Weekly SummaryHabakkuk, Jeremiah 41-52, Lamentations
So Aha
Showing posts with label Jeremiah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jeremiah. Show all posts
Day #237
Sermon - AudioJeremiah 51-52 - Audio
Jeremiah 51-52 - Reading
Daily Insights - Please Comment
v2 - Just as God winnowed Judah *(Ch 15), He will now do so to Babylon, because they opposed God (50:24).
v3-4 - It is futile for Babylon to try to stand, they will be taken over.
v5 - Israel & Judah have not been forsaken, but Babylon will be, and Jeremiah tells the people to flee from the coming destruction.
v7-10 - This is a metaphor (Babylon is God's instrument of judgment that was used against His people). However, just because God withheld the protection of His people in order that Babylon would be used to hopefully turn His people back to Him...does not mean they are not responsible for their sin/injustice/etc like everyone else is. In 9 and 10 we see this discussed.
v11 - The Medes (Is 13:17-18) are part of the Persian Empire and will be used by God to overtake Babylon around 545BC.
v13 - "Many Waters, Rich in Treasures" - This is Babylon. They did not use their resources in a God-pleasing manner.
v14 - "locusts" - swarm
v15-23 - We see the author write the Words of God on what He is like.
v22-44 - The future of Babylon is made clear...desolation
45-46 - Israel’s exiles should not worry about all the intrigue in Babylon. There will be violence, political unrest, and rulers vying for power. -ESVSB-
49 - Babylon made other nations drink the cup of God’s wrath (25:15–25), and soon Babylon will drink the same cup (25:26). -ESVSB-
63-64 - Jeremiah’s final symbolic act (cf. 13:1–14; 16:1–9; 19:1–15; etc.) fulfills his initial call to be a prophet to the nations (1:5). Thus far are the words of Jeremiah indicates the end of Jeremiah’s words either for the whole book or for the scroll composed in 594–593 B.C.
Jeremiah 52
*Again, not in order, but this chapter recounts how Babylon took over King Zedekiah and Judah, much like in ch 39.
v2 - This is not good. What is evil in the site of the Lord? (Ezekiel 16:49) What is good in God's site (Micah 6:8, 2 Tim 2:22).
v6 - As we saw in earlier chapters, the people were starving in the land while being attacked.
v10-11 - Again, Zedekiah has a horrible ending to his life.
13 - Nebuzaradan (captain) burns the temple...this is not good and will make God angry later on.
15 - Many of the people chose to surrender and their lives were spared and many later rescued when Babylon is destroyed.
16 - Again, many of the poor were left behind to work the land.
24-30 - The leaders of Judah are taken, so that the people left will have no direction.
32-34 - Whatever Evil-merodach’s motives, Jehoiachin was treated well as long as he lived. The Davidic lineage, like the people, waited in exile for the 70 years to end -ESVSB-
Day #236
Sermon - AudioJeremiah 49-50 - Audio
Jeremiah 49-50 - Reading
Daily Insights - Please Comment
Chapters 40 and 50 are part of larger section in which God is declaring judgment on the nations that have punished Israel. We see very clearly in this section of Scripture that God is Lord of the whole earth and every nation is ultimately under his control. God's power is not limited to Israel and his concern is far greater than what it happening in the church.
Chapter 49
1-6) The Ammonites were descendents of Lot through his incestuous relationship with one of his daughters (as were the Moabites; see Genesis 19.30-38). They faced judgment because they stole land from Israel and for worshipping the idol Molech, to whom they made child sacrifices.
7-22) The Israelites descended from Jacob and the Edomites from his twin brother, Esau, both nations descended from their father, Isaac. As there was conflict between the two brothers, there was discord between the two peoples. Edom arrogantly celebrated the fall of Jerusalem (see Obadiah). Edom was located in a fortress made of rock that seemed to provide safety. Edom thought it was invincible because of its location. Edom was destroyed by pride. Pride destroys nations and individuals.
23-27) Damascus was the capital city of Aram, north of Israel. This city was defeated by both Assyria and Babylon.
28-33) Kedor and Hazor were tribes east of Israel.
39-44) Elam was located just north of the Persian Gulf.
Chapter 50
At the height of its power, the Babylonian empire appeared invincible. People could not comprehend Babylon's demise. But when Babylon had finished serving the Lord's plan of punishing Judah, it too would be punished because of evil. Babylon is often used in scripture as a symbol of evil and rebellion against God.
3) The nation from the north was Persia, an alliance of Media and Persia that would become a great world power. Cyrus took the city of Babylon by surprise and brought the nation to its knees.
17-30) God would punish evil Babylon as he did Assyria for what they had done to Israel. Assyria was defeated by Babylon. Babylon would in turn be punished by the nation from the north.
32) Pride or arrogance was Babylon's primary sin. Pride comes from believing the lie that self-sufficiency is possible without God. Proud nations or persons, however, will eventually fail because they refuse to give God glory.
44-46) the invader was Cyrus, who attacked Babylon by surprise and overthrew it. The world was shocked that this great empire was
overthrown. No earthly power, no matter how great, can last forever.
