My Daily Bible Study - Jeremiah (2)

[Frances]

Jeremiah

Quote:- (Henry H. Halley)”Jeremiah lived about 100 years after Isaiah. Isaiah had saved Jerusalem from Assyria, Jeremiah tried to save it from Babylon, but failed.

Jeremiah was called to the prophetic office (626 BC), Jerusalem was partly destroyed (606 BC); further devastated (597 BC); finally burned and desolated (586 BC). Jeremiah lived through these terrible 40 years . . . a pathetic and lonely figure . . . crying that if (the people) would repent God would save them from Babylon.

For 300 years Assyria . . had ruled the world, but now was growing weak. Babylon . . was becoming powerful. Egypt, which 100 years before had been a world power, and had declined, was again becoming ambitious. Babylon won about the middle of Jeremiah’s ministry. It broke the power of Assyria (607 BC); and 2 years later crushed Egypt, in the battle of Carchemish (605 BC); and for 70 years ruled the world, the same 70 years as the Jew’s captivity. Jeremiah unceasingly advised Jerusalem to surrender to the king of Babylon, so much that his enemies accused him of being a traitor. Nebuchadnezzar rewarded him . . not only by sparing his life, but by offering him any honour he would accept(39:12).”


Jeremiah 1

What does the text say? – The prophecies of Jeremiah, a priest of Anathoth in Benjamin, in the days of Josiah and his sons, Jehoiakim and following his reign, the 11 years of Zedekiah. When Jeremiah was only a youth the Lord told him He had known Jeremiah before he was born, and had set him apart and anointed him to be a prophet. The Lord told Jeremiah he must speak for Him wherever He sent him, he must not be afraid of the people for He would protect and deliver him. The Lord said He had appointed Jeremiah to stand against the nations to destroy and overthrow some and build and plant others. The Lord said calamity would come from the north, as He had planned. This was the Judgement of the Lord on His people for deserting Him and worshipping gods they had made. The Lord said Jeremiah must prepare for action as He had made him like a fortified city, an iron pillar and bronze wall against the whole land; the people would fight against him but they would fail for the Lord would deliver Jeremiah from them.

Application? – the Lord knew me before I was born - what task did He give me to do for Him? The Lord will protect and deliver me from those against me, when I say what He tells me to. Do I yield to temptation to disobey to Lord, or stand firm against it? Have I made anything into an idol and false god? Am I prepared for action? Do I go where the Lord sends me?

[Frances]

Jeremiah 2

What does the text say? – The Lord told Jeremiah to shout in Jerusalem that the Lord remembers how eager Israel originally was to serve Him, and how He had protected them from everyone who sought to harm them. Yet they have abandoned Him and worship other nation’s gods – worthless idols – and so become worthless themselves. The people have forgotten how the Lord God took them from slavery and gave them a fruitful land; so He will be Judging them and their children for years to come, for they have exchanged their Glorious God for worthless idols. They have abandoned Him, the fountain of living water, and have dug cisterns that can hold no water. The people have brought disaster on themselves by serving idols, so the Lord is letting them be punished as they are still stained with guilt. The people continue trying to find a god to protect them but will not turn back to worship the Lord their God – yet they pray to Him when they are in trouble, ignoring their Sin of worshipping as many gods as there are towns in Judah, and that they have killed the Lord’s prophets and have ignored Him for years on end. So they will be led into exile.

Application? – Do I tell others how the Lord desires to be served, after they have repented? Do I ever abandon the Lord? Could I have an idol of any sort? Might the problems my country faces be because, as a nation, we have abandoned the Lord God and ignore Him? Is it possible the troubles I, and my family, face are because I have abandoned the Lord? Do I risk the Lord’s punishment?

[Frances]

Jeremiah 3

What does the text say? – The Lord told Jeremiah to tell the Judeans they had polluted the land by worshipping the gods of foreign nations, and that is why He had withheld the rain. They say God is their Father and has always been their Guide, yet they take no notice of Him. Although Judah saw how the Lord divorced faithless Israel because of their idol worship Judah did not sincerely return to Him; even faithless Israel is less guilty then treacherous Judah. If they acknowledge their rebellion against the Lord God, He will have Mercy on them and bring them home, and give them Shepherds to teach them His Ways. Then when the population has multiplied Jerusalem will be known as ‘the throne of the Lord’ and all nations will come to honour the Lord there. In those days the people of Israel and Judah will return together from exile, they will return to the land God gave their ancestors as an inheritance forever. The people have looked in vain for salvation from other gods, but truly Salvation is only found in the Lord God of Israel. The people say they will return to God knowing their idol worship is just an illusion and their religious adherence and delusion, and only in the Lord God will they ever find Salvation when they obey Him.

