the well, but he very compassionately even brings some old rags along so that the ropes will be more comfortable under Jeremiah's arms. This speaks pretty highly to the kind nature of Ebed-Melech. The group that puts Jeremiah in the well, lowers him gently to the bottom, not out of courtesy, but because they want to cover their own butts. Ebed, who could have just pulled Jeremiah up roughly and still been seen as a faithful man of God, shows the true depth of his character by taking time to get rags and see to Jeremiah's comfort as well as safety. Often times faith is lived out in the little, everyday, details of courtesy and loving-kindness.
38:22 - Very ironic - Jeremiah tells the king that he sees a vision of the king stuck in mud as the kingdom crashes down around him, a short after Jeremiah himself has literally been trapped in mud at the bottom of a cistern. Great writing! I also wonder if this gives us some clue as to how Zedekiah is caught in verse 39:5 after he runs away from Jerusalem. It says he was caught on the plains of Jericho...was it muddy that day? Did the mud slow up the horses...did a chariot break an axle? We don't know but it is interesting to theorize - maybe the Babylonians came upon the powerful king of Judah bogged down in mud, in a filthy and pathetic state.
38:24 - The king knows exactly what is going to happen - Jeremiah has told him over and over - but instead of acting like a true leader, he orders Jeremiah to be silent about the prophecy and he ignores the warnings yet again. The king refuses to trust God to the end, which fits in perfectly with the legacy of faithlessness that already permeated his life.
39:6 - This is a horrifying and heartbreaking end to the story. All of his sons would have lived, if he had just listened to Jeremiah...if he had just trusted God. Jeremiah told him that he and his family would be spared if they gave themselves up tot he king...but in his pride he refused and his kids paid the price for it. They are all slaughtered before his eyes and the vanquished king is blinded and dragged off to Babylon as a showpiece of the victory. How often to this day, to children pay the price for the sins of their parents? Parenting is a sacred duty that requires our total commitment and faithfulness...things that were not abundant in Zedekiah. Hopefully that is different for you.
39:12 - Why is it that the king of Babylon sends out orders for Jeremiah to be freed and taken care of? It is possible that the king has heard that Jeremiah has been prophesying about Babylon's victory and the supremacy of the king from people who have deserted Jerusalem. That would make sense. But we cannot discount the fact that Jeremiah is under the protection of God and the simplest explanation could be that God made it so...God moved Nebuchadnezzar's heart to release the prophet. Either way, Jeremiah's faithfulness is honored in the end.
39:16 and 18 - Because Ebed-Melech made the counter-cultural choice to stand with Jeremiah, thus aligning himself with God, he was one of the few leaders of Jerusalem that was spared. There are times when living faithfully is difficult, but we mus always remember that trusting God and fighting for His kingdom in this world will always pay off in the end.
37:3 - The audacity of these leaders of Judah is boundless! They reject God's call to faithfully follow Him...they deny that Jeremiah's prophecies are legitimate and call him a liar...they serve only themselves and oppress the weak...yet when things get tough they come running immediately to Jeremiah, asking him to put in a "good word" with God. We act like this sometimes, don't we? Live our lives completely oblivious to the presence of God and the work of God in this world...totally focused on ourselves and our pleasure...and then everything falls apart and we go running to God. God deserves so much more from us.
37:12 - What does it mean when it says that Jeremiah is going out to receive his portion from among the people? Well, it seems that Jeremiah is leaving Jerusalem after the Babylonian siege has been lifted for a short time...he is going to the land of his ancestors - the Benjaminites - and will lay claim to his share of the land there. He knows for a fact that there is not going to be much left of Jerusalem, so he is going to get the ancestral land he is due. But the guards accuse him of trying to turn traitor and go over the other side and they beat him and throw him in prison. Old Testament prophet is a really tough gig!
38:2 - I read these passage and you have to give Jeremiah credit for his willingness to speak the truth that God has placed on his heart no matter what...his commitment is incredible! At any time, in any culture on the earth - telling people on your side to give up and go over to the side of the enemy would be considered treasonous behavior and probably be worth getting killed for. But Jeremiah knows that his words are the truth from God, and he cares more about the people of Israel than he does about his own life. He wants to give them a chance at salvation and continues to teach the hard truth even when death is looming over his head. And to think, there are times when you and I are scared to represent God's name and truth because somebody might think we're weird...pretty pathetic.
38:6 - I thought it was interesting that the passage very clearly states that Jeremiah was lowered down by ropes into the cistern. I mean, they want to kill this guy right? They hate his guts...why not just shove him in the cistern and get it over with? I think that they lower him down into the cistern so they won't have his blood on their hands figuratively. I think in some twisted way they have convinced themselves that if they place him on the bottom of the well alive and he "just happens" to die of natural consequences (Like starvation or death by mud), then they won't actually be the ones that killed him. Just an interesting detail, that further illustrates the twisted nature of the leaders of God's people.
