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#1030
Our knowledge of God is measured by our obedience
to His Word; and our love for Him is the measure
of that obedience.
Jeremiah 1
Jeremiah's deep feelings of sorrow for his people
make this a most touching book. The Lord even
tells him that the people wont listen to him.
What a difficult job he had! He was very sad to
see Judah slipping away from the Lord. He was to
tell them that punishment was ahead for them. He
loved them deeply. It would be like the horror
that a person might have as he watched a crowd
rushing toward the edge of an unseen precipice,
and his being unable to stop them. Some in the
crowd even throwing rocks at him as he shouted
his warnings.
His heart breaks... He finally sobs out as he
sees them die. He was so close to the Lord that
he was feeling what the Lord felt about His
people, so it is really like the reflection of
the Lord's voice we are hearing in this book.
Jer 1:2 Though Josiah was the king and did that
which was right in the sight of the Lord, many
Israelites went to the temple and gave up their
idols, and "outwardly" worshipped the
Lord, but their hearts were still the same. And
God saw their hearts, and warned them of the
punishments that were coming. Jeremiah, a tender-hearted
man, didn't like to do this. He tried to excuse
himself from what God asked him to do.
Jer 1:6 Jeremiah knows the people won't listen to
the message.
Jer 1:9-12 But the Lord tells him that He will
put the very words into Jeremiah's mouth. The
Lord shows him a "rod of an almond tree"
- and "a seething pot", (like a frying
pan). The almond tree was the first to blossom.
In Numbers 17:8 it bore fruit in one night. This
tells us that the Lord would hasten to use His
rod to bring to pass what He was saying would
happen.
Jer 1:14 "Out of the north an evil shall
break forth..." This danger that was to come
from the north, was the power of the country
called "Babylon".
#1031
Go to your Bible regularly, open it prayerfully,
read it expectantly, live it joyfully.
Jeremiah 2
Jer 2:1-4 God tenderly reminds the people that He
has not forgotten their love to Him in those
earlier days when He had taken them out of the
land of Egypt! They obeyed and followed Him then!
Jer 2:5-8 The Lord asks what evil He had done to
cause them to turn away from Him! None, of course.
When they arrived in the promised land, they
despised it!
Jer 2:9-17 After all God had done for them, what
a shameful way they acted in turning to lifeless
idols.
Jer 2:18-34 Instead of taking the deserved
punishment from the Lord, they want to go down to
Egypt to get help! What dreadful behaviour!
Jer 2:35-end They had the frightful spirit to say
that they were innocent!
#1032
The best inheritance a faithful parent can leave
his children is a Christian example.
Jeremiah 3
We shall often find the words whoredom and
adultery in this book. God loved the nation of
Israel, and He chose them to be His own special
people, just as a man chooses a woman to be his
wife. But if a wife turns from her husband to
some other man, it is a terrible sin. And this is
what God is telling that guilty nation. He says,
'I loved you, and blessed you, and now you are
turning away from me' - this is adultery.
Jer 3:4 Let us take this verse to heart. What a
wonderful blessing it would be to us, if we
turned always to the Lord for every bit of wisdom
that we needed, and let Him guide us always,
through His Word.
Jer 3:10 We mentioned that there was an outward
following of the Lord in the days of Josiah, but
the Lord could see their hearts, and here He says
that they turned not with their whole heart but
"feignedly" - that is, just pretending.
Jer 3:13 The Lord pleads with them to admit their
guilt, for if they would, then He would bless
them.
Jer 3:14 Even if the whole nation would not
repent, the Lord asks any one or two who will, to
turn to Him, and He promises to bless them. This
is very true today. The whole world is guilty. We
cannot expect our country or any other to repent.
But we can pray that "one of a city, or two
of a family" may turn to the Lord with their
whole heart.
Jer 3:17-22 God promises blessing to those who
will repent and turn to Him. Tomorrow, we will
move on to Chapter 7.
#1033
The conversion of a soul is the miracle of a
moment; the growth of a saint is the work of a
lifetime.
Jeremiah 7
The Lord continues to plead with the people to
turn back to Him. It is like a man who has a wife
who has left him for other men.
Jer 7:2 The prophet is told here to stand in the
"gate of the Lord's house".
