Jeremiah 3

The people of Judah, who were the audience for Jeremiah’s preaching, had turned away from God.  The exchanged their Glory for what does not profit.  You might want to excuse them by saying they did not know any better.  But today’s reading makes it clear that such was not the case.

In the days of King Hezekiah they had seen their sister nation, Israel, carried off by the Assyrians, removed from the land and deposited elsewhere.  It was made clear that this was God’s judgment on an adulterous people.  They also had exchanged their Glory for what did not profit.  Furthermore, when Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem turned to the Lord for help, they were delivered from the powerful Assyrian war machine.

Now it was approximately 75 years later.  Having endured the terribly wicked times under King Manasseh, Judah is now blessed with another godly King in Josiah.  In his time idols were removed from the land and there was a great celebration of the Passover (2 Chr. 34-35).  It was during this time of revival that Jeremiah began to preach.

You may wonder, if it was a time of spiritual revival, why Jeremiah was sent with this message of impending judgment.  The answer is, “’And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense,’ says the Lord” (3:10).  The destruction of the idols in the high places had not removed them from the hearts of the people.  Their worship was pretend.  And the amazing thing about all this, as 3:11-4:2 indicates, is that Judah had seen all that happened to Israel and yet did not take warning.

How do we know when our worship of God is only in pretense and not real?  Here are a few of the indicators: fear, worry, bitterness, ingratitude, self-centeredness, impatience, marital dissatisfaction, prayerlessness and a neglected Bible.  These indicate that, whatever our outward actions and words, we have in fact forsaken the fountain of living waters.

There is a strong word in this passage for “religious” people.  Religious activity is not only wrong but is useless in honoring God if it does not come from the heart.  Thus Jeremiah pleads with the people to “break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns” (4:3-4).  The soil in a field must be cultivated first to prepare for the planting of the seed.  So our hearts must be humbled when we come to God.  There must be a confession (acknowledgment) of our sin, a heart-felt recognition of our need.  Without this, our religion is pretend.  We are hypocrites.

This day come to God, but not in pride.  Break up the hard soil of your heart!

Jeremiah 2

Jeremiah, having been appointed by God, begins now to speak the words God put in his mouth.  In the first sermon (Ch. 2-6) Jeremiah gives the fundamental message that Israel has sinned grievously and must return to God.

In what way did they sin?  Jeremiah often accuses them of “backsliding” (v19).  They had slidden back in the sense that they “changed their Glory for what does not profit” (v11).  This exchange indicates 2 aspects of sin.  On the one hand they forsook God, “the fountain of living waters”.  He was their Glory, the One who chose them to be His special treasure.  They agreed to be His covenant people at Mt. Sinai.  God blessed them with provision in the years in the desert.  He had brought them into the land, giving them victories so they could settle the land.  He had made them great in the times of David and Solomon.  Though He had blessed them abundantly they now forsook Him.

On the other hand, they now were committed to making their own “blessings”, if you will.  Their motto became, “God helps those who help themselves;” their song, “I did it my way.”  They followed natural instincts, like a wild donkey in the desert (v23-24).  They thanked (worshiped) nature for it’s blessings without praising the Creator.  Failure to glorify and thank God led them to vain (self-centered) and foolish thoughts (Rom. 1:21-23).  They trusted in Baal (v23), the god of the Sidonians, which had already proved to be a failure in previous times, both in the Northern Kingdom of Israel as well as in Judah.  They trusted in Egypt (v36-37) who would prove incapable of defending herself, much less Israel.  Instead of a fountain flowing with pure and refreshing water, they settled for muddy rainwater that was seeping away in leaky cisterns.

Have you not seen this in your life?  We go to great lengths to build cisterns for financial, physical and emotional security only to find that they are leaky and that the water they hold is not particularly refreshing.  We spend on pleasure only to find that when the moment is over we are not truly happy.  We surround ourselves with friends only to find that, as we, so they live for themselves, and will not be ultimately loyal to us.  As Jeremiah spoke candidly to the people, so we must ask ourselves, “How can you say, ‘I am not polluted’?”

