Okay, in this chapter, Jeremiah stands, on orders, in the gateway of the court of the temple. He has stood in the gateway of Jerusalem, but now its the very Temple of Yahweh... And here, he prophesies against the cities of the land, gathered there to worship YHVH.
The Priests, the Prophets, and the People in the temple riot on him, seize him, and the Princes from the King's house come and there's an ad hoc trial, right there... deliberations are held,and an example on either side of the argument (some irony in the contrast of the two kings there) leaves them leaning toward killing Jeremiah.
One man's influence rescues Jeremiah, when all is said and done.
Notable in the chapter:
v.2
"...do not diminish a word..." Jeremiah is commanded not to soften the prophecy. This is an example of 1 Cor.14's statement that the spirit of the prophet is under the control of the prophet. Sometimes we get a word that is a "thing" that we must communicate about. Sometimes its a word that must be directly stated...
v.3
"...Perhaps everyone will listen and turn from his evil way, that I may relent concerning the calamity which I purpose to bring on them because of the evil of their doings."
God is being silly, again. These guys are bad to the bone, and we know it, eh? Look what they end up doing to Jeremiah, here.
God is still a hopeless lover of this evil people. He seems to vacillate back and forth... what's up with that? comments? (i love that he does that.)
Monday, October 22, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Jeremiah 25
A word from YHVH for "All the people":
Jeremiah personally involved in this prophecy...
the purpose of all the bitter crying out, to this point was MERCY!
But now (in the first year of Nebby), it's over.
70 years of exile. This is the chapter where we get the 70 year figure, a prophecy fulfilled in the days of Daniel, and the governors of judah...
some of this chapter is for them, in that generation. other parts of it ring with apocalyptic tones, of that great day of slaughter that awaits the unpenitent, during the day of the Lord...
and the last part is a lament over the shepherds. the wicked, unfaithful spiritual leaders whose cowardice, greed and impurity have brought down the guilt of the ages on their heads...
The Lord is likened to a lion leaving it's lair with roars. He is coming to scatter his land of trespassers and hunters...
LIstening to this, do you see how the judgment of God will be on the leaders of the church today who aren't fully committed to preaching the word of the Lord with purity and bravery? Mercy.
if you're a pastor, and you're reading this, or some preacher-type, watch out! Don't compromise the truth about Jesus, even if it means loss of position, power, opportunity, influence, money, home, job, whatever. You need to be brave and teach people to OBEY Jesus in this generation...
Nationally, we should all be praying for the leaders of our country who, thought they aren't the church, are leading the direction of our earthly sojouren. Pray for their wisdom, and protection from Satan, who runs the show too often for lack of our prayers' ascent.
Look at the shepherd passages, again today. Read proverbs, fear the lord, and be amazed by grace.
Jeremiah personally involved in this prophecy...
the purpose of all the bitter crying out, to this point was MERCY!
But now (in the first year of Nebby), it's over.
70 years of exile. This is the chapter where we get the 70 year figure, a prophecy fulfilled in the days of Daniel, and the governors of judah...
some of this chapter is for them, in that generation. other parts of it ring with apocalyptic tones, of that great day of slaughter that awaits the unpenitent, during the day of the Lord...
and the last part is a lament over the shepherds. the wicked, unfaithful spiritual leaders whose cowardice, greed and impurity have brought down the guilt of the ages on their heads...
The Lord is likened to a lion leaving it's lair with roars. He is coming to scatter his land of trespassers and hunters...
LIstening to this, do you see how the judgment of God will be on the leaders of the church today who aren't fully committed to preaching the word of the Lord with purity and bravery? Mercy.
if you're a pastor, and you're reading this, or some preacher-type, watch out! Don't compromise the truth about Jesus, even if it means loss of position, power, opportunity, influence, money, home, job, whatever. You need to be brave and teach people to OBEY Jesus in this generation...
Nationally, we should all be praying for the leaders of our country who, thought they aren't the church, are leading the direction of our earthly sojouren. Pray for their wisdom, and protection from Satan, who runs the show too often for lack of our prayers' ascent.
Look at the shepherd passages, again today. Read proverbs, fear the lord, and be amazed by grace.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Jeremiah 24
the last chapter should give anyone who wants to speak on behalf of YaHWeH, you know? Look at that. That generation had a whole slew of folks who just wanted to speak prosperity and comfort from the Lord, but He wasn't on that message. Wow. That's very "today" to us.