Application? – What gods do the masses in my nation worship? Does everyone who calls themselves a Christian truly serve Jesus Christ - or just rituals and ceremonies? Do I only turn to the Lord when calamity comes? Or am I sincere enough to always submit to Him? Is everything I do pleasing to the Lord? Have I acknowledged my rebellion against the Lord God? Am I willing to learn more of Him from others?

[Frances]

Jeremiah 4

What does the text say? – the Lord said if Israel destroyed their idols, returned to Him and didn’t stray from Him any more, then they would be a blessing to the nations of the world by encouraging them to praise His Name. If they didn’t return to Him, His anger would burn like an unquenchable flame because of their Sins. Trouble and destruction would come from the north to devastate the land. The king and his officers would tremble with fear, the priests would be struck with sorrow, and the prophets would be appalled, because the people had been deceived by promises of peace but they will be doomed because of their rebellion against the Lord. Jeremiah said he had heard the enemy’s trumpets and the roar of battle cries, he had seen the devastation to come, and the foolishness of the people who don’t know or understand the Lord, but are clever at doing wrong. However, the Lord will not completely destroy the land.

Application? – Am I determined never to stray form the Lord? Does my behaviour encourage others to be faithful, or faithless, to Lord. Have I deceived anyone by promising people Peace with God, but not telling them they must be determined to turn away from everything that displeases Him first?

Quote:- (Henry H. Halley)”The very same year that Jeremiah was Called(626 BC) immense swarms of Barbarians from the north . . .dealt a terrific blow to the tottering Assyrian power. . . On they came like a swarm of locusts, countless, irresistible . .. . Neither age not sex would be spared. The inhabitants would be ruthlessly massacred, or at best be forced to become slaves. Their ravages resembled those of the Huns.”

[Frances]

Jeremiah 5

What does the text say? – The Lord said if there was even one just and honest person in Jerusalem He would not destroy the city, but even under oath they told lies, and refused to repent, even those who know the Lord God and His ways have refused to obey Him and have disregarded their promises to Him; so they will be destroyed because their rebellion is great and their Sins are many in this lusting and adulterous generation. The Lord God will not destroy the people completely, even though they treacherously lie about Him, saying He won’t bother them and that no disaster, war or famine will come upon them. Therefore because of this, the Lord of Heaven’s armies will burn the people as fire burns kindling wood, and a distant nation will come with deadly weapons used by mighty warriors, to plunder the land. Even in those days the people will not be completely destroyed. Because the people have refused to serve the Lord their God, and serve foreign gods, they will have to serve foreigners in a foreign land. Although His people have grown rich it is through their wickedness, they refuse to provide for the poor and orphans, the prophets give false prophecies and the priests rule with a heavy hand and amazingly the people like it, but what will they do in the end?

Application? – Am I 100% honest and just? Do I always totally obey the Lord? Is what I say about the Lord totally truthful? Do I tell others of the Lord’s wrath against those who disobey Him? Is the disaster in my nation due to me and other people disregarding the Lord God? Do I always tell the truth regarding the Lord?

[Frances]

Jeremiah 6

What does the text say? – You must get out of Jerusalem and run for your lives! A powerful army is coming from the north with disaster and destruction. Jerusalem will be destroyed; because the Lord has told the enemy to build siege ramps to punish the city for it’s wickedness, violence and plundering. If Jerusalem does not take notice of these warnings the Lord God will turn it into a heap of uninhabited ruins. No one heeds the Lord’s warnings, everyone scorns the Word of the Lord from the least to the greatest their lives are ruled by greed. The prophets and priests are all frauds offering superficial treatments for mortal wounds. They give assurance of peace when there is no peace. Look for the old Godly ways and you will find rest for your souls. No one pays attention , so the Lord will bring disaster on His people because they have rejected His Word. No sacrifice or offering makes any difference and He will put obstacles in His people’s
Path. A great nation is coming from the north who are cruel and show no mercy, to destroy Jerusalem. The Lord’s people are the worst kind of rebel because they lead others to rebel against Him too, so the Lord will discard them.