Day #235
Sermon - AudioJeremiah 46-48 - Audio
Jeremiah 46-48 - Reading
Daily Insights - Please Comment
Chapter 46 – This chapter declares God’s displeasure with Egypt, Israel’s old foe and recent ally Jeremiah claims that God will put Egypt to shame and judge Egypt’s gods and kings, then notes that God is with Israel.
v. 1 – The book of Jeremiah is unique in that it gives a thematic verse and then gathers all prophecies under that theme. Because of this, these prophecies do not reflect time periods but themes. Even the prophecies about the same nation can span different time periods.
v. 3-4 – This prophecy against Egypt is filled with mockery and taunting. Egypt has no cavalry (although Babylon did have a form of cavalry which gave them battlefield advantage) so the call to mount their horses is a mocking of the military abilities of Egypt.
v. 7-9 – Again a mocking of Egypt, which boasted of its strength, being like the rising of the Nile.
v. 11 – More mocking – the balm of Gilead was supposed to bring healing, but Jeremiah makes it clear that there is no healing for Egypt.
v. 18 – In Egyptian art Pharaoh was always represented as being taller than everyone else. Now God is sending one who is as tall as the mountains. Pharaoh will look like a midget.
v. 20-21 – God is always about defeating not only peoples but their gods. Egypt was involved in bull worship. The bull will fall to the fly – a huge irony.
v. 22 – The snake is an important part of Egyptian religion and a symbol of royal authority. Egypt’s religious power will not save her and her kings will run away.
v. 25 – God explicitly tells us that He is punishing the nation, its leaders and its gods. Amon of Thebes is the chief god and was connected with the breath of life. This god promised that all good things would come to Egypt. Since Amon was seen as a god who ruled over all of Egypt, God’s declaration of war on Amon was a declaration that God ruled over all of Egypt.
Chapter 47 – Philistia was one of Israel’s most ancient foes. This chapter asserts that God will destroy the Philistines through Babylon.
v. 1 – The Philistines were arch enemies of Israel in the days of King Saul and David. During the 8th century they were usually ruled by outside powers and so their military strength was negligible.
v. 2 – Philistia will endure two defeats. First in 609 B.C., she will be attacked by Pharaoh. Then in 604 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar will come and utterly defeat Philistia ending their existence as a people.
v. 4 – “Caphtor” is the island of Crete. The Philistines were not native to Canaan. They were part of the “sea people” who had invaded different parts of the Ancient Near East in the 12th century B.C. After their defeat by Rameses III some of these sea people settled in the area that became Philistia.
v. 6-7 – God’s punishing sword will not rest until it completes its work against Ashkelon and the seashore.
Chapter 48 – Israel’s dealings with Moab date back even farther than its relationship with Philistia. Moab’s origins in Abraham’s era began with the episode of Lot and his daughters (Gen 19). Moab opposed Israel in Moses’ era, served Israel in David’s era, and plotted with Judah against Babylon in Zedekiah’s era. Here Jeremiah claims God will judge Moab’s arrogance and idolatry, make Moab ashamed of its god, silence Moab’s boasts, and someday restore Moab.
v. 1 – Babylon attacks and destroys Moab in 582 B.C. Babylon wants to damage Egypt more than to destroy Moab. By destroying Moab she takes control of a major trade route that went to Egypt called the King’s Highway.
v. 6 – The bush in the desert is the Arar tree. To be such a bush is to be connected with being cursed.
v. 25 – Often crowns would have horns on them symbolizing power. For the horn to be cut off means the end of a king’s and kingdom’s power.
v. 26 – Moab considered herself great than God and so she is being destroyed.
v. 39 – From being a people of great pride, Moab has become a people of reproach.
Day #234
Sermon - AudioJeremiah 41-45 - Audio
Jeremiah 41-45 - Reading
Daily Insights - Please Comment
Daily Reading Jeremiah 41-45
The notes today come from the Concise Tyndale Bible Commentary (except where noted)
39:11–43:7 MURDER AND FLIGHT TO EGYPT
At Ramah (40:1), situated five miles north of Jerusalem, the Judeans were gathered in preparation for deportation. In the absence of a Judean king, Gedaliah was appointed governor of Judah (40:5; cf. 2 Kings 25:22–24). Mizpah (now Tell en-Nasbeh) was located eight miles north of Jerusalem. It became the administrative center during Gedaliah’s short governorship (Jer. 40:6).
Why was Gedaliah assassinated (41:1–2)? It may have been that Ishmael, a member of the royal family, was jealous for the throne. Or perhaps Gedaliah was viewed as a traitor for assuming a post under the appointment of the Babylonians. The men demonstrated extreme signs of mourning at his death (41:5). “Geruth-kimham” meant the lodging place of Kimham, the son of Barzillai, who exhibited such kindness to David (41:17; cf. 2 Sam. 17:27–29; 19:31–39).
New Bible Commentary: The word from the Lord does not come immediately; Jeremiah cannot command it (7). When it comes it is couched in familiar terms (10; cf. 1:10; 18:7–10) and represents an adaptation of the message Jeremiah has preached in the past. It still involves submission to Babylon and carries the assurance the people needed about reprisals (11; cf. 41:18). The word also testifies to the Lord’s grief over the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem (10). This is not a new note in the prophecy (see on 9:1–3). However, it now looks back on the judgment, rather than forward to it. The Lord’s intention for his people is now to bless, in accordance with his promises of chs. 30–33. This prophecy is also like previous ones, however, in that it needs a response. The people must be willing to stay in the land and have faith that God can and will be as good as his word. If they do not, then there is, as ever, a dark side of the future, an alternative to the blessing which God would give. Trust in Egypt is just as much an offence to God now as it has ever been (24:8), for it represents unbelief.
43:8–44:30 NO HELP IN EGYPT
Jeremiah’s prediction of the Babylonian conquest of Egypt was fulfilled in 568 b.c. by Nebuchadnezzar during the reign of Pharaoh Ahmosis II (43:8–13). Heliopolis (“city of the sun”), or “temple of the sun” (43:13), located near modern Cairo, was a worship center for the sun-god Ra. The “sacred pillars” (43:13) were tall, tapered granite shafts used by the Egyptians as monuments.
The impression given in v 1 is of a settled and scattered Jewish community; the recent migrants may have joined already existing Jewish groups living there. They are addressed once more through Jeremiah, who first recalls the recent destruction of Judah as a result of long disobedience to God. The sin in question, as ever, is idolatry, the basic rejection of God, and the terms are familiar (3–6; cf. 1:16; 11:17). The memory is meant as an object lesson. The Lord is as good as his word.
New Bible Commentary: “The aim, however, is to turn the remnant in Egypt back to him (7–10). They continue, evidently, to worship other gods (8). The word to them, therefore, is based on their own present rebellion against God, not on the past behaviour of either themselves or their forefathers—though that was rebellious too (9). Idolatry continues, possibly now with Egyptian gods (8). The sin is the same, however, whether it persists in old practices or experiments with new ones. Punishment is sure to follow, with that element of shame which is entailed when the nations of the world look on at the fate of the people of the Lord (8b; cf. 24:9; 25:18). This, however, is the last thing God desires; he implores the people to avert the judgment (8a).”
Rejecting the words of Jeremiah, the Jews declared their allegiance to the “Queen of Heaven” (44:17), a reference to the heathen fertility deity known in Canaan as Astarte (the Babylonian Ishtar). The downfall of Pharaoh Hophra (588–569 b.c.) would serve to confirm God’s word through Jeremiah (44:29–30). He was assassinated by a former government official Amasis, also known as Ahmoses II (569–526 b.c.).
45:1–5 Summary
The brief message of Jeremiah in 45:1–5 to his scribe, Baruch, was dictated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, or 605 b.c. Baruch’s reward was his physical preservation. He would suffer with the Judeans, but his life would be spared.
Day #231
Sermon - AudioJeremiah 38-40 & Psalm 74 & 79 - Audio
Jeremiah 38-40 & Psalm 74 & 79 - Reading
Daily Insights - Please Comment
v2-3 = Jeremiah tells the people to surrender to the Chaldeans and they will keep their lives. The officials and King Zedekiah think Jeremiah is undermining them and hurting the war effort by doing this, when actually the advice is sound and is the only thing that will save the people.
v6 = A cistern was a holding tank for water. The people would use it to gather water during the rainy season. The bottom of the cistern was disgusting because of all the trash/feces/etc that would fall into the cistern and go to the bottom. There is no food/water in it, so Jeremiah will starve.
Thought = Once again, look at where God's path has led Jeremiah.
Ebed-Melech rescues Jeremiah from the cistern.
v15 = King Zedekiah wants to know what Jeremiah has to say. Unfortunately Jeremiah keeps telling them time and time again, but people aren't listening. This time, King Z says he will listen and not kill Jeremiah.
v17-18 = Jeremiah tells King Z to surrender himself.
v19 = Zedekiah’s professed fear is of Jews who have already fled to the Babylonians. Perhaps he intends to suggest reprisals for poor treatment during the terrible hardships of siege. -WBC-
v25-28 = Jeremiah agreed to protect the king. See 37:21. the day that Jerusalem was taken. Babylon renewed the siege, as Jeremiah had promised (see 37:6–10), and eventually triumphed. ESVSB
Jeremiah 39
*Again, not in order, probably around 589BC.
*v4 = Zedekiah’s response to the end of the siege was predictable. As the Babylonians broke through the wall to the north, he and many of his retinue attempted to flee to the south. Holladay (2:292) suggests that Zedekiah was attempting to reach the protection of the Ammonite king on the other side of the Jordan. -WBC- He is captured.
*v6-7 = The punishment of Zedekiah is severe. He sees his sons executed/He is blinded. He didn't listen to Jeremiah's words from God.
*v8 = The promised destruction from Jeremiah comes to pass.
*v9-10 = The poorest people were left to run the land there.