38:12 - Here we have another interesting detail that is on the opposite end of the spectrum from the first...Ebed-Melech not only fights for Jeremiahs release and goes to get him out of the well, but he very compassionately even brings some old rags along so that the ropes will be more comfortable under Jeremiah's arms. This speaks pretty highly to the kind nature of Ebed-Melech. The group that puts Jeremiah in the well, lowers him gently to the bottom, not out of courtesy, but because they want to cover their own butts. Ebed, who could have just pulled Jeremiah up roughly and still been seen as a faithful man of God, shows the true depth of his character by taking time to get rags and see to Jeremiah's comfort as well as safety. Often times faith is lived out in the little, everyday, details of courtesy and loving-kindness.
38:22 - Very ironic - Jeremiah tells the king that he sees a vision of the king stuck in mud as the kingdom crashes down around him, a short after Jeremiah himself has literally been trapped in mud at the bottom of a cistern. Great writing! I also wonder if this gives us some clue as to how Zedekiah is caught in verse 39:5 after he runs away from Jerusalem. It says he was caught on the plains of Jericho...was it muddy that day? Did the mud slow up the horses...did a chariot break an axle? We don't know but it is interesting to theorize - maybe the Babylonians came upon the powerful king of Judah bogged down in mud, in a filthy and pathetic state.
38:24 - The king knows exactly what is going to happen - Jeremiah has told him over and over - but instead of acting like a true leader, he orders Jeremiah to be silent about the prophecy and he ignores the warnings yet again. The king refuses to trust God to the end, which fits in perfectly with the legacy of faithlessness that already permeated his life.
39:6 - This is a horrifying and heartbreaking end to the story. All of his sons would have lived, if he had just listened to Jeremiah...if he had just trusted God. Jeremiah told him that he and his family would be spared if they gave themselves up tot he king...but in his pride he refused and his kids paid the price for it. They are all slaughtered before his eyes and the vanquished king is blinded and dragged off to Babylon as a showpiece of the victory. How often to this day, to children pay the price for the sins of their parents? Parenting is a sacred duty that requires our total commitment and faithfulness...things that were not abundant in Zedekiah. Hopefully that is different for you.
39:12 - Why is it that the king of Babylon sends out orders for Jeremiah to be freed and taken care of? It is possible that the king has heard that Jeremiah has been prophesying about Babylon's victory and the supremacy of the king from people who have deserted Jerusalem. That would make sense. But we cannot discount the fact that Jeremiah is under the protection of God and the simplest explanation could be that God made it so...God moved Nebuchadnezzar's heart to release the prophet. Either way, Jeremiah's faithfulness is honored in the end.
39:16 and 18 - Because Ebed-Melech made the counter-cultural choice to stand with Jeremiah, thus aligning himself with God, he was one of the few leaders of Jerusalem that was spared. There are times when living faithfully is difficult, but we mus always remember that trusting God and fighting for His kingdom in this world will always pay off in the end.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Jeremiah Chapters 34-36
34:17 - You can turn your bibles back to Deuteronomy chapter 15 and read through the laws that God set up with regards to the treatment of slaves. This is yet another area where God shows His incredible, culture-changing compassion. In this ancient world, slaves were taken by war and by debts and they were kept forever...they were harshly mistreated. We may be asking ourselves - why would God even allow slavery? I think this is another instance of God allowing human beings to work through their hard-heartedness...God allowed them to keep slaves, but demanded that they be treated kindly. Most of the slavery among fellow Jews had to do with unpaid debts and the relationships was really more like indentured service. The reason I bring up Duet. 15 is so that we can all understand that treating slaves like human beings was part of God's covenant with the people. When the rich and powerful people of Israel go back on their promises of freedom and take their slaves back after releasing them - they break their covenant with God (Yet again). God does not go back on His promises, so this does not sit well with Him. God hates when the strong oppress the weak and He hates it even more when His own people are doing it!
34:18-19 - This is another passage that references God's covenant with His people. In Genesis 15:7-21 we see a covenant making ceremony between Abraham and God. Abraham slaughters and divides multiple animals and lays them out in a path...with half of each animal on each side. God (As a smoking firepot - doesn't that sound cool!) and Abraham walk through the bloody path together as a symbol of their covenant. This ceremony is a way for Abraham to acknowledge that if he breaks the covenant with God, he will be slaughtered like the animals they walked through. As we read before - Zedekiah and the other powerful leaders in Israel have broken their covenant with God, and they will face the consequences of their actions. It would probably do us all some good in current-day Christianity to consider more often the seriousness of our own covenant with God. God takes His promises seriously - do you? Does your commitment to be a disciple of Jesus Christ permeate every area of your life?
