Peace and greetings friend, we are here to read day 55 of our journey. We'll read Jeremiah 11 to 23. If Jeremiah chapter 10 did not totally knock you down, then I believe you'll be fine the rest of the way.
Jeremiah chapter 11
The Lord tells Jeremiah to tell the men of Judah that cursed are the men who do not perform the oath and duties of the covenant God made with their fathers. God is upset because since they are not doing their end, He cannot do His end as He promised the Fathers. The Lord cried to them to keep His commandments; but they would not listen. So the Lord told Jeremiah not to pray for them because God will not hear prayers of sinners.
14Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.
Even in their time of trouble, the Lord is going to sit and watch them be destroyed. Priest and sons of Aaron will be destroyed because they chased Jeremiah away when he attempted to share the Word of God and the calamities coming, the men of Anathoth ran Jeremiah way threatening him. Anathoth is one of the suburbs of Jerusalem given to the sons of when Israel claimed the land (Joshua 21 v13, 18).
Jeremiah 12
Here is the number one question in the world; how do the wicked prosper? We saw David ask this and now we see Jeremiah ask humbly. You're keeping the commandments and can't afford a car, while Trump and Rockerfeller care less about God and they are flying Jets from one house to another, while eating shrimp and drinking cocktails.
Some mention God by their mouth, but in their minds, God is the furthest thing. Jeremiah needed to know why is this? The Lord said, if Jeremiah ran against men and was tired, how will he run against horses? In other words, he could not contend with the evil of his own nation, so how can he wonder about other nations and why they are successful although they are evil.
10Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
The Lord hates His heritage, which is the children of Israel, for breaking His laws and that is why He has given them to their enemies. They are like a speckled bird, all the other birds come against the speckled one saying, you are not like us. Why is this? It is because many pastors have destroyed the Lord's vineyard, which is the house of Judah as in Isaiah 5 v7, and the pastors have trodden down the Lord's portion under their feet by false teaching or not teaching at all. I spoke with a pastor before about this verse and he told me some things are too hard for the people to understand; and they don't have to give them all things.
My reply is that it is in the Bible, so I assume God wants us to know all things written in here, especially the things the Holy Spirit shares with us.
The Lord is going to pluck up the nation that jumps into the land that the Lord took Israel out of. The Lord will pluck them out of their land, but will later have compassion on Israel and bring them back if they will keep God's ways which are His commandments.
Jeremiah chapter 13
The Lord is about to metaphorically show Jeremiah something and then prophesy the meaning. Jeremiah was told to get a bottle and a girtle and bury it near the Euphrates. And Jeremiah did as he was told.
11For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
The Lord wanted Israel to keep His commandments so they would be His people, show good of His name, and praise, and glory, but they wouldn't hear the Lord. Now the Lord is going to feel all of Judah with drunkenness, and this is a spiritual drunkenness, where they will not be able to see the truth nor even know who they are any more (verse 13).
17But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD's flock is carried away captive. The Lord is rejoicing to do this because it is suppose to correct the children of Israel, but deep down He is sad to see His people carried away captive. Parents must punish their children for wrong doing, even if it hurts you. I know parents who's children can do no wrong, these are the same ones who grow up and can do no wrong, even before police officers.
Correct them as the Lord is correcting His people. And I have to point out to you, that if the Lord is correcting the children of Israel so harshly, it only makes sense for others to learn from their mistakes and keep the laws of God.
23Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
These cannot change what they are accustomed to; a leopard cannot change his spots, a zebra cannot change it's strips, and an Ethiopian cannot change his skin color, the color of Ethiopian then is the same it is today. Keep this in mind when we read about Paul later. However, if you're accustomed to evil, that is what you'll do only, unless the fear of God is put into your mind.
Jeremiah chapter 14 Jeremiah is praying and again reminds people that the children of Israel were originally the children of Jacob. Jacob had twelve sons. When he was adopted by the Lord, He took on the Lord's name, which is Israel. Israel is the Lord's name, not the name of the people.
9Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O LORD, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not. This is why I tell people to be very careful not to talk harshly against the name of Israel.
13Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.
14Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
15Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
16And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.
