Jeremiah 42

In Jeremiah 42 the people come to Jeremiah and want to know God’s direction for their lives.  Things have not been going well – many have been killed – they have been driven from their homes – life is a mess.  So they come running to God’s man and ask for direction.  “Pray that your GOD will tell us the way we should go and what we should do”.  Ever seen this before?  Ever done this before?  Desperate and really in need of what is next, we run to God and plead for direction.  That is the case here.  Johanan leads the people to Jeremiah – pretty much the entire clan of them – and wants to know God’s mind.  This is not a bad plan – it is always best to be aligned with what God is up to.  So Jeremiah seeks God and it takes 10 days to get an answer – but as always God does respond.

The real catch is what the people promise when they made their request.  They tell Jeremiah this: “Whether we like it or not, we’ll do it. We’ll obey whatever our GOD tells us. Yes, count on us. We’ll do it”.  That is a pretty bold statement first of all, but it really sets the stage for what lies ahead.  God is not in the business of telling us His will so we can decide if we like it or not.  He doesn’t give us direction as a suggestion but rather a way of life.  So this whole obedience thing is serious business.  The people go on record telling Jeremiah they are going to do what God tells them.  Of course they don’t really mean it.  They really are saying that if they like what God’s plan is, they will obey.  If not they will ignore it and do what they want.  Oh how much that sounds like us as people, and as I look in the mirror, how much it sounds like me in particular.  God warns them through Jeremiah that they need to stay where they are and rebuild – that He will protect and they will be fine.  If they run, it will not be good.  Clear direction from the Father.  Next chapter we will see their response but I will give you one guess…..oh how we need to figure out this obedience stuff.  It is the core of how we relate to God.

Jeremiah 41

Jeremiah 41 seems a bit like a soap opera on steroids to me.  Ishmael pretends to be friends with Gedaliah and stops in for a visit and kills him.  You may recall that Gedaliah had been warned in the previous chapter to watch out for this guy, but he didn’t heed the warning.  So he is killed by Ishmael and thrown into the cistern.  A day or two later a group of 80 men come carrying their offerings and incense for worship and Ishmael kills all but 10 of them and throws them in on top of Gedaliah in the cistern to cover his crime.  Ten are spared because they tell Ismael they have some hidden treasure, but what a sad massacre.  Ishmael gathers up the people who had been in Gedaliah’s care, which included the king’s daughters, and “proceeded to take them over to the country of Ammon”. 

 

Of course word got out about what had happened and Johanan brought the army after Ishmael.  They catch him at the large pool at Gibeon” and he frees the people.  Ishmael gets away with 8 men, but the prisoners are freed and now Johanan leads them toward Egypt to get away from the Chaldeans.  What a mess this time is.  God’s people had come into captivity and Gedaliah is appointed governor to watch over them.  He is killed and those left are marched as prisoners.  Johanan frees them from the bad guys but they are still on the run because they are in a very unsafe land.  This really seems like a very unstable and unpredictable situation.  Killing after killing doesn’t fix anything.  It is a matter of the heart and when people let greed and power corrupt, very bad things happen.  The one thing that jumps out at me in this chapter is there is absolutely no mention of God anywhere.  It is people doing their own thing their own way without any connection to God.  Murder and plunder and sin – that is what happens when God is left out of the story.  

Jeremiah 40

Jeremiah 40 is a happy day for Jeremiah.  He is set free – the chains taken off his hands and he is given free run of the country.  He is invited to go to Babylon or to return home to life under Gedaliah who had been appointed governor.  He chooses to stay home and decides to make his way.  Jeremiah had obviously won favor with the guard as he “gave him food for the journey and a parting gift”.  Here is an example of what happens when a bad situation is not treated as badly.  Jeremiah obviously had lived in harmony with the captain of the bodyguard and not made life difficult for him.  He was treated well and set free as well as given a gift to get himself home.  Pretty cool example of how accepting God’s plan and living in harmony with it through faith can result in good things in God’s time.

