365 Reflections

Jeremiah 10:6 (ESV) There is none like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might. Who is like the Lord? No one.  Israel learned the hard way that idols never live up to their promise. This very blessed nation, delivered and defined by the Lord failed to trust the Lord was enough all the way into exile. In what seems silly to us, they worshipped trinkets made by their own hands.  In Jeremiah 10, we find out the fruits of idolatry in nations, communities, and individuals.  First, when idolatry reigns, fear is common. Jeremiah 10:2 (ESV) Thus says the LORD: “Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, The signs of the heavens upset those who put their trust in their own hands. When someone believes they make their own way in the world, the creation has a funny way of reminding them they do not. Want to find idolatry? Look for those who fear what's happening to the Earth (even when n...

Jeremiah 9:23–24 (ESV) Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.” Three things that lead us to pride: Our own wisdom, strength, and money. And we seek them constantly. Israel had them under Solomon, and they ended up doing to the nation what they did to Solomon. They became self-indulgent behaviors that attracted the attention of others but lost him his heart for God.  Jeremiah brings the nation back to the things that made David their great king. The knowledge of God. When David first knew the Lord he did not have wisdom, might, or riches. God gave David these throughout His life as David faced greater trials and challenges along the way. And when David struggled, ...

Want to know what a godless nation looks like? Consider the description in Jeremiah 9. Most importantly, consider who suffers in a godless nation. The people lose community, trust and peace.  Jeremiah 9:3 (ESV) They bend their tongue like a bow; falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, declares the LORD. They lie to each other when God is not their Lord. They grow from evil to evil and get worse. Can we not see the same thing happening today? Jeremiah 9:4 (ESV) Let everyone beware of his neighbor, and put no trust in any brother, for every brother is a deceiver, and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer. Jeremiah 9:5 (ESV) Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity. Jeremiah 9:8 (ESV) Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceitfully; with his mouth each speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his hea...

So you want to be a prophet?  Take note! They weren't loved in their generation. In fact, as we study Jeremiah, we are going to see they were ignored, they were ridiculed and they were even tortured for the sake of their ministry to God's hard-hearted people.  Worst of all, they were often depressed over the condition of the world they lived in. Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet because although his message was firm truth in times truth was not popular, he wept as he presented it. Jeremiah 8:18–19 (ESV) My joy is gone; grief is upon me; my heart is sick within me. 19 Behold, the cry of the daughter of my people from the length and breadth of the land: “Is the LORD not in Zion? Is her King not in her?” “Why have they provoked me to anger with their carved images and with their foreign idols?” Jeremiah sees God's people wondering where God is and he weeps even though He knows they are getting what their deeds deserve. Be careful of Christians who take pleasure in God...

One thing reading the Bible does is teach you about history. And what you learn is that history is very dark. The ancient world, segregated to life in the dark before the light of Christ shone in men's hearts was a place of unbelievable evil. When you read Jeremiah you see that this evil found it's way into the heart of Israel's community.  Jeremiah 7:30–31 (ESV) “For the sons of Judah have done evil in my sight, declares the LORD. They have set their detestable things in the house that is called by my name, to defile it. 31 And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind. Imagine this picture - burning your children in sacrifice to "gods". That is what Judah took part in. And God specifies - this did not even enter his mind! He did not even consider this to be a thing for them and yet they did it.  Leviticus 18:21...

Jeremiah 7:1–4 (ESV) The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 “Stand in the gate of the LORD’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the LORD. 3 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. 4 Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’ In Jeremiah's day the phrase, "This is the temple of the Lord" had become a boast. They believed that just because they had the temple, they were safe. They believed nothing could come against them as long as that temple stood. How wrong they were.  How often we can consider our religious practices and buildings and products a sign that we are blessed by God and doing right when really we are guilty of empty worship, sinful habits, and vain self-seeking idolatry.  What was Israel up to? Jeremiah s...

Jeremiah is a man of God and a man of truth. Those two must go hand in hand as to be the former you must be devoted to the later. The proof? He wasn't afraid to call out the entire nation for her sins against the Lord. He brought everyone's actions into account. He spoke against the political leaders, the religious leaders and even the "so called" spiritual leaders.  This was God's calling and design for him if you remember back to Jeremiah 1.  Jeremiah 1:18 (ESV) And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials , its priests , and the people of the land. Jeremiah's ministry would offend the gamut of Israel's populace. So it should come as no surprise when he turns his target on the priests of prophets of Israel in Jeremiah 6. Jeremiah 6:8 (ESV) Be warned, O Jerusalem, lest I turn from you in disgust, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land....