Jeremiah 30:1-31:26
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Wow. These two chapters in Jeremiah today are the most hopeful we’ve read yet in the book of Jeremiah! These chapters give so much joy to my heart to read them, as the promises of deliverance and hope of restoration are given by God!  In Jeremiah chapter 31 verses 15 through 17 today we read – “This is what the LORD says: “A cry of anguish is heard in Ramah–mourning and weeping unrestrained. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted–for her children are dead.” But now the LORD says, “Do not weep any longer, for I will reward you. Your children will come back to you from the distant land of the enemy. There is hope for your future,” says the LORD. “Your children will come again to their own land.”

Did you notice verse 15 above is also in the New Testament?  It is quoted in Matthew chapter 2 verse 18 based on Herod’s orders to murder all of the male infants being a fulfillment of this verse.  Here’s verses 16 through 18 in Matthew chapter 2:  “When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”  I almost hesitate to share this image below of the slaughter of “The Holy Innocents” by the Florentine painter and architect Giotto di Bondone from the year 1304, but I think this artwork does capture the full weight of the tragedy of Herod’s orders and the horrible manner in which this verse in Jeremiah was fulfilled:

Jeremiah 31:18 gives a great example of the true relationship we can have with God – “I have heard Israel saying, `You disciplined me severely, but I deserved it. I was like a calf that needed to be trained for the yoke and plow. Turn me again to you and restore me, for you alone are the Lord my God.” Israel was finally beginning to repent and return to God. I know the word “discipline” can maybe be a tough one for us – we’ve probably all experienced some unjust discipline. I pray that you can see that God’s discipline for us is ultimately very loving – training us, turning us, restoring us. If you feel that God is disciplining you in your life right now, will you let him? So that he can train you, turn you, restore you?

I love the last verse in Jeremiah’s readings today! 31:26 – “At this, I woke up and looked around. My sleep had been very sweet.” Very sweet readings in Jeremiah today indeed!  When is the last time you’ve had sweet sleep?  Do you think sweet sleep is a gift from God? 

Worship Video:  Today’s readings reminded me of the MercyMe song “All of Creation:”

Are you singing with all of creation? Click here and sing!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” Jeremiah 31:25 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray for rest, in the Lord. Pray for satisfaction, in the Lord. Pray you will not seek rest or satisfaction apart from the Lord.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

Jeremiah 28:1-29:32
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In our Jeremiah readings today we get two different declarations of how long the exile to Babylon will last – 2 years versus 70 years!  Just a slight difference…  Of course we simply need to look at which of the declarations are coming from a false prophet (Hananiah, 2 yrs) versus a true prophet of God’s (Jeremiah, 70 yrs).  Biblical scholars debate the exact dates of when this 70 years of captivity in Babylon took place: 1)  605 to 538 B.C. would cover the first deportation until the arrival of the first exiles back in Jerusalem.  2) 586 to 516 B.C. would cover the time between the destruction of the temple and its rebuilding.  3) Some believe the number 70 was an approximate number meant to signify a lifetime.

Jeremiah chapter 28 has a good lesson for us in the false prophet Hananiah. I think we need to be careful when we use words like, “God says”, or “this is God’s will”, or “I know God will do x, y, and z.” Hananiah was using words like this… and he may have really thought this to be true… but he was wrong big-time. And paid a big price. I’m thinking in our lives it might be better to say, “God-willing, this hopefully will happen…” or “I believe God is leading me this way. I pray I’m right” – and then be prepared to adjust if we realize it wasn’t quite the right way. I’m sure most of us are seeking God’s will for our lives. We maybe should be cautious on making declarative statements on precisely what God’s will is for our lives?   Let us instead simply try to follow God’s lead in our life each and every day and trust that his lead will take us where he wants us to go.

Jeremiah 29:8-9 today tells us: “The Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says, “Do not let the prophets and mediums who are there in Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams because they prophesy lies in my name. I have not sent them,” says the Lord.”  My thought on these verses is that often times I think that we too are tricked by lies that the world is often selling us. “Money, Power, Status, Sex-Appeal, etc. etc. are things to be strived for above all else” are the type of things that I think we often hear. But, are these True? Or are they tricks – are they lies? Will you find emptiness or happiness in what the world is selling you? Where can you find True happiness and peace? I think these questions are answered for us today in verses 11-13: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me.”  Are you looking for God in earnest?  If you’ve found God, are you following Him alone and not the tricksters of this world?  Do you believe that God has a beautiful plan for you and your life?  A plan much better than any plan you could dream up on your own?