The good figs:
the people who were to be taken captive (including those who obeyed Jeremiah and surrendered to King Nebby) would come into a blessing and protection. Their posterity would be established...
The bad figs:
The stiff necked rebels who were going to resist Nebby to the end, and ultimately flee to Egypt with Jeremiah as a hostage, were going to get creamed...
That's the chapter.
do you appreciate that Jeremiah preaching this during a seige was a criminal act?
The good figs:
the people who were to be taken captive (including those who obeyed Jeremiah and surrendered to King Nebby) would come into a blessing and protection. Their posterity would be established...
The bad figs:
The stiff necked rebels who were going to resist Nebby to the end, and ultimately flee to Egypt with Jeremiah as a hostage, were going to get creamed...
That's the chapter.
do you appreciate that Jeremiah preaching this during a seige was a criminal act?
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Jeremiah 23
v.1-6
check out Ezekiel 34 for more words on shepherds
Look at John 10, where Jesus talks about himself as the shepherd
Look at Ephesians 4:11 and following, where the "pastor" is mentioned...
thoughts?
v.6-8
Israel (at Jeremiah's time) had been known as the nation ransomed from sojourn and bondage in Egypt. This passage prophesies their new international identity as the nation ransomed from having been scattered to the four winds.
This week, Mr. Weiss mentioned to me the joy of paying for the plane ride of Jewish settlers from Russia. There are programs set up to do that... the 'aliyah is the term for "going up" to israel...
any thoughts about how this prophecy has come to pass?
v. 9-end
the heart of this condemnation of the false prophets is that they turn people aside from faithfulness to YHVH. You can judge them by fruit: Matt. 7
Judging/Discerning vs. Judging/Condemning
1 Cor. 2:15--spiritual people judge/discern
Matt. 7:15--judgment/discernment is necessary to avoid deception
Matt.7:1--but not a picky, impatient judgment of wrongs. We should be forebearing to each other...
The standard is "...how you want to be judged, so judge..."
Personally, I'd love to have someone confront me about false teaching. Paul told Timothy to "...watch [his] life and doctrine closely, for by so doing [he] will save both [himself] and [his] hearers." If I err in the teaching of the gospel, or if an incompleteness in presentation of teaching leads to confusion of the saints, PLEASE treat that as serious.
I am called to mutual submission to Christ, in His Body, so I'll listen and happily repent, escaping judgment and entering greater humilities... What joy to be rebuked by brethren who love Jesus above all and wouldn't have His word sullied by my too often profane lips.
...so please, brothers and sisters, develop that character in yourself that is described in the book of Hebrews 5:14
"...those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."
You are supposed to develop into a mature christian who is able to discern right from wrong, in real time. Not to be confused, but to be able to teach and help each other grow into the likeness of Jesus...
check out Ezekiel 34 for more words on shepherds
Look at John 10, where Jesus talks about himself as the shepherd
Look at Ephesians 4:11 and following, where the "pastor" is mentioned...
thoughts?
v.6-8
Israel (at Jeremiah's time) had been known as the nation ransomed from sojourn and bondage in Egypt. This passage prophesies their new international identity as the nation ransomed from having been scattered to the four winds.
This week, Mr. Weiss mentioned to me the joy of paying for the plane ride of Jewish settlers from Russia. There are programs set up to do that... the 'aliyah is the term for "going up" to israel...
any thoughts about how this prophecy has come to pass?
v. 9-end
the heart of this condemnation of the false prophets is that they turn people aside from faithfulness to YHVH. You can judge them by fruit: Matt. 7
Judging/Discerning vs. Judging/Condemning
1 Cor. 2:15--spiritual people judge/discern
Matt. 7:15--judgment/discernment is necessary to avoid deception
Matt.7:1--but not a picky, impatient judgment of wrongs. We should be forebearing to each other...
The standard is "...how you want to be judged, so judge..."
Personally, I'd love to have someone confront me about false teaching. Paul told Timothy to "...watch [his] life and doctrine closely, for by so doing [he] will save both [himself] and [his] hearers." If I err in the teaching of the gospel, or if an incompleteness in presentation of teaching leads to confusion of the saints, PLEASE treat that as serious.