The rest of the chapter deals with the warning that Gedaliah receives from a number of the survivors who had been scattered all over.  As they return they warn Gedaliah that he will be killed by Ishmael – but “G” doesn’t buy it.  He says “no way” and refuses to let the men go kill Ishmael first before he could come and kill “G”.  Sort of questionable decision as we will find out later.  He refused to listen to his counsel and just did what he wanted.  It was obvious to those around him, but he couldn’t see it and forbid any form of defense or protection.  In fact, he chastises his people and forbids them from taking any action.  We need to learn to listen to those God puts around us with discernment so we can hear God’s voice which often comes through others.  It is critical we develop that ability – to know what is from God and what He really wants from us.

Jeremiah 39

Jeremiah 39 tells the story of what happens when the king of Babylon comes calling.  He lays siege to the city for 1.5 years before they finally break in and conquer.  King Zedekiah runs for his life but doen’t get far before he is caught.  And as prophesied, his sons were killed as were his nobles and most all the people.  He was blinded, chained and taken into captivity.  But the captain of the king’s bodyguard had been given special orders for Jeremiah.  Remember that Jeremiah had been prisoner in the courtyard under Zedekiah, and now Nebushazban (how’s that for a name) gives these orders: “Look out for him. Make sure nothing bad happens to him. Give him anything he wants”.  Do the words ‘I told you so’ ring true here.  Jeremiah had made it clear what would happen to Z and his boys.  And it did, exactly as he said.  Jeremiah moves from prisoner to protected and is cared for.

 

The other character in the story is our buddy Ebed-melek, the Ethiopian.  You will recall that he saved Jeremiah from death in the cistern previously and now God’s word came true for him as well.  He stuck his neck out to pull Jeremiah from certain death and God’s word was this: “But I’ll deliver you …I’ll most certainly save you…. You won’t be killed…. You’ll walk out of there safe and sound because you trusted me”.  At the time of his heroic effort to spare Jeremiah’s life, it didn’t look like he made that great a decision on the surface.  But God honors that obedience.  God pays attention to how we live.  God does care about the things we choose to do.  It does matter how we live.  Not always to this degree, but it does make a difference in God’s plan.  We can learn much here.  These guys went through some difficult times but in the end, God was faithful as He always is.  We can depend on that.  He never misses His mark. 

Jeremiah 38

Jeremiah 38 gives us the story of how God’s prophet is mistreated for speaking the truth.  There are some bad dudes that are tired of dealing with him, so they manage to get the king to let them rid the city of Jeremiah.  They basically just wore the king down – kept coming to him with reason after reason as to why Jeremiah had to go.  And here is the crux of their case: “He’s ruining the resolve of the soldiers”.  Jeremiah was speaking truth and telling them exactly what was to come but that was ruining the party.  Wow – that seems like something that we could hear today.  People get caught up in the political correctness of what happens and ignore the truth.  Happens every day.  Outside and unfortunately inside the church too.  Never mind that truth is truth.  If it is going to make people uncomfortable, if it causes anyone to feel bad – we probably shouldn’t talk about it.  But sin should never be ignored – it won’t be by God.  And we best learn not to ignore His truth anytime either.

 

The king recants on his decision when he is challenged by Ebed-melek who gets three buddies and they haul Jeremiah out of the cistern where he was stuck in the mud.  One lone voice of reason in the city saved Jeremiah’s hide.  He was still captive in the palace court but at least not left at the bottom of some hole to starve to death.  The king decides maybe he should take a listen to what Jeremiah has to say so in private he calls for him to tell him what is to come.  He learns the situation and discovers how to save his own hide when the city is taken over by the enemy.  Jeremiah is made to promise he won’t reveal their private discussion and he is faithful to the king in that regard.  This chapter really makes me see the importance of truth and how critical it is that we stand firm on it.  Focus on the Family’s Truth Project course is a key way we can all be involved in teaching and defending God’s truth.  Like Jeremiah, we need to stand firm in that truth.  We need to protect it and be willing to be thrown into a cistern to make our case.  God’s truth cannot be watered down by political correctness or the modern psychology.  We have to protect and defend it at all costs.  Are you a truth teller like Jeremiah?  Do you stand firm on God’s Word?  That is our charge.  Let’s get after it!