Jer 7:4 From the gate of the temple, he warns
them, that although they boasted about their fine
temple, and their religion, yet the Lord could
see their evil hearts and their sinful ways.
Jer 7:13-14 The Lord reminds them that He had
often warned them, but they would not hear, and
so He sadly tells them that the very temple of
which they boasted, would be destroyed. And this
actually happened when king Nebuchadnezzar came a
little while later.
Jer 7:18 They had not only turned from the Lord,
but they had worshipped false gods - idols,
instead. This is often called "adultery"
- that is, a turning from God Who loved them, to
false idols.
Jer 7:25 In spite of their many years of guilt
and idolatry, God had continued to plead with
them through His prophets.
Jer 7:34 This was the sad and terrible condition
that actually happened to the cities of Israel,
because of their sin.
#1034
We are not made rich by what is in our pockets,
but by what is in our hearts.
Jeremiah 10
Jer 10:1-5 It was not just the ideas of Jeremiah
- it was the Word of the Lord. Then in the next
verses, He shows the foolishness of worshipping
idols - just a piece of wood sometimes decked
with silver and gold.
Jer 10:7,10 Notice Who the Lord is!
Jer 10:11-12 Here the Lord reminds the people
that these foolish dumb idols could not make or
do anything, and that they themselves will perish.
But the Lord - He is the One Who made all things.
Jer 10:23 Like the Lord saying, "It's not
possible for a person to decide what to do in his
life, without Me".
We do not have the wisdom to live for God's glory.
Wisdom does not come from our hearts, but from
the Word of God.
#1035
If we have God's Word in our mind, He can put the
right words in our mouth.
Jeremiah 18
Perhaps we all know something about how a potter
takes clay and shapes it into a pitcher or a
vessel of some kind. Sometimes it doesn't take
the right shape, so the potter starts over again.
He can do what he wants with the clay. Here the
Lord tells Israel that they, His people are a
"marred" or a spoiled vessel.
Jer 18:8 If you have read the story of Jonah and
Nineveh, you will remember that God did just what
He tells us in this verse.
Jer 18:12 In spite of the promise of blessing,
their answer is that they will not listen, but
will continue with their evil ways.
Jer 18:18 They were getting tired of listening to
Jeremiah's pleadings and warnings, though he was
just telling them the Word of God. Now they begin
to plan trouble for him so they won't have to
listen to his words any more.
#1036
Don't try to bear tomorrow's burdens with today's
grace.
Jeremiah 21
In this chapter, the very thing that was
prophesied from the beginning of the book, begins
to take place. The mighty Babylonian King
Nebuchadnezzar, comes to destroy them.
Jer 21:4-5 It was too late now. The enemy is at
the gate, and the Lord says that He Himself will
fight against Israel, and that the city will be
taken.
Jer 21:8 Here is something to remember, "the
way of life" and the "way of death".
And it is the Lord that announces the message.
Jer 21:9 Read this verse carefully. If they
wished to live, they were to submit to the enemy
and go out and surrender. If they wished to die,
they were to refuse to go out, and remain in the
guilty city.
#1037
My resistance to change an area of my life that
is inconsistent with the will of God will harden
me to future pleadings of the Spirit.
Jeremiah 26
King Josiah has died and his son Jehoiakim is the
new king.
Jer 26:2 The Lord tells Jeremiah to stand in the
entrance to the Lord's house, and is told that he
must not leave out one word of the Lord's
warnings.
Jer 26:8-9 When he finishes his message, the
priests, the prophets, and all the people are so
mad that they plan to kill Jeremiah! Poor
Jeremiah! He is alone.
Jer 26:10 But the Lord had His eye on His
faithful servant, and sends the princes to
protect Jeremiah.
Jer 26:12-15 Fearless Jeremiah speaks faithful
words for the Lord.
Jer 26:16 The Lord cared for this faithful man.
He is quite ready to die as he told them in verse
14.
Jer 26:24 Here God tells us the name of those who
stood with Jeremiah and defended him when others
would have put him to death.
#1038
There is no danger of conforming to the world
without if we are fully yielded to God's Spirit
within.
