Today, I am reading and commenting on  Jeremiah 23-25.

Jeremiah begins today’s passage by condemning the leaders of Judah for scattering the people rather than gathering them and tending them.  Jeremiah declares that God has given power to political and religious authorities in order that they might unite the people, but all too often those with authority choose to divide people in order to more easily control them.  God declares that He will punish such leaders and replace them with those who will carry out His will.  I want to note that many people follow such divisive leaders because they see doing so as a path to power for themselves.  God will punish such people along with their leaders.

While Jeremiah has strong words for the secular leaders who divide God’s people (and I believe that for the purposes of this prophecy all people are God’s people), he has even stronger condemnation for the religious leaders who fail to gather God’s people to Him.  He warns us that many of those who claim to offer us moral guidance are godless and wicked, even among those who claim to speak on behalf of God.  Rather than speak God’s word  in order to turn people from their wicked ways, they speak words from their own mind, strengthening the hands of evildoers.  They tell those who despise God that their wicked actions will have only positive consequences.  Such prophets will face God’s wrath because if they had spoken God’s words people would have turned from their evil ways and been redeemed by God.

Later in today’s passage, Jeremiah has words of warning for those who think they can gain from the destruction of society.  When God brings His destruction upon those who mock His word, it will be indiscriminate.  The only shelter from His wrath will be for those who turn to Him and faithfully serve Him.  In this passage, Jeremiah refers to the destruction which will be visited on those nations around the world who thought to profit from the fall of Jerusalem, even for Babylon which was the tool by which that fall occurred.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Jeremiah 19-22.

In today’s passage, Jeremiah speaks of how he tried to avoid being persecuted for speaking God’s word.  After being persecuted for speaking God’s message to the people of Jerusalem, Jeremiah tried keeping a low profile and not speaking of the coming destruction.  However, he found that he was unable to do so, he felt compelled to speak out against the sins and injustices he saw going on around him.  He could not listen to others proclaiming that all would be well when he knew that if the people did not change their ways destruction would come upon them. Despite the fact that part of him wished he had never been born, Jeremiah praised the Lord.

Today I am again struck by the fact that despite Jeremiah repeatedly saying that the destruction of Jerusalem was inevitable, he also says that it can be avoided.  Jeremiah tells them that if they do what is just and right, kings of David’s line will continue to rule in Jerusalem.  His prophesies that death and destruction are inevitable come from his awareness that they will NOT do what is just and right.  He knew that the people of Jerusalem would not turn from their sins.  We are approaching the same place in this nation.  But even once that place is reached, there is hope for individuals.  Let us turn from our sins and seek to call others to do the same.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Jeremiah 16-18.

I have written how, as I read through the Book of Jeremiah I wonder if we today have gotten to the point Judah was at when Jeremiah prophesied, to the point where God’s judgement could no longer be avoided?  The beginning of today’s passage makes me think that we have not yet gotten there.  God warned Jeremiah, and instructed him to warn others, not to have children in Jerusalem.  I do not get the sense that God is sending such a message today, at least, not yet.  Further, despite the constant drumbeat that disaster could no longer be avoided which Jeremiah’s prophecies contained, God gave Jeremiah the occasional prophecy that it is never too late.

“If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed,  and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.  And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted,  and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.”

Of course, at the same time God also warns that no society is so secure that it can turn its back on Him and survive.  Many people in our society today have chosen to turn from God and reject His will.  Our society is accelerating into the abyss.  I believe it is too late to attempt to salvage society, we must seek instead to reach individuals and convince them to turn back to God (or, perhaps a better way to put it would be to say, allow the Holy Spirit to convince them through us).  However, I also believe that if enough people are touched by the Holy Spirit, our society may still be saved from disaster.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Jeremiah 13-15.

I have just returned from vacation and am attempting to get back into my normal routine.

During the time of Jeremiah the people of Judah had reached the point where God declared that He would no longer listen to prayers requesting Him to relieve the suffering of the people of Judah in general.  In many ways, Jeremiah’s prophecies are scary and depressing, because they seem to offer no hope.  Reading these prophecies leads me to wander if our society has reached a similar point.  However, scattered through these prophecies one finds little gems of hope. Jeremiah tells us that our focus should be on our own behavior, and on calling individuals to follow God’s commands, not on changing society.  God told Jeremiah, and us, to pay attention to the words He has spoken to us and not be arrogant.

Just as in Jeremiah’s time, our society is full of prophets telling the people lies in God’s name, things which God has never said.  They tell us things like, “If it feels good, it can’t be wrong.”  But that is not God’s message.  God calls us to repent, if we do He will restore us so that we can serve Him.  He calls us to utter worthy words, if we do He will make us His spokesperson.  Let us stand so that people can turn to us, and therefore to God, but we must not allow our desire to reach them cause us to turn to their ways.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Jeremiah 10-12.

