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scripture reading. The Lord blessed. I personally wanted to catch up
on the guest leader last week, who was very well received. We agreed
there was a cyclical pattern to historical events, and that some of the
prophets messages for that time were not fulfilled completely - yet.
Also for the sake of continuity I was asked to post the notes I had made
for Ch 30 and 31.
Chapter 30
God told Jeremiah to write everything He told him in a book. God made sure His message for us is correct, and then He guarded it as needed until it came to us. Something only God could do, and something He has done.
Dark days are ahead for Israel but the Lord will bring them back, and set up a David-King for them. This has not been fully fulfilled - yes they were brought back, but had no king. Yes Jesus came but not as King. It also says those that come back will serve God (some did, others ... well). It also says the godless nations that the Jews were scattered to will be finished off. Has this even happened?
Israel was burned out (destroyed), others had decided based on God's judgments that He had given up on them, the "fair weather" friends left, but God was only punishing Israel for their sin in a way they would never forget. God is still protecting them, Everyone that hurts Israel God will hurt. The enemies of Israel will become slaves to them, those that plundered punished Israel will themselves be plundered. God will come with healing, and cure the incurable. God will rebuild the homes (Jesus went to prepare a place), God will save them- He will take pride in their community, their leader will have access to God, we'll be His people, and He will be our God.
Chapter 31
When God saves Israel it will be as plain as the sun at high noon. It won't have to be interpreted, it won't be 50% +1. God will be the God of everyone. Israel looked for rest and found God looking for them. Need rest? Seek God more.
Israel will start over God-centered - what a joy.
God saves the core of Israel then there is verse 8 - His people come back. Gathering of the Jews from all the nations will happen after the nation is established and revival has broken out. We see a glimpse of this, but not the real intent and action. Blind, lame, limping, pregnant, - all gathered (this is part of the fallen world or in our time). All gathered also means those that need help getting there, and not necessarily the affluent. This is more than a decision by people who have means. In Isaiah 60 it is said the nations will bring them back to Israel.
God will care for them- He will take their hands and lead them.
God will bless them.
Rachel weeping- God's message (a continuation?, before?, after?). Israel sent to exile. I'm guessing its before, maybe its a repeating cycle. Israel to exile to collect the wages of their grief work (note- not exiled for doing God's work but rather following their own desires). God will bring them home eventually.
People are like wild horses- sometimes God has to break us, or allow us to break ourselves, in order for us to get to the point He can use us. Once we are obedient to Him we are then useful for His work.
We run loose do our own thing - hit hardship decide to repent (and mean it- very important that it isn't lip service).
God then trains us, some taking longer than others.
He brings us to a point of usefulness for His purposes.
While all the above is happening, God waits for us and longs for relationship with us.
More rest - coming to God brings about "rest". I often say that "I'm tired" (without thought and from habit) - I should be seeking the one who can refresh.
Rest- a pleasant and satisfying sleep.
People and animals planted again in Israel- He will stick with them this time. He will make a new covenant - write His laws on their hearts. They will be His people, He will be their God (church? saved Israel?)- Not happened yet.
No schools about God (seminaries), they will know Him 1st hand. Clean slates no sin (forgiven, and forgotten). Israel will be a nation before Him as long as there is a cosmos. God's city will be rebuilt - never to be torn down again.
Chapter 32
Babylon had Jerusalem under siege. Jeremiah was locked up for proclaiming God's message. The same would happen to the apostles and to Paul, why shouldn't it happen to us? Jeremiah's message was that the city would fall (which was God's message) the king didn't like the message so he had Jeremiah imprisoned. When you can't refute God's message (and who can) the only recourse is to persecute the messenger and try to prevent it from getting out. Jeremiah said resistance to Babylon was futile.
Right in the middle of this situation Jeremiah's Uncle is coming to see him. The Lord instructs Jeremiah to purchase a field. Even in the midst of impending doom, God is on the other side. We often become too focused on the immediate rather than the beyond. All the details of the transaction is included. A normal life will eventually return to Jerusalem, and affirmation of the fact that God is in control- something else we often "forget".
Judah is being punished for sins started by the parents (32:16-19). Now God also reached out to their children, but they made the choice to continue in their parent's sin. Its easiest for children to repeat the behavior of their parents, its so ingrained, so exposed, it seems so right. This makes it very difficult to break the negative behaviors passed on from one generation to another. All things are possible however for those in Christ.
God had established Israel miraculously and they turned their backs to Him (God). As a result bad times are at hand, but God is merciful, and a future exists beyond the bad times.
Babylon will take Jerusalem, every roof that was used for an alter to another God will be torn down. Its interesting that God's nature is that he is so ready to forgive and then forget the sins we repent of. Those we don't repent of He has meticulous records. After years of giving them the opportunity to repent while His message was proclaimed through Jeremiah (Isaiah really first), He has had enough. He is destroying the city to destroy the wicked lives. He is sovereign - He can. They turned away from God rather than sin- there are consequences.
The whole country became an act of sin. The destruction of the city would take place after the "best" had been taken away to Babylon. Example of rapture? Losing the best to Babylon didn't cause repentance, but rather a hardening. The country in crisis did not turn to God but rather to other gods and more fervently sought their answers from these idols.
A break to present times, if our financial crisis is so "bad" why isn't our Government calling on people to "pray" for the USA? Are we not repeating the very actions of Judah from so long ago?
After the crisis He will gather them, He will make them one mind, He will fill their hearts with such deep respect such that they won't turn away- in fact not even think it. I don't believe this has happened yet in History. He'll delight in doing good things for them.
After a glimpse of distant future - the now (or then) catastrophe is coming.
Prosperity and restoration long term.
Chapter 33
Jerusalem is about to be over run by Babylon, Jeremiah is still in jail- another example that following God can bring about difficulty or hardship from a wordly standpoint. God sends him a message saying call to me and I will answer you. A servant of God in jail for serving God, and God is going to tell him things. Often we are too short sighted, and currently in Jerusalem there was destruction and killing and the ravages of war. God is telling Jeremiah of His plans for later, the present situation is based on the evil actions of the people that God had tried to warn (for generations).
The future is that God has plans for renovation, along with the restoration of every lost thing. God will restore, He will build, He will cleanse the people, He'll forgive, and the world will be in awe. This hasn't happened yet. Parts of it are available and in place, but it isn't complete. The world is not in awe of what God has done, Jesus did go to prepare a place.
What we see as unlivable, empty and desolate, God sees differently. We often give up on things and people long before God does, He is truly long suffering. The desolation will become pasture for shepherds.
The time is coming when God will keep His promise to the families of Israel and Judah. The David King (Jesus) will come and He will run the country honestly and fairly (in a leadership position). He will set things right. When that happens Jerusalem and Judah will be secure, they have always been threatened, and remain so to this day. Yet God will set things right. He allowed man's decision (Adam and Eve) to make His perfect creation a fallen world, He is the only one who can restore it. Only by living in a fallen world could we see (and everybody have that opportunity) of our need for Him.
God's covenant with David is the same as the covenant creating night and day in terms of importance. One can't fail unless the other does. His covenant with the "Levitical Priests" may mean us, because we Christians serve Him and our priests- I've seen the scripture, Exodus 19:6 originally for those who kept the covenant, but Christians are later grafted in (wild vine into the tame one).
Why hasn't it happened yet? This completeness, is it ever going to happen? Is it a real occurrence in this world, or is it for the one after? The covenants are referred to again, God has not forgotten, even when things look bleak, He will restore. Just like it took him six days to create the earth, He may take 6 days to work with man bringing him back to the point where what He had originally envisioned for the earth and a relationship with man will happen. But it will.
I like the last word - He will have mercy (as opposed I'm guessing to judgment).
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