Jeremiah 32

In 1 corinthians 10, it says that the things we're reading here were written as examples for us, on whom the end times have come (yes, 2,000 years of "end times"). The things we're reading about Israel have happened so that we wouldn't desire evil, like so many of them did back then, and were destroyed.

and here, in Jer. 32, I read about restoration, and the promise of return, even on the eve of destruction.

And we have seen with our own eyes the return of the Israelites to their land, a thing never before seen in the history of mankind: the return of a thoroughly exiled people,and the re-establishment of their own language in the land.

yet, even more striking to me is the promise of an "everlasting covenant". In verses 37-41 a covenant is promised in which God will deal bountifully with his people on a HEART level. He will give them "one heart and one way". He will "put [his] fear in their hearts".
And here we stand, whose hearts brim with the Spirit's voice, bouncing from Romans 6 Conviction to Romans 7 Sorrow to Romans 8 Rejoicing, in a dynamic walk with Jesus. All this was accomplished for us in the Cross! Sealed by the Spirit.

Amazing.

Jeremiah 31

okay, look... i'm going to bottom line it for you... this chapter, like the others, has far too much going on in it to do some quick blog entry about. And this isn't exactly the place to write the three or four books that could be written on the themes of this book...

but I'm tellign you that there's good news here. There's a new covenant promised here, that teh Book of hebrews will tell us is in Jesus... Romans 9-11 will tell us we're grafted into the promises made to Israel. Early Romans will tell us that we are israel who are made God's children by Faith. We are heirs of this covenant, because we believe in Jesus.

We are inheritors of this restoration, comfort (and the disicplines that came before it)... We are comforted and restored by God, in Christ. We are not under the covenant of Moses (although it is indispensable in our instruction and discipleship), but we're in a new one... this is IT.

So think about that.

Jeremiah 30

How good has this been for you? I know there aren't many comments, but people keep mentioning the study to me. I'm glad you're spending a bit of time with us, here...with God, here...

Jeremiah 30 is awesome. Here God explains it all. Why all the evil hordes are victorious over the people of God. Why He is doing it... When it'll all be changed, how the hordes will be judges, how the restoration will come about... Its wonderful! My margin notes on this were copious.

Let me share an observation or two, instead of outlining the whole chapter.

THIS IS WHEN JEREMIAH WROTE IT DOWN:
v.1-3
Here is God's command to write it all down. Some time into his ministry, he sits down and goes over all that has happened. I know that later we'll find out about Baruch (barook)(means "blessed) his scribe, and we'll see a king burning his scrolls, but now we're seeing Jeremiah go through it all and write it out. Awesome. And why write it? "for behold, the days are coming," syays the LORD. "And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it."
The book is there so they'll have hope and guidance in their captivity, believing the promise of God for restoration.

MEN IN LABOR: (not to be confused with "men at work", the australian band from the '80's)
v. 6-7
I once enjoyed a CD from a band called "Jacob's Trouble". Google that, and you'll find its an important literary thingy...term...whatever... This is where that comes from. Jacob's trouble. men in anguish over immanent destruction. Foreign hordes, marauding, pillaging, killing, raping, taking slaves of children... we're talking absolute agony, here... God is destroying them.

please don't forget God's calling them to go over to the King of Babylon all this time. They have all got the opportunity to believe Jeremiah and go out of the city to safety, joining with God's plans of deportation and replanting.
but for those who won't listen to Jeremiah: death after agony.

From v.1-7 so far, God is speaking about the soon future destruction, and the restoration of the remnant, to israel.

in v.8, it turns to the promise of restoration... 70 years...