Here is another serious conflict; in Jeremiah's days and also in ours we have prophets and preachers who preach peace, that things will be fine because they claimed victory. That is fine; but after while you have to face reality and that means what is real before you face. The world economy is in bad shape, we can be positive all we want but the truth is, it is slumping right now.
A preacher is suppose to speak God's words, not his own. Today, just as in Jeremiah's day, preachers are misinforming people in the name of Jesus to, tickle the people's ears. To make people feel good is the goal, instead of making them good, they want the people to just feel good. Here we see the preachers get a warning from God; sword and famine will chase after them and they will be consumed. Just read the bible and stop misinforming people in the name of Jesus.
Jeremiah 15
2And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.
Although great men like Moses and Samuel stood before the Lord, He cannot take this people any more and had to remove them out of His sight. He did not even care where the went out of the 4 places He left for them to go, death, the sword, famine, or slavery; just get out is the message.
The Lord was tired of repenting His evil for this people. We are just reading the books of a few prophets who went about to stop the evil of this people, there were many more, many who were killed on the job.
These chapters all sound the same with Jeremiah warning and the Lord telling ear tingling destruction coming on these people. Jeremiah was sent over and over again, so the chapters can have some of the same sound to it.
11The LORD said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.
For all the children of Israel that survive through the years, the Lord is going to cause their enemies to beg earnestly of you when evil comes on the earth. The time of affliction is during the great tribulation. At that time people will really seek the children of Israel for answers. But they have to turn to the Lord to be saved, they have to seek their God for any relief during their captivity.
Jeremiah 16
The Lord instructs Jeremiah to tell people not to have children (like they were going to listen), in the Jerusalem, but to wait till they are in captivity, because violence will cover the land and their children will be killed with no one to bury them. So don't even have them. Much evil will come on this people, and when finally some ask why is there so much evil and calamity against this people, you can open up to Jeremiah 16 and read them this verse:
11Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;
It is because the forsaking of the Lord's voice and of the avoidance of keeping His commandments!
Thus, the Lord kicked them out the land into lands they didn't know where they will serve other gods day and night and the Lord will show them no favor. These people have it rough. However God will gather them all back, and God will no longer be the GOD who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt with strength, but He will be the Lord God who brought the children of Israel out of the land of the north and all lands where He has driven them (verses 13-16).
IMPORTANT VERSES
16Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the LORD, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
17For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes.
While the children of Israel are scattered in all different countries I'm sure they blend in and look like normal citizens of those countries today, but God knows all of the children of Israel and none is hid from Him. He will send fishers after them. These are men who teach them true words to help them remember who they are, who their God is, pretty much teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Then the Lord will send the hunters, these are people from other nations who see the calamities going on in the world at that time in the future, and the hunters will hunt them out of every mountain (government), hill (smaller governments), and out of the holes of the rocks (small cities and villages); to bring them back to the Lord.
19O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
20Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods?
21Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The LORD.
Verse 19 is pretty startling, the Gentiles (sons of Japheth) will come up to Jerusalem from all over the world, when the Lord returns and in sitting on His throne, the throne of David, and they will say, it is a matter of fact that our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things where there is no profit. If your jaw dropped, don't worry mines did too when I read this.
If the Gentiles will say this to the Lord when He returns, what do the Gentiles have now? Lies and vanity. Think about what we've read over the last 54 days and think earnestly how much of this was clear as crystal to you before today, especially if you've been a Christian all your life. You are probably just understanding that every prophet spoke about Jesus in some form or another.
Man cannot make gods for himself that are not gods, so God will cause them to know His strength and might, and finally know that He is the Master, the Eternal One, the Most High. I fear that day, and I fear for the ones that it will be proven to.
1The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; First off that is a very expensive pen with the point of a diamond; but the point is that Judah's sin is not to be erased until they repent.
5Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. When you get in trouble do you do like king Asa and run to doctors and medicine counters, or do you go to God first and have Him send you to the doctor or medicine cupboard?
7Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. You trust in man you are cursed, like the men who trust and trusted in false prophets. If you trust in God you are blessed, like those who read and trust in the words of this Bible.
