Day #230

Sermon - Audio
Jeremiah 35-37 - Audio
Jeremiah 35-37 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Jeremiah 35

*Remember, that the book of Jeremiah is not really in chronological order. I'm not sure why it isn't set up in the schedule exactly that way, but this chapter starts around 609-597BC under Jehoahz and Jehoiakim. For instance, this is before yesterdays chapter readings.

*2-7 - The Rechabites were an ancient religious group founded by Jonadab son of Rechab, who assisted Jehu in his successful revolt against the house of Omri in 842 BC. The Rechabites refuse the wine because their ancestor had bound them not to drink wine or build permanent homes (a voluntary commitment, perhaps something like a Nazirite vow

*v14 - These people (Rechabites) are in direct contrast to God's people. The Rechabites have listened (obeyed) their fathers and have done what they have commanded, but the rest of God's people have not.

*v15 - We see here that God's desire with the prophets was for them to get the people to listen.

v18-19 - Although punishment in Jeremiah is generally viewed as corporate, i.e., all Israel is to be punished for the sins of any of its members, exempt are the Rechabites from the full fury of the impending disaster. They will continue to serve God.

Jeremiah 36

*Most likely around 605BC...keep up!

*God tells Jeremiah to write down everything that God has told Him about the coming disaster, so that the people may read and see it and turn. Unfortunately they do not.

*v5 - Remember, he gets arrested later on, most likely he can't go to the house of the Lord because he is currently speaking out against the nation. It kind of upsets people.

*Baruch reads Jeremiah's words right by the gate (a place of influence and courtyard/decisions). People heard the words and Baruch's scroll is taken to the king to be read. The king (Jehoiakim) cuts the scroll up and burns it. A total disregard for God's Word.

*v24 - Notice that the text goes out of the way to say that no one was floored by this. Remember, the word of a prophet was seen as the Word of God...they didn't care and this shows us the state of the people's hearts.

*The king goes to arrest Jeremiah and Baruch, but they are not to be found.

*Jeremiah is instructed to write them down again with the addition of an added piece for Jehoiakim saying that God tried to give them a chance to repent, but they did not.

Jeremiah 37

*Once again super confusing since this comes a bit after this and not in concurrent order.

*v2 - Once again, the issues is that NO ONE WILL LISTEN! How many times does God after try?

*v3 - The only reason Zedekiah wants prayer is because now that they've gotten themselves in this situation by not repenting, not listening, he wants to be delivered from Babylon (see Jer 21:1-2)

Q. How many times in our lives do we ask God to bail us out of a situation that we've gotten ourselves into? We've rejected Him and haven't listened all along the way and now we don't believe that we deserve the outcomes of those decisions and that God should bail us out.

*v5-9 - Egypt marched against Babylon in 588 B.C., drawing the Babylonians away from Jerusalem. But God’s word for Zedekiah is that Babylon will come back. Believing anything else is self-deception.

*v10 - This is a statement of "even if I had 1 wounded guy" you're going to fall. It has been decided by God, so it will be.

*v12 - portion maybe his field that he will later purchase.

*v13-15 - Jeremiah is taken to prison. The charge is that he is siding against his people. It's easy to see how he could be charged with this. Once again, this is sometimes what can happen when we walk on God's path.

*v18-20 - Jeremiah pleads his case by saying that everything up to this point has happened that he said would and there is no prophets speaking anything against what Jeremiah is telling them. The king shows a little compassion on Jeremiah, but only out of fear. Notice it says "until all the bread of the city was gone." - Starvation is upon them as well as destruction. Horrible, Horrible times. All they had to do was listen and turn.

Q. Are we listening, turning?