7/19/2009 Jeremiah 21-24

We had 6 for Wordlisteners tonight, it was after another meeting for one of our members. It has been three weeks because last week we had a Pastor welcoming dinner for the new Pastor we have been blessed with. I didn't know it at the time of that post.

God is so good, and these chapters stress God's goodness, and His desire for us to know Him individually.

I think next week VBS will keep us from meeting. The week after will be Praise and Worship service, so it will be another three weeks.


Chapter 21
The siege begins in Jerusalem. One of the chapters from Jeremiah's last days. Not sure why its here other than Pashur who put him in stocks is sent to him by the king. The siege has begun, there are actual events taking place- predicted by Jeremiah. Even though they didn't acknowledge his messages from God, they heard them, because they knew who to go to when things starting getting bad. Jerusalem was under attack. It was too late, they still wanted relief from their problems rather than to be submitted to God. So God was going to fight against Israel with the Babylonians. The morale was going to go down, and the king would be delivered to his enemy. Nebuchadnezzar will kill people ruthlessly- sounds bad, unfair. God was angry and He decided to destroy the city.

He is God, so when He destroys a city He can ensure fairness (from an eternity standpoint). When we as people destroy and hurt- it is out of selfishness, and for what we think is our gain. Big difference. We are not God, and when we think about how He lets "bad things happen" we are firstly elevating ourselves through pride to the place of God, and furthermore forgetting two things. Bad things happen due to our disobedience to God and the presence of sin in our lives, and that God sees things from an eternity standpoint. We only see what we believe to be an injustice from our limited viewpoint. God knows hearts, we don't (period- though we think we do- we still don't, to do so calls God a liar).

Even in the midst of impending doom, God gives those focused on their life in this world a choice to avoid death. Will they listen? will they act? Their history indicates a "no". He instructs them through Jeremiah to surrender, and doesn't sugarcoat it either- He plainly states they will lose everything but their life. In staying they will be killed- their choice. Lose everything (worldly possessions in this life) and live or die. In the new testament it says those that wish to save their life will lose it, and those that lose their life for His sake will find it (Luke 9:24). I see a parallel.
The king of Babylon will burn Jerusalem to the ground- God said it- it happened.

Message to the rulers- deal with justice- deal fairly. Rescue those exploited. This prevents God's anger. An anger once started can not be put out. Looks like they had not listened to Him for long enough, they felt secure, but with God nobody is secure, and their party will be crashed.

Chapter 22
This chapter happened chronologically before 21 (this is the warning to Jehoiakim who preceded Zedekiah (warning of Chapter 21)). I think God allowed them to be arranged like this to show that His message was the same and repeated. Although ignored. The message- attend to justice, set things right between people, rescue those exploited, don't take advantage of homeless orphans and widows, stop murdering. If they obey - He will protect them, and kings will continue in Judah. If they don't then Judah will be rubble.

God ranked Judah and Jerusalem among His favorite places, and yet because of disobedience He is going to let become ruined. Because they walked away from Him.

Weep for exiled son - who will die in exile, never to see home again. Just like the warning- doom to those that build palaces but destroy lives, cheats workers, lives in extravagance. His father- treated people fairly, stuck up for down and out, Judah was protected - some evidence that God means what He says. Its also evidence of knowing God.

Blind and brainless- think of self, take advantage of weak, bully those they are in authority over. The king of Judah that did those things will get a donkey's funeral.

God states that the people of Jerusalem have made a total mess of their lives. He tried to speak to them when things were going well and they were not interested. When things go well we often soon turn from God. It takes crisis brought on by our sin to get us to turn to God. He will let their leaders be blown away, friends to exile, ending up in the gutter. God is giving the kings of these people over to judgment- exile and never seeing home again. The God who knows their hearts. God is the potter and Jehoiachin is a leaky bucket- rusted out. He's the last of the kings to sit on Judah's throne. David's line survived and went into exile. The people of Judah clung to God's promise that he would always have a king in Judah of the line of David (1 Kings 9:5 ) but forgot verse 6 making it conditional upon the obedience of the Israelites. I'm sure they "prayed" that scripture and stood on the promise, and remembered God's deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrians.

Chapter 23
Even though He is going to allow Jerusalem to be destroyed, His desire was to protect Jerusalem and Israel, so He has plans to renew it. But in Jeremiah in the present situation, the leaders of His people aren't listening to Him. That to me means it is important for His sheep to hear from Him directly. He will track the errant leaders actions, eventually having to gather His sheep Himself, He'll appoint leaders (Himself). Man will fail in taking care of God's people- He will have to do it. We'll fail because of our sinful natures and selfish attitudes. He wants us to be obedient to Him, losing self.

After the destruction of Israel God will establish a David branch Ruler- Jesus. He will make everything right, He will bring fairness- isn't that what we want? Jesus setting up His kingdom will be a greater event than the parting of the red sea. The statement bringing Israel back - certainly it was started with the re-establishment of the nation of Israel in 1948, but at this time God's people also includes the church, in Jesus reign we'll want to go to Israel. So could bringing Israel back include the Christians?

Now some teaching about those lying prophets- those that speak for God and advise people but don't truly have a relationship with God. What is the result of widespread lying prophets?

A country full of adulterers, faithless, promiscuous idolater adulterers. Are we there yet? We got there by listening and following people who don't listen to or follow God. We should also be checking with God for direction ourselves.

The land becomes a wasteland- unfaithfulness makes the land a cesspool.