*v11-14 = God makes sure that Jeremiah is watched over. Nebuchadnezzar takes care of him. Many people would have seen this and have become angry with Jeremiah.
*v16-18 = Ebed-melech will be spared because of His goodness towards God. For believing in Him and rescuing Jeremiah. This is in stark contrast to those who do not listen to God.
Q. So, are you listening (doing) as He speaks in the text?
Jeremiah 40
*This is in order from the last chapter.
*v2-5 = Nebuzaradan recognizes the truth of Jeremiah’s preaching about Jerusalem’s fall. As Nebuchadnezzar ordered (39:11–12), Nebuzaradan offered Jeremiah a choice of where to live and put him under Gedaliah’s protection. -ESVSB-
*v9 = Perhaps the soldiers wanted Gedaliah to lead a revolt. If so, they were disappointed. He gave them the same advice Jeremiah gave the exiles in 29:1–9. ESVSB
*v10 = The poor people now had things they didn't have before when the rich were oppressing them.
v13-14 = The Ammonites opposed Babylon (27:3) and would therefore oppose Gedaliah. The archaeological record confirms the existence of “Baalis, the king of the Ammonites” in the sixth century B.C. An Ammonite seal from this time reads, “Belonging to Baalis, king of the Ammonites.” An inscription from Tel el-Umeiri in Jordan on a seal impression of a high-court official says, “Milqom servant of Baalis.” -ESVBS-
Psalm 74
1-2 - The reason why the God has "cast them off" is because they have rejected His Word (Torah) and His Word through the prophets. The people have chosen death.
5 - This is the Babylonians, see Jer 46:22-23
4-8 - The Babylonians have destroyed the Sanctuary.
9-10 - There is no longer any prophets because God has taken His words from them (Amos 8:11)
11 - The right hand was seen as the one with might and power. The Psalmist is pleading with God to act in power.
12-17 - The Psalmist remembers God and speaks of where God has brought His people.
18-23 - The Psalmist reminds God, as if He needed to be, of the promises to His people and the crimes that are being committed against Him. Everyone wants God to vindicate by killing enemies, but God sends a Savior (His Son) to vindicate through a people by love/justice/righteousness.
Psalm 79
2 - It is a disgrace in the Eastern world to be left unburied/exposed.
3 - Judah was a sacrifice whose blood was poured out. In addition, blood defiles, as does a corpse. So the heathens have defiled Jerusalem not only by the simple act of entering God’s holy precinct (which according to some views was off–limits to them; see Lam. 1:10), but further by contaminating it with blood and corpses. -JSB-
5 - The Psalmist crys out for the end of this, How Long?!
8-10 - Finally, someone seems repentant. This is what God has desired from His people, and they have not turned.
10 - The nations see what is happening to God's people and they question where their God is.
11 - This is an interesting statement when thinking back to the Exodus, when God tells Moses that the peoples cries have come before Him. It's not as if God doesn't know or see what is happening. It's seemingly the only way His people will listen/repent.
13 - The Psalmist is being very optimistic here. I believe he wants to do this, but the people keep turning against God.
Day #230
Sermon - AudioJeremiah 35-37 - Audio
Jeremiah 35-37 - Reading
Daily Insights - Please Comment
*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?
Day #229
Sermon - AudioJeremiah 32-34 - Audio
Jeremiah 32-34 - Reading
Daily Insights - Please Comment
*Unfortunately, King Zedekiah chose to not humble himself before the words of Jeremiah. Zedekiah imprisoned Jeremiah for treason because of his claims that God had given Jerusalem into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar...Just ridiculous. The JSB claims that Jeremiah probably left during a dispute over his family property (which is later bought by him) and was captured at that time.
*See Lev. 25:25–32. When property was sold due to financial problems, a next of kin would buy it back so that it could stay in the family. The person who bought it back was called a “kinsman redeemer” - Think Ruth. Jeremiah does buy the field (pretty cheap) because God tells him to.
*The path that God put Jeremiah on was not a popular one among the people, previous friends, and now we see family issues as well.
*Q. Are we willing to walk the path God has set out for us no matter how unpopular it may be?
*v15 - Interesting comment here by Jeremiah. He knows that the Babylonians are going to come in and take Judah, but he basically is stating this because he is looking forward to a day when Judah's punishment is over.
*16-25 - Jeremiah’s prayer to God provides the basic outlines of God’s relationship with Israel from the time of the exodus. We can see a theme of God teaching his people. Unfortunately it has gotten to the point where the people have rejected the Word of God and have come to rely on themselves.
*v23 - "And they entered and took possession of it. But they did not obey your voice or walk in your law. They did nothing of all you commanded them to do. Therefore you have made all this disaster come upon them. " = God called his people to DO and to WALK with Him. They did neither and this disaster is a choice that was made by God's people.
*Thought - Remember that God calls us to walk and to do as well. Faith without works is dead/worthless.
*v26-44 - God answers Jeremiah and tries to clear up His confusion on why He wanted him to purchase the property and why destruction is coming.
"They have provoked me to anger, by the work of their hands."
"They have turned to me their back and not their face."