I am called to mutual submission to Christ, in His Body, so I'll listen and happily repent, escaping judgment and entering greater humilities... What joy to be rebuked by brethren who love Jesus above all and wouldn't have His word sullied by my too often profane lips.
...so please, brothers and sisters, develop that character in yourself that is described in the book of Hebrews 5:14
"...those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."
You are supposed to develop into a mature christian who is able to discern right from wrong, in real time. Not to be confused, but to be able to teach and help each other grow into the likeness of Jesus...
Friday, October 05, 2007
Jeremiah 22
Prophecy to all the People, from leaders down. This is to BELIEVERS--people who have a covenant relationship with God.
v.1-4 offer mercy, again! Contingent on obedience to the hear of the Law!
Then God goes on to lament over a list of the last kings before the deportation.
v.1-4 offer mercy, again! Contingent on obedience to the hear of the Law!
Then God goes on to lament over a list of the last kings before the deportation.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Jeremiah 21 (Click It)
v.1-2
Look at the incredible CREDIBILTY that jeremiah carries with the King! The king knows that Jeremiah is a prophet!
v.3-7
Jeremiah's answer from the LORD: scathing for the army and leaders.
v.8-10
the answer for the city and the people.
v.11-14
answer for the house of the King...
all of this because of their insincerity in repentance and their obstinacy in rebellion. Remember, if they had, just for a generation, relented in their pursuit of sin and selfish gain, God would have rained mercy on them.
This is how it gets when the people of God (the church, not America) persist in following the god of this world (satan) and his system (self-interest/pride) by his power (mammon).
There's a scripture that says, "It is time for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17)
America is a World-System Nation, bathed in blood, with mammon pumping through it's veins. Don't confuse the Jeremiah judgements as being for America. They are for the church, primarily. America is more like Babylon, who is used to persecute the disobedient. Judgment has been set for all the nations.
Check out this scripture on that idea.
Look at the incredible CREDIBILTY that jeremiah carries with the King! The king knows that Jeremiah is a prophet!
v.3-7
Jeremiah's answer from the LORD: scathing for the army and leaders.
v.8-10
the answer for the city and the people.
v.11-14
answer for the house of the King...
all of this because of their insincerity in repentance and their obstinacy in rebellion. Remember, if they had, just for a generation, relented in their pursuit of sin and selfish gain, God would have rained mercy on them.
This is how it gets when the people of God (the church, not America) persist in following the god of this world (satan) and his system (self-interest/pride) by his power (mammon).
There's a scripture that says, "It is time for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17)
America is a World-System Nation, bathed in blood, with mammon pumping through it's veins. Don't confuse the Jeremiah judgements as being for America. They are for the church, primarily. America is more like Babylon, who is used to persecute the disobedient. Judgment has been set for all the nations.
Check out this scripture on that idea.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Jeremiah 20 (click it)
In the last chapter, Jeremiah prophesies in the gateway, with priests and leaders he has brought with him, that Judah would be crushed by the enemy.
Imagine that in our country, with our presently predominant ideology: that we are a Christian Nation, with the blessing of God on us. Imagine a dude taking his state representative, and some prominent church leaders to the steps of a gov't building and proclaiming that our nation would become a Muslim theocracy within 2 generations.
What would happen to that guy? How far would freedom of speech rights stretch, in our country? how much of that could he do without being considered a traitor?
Well, here we are in Judah, with Jeremiah, and the "chief governor in the house of the LORD" has heard what Jeremiah was prophesying.
This is where Jeremiah gets put in the stocks overnight.
Does Jeremiah apologize? Is he shaken? Look at v.3. He names the guy "Magor-Missabib", which means "Fear on every side". by verse 5, Jeremiah has renewed his prophecy that the city and the land would be taken and subdued by the enemy.
v.6
Look how specific Jeremiah is (I hope you have a Bible open and a notebook out).
