I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.
Jeremiah prophesied against Jerusalem and Judah saying that God was going to bring judgement on them because they sacrificed innocent children to the idols they worshiped. Jeremiah told them that, as a result of their sins, God was going to smash them like a clay jar. I pray that He does not bring a similar judgement against America for a similar sin. Here in America, people sacrifice innocent children on the altars of the gods they worship: convenience, wealth, security, lust.
The priest Pashhur had Jeremiah arrested, put in stocks and whipped for what he was prophesying. When Jeremiah was released, he immediately prophesied against Pashhur and told him that he would suffer torment and captivity. Shortly after that, King Zedekiah sent Pashhur and another priest to Jeremiah to beg him to ask God to intervene and turn aside Nebuchadnezzar’s armies. Jeremiah told them that not only would God not turn aside Nebuchadnezzar, He would fight on his behalf.
Jesus return is going to come like a thief in the night, with no warning. So, we ought to remain alert and prepared for that day. We should not be like those around us who live in the dark of night. Night is when people sleep and get drunk. We should live as people in the light of the day, awake and aware. We should encourage each other and build each other up.
We should honor our spiritual leaders. We should warn the lazy, encourage the timid, take care of the weak, and above all be patient with everyone. We should not do wrong to those who have done wrong to us. Instead, we should always strive to do what is good for others. We should take joy in everything. We should pray continuously. We should give thanks to God in good times and bad. We should not suppress the impulses of the Holy Spirit. We should not reject the idea of prophecy. Instead we should listen to claims of prophecy and test them against both the Word of God and what is going on around us.
This is the standard by which God judges governments. Governments should defend the weak and the fatherless. They should uphold the rights of the poor and oppressed. Governments should rescue the weak and the needy from the hands of the wicked. God will pass judgement on those with government power who fail to maintain these standards. Those who not only fail to keep these standards, but instead support the wicked will be subject to God’s wrath.
Do not betray other’s secrets in order to win an argument. The loss you suffer from betraying that trust will be greater than anything you gain from doing so.