Video:  The great news of Jeremiah 29:11 reminded me of the great Christian movie called “Facing the Giants.” Have you seen this movie yet?  My wife and I just watched it for the first time a couple of weeks ago on DVD and loved it.  It’s made by the same folks that made the movie “Fireproof.”  Here’s a trailer for it, below.

Are you facing the giants in your life?  Click here and face the giants!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray in thanksgiving that the Lord knows His plans that He has for you! Pray in thanksgiving that the Lord plans to prosper you and to give you a hope and a future, through your saving faith as Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

Jeremiah 23:21-25:38
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Jeremiah 23 continues on from yesterday’s readings with the problems of false prophets. Verses 21 & 22 really stood out to today: “I have not sent these prophets, yet they claim to speak for me. I have given them no message, yet they prophesy. If they had listened to me, they would have spoken my words and turned my people from their evil ways.”  I think the key word in these verses above is “listen”. The false prophets’ problems all started because they were not listening to God. How well do we listen to God today?  Think we should slow down our lives a bit and create some time and space to listen?  When we pray – are we speaking or listening more?   Let us have ears to listen!  🙂

Verse 29 is a great one! “Does not my word burn like fire?” asks the Lord. “Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes rock to pieces?” In your life today does God’s Word burn like fire?  In your life today is God’s Word like a mighty hammer that smashes rock to pieces?

 

Jeremiah Chapter 24 and the good and bad figs is interesting. It’s interesting in that the captives that end up in Babylon are the good figs – and those that stay behind in Judah & Jerusalem are the bad. You might think the opposite would be true. But, it seems that the 70 years of captivity coming up in Babylon will be a “refining” process for those Israelites, and will bring them back closer to God, before returning to the land.  In verse 1 we read: “After King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon exiled Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, to Babylon along with the princes of Judah and all the skilled craftsmen, the LORD gave me this vision. I saw two baskets of figs placed in front of the LORD’s Temple in Jerusalem.”

Jeremiah Chapter 25 is the bit of a tough read at first.  I would certainly like to study more of the theology on the “cup of the Lord’s anger.”  The best I can tell is that the land was so full of sin & rejection of God, that the cup of anger and the coming judgment was the only option for God.  My thought is that God showed graciousness time and time and time again – and was ignored, and things got worse. So, keep in mind that God didn’t just go ballistic here in Chapter 25 – it was a long time coming and I think a lot of grace & mercy & compassion was shown for a long time – but eventually this had to happen.  Actually, this does remind me of a sermon I heard actually last year.  The pastor was preaching from the “feast of the wedding banquet” in Matthew where a king (God) invites his townsfolk to attend the wedding feast for his son (Jesus).  But people refuse the invitation – saying they have to work / they are too busy, etc.  The 2nd time the king extends the invitation, the people even beat up his servants!  Well, the pastor’s point in preaching was that God does continue to show us grace and pursue us, but at some point we have to accept the invitation from God!  We have to accept the invitation of faith in his son Jesus.  We have to accept the invitation to repent of our sins.  We have to accept the invitation…  While God will extend his grace and the invitation time and time and time again – he won’t do so forever for us if we keep rejecting him.  Israel, leading up to chapter 25, did not accept the invitation from God to repent.  In your life today, are you accepting the invitation from God to repent through faith in his son Jesus?  Do you believe that you have been invited?  Have you accepted the invitation?

Worship Video:  Today’s readings reminded me of Matt Redman’s fantastic worship song titled “Better is One Day.”  My hunch is that many of you have worshiped to this song in your churches. 

Have you entered God’s courts? Click here for a better “one day” today!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

Jeremiah 22:1-23:20
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Today in Jeremiah we read about one of the last Old Testament era kings to sit on the throne of David in Judah!  This was King Jehoiachin and God makes it clear that this is one of Judah’s last Davidic kings (with Zedekiah being governor/king of Judah briefly subsequently) in chapter 22 verse 30: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Let the record show that this man Jehoiachin was childless. He is a failure, for none of his children will succeed him on the throne of David to rule over Judah.’” Immediately after reading about this king of Judah, Jeremiah 23:1-8 gives us a great Messianic foreshadowing of Jesus, the true and eternal Davidic king! Verses 5 & 6: “For the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will place a righteous Branch on King David’s throne. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. And this is his name: `The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’ In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety.” Great stuff! A righteous branch on King David’s throne…. rules with wisdom… will do what is just and right throughout the land… Think this is Jesus??

