365 Reflections

Murder is a common theme of the Bible's narrative. In Jeremiah 41, we find the vassal governor of the now deserted land of Judah is the target of an ambitious hired assassin named Ishmael, who wants his position. And though the governor, Gedeliah, is warned, he ignores the threat of his demise.  Jeremiah 41:1–2 (ESV) In the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, one of the chief officers of the king, came with ten men to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, at Mizpah. As they ate bread together there at Mizpah, 2 Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the ten men with him rose up and struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, with the sword, and killed him, whom the king of Babylon had appointed governor in the land. What is intriguing about this man Ishmael is that though he was hired by the king of the Ammonites, he was also a descendent of King David (see 2 Samuel 5:16). Further, he was hired by the Ammonite king to kill Gedaliah perhap...

How do we live in a world that seems so strange to how we live.  A picture is presented before us in Jeremiah 40. Here Jeremiah is given the option of staying with the exiles in Babylon or returning to the land to dwell among the impoverished children of Israel left behind.  Jeremiah 40:4–5 (ESV) Now, behold, I release you today from the chains on your hands. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you well, but if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, do not come. See, the whole land is before you; go wherever you think it good and right to go. 5 If you remain, then return to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon appointed governor of the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people. Or go wherever you think it right to go.” So the captain of the guard gave him an allowance of food and a present, and let him go. Jeremiah makes his choice very simply. He stays behind with the poor of th...

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭39‬:‭4‬-‭8‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) “When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls; and they went toward the Arabah. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, at Riblah, in the land of Hamath; and he passed sentence on him. The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah at Riblah before his eyes, and the king of Babylon slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. He put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon. The Chaldeans burned the king’s house and the house of the people, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.” Things do not end happy in Jeremiah’s day. Zedekiah refused to humble himself and listen to the still small voice of the Lord spoken through the prophet and it cost him everything he had, his kin...

As we continue to study Jeremiah, we see a true prophet who will not back down even when preaching the Word costs him. He has been bitterly treated and shamefully scorned by his contemporaries who at the same time have sought his guidance during these last dark days of the kingdom.  In Jeremiah 38, we see another facet of true prophetic work - speaking in such a way that people assume it’s harmful when it’s the exact opposite. As Babylon bears down on Jerusalem, Jeremiah continues his message.  ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭38‬:‭3‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) “Thus says the Lord: This city shall surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon and be taken.”” The people assume since Jeremiah is talking about something destructive to the city, he must be off base.  ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭38‬:‭4‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) “Then the officials said to the king, “Let this man be put to death, for he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words t...

How do you know if that preacher in the pulpit is worth listening to? There's a very important test we can observe in Jeremiah's life in Jeremiah 37 that may help us answer that question.  In Jeremiah 37, there's a new king but the same old story. He won't listen to the prophet sent to warn them of the impending exile to Babylon.  Jeremiah 37:1–2 (ESV) Zedekiah the son of Josiah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah, reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim. 2 But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the LORD that he spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. Zedekiah should have had a heart to listen to the Lord. His father was Josiah, a godly king, but Zedekiah hardened himself like his brother before him against the Word God gave him through Jeremiah. But when the going got tough, Zedekiah appealed to Jeremiah for prayer on his behalf. Jeremiah refused to let Zedekiah feign religious piety and g...

Don't believe the news that God is out to get people. Nor believe the rumor that God in the Old Testament is nasty and mean. He is loving, patient, and constantly seeking to forgive. The problem is that the human heart resists Him at every turn.  Jeremiah 36:1–3 (ESV) In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 “Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today. 3 It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, so that every one may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.” Jeremiah does this and enlists Baruch, his assistant to deliver the document.  Jeremiah 36:5–6 (ESV)  And Jeremiah ordered Baruch, saying, “I am banned from going to the house of the LORD, 6 so you are to go, and on a day of fasting...

Righteousness defines not just your personal life and witness but also affects your children's children and beyond. Case in point: The Rechabites in Jeremiah 35. This noble family stood apart from their godless contemporaries in Israel and walked closely with the Lord as the nation drew further apart from Him.  In Jeremiah 35, the Lord asks His prophet to make a spectacle of their devotion as an illustration to the nation. Jeremiah 35:1–3 (ESV) The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: 2 “Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak with them and bring them to the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers; then offer them wine to drink.” 3 So I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah and his brothers and all his sons and the whole house of the Rechabites. This seems like a weird challenge from God to the family serving Him, but a larger point must be made. The nation needed to know some were not in locks...

One of the greatest pains in my heart over the history of the church is the fact that many "Bible-believing" Christians used the Bible to promote, continue, and enable slavery in America's past. It may have happened elsewhere, but I'm an American, and I know it happened here. Then, some repeatedly make the claim because of a tiny amount of verses where God informs Israel on how to take slaves, it means the Bible is a pro-slavery document. How absurd. The overarching narrative of the Bible is that God sets the slaves free. The second book testifies to this part of God's character.  Getting to Jeremiah's day, one of the reasons Israel's nation was handed over to exile was because they enslaved each other. This attitude was so engrained into the culture of Israel that they had a hard time giving up slavery even in the face of national catastrophe.  In Jeremiah 34, the king is promised that he will die in Babylon, but he will die in peace. Jeremiah 34:3–5 (ESV...