Jeremiah 37

Jeremiah 37 reminds us that serving God and standing firm in the truth is not always a glamorous job.  Jeremiah receives a word from God that the Babylonians are going to burn Jerusalem to the ground.  Disobedience again has its cost.  Pharoah had sent his army toward the city to get the attackers to pull back, but God reveals to Jeremiah that this is just a short time out and destruction is still on its way.  So Jeremiah carries this message from God with him.  He is on his way to the “the territory of Benjamin to take care of some personal business” when the officer at the gate stopped him and accuses him falsely of being a deserter.  Trumped up charges get Jeremiah thrown into jail in “an underground cell in a cistern turned into a dungeon”.  He hadn’t done anything wrong – he hadn’t even shared the truth God gave him for the king.  Wrong place at the wrong time seems to be the situation here.  And the result was “He stayed there a long time”.  So not a short detour in his trip to get some personal stuff done – he was locked up in a bad place for a while.

 

Later, not sure how long that was, King Zedekiah brings him up and asks if he has a word from God for the king.  Of course Jeremiah does and then he wants to know why he was thrown into prison.  Of course there is no crime and Jeremiah pleads to not be put back into the dungeon because he proclaims “I’ll die there” so it must have been a pretty bad place.  Zedekiah agrees and assigns him to the “courtyard of the palace guards” which was probably a day in the park compared to what he had just lived.  This really illustrates that obedience is not always full of glory and glamor.  Here is a man who was walking with God and doing his job which is to share God’s truth.  He ends up in the slammer in less than stellar conditions.  Serving God is not always going to result in the ideal circumstances.  Sometimes it just isn’t going to seem fair.  But God is in control and we must never lose sight of His big picture.  He calls us to obey – He will take care of the rest.

Jeremiah 36

Jeremiah 36 tells the story of a king who just doesn’t get it.  Jeremiah had his scribe Baruch record God’s word on a scroll.  Since Jeremiah had been banished from the temple – he sent Baruch to read it to all the people during the  day of fasting when everyone would be there to listen.  He picked the most impacting time to get the word of God out.  The message was pretty clear: “turn back from their bad lives, and let me forgive their perversity and sin”.  God is ready to destroy and wants to let the people live.  But He can’t tolerate sin – never could since the garden and never will.  But read closely what God says through Jeremiah here: “let me forgive”.  God wants to forgive, He wants to set us free from the burden of sin.  But forgiveness isn’t loosed until we repent which is what turning back is all about.  We have to be willing to make a change – to stop what we are doing and turn the other way.  It is really not rocket science.  It isn’t even a hard concept.  Stop, turn, and go the other way.  In simplest terms that is what repentance is all about.  So Baruch is delivering a message that people then, and actually now, hate to hear.  That what they were doing was wrong and it is time for a change.

 

Of course the leaders in the temple know it isn’t going to play well with the king.  So they tell Baruch to get Jeremiah and high tail it out of town and hide.  These leaders tell the king who wants to know what good old Jeremiah had written.  And of course, the king tells his thugs to go get these two who are long gone.  But check out the reaction to the very strong words that Jeremaih had penned: “Neither the king nor any of his officials showed the slightest twinge of conscience”.  Here is the really unfortunate part of sin.  It has a tendency to be able to darken our heart so we eventually don’t even recognize it as sin.  We begin to think it is ok – that disobedience to God really isn’t all that bad after all.  Our conscience is really one of the best things we have to help keep us on track.  It should challenge us to line up with God’s word.  It should be sensitive to the leading of God’s spirit.  Not here though – the king just wants to kill the messenger rather than deal with the real issue – the disobedience and sin of the people.  “But God had hidden them away”.  He’s good like that – taking care of His children who are obedient to Him.  Are you sensitive to God’s spirit and your conscience.  Is there sin that needs to be cleaned up in your life?  The method is clear – turn back and let God fogive.  Jesus went to the cross to make that possible.  Don’t stiff arm God from loving you in that way…..

