Welcome to Word Listeners

We have in the past done individual reading and discussing of the Bible. The group was a support group to make us more aware of the need to be in Gods word. We would share what God has shown us in His word when we met. After going through Isaiah for a Wednesday night Bible study, we decided as a group to do a study of Jeremiah. Anywhere you read in the Bible is a wonderful thing, and it will be neat to see how God weaves the insights He gives to each of us together as we study and grow. Jeremiah lived in times much like ours, and here are my notes as we begin our study.

After doing a study of the book of Isaiah I felt strongly led to continue. Our Sunday night Bible study seemed the place to continue. In thinking about it a very strong truth came to mind: We have two choices, we can (1) wait for God's direction, and fit (Him) in our busy lives or (2) we can read and study the Bible and listen to His voice and fit ourselves into His plans. There is merit in waiting on God, the Bible says those that do will mount up with wings like eagles. It also says those that seek God will find Him. Its a good thing to fill your life and time with the things of God.

I started reading Jeremiah and in the light of tough economic times and Israel's rebirth approaching 70 years, one particular section stuck out. I didn't initially write it down but that just made my re-reading more careful as I searched to confirm I did actually see it. Its the section where God tells Jeremiah not to pray for the people of Judah anymore, He has set judgment in motion and is not going to listen. In light of the other things in Jeremiah, God's example of His long suffering and His desire that people come back to Him make our efforts seem trivial.

I wondered if one of the signs of end times would be that God tells His people a similar message. There is a lot of symmetry in the Bible with similar circumstances often repeating. I personally have a burden for the lost, I would not want any to suffer or be separated from God. I also know God will give them additional chances, and He will bring each individual to a point of decision.

He is ready even in the trib period to reach out to those that call to Him.

What an awesome God.

In worldly terms Jeremiah was a failure. He preached a long time to a people that did not want to hear his message, did not turn from their ways, and he watched first hand the death of his nation. His burden for his people often led him to tears. Much like the tears of a parent when a child chooses something that the parent knows will cause him/her hardship and anguish.

In heavenly terms he stayed faithful to God, and spoke what he he was given to speak. Jeremiah realized who God is and he realized that His ways are the best and really the ONLY ways to consider. Even in the midst of decline and the destruction around him.

God is the only answer worth pursuing.


Chapter 1
God knew Jeremiah before he was born, before he was conceived, and yes all the way back to when the world was formed. He had a plan for Jeremiah's life. He has a plan for your life- from way back then. All we have to do is submit to His ways.

God told Jeremiah His plan for him. Why? because Jeremiah sought God, and wasn't selfish enough to try and use that information for worldly advantage. He was submitted to God's authority.

How did he react when told? Jeremiah lacked the confidence that he could do what God asked him. How many of us go to job interviews with all our weaknesses hidden and brimming with confidence. Its funny my life experience has taught me that the people who are most confident they can do a job are often the ones that perform the poorest. Over and over again I've seen it. We've all given the "know it alls" plenty of room so when they fall on their face we won't be their
cushion. I got to be careful here, I also believe that we should be praying for the enlightenment of the "know it alls", and be there to help them up.

Jeremiah wasn't the driven individual, the corporate ladder climber, he rather placed his focus on God and look what happened. God went on to tell Jeremiah that He would be with him wherever he went, and that he would see some fearful circumstances, but not to be afraid.

God placed His Word in Jeremiah's mouth. He has blessed us in the US by putting His Word (Bible) in our hands. He also said every word He gave Jeremiah would come true, and for us that means He said His Word (Bible) would come true.

What an awesome God.

God helped Jeremiah to see His ways. He showed Jeremiah things and made sure the signs were interpreted correctly. He coached Jeremiah, He wants the same type of relationship with you. What did Jeremiah have to do? He had to pay attention and let God do the work. He had to submit to God's ways, ask Him in, then let Him prepare Jeremiah for the purpose He had in mind.

He wants to do the same for us.


Chapter 2
God's message came to Jeremiah. Israel had youthful loyalty initially to God. He brought them through the wilderness experience, and other hard places, He took care of them. But like us over time they drifted away. God protected them and yet they walked away (they left God).

God's question is what did He do to cause them to drift. How did He fail them. We know we have drifted when we don't look for Him actively in our lives. We have drifted when we don't see Him in control of the trials and situations that come along in our lives.

Interestingly, if we look back on our lives, we often clearly see Him and His actions.