35:14 - The teaching illustrations that Jeremiah uses are incredible! Here God instructs Jeremiah to use the Recabite people as an illustration. See, these people are an extremely conservative branch of Judaism. The patriarch of the family, Jonadab, instructed his children and followers not to drink any wine, not to plant crops and not to live in permanent houses. They preferred to stay more connected with their roots as shepherds and nomads. So this human being, Jonadab, asks his children to follow rules that are not even necessary for God worship and they do it faithfully. Yet the Israelites refuse to listen to the warnings and call of God as He tries to guide them over and over. Jeremiah compares the faith of both parties to highlight the depravity of the nation. It seems absurd that people would be able to commit themselves fully to limitations placed on them by a peer group, yet refuse to submit to the will of their creator, but it happens all the time doesn't it? I have high school kids that will memorize 200 lines for a school play but never even read their bible. I have other students who punish their bodies to become better athletes who give their relationship with God no real consideration. How about you?
36:5 - So why was Jeremiah banned? We do not know for sure, but you can bet that it was because everything that came out of his mouth made people feel uncomfortable. I mean, you are reading the book with me right? Everything the man says is divisive and negative (And also directly from the mouth of God)...so I guess finally the priests got tired of him and banned him from teaching in the temple. Maybe it happened back in chapter 26 where the people almost lynched Jeremiah for his strong words...any way you cut it, it is just another sign that the people refuse to listen to the voice of God.
36:23-24 - I mean, it would be crazy to burn a scroll that came from a prophet of God regardless, but this is just twisted and insane. The king sits there and listens to the prophecy word for word and just cuts off little bits and burns them one after the other. The arrogance and sickness here is colossal! The picture that comes to mind for me is Mr. Dursley burning the hundreds of letters that Harry Potter receives inviting him to Hogwarts one at a time in the first movie. Dursley has this look of insane glee on his face as he burns them and I bet Jehoakim looked pretty similar. Neither the king nor any of his officials feel any fear and they listen to the words of God and then burn them...their disgusting arrogance will seal their own fate.
34:18-19 - This is another passage that references God's covenant with His people. In Genesis 15:7-21 we see a covenant making ceremony between Abraham and God. Abraham slaughters and divides multiple animals and lays them out in a path...with half of each animal on each side. God (As a smoking firepot - doesn't that sound cool!) and Abraham walk through the bloody path together as a symbol of their covenant. This ceremony is a way for Abraham to acknowledge that if he breaks the covenant with God, he will be slaughtered like the animals they walked through. As we read before - Zedekiah and the other powerful leaders in Israel have broken their covenant with God, and they will face the consequences of their actions. It would probably do us all some good in current-day Christianity to consider more often the seriousness of our own covenant with God. God takes His promises seriously - do you? Does your commitment to be a disciple of Jesus Christ permeate every area of your life?
35:14 - The teaching illustrations that Jeremiah uses are incredible! Here God instructs Jeremiah to use the Recabite people as an illustration. See, these people are an extremely conservative branch of Judaism. The patriarch of the family, Jonadab, instructed his children and followers not to drink any wine, not to plant crops and not to live in permanent houses. They preferred to stay more connected with their roots as shepherds and nomads. So this human being, Jonadab, asks his children to follow rules that are not even necessary for God worship and they do it faithfully. Yet the Israelites refuse to listen to the warnings and call of God as He tries to guide them over and over. Jeremiah compares the faith of both parties to highlight the depravity of the nation. It seems absurd that people would be able to commit themselves fully to limitations placed on them by a peer group, yet refuse to submit to the will of their creator, but it happens all the time doesn't it? I have high school kids that will memorize 200 lines for a school play but never even read their bible. I have other students who punish their bodies to become better athletes who give their relationship with God no real consideration. How about you?
36:5 - So why was Jeremiah banned? We do not know for sure, but you can bet that it was because everything that came out of his mouth made people feel uncomfortable. I mean, you are reading the book with me right? Everything the man says is divisive and negative (And also directly from the mouth of God)...so I guess finally the priests got tired of him and banned him from teaching in the temple. Maybe it happened back in chapter 26 where the people almost lynched Jeremiah for his strong words...any way you cut it, it is just another sign that the people refuse to listen to the voice of God.
36:23-24 - I mean, it would be crazy to burn a scroll that came from a prophet of God regardless, but this is just twisted and insane. The king sits there and listens to the prophecy word for word and just cuts off little bits and burns them one after the other. The arrogance and sickness here is colossal! The picture that comes to mind for me is Mr. Dursley burning the hundreds of letters that Harry Potter receives inviting him to Hogwarts one at a time in the first movie. Dursley has this look of insane glee on his face as he burns them and I bet Jehoakim looked pretty similar. Neither the king nor any of his officials feel any fear and they listen to the words of God and then burn them...their disgusting arrogance will seal their own fate.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Jeremiah Chapters 31-33
31:2 - There are some really beautiful promises in today's passages...here we see that the people are promised that after the pas through the initial judgement, the pain, the suffering...they will be able to see the grace of God at work. Isn't that true? There are times when we go through painful "desert" experiences, where we question what God is doing. But on every occasion where I have experienced something like that, I have come to see the grace of God and the way He was shaping me through the situation.
31:3 - No matter what your misconceptions about God's nature in the OT are (Some people think He is mean, cruel, angry, etc.), we are told plainly over and over what the reality is: God's love is everlasting and steadfast...though His people reject Him over and over, He is always faithful to His promises.
31:13-14 - As always, after the promises of punishment are the promises of future peace and restoration. God allows the people of Israel to be exiled so that thy will eventually draw closer to Him.
31:15 - This is another prophecy from Jeremiah about the life of Jesus. This prophecy is fulfilled in Matthew 2:18 when the Jewish children were slaughtered in a failed attempt to kill Jesus.
31:22 - Now this is a verse that is often very confusing to people. What does it mean - "now a woman encircles a man?" Well, this has a lot to do with the concepts of the New Covenant and the Old Covenant. I can't tell you how many Christians I know that believe that Jesus ushered in a New Covenant that completes makes the Old one meaningless. I know people who feel no need to spend time in the OT because they have the NEW Testament. What we need to understand is that Jesus did not come to usher in a new covenant, meaning something completely different...he made the covenant "new", as in - he restored it to what it was really supposed to be all along. Jesus himself said he did not come to abolish the Law and prophets, but to fulfill them. Maybe we should listen to Jesus on this one. God is an everlasting, never-changing God and His covenant is the same. So why did I say all that? Because we have to see that God's intentions for relationships with His people even in the OT are so world and culture shattering it is amazing! Jeremiah is writing to an ancient culture of people that have a very twisted understanding of the role of women in the world. They believe that women are supposed to be subservient and ancient societies generally did their best to oppress women (Even the Jewish people). What is awesome is that Jeremiah, in the OT, shows us that God's real covenant with the people will shake up even the roles of women in society. Women will not just be looked at as helpless individuals who exist to serve/please men, but they will once again take on the role of guide, protector, "helpmate" for men as was originally intended (In the garden). That is radical, revolutionary teaching from the OT and it came thousands of years before human cultures began t actually treat women as people of true worth. How cool is that? And when I think about my relationship with my wife...this passage just comes to life. She is a wise woman and often steps into my life to "protect" me from experiencing the fallout of acting on my impulsive nature. She is always there to offer encouragement, but also good advice and I have no idea what I would do without her.
31:25 - Love that beautiful promise. Replenish my soul God, please.
31:33-34 - As I read this, I see future prophecy about Jesus Christ buried here. When Jesus gave his life as a sacrifice for our sins, human beings for the first time since the fall of man in the garden were able to connect themselves to the Spirit of God. That sacrifice cleanses us and makes it so that the Holy Spirit can dwell within us. Why do you think it was so hard for the Israelites to remain faithful to God? They didn't have the resources that we have - they didn't have the very essence of God living within them and working on them. We have that! You hear Christians all the time wishing that they could see God at work like they did in the OT...they wish they could hear God speak out of a burning bush, see God part the Red Sea, etc. We think Moses was so fortunate to experience God like that, but if Moses was here, he would be jealous of us. He would probably say, "You get to have the Spirit of the living God dwell within you? WOW!"
32:14-15 - Here is another powerful illustration from Jeremiah. Though an army is literally besieging the city, Jeremiah goes out and buy some property...buys a vineyard. That is crazy...why would he do that? It is all going to be captured and destroyed soon. He buries the deeds to the property in an urn, to stand as a symbol that one day this land will again be worth something. God will bring His people back and restore them to their promised land. Jeremiah's message is to remain faithful.
32:35 - Why does the punishment of the Israelites seem so harsh? Captured and taken from their homeland for 70 years - whoa! Well, this verse may give you some clues as to why - the people have begun to live lives of utter depravity. God's chosen people are sacrificing their own babies to false idols. God has to destroy the wickedness that exists in His people. Instead of asking how God can be so harsh, we should be asking how He can be so merciful over and over.
32:41 - God cannot wait to get back to the place where He and His people are unified again. Kinda like a father who had to punish His child (Because he loves him) and cannot wait until it is all over, so they can once again play together with joy.
33:6-9- Here we see more promises of future healing while the people are in the midst of pain.
33:15-16 - The true branch that rises from the stump of Jesus - the line of David - is Jesus. Jesus absolutely embodied this promise that "the Lord is our righteousness." God came to earth as a man, showed people what humanity is really supposed to look like by example, and then gave himself as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. The only way sinners like you and me could ever be righteous is through the blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the Lord is our righteousness, literally.
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