I can't help it, I think of "Jeremiah was a bullfrog" everytime I hear this name...remember that song?
Jeremiah is a contemporary of Zephaniah....The world is grappling for power: Assyria, Egypt and Babylon are the main ones...Jeremiah is going to minister under Judah's last 5 kings-Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah.....The nation is sliding backward from Josiah's religious reform and will eventually be conquered by Babylon in 586BC
Key verse in this book we will read today:
"Your wickedness will punish you: your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of me," declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty. (2:19)
It is the same thing as Zephaniah preached: Repent and turn to God, or he will punish.
Note the first line of the book, The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests.....this is probably the high priest that found the Book of Law and gave it to King Josiah. I love how the Lord supports his prophet and in verse 9 reaches out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."
Jeremiah has to go and condemn Judah for her sins...wouldn't you just love a heartwarming job like that? People are worshiping Baal and there is animal sacrifice and sacred prostitution in worship. Verse 2:13 show that Israel had committed two sins:
1) forsaking God
2) They have turned to idols
Look at verse 13....and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water........a cistern is a water holder in that age......this is basically saying that if you have a need and try to fill it with something other than God is a sin....the people went from the spring of living water to the worship of idols...not only that but the cisterns they chose were broken and empty. Our cisterns can be money, power religious systems, addictions etc. Israels only shame was in getting caught....If we desire something so much that we'll do anything to get it, this is a sign that we are addicted to it and out of tune with God. YIKES YIKES YIKES
Chapter 3 is the marriage example.....Israel is supposed to be the bride and God the bridgegroom....but Israel is prostituting herself and isn't being faithful, so God is going to give her a certificate of divorce this time and send her away 3:8.....Judah is her unfaithful sister, and even if God divorced Israel (they were captured by the Assyrians), she went out and committed adultery with stone and wood. Jeremiah tells them that if they repent they will be spared.....what do you think Judah will do?
Look what comes up from the depths of the sea.
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My bible says Jeremiah is the "weeping prophet....the people of Judah and their king rejected his message.....Jeremiah is a heart broken prophet with a heart breaking message.
ReplyDeleteOne line people need to pay attention to today.....2:17 "Have you not brought this on yourself, In that you have forsaken the Lord your God?" People need to realize they are following the rules and laws of society or God.....instead of excuses, look at own self...
another one.....2:26 "As the thief is ashamed when he is found out, so is the house of Israel ashamed" if following the law of God, wouldn't they be ashamed for actions, not because of being caught?
You are exactly right...
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