Application? – Do I take notice of warnings the Lord gives? Do I scorn any part of God’s Word (eg. Gen. 1-11)? Do I tell anyone they will have peace with God if they have not repented of all their Sins, trusting Jesus’ death on the cross to have paid their penalty, and His resurrection to enable them to rise to New Life in Him? or do I tell others a ceremony of some sort is sufficient? Do I pay attention to the Lord’s Warnings? Do I lead others to rebel against the Lord in any way?

[Frances]

[B]Jeremiah 7[/B]


What does the text say? – The Lord told Jeremiah to go to the Temple gate and give His Word to the people, saying that if they must mend their ways He will let them stay in the land. He will be Merciful only if they stop their evil thoughts and deeds; if they stop exploiting the foreigners, orphans and widows, and stop murder and worshipping idols. The Temple being in Jerusalem will not save them because they steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, burn incense to Baal and worship other gods. Just as the Lord destroyed Shiloh so He will destroy the Temple, and send the people into exile. The Lord told Jeremiah not to pray for the people or intercede on their behalf, for He would not hear because the people made offerings to the ‘queen of heaven’ and so provoked Him to anger. When the Lord God had brought their ancestors out of Egypt, He commanded them to obey Him, but they never have obeyed Him and nor will they obey Jeremiah. Therefore the Lord has rejected His people, their corpses will fill the valley of Topheth. Jeremiah must give the people the Lord’s message, but he must not expect them to listen to him. The time is coming when the land will be desolate.

Application? – Do I tell people what the Lord requires of them? Do I put anything or anyone in the Lord God’s rightful place in my life? Do I trust anything except Jesus Sacrifice on the cross to Save me from God‘s wrath regarding my Sin? Do I ask the Lord who He wants me to pray for and how He wants me too pray, or waste time and effort praying for those who have provoked the Lord to anger too many times? Do I always obey the Lord? Do I loose heart when people take no notice when I talk of the Lord?

Quote:- (Henry H. Halley)”the ‘Queen of Heaven’ is Ashtoreth, principle Canaanite female deity, whose worship was accompanied by the most degrading forms of immorality.”

[Frances]

Jeremiah 8

What does the text say? – The Lord said that at that time the enemy will take the bones from all the graves in Jerusalem and spread them on the round, like dung, before the sun, moon and stars – the gods the people have worshipped – and the people who survive will wish they were dead too, instead of being in captivity. Why do the people stay on their self-destructive path of Sin, why do they refuse to turn back to the Lord? How can anyone know the Word of the Lord if the teachers twist, and subtly change it? They offer superficial help for mortal wounds, giving assurance of peace when there is no peace, so they will be punished for their great Sin, they will have terror instead of peace. The Lord is sending the enemy against His people because they have provoked His anger by worshipping foreign gods. Jeremiah shares his people’s pain and grief but can do nothing to stop the punishment the people have earned.

Application? – Why do people today continue in their self-destructive sinful way of life? Is what I have been taught of God false? Could I be sharing falsehood instead of what the Lord means in His Word? If my nation has earned God’s wrath I will suffer too. What am I doing to encourage others to worship the Lord in the way He wants?

[Frances]

Jeremiah 9

What does the text say? – Jeremiah was so distressed by the sinfulness of the people that he wished he had somewhere to go to get away from them; he said they were all treacherous and liars, going from one evil to another. No one is trustworthy or trusts anyone else, and they all refuse to acknowledge the Lord God, so He will avenge Himself against them, making Jerusalem a heap of ruins and the cities of Judah desolate. The land will be ruined so no one will want to travel through it, because Baal is worshipped and the people stubbornly follow their own desires, so the Lord will scatter them around the world and chase them with a sword. Corpses will be scattered across the fields like lumps of dung and no one will be left to bury them. Don’t let the wise boast of their wisdom, or the powerful boast of their power, or the rich boast of their riches, the only thing worth boasting about is that they truly know and understand the Lord and His unfailing Love , Justice and Righteousness. The time is coming when the Lord will punish all who are circumcised in body but not in spirit, like pagan nations God’s people have uncircumcised hearts.

