Category: Jeremiah

Reading

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SAA Notes

Jeremiah returns to the fall of Jerusalem for a reason. The Temple is dismantled and all its articles taken away. This is the real horror – the Glory of God had departed, and no one realised! Jehoiachin is a fruitless branch of David – he has no surviving sons. The heirship of David passed to a distant line coming from Solomon’s full brother Nathan (Luke 3:31). How thankful we should be that God sent Jesus! The Glory returned!

SJA Notes

* Father God, thank You for today, please help us to rejoice and be glad in it.

“And the pillars of bronze that were in the house of the LORD, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried all the bronze to Babylon.”

In this re-telling (we have read previously), as Judah is taken into exile (three sets of removals) and we see the final complete end to the wealth and splendour that King Solomon had accrued all those hundreds of years previously.

In 1 Kings 7 we read,

“And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because there were so many of them; the weight of the bronze was not ascertained.”

The captain of Nebuchadnezzar’s guard too it all; the gold, the silver and the bronze.

The exile comes too with the removal of leadership.

King Zechariah’s sons were killed in front of him. The leadership of the church and of the state were taken and put to death.

This was a big loss.

Yet.

This was the warning given to them, generation after generation, prophets bringing God’s word to His people.

They were warned of the consequences of turning away from the Lord. Exhorted to return to the God of Israel, to put away evil practices, to stop following man-made idols and false gods.

So this terrible loss is the just outworking of God’s word of judgement.

Our own nations and states, our towns and communities, the leadership and the people – We need Jesus! We need to heed God’s word!

Are we praying for revival?

Are we listening to the call of the Holy Spirit?

* Gracious Father,

To You we cry – please save our nation, our state, our cities and towns, our communities, our neighbours, our close friends and family.

Please may Your word go out like a rising wave, Your Spirit reviving dead hearts, bringing back lost souls into the fold.

Please Lord prepare us Your people for the harvest.

Amen.

Reading

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SAA Notes

Verse 26 is a strong statement regarding the future – our hope will not be in any world power. The Babylons of this world will never be the foundation or cornerstone for the future. Christ is the cornerstone that counts! Again, verses 45-48 remind us of Jesus’ words re Jerusalem in Matthew 24.

SJA Notes

* Lord God, please may we hear Your word to us today.

“Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance for you.'”

The Lord is our judge and our protector, our avenger of blood.

In Deuteronomy 32 we read, in a song of Moses, the Lord says,

“… Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly … I will take vengeance on my adversaries and will repay those who hate me.”

These truths make up parts of our sure and steady hope in God.

We lean on the Lord for JUSTICE.

We lean on the Lord for MERCY.

We are never alone, we have a God who takes care of vengeance. The

The book of Romans tells us,

“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'”

Are we taking vengeance into our own hands?

May we work to leave it in the Lord’s hands.

* Gracious Father,

As we seek to live as Your people, please remind us of Your love, Your grace and mercy, Your justice.

May we not be overcome with evil, but in Your strength may evil be overcome with good.

Amen.

Reading

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SAA Notes

The Babylonians released Jeremiah because he told Israel to submit to Nebuchadnezzar. Everyone on both sides thought that Jeremiah was pro-Babylonian. They were wrong – he was God’s prophet. Meditate on verse 19.

SJA Notes

* Father God, Your word is the only mirror we have that always tells us the truth. Please show us Your truth today.

“It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.”

Before politics, before ideologies, before social standing and wealth and power – Before anything else we must be God’s people.

Once we have our minds set with God in His rightful place, as King and Lord of our lives – Then all else can be framed correctly.

Politics should not consume us. Neither should groups or movements. Neither should wealth, power or fame.

These things will fail.

Look at the great and mighty Babylon. The hosts of Assyria would come, and Babylon would be no more.

As with Babylon, so with all that is earthly, all that is human-made.

Instead, for us,

“Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name.”

Are we working out our faith with fear and trembling?

With a true perspective of who our God is, and in the light of His word who we are.

* Lord God of Hosts,

You made the earth – Praise Your Name!

You established the world by Your wisdom, with Your understanding You stretched out the heavens – Thank You Lord!

Please help us to flee from idolatry.

Amen.