Tag Archives: Jeremiah

Jeremiah 9

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Jeremiah 9 shows just how much God cares for His people, and the anguish He feels when they go astray, “Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! … For they are all adulterers, a company of treacherous men”. Later on God says “Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do?”

God shows the same care and concern for us. He is refining and testing our character, so that we might develop to be more like Him. “let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord”.

Jeremiah 7

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In Jeremiah 7, we read some challenging words that God sent Israel through Jeremiah. Israel had been relying on the physical presence of God’s temple as a means of salvation, while themselves committing all sorts of acts. God’s house had “become a den of robbers”, a place where people “trust in deceptive words”. Israel had refused to hear God’s prophets, “when I spoke to you persistently you did not listen, and when I called you, you did not answer”. As a result, God would cast Israel out of his sight. He specifically told Jeremiah, “do not pray for this people … and do not intercede with me”.

God had given Israel a command when bringing them out of Egypt, “Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people … but they did not obey or incline their ear”. Yet in this sad state, God still offered Israel hope. “For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds … then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever.”

This same offer of hope extends to us. In Acts 3, Peter told the people “repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out”. If we follow this advice, listening to God, answering when He calls, then we too can inherit the land promised to Israel’s fathers forever.

Jeremiah 4, Matthew 15

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Jeremiah 4 was a warning to Israel of the coming invasion by the Babylonians. Yet even in this late stage, God offers Israel hope. If they were to turn again to Him, then He would not send the Babylonians, instead sending a blessing. Israel were serving idols, their hearts were not dedicated to God. They still had priests and some semblance of religion, but it was not serving God.

Jesus also talks about the heart in Matthew 15. The Pharisees and scribes had “made void the word of God” with their traditions, and Jesus applies the words of Isaiah to them, “this people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me”. Jesus warns the people that “what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person”.

The heart of Israel was unfaithful, from the times of Jeremiah and Isaiah through to the time of Jesus. This is a warning to us as well, to be aware of what is in our heart and ensure it is dedicated to God rather than ourselves.

Jeremiah 51, 1 Corinthians 11

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1 Corinthians 11. We hear it quoted nearly every Sunday. “Be imitators of Paul, as he is of Christ“, and “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.”  The idea of examining ourselves is critical to living a life acceptable to God.  We need to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only“, not ignoring the natural face we see in the mirror but changing it to reflect God’s character. Paul also stresses the importance of unity, and that Christ is our head.

The lack of self examination is the reason Israel struggled so much to serve God, focused instead on being like the nations around them instead of looking inwards, to the tabernacle and the glory of God it represented. Yet God through Jeremiah still says “For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the Lord of hosts.”  There is always hope. The one “who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens” has power to both bring judgement on nations such as Babylon, but also power to forgive those that turn to Him.

Jeremiah 50

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Jeremiah prophesies the destruction of the nations that have been oppressing Israel, Babylon and Assyria. “Repay her according to her deeds; do to her according to all that she has done.”  These nations had been given the chance to punish Israel for their disobedience, but had gone too far.  “All who took them captive have held them fast; they refuse to let them go. Their redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name. He will surely plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth.“

Even though the people of Judah and Israel were being punished, God still cared for them, took an active role in protecting them.  Through Jeremiah, God reminds the Israelites that He is in control, that He is unique and all powerful, and that even though they had “sinned against the Lord”, they would in future say “Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten”, and for this reason God had mercy on them.

This is a great example of God’s long-suffering and mercy, and reminds us that God is always in control, waiting for us to return to Him so that He can work with us to shape our lives.

Jeremiah 48, 1 Corinthians 7

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God condemns Moab for their attitude and actions. They trusted in their works and treasures, famous for their pride and arrogance, magnifying themselves against God and trusting in their idol Chemosh.  Despite being descended from Lot, and God saying “I cry out for all Moab”, they were judged because of their actions. A reminder for us that salvation is not based on family or opportunity to serve God, but rather our own individual attitude and actions.

Paul reminds us that we are “bought with a price”, and that our objective is, as much as possible, to live a life of “undivided devotion to the Lord.” Although spouse, family, neighbours and friends are important, we belong to God and as such He must come first in our life.

Jeremiah 42

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In Jeremiah 42, the remnant of Israelites still in the land come to Jeremiah, intreat him to pray to God on their behalf for guidance.  So Jeremiah prays to God, but doesn’t receive a response for 10 whole days. A good reminder that God rarely answers prayers straight away, that we need to have faith and patience that God has heard us and will answer our prayer in the way that is best for us.

The response from God is a great indication of God’s mercy. “If you remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down…Do not fear the king of Babylon…for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand. I will grant you mercy”. Although these were not the faithful Israelites taken into captivity to be preserved, God still has mercy on them when they turn to Him. The same is true for us. “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”

Jeremiah 35

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Through Jeremiah, God commends the family of Rechab for their faithfulness, in contrast to the people of Judah and Jerusalem. The Rechabites lived as sojourners, with neither houses or crops, putting their faith and trust in God to provide for them.  “The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have kept the command that their father gave them, but this people has not obeyed me.“

Their faithfulness is an example to us as much as it was to the Israelites, highlighting the importance of listening to and trusting in God, knowing that He has “granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us“.

Jeremiah 33, Mark 7

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God’s words to Jeremiah while he was in prison convey an encouraging idea. “Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it… Call to me and I will answer you.”  The creator of all we see around us will hear us if we call to Him.Jeremiah is taken care of, even while the city slowly descends into chaos. There is a promise of a better future, “in this place that is waste…there shall again be habitations of shepherds resting their flocks”and also a re-acknowledgement of promises already made, “I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel…in those days I will cause a righteous branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land”.

We read of that righteous branch in Mark 7, highlighting the way the scribes and Pharisees had distorted the law to the extent they were “making void the word of God”.  Jesus also explains that it is the thoughts proceeding from our mind that make us unclean, not the foods that we eat.

Let us seek God with our whole heart, rather than being guided by those “evil thoughts” that offer only death, working to imitate Jesus who perfectly manifested God’s character.

1 Kings 6, Jeremiah 32, Mark 6

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In 1 Kings we read about the construction of the temple that Solomon built for God. It was a lavish building that took 7 years to complete, yet God makes the point that this temple wasn’t the reason God would dwell among the children of Israel.  Rather, it was conditional on them walking in God’s statutes, obeying His rules, keeping His commandments and walking in them.  As God tells Isaiah, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? … this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.“

Mark 6 describes the perfect example of such a person. Jesus, who knew God’s word so well that he could astonish the “experts” of the law, who selflessly healed “many who were sick”, who had compassion on the multitudes of people because they had no shepherd, feeding them spiritually and physically, who interrupted his night of prayer to comfort his disciples caught in a storm. In this Jesus manifested God perfectly, to whom Jeremiah exclaimed “Nothing is too hard for you. You show steadfast love to thousands“.

Let’s follow God’s advice to Solomon, and imitate Jesus’ attitude, so that together we are built up as a spiritual house for God.