Jeremiah 17: Cutting Questions

Two interesting questions are juxtaposed at the end of chapter 47.  Both evoke violent imagery.  What is the relationship between these two scenes?

“O remnant on the plain, how long will you cut yourselves?”

“Ah, sword of the LORD,” you cry, “how long till you rest?”

The first question comes from God.  He is asking the people of Philistia when they will stop cutting themselves.

At first that seems like an odd question.  Then we remember the bloody scene from Mount Carmel when the prophets of Ba’al took up Elijah’s challenge and tried to call down fire from heaven to consume their sacrifices.  Elijah mocked them, so “…they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed” (1 Kings 18).  Notice the words “as was their custom.”  The worship of Canaanite gods included cutting oneself.

Although ritualistic cutting is rare nowadays, cutting oneself as a form of emotional, psychological, and spiritual release is anything but extinct.  Cutting is common, and what is now done in the secrecy of a bathroom is not completely disconnected from what was done publicly by the prophets of Ba’al on Mount Carmel.  Both seek something apart from God and are, therefore, not only physically damaging but also spiritually destructive.

God asks, “How long will you cut yourselves?”   What He is really asking is: “How long will you continue worshipping your false gods?  How long will you continue rejecting me, the one, true God?”

The second question comes from the people of Philistia.  They are wondering how long God’s “sword” (in other words, His judgment) will last.  How long will He keep cutting them down with the sword of judgment? Will the punishment ever come to an end?  Will the sword cease killing them before they are completely destroyed?

The only answer given is that the sword of the Lord won’t stop until it has done what God has commanded it to do.  From earlier in the chapter, one gets the impression that the sword won’t stop until Philistia is wiped out completely.

It is interesting to ponder the relationship between the two questions.  The metaphorical sword of God’s judgment, expressed in the literal swords of the Babylonians, has descended on the Philistines because they have cut themselves in worship of false gods.  The punishment mirrors the crime. Through their stubborn worship of false gods and persistent rejection of the Lord, the Philistines called down punishment upon themselves.

This is more than a prophecy.  This is a warning to us.

Kip

 

 

 

 

Jeremiah 39: Irony

The “Book of Comfort,” namely Jeremiah 30-33, which expresses God’s loving commitment to restore Israel in the future, is placed just before Jeremiah 39, which recounts the fall of Jerusalem and the end of Judah as it had been known.  The promise of future restoration became vital to the survival of the Jewish people through the exile.

I discovered two interesting and ironic things in this chapter.  Notice that Nebuchadnezzar left behind some of the poorest people in the land, giving to them the orchards, vineyards, and fields of those who had been deported.  The irony is that Nebuchadnezzar, a pagan king, showed more compassion on the poor than the kings of Judah had.  I also think of Jesus’ comment that the first will be last and the last will be first.

Did you wonder why God had Jeremiah go to one individual man in order to tell him not to worry because God would save him?  Of all the people living in Jerusalem, God chooses to assure one man of salvation.     It is not mystery why.  The man who received this comforting divine revelation was Ebed-Melech.  Ebed-Melech was the one who courageously saved Jeremiah, extracting him from the muddy cistern where he had been left to die.  He saved the life of God’s servant Jeremiah.  As a result, God was going to save his life.

Again, there is an irony here.  Ebed-Melech was not an ethnic Jew.  He was Cushite from North African.  He joins the likes of Naaman and the Widow of Zarephath, non-Jews who received special blessing from God in the Old Testament.  These people testify to the fact that God is more interested in faith and obedience than he is in nationality.  While Judah was being destroyed, it was an Ethiopian who receives God’s protection.

Kip

Jeremiah 33: Soon, Later, Much Later

Here is another oracle of hope:  “‘I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’”

This is a very interesting paragraph.  It is an example of how prophetic oracles often combine events that happen in the near future and in the distant future.

It would be possible to relegate this whole paragraph to the Millennium, the 1000 year rule of Christ on this earth.  Certainly, Israel has never known “abundant peace and security” or “prosperity” since David and Solomon’s time.  They will, however, experience peace, security, and prosperity during the Millennium.

One could also interpret the whole paragraph more metaphorically.  The “peace and security” could be construed spiritually as reconciliation with God and right standing with him.  This kind of peace and security comes through Christ.  Jesus is certainly a part of the picture here.  The chapter goes on to talk explicitly about the Messiah as the righteous Branch who is a descendant of David.  The problem with going too far with the metaphorical approach is that it tempts us to completely replace Israel with the church, denying any kind of literal fulfillment of these prophesies.  However, interpreting Israel out of the text is not doing justice to the most obvious, direct meaning of the prophecy.

So, what are we supposed to think about such a prophecy?  As I mentioned earlier, prophesies tend to condense time, combining events that happen in the near future with events which will happen much later.  Also, prophecies can have a partial fulfillment which is then followed at a later time by a complete or ultimate fulfillment.  With that in mind, read the paragraph again.

What will happen in the near future, which is a partial fulfillment of the prophesy, is that God would bring back his people from exile and restore them to the land.  At times they would enjoy peace and security, but one could hardly call it “abundant.”

God’s punishment of Israel and Judah through the exile allows him to restore them to their land.  However, the kind of cleansing and forgiveness of sin which is talked about here leads us to the first coming of Christ, when he through his death on the cross made the forgiveness of sins possible.  This incomparable act of redemption, which took place at Jerusalem, is bringing God renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth.  At this point it is probably legitimate to understand peace, security, and prosperity in terms of the gospel and our new relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

However, the final, ultimate, and complete fulfillment of this prophecy has yet to occur.  It will happen at Christ’s second coming.  At that point Jesus will establish his throne in Jerusalem and bring peace, righteousness, and justice to the whole earth.  Israel will very literally live in abundant peace, security, and prosperity.  All the nations will look to Jerusalem where Jesus rules.  They will praise Him and His goodness.  Then everything Jeremiah said will be complete.

What is the bottom line for us?  No matter how you cut it, Jesus is the source of peace, security, and prosperity.  For us the key word is forgiveness.  We also know that in the end Jesus will rule on this earth and be the focal point of all praise, honor, and glory.  We have the privilege of getting a head start on our future today.  Let’s live for him!

Kip

Jeremiah 31: Some Good News, Finally!

Sorry for the absence.  I took a week-long hiatus from writing the blog, because I was on vacation with the family.  The irony is that the week I missed included the very best parts of the whole book of Jeremiah.  After suffering through all the indictments and judgments, I missed out on all the restoration and joy.

Well, I can’t let that happen.  I’m going to have to backtrack a bit.  This stuff is too good to jump over.   

Watch out!  This might get long.

After promising disaster to Judah, God reminds them, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”   Israel and Judah may be faithless, but God isn’t.  He is faithful.  His love and his goodness outlast his anger.  He will do good to his people.  Justice will not have the last word; God’s mercy will.   “I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.”

God is going to take the initiative to do a new thing, something better than before.  He calls it a “new covenant.”   “The time is coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah… I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people…For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Moses inaugurated the old covenant by sprinkling the people of Israel with the blood of bulls.  This was an outward act of purification.  It did not change the heart. 

The new covenant which God here describes will be an internal reality; the mind and heart will be transformed.  The basis for this transformation as well as the means of this internal change of heart is the forgiveness of sins.  God will wipe the guilt of his people away. 

How will God do that?

On the night before he died, Jesus took a cup of wine and shared it with his disciples, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood…”  Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth in order to be the final sacrifice for our sin.  The death of the sinless Son of God on the cross in our place satisfied God’s just demand that our sin be punished.  Because of what Jesus did for us through his sinless life, substitutionary death, and bodily resurrection, God now freely offers us forgiveness of sin and reconciliation to Himself.  If we put our faith in Jesus, God forgives our wickedness and remembers our sins no more.  He calls us righteous.  This kind of forgiveness, once received, has the power to change us from the inside out.     

Before I sign off, please note that the promise of a new covenant (along with other promises of restoration) is made directly to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.  The mystery that God had not yet fully revealed is that His plan was to graft us Gentiles into this new covenant.  God’s love and grace was not reserved for Israel; it is so infinite that it will be offered to all.  The Apostle Paul would be God’s man to explain that mystery and then take the good news of the gospel to us, the Gentiles. 

We live in the age of the church, when all the nations or people groups of the world are the focus of God’s unfailing love.  This does not mean that God has forgotten Israel. 

In his time, God will completely and concretely fulfill all of his promises to the nation of Israel.  This truth is emphasized at the end of chapter 32 where God says that only when the sun stops shining, the moon and stars disappear, and the ocean waves come to a halt will Israel cease being a beloved nation to God.  That’s poetic, figurative language, of course.  However, the point is clear.  God is not done with the nation of Israel. 

Truth is, neither Israel nor we have entered completely into the fullness of what God has in store for us.  This will only happen at the second advent of Christ when the Descendent of David comes to set up his kingdom on this earth. 

Let’s keep living for that Day in the confidence and hope of the gospel.

Kip

 

 

 

 

Jeremiah 29: Good Plans for Them…And Us

This may be the most well-known, most frequently quoted, and most beloved text out of Jeremiah:  “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. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you.”

These are God’s comforting words to His people in exile.  The false prophets among them were giving them false hope, claiming that their captivity would be short. 

God gives them bad news and good news.  The bad news is that the captivity will be long–70 years.  So, get comfortable. 

The good news is that God isn’t finished with Judah yet.  He has good plans for them.  So, keep trusting God.  He may punish, but His grace, goodness and mercy outlast his anger by a long shot. 

Many people claim these verses for themselves, ignoring the historical context.  Others like to be hermeneutical wet blankets by pointing out that these promises are not given to the church or to individuals but rather to the nation of Israel and therefore cannot be claimed by us.

I would like to think that there is middle ground on this.  We need to remember the historical context.  In fact, the historical context makes these words even richer and more powerful.  In the midst of their misery, the people of God are encouraged with words of hope from God.  God disciplines, but He also restores.  He is in control.  He is working out His plan for His glory and the good of His people. 

