Jeremiah 14
COMMENTARY:
: 10 Thus says the LORD to this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD does not accept them: HE will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. (5128 “wander” [nuwa] means to move aimlessly or without any destination, wave, quiver, to move to and fro, to vacillate, without shelter or home, unsteady, or quiver.)
DEVOTION: One of the problems of those who claim to follow the LORD is that we are prone to wander from the LORD because of our sin nature. We claim to be a follower of the LORD but we move away from HIM many times throughout a given day. We are not a faithful as we should be each day. This takes work and we are lazy most of the time. Her we find the children of Israel doing the same thing that we do on a regular basis. They were looking at the gods of the lands they were in and thinking that could worship them and the LORD at the same time. This was not what the LORD wanted for HIS people.
It is because of this wandering that HE judged HIS people to show them they were not going to have blessings if they continued in this way. This is true even today. HE is not going to bless us if we are not walking right by HIS side each day.
It takes confession and prayer and study of the Word to keep us on the right course to follow HIM fully each day. We too are prone to wander and have to each day confess our sin and ask for forgiveness and help to stay on the right path of service to HIM.
Each day we need to ask the LORD to help us walk and serve in a manner pleasing to HIM. We can’t do it without a time of fellowship with HIM each day. This time of fellowship needs to be renewed every hour to keep us serving HIM in a right manner. There is a song: Prone to wander LORD I feel it! Remember this song and this verse to stop us from wandering.
CHALLENGE: Are you and I willing to each moment of each day to examine ourselves to see if we are walking right with the LORD? If not, we need to change our attitude and do it!
: 14 And the LORD said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart. (The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982)
DEVOTION: False teachers are a dangerous group of people that work tirelessly to spread their message and deception. Jeremiah interrupts God by reminding Him that false prophets were contradicting His message. Promising prosperity and peace instead of sword and famine was their message for the people of Jerusalem. Of course. which message would most people prefer to hear and heed? Reassuring words are can be a rallying point for people but when they are false the destruction is greater than the truth. Jeremiah was speaking truth but it was harsh and difficult to listen to. God would hold individuals responsible for their decisions and if the choices made are from listening to the wrong message they are responsible.
It is imperative that the truth be clearly presented even if the words are hard to hear. Faithfulness to God’s message will lead to difficult teachings but the faithful teacher and preacher must speak what God reveals. Anything else is falseness and compromise.
CHALLENGE: These words contain a warning for today’s preacher or teacher that he must be careful not to cloak his own desires under the guise of being God’s desires. They also warn people to be responsible in discernment when listening to “prophetic” voices (John 4:1). Listen carefully to the speakers you are under. Ask questions and study independently to see if the message is in line with the Scripture. We are to be like the Bereans and search for the truth of God’s word. (Acts 17:10-15) (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
: 20 We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee. (3045 “acknowledge” [yada] means to know, familiar with, answer, admit, be aware, declare, feel, be sure, and understand.
DEVOTION: There was a famine in Jerusalem. There was an army coming to fight against Jerusalem.
The false prophets were telling the people that there would be peace. They tried to put a guilt trip on the LORD. They told HIM that they were HIS people even through they were not obeying HIM. They told HIM that HE was breaking the covenant because HE promise to always take care of them. They asked HIM not to leave them. They even tried to fast and pray for deliverance. IT was too late. It was done with the wrong motives.
The LORD told Jeremiah not to pray for them. They had reached the point of no return. The LORD is long-suffering. However, there is a limit even to long-suffering.
We can be familiar with our sin. We can admit we are sinners. The action the LORD wants is a change of direction. HE wanted the children of Judah to REALLY turn and follow HIM. HE didn’t want them to just come when it was convenient. HE wanted them to mean business with HIM. That was not the case. HE knew their hearts.
HIS desire for them and us is to keep short accounts with HIM. HE knows our hearts. When we confess, HE sees if we are just saying it because we got caught or if we mean business with HIM.
Remember that those that are not keeping short accounts have weakness, sickness and pre-mature death coming their way. IF we seem to get away with sin and the LORD doesn’t chasten us, then we may not be one of HIS children. It is time to truly turn our heart over to HIM. Whom the LORD loves HE chastens!!!
CHALLENGE: Admit your sins before the LORD. Don’t walk in the pride of your commitment to HIM and think that HE will let you get away with sin in your life because you are one of HIS children.
: 21 Do not abhor us, for thy name’s sake; do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us. (5006 “abhor” [na’ats] means despise, condemn, spurn, disdain, reject with contemn, scorn or blaspheme.)
DEVOTION: The children of Judah clung to the promises that the LORD had made in the wilderness with Moses and the children of Israel. The problem was in their memory of the event.
They thought that they had a free pass to do anything they wanted to and the LORD would continue to bless them. They didn’t think that HE would judge HIