[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (OVU) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]
𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟛𝟟:𝟙𝟝
"Then
the officials were angry at Jeremiah and beat him, and they put him in jail in
the house of Jonathan the scribe, which they had made into the prison."
Would
I have the patience, endurance, and love of Jeremiah? He was treated badly by
His own people whom he dearly loved and prayed for, and he still loved them and
suffered with them till the end.
𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟛𝟠:𝟙𝟡
"Then
King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, ‘I dread the Jews who have gone over to the
Chaldeans, for they may give me over into their hand and they will abuse
me.’"
Zedekiah
had decided to take care of his life. Perhaps, he thought he was so ungodly to
be favored by God in this situation. Still, God was reaching out to Him.
Indeed, no one is too far from God as long as there's a breath of life.
𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟛𝟡:𝟙𝟞-𝟙𝟟
“Go
and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts,
the God of Israel, "Behold, I am about to bring My words on this city for
disaster and not for prosperity; and they will take place before you on that
day. But I will deliver you on that day," declares the LORD, "and you
will not be given into the hand of the men whom you dread."’”
He
was the one who rescued Jeremiah from the well. Now, Jeremiah has good news for
him.
On
the flip side, I see kindness (especially to a godly man) has rewards.
𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟜𝟘:𝟞
"Then
Jeremiah went to Mizpah to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam and stayed with him among
the people who were left in the land."
He
chose to dwell among the poorest of the poor. He's not after a better
lifestyle.
𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟜𝟙:𝟙𝟝
"But
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men and went to
the sons of Ammon."
Oh!
Such a wicked man and still he escaped. Yet, he shall not escape the justice of
God.
𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟜𝟚:𝟞
"Whether
it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will listen to the voice of the LORD our God
to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us when we listen to
the voice of the LORD our God."
They
thought God would be on their side and so they acted very faithfully but when
they found out God was against them, they weren't willing to listen to
Jeremiah. I have met a lot of people like this, and perhaps, I might be just
one of them too in some areas!
𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟜𝟛:𝟟
"and
they entered the land of Egypt (for they did not obey the voice of the LORD)
and went in as far as Tahpanhes."
Again
and again to Egypt. What is my spiritual Egypt that I go back to again and
again in difficult times? Sometimes, I think I know, but then, not fully
convinced too.
𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟜𝟜:𝟙𝟞
"As
for the message that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we are not
going to listen to you!"
There
are people who take pleasure in doing the very opposite of what God said just
like these people. They shall perish!
𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟜𝟝:𝟛
'You
said, "Ah, woe is me! For the LORD has added sorrow to my pain; I am weary
with my groaning and have found no rest."'
I
can identify with Baruch many times!
𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟜𝟞:𝟚𝟠
“"O
Jacob My servant, do not fear," declares the LORD, "For I am with
you. For I will make a full end of all the nations Where I have driven you, Yet
I will not make a full end of you; But I will correct you properly And by no
means leave you unpunished."”
Trouble,
destruction, judgment, punishment has to come for the dwellers of the earth for
all have sinned against God and one another, but there will be mercy for those
called by God and responded to Him. This has been the message from pages of the
Bible.
𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟜𝟟:𝟞-𝟟
"Ah,
sword of the LORD, How long will you not be quiet? Withdraw into your sheath;
Be at rest and stay still. How can it be quiet, When the LORD has given it an
order? Against Ashkelon and against the seacoast-- There He has assigned
it."
People
always blame the instrument of destruction without knowing the one who let it
happen. Even in America, they are blaming guns. Or in India the terrorist, etc.
God is behind the scene.
𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟜𝟠:𝟜𝟚
"Moab
will be destroyed from being a people Because he has become arrogant toward the
LORD."
God
hates the proud!
𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟜𝟡:𝟙𝟞
"As
for the terror of you, The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, O you who
live in the clefts of the rock, Who occupy the height of the hill. Though you
make your nest as high as an eagle's, I will bring you down from there,"
declares the LORD."
No
matter how high the wicked climb up the ladder God shall cause him to fall
down!
𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟝𝟘:𝟚𝟛
"How
the hammer of the whole earth Has been cut off and broken! How Babylon has
become An object of horror among the nations!"
Who's
the hammer of God? Babylon. Genghis Khan is said to have said that he is the
punishment of God upon those lands he invaded!
𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟝𝟙:𝟚𝟚-𝟚𝟛
"And
with you I shatter man and woman, And with you I shatter old man and youth, And
with you I shatter young man and virgin, And with you I shatter the shepherd
and his flock, And with you I shatter the farmer and his team, And with you I
shatter governors and prefects."
Before,
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was God's hammer to crush the nations. Now Cyrus of
Persia is God's hammer to crush Babylon.
What
about the people of God? Well, they aren't meant to be a hammer to crush but to
be blessings to the nations.
𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟝𝟚:𝟙𝟙
"Then
he blinded the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him with bronze
fetters and brought him to Babylon and put him in prison until the day of his
death."
Zedekiah
knew he could be respected or abused. He feared to be abused and would do
everything to avoid it. Jeremiah told him the only way to escape was to
surrender. He refused and got what he feared most!