9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
10I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. Since the mind is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, the Lord has the search it and try it to see what is really on the mind of an individual. We could be faking it; but the Lord will know it sooner or later, if He already doesn't know that you go to the village and smile at people, but come home and beat your wife. God knows it.
Jeremiah was sent to tell the children of Israel and their kings to keep the sabbath, do not pollute it as it was told to their fathers (verse 21-22).
24And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;
25Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever.
27But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
With the lack of faith, they did not keep the sabbath day pure. The sabbath is continuously brought up by each prophet over and over, letting me know it is a very important part of God's commandment. It is important to keep the sabbath day, which is the 7th day of the week. Check your calendar and keep this day Holy unto the Lord; whichever day falls on the 7th day of your calendar, keep it unto the Lord. This is your wedding ring to Him.
1The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
We've heard of this, the potter's house, used by a very popular preacher and motivational speaker, T.D Jakes. 6O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
Jesus says He is just like a potter and man is like the clay in His hand. Who ever He builds up will stand, and who ever He tears down will certainly fall. So the Lord commanded Jeremiah to speak to the people to abandon their evil ways, but they would not and the Lord devised evil against them.
16To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.
17I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.
This is stuff repeated from chapter to chapter, but originated in Deuteronomy chapter 28; speaking on how the Lord will punish Israel. He will scatter them, make their land emptied of them and destroyed, people will be astonished at this people and sadly shake their head.
If you have ever watched the movie, "Coming to America" with Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall, there is a scene where Eddie, who played Akeem and Arsenio, who played Semi were looking for an apartment in Queens New York. They were shown a horrible apartment; a dog had been murdered in the apartment by the previous tenants and for some reason the dog had outlined chalk tape on the position it died.
The man showing the apartment looked at the dog's outline, and shook his head and uttered, "it's a damn shame what they did to that dog."
Humorously my brother and I would say that people say things to people, and they are speaking on the current situation before them, but at times they were in the spirit giving people a message from God. And we took the man looking at that dog outlined dead on the ground as people looking at the children of Israel, outlined and dead on the ground, and said, "it's a damn shame what God did to this people!"
The people Jeremiah prophesied to plotted to kill him and shut him up; and he prayed that those who planned to rise up against him should be destroyed. Jeremiah got a bit upset. You know how it is when you are sincerely trying to help someone and they keep rejecting your help, even to the point where they hurt you, you get frustrated.
I also want to point out and allow the reader to take note that when men of God came to correct others and teach them to keep the laws of God, people did not like those men, and many prophets as I mentioned died on the job.
If you respond like this to men or women who speak comfortably to you concerning keeping God's commandments, you should carefully take account at the history of the people who rose up against prophets and the history of the prophets who brought God's word, commandments and see which side you'd like to be on.
3And say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle.
The Lord is giving prophesy to the people that will tingle the ears. If you remember the last time He gave prophesy that tingled the ears, a lot of people died and the time before that God had taken down the 7 Canaanite nations.
Judah and Jerusalem will not be known as the names it were called and villages they were called, but instead they will be call the valley of slaughter (verse 6). That is not quite the name of a place I'd like to live, unless I was doing the slaughtering.
The LORD is set to do very ugly and terrible stuff to this people, even break this people and their city, like one breaks a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again. And Jeremiah bravely went and told the people in the court of the Lord's House.
2Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.
3And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magormissabib.
Pashur was a priest or what we'd call today a preacher, and a chief governor in the house of the Lord, and he heard what Jeremiah was preaching about the destruction the Lord was bringing and Pashur went and hit Jeremiah in the mouth, and put him in wards, that like jail; all for telling the truth.
How many Christians get this kind of persecution today? Perhaps in China or in countries where Christianity is prohibited but what about persecution from other Christians and preachers? Not to often, because the Methodist gets along with the Catholic, and the Lutheran gets along with the Baptist. Think about it.
6And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies.
Here is the prophesy against Pashur and all his lying buddy priest. Jeremiah thought being a prophet was a great job; and it is, but it is not peachy and roses as he thought. As you are reading with understanding and growing spiritually rich, you'd like to take the good news to family and friends, but they may not be ready to put down Christmas, eat only clean foods, keep the commandments of the living God, and they may take it out on you.