Application? – Do I ever say what is not 100% true? Do I ever say what is true, but say it in such a way that my intention is to deceive? Does everything I do and say please the Lord? Am I totally trustworthy? Do I do what I want or what the Lord wants me to do? Do I do my best to know and understand the Lord? have I allowed the Lord to circumcise my spirit?

[Frances]

(the gap ws caused by a rather frought time in USA with sick relatives)

Jeremiah 9

What does the text say? – Jeremiah was so distressed by the sinfulness of the people that he wished he had somewhere to go to get away from them; he said they were all treacherous and liars, going from one evil to another; no one is trustworthy or trusts anyone else, and they all refuse to acknowledge the Lord God, so He will avenge Himself against them, making Jerusalem a heap of ruins and the cities of Judah desolate. The land will be ruined so no one will want to travel through it, because Baal is worshipped and the people stubbornly follow their own desires, so the Lord will scatter them around the world and chase them with a sword. Corpses will be scattered across the fields like lumps of dung and no one will be left to bury them. Don’t let the wise boast of their wisdom, or the powerful boast of their power, or the rich boast of their riches, the only thing worth boasting about is that they truly know and understand the Lord and His unfailing Love , Justice and Righteousness. The time is coming when the Lord will punish all who are circumcised in body but not in spirit, like pagan nations God’s people have uncircumcised hearts.

Application? – Do I ever say what is not 100% true? Do I ever say what is true, but say it in such a way that my intention is to deceive? Does everything I do and say please the Lord? Am I totally trustworthy? Do I do what I want or what the Lord wants me to do? Do I do my best to know and understand the Lord? Have I allowed the Lord to circumcise my spirit?

[Frances]

Jeremiah 10

What does the text say? – The Lord says His people must not act like other folk who try to read their future in the stars, nor must they fear the predictions of those who do, for their ways are futile and foolish; they fell a tree, then use part of it to make an idol and part as firewood, they cover the idol with gold and silver but it can not stand, move or do either evil or good. There is none like You, Lord, who is King of the nations, there is none like You O Lord. An idol is worthless however skilfully made, decorated and dressed. The Lord God made the heavens and the earth, He makes lightening, rain and wind. Those who worship idols are foolish, the craftsmen are disgraced by the idols they make for they are a fraud with no breath or power. The God of Israel is no idol, He is the Creator of everything that exists, He is the Lord of Heaven’s armies. The siege is about to begin, the Lord will throw the inhabitants of the land out; because the people no longer seek wisdom from Him they will fail completely. I know our lives are not our own, so correct me Lord, but not in anger. Pour out Your fury on those who don’t acknowledge You.

Application? – Do I read horoscopes?
Do I act on what others tell me they contain?
Do I worship the Lord God who made Heaven and Earth (or evolution)?
Do I accept correction as from the Lord?

[Frances]

Jeremiah 11+12

What does the text say? – The Lord said He curses those who don’t obey the Covenant He made with their ancestors; they don’t obey Him because they worship other gods, so He will bring calamity on them, and they will not escape. Their idols will not save them. The Lord told Jeremiah not to pray for those idol worshippers, for He wouldn’t listen because they rejoice in doing evil. The Lord of Heaven’s armies who raised the descendants of Jacob has ordered their destruction, for the people of Israel and Judah had made Him angry, by burning incense to Baal. Jeremiah knew that when he gave the Lord’s message in Anathoth, his home city, the men there planned to kill him and he asked the Lord to take vengeance on them. Therefore the Lord said their punishment would be for the young men to die by the sword and the women and children to die by famine. Jeremiah asked the Lord why the wicked – those who have the Lord on their lips but not in their hearts – prosper. The Lord replied that if racing men on foot wearied him, how could he race against horses? Even members of his own family had turned against him and he must not trust them no matter how pleasantly they spoke. The Lord said His people would have to leave the land, but He would bring the people of Judah back, and if the attacking nations truly learn to trust Him they will belong with His people, but only if they obey Him.

Application? – Could the Lord regard anything I do as evil? Do I speak of the Lord but not love Him enough to obey Him? Have any of my family turned against me because I speak of the Lord and what He requires of us? Do I trust them? Do I always obey the Lord?