Jeremiah 35

Jeremiah 35 paints a very powerful illustration of what should result from obedience.  The story is about the ancestors of Jonadab – no clue who this guy is – but what his decendents demonstrate gives us a clear example of God’s expectation.  Seems that these Recabites were invited to a party and were being served wine which they refused saying: “We don’t drink wine….Our ancestor Jonadab son of Recab commanded us” and they didn’t.  Teachable moment here for Jeremiah.  This clan has been living for generations in obedience to the command of the patriarch.  Jonadab said no wine, no house, just work and live and they have been. In fact, he gave clear direction:  They were told “You are not to drink wine, you or your children, ever. 7 Neither shall you build houses or settle down, planting fields and gardens and vineyards. Don’t own property. Live in tents as nomads so that you will live well and prosper in a wandering life”. 

So what is the difference between the Recabites and the children of Israel?  Both were given clear direction – the children of Israel from God Himself.  Both knew what was expected.  But God’s commands are ignored.  Check out what He says: “Why won’t you learn your lesson and do what I tell you”?  There is a huge breakdown here in the area of obedience.  We need to follow the example of the Recabites.  They did what they were told – generation after generation – because that was the expection.  Believe it or not God has some pretty strong expectations for you and me too.  One is for His commands not to fall on “deaf ears” like they often do.  More and more it seems like the real crux of the Christian life is boiled down to the illustration here.  Will I choose to obey (and it is absolutely a choice) or will I do my own thing.  Only one is right.  Know which one?

Jeremiah 34

Jeremiah has a strong message to deliver from God.  It has to do with obedience and particularly the way people obey or actually disobeyed the covenant with God.   They were to set their slaves free after 6 years. They did that but many began to take them back again as slaves – they didn’t let the people remain free.  God is not humored by this little trick.  He doesn’t look fondly at their attempt to obey the letter of the law but not the spirit of it.  So the now is going to respond.  He says this: “Everyone who violated my covenant, who didn’t do what was solemnly promised……I’m handing the lot of them over”.  God’s idea of handing them over is rather strong.  He is not pleased.  The people have been unfaithful to do what they committed to.  It is not a laughing matter with God.  The city will be burned, dead bodies becoming “carrion for the vultures and stray dogs”.  Isn’t that a pretty picture? 

 

So what about covenant?  Sometimes I think we sort of miss the idea of what it means to really do what we say.  We feel to recognize that God is serious about how we obey too.  Going through the motions doesn’t cut it.  These people let their slaves go, but only for a moment and then they brought them back and put them in the same exact place.  It wasn’t obedience at all.  It was going through the motions so they could say they obeyed, but they had to know that freedom is not temporary and they were trying to cheat God’s intent.  Bad plan.

God is not mocked folks.  What we sow is what we reap.  If we pretend to obey, we will never really enter into that promised land relationship with God.  It just doesn’t’ happen.  We have to pull off the mask, quit trying to position ourselves, and just do what we are supposed to.  God is looking for one thing – simple obedience.  Complete, unfiltered, obedience.  Are you walking with Him that way today?

Jeremiah 33

Jeremiah 33 is more of God’s word to Jeremiah while he is locked up in prison.  God’s word came to him saying this – a promise that we all need to cling to: “Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own”.  I love this verse.  God’s promise is that when we call to Him – He answers.  Do you always get that when you are communicating with others?  Is there any relationship where you can depend on always getting an answer?  That is how God works.  May not be the way I want it or when I want it, but He ALWAYS answers.  And more importantly, His answer will be more than we expect or deserve.  Did you catch what He says – marvelous and wondrous things…..what an awesome God we serve.  He has a plan – a wonderful and marvelous plan for each of us and He wants to tell us about it.  He desires us to know His heart for our lives.  But it isn’t necessarily obvious or easy to understand.  We need Him to reveal it, and that is His desire.  We won’t figure it out on our own, but He will tell us if we call.

Do you want to know his plan for your life?  Have you placed the call?  I know sometime I want to just do my own thing and hope I get it right.  God wants to make a difference in your life and has a plan – one for your welfare and good – we just need to call and find out.  Do it today – get with Him and find out what marvelous and wondrous things are ahead for you if you are walking on His path!