As always, the first step in turning to God is to recognize and admit that you need to turn to God.  Let us consider this matter personally.  Have you not found that material abundance does not bring a lasting satisfaction to your soul?  Have you not found that an abundance of accolades from friends does nothing to satisfy your soul when you have no assurance that you have pleased your Creator?  What cisterns have you built in your life?  Do you not see that they are leaking?  Do you not understand that the taste of that water is nothing to compare to the “fountain of living waters”, the Living God?

“How can you say, ‘I am not polluted’?”

Psalm 148

How thrilling, better yet, how edifying, these Hillel Psalms that speak of God’s praiseworthiness in every setting.  Today it is a call to all “heaven and earth”. Here are my reflections.  Take time to record your own today!

Heaven, v1-6
•    v2: We are now in Jerusalem.  The latest Israel/Gaza conflict has an “angel” story in it.  Whether we see them or not they are real and perfectly serve their Creator.
•    v3: Around 2AM the morning of July 20 was the last time I saw the magnificence of the night sky that Montana offers.  I was with my son and granddaughter at Becker Lake in the Beartooth Mtns.  I stepped out of the tent on that moonless night.  The Milky Way glistened with brilliance.  The desire to praise the Creator was instantaneous and fulfilled.
•    v4: Much of this I don’t understand.  I need to visit again with our friend Mark Amunrud who always has well-thought-out ideas about these things.  But the glory of it all is the mystery of the Creator of heaven and earth.
Why are the heavens called to such praise?  Because the LORD commanded them into existence.  They are His handiwork and simply by their existence and function they declare His glory.

Earth, v7-14
•    v8: In these summer months in Jerusalem the gentle breeze calls for constant thanks to our good Creator and Sustainer.  Recently there was a well-attested story of a sudden wind blowing a Hamas rocket off course so it landed in the ocean rather than a populated area.  Israel’s Iron Dome failed to destroy it in 2 or 3 attempts.  Praise to the sovereign LORD.
•    v9: Walking around the Garden Tomb, we now have signs identifying many of the trees.  There are several fruit trees here that bear fruit at differing times of the year.  It is a joy when in the Arab and Jewish markets to always have an abundance and variety of Israel-produced fruit. Praise to our wise Creator.
•    v10: In the afore-mentioned backpacking trip in the Beartooths we were thankful to see one moose at first light Sunday morning.  While in Bryce Nat’l Park Cindy captured wonderful pictures of a deer, and even a crow (not my favorite bird).  ALL give unique praise to their exalted Creator.
•    v11: Oh, that the rulers of the nations would acknowledge the Creator and His decreed Anointed One, our Lord Jesus.  The phrase “wars and rumors of wars” so fits our world today and especially Israel.  But all any of them talk about it seems are their armies, their weapons, their plans, their negotiations, their… Where is the glory due His Name?!
•    v12: Here at the Garden the praise of the LORD is so evident in the staff.  There are Palestinians and Israelis who work together in full honor of His Name.  And even in this slow time the praise of many who come into this Garden is evident.  The sound of songs of praise in many languages is a staple here.  Last night at dinner we shared with our fellow volunteers the joys of worship at Central Bible Church.  The little orchestra and the congregation just filled that auditorium with the sounds of joyful praise.  And well we remember on our way through Montana meeting with the small gathering of believers in a home in Lewistown; how their praise filled that home, praise for the exalted LORD.
Why should everything on earth praise the LORD?  Because He alone is exalted!  His glory is above the heavens and earth.  AND … do not miss it … He HAS exalted the horn of His people Israel, the greater Son of David, Jesus the Anointed One.  He is now in the heavenlies, at the right hand of the Majesty on High.  How I/we give great praise for the faith of Abraham, exercised by all believers today.  We praise You, our God, that in Christ we have been grafted in to the tree.  We are your saints.  May our praise this day reflect that reality!