Religious leaders that have nothing to do with God. Mud spatters His house (God allows it)- but He is in control. They will go to pitch black darkness.

In Samaria there were prophets preaching false doctrine. This messes with minds- causes confusion. These prophets were sex driven and not God driven. They subsidized wickedness (I think by not confronting it, those actions are sort of support), actions without thinking (not giving something a second thought) could also be supportive.

Hardships and death are coming.

Don't listen to the prophets that don't go to God, don't seek Him, don't listen for Him. They make it all up themselves, you would hear their thoughts and not God's- you have your own thoughts you don't need theirs. False prophets have a couple sermons:
The everything will turn out fine sermon, that they preach to congregations with no taste for God. Upon reflection – if the congregation has a taste for God things will turn out fine (eventually- but their will be trials)- fellowship with God is there. If a congregation doesn't have a taste for God – everything will not turn out fine, trials on this path too, and no fellowship with God.

Another one is the nothing bad will ever happen sermon- to those set in their ways. God protects those that are in fellowship with Him- not that they don't have trials, but He gives them grace to get through. If you are set in your ways, then you are not listening to God, nor are you obedient to Him, your pride has elevated itself and pushed God out, you have become ritualistic instead of following the Shepherd. As a matter of the way God organized the universe, if you are in this condition – you most definitely are in trouble.

Prophets need to listen to and live out His word. False prophets don't bother to listen, let alone live out. They will be surprised by God's hurricane, those that listen to God will see it coming, and provisions will be made by God for them. They may have to go through the storm, but they will know He is with them in it.

False prophets God never sent, people He never spoke to or called preaching. They couldn't be bothered by God (they don't have the “time”), and yet without God's guidance the wrong path is taken. Furthermore God is ever present and available He cannot be hidden from. So He is accessible to everyone, those that don't listen to Him have to choose and make a conscious effort to ignore Him.

False prophets (God non-seekers)– say they have dreams, and take the dreams as a sign. Their focus is their glory and not God's. They are wrapped up in self and how they appear - “man of God” or “woman of God” - and not “a sinner saved by grace”. They swap their stories, none of it involving God, and as a result they can be a distraction, distracting people from God.

Tell God's message faithfully- His message is like fire. He is tired of false prophets made up messages, but He is giving them a chance to- He wants that all should repent and come to Him. Prophets not faithful to God are of NO BENEFIT. Anyone who asks what God's position on a matter is, obviously hasn't sought His position, and that is a trouble sign.

Now as to God's positions, instead of claiming to “know” what God says it should be discussed- “how do we understand God in this?”. What is He saying to you on this matter? Instead of “He said this...” it should be more along the lines of “this is my understanding...”. God authorizes those that speak for Him, so we need to talk about our understanding, rather than proclaim God said it. He authorizes who speaks for Him in order to keep His message from being twisted. Our beliefs, thoughts and interpretations can twist His message if we promote them as coming from God when in fact they are just our interpretations.

Ask Him – seek Him, How did God answer? What did He say? How do we interpret it, or How do we understand God in this? Don't pretend you know all the answers, especially if He has given you some insight. Don't talk or act like you know it all.

God asks at the end of His message through Jeremiah if they are paying attention. He is about to act, those paying attention are thus warned, those not paying attention will be surprised.

Chapter 24
A this point a review of the history of Judah and its kings are in order. In 2 Chronicles 36 for sure and before it lists the kings of Judah in order. Some understanding of this is important in determining how the nation became separated into two parts one represented by a basket of good figs, and the other represented by the basket of bad figs. The good figs were taken before the worst trouble in Jerusalem, and protected, nourished, etc. remotely (an example similar to Christians taken at the rapture before the tribulation period?). The bad figs represent those that endured the worst trouble in Jerusalem- (those left in the tribulation period?). Jeremiah stayed – an example that God will have a voice during the tribulation period. Now the kings of Judah and how we got to two baskets of figs.
Starting with Hezekiah- a good king

Then Manasseh- an evil king, he is referenced as the reason Judah is punished, the people followed him as he practiced terrible things, including burning of children. 2 Chron 33 says he was taken with a hook in his nose to Assyria where he repented and God accepted it allowing him to return to Jerusalem. I guess the man repented, but the practices he started and allowed continued.

Then Amon – evil

Then Josiah – well behaved

Then Jehoahaz (all sons of their father to this point) Jehoahaz was taken to Egypt by the Egyptian king and his brother was established as king by the Egyptians.

Jehoiakim (Jehoahaz' brother) was evil- Nebudchadnezzar came (1st wave of Babylon, and he was taken to Babylon with the “best of Judah” (rapture like?)

Jehoiachin (Jehoiakim's son)became the next king – established by Babylonians- Nebuchadnezzar later ordered him brought to Babylon as well along with Temple valuables.

Zedekiah (Jehoiachin's uncle – I'm guessing another son of Josiah) was the next king- established by the Babylonians. He was evil, and rebelled against Babylon. This caused Nebuchadnezzar to come for the second time to Jerusalem. This is where it was destroyed completely and people killed indiscrimanently.

The two baskets – one are the Jews taken after Nebudchadnezzar's first visit (good figs) – tucked away and protected by God in Babylon. The bad figs are the ones left in Jerusalem, and those that eventually tried to escape to Egypt when Nebuchadnezzar came the second time.

God said the good figs He will see to it they are cared for, and the bad figs He will see to it they are killed.