Jeremiah 29
In Previous chapters, the Lord carried out His
words of warning. Judah was taken captive to
Babylon. Jeremiah writes this letter to them. No
doubt they thought very often of their own land
of Palestine, and wondered whether they should
submit to the rulers of the land where they were
held captive. We can see here God's answer to
this question.
Jer 29:10 Once more the Lord reminds them that
after 70 years He would let them return to their
own land. What kindness to tell them the number
of years!
Jer 29:21 Notice again that the Lord specially
names those who refuse to accept His word and who
rebelled against Him. He sees and knows the heart
of every one and if any refuse His Word, - what
awful punishment!
Jer 29:24-end Shemiah pretended to have a message
from the Lord, but was really preaching rebellion
against the Lord.
#1039
The will of God will never take you where the
grace of God will not sustain you.
Jeremiah 30
This chapter has two thoughts. Firstly, God was
giving them a promise that He was going to bring
them back to their land. We read yesterday that
Jeremiah was to tell them the length of time
before this would happen. But secondly, God told
Jeremiah to tell the people about a far greater
event to take place in the distant future... All
the tribes of Judah and Israel would be brought
back to the land. This event still hasn't taken
place. Nor will it, until the Lord first comes
into the sky and calls every believer, dead and
living, to come with Him to heaven. Are you a
believer in the Lord Jesus Christ? You will then
be one of those who hear His voice and will be
with Him forever.
Jer 30:4-7 But, something else. Before the Lord
brings them back, a terrible punishment is going
to be put on the people, known as the great
tribulation.
Jer 30:8-11 He tells the faithful ones not to be
afraid
Jer 30:12-15 Word to the unbelievers. Punishment
because they persisted in disobedience... so they
were "incurable".
Jer 30:16 Refers to the nations who have hated
Israel and beaten them.
Jer 30:17-end. He returns to the subject of their
being blessed in the later days.
#1040
It is true that money is the universal passport
for everywhere except heaven, and the universal
provider of everything but happiness (Proverbs 18:11).
Jeremiah 31
Jer 31:1-3 Now the Lord speaks about Himself.
Such a loving God!
Jer 31:4-30 Here we see that not only the tribes
of Judah and Benjamin (they are back in the land
since 1948), but all the other 10 tribes which
are still scattered and unknown, shall be called
back too.
Jer 31:31-end. Beautiful promises for the
Millennium. But notice that the Lord Himself
shall be there with them. The new covenant (or
contract) will be made with Israel, not law-keeping,
but, because of the death on the cross of the
Lord Jesus, God will forgive them their sins.
Those who believe will be the only ones who will
go into the Millennium. Everyone born during
these 1,000 years will be a believer also (v. 33,
34).
Jer 31:36,37 Notice the "ifs". If
heaven could be measured, then His promises
wouldn't be kept! Impossible!
#1041
We need to be encouraged to think in terms of
eternal perspectives.
Jeremiah 32
Jer 32:3 Poor Jeremiah was so hated for telling
the people what the Lord had told him, that they
put him in prison. But it is good to notice, that
he keeps on as if nothing had happened. Why?
Because he believed God. (See what the apostle
Paul calls himself in Ehp.4:1). So was Jeremiah!
Happy to be one! But notice verse 4.
Jer 32:6-12 He is told to buy a piece of land.
Jer 32:14-15 The deeds of the property were to be
preserved for the future. Later they would find
that all this had been prophesied!
Jer 32:17 Let's never forget this verse... and
the question in verse 27. The rest of the chapter
shows us that (1) God had given Israel the
promised land, (2) They disobeyed God, (3) They
were punished for doing this, (4) Yet God (because
of Christ's death for their sins,) will bring
them back and Christ shall be King over them in
prosperity, power and happiness.
#1042
Enthusiasm is easier than obedience.
Jeremiah 33
The prophecy goes on into the future (hasn't come
yet) when the Lord Jesus will appear again. He is
described as the Branch of righteousness, and the
fulfillment of King David. (v. 15). In verses 6-8,
God is saying 7 times "I will". What
wonderful promises!
#1043
When we manifest practical righteousness, we are
proving we have a source of new life.