"They have not listened to receive instruction"
"They've build idols"
"They sacrificed their children"
*After the discipline has subsided, God will gather His people once again. Giving them another chance. Our God is a God of patience/chances.
Q. Are we taking the patience/love/grace of God in vain by the way we live out each day?
*There is no fixed formula for the way God prepares Israel’s heart for participation in the promised covenant. Unfortunately, God needs to continuously discipline His people at varying levels in order to make sure the covenant stays in tact.
Jeremiah 33
*Jeremiah is still in prison.
*A second set of oracles continues the focus on the coming restoration, but emphasizes that the House of David and the Levitical priesthood will also be a part of God’s everlasting covenant with Israel. -JSB-
*God will restore His people after a time of destruction: "And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it."
*Give thanks to the LORD of Hosts, for the LORD is good, for His kindness is everlasting (v. 11), appears in Pss. 106:1; 118:1; 136:1; Ezra 3:11, and in many other places.
*God says that the first thing restored will be the worship/singing to Him within the land. Other things are to follow in this restoration process. God is going to restore it all.
*v13 - These are places of heated contention, battles, and sometimes a lot of pagan influence. They will become places of peace.
*See 31:35–37. Like the new covenant, God’s covenant with David and Levi will endure forever. This does not contradict the NT teaching about a new covenant (31:31), for Christ fulfills the promise that one of David’s descendants will always reign over the house of Israel. -ESVSB-
*v22 - 1 Peter 2:4-5 = "As you come to him, a living stone nrejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
*Thought - We, as a body, are God's priests (representation of God that carries out His work) in this world.
*v24-26 - Even though the nations of the world believe that God has left His people, they will someday know that He is their God and the covenant made with them is secure.
Jeremiah 34
*Most likely this is around 587BC in the middle of the Babylonian Invasion.
*v2-v5 Jeremiah receives the bad news about Zedekiah, in v6 he tells him the bad news.
*8-11 = The people are supposed to free their Hebrew brothers from slavery, they do, but once the fighting eases a little they put them right back where they were. Not what God had said.
*His people once again do not listen to God and they enslave their people.
*v18 - In a covenant agreement their would be two halves of slaughtered animals, the blood would drip down and each party would pass over the blood to represent what will happen to them if they violate the terms of the agreement. Blood for the breaking.
Day #228
Sermon - AudioJeremiah 30-31 - Audio
Jeremiah 30-31 - Reading
Daily Insights - Please Comment
Chapters 30-33 are often called Jeremiah’s “book of consolation”. The entire section can likely be dated to 587 B.C., the year before Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and its’ people exiled to Babylon. After the exile, there will be a return: God will restore His people. Many images from earlier in the book – an incurable wound and a forgotten lover – recur in these prophecies.
Chapter 30
v. 6 – The anguish of childbirth is a picture of the suffering the people would experience under the Babylonian armies. Perhaps men would act like women in childbirth due to their extreme situation – separation from their God, country, home and temple.
v. 7 – “That day” refers to the judgment against Jerusalem that was about to be experienced.
v. 8 – “That day” refers to the time when God will strike out against the enemies of Israel in order to deliver His own people.
v. 10 – “Jacob shall return” – the exile will end when God’s people return home.
v. 21 – “Their leader” – after the exile there was no Davidic king. Jeremiah is most likely referring to the coming Messiah.
v. 23 – “Storm of the Lord” is a metaphor for the day of God’s judgment that will fall upon the wicked.
Chapter 31
God promises Israel that they will be His people (vv. 1-14), He will have mercy on weary Israel (vv. 15-26), He will make Israel secure (vv. 27-30), and God describes the new covenant (vv. 31-40).
v. 2 – As the exodus from Egypt was through a desert, so also would be the return from Babylon (present day Arabian desert). Like the first exodus, the restoration from exile would be a model of God’s power to save.
v. 3 – “You” refers to the whole people. God’s love was always based on grace and even Israel’s rejection of that love cannot cause this covenantal, relational love to cease.
v. 4 – After the restoration from exile, the stain of their past sin will finally be cleansed.
v. 5-6 – Ephraim is both a tribe and a representative name for Israel.
v. 11 – Ransomed suggests financial payment for a debt. Redeemed implies a family member acting on behalf of a relative to remove from trouble, pay a debt, or avenge a wrong.
v. 15 – Rachel was Jacob’s second and favorite wife and was the mother of Joseph (who was father of Ephraim and Manasseh). The focus in Jeremiah is on the grief of the exile as if it touched Rachel herself. Matthew 2:18 applies this verse to Herod killing the innocent children in an attempt to kill Jesus. By Jesus’ time the verse had become proverbial for the mistreatment of Jewish children.
v. 19 – The phrase “struck my thigh” is a physical act of remorse.
v. 20 – Despite all God has had to do to discipline Israel, he never stopped loving his “darling child”.
v. 21 – A command to the exiles (who weren’t even exiled yet) to remember the promised land, to let this memory inspire their repentance so that they could be restored to the promised land.