He has brought us to a good land, but yet we want to do our own thing and not His. We only consider our plans and not His. When we do this we trade seeing the glory of God for what we want. Our actions indicate our choice of putting what we want above what He wants. Its shocking that this happens in terms of way people talk, but it happens all the time. When we make that choice we essentially trade a drink from a clean cool stream for the stagnate collected water of a leaking cistern. The imagery God uses to illustrate this is incredible. It is also so what we do. We choose to leave God, He never leaves us.

Interestingly (I don't believe in coincidence) I happen to be reading Job at this time as well. Between the two books it is quite clear. Disloyalty to God brings about consequences of our actions. At the same the connect does not work the other way- bad circumstances do not necessarily mean a disloyalty to God.

In chapter two it clearly states that our nature is not one that wants to serve. Rather we want to lead and be in charge, be in control. We want our way.

We use sex and religion - it is equated with selfishness. How often do we think of commitment when thinking of sex. A deep commitment between two people. We are more likely to consider the pleasure aspect, usually from a selfish point of view- wanting our needs met.

God planted us, and wants the best for us. Our turning from Him makes us not attractive to Him. In terms of marriages how do husbands turn away from wives? Other women, work, hobbies? How do wives turn away from husbands? Hide from him due to concern over their looks?

In terms of God we like to deny our condition before Him, the fact that we choose to turn away, that we want our own way rather than His. God points out the evidence in our lives - our tracks walking away from Him. We still won't admit our nature, we blame - we can't help it, we're addicted, the fault isn't ours. In turning away from God we turn to other gods: money, cars, dream houses things we think will solve our problems. We get caught up in it.

The people of Judah were doing the same things we see today, and God was pointing this out to them through Jeremiah, and they wouldn't listen. Just like them we don't acknowledge God unless/until a crisis happens in our life, and then what do we want? We expect Him to to act on our time clock, to do what we think is best and is what we want (still want our way).

A confirmation of our desire to be independent and want to be in charge. God states in Jeremiah the He "wasted" His time trying to train the people He chose. They did not pay attention to Him, and they ignored discipline. Something I'm still thinking about- God is "timeless".

What did He tell Jeremiah in Ch 1 - pay attention while He prepared him. What happens when we don't pay attention- God can't prepare us for His best. He won't make us puppets, He gave us free will. We can try to be in charge, and yet He will warn us. Even if we never give Him a thought.

People feel they have to be in charge to get the most out of life. They want to "live life to the fullest". This leaving God out leads to sin and evil, and denial of God. When God doesn't punish us immediately, we interpret it as "God doesn't mind". Yet another lie that we tell ourselves. Judgment will come, and the things we trust that aren't of God will be of no use.


Chapter 3
God's message to Jeremiah. As people we see our mistakes and poor choices, but we want no consequences. God does things to get our attention. Drought is mentioned, how about financial crisis. God wants us to confess our God defiance. He calls us back - and the really neat thing - He will take us back even though He compares our leaving Him to be like cheating with another on our spouse. He wants us back even after that - even though we seldom would take back a cheating spouse.

Even with that offer, we act as though we act as though we have done nothing wrong. We call to Him as we realize our consequences, and actually blame the consequences of our actions on "His anger with us". A tremendous offer of Love we miss as anger. This makes it easy for us not to repent, and we don't.

We see the actions of others and don't learn- we think we're different. God let Israel do as it wanted in hopes the consequences of poor choices would bring about change. It did not, and we do that - we deny God.

Judah watched what happened to their relatives- they were over run by Assyria, and sent into exile. All because they would not repent. After watching this and considering God's message through Jeremiah, you would think Judah wouldn't make the same choices. It did- they did what Israel did, and worse.

God's message to Israel in exile. Turn back, God loves us and He wants a relationship with us. He calls us back. He picks us out individually, wants a relationship with us as individuals, and will give us good leaders. Interestingly He restores Israel, but not Judah.

He will make the future so good, that people will never long for the "good old days". Jerusalem will be the new ark, and Godless nations will honor God. God has planned for a successful relationship between Him and His creation. It will happen, but He still allows us to disappoint (do our own thing).

We cry over our life, God calls out to us. He can and wants to heal us. We have to give up our popular religion (the one that says what we want to hear, the one that doesn't tell us our true sinful condition). Its a cheap lie. Fraud has picked us clean ( I can't help but think of the financial crisis, and how we have spent our futures- creating such debt), it has swindled us of our future.

Repentance, repentance, submit, and pay attention. Don't be rebels, disobeying God.

Chapter 4