You just have to be patient and wait on God to speak to them as He spoke to you. Jeremiah nearly gave up on his job, but it was too much to him to see the word of God being given falsely and he could not stop talking. You can get like that when you are passionate about the word of God (verse 7-9).
King Zedekiah, the last king of Judah before they were carried away, sent the same Pashur to speak to Jeremiah asking about the war against Babylon and Nebuchadrezzar, if it would be good for Israel. Jeremiah of course told them no; they will lose terribly.
8And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death. The Lord did this in Moses day, giving us the option of life or death, we have that option in this day as well. The news was not good for Zedekiah and Israel; they would be destroyed and if they humbled themselves and left the city, they would be carried out and their lives would be for a prey.
Jeremiah chapter 22
This chapter is more on the curses and blessings of listening to the Lord. If the children of Israel listen, they'd be blessed, if they are not obedient they'd be cursed.
8And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city?
9Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.
So we know why they are cursed because they did not serve their God. The kings of Judah that disobeyed will be taken to another country and see the land no more; they should be buried with improper burial, the burial of an ass.
1Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.
2Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
Woe to the pastors of that day, that destroyed and scattered the sheep of the Lord's pasture by not tell them the truth, not reading words of wisdom and understanding to them, by not teaching them the fear of the Lord. The Lord intended evil against these pastors.
And even today, if you do not teach it like Jeremiah, Isaiah, and other prophets, and you are always preaching about peace, prosperity, and other matters of the heart, when Korea is proud to have finished their nuclear program; then it may be woe to you too.
In all the negativity and destruction of the children of Israel; God also brings us hope, that when we turn and obey, He will bring all Israel back and they will dwell in the land, and Jesus Christ will be their King and they will call Him, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (verse 3-6).
7Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
8But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.
Here we see the new name of the Lord again. 11For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD. If they existed in the past do you think they exist now? You just have to find them, they are wolf in sheep's clothing but they can be found by you simply reading the bible.
13And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
14I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness; they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
15Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.
16Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.
I know this chapter is not a fan favorite by preachers, I am not antagonizing preachers, we are simply reading through the bible and seeing the words the Lord had put in here. Real ministers of God are rejoicing that this is in here, false prophets are probably really concerned and perhaps do not want this chapter and book anywhere near their congregation.
We must take all things in the bible into consideration. The Lord did not blame politicians for the fall of Israel; He blamed pastors.
God gives the Word to His pastors and they are suppose to feed the people. So if the world is messed up, it is messed up because of preachers not politicians, because of priests not presidents.
20The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly. In the last days, the great tribulation will come upon people and they will seriously consider what we're doing now, reading the Bible with understanding.
21I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
We read in Ecclesiastes, that the preacher is wise because he taught the people knowledge. The Lord said He did not send some of these preachers, and some today the Lord hasn't sent, but some went anyway.
However, if they would all stand in the Lord's counselling, they would have caused the people to hear God's words (the scriptures), and have turned them from their evil ways (things against God's commandments).
This concludes our reading for today. Do not antagonize your preacher and preachers do not feel so bad, just deal with the word of the Lord.
Peace and grace
It is because the forsaking of the Lord's voice and of the avoidance of keeping His commandments!
Thus, the Lord kicked them out the land into lands they didn't know where they will serve other gods day and night and the Lord will show them no favor. These people have it rough. However God will gather them all back, and God will no longer be the GOD who brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt with strength, but He will be the Lord God who brought the children of Israel out of the land of the north and all lands where He has driven them (verses 13-16).
IMPORTANT VERSES
16Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the LORD, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
17For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes.
While the children of Israel are scattered in all different countries I'm sure they blend in and look like normal citizens of those countries today, but God knows all of the children of Israel and none is hid from Him. He will send fishers after them. These are men who teach them true words to help them remember who they are, who their God is, pretty much teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Then the Lord will send the hunters, these are people from other nations who see the calamities going on in the world at that time in the future, and the hunters will hunt them out of every mountain (government), hill (smaller governments), and out of the holes of the rocks (small cities and villages); to bring them back to the Lord.
19O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
20Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods?
21Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The LORD.