v. 22 – “A woman encircles a man.” Several interpretations have been proposed. 1 – It may mean the weak will overcome the strong, so that Israel’s return will be the weak overcoming the strong through God’s power. 2 – It may also mean Israel, the Lord’s bride, embracing him in utter fidelity.
v. 23-25 – Jeremiah addresses Judah, who will soon join Israel in exile. God will restore Judah just as He will restore Israel.
v. 29 – “Sour grapes…” is a reference back to Ezek. 18:2.
v. 31 – God will finally remedy the longstanding problem of His people that they are circumcised in body, but so few are circumcised in heart. New Testament passages (I Cor. 11:25, II Cor. 3:6, Heb. 9:15, Heb. 12:24) reveal that the new covenant is fulfilled in Christ, who brought to fruition God’s desire for a renewed covenant relationship with His people. Christ in His first coming only inaugurated the new covenant. He continues to establish it during the time between His first and second comings and will establish it fully at His return. The new covenant will provide a fresh start for Israel and Judah, the recipients of both the old and now the new covenant. Though many interpret the new covenant as beginning entirely of Jews, it now includes Gentiles. This new covenant will be different in that it will not be broken. Jesus Christ through His sacrificial death and grace secure the covenant blessing for God’s people, who on their own are not capable of keeping the covenant.
v. 33 – “I will be there God and they will be my people” is wording from the old covenant (Lev. 26:12). The new covenant does not abolish the old, but renews it and fulfills its ideals.
v. 34 – “Because they will all know me” – God promises to give His people a heart to know Him. “Remember no more” underscores that the satisfaction made for sins through redemption will be final and perfect, eliminating the need for further sacrifices for sin.
v. 38 – “In the city” – Jerusalem was rebuilt under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, but that restoration program failed because of continuing sin. The NT sees this promise fulfilled in the New Jerusalem that will appear when Christ returns.
Day #227
Sermon - AudioJeremiah 26-29 - Audio
Jeremiah 26-29 - Reading
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Daily Reading: Jeremiah 26-29
Jeremiah 26: A Sermon and a Response
• 26.1: Remember: the book of Jeremiah is not written in chronological order. Based on the king listed in this verse, this prophecy
is given around 609-608 B.C.
Jeremiah 26.2-6: Reprise...The Temple Sermon
Verses 2-6 give a summary of the sermon Jeremiah gave in 7.1-15.
• 26.2: Court most likely refers to the inner court of the temple.
• 26.3: Recall the theme of turning that runs throughout the book of Jeremiah. Throughout the book God continually
offers His people the chance to repent and turn back to him; however, it is also apparent that when the people
refuse to repent God rightly punished the people with covenantal curses. In this passage, the reason repentance
and restoration is based on the time in which it was spoken (early in Jehoiakim’s reign).
• 26.3: Listen is the Hebrew word “shema” which means to both hear and do. The word “shema” is used several times
within the next few verse to drive home the point that God has spoken but the people have not listened and
obeyed His words.
• 26.3: Evil is the robbing others of either all or a part of delight, moral good, economic good, beauty and a way of life
that makes life worthwhile.
•26.3: Evil, Disaster, Evil these three words are all the same word in Hebrew.
God says that if the people do not turn from robbing others of delight, etc. God
will take these things away from them. He will treat them as they have treated
others.
•26.4: follow my law is literally, “walk in my Torah”.
•26.6: Shiloh (where the tabernacle ark were) was destroyed by the Philistines
most during the time of the Judges. This proclamation would have been a direct
affront to the belief that Jerusalem was safe because of the Temple. Just
as Shiloh was destroyed, Jerusalem will also be destroyed; the Temple will not
protect the city.
Jeremiah 26.8-26: Response to a “Blasphemer”
• 26.8: The reason Jeremiah must die is because he has spoken against the temple and
therefore the assumption is that he has spoken against the power of God--he is a
blasphemer. In this incident we see hints of Jesus’ trial where one of the charges
against him was what he said about the temple and the final charge is that of blasphemy.
• 26.8-9: The depth of the opposition to God’s word and the sin of Judah is seen in all the groups that ally themselves against Jeremiah and call for his death.
• 26.10-11:Picture This: Jeremiah on trial in the temple. Officials, or court officials had legal responsibilities within Judah.
The prophets and the priests bring their complaints about Jeremiah to the officials and ask for him to be put
to death.
• 26.12-15: Jeremiah responds to his accusers, showing tremendous tenacity as he continues to proclaim the destruction
of Jerusalem and the temple
• 26.15: The shedding of innocent blood is one of the crimes for which God has condemned Judah on more than one
occasion.
• 26.16: The officials and the people accept Jeremiah’s words and acquit him of blasphemy.
• 26.17-19: In these verses, the elders compare Jeremiah to Micah of Moresheth who also prophesied about the destruction
of Judah to King Hezekiah (716-687 B.C.) In Hezekiah’s time, the people listened to the prophet and
Yahweh showed his favor upon the people by not bringing calamity upon them. Vs. 18 is a direct quote from Micah
3.12.