Since I was on vacation from July 31-August 9 I have already written my blog posts for these days and scheduled them to be posted.  This is the last of those written before my vacation and my normal schedule will resume tomorrow. Please continue to visit my site to read my daily devotional.

Today’s passage begins with Jeremiah repeating a message which Isaiah had previously stated: we need not, and should not, fear the “gods” created by humans.  They can do us neither harm nor good.  Instead, we should fear the Lord Almighty, who made all that is.  He is the One who holds our lives in His hand.  Every one who does not worship Him is senseless and without knowledge.

Throughout the Book of Jeremiah, God tells Jeremiah, “Do not pray for this people or offer any plea or petition for them, because I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their distress.”  This has bothered me until today (well, it still bothers me a bit) because I believe we should pray for all of those around us.  However,  today I realized that we have to interpret this in context.  Jeremiah was to stop praying that people not experience the sufferings which were coming their way because of their sins, but he was allowed to pray that they turn from their sins.  In the same way, we should not pray for our non-believing friends to avoid the suffering which comes from their sins, we should pray that they turn to God and repent of their sins.

There is one last point from today’s passage I want to write about. At the time Jeremiah gave these prophecies, some powerful people told him to stop spreading such “lies”.  We know from later in this book that they accused him of spreading misinformation.  God told him to ignore their threats because He would punish them. God promised to bring disaster upon those threatening Jeremiah for speaking the words which God had given him.  In the same way, there are those in positions of power today who threaten those who speak God’s word.  In all but a few parts of the world, those threats do not include death, at least, not yet, but the attempt to silence those who speak God’s word has begun.  Let us not fear those who make such threats, because God will punish them and will hold us to account for the message He has given us.

who are threatening to kill you, saying, “Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord or you will die by our hands”— ²² therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will punish them.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Jeremiah 7-9.

Since I am going to be on vacation from July 31-August 9 I have already written my blog posts for these days and scheduled them to be posted.  However, I may not be able to post a link to them on FaceBook, Gab.com, or MeWe.com during every day (or any day) during this time period.  So, please continue to visit my site to read my daily devotional.

The people to whom Jeremiah prophesied were convinced that they were safe from invasion because the Temple of God was in their midst, but God told them in no uncertain terms that they were mistaken.   Later, Jeremiah points out that some people think they gain God’s protection by making the correct sacrifices and following the correct rituals.  Today there are people who think they have God’s protection because they go to Church on Sunday, or because they attend BLM protests, or in some other way signal their “righteousness”.  Jeremiah tells them that God does not work that way.  Jeremiah reminds them once again (also reminding them that he is not the first to deliver this message) that God wants them to change their ways and deal with each other justly.

I was writing the above and was suddenly derailed when I reviewed the excerpt I had pulled out which framed my thoughts on this and saw the phrase I put in bold below:

Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!” ⁵ If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever.

All too often those of us who call others away from sin forget that part.  When we sin we do so to our own harm.  While treating others unjustly hurts them, and oppressing the powerless hurts them, it does as much harm to ourselves.  The same applies to other sins as well.

Overall, this passage can be frightening and depressing because Jeremiah essentially says it is too late to avert God’s coming judgement upon Jerusalem.  However, a closer reading reveals that Jeremiah was not saying it was too late.  He was saying that the people would not turn from their sins before it was too late.  None of them would acknowledge their wickedness, that they themselves had done evil, and turn from it, realizing the harm they had done to others.  Instead they would claim wisdom and follow after leaders who told them that their sins were godly.  They knew they were being deceived, but went along with it anyway.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Jeremiah 4-6.

Since I am going to be on vacation from July 31-August 9 I have already written my blog posts for these days and scheduled them to be posted.  However, I may not be able to post a link to them on FaceBook, Gab.com, or MeWe.com during every day (or any day) during this time period.  So, please continue to visit my site to read my daily devotional.

God gave Jeremiah a prophecy of destruction.  The destruction which Jeremiah prophesied was coming because the people did not deal honestly or seek the truth.  Everyone, from the least to the greatest, sought after their own gain, with no concern for what that might cost others.  We see something similar today from the looters in our cities to the son of the President.  The people do not seek justice, they merely seek revenge upon their enemies.  Yet, in all of the negativity of Jeremiah’s prophecy there is a kernel of hope.  It does not take many turning to God, repenting of their sins and seeking to do right to turn aside God’s anger.  God told Jeremiah if he could just find one person in Jerusalem who sought the truth, one person who dealt honestly, He would forgive the city.  God is speaking a message of warning, but will any of us listen and change our ways?

