Short Reflection from Jeremiah 37-52

[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!

Short Reflection from Jeremiah 21-36

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (OVU) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟚𝟙:𝟝

"I Myself will war against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm, even in anger and wrath and great indignation."

It's possible that sometimes God is fighting against us. Not just we fighting against God.

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟚𝟚:𝟙𝟛

"Woe to him who builds his house without righteousness And his upper rooms without justice, Who uses his neighbor's services without pay And does not give him his wages,"

Let's remember this as we build our careers, reputation, home, family, and relationships. God sees everything and we will give an account to Him!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟚𝟛:𝟚𝟠

"‘The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. What does straw have in common with grain?’ declares the LORD."

There will always be false teachers, disqualified preachers, unqualified teachers. The minister of God should also keep on doing his assigned duty without resignation.

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟚𝟜:𝟛

“Then the LORD said to me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" And I said, "Figs, the good figs, very good; and the bad figs, very bad, which cannot be eaten due to rottenness."”

There are no okay figs, not even good figs or bad figs. They were very good or very bad figs.

They were the object of God's favor or God's wrath. Even the NT says whether we are gathering with Christ or we are scattering with Satan.

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟚𝟝:𝟛𝟘

"Therefore you shall prophesy against them all these words, and you shall say to them, ‘The LORD will roar from on high And utter His voice from His holy habitation; He will roar mightily against His fold. He will shout like those who tread the grapes, Against all the inhabitants of the earth.’"

God is compared to a mighty lion about to go hunting, to devour the prey. Let everyone fear the Lord!

 

[2:08 pm, 09/07/2022] S.R: 𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟚𝟞:𝟚𝟜

"But the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that he was not given into the hands of the people to put him to death."

It might be that some big shot will protect us in the Providence of God. We must be faithful to our calling, but we can be kind to all the people we meet!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟚𝟟:𝟙𝟚-𝟙𝟛

“I spoke words like all these to Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, "Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him and his people, and live! Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, famine and pestilence, as the LORD has spoken to that nation which will not serve the king of Babylon?"”

Thinking about this for already a month now. Sometimes it's the only right way to exist even if the multitude says otherwise.

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟚𝟠:𝟙𝟜

"For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, "I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they will serve him. And I have also given him the beasts of the field.""

Not just the kings but even the beasts. God ordained Nebuchadnezzar to be the great king. Is NaMo the version of Nebuchadnezzar? All the states of India are bowing to his party nowadays!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟚𝟡:𝟟

"Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare."

God has a plan for His people beyond their comfort zone (their country). They were taken into captivity by force, but like Joseph, they shall be kept from utter harm by the Lord. Let's remember this no matter where we have been taken to. God is still everywhere.

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟛𝟘:𝟙𝟙

"'For I am with you,' declares the LORD, 'to save you; For I will destroy completely all the nations where I have scattered you, Only I will not destroy you completely. But I will chasten you justly And will by no means leave you unpunished.'"

The difference between God's people and the rest of the peoples.

God will destroy others completely.

God will chasten and even punish His people but not destroy them completely.

Taking refuge in God is not only the best way but the only way!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟛𝟙:𝟛

"The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.’"

God will not stop loving because it's everlasting love. This is furthermore illustrated in v37. Many times, Christians wonder whether God stops loving, it's impossible.

I will praise God for His everlasting love.

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟛𝟚:𝟚𝟟

"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?"

The omnipotence of God! He can and He will do everything for His good purpose!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟛𝟛:𝟙𝟙

"the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say, ‘Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, For the LORD is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting’; 'and of those who bring a thank offering into the house of the LORD. For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were at first,' says the LORD."

Those who know the lovingkindness of God are joyful, grateful, and generous!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟛𝟜:𝟙𝟟

"Therefore thus says the LORD, 'You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming release each man to his brother and each man to his neighbor. Behold, I am proclaiming a release to you,' declares the LORD, 'to the sword, to the pestilence and to the famine; and I will make you a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth."

Kindness to servants, employees, subordinates, juniors. God demands it.

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟛𝟝:𝟙𝟠-𝟙𝟡

"Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands and done according to all that he commanded you; therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, "Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me always."'"

Indeed, there's a blessing from the Lord upon those who obey their parents in the Lord! Ephesians 6:1.

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟛𝟞:𝟚𝟞

"And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king's son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the LORD hid them."

The Lord knows how to protect His people from enemies!

Short Reflection from Jeremiah 1-20

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (OVU) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

[5:07 pm, 15/06/2022] S.R: 𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙:𝟙𝟡

"‘They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you,’ declares the LORD."

It was surely God’s call, and yet it wasn’t easy.