[Frances]

Jeremiah 13

What does the text say? – The Lord told Jeremiah to get a linen loin-cloth, to keep it dry, and to put it round his waist. Then He told Jeremiah to go to the Euphrates and hide the loin-cloth in a hole in the rocks- which he did. Some time later the Lord told him to go and dig up the loin-cloth; it was ruined and useless. The Lord said that in the same way He would ruin the pride of Judah and Jerusalem. As the loin-cloth is made to cling tightly to a man’s waist, so the people of Judah became His people to cling to Him, to Glorify Him, but they don’t fulfil their purpose – so He will destroy them. Jeremiah told the people their pride would cause their captivity; so he wept for them as armies were going to come from the north. Yet there was still time for the people to stop being evil and start being good. Because the people have forgotten the Lord and trusted in falsehood, so Lord would shame them because of their abominations.

Application? – God Saved me to Glorify Him and lead others to the Lord Jesus Christ, so they might also be Saved; do I fulfil that purpose? If I am not sharing the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ there is still time for me to start fulfilling the purpose that I have been given New Life for – to stop being useless and start being useful to the Lord. Do I intend to spend the rest of my life Glorifying Him?

[Frances]

Jeremiah 14+15

What does the text say? – The Lord told Jeremiah there would be a drought that would cause famine, to punish their Sins; then the Lord told him not to pray for the people, and if they fasted He would take no notice also He would not accept their sacrifices but would continue to send war, famine and disease. Jeremiah told the Lord the prophets were telling the people that He was saying there would be no war or famine and assured them of peace; the Lord said the prophets told lies as He had not spoken to them, so they would all die through war or famine. Jeremiah asked the Lord if He had completely rejected Judah and confessed the Sins of his people and their ancestors, and asked Him not to abandon them as that would bring disgrace on Him.
The Lord said He would not change His mind even if Moses and Samuel pleaded on their behalf, He was tired of relenting, He would hand their wealth and treasures to His people’s enemies and they would be taken to a foreign land. Jeremiah pleaded for his own life, saying he was suffering for doing as the Lord told him and he had not acted against Him; then the Lord said if the people turned back to Him He would bring them back home, and Jeremiah would be His mouthpiece, he must influence the people, but must not be influenced by them. The people would attack Jeremiah but not conquer him as the Lord would protect him and rescue him from their cruelty.

Application? – Do ‘natural disasters’ always signify the Lord’s Anger? Have I ever given a false prophecy? Do I confess the Sins of my nation to the Lord? Do the Sins of those who call themselves Christians distress me? Could the Lord be tired of forgiving my Sins? Would I be wise to be more obedient to Him? I must expect to suffer because I obey the Lord. Am I influenced in any way by ‘the world’? Do I know the Lord will not allow me to suffer beyond what I can bear if I am true to Him?

[Frances]

Jeremiah 16+17

What does the text say? – The Lord told Jeremiah he must not get married or have children, because the people of the land would all have gruesome deaths and be eaten by wild beasts, for He had removed His loving kindness, mercy and peace from them because the people and their ancestors had turned away from Him and His Law to serve other gods and their own evil desires and they refuse to listen to Him; so He will send them to a foreign land where they can worship idols day and night. One day the Lord will bring the people back to the land He gave their ancestors and they will know He is the Lord. The Sin of Judah is written on their hearts and the Lord has cursed those who rely on human strength and Blessed those who put their trust in Him, and they will be like a tree growing by a stream that bears fruit when others die of drought. The Lord searches the hearts and minds of the people and all who forsake Him will be disgraced. If the Lord Heals me I shall be Healed and if He Saves me I shall be Saved. I praise Him alone, He alone is my hope in the day of disaster. The Lord told Jeremiah to go to the gates of Jerusalem and tell all the people going in and out they must not buy or sell on the Sabbath and that if they continue to trade on His Holy day then Jerusalem will fall.

Application? – Do I listen to, and obey, the Lord? What does the Lord see written on my heart and mind? Do I rely on human strength instead of the Lord? Do I allow the Lord to Heal me mentally and spiritually? Or do I only want physical Healing from Him? Am I being Saved? If so, one day I will be Saved if I continue to put all my trust in the Lord. Do I constantly draw my nourishment from the Lord Jesus Christ? Do I bear Fruit for Him?