Jeremiah 1

Jer. 1:9: “My words in your mouth”

This chapter relates God’s call of Jeremiah to be a prophet.  Jeremiah’s call was to be a prophet to the nations (v5) with the specific “target group” being the people and leadership of Judea, the remaining Southern Kingdom of Israel.  

He was called to a ministry that would be characterized by rejection of his message.  Note this: he would be rejected!  He would not have a following.  Even though …
*He was specifically chosen by God (1:5);
*He would speak with God’s authority (1:9-10);
*He would personally sacrifice much for the sake of his ministry (12:6: his siblings would turn against him; 15:17: he would have no friends; 16:2: he would not be permitted by God to marry or have children).

The fact is that God was “ready to perform (His) word” (v12) by sending a powerful nation from the north (v13-16) that would be like a pot of boiling water poured out on Judah.  The decision had been made by God back in the reign of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah (2 Kings 21:10-16).  The time had come to call the people to repentance before the inevitable and unavoidable judgment.

Is it possible there are “preachers” today whose messages have been cleansed of references to sin and judgment, to the reality of the wrath of God that is even now being revealed on earth (Rom. 1:19f), and which will be poured out in full on wickedness?  Yes, we believe that is the case.  There are few who would receive such a call as Jeremiah, to preach the realities of sin and judgment and to have few followers.  Yet, Jeremiah was faithful to preach the words that God put in his mouth.  Out of this message, be assured that God will offer grace and mercy, but few will accept it.  Jeremiah was faithful because he was not seduced by “numbers” but was obedient to God’s call in his life.

The good news of the gospel only makes sense in the context of the bad news of man’s guilt before a Holy God!  “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.  But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” (Isa. 59:1-2)

Contentment

May I suggest you first read Philippians 4:10-13.

I was given a wonderful book entitled, "Contentment: The Secret to a Lasting Calm," by Dr. Richard A. Swenson. It is a NavPress (Colorado Springs, CO, 2013) publication and I recommend it highly.  Today, to whet your appetite, so to speak, here is a brief section from a part of the book (p.52-53) where Swenson offers quotes on 'contentment' from throughout history.
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John Bunyan, one of the world's favorite authors, wrote in Pilgrim's Progress:

He that is down need fear no fall,
He that is low no pride.
He that is humble ever shall have
God to be his guide.
I am content with what I have,
Little be it, or much.
And Lord! Contentment still I crave,
Because Thou safest such.

This is the "Song of the Shepherd Boy in the Valley of Humiliation."  Some might recognize it also as the song sung by Beth in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, sickly though she was and soon to die.

We cross the Atlantic to hear our last couple of voices.  The eminent preacher and theologian, Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), definitively wrote, "There is provision in Christ for the satisfaction and full contentment of the needy and thirsty soul."  At one point, Edwards housed a guest, David Brainerd (1718-1747), the young zealous missionary to native Americans.  After he had fallen ill among the Indians, Brainerd wrote, "I am in a very poor state of health; but through Divine goodness, I am not discontented.  I bless God for this retirement!  I never was more thankful for anything than I have spent of late for the necessity I am under of self-denial in many respects."  He came to stay with the Edwards family where hr was affectionately nursed by their seventeen-year-old daughter, Jerusha.  Brainerd died of tuberculosis six months later at the age of twenty-nine.  Four months following, Jerusha became ill with TB and died in five days.  The two are buried side-by-side.  Far from being spiteful, Edwards wrote The Life of David Brainerd, which became his best-selling work and challenged many future generations of missionaries.

