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.

Here as Judah is taken into exile to Babylon we see the final complete end to the wealth and splendour that King Solomon had accrued all those hundreds of years previously.

In the book of 1 Kings chapter 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 took it all; the gold, the silver and the bronze.

The exile comes with the removal of the 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.

And yet.

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

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, stop following man-made idols.

And 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 – They need Jesus! They need to heed God’s word!

Are we praying for revival? Are we heeding the call of God’s Spirit?

* Gracious Father,

To You we cry – Please save our nation, our state, our cities and towns, our communities.

Please may Your word go out like a rising wave, Your Spirit reviving dead hearts and finding lost souls and bringing them back 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 chapter 32 we read, in a song from Moses,

“… 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, and we have a God who takes care of vengeance. Because in Jesus our enemies are HIS ENEMIES, and our fights of faith and doctrine are fights IN HIS NAME.

Paul tells us in the book of Romans,

“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 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, of Your justice.

Please teach us Your word today, Your Spirit writing it on our hearts.

That we would not be overcome by evil, but that we would in Your strength overcome evil 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 people of God.

Once we have God set (in our minds) in His rightful place, as King and Lord of our lives – Then all else will be able to be framed correctly.

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

These things will fail.

We see in today’s passage that the great and mighty Babylon has fallen. The hosts of Assyria have come, and Babylon is no more (or will be).

These will pass away. As with Babylon, so with all that is human-made.

Instead,

“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 of faith with fear and trembling before our God – With a true perspective of who He is, and who we are, in the light of His word?

* Lord God of Hosts,

You made the earth – Praise Your Name!

You established the world by Your wisdom, and with  Your understanding You stretched out the heavens – All glory be to You!

Please Lord keep us from idolatry. Convict and straighten us Lord – That we might continue to put You first, Head of our lives, King and Lord and Saviour.

Thank You for Jesus, the Good Shepherd, through whom we are brought into Your fold.

Amen.