Day 235 Jeremiah 51-52

Well, this is what we are looking at now.  Very very solemn read.  I found Chapter 52 (and I was thinking of you Angie) to be really really sad.  We have read about all this before but this time it really hit me.  Not sure what you underlined but here were mine.  Verse 1 and 2…just because I felt like it.  Please Underline Verse 6: By the Ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city…   This is the day on the calendar that Hebrews read in the synagogues the book of Lamentations today.  A reminder of the result of sin in our lives.  A reminder of their captivity.  This marks the day of destruction.

Verse 13 made my heart drop..picturing all the beauty of the temple.  All that David has planned and Solomon had built.  Josiah, a great king, had it restored, and now just as it predicted, it is destroyed by Babylon.

Verse 16…very important.  The remnant people, the ones that Jeremiah chose to stay with and finally Verse 27:

So Judah went into captivity away from her land.

Day 234 Jeremiah 49-50

How do I read Chapters like this?  I am not going to lie; they are not the most fascinating chapters(for me).  What I do is as I read them I circle all the stuff I “get” not that I would never have “gotten” had I not started back from Genesis.  I make a note as to why I understand it because as sharp as my memory is now on remembering: who, what, where, when, and why… I know I will forget!

So here is an example of what I did:

Ch 49 I circled Ammon, and noted they are the birth cousins from Lot to Moab (Gen 19).

Edom (VS 7), from the Esau, Jacob’s brother.  Teman was a city known for its Wisdom and Philosophy, which makes sense since Job’s friend Eliphaz was from there.

Vs 16, the scripture referred to Edom as eagle’s nests, remember from Obadiah the picture of the city built on the side of a red mountain.

Anyway, this is how I creatively get through the not so interesting chapters AND know that when all this escapes my brain, and it will, my homework is done.

Sorry

It took me this long to figure out how to paragraph the upcoming schedule in the column…it is much easier to read now!  Still getting the kinks worked out…if God calls us to do this again we will be pro’s on the blog by next year.  LOL.  Also, if you need a fresh schedule to print click here.

Day 233 Jeremiah 46-48

The last few chapters of Jeremiah are regarding the judgment of other nations.  At this point they think they are completely free from judgment but like Habakkuk said

Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
       to come on the nation invading us. (Hab 3:16)

The other day in one of the comments, Angie spoke about how weird it was that we read about the prediction of Jerusalem being conquered and then on the day of the reading it was said in just a few short sentences.  All that anticipation for a small paragraph.  It really made me think and she was right.  The Bible, although known to any who have never read it is a book of judgment and wrath, we see that the Lord spent 99% of the old testament saving his people from the enemy, providing for them, encouraging them, and warning them, I feel he minimized the actual discipline in the Bible because it is not what we should think about when it comes to the Lord.

On the other hand the next 7 chapters are written about God’s judgment on evil people, who have persecuted His people, plundered them, and taught them their pagan and idol worshipping ways.  This leaves us knowing He is our Defender, our Conqueror.  He is a God of Justice.  No one escapes His Perfect Judgment.

Ch 46 Egypt, this goes back to when Egypt fell at the battle of Carchemish in 605 and then was invaded by Nebuchadnezzar in the middle of Jeremiah’s life.  (If you are skimming go back and read 46:27-28)

Ch 47 Philistines (I always think of veggie tales) A foretelling of the destruction of the Philistines to the Babylonian.  This prophecy is noted in many books including Isaiah, Amos, Ezekiel, Zephaniah and Zechariah.

Ch 48 Moab (think back to Genesis 19, Lot having sex with his daughters…started the Moabites)   The Moabites helped Babylon take Judah.   Did they think the Lord would let that slide?

Did the last verse make you think??

Day 232 Jeremiah 41-45

I found this read to be so good.  I actually read half of it and couldn’t recall what I had read so I put it down, came back to it and the whole thing wowed me.  What we are reading here is about 2 things (for me anyway) Political chaos and continued disobedience. 

First let me point out in case it slipped by you that Jeremiah was FREED.  He also had a decision to make.  He could live in Babylon, and live a very comfortable life, or he could return to the Judeans, who hated him,  and live in misery.  Jeremiah was a vessel for God to speak through to His people.  Jeremiah chose to live among the very people that hated him.  But this would prove that he was not a traitor. 

Gedaliah was appointed governor of the remnant that was left behind.  Well, he was assassinated and this Ishmael guy was clearly mad at everyone.  Ishmael came from the line of David and maybe he felt like he should be in charge.   Without a king and loyalty to God there is anarchy (relate that to a modern application…cool huh) Anyway, 80 men were headed to worship in Jerusalem when Ishmael had them robbed and killed.

Jeremiah 42 is in my top ten favorite chapters.  It really really spoke to me.  (By the way, be thankful none of you are my accountability partner on reads like this…I bug her ALL day breaking these versus down word by word…I drive her nuts)  Anyway first I read verse 3

Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.

and I was like Ohhhh yeah!  I PRAY THAT ALL THE TIME.  Ummmm then the same people who asked for direction and guidance from the Lord, went to Egypt anyway!  It was just soooo much easier.  God was so angry.  Here is the deal: Don’t ask the Lord for answers, guidance or direction in life or circumstances, if you are going to do what you want to do anyway.  Cleary God does not like this.