The remaining verses in Jeremiah 23 go after false prophets. I know in reading Jeremiah I’ve been pondering how hard it would be to be Jeremiah, a prophet with some tough messages.  Well, in this chapter it looks like being a false prophet is really the wrong way to live. If you’re gonna be a prophet, make sure you’re prophesying the truth… 🙂   Do you think there are any false prophets in our world today?  Do you avoid listening to the teachings of false prophets in our world today?  (other than if you need to listen to what they say to repudiate it)  Can we sometimes even be false prophets to our own selves and others on occasion?  Who can free us from the lies of false prophets?  (see the image above – not the modern day false prophets image below…)

Other verses that stood out at me today included Jeremiah 22:15-16 – “But a beautiful palace does not make a great king! Why did your father, Josiah, reign so long? Because he was just and right in all his dealings. That is why God blessed him. He made sure that justice and help were given to the poor and needy, and everything went well for him. Isn’t that what it means to know me?”  “Isn’t that what it means to know me?” Justice and help were given to the poor and needy, and everything went well for him!  Is that what it means to know God?  Do you know God in this way?  Below is a great image for Jeremiah 22:29 from today’s readings:

Worship Video:  It’s been, oh, about 3 days since I’ve posted up a Casting Crowns video – much too long!  🙂  I definitely love their ministry.  Here’s the song that started it all for them, “If we are the Body.”  I was reminded of this song by Jeremiah 22:16 in today’s readings. This is definitely a song worthy of launching a ministry with the powerful lyrics:  “But if we are the Body, why aren’t His arms reaching? Why aren’t His hands healing? Why aren’t His words teaching?  Why is His love not showing them there is a way?  There is a way!”  Jesus is the Way!

Are you part of the Body? Click here and learn that there is a Way!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

Jeremiah 19:1-21:14
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I read Jeremiah chapter 19 today and am reminded again of how tough it can be to be a prophet! Wow. Can you imagine receiving these words from God to deliver to a nation? It’s tough duty – getting to the point of Jeremiah being whipped and put in stocks in chapter 20, verse 2.  Below is an image of Jeremiah prophesying the doom of Pashur from chapter 20 verse 6:

Jeremiah does get to complaining about his lifestyle as a prophet in chapter 20:7-18. In verse 9 he bursts out with: “And I can’t stop! If I say I’ll never mention the Lord or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones!”  I really like this! “His word burns in my heart like a fire”! Does God’s word burn in your heart like a fire?? Should it? Could it? Will you let it?

In Jeremiah 21 we’re getting close to the point of the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. as King Nebuchadnezzar and the armies of Babylon are getting close. The prophecies Jeremiah has been preaching in the past 20 chapters are coming to fruition. A verse that encapsulates all of this is 21:10 – “For I have decided to bring disaster and not good upon this city, says the Lord. It will be captured by the king of Babylon, and he will reduce it to ashes.’” Do remember that in our readings over the past few days that God does intend to bring the Israelites back to Jerusalem eventually. There is hope!  Even though Nebuchadnezzar (pictured below) is soon to come into Jerusalem… there is still hope in the midst of the despair…  there is still redemption to come…

Worship Video: Today’s readings in reminded me of Matthew West’s song “My Own Little World.” Here’s a great live version of this song:

Are you in your own little world? Click here for the true World!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

Jeremiah 14:11-16:15
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We have powerful readings in Jeremiah today!  I love the exchanges between God and Jeremiah.  Today in Jeremiah 15:16, we read these words of Jeremiah’s to God: “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.” What does this verse mean to you? Can you eat God’s words? Can they feed you? Spiritually? Are you being fed by God’s Word through the One Year Bible daily readings? Are God’s words your joy and your heart’s delight? Are you making it a practice to memorize scripture? Would this practice help you in making God’s words your joy and heart’s delight?  What does it mean to bear God’s name?  Is God’s name written on your heart? How else are you being fed by God, in addition to his Word?  Are you being fed by attending and investing in a church each week?  Do you think that church, the bride of Christ, can spiritually feed you?  Is there any reason to refuse this spiritual food?

Worship Video:  Today’s readings reminded me of the Casting Crowns song “East To West.”  Here’s a fantastic live version of this song!