And now a shift in v.7
Jeremiah pours out a prayer in disappointment. he has been put in stocks for obedience to the Lord, and now he is feeling the heat.
literally, the word of the Lord is in him, like a fire.
v.10
People are mocking him saying "fear on every side"--the name he prophesied over Passhur the chief leader priest... they are daring him to prophecy more, and are threatening to turn him in: "report!" they say, "and we will report it!"
v.11
but he knows that the Lord is with him. And he proclaims the downfall of his enemies... harsh? bitter? Imagine living in a generation that has forsaken the living god for false idols and mammon! Oh. you do! And harshness and bittterness are on the horizon for every leader and every church that won't return to the Lord with tenderness of heart and fullness of repentance from the mess we've made...
v.12
Look how Jeremiah actually desires to see his vindication. Is that wrong? In what way is that right? Where else do we see this kind of prayer in scripture?
v.13
Here we see that Jeremiah's full-on engagement of God, in his disappointment, has given way to praise!
v.14-18
yet he still carries the sorrow of lamentation over his own life. For those of us who have read this book already ((you should finish it today)) we know that things're going to get more and more difficult around Jeremiah.
Consider the prophet's bitteness, and that of the Lord, Himself, in view of the terrible situation. Remember the days of Noah? That was God who was filled with grief. That was God who regretted even making man. Do you believe that? Yes? Then you believe in a God in whose image we are made--a God whose heart can break, who can be incensed in jealousy over his people's rejection, who will "start over" with a "clean slate" by destroying the falsehood and leaving a faithful remnant.
Consider God's hope: that his people would just LOVE Him back, obeying his commands in trusting faith. Believing tha tHe is Good, we walk obediently.
Throw out the garbage. Get our lives holy. He is coming soon.
Then we'll be fit for the works of the kingdom.
cast down the idols of our hearts, purify our minds of evil and doubt.
then we'll be safe with the power of God.
Then we'll be in the Way.
Imagine that in our country, with our presently predominant ideology: that we are a Christian Nation, with the blessing of God on us. Imagine a dude taking his state representative, and some prominent church leaders to the steps of a gov't building and proclaiming that our nation would become a Muslim theocracy within 2 generations.
What would happen to that guy? How far would freedom of speech rights stretch, in our country? how much of that could he do without being considered a traitor?
Well, here we are in Judah, with Jeremiah, and the "chief governor in the house of the LORD" has heard what Jeremiah was prophesying.
This is where Jeremiah gets put in the stocks overnight.
Does Jeremiah apologize? Is he shaken? Look at v.3. He names the guy "Magor-Missabib", which means "Fear on every side". by verse 5, Jeremiah has renewed his prophecy that the city and the land would be taken and subdued by the enemy.
v.6
Look how specific Jeremiah is (I hope you have a Bible open and a notebook out).
And now a shift in v.7
Jeremiah pours out a prayer in disappointment. he has been put in stocks for obedience to the Lord, and now he is feeling the heat.
literally, the word of the Lord is in him, like a fire.
v.10
People are mocking him saying "fear on every side"--the name he prophesied over Passhur the chief leader priest... they are daring him to prophecy more, and are threatening to turn him in: "report!" they say, "and we will report it!"
v.11
but he knows that the Lord is with him. And he proclaims the downfall of his enemies... harsh? bitter? Imagine living in a generation that has forsaken the living god for false idols and mammon! Oh. you do! And harshness and bittterness are on the horizon for every leader and every church that won't return to the Lord with tenderness of heart and fullness of repentance from the mess we've made...
v.12
Look how Jeremiah actually desires to see his vindication. Is that wrong? In what way is that right? Where else do we see this kind of prayer in scripture?
v.13
Here we see that Jeremiah's full-on engagement of God, in his disappointment, has given way to praise!
v.14-18
yet he still carries the sorrow of lamentation over his own life. For those of us who have read this book already ((you should finish it today)) we know that things're going to get more and more difficult around Jeremiah.
Consider the prophet's bitteness, and that of the Lord, Himself, in view of the terrible situation. Remember the days of Noah? That was God who was filled with grief. That was God who regretted even making man. Do you believe that? Yes? Then you believe in a God in whose image we are made--a God whose heart can break, who can be incensed in jealousy over his people's rejection, who will "start over" with a "clean slate" by destroying the falsehood and leaving a faithful remnant.
Consider God's hope: that his people would just LOVE Him back, obeying his commands in trusting faith. Believing tha tHe is Good, we walk obediently.
Throw out the garbage. Get our lives holy. He is coming soon.
Then we'll be fit for the works of the kingdom.
cast down the idols of our hearts, purify our minds of evil and doubt.
then we'll be safe with the power of God.
Then we'll be in the Way.
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