Finally God never leaves us guessing or scratching our head.  IN Chapter 44 AGAIN, the Lord describes the sins of his people, the countless warnings, the punishment they occurred and then again how He is ignored.  It is like He is saying:  What else can I do?? I love you, I free you, I give you all you need, I forgive you, I warn you, I bring you back each time you call out….and you never Honor me, you worship everything else around you.  What else can I do to make you see I love you! 

Was letting his son die on the cross enough love for you?

Jeremiah 38-40; Ps 74/79

OK, I am sure you are following all of this just fine but for some reason some of it I zoned out several times.  I think it was all the names.  So if you got all that, close the blog and have a nice day.  But for me, I have to rewrite the events so they get through my brain. 

 

Jeremiah was thrown into the cistern.  See Jeremiah was telling the Israelites, to surrender to the Babylonians…or die.  Zedekiah was king and he was just so spineless.  He wanted to be on Jeremiah’s side but he the officials were too much peer pressure for him.  However, one official went against the grain for sure.  Ebed-Melech.  He risked his job as well as his life rescuing Jeremiah from the cistern. (A man we need to model).

 

Then we read the fall of Jerusalem.  Sad wasn’t it.  Zedikaih rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, who captured him, killed his sons in front of him, blinded him and then took him back to Babylon where he died (Didn’t Jeremiah say that would happen if he made that choice)

 

In chapter 40 Jeremiah was freed,just like the Lord said would happen in the first chapter.  Take a minute to read this part of the first chapter.  This prophecy.  Incredible how detailed and true it all is.

But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD.   

  

……..  “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.  Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land.  They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD.

 

Psalm 74. I related deeply to the psalmist on this one.  I may acknowledge all who God is”It was you” but yet I still ask WHY to things the Lord does (I am glad Habakkuk is coming up) and I don’t understand when things are in His time and timing.

 

Psalm 79.  I know many of you are psalmist at heart (Hi Helen) but what an eye opening experience reading them in the context in which they were written.  I will not read the Bible the same after this, I will never take a scripture solo and not know the scenario it was referring to.  How cool is that.

Day 228 Jeremiah 35-37

OK.  I just read 35. Ummmm WOW.  The Recabites were nomads with a commitment.  Their forefathers told them to 200 years ago not drink wine, never build a home, and never plant a vineyard.  They must live in tents.  And they listened.  Are you getting this? A man told them….and they listened.  GOd tells us…we ignore.    Their forefather told them once, God has told the Israelites constantly.  The Recabites are going to be rewarded, the Israelites are going to be punished.

Soo many lessons here of obedience and faithfulness here but the idea of God’s children being shamed by Nomads was so sad.  I think of all the false religions in the world that people FAITHFULLY OBEY and we, we have the power of the Holy Spirit to discern right from wrong, that voice inside that makes us rationalize our behavior and we disobey the Lord.  What do they have? John Smith? Muhammad? Oprah? And yet these people are more dedicated to them than we are for the Lord.  By the way are you aware that in a lot of countries, me even writing that could have me persecuted or killed.  Ever thing about that? Sorry…quite the bunny trail there!

Chapter 35 is an amazing Chapter.  It may have spoken to you on so many levels.  Being obedient to “deeds” does not make you faithful to the Lord.  Don’t be fooled by someones actions.  Just because all is right with the Lord on the outside might still mean they are a wandering nomad on the inside.  The Lord does not ask us for Deeds to make us a Christian, we do deeds BECAUSE we are a Christian.

Chapter 36 and 37.  If I were a Pastor I would totally preach on these 2 chapters.  Can you picture Jeremiah is prison, his scribe writes down what the Lord tells Jeremiah to write.  It is then read at the temple, then read to the officials, and then read to the King.  The King has the scroll burned verse by verse, as if that could stifle the Word of the Lord?  Let me put it this way, if people want to take the 10 commandments out of the court architecture, that does not erase God’s commandments for how we are to live.  And then to top it off in Chapter 37, the very people that ignored Jeremiah and aided in burning the scroll are the very ones that say “does the Lord have advice for us right now, because we are under attack”.  Ohhhhhhh you want to ignore the Word of God but you want it in times of trouble, you want the blessing from the Lord? ohhhhhhhh.  (Ouch)

Day 227 Jeremiah 32-34

The reading seemed long so I will keep this super short today.  Does anyone have any questions?

Jeremiah buys a field, because the Lord told him too.  Seeming ridiculous to all, including himself, but he does it.  IF I had more time today I would get into the whole land law that we learned in Leviticus, but unfortunately I am swamped today.  But know this,

‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants.  Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land. (Lev 25:23-24)

The land is redeemed just like we are redeemed in Christ.  Everything is owned by the Lord, and everything is given an opportunity to come back to him.  This land purchase is a promise that  He will bring His people back, and rebuild and restore His people, just as promise.  May at this point looks impossible to everyone,  the captives, the soldiers, even to Jeremiah, but in verse 26 it ways “Is anything too hard for me?” and in verse 37 is says “I will bring them back to this place and let them live in Safety.  They will be my people and I will be their God”.

