Re: Verse reading–Jeremiah 31:27-34; 32:1-15 (day seven)
“Take these deeds. . .and put them in an earthenware jar, in order that they may last a long time. For thus says the Lord, ‘Houses and fields . . .shall again by bought in this land.’ ” (32:14-15) Was it intentional? When the curriculum writers scheduled this reading for Easter Sunday, did they see the comparison? Jeremiah placed deeds of purchase into an earthenware jar. The disciples buried Jesus in a earthen tomb. Both resurrections (of Christ and of the nation of Israel) required a miracle. “Ah Lord God! Behold, Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy great power! Nothing is too difficult for Thee.” (Jeremiah’s prayer after making the deal–32:17) No one can shout “He is risen!” who does not believe in the miraculous power of God. Only God brings life out of dry ground. May the Lord do this same miracle in the cold clay of our hearts! Happy Easter, dear friends!
Month: April 2014
New Covenant
Re: Verse reading–Jeremiah 31:27-34; 32:1-15 (day six)
” The days are surely coming”, says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel.” (31:31) At the Last Supper, Jesus spoke about “a new covenant in my blood” (1 Corinthians 11:25) It was not the first time the disciples had heard these words. Jeremiah predicted the same thing. He described a new, blessed relationship that would be made possible by the death of the Christ. This new chapter, new arrangement would be marked by 3 things. 1) an inner desire to obey the commands of God-v 33; 2) a personal knowledge of God-v 34; and 3) the forgiveness of sins-v 34 (the basis for the first two). Most of us do not appreciate how fortunate we are to live in this remarkable chapter of salvation history! The Lamb of God has paid the price for sin. Guilt is gone. He is risen. The Spirit has come and gives us a desire to obey. It is the new covenant!
A Promise Kept
Re: Verse reading–Jeremiah 31:27-34; 32:1-15 (day five)
Jeremiah 31 31 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 33 “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
Luke 22:20 “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
John 14 15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
Colossians 1 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Sow the Seeds
Re: Verse reading–Jeremiah 31:27-34; 32:1-15 (day four)
“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast. As I have watched over them to pluck up, to break down, to overthrow, to destroy and to bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the Lord. (verses 27-28) God is involved and in control of all of history. Nothing happened in Israel that was not a part of God’s plan or apart from His permission. When we hear the news today, as believers, we know that God is in authority and control over all of history. It is not at the whim of an earthly ruler, or nation, or ideology. He is still in charge of history. God is in charge of First Baptist San Antonio as well. It is God who will build and plant His church here. May it be our constant prayer that He will sow the house of FBCSA with the seed of man to His glory!
World
Re: Verse reading–Jeremiah 31-32 (day three)
“‘They will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares the Lord.'” When they saw the future, the prophets didn’t settle for barely scraping by. They saw an entire world transformed. That’s because they served a God who has nothing less in mind than redeeming the entire universe. There is room for refusal on the part of human beings, of course, because God has created us with the ability to say yes or no. But on your most despairing days, will you turn your thoughts to a whole world that will pulse with God’s glory in every fiber of its being? God’s already there, and he gives us a glimpse through the words of the prophets.
Buy a Field
Re: Verse reading–Jeremiah 31:27-34; 32:1-15 (day two)
“For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “planes to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope, and a future.” Jer. 29:11
This was not a vain or empty promise that the Lord made just a few chapters earlier, and Jeremiah was willing to claim those words and put his faith into action. Throughout these dark days of exile and the hard words of rebuke, the Lord has always provided a word or restoration. It often meant a complete rejection of the lives they were living. What kind of a prophet would Jeremiah have been if he did not take God at his word? I’ve talked to financial planners who say that the best time to buy is when the market is down. Things may look grim, but when it turns around you will reap the harvest of your investment.
Investing in the future
Re: Verse reading–Jeremiah 31:27-34; 32:1-15 (day one)
“For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.’ ” (v 32:15) My favorite Jeremiah story. His finest hour. After years of declaring Jerusalem’s ruin, and on the eve of that predicted collapse, Jeremiah becomes a voice of hope. With the armies of Babylon surrounding the city, Jeremiah buys property! Crazy! He makes an investment in the future, “puts his money where his mouth is”. Signing the papers, he instructs the deeds to be sealed in an earthenware jar to protect them from years of mildew, moisture and theft. He then explained his action with a prophecy that commerce would someday be carried on again in Jerusalem and that eventually his purchase would prove financially prudent. Easter is about hope, too. Just like Jeremiah, our lives should speak hope. Our friends should see us trusting God and investing in the future.
When Judgement Comes
Re: Verse reading – Jeremiah 21:1-10; 38:1-6 (day seven)
“Thus says the Lord. . .those who go out and surrender to the Chaldeans. . . shall live.” (21:8-9) When judgment comes we are to submit to it. Not complain. Not resist. We are to trust/obey God despite the painful moment that our sins have brought down upon us. God promises a way of escape and commands us to endure because we believe. (1 Corinthians 10:13) David is a good example of this attitude that leads to recovery. “Against you, you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified when you speak, and blameless when you judge.” (Psalm 51:4) He praised God and refused to accuse God of unfairness. Admitting that some of the difficulty is life comes in direct response to our sin is humbling. Some, not all, heartbreak is the discipline of God, and the way forward is to submit to it and look to Him for mercy to follow.
Lessons from Babylon to Holy Week
Re: Verse reading – Jeremiah 21:1-10, 38:1-6 (day five)
We see a couple of similarities as we compare the narrative in Jeremiah and the recounts of Holy Week in the Gospels. Absence of Leadership (A leader who cowers down to the wishes/demands of the passionate crowd people instead of standing strong and making an unpopular decision (Zedikiah/Pilate). True Picture of Following God (The Lord’s provision and plan calls for submission and surrender (Chaldeans/Cross).
The call to live a life that evidences grace, truth, strength, integrity, and love (2 Timothy 2:22-25) is still what the Lord would desire of all His followers. It also is worth remembering Jesus always believed the Christian life would involve to some degree: pain, difficulty, and humility (Luke 9:23).
You Can Live
Re: Verse reading – Jeremiah 21:1-10, 38:1-6 (day four)
King Zedekiah thought that his enemy was Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. What he did not realize was that he was his own enemy. God had warned Judah if they did not repent and turn from their wicked ways, they would face the power of Babylon. Babylon was marching against Judah because they had not done that. God was using Babylon to deliver judgment on Judah. Even in the midst of judgment though, God was offering hope. Jeremiah, in verse 9, says if the people will flee the city and surrender to the armies of Babylon…in other words, yield to the judgment of God and do not battle against it…they would live. To yield to God’s plan would require putting aside pride, and in humility, to yield to Him. Sounds like repentance and salvation doesn’t it? Are you willing to humbly yield to God’s plan for your life?