DO NOT FEAR:
v.10-11
OMG isn't this awesome! a promise of restoration framed in grace and faithfulness. Rest, peace, vindication...

then back to the present time of Jeremiah:

WOUND INCURABLE:
wounding
affliction
disease
adultery
chastisement

Because of SIN's increase.
v. 15 says, "why do you cry about your affliction?" It's like asking, "don't you get it? Stop whining like this is some surprise."

because of their SINNING, they were PUNISHED.

but v.16 and 17 say that He will restore them and punish their punishers.

v.18-20 say he'll bring back, have mercy, build their cities with them, establish the palace, multiply and glorify them, as they worship and thank Him... children will increase as before and he'll establish the congregation of israel...

then in 21, I find something terribly messianic! a prophecy of Jesus:

"...and their governor shall come from their midst; then I will cause him to draw near, and he shall appproach me; for who is this who pledged his heart to approach me?" says the LORD.
"You shall be my people, and I will be your God."

Jesus has made us a people unto God.
Jesus is the one whose heart is fully pledged to God.
who alone can approach God, having no sin, having laid down his very life to ransom us.
Jesus is that "governor from their midst" whom God has caused to draw near, who offered a priestly offering of his own blood for us, once for all, through the cross.

Look at the concept of "Governor/government" in Isaiah 9:7

"Of the increase if His government and peace there will be no end."

Look at Daniel 2:44, prophesying the establishment of a kingdom that will break in pieces all the other kingdoms. read about that rock that smashes the feet of the statue... a rock not cut by hands...
JEsus is that rock,
that governor...
that king of the kingdom...

He has made us a People... we are the people Jesus has made a People unto God: His family. adopted heirs of the King of Kings...
As we read on, don't forget the things that bleed from chapter to chapter. 31 is a continuation of this line of thought....

Jeremiah 29

In the last two chapter there's been a "Prophecy-Off" to the death between Jeremiah and Hananiah. You may recall that Hananiah dies at the end of last chapter, after predicting the return of King Jeconiah and his peeps and some of the temple stuff.

Now, Jeremiah is going to give a word about that stuff and those folks.

v.1-14 70-year promise of return.

v.15-19 a word against false prophets who echo hananiah's "positive" message of Jeconiah's return.

v.20-23 2 false prophets mentioned by name. Not nice.

v.24-32 Shemaiah the Nehelamite (Ne-Hell-am-ight) writes a letter to try to get a handle on Jeremiah. Calling for him to be put in the stocks, he just gets condemned by the Lord's next prophecy through Jeremiah.

Imagine, after the plots against Jeremiah, how this head priest Zephaniah has called Jeremiah in to read this lettter to him (v.29)
Imagine that. And there's Jeremiah, just letting him have it! Wow. He's hearing from God and speakin gwith full integrity.

We all need to press into God, so we have courage in the time of trial. We don't know when its coming. We just have to be ready.

Wow.

come on, let's hear it people.

jeremiah 28

v. 1-4
Dude named Hananiah pushes back on Jeremiah. Totally contradicts. What is Jeremiah's credibility level at this point in his ministry?

v.6-9
jeremiah reiterates the test of true prophecy: it comes true. They're dealing with immanent events, here. The proof will come. What is Jeremiah's credibility with the people at the end of the book?

v.10-11
Hananiah loses it and gets theatrical and violent with Jeremiah's visual aid. Seriously, think of how this went down. How violent it was and how it violated JEremiah. Jeremiah just leaves.

v.12-17
After meekly going away, Jeremiah is given a refresher of the word of the last chapter, and gives a personal prophecy for Hananiah that comes true within 2 months. how is his credibility,now?
I bet people just stilll won't listen, though.

Jeremiah 27

imagine a monarchy. with a king. then imagine Jeremiah in your kingdom. Remember, you're ringed with state-sponsored prophets and priests who support your national pride and political agenda...

imagine messengers coming from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, Sidon... imagine the important communiques he's sending with them, hoping through the negotiation of some sort of alliance that he might be able to fend off the onslaught of Babylonian aggression that is swallowing up the whole world...

now imagine this troublemaker, Jeremiah, telling them this stuff...
and telling the king this stuff...

what level of pest was he?
treason/traitor?

how did those messengers see the king after Jeremiah got to them? What did the other priests and prophets think? What credibility test did Jeremiah establish? how do you think they reacted? (read next chapter)