Chapter 33.  Awesome chapter.  There HAD to be scriptures that just stood out to you.  Had to be.  I love reading about all the prophecies of the Messiah and what is cool is that I think we can all pick them out now without question.  SO I am sure we all saw this in verse 15 and 16 but the scripture that I just fell on for what I needed today was

“This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name:  ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

I like this in older version because they say Jehovah “The One True God, The Existing One) instead of typing Lord.

Chapter 34, this chapter has many many layers to it.  We could be cross referencing this one for days from Genesis to Revelations but for today’s purpose I will just stick with history.  This chapter describes the fulfilment of many of Jeremiah’s predictions.  Babylon had laid siege on Jerusalem and the city is about to fall.  Zedekiah panics and as a last resot decides to appease God, so he frees the slaves which we know from Deuteronomy and Leviticus that these laws were established by God and ignored for a long time now.   So after that, the siege was lifted (as God faithfully does) but the people got back to their old ways (people are we looking in the mirror or do you need to tell this story to someone you love…do it).  The people would go to the Temple and make promises to the Lord and then get back to their land live the way they want. (sounds like any given Sunday here).

Gotta run.  Love you guys.  Pray for me. (uhhhh was that short?)

Day 226 Jeremiah 30-31

This is beautiful beautiful scripture.  The scripture was very personal for me today and I am not sure what to write so I will just say to sit quietly. Read intentionally.  Know that He is speaking to you whether about you or someone you are praying for. 

There is one part I can’t not point out.  The wonderfully scripted Messianic Prophecy in Chapter 31:31.  The Promise of a new covenant for all the people. Christ is the foundation of that covenant.

“The time is coming,” declares the LORD,
       “when I will make a new covenant
       with the house of Israel
       and with the house of Judah.  It will not be like the covenant
       I made with their forefathers
       when I took them by the hand
       to lead them out of Egypt,
       because they broke my covenant,
       though I was a husband to them,  “
       declares the LORD.

  “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
       after that time,” declares the LORD.
       “I will put my law in their minds
       and write it on their hearts.
       I will be their God,
       and they will be my people.

  No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
       or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’
       because they will all know me,
       from the least of them to the greatest,”
       declares the LORD.
       “For I will forgive their wickedness
       and will remember their sins no more.”

Jeremiah 26-29 (I love 29)

We are half way done with the Book.  Reading all this really makes me think about Jesus coming into our lives, and how privileged we are and most of us are still living like the days of Jeremiah, and it really saddens me.

The time here is actually 609-608 (we went back a little), before chapter 25.  Jehoiakim was a terrible king, who persecuted innocent people so for God to give this message for Jeremiah to say was TOUGH!  (I am humbled greatly today at the tasks I deem as hard…are you kidding me!  This story happens everyday in this world, Christians and their families are severely persecuted for spreading the word of the Lord).  Anyway, the Lord says DO NOT OMIT A WORD.  I am not saying we should jam scripture down peoples throat when we need to tell them what is in the bible without being kind and gentle BUT I am saying, DO NOT OMIT A WORD, you will be politically incorrect, but you will be obediently correct.

Anyway, I am trailing off….back to History.  Jeremiah was spared his life but the people missed the whole point of the lesson.  They spared his life but not their own.  :(

Chapter 27 was 593 BC and Nebuchadnezzar had already invaded Judah once.  Jeremiah used an ox yoke over his shoulders to preach more effectively (nothing else was working I suppose).  His message was probably one they did not expect, he told king Zedekiah and his people to surrender and be a servant to Nebuchadnezzar in order to spare their lives.  God needs to fulfill his promises and He promised judgment if they did not turn their ways.  I am sure it was really hard for Zedekiah, a king to even consider humbling himself to bow down and surrender (get where I am going here?)

Chapter 28.  Consider this chapter closely.  Who do you listen to? False advice that makes us feel better or Truth that sometimes stinks to hear?  I think we seek advice from certain people depending on what we need or want to hear.  Just like in this chapter Hananiah spoke a good message but Jeremiah said Only if it were true.

Chapter 29.  I have read this chapter 100 times.  Because I always need to be reminded that God has a plans for me.  THIS time it is a completely different read.  This time it projected backwards rather than forewords.  The figs, the exiles, it wasn’t about taking us out of our troubles to give us a hope, it is about Seeking Peace while in exile.  This letter is to the exiles.  Verse 7 says “Pray to the Lord, because it prospers you, you too will prosper”.  After our time under His thumb is done (His timing not ours) He will fulfill His promise and restore us.  He has us in exile, because we are marred (the pottery) and because we are the good figs, and it is ALL part of his plan.  SO I read my life verse with a new heart and with new eyes today. 29:11