• 26.19: disaster is the word that was translated as “evil” in verse 3. The more one looks at the word disaster/evil the
more apparent it connection to covenant curses becomes.
• 26.20: In the Old Testament, names are incredibly significant because someone’s name also denotes their character.
Names tell a story that we can miss. Uriah means “toward God”. His father’s name means “listen to God”
(Shema Yah). The people kill a prophet rather than listening to him and moving towards God.
• 26.20-23: The NIV puts this story in parenthesis. This punctuation is not in the Hebrew. It may be that these words
are the argument of the priests for the killing of Jeremiah. A prophet who spoke out against the temple was put
to death by the king, now we have Jeremiah doing the same thing. Ironically, the words rather than showing the
faithfulness of the priests, shows how far they have walked from God.
• 26.24: Ahikam supported the reforms of Josiah (2 Kings 22.3,12). The entire family supported Jeremiah (29.3,
36.10, 40.9, 41.1-2).
Questions for thought and reflection
God fits the punishment and the crime in Jeremiah 26.3. Does God still do this? Will the punishment that comes to those who don’t follow Christ fit the crime or will everyone be punished the same?
What gives people the tenacity like that of Jeremiah?
Jeremiah 27: The Yoke of a Coalition
• 27.1: Picture This: The year is 593 B.C.. The place is Jerusalem. The purpose is a conference
of high ranking officials from neighboring countries to discuss a revolt against
Babylon. The revolt will take place 5 years later.
• 27.1: The immediate movement in time from 609 B.C. to 593 B.C. points out that Jeremiah’s
prophecy was right in chapter 26. This reality should give him weight as he
speaks his next warnings. However, it does not. He is ignored by Judah and all the
rest of the nations.
• 27.2: Picture This: God commands Jeremiah to carry out another symbolic action. The
yoke symbolizes that it is God’s will that Judah go into exile and be under the rule of
Babylon.
• 27.3: In what must have felt like an arrogant move to the nations Jeremiah declares that he is a prophet to them
and that Judah’s God is greater than all the gods of the nations. Remember that in the Ancient Near East, nations
basically believed that each god only controlled a small area and was limited in power. For Jeremiah to
claim that Yahweh as the all powerful God went against the theology of the day. It is worth remembering that
when Jeremiah was commissioned he was commissioned as the prophet to the nations, Jer. 1:5 “Before I
formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the
nations.”
• 27.5: Outstretched arm (irresistible might) God’s arm represents his power to do as he wills. While God’s arm is always sufficient the scriptures hold that the arm of man will always finally fail.
• 27.5: God declares that the earth is his and all those who are in it--including rulers. It is his choice who rules.
• 27.6: Again there is a brazenness to these words. Jeremiah declares that the most powerful king of the day is actually a servant of God i.e. he is in God’s service whether he knows it or not.
• 27.7: “serve” has the same root in Hebrew as servant. Nebachadnezzar will serve God and the nations will serve Nebachadnezzar.
• 27.8: Thompson writes, “The consequence of rejecting Jeremiah’s advice, which was really a rejection of Yahweh’s word, was judgement by sword, famine, and plague--all pictures of a military invasion and its aftermath,
well known and well understood since all of the small states had suffered over the years from the Assyrians.”
• 27.8: Jeremiah warns not only Judah against false prophets but also advises the nations against listening to false prophets.
• 27.9-11: In the Old Testament, diviners, dreamers, soothsayers, and sorcerers were all banned in Israel. “9 When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. 13 You must be blameless before the LORD your God.” Deuteronomy 18.9-13 NIV. Jeremiah warns the nations to not listen to any of these people because they speak falsehood by promising the nations that they would not serve Babylon. Jeremiah, on the other hand, presents Babylon as Yahweh’s servant, as Assyria had been in Isaiah. To resist Babylon’s captivity would be to resist Yahweh. The promise is not one of freedom, but rather an eventual escape from exile.
• 27.12-15: Jeremiah now presents the same message to Judah as he did to the nations. What is surprising is that Jeremiah addresses the nations of the world first but gives the same message to both.
• 27.16: False prophets were telling the people that the exile would soon be over and that the articles that had
been taken from the temple (2 Kings 24) would soon come back and life would be excellent. In fact, the articles
don’t return until after the exile (see Ezra 1.7-8).
• 27.17: Jeremiah still holds out hope for the city; however, the city will fall and even more of the temple treasures will be taken to Babylon (2 Kings 25).
• 27.18: “Plead” in Hebrew refers to a very specific level of prayer, it is someone who when they pray connects
with God and can use their influence on God because of their relationship with him. Jeremiah in a mocking tone
tells these false prophets who believe they have God’s word to start using their influence with God to stop the
coming day of disaster (evil). Their prayers, however, could not help because they have no relationship with
God.