Verse 19 is pretty startling, the Gentiles (sons of Japheth) will come up to Jerusalem from all over the world, when the Lord returns and in sitting on His throne, the throne of David, and they will say, it is a matter of fact that our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things where there is no profit. If your jaw dropped, don't worry mines did too when I read this.
If the Gentiles will say this to the Lord when He returns, what do the Gentiles have now? Lies and vanity. Think about what we've read over the last 54 days and think earnestly how much of this was clear as crystal to you before today, especially if you've been a Christian all your life. You are probably just understanding that every prophet spoke about Jesus in some form or another.
Man cannot make gods for himself that are not gods, so God will cause them to know His strength and might, and finally know that He is the Master, the Eternal One, the Most High. I fear that day, and I fear for the ones that it will be proven to.
Jeremiah 17
5Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. When you get in trouble do you do like king Asa and run to doctors and medicine counters, or do you go to God first and have Him send you to the doctor or medicine cupboard?
7Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. You trust in man you are cursed, like the men who trust and trusted in false prophets. If you trust in God you are blessed, like those who read and trust in the words of this Bible.
9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
10I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. Since the mind is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, the Lord has the search it and try it to see what is really on the mind of an individual. We could be faking it; but the Lord will know it sooner or later, if He already doesn't know that you go to the village and smile at people, but come home and beat your wife. God knows it.
Jeremiah was sent to tell the children of Israel and their kings to keep the sabbath, do not pollute it as it was told to their fathers (verse 21-22).
24And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;
25Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever.
27But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
With the lack of faith, they did not keep the sabbath day pure. The sabbath is continuously brought up by each prophet over and over, letting me know it is a very important part of God's commandment. It is important to keep the sabbath day, which is the 7th day of the week. Check your calendar and keep this day Holy unto the Lord; whichever day falls on the 7th day of your calendar, keep it unto the Lord. This is your wedding ring to Him.
Jeremiah 18
2Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
We've heard of this, the potter's house, used by a very popular preacher and motivational speaker, T.D Jakes. 6O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
Jesus says He is just like a potter and man is like the clay in His hand. Who ever He builds up will stand, and who ever He tears down will certainly fall. So the Lord commanded Jeremiah to speak to the people to abandon their evil ways, but they would not and the Lord devised evil against them.
16To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.
17I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.
This is stuff repeated from chapter to chapter, but originated in Deuteronomy chapter 28; speaking on how the Lord will punish Israel. He will scatter them, make their land emptied of them and destroyed, people will be astonished at this people and sadly shake their head.
If you have ever watched the movie, "Coming to America" with Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall, there is a scene where Eddie, who played Akeem and Arsenio, who played Semi were looking for an apartment in Queens New York. They were shown a horrible apartment; a dog had been murdered in the apartment by the previous tenants and for some reason the dog had outlined chalk tape on the position it died.
The man showing the apartment looked at the dog's outline, and shook his head and uttered, "it's a damn shame what they did to that dog."
Humorously my brother and I would say that people say things to people, and they are speaking on the current situation before them, but at times they were in the spirit giving people a message from God. And we took the man looking at that dog outlined dead on the ground as people looking at the children of Israel, outlined and dead on the ground, and said, "it's a damn shame what God did to this people!"
The people Jeremiah prophesied to plotted to kill him and shut him up; and he prayed that those who planned to rise up against him should be destroyed. Jeremiah got a bit upset. You know how it is when you are sincerely trying to help someone and they keep rejecting your help, even to the point where they hurt you, you get frustrated.
I also want to point out and allow the reader to take note that when men of God came to correct others and teach them to keep the laws of God, people did not like those men, and many prophets as I mentioned died on the job.
If you respond like this to men or women who speak comfortably to you concerning keeping God's commandments, you should carefully take account at the history of the people who rose up against prophets and the history of the prophets who brought God's word, commandments and see which side you'd like to be on.
Jeremiah 19
The Lord is giving prophesy to the people that will tingle the ears. If you remember the last time He gave prophesy that tingled the ears, a lot of people died and the time before that God had taken down the 7 Canaanite nations.
Judah and Jerusalem will not be known as the names it were called and villages they were called, but instead they will be call the valley of slaughter (verse 6). That is not quite the name of a place I'd like to live, unless I was doing the slaughtering.