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟚:𝟙𝟡

"Your own wickedness will correct you, And your apostasies will reprove you; Know therefore and see that it is evil and bitter For you to forsake the LORD your God, And the dread of Me is not in you," declares the Lord GOD of hosts."

The way of a sinner is hard. It's suffering, sorrowful, and wasting!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟛:𝟙𝟛

"'Only acknowledge your iniquity, That you have transgressed against the LORD your God And have scattered your favors to the strangers under every green tree, And you have not obeyed My voice,' declares the LORD."

Let's learn to acknowledge before God in prayer, submission, and trust that we aren't wise, aren't good, aren't able, aren't strong, but He is!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟜:𝟚𝟚

"For My people are foolish, They know Me not; They are stupid children And have no understanding. They are shrewd to do evil, But to do good they do not know."

This can be said of this time too!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟝:𝟚𝟝

'Your iniquities have turned these away, And your sins have withheld good from you.'

Sin will keep us away from blessing. It always is.

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟞:𝟙𝟛

"For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, Everyone is greedy for gain, And from the prophet even to the priest Everyone deals falsely."

Look at the indictment!

Read again this accusation!

Think about this verse in our present world.

Greedy. Hi-fi living. Oppression. Cheating. Scamming. Only for profit. Materialistic.

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟟:𝟜

"Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, 'This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.'"

Notice the repetition. It's not by profession but by practicing the principles!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟠:𝟚𝟙

"For the brokenness of the daughter of my people I am broken; I mourn, dismay has taken hold of me."

Jeremiah, being a true leader of Israel wept for his people!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟡:𝟚𝟛-𝟚𝟜

"Thus says the LORD, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD."

This is one of the reasons why I delight to know God more and more. We tend to boast in what we are good at. And oftentimes that's sinful. But there's a legitimate boasting which is in the Lord—knowing Him!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟘:𝟚𝟜

'Correct me, O LORD, but with justice; Not with Your anger, or You will bring me to nothing."

Indeed, who can bear the wrath of God?

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟙:𝟙𝟜

"Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not listen when they call to Me because of their disaster."

I want to be prayerful as Jeremiah.

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟚:𝟝

"If you have run with footmen and they have tired you out, Then how can you compete with horses? If you fall down in a land of peace, How will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?"

With God, the man of God should find adequacy for anything! No complaints. No dismay!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟛:𝟙𝟞

"Give glory to the LORD your God, Before He brings darkness And before your feet stumble On the dusky mountains, And while you are hoping for light He makes it into deep darkness, And turns it into gloom."

To live for God's glory is not an option nor a suggestion, it's a commandment. It's not just a simple commandment, it's a consequential commandment. There's destruction coming for those who wouldn't!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟜:𝟙𝟞

"The people also to whom they are prophesying will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and there will be no one to bury them--neither them, nor their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters--for I will pour out their own wickedness on them."

It's dangerous to listen to only things we would like to hear (false hope, fake news, false teaching). If a sermon doesn't convict you of your sin or convict you to live a godly life or convict you to sorrow over sins in this world, most probably you aren't hearing from God or you are just accumulating judgment for the last day!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟝:𝟙𝟠

“Why has my pain been perpetual And my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will You indeed be to me like a deceptive stream With water that is unreliable?”

If your life is hard, remember Jeremiah's life.

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟞:𝟚

"You shall not take a wife for yourself nor have sons or daughters in this place."

That's the reason why I am still single in Delhi 😆😂 Westminster Catechism of Faith says that "undue delay of marriage is a violation of the seventh commandment"

Commit your marriage (desire/plan) to the Lord!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟟:𝟙𝟛

"O LORD, the hope of Israel, All who forsake You will be put to shame. Those who turn away on earth will be written down, Because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the LORD."

Don't ever think of forsaking God even if you feel forsaken by God.

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟠:𝟜

"But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make."

An unregenerate mind doesn't and cannot appreciate the concept that God is the Potter and we are the clay. He can and does according to His will. That's so good!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟙𝟡:𝟙𝟘-𝟙𝟙

“Then you are to break the jar in the sight of the men who accompany you and say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Just so will I break this people and this city, even as one breaks a potter's vessel, which cannot again be repaired; and they will bury in Topheth because there is no other place for burial."’”

God has the plan to break the wicked people into pieces. Endure the world!

 

𝕁𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕚𝕒𝕙 𝟚𝟘:𝟡

"But if I say, ‘I will not remember Him Or speak anymore in His name,’ Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; And I am weary of holding it in, And I cannot endure it."

There are times when I don't want to proclaim anymore, but (and) the experience of Jeremiah is true. After all, it's God's message. The response of the people is not important, the charge to proclaim is.