Jeremiah 34
All who had Hebrew slaves had made an agreement
with Zedekiah and had set them free. But
afterwards they had taken the same fellows and
made them slaves again. Jeremiah is very angry
about this, and he says that they will be
punished for doing this. Isn't this just like
Christians sometimes? The Lord Jesus has given us
freedom from our sins and the world, and then we
go back into the worldly things, and Satan
attracts us into doing things that make us like
slaves again.
#1044
We never know one truth correctly until we know
it in its proper relation with other truths.
Jeremiah 35
We read of the faithfulness of these Gentile
people, the Rechabites. God had promised to bless
them and their descendants. They are descendants
of Rachab the Kenites (1 Chron. 2:55, Gentiles).
It is very interesting to read in the
Encyclopedia that there are people in the desert
today who claim that they are Rechabites.
#1045
Don't "take" time to pray, but "make"
time for prayer.
Jeremiah 36
Jeremiah ordered a man, a writer, Baruch, to
write his prophecy of what God was going to do
later in punishment of Jerusalem. He was to write
it on a roll of paper. When this was read to the
king Jehoiakim, he cut it up and threw it into
the fireplace. Then he tried to arrest Jeremiah
and Baruch. But God saw all this going on, and
hides them. Another roll is obtained and all the
prophecy was written again. It's the same today.
People put their Bible in a drawer and forget
about it. But God sees this too. So Baruch
rewrites the whole thing!
#1046
Both Jonathan and Saul had a sword. Only Jonathan
had courage to use it. 1 Samuel 13
Jeremiah 37
King Zedekiah is still disobedient to God; but
gives a show of pretense. He gets a little bit of
relief from war with Babylon, but this makes him
hope that perhaps they will go away. So he asks
Jeremiah to speak to the Lord and hear what He
says. (Sounds good!) He hopes that the Lord won't
punish them. This only shows how far away from
God he was. The princes accuse Jeremiah of siding
with the enemy, because he had said that
punishment was coming. So they put him in prison.
Zedekiah, probably because he had a bad
conscience, lets out Jeremiah from prison. But he
was too weak to confess his sins, and obey the
Lord.
#1047
The life of your soul is faith. The health of
your soul is love.
Jeremiah 38
Jer 38:2 Things get worse for Jeremiah. God said
that any who stayed in Jerusalem would die, but
those who go with the enemy would live. The
princes are so angry, they ask the king to kill
Jeremiah.
Jer 38:5,6 Jeremiah is cast into the dungeon.
Some faithful men act to help him. God is a God
of details. His way is perfect. The prison even
is a place of safety for Jeremiah. God wanted
Ebed-melech to hear a message, so He sends it
through Jeremiah. What an encouragement this must
have been to him.
#1048
If we are to know more about Jesus, we must be
uncompromising about sin.
Jeremiah 44
We have the awful confusion and sin which existed
among those who insisted on staying in Jerusalem
when God had told them to go. The result was that
they were scattered and received the punishment
God had told them of before. There was no
indication that anyone repented. They ask
Jeremiah to ask the Lord, but don't obey Him when
they get an answer.
#1049
Imorality follows idolatry. Romans 1:20-25
Jeremiah 52
Defiance of God continued to the end.
Jer 52:1-3 King Zedekiah stayed in Jerusalem,
rebelling against the king of Babylon.
Jer 52:4 Nine years later, the enemy came with
all his army and surrounded the city for 2 years.
Jer 52:6,7 Famine now breaks out, the men of war
try to escape, but fail.
Jer 52:8-11 The awful judgment of God fell on
Zedekiah, his eyes are put out, and he is carried
away to Babylon.
Jer 52:12,13 The Lord's great temple burned, and
the wall of the city.
Jer 52:15 What an ending even for the poor people.
Jer 52:17-23 The vessels of the Lord's house all
taken to Babylon. Why all this destruction?
Simply because the kingdom of Judah, from the
king down to the poor people had given up their
faith in the God Who loved them, but His holiness
demanded this punishment. May the reading of this
Book have a sobering effect on each of us.
Summary: Israel, inspite of all God's kindness,
forsook Him and turned to idolatry. God therefore
turned over the government of the world to the
Gentiles. It has remained so till today. But we
know that God has found a way to bless Israel and
the world in the future, and that is of giving
His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be a sacrifice
on the cross! So God can be righteous and fair
and forgive the sins of any one, yes, everyone
who will put their
trust in Christ.
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