The LORD is set to do very ugly and terrible stuff to this people, even break this people and their city, like one breaks a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again. And Jeremiah bravely went and told the people in the court of the Lord's House.
Jeremiah 20
1Now Pashur the son of Immer the priest, who was also chief governor in the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things.2Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.
3And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magormissabib.
Pashur was a priest or what we'd call today a preacher, and a chief governor in the house of the Lord, and he heard what Jeremiah was preaching about the destruction the Lord was bringing and Pashur went and hit Jeremiah in the mouth, and put him in wards, that like jail; all for telling the truth.
How many Christians get this kind of persecution today? Perhaps in China or in countries where Christianity is prohibited but what about persecution from other Christians and preachers? Not to often, because the Methodist gets along with the Catholic, and the Lutheran gets along with the Baptist. Think about it.
6And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies.
Here is the prophesy against Pashur and all his lying buddy priest. Jeremiah thought being a prophet was a great job; and it is, but it is not peachy and roses as he thought. As you are reading with understanding and growing spiritually rich, you'd like to take the good news to family and friends, but they may not be ready to put down Christmas, eat only clean foods, keep the commandments of the living God, and they may take it out on you.
You just have to be patient and wait on God to speak to them as He spoke to you. Jeremiah nearly gave up on his job, but it was too much to him to see the word of God being given falsely and he could not stop talking. You can get like that when you are passionate about the word of God (verse 7-9).
Jeremiah 21
8And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death. The Lord did this in Moses day, giving us the option of life or death, we have that option in this day as well. The news was not good for Zedekiah and Israel; they would be destroyed and if they humbled themselves and left the city, they would be carried out and their lives would be for a prey.
Jeremiah chapter 22
This chapter is more on the curses and blessings of listening to the Lord. If the children of Israel listen, they'd be blessed, if they are not obedient they'd be cursed.
8And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city?
9Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.
So we know why they are cursed because they did not serve their God. The kings of Judah that disobeyed will be taken to another country and see the land no more; they should be buried with improper burial, the burial of an ass.
Jeremiah 23
2Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
Woe to the pastors of that day, that destroyed and scattered the sheep of the Lord's pasture by not tell them the truth, not reading words of wisdom and understanding to them, by not teaching them the fear of the Lord. The Lord intended evil against these pastors.
And even today, if you do not teach it like Jeremiah, Isaiah, and other prophets, and you are always preaching about peace, prosperity, and other matters of the heart, when Korea is proud to have finished their nuclear program; then it may be woe to you too.
In all the negativity and destruction of the children of Israel; God also brings us hope, that when we turn and obey, He will bring all Israel back and they will dwell in the land, and Jesus Christ will be their King and they will call Him, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (verse 3-6).
7Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
8But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.
Here we see the new name of the Lord again. 11For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD. If they existed in the past do you think they exist now? You just have to find them, they are wolf in sheep's clothing but they can be found by you simply reading the bible.
13And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
14I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness; they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
15Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.
16Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.
I know this chapter is not a fan favorite by preachers, I am not antagonizing preachers, we are simply reading through the bible and seeing the words the Lord had put in here. Real ministers of God are rejoicing that this is in here, false prophets are probably really concerned and perhaps do not want this chapter and book anywhere near their congregation.
We must take all things in the bible into consideration. The Lord did not blame politicians for the fall of Israel; He blamed pastors.
God gives the Word to His pastors and they are suppose to feed the people. So if the world is messed up, it is messed up because of preachers not politicians, because of priests not presidents.
20The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly. In the last days, the great tribulation will come upon people and they will seriously consider what we're doing now, reading the Bible with understanding.
21I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
We read in Ecclesiastes, that the preacher is wise because he taught the people knowledge. The Lord said He did not send some of these preachers, and some today the Lord hasn't sent, but some went anyway.
However, if they would all stand in the Lord's counselling, they would have caused the people to hear God's words (the scriptures), and have turned them from their evil ways (things against God's commandments).
This concludes our reading for today. Do not antagonize your preacher and preachers do not feel so bad, just deal with the word of the Lord.
Peace and grace