Do you know how far the east is from the west?  Click here to learn about the Silversmith who can forgive the “dross” in your life!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

Jeremiah 12:1-14:10
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Today’s readings are a bit unique in that the Jeremiah chapters relate to Psalm 79! Psalm 79 is about the post-destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar et. al.  It’s interesting to see pre- & post- destruction. The Jeremiah readings today may seem to you a bit tough to read. It is certainly sad to read about the coming destruction. As I read through these chapters I think about Jeremiah and how tough it must have been on him to know what was coming. In fact, Jeremiah gives a passionate prayer for the people of Jerusalem in today’s readings in chapter 14 verses 7 through 9.  The question that I think sometimes can come up for some as they read chapters like this in the Old Testament is:  “Is this the same God we read about in the New Testament?” And I of course believe that absolutely yes this is the same God! The life of Jesus on Earth was obviously in between the time of Jeremiah and the time of you and me today. Jesus’ life, ministry, suffering, death on the cross, and His resurrection saved us from our sins – and this graceful life of Jesus’ had obviously not taken place in Jeremiah’s time.  However, I do also believe that God is very graceful throughout history including all of the Old Testament. Keep in mind that God is often saying in these chapters in Jeremiah: “come back to me”, “repent”, “abandon your idols” – and no one listens. God was giving chance after chance after chance of repentance…  What about you in your life today?  Is God saying to you in any way to “come back to me”, “repent”, “abandon your idols”?  And are you listening?  Will you repent?  Will you return to the Lord?

Jeremiah 12:16 is fascinating for me today: “And if these nations quickly learn the ways of my people, and if they learn to swear by my name, saying, `As surely as the Lord lives’ (just as they taught my people to swear by the name of Baal), then they will be given a place among my people.”  I think that’s powerful that God is saying if these foreign nations (i.e. not Israel / Judah) learn to swear by His name that they will be giving a place among His people. It reminds me of Peter’s dream & realization in Acts chapter 10 that the Gospel was not just for the Jews but for the Gentiles too!

Worship Video:  Our readings today reminded me of Brooke Ligertwood’s song “Honey in the Rock:”

Do you believe there is honey in the rock?  Click here and believe!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!

Jeremiah 10:1-11:23
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Jeremiah chapter 10 today is a powerful look at “idols.” Back in Jeremiah’s days we’re talking about little chiseled “gods” made out of wood & stone. But today? What are our idols?  Perhaps our money, our jobs, our status, our relationships, our technology :), our lust – or perhaps even ourselves?  Jeremiah 10:10 reminds us: “But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King.”  All of our idols are not True, though we often hope they will be.  Our idols will deliver us nothing.  God and His Son will deliver life to the fullest!

Jeremiah’s Prayer is 10:23-24 is such a beautiful prayer :
“I know, O Lord , that a man’s life is not his own;
it is not for man to direct his steps.
Correct me, Lord , but only with justice-
not in your anger,
lest you reduce me to nothing.”
I like that Jeremiah says in this prayer, “Correct me, Lord”. He knows there is correction to be made in his life – even a prophet of God knew his need of correction! This is a nice example of humility to say the least.  How often do you pray to God “correct me”?  Why might this be a good prayer?  Do you need God to correct you?  Will you allow God to direct your steps?

Today at the end of Jeremiah chapter 11 we read about the plot to take Jeremiah’s life.  Every time I read the prophets, I am reminded of how hard it was to be a prophet.  Talk about a thankless, high-risk job…  Fortunately Jeremiah is on God’s side.  The only side to be on.  In verses 21 through 23 Jeremiah says: “The men of Anathoth wanted me dead. They said they would kill me if I did not stop speaking in the LORD’s name. So this is what the LORD Almighty says about them: “I will punish them! Their young men will die in battle, and their little boys and girls will starve. Not one of these plotters from Anathoth will survive, for I will bring disaster upon them when their time of punishment comes.”

Worship Video:  Jeremiah 10:10 in today’s readings reminded moe of the song “The Glory of It All” by the David Crowder Band. This is a beautiful tune… The David Crowder Band live is a joyful worship extravaganza!  🙂  This video below is from Passion 2007, and it has some slight technical difficulties by the end, but you’ll definitely get a great taste for this song and a live Crowder experience with this video:

Have you experienced the Glory of it all?  Click here to receive Glory!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!