• 27.19: The two pillars of the temple were known as Boaz and Jachin. Boaz stood to the north while Jachin stood to the south (1 Kgs 7:15–21). The majority of scholars believe that they had a purely decorative and symbolic function. But W. F. Albright suggested they were giant incense stands (Archaeology and the Religion of Israel, 1949, pp. 138–48). Others hold that they symbolized God’s presence or that the pillars which, together with the laver, symbolized Yahweh’s lordship over the natural elements (land and water). R.B.Y. Scott appropriately notes that since the king “stood by the pillar” at important occasions (2 Kgs 11:14; 23:3) the inscriptions may have dynastic significance. Boaz may recall: “In the strength of Yahweh shall the king rejoice” Ps 21:1. Jachin most likely means “he establishes” i.e. Yahweh establishes.
• 27.22: God says that he is the one who will come back for the articles of the temple. When one realizes that he
will come back for the two pillars, one of which means “he establishes” (Jachin) this is yet another declaration
that God has his way with the world.
Questions for thought and reflection
Are false teachers/prophets still a problem for the Christian community? How do you discern who is a false prophet?
Why does God warn the nations of their folly in trying to defeat Babylon? Why not just let them be destroyed?
Jeremiah 28: A Confrontation
• 28.1: Hannaniah’s name means “Yah(weh) has been gracious”. His name carries a double meaning. First, in the past rather than destroying his people God has been gracious and preserved them, calling them to repentance.
Second, God’s time of grace was in the past now punishment is coming. Hannaniah, however, seems to have
interpreted his name as “Yah will be gracious” and so looks to a short exile and then the return of the people.
• 28.3: Two years would have indicated that the people had either repented or done little wrong. Jeremiah’s prediction of a 70 year exile, which was in line with the exile of an angry god in the ancient near east, was adjusted only due to repentance. Since there had been no repentance, Hananniah’s prophecy makes it look like there has been little sin.
• 28.6: Jeremiah wishes that the words of Hananniah were true. He doesn’t long for destruction either.
• 28.8-9: Jeremiah points out that the prophetic task has always been first and foremost to call God’s people to repentance. Hananniah’s easy grace flies in the face of the prophetic task.
• 28.10: By breaking the yoke, Hananniah declares that his prophecy is replacing and is superior to Jeremiah’s.
• 28.11: Jeremiah goes on his way until God tells him how He wants to refute this false prophecy.
• 28.12: God tells Jeremiah how he wants him to respond to this false prophet.
• 28.14: The yoke of wood that is easily broken is replaced by a yoke of iron that can’t be broken. The exile is coming, nothing will change God’s plan.
• 28.14: God on several occasions refers to the rule or control of the king over the animals. This giving over or bestowing on the king the animals has echoes of the words of God in creation, “Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living thing that crawls along the earth.” The idea of rule/dominion (Hebrew: redu) has an interesting flexibility to it when connected with the word “moshel” in Hebrew which means to rule or have dominion (Psalm 8 which is a verse that connects back to Genesis 1 uses “moshel” when it says, Psa. 8:6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet….). The flexibility is simply that the understanding of rule has to be gathered from the context. “This will be illustrated by examining in order the first several appearances of lAvDm in the Bible. The sun and moon are said “to rule over the day and over the night” (Gen 1:18). They are merely the most prominent luminaries over day and night. Eve, standing for all wives, was given to understand that in the home the husband “shall rule over thee” (3:16). Such leadership as is appropriate-and it varies greatly-for a man to give his family is meant. Cain was told by God that he ought to master sin in his life, “Do thou rule over him” (4:7). Management over all the material goods of a master, as his steward, and management of all the personnel of the enterprise is indicated in the case of Abraham’s “servant” (Eliezer of Damascus? 15:2): “his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had” (24:2). Direction of affairs of a large family as “firstborn-designate” is indicated by Joseph’s version of the sheaves-at least so his angry brothers interpreted the vision: “Shalt thou indeed reign over us” (37:8). Theological Word Book of the Old
Testament To rule then needs to be determined by the context. It leaves open very interesting questions about
how kings and rulers who God has given the animals of the world to rule over are to rule. Has the way of ruling
changed from the 7th century B.C. to the 21st century A.D.?
• 28.16: Hananniah’s prophecy, in light of the meetings of the nations in chapter 27, may have seemed like rebellion against Babylon, but in reality it was rebellion against the plans of God.
• 28.17: Jeremiah’s prediction of Hananniah’s death comes true 2 months later. One of the things that the number two indicates in the scripture is agreement. For instance, a person can only be condemned if two witnesses agree that the person committed the crime--this was the problem at Jesus’ trial, they couldn’t find two witnesses to agree. Hananniah’s death after two months seems to indicate God’s stamp of approval on Jeremiah’s prophecy and God’s condemnation of Hananniah’s prophecy of a return after two years.
Questions for thought and reflection
Jeremiah points out that the prophetic task is to call people to repentance. How do we do that in a day where most people, including most Christians, don’t see a need to repent?
Why do you think God points out that he has even put the animals under the rule of the king?
Covenant: When God renews his covenant with his people, he promises to give them a “heart to know [him].” This involves striking the idols from their hearts. What, according to the parts of Jeremiah we have studied were those idols?
And, what are the idols of our day/culture that, as God’s people, we must work to strike from our hearts?
Thursday Reading Jeremiah 29
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