When I first read this passage I really thought my blog entry would be longer than this.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Jeremiah 1-3.

Since I am going to be on vacation from July 31-August 9 I have already written my blog posts for these days and scheduled them to be posted.  However, I may not be able to post a link to them on FaceBook, Gab.com, or MeWe.com during every day (or any day) during this time period.  So, please continue to visit my site to read my daily devotional.

I recently started copying and pasting phrases from the passage into my drafts of these blogs as I came across things which struck me (sometimes I include them in the blog, sometimes I delete them after writing the thoughts they inspire).  Today I realized how much this helps me write this blog.  Jeremiah began his writings by discussing how he felt when God first called him, and God’s answers to his reservations.  There are lessons here for us today.  Jeremiah felt that he was too young and not a skilled enough speaker.  God’s answer to that applies to any who share that (and also to any who think they are too old).  You cannot be too young, nor too old to deliver the message God has given you. And you need not fear that you lack the skills to deliver God’s message: He will put the words in your mouth, or inspire you to the acts, that will communicate His message.  Do that which God calls you to do.

Which brings us to the message which God asked Jeremiah to deliver.  God had led the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, through the wilderness, and into a prosperous land, but they did not seek to follow His commands.  Instead they went after the idols of the people whom God displaced to settle them there.  Worse, not even the priests, the religious leaders sought after God.  Rather than call the people back to obedience to God they encouraged them in their idolatry.  I want to be careful here, because the parallel I am about to draw is imperfect.  God has delivered the peoples of Western Civilization into prosperity, a prosperity which rose from their following His will to a limited degree.  For many centuries, the peoples of Western Civilization would from time to time compare their actions to God’s ideals and see places where they fell short, then seek to correct their failings.  However, in recent times they have rejected God and sought after other “gods’.  All too often, even those who claim to speak on behalf of God encourage people to reject His word and seek salvation from other quarters. People have forsaken the spring of living water which is Christ and built cisterns which cannot hold water.  They have rejected God as the basis for morality and sought to impose a morality based on their own desires.  One needs only to look at our cities to see where this leads.

Jeremiah goes on further to diagnose the sinfulness of people and their unfaithfulness to God, but he also includes a word of hope.  God promises that when the people cry out to Him and turn back to Him, He will welcome them back and cure them of their backsliding.  Let us pray for the day when people will cry out:

Yes, we will come to you,
    for you are the Lord our God.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Jeremiah 51-52.

A theme which runs through the Book of Jeremiah is that God raised up the Babylonians to punish the people of Judah, but that does not free the Babylonians from God’s judgement on them for abusing His People.  In fact, Jeremiah tells us that God raised up Babylon to punish many of the nations of the world for their sins.  Nevertheless, God destroyed Babylon for the wrong which they had done to His people.  So, God raises up nations and people to punish evil-doers, but that does not justify them committing evil acts against those they have been raised up to punish.  I dislike touching on the same theme two days in a row, but I think this message really is that important.  There are times when we wish to be God’s Hand of Judgement against those who have committed heinous sins, but we should keep it mind that those who have been God’s Hand of Judgement have usually later been subject to His Judgement.  We should rather desire to be those who deliver God’s mercy, because those who deliver God’s mercy will be the recipients of God’s Mercy.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Jeremiah 49-50.

Jeremiah gave a prophecy of condemnation against the Ammonites which condemned them for two wrongs.  The first one he mentions is that they inhabited the land of Gad (one of the Israelite tribes which settled east of the Jordan River).  The second one is their worship of the idol Molech.  That first one makes me wonder about the people living in that land today.  Is God planning to turn that land over to the modern state of Israel?  Will they face destruction because of their idolatry?  I am hesitant to apply Old Testament prophecy concerning the Land of Israel to the modern nation of Israel, but from time to time as I read the Bible I wonder about whether and how the prophecies apply.

Later, in the prophecy against Babylon there are two things of which I want to take special note.  Jeremiah says that the people of Israel will come seeking the Lord and bind themselves to Him.  This new covenant will never be forgotten and will be eternal.  God’s people were like lost sheep who could not find their way back to the sheepfold; they were scattered, but God is going to gather them once more.  Those who attacked and scattered God’s people said that they did nothing wrong.  They justified their attacks by saying that these people had sinned against God.  They had plundered God’s people and rejoiced in the misery they had caused them.  Jeremiah tells us that God’s anger will pour forth against those who did these things.  We should keep this latter in mind when we interact with those who have sinned.  It is our job to warn sinners of God’s coming judgement, not to mete it out (and always remember that we too are sinners deserving of God’s judgement).