Babylon was the most powerful nation of its day, and it was used by God to bring discipline upon the Israelites. However, God had not abandoned his people, and Babylon was going to be snuffed out. This final prophecy from Jeremiah is a reminder that God doesn't abandon those He loves even though it may feel at times that His presence is missing. ... [Continue Reading]
The Greater Fear (Jeremiah 38-39, 42)
It's not bad to have fear, depending on what your fear is. The problem is that most people fear the wrong things. In the case of the Israelites, they were afraid of what might happen to them if they ended up in Babylon. So instead of fearing God (which is whom they truly should have been afraid of), they feared the king of Babylon. The ... [Continue Reading]
Still a God of Grace (Jeremiah 30-31, 33)
I think one of the things I love and appreciate about the book of Jeremiah is the hope that is shared in the midst of the doom and gloom. Yes, Israel broke its covenant with God, and yes, there will be consequences that come as a result of the broken covenant. Yes, God was planning to use the Babylonians as a punishment to recapture the hearts of the ... [Continue Reading]
Like an Hourglass (Jeremiah 20, 22-23)
The Lord's desire is that all people would come to repentance. That's always been His desire as He has sought to have a relationship with man. It was for this reason that God was slow at finally dealing with the sins of Israel. He wanted them to turn around and to come back to Him. But the opportunity for change wasn't open-ended. ... [Continue Reading]
In the Hands of the Potter (Jeremiah 18-19, 21)
Working with clay is far from easy. When I was in college, a friend of mine and I decided to go play with the pottery wheels one night. It was a disaster! We left with bits of clay all over our clothing and with no pottery to show for it! Jeremiah uses the analogy of a potter working with clay to describe how God works with His people. ... [Continue Reading]
A Tree Planted by Water (Jeremiah 10-11:17; 17)
To me, some of the richest words written in Jeremiah come in chapter 17 when he contrasts the person who trusts in himself versus the person who trusts in the Lord. The one who trusts in himself is like a bush in the desert that is destined to come to ruin. The one who trusts in the Lord, however, is like a tree planted by water. When the extreme heat ... [Continue Reading]
Mourning for Your People (Jeremiah 7-9)
Jeremiah was grieved for his people. They had walked so far away from where God wanted them to be that their return seemed absolutely hopeless. His was response was to mourn over the situation because of all that was to be lost. There is a place for mourning in faith - particularly when people face the consequences of sin. There is mourning over ... [Continue Reading]
How is Your Heart? (Jeremiah 4-6)
I know I've written about the heart here before, but it is such a prominent theme in these three chapters that I would be remiss to ignore it. There is a tendency even within contemporary Christianity to believe that God desires "good works" from His people. I had a student say something of that nature to me several years ago, and it's a ... [Continue Reading]
Time For a U-Turn (Jeremiah 1-3)
If you were heading down a road that suddenly led you into a bad part of town, you might think about turning around because of the danger that you were about to be confronted with. Yesterday I was driving and a road was blocked off by police. I could have kept pushing forward, but I'm guessing that wouldn't have boded well for my future. See, ... [Continue Reading]
The Mighty Will Fall (Zephaniah)
It can be easy to believe that some people, corporations, or even nations are so powerful that they could never fall apart. A quick history lesson, though, teaches us otherwise. Even in my own lifetime, I've seen examples from each category come to an end: Bin Laden, Enron, the USSR. What is powerful in man's eyes does not receive the same ... [Continue Reading]
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