2 Kings 23

There are references to three notable landmarks in Jerusalem in this story of Josiah purging Judah of idolatry. Two of them show the extent of the idolatry; the other speaks of the removal of idolatry.  Taking them in reverse order ...

v13: The Mount of Corruption. This is in fact The Mount of Olives which is east of Jerusalem as the passage indicates.  Olivett has 3 peaks from north to south.  It is here called "corruption" because Solomon had established a high place for his wives to worship foreign gods on the southern peak some 350 years before.  This high place would have been high enough to be in view of worshipers at the temple.  Israel's struggle with and capitulation to idolatry had been going on for a long time.

v10: The Valley of the Son of Hinnom.  This is the valley at the southern end of the city of David beginning at the southern end of the Mount of Olives.  It was here that the people of Israel, including two of her kings, carried out horrible and cruel acts of idolatry, including walking on beds of hot coals and sacrificing children to be burned in the fire.. "Tophet" refers to this place of burning.  In Mark 9:48 Jesus uses this location as a picture of hell.  The word for hell is Gehenna, the valley of Hinnom.  In Jesus' day it was the trash heap where "‘Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched. ’". Truly idolatry had reached to the depths of wickedness.

v4,6,12: The Brook Kidron.  Between the Temple Mount and the Mt. of Olives is the Kidron Valley where the Brook Kidron runs through the narrow fields.  It is here that Josiah emptied all the pulverized evidence of idolatry and burned it so as to be unusable.  This place speaks loudly of our own need to be rid of anything that does not honor God.  In 2 Sam. 15 David fled the city during the uprising of Absolum.  As he did he undoubtedly struggled with his own failures that had brought the kingdom to such a terrible state. He would later walk back through the Kidron in his return to the throne.

But he was not the only one to walk this valley.  His greater Son, our Lord Jesus, crossed over after His supper with the disciples to go to Gethsemanae.  There He prayed the ultimate prayer of those who would be free of idolatry: "not MyWill but Thine be done."  This One who "learned obedience from the things that He suffered" (Hebrew. 5:8) had learned that night.  He returned to face the agony of the cross confident that He was fully submitted to His Father and God!

Cross the Kidron as you begin this day.  Deposit every trace of idolatry.  Then return as living sacrifice, your only reasonable worship.

2 Kings 21

2 Kings 21:9: Manasseh seduced them.

Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, was the king in whose reign Judah committed such abominations that God determined they should be removed from the land (Jer. 15:4).  So terrible was this time that in Jeremiah’s prophecy God had said, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My mind would not be favorable toward this people” (Jer. 15:1).

Manasseh was certainly a wicked king.  Solomon in his wisdom had said, “Mercy and truth preserve the king, and by lovingkindness he upholds the throne” (Prov. 20:28).  Manasseh did not live in a way to prolong the kingdom over which he ruled.  Even though there was a good and great king after him (Josiah), still God would not relent because of what this evil king had done.

But note that Jeremiah’s prophecy says that God’s hand was not only against the king but against “this people”.  How did things turn so sour from the time of Hezekiah to the time of Manasseh?  On the one hand, the people paid no attention to what God had said through His servant Moses.  That’s the same “attention” word as in 2 Kings 20:8 when Hezekiah paid too much attention to the Babylonian emissaries.  They no longer gave an "intelligent hearing" to God’s word.

At the same time, they became evil because Manasseh seduced them.  Apparently by the pressure of governmental rules (i.e. unjust laws) and explanations (i.e. spin) and provisions (i.e. promises of a better economy) Manasseh caused them to stray from the truth.  Undoubtedly in Judean society this was a time when doing evil was easy and being righteous was extremely difficult.

Now let us consider this for our own edification.  We are responsible for our lives before God.  We may want to blame the government for our situation but if we do we are only falling for one of Satan’s “seductions”.  God will not be impressed by this excuse, no matter how difficult we think our situation to be.  Jesus said “offenses must come” (Matt. 18:7).  It’s predicted: the world will become more and more evil as we move towards the end of this age.  The seductions will be more seductive, the pressures more oppressive.  But Jesus goes on to say, “woe to that man by whom the offense comes”.  The inevitability of sin in a society does not relieve the sinner from judgment. Manasseh is judged for causing evil;  the people are judged for doing evil.

Let us not continue the method of dealing with sin introduced in the Garden of Eden, that of blaming others (Gen. 3).  If the laws are unjust and the government evil, let us nevertheless give attention to the Word of God.  No-excuses-righteousness is the life to which we have been called!