Yes, these promises are given in first order to Israel.  We need to remember that, think about that, understand that. 

However, these promises also reflect the nature and heart of God towards those who are His, His people, His children, His own.  Although we, the church, are not Israel, we, nonetheless, belong to God’s family.  We are his children, not because we are blood descendants of Abraham but because we, like Abraham, put our faith in God.  Therefore, we can fully expect that God’s heart, as expressed in Jeremiah 29, applies to us as well.  This is anything but conjecture, for the New Testament is full of similar statements of God’s good plans for His people, the Church, not the least of which are the famous words of Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, whohave been called according to his purpose.” 

God is not done with his good plan for us, which Romans 8:29 clarifies as conforming us into the image of His Son. 

God is also not done with his good plan for Israel.  

There is future glory ahead for all of us, because God has a good plan for his glory and our joy. 

So, stick with God, hold on to Him, trust Him, follow Him, and keep your eyes on Jesus rather than circumstances around you.

Kip  

Jeremiah 28: The Iron Yoke

This chapter should sober anyone who lightly claims, “God told me to say…”

Hananiah sounded confident, like he had actually heard from the Lord.  But he hadn’t.  Was he self-deceived or simply a charlatan?  Maybe he was demon-possessed!  I don’t know.    One thing is sure:  he was not speaking for God.  Because he prophesied lies in the name of God, Hananiah faced stiff judgment from God.  Hananiah could break the wooden yoke that Jeremiah bore on his shoulders; however, Hananiah would not be able to break the iron yoke that God would place on him. 

This incident reminds me of what James wrote in the New Testament: “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly”  (James 3:1). 

It is possible that Hananiah wasn’t an evil, ambitious deceiver.  It may be that he simply “prophesied” from his heart what he (and all the other people in Judah) really wanted to see happen.  Even Jeremiah said “amen,” wishing Hananiah’s ”prophesies” were indeed from God, although he knew they weren’t.  Hananiah was putting his own words in God’s mouth rather than the other way around. 

Trying to get God to say what we want, even with the best intentions, dishonors God.  We must submit to His words.  We have to stick with the truth, no matter how unpopular it may be. 

Kip

Jeremiah 27: Many voices; One truth

I feel the slightest twinge of compassion for King Zedekiah.  He had all kinds of prophets and priests telling him all kinds of different things.  So many voices.  They couldn’t all be true, though.  How on earth was he supposed to know who was really speaking for God?  How was he supposed to know who was telling the truth?

Some prophets were prophesying that King Nebuchadnezzar, who had raided the temple once already, was going to return the temple valuables and articles which his army had carried off (and this in spite of the fact that Judah was rebelling against Babylon!).  In hindsight that seems like the the most absurd kind of wishful thinking.  However, it must have sounded good at the time.  This hopeful message went over well with the king and the public.   It is what they wanted to hear, so it was probably the majority opinion.

Jeremiah swam decisively against the stream of conventional wisdom.  He stubbornly remained the wet blanket, the sharp pin that burst everyone’s bubble.  In other words, he stuck to the truth, no matter how unpleasant and therefore unpopular it was.  Jeremiah mocked the suggestion that Nebuchadnezzar would return what he had taken from the temple.  The exact opposite is what Jeremiah prophesied.  Nebuchadnezzar would take the city once again, only this time he would empty the temple completely, taking everything of value to Babylon and leaving nothing but rubble.  This was not an acceptable thought for the Jews.

Jeremiah’s proposal was counter intuitive to the Jews.  “Don’t rebel against Nebuchadnezzar,” Jeremiah said.  “Instead, surrender and submit to his rulership.  If you do, all will go well with you.”

So, how was Zedekiah supposed to know which prophets were speaking the truth to him?

Well, he should have known that Jeremiah’s track record was a lot better than that of his other prophets.  True prophets are recognized by the fact that what they prophesy comes true.  Decades before Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians came on to the scene, Jeremiah had been predicting that they would overthrow Jerusalem.  It had already happened once, just as Jeremiah had predicted.

There was another way, though.  Had Zedekiah taken the Books of Moses seriously, he would have seen that what Jeremiah prophesied was in line with what God had already predicted through Moses.  The problem was that Zedekiah evidently didn’t give a hoot about the scriptures.  He couldn’t decipher which voice spoke for God because he refused to listen to what he knew God had already said in the Torah.

This is a lesson for us.  We hear many voices in our time, too.  Even within the religious community we hear many voices which say contradicting things.  How are we supposed to know who to believe?

It all starts with being familiar with what we confidently know God has already said.  All of today’s divergent messages must be measured by the standard of God’s Word–the Bible.  Sadly, biblical illiteracy is epidemic even among the saints.  That makes us vulnerable and susceptible to believing whatever sounds good to our ears.  The truth, however, is often counter intuitive.

Let’s not be like Zedekiah who couldn’t discern God’s voice among the many voices.  We can avoid his fate by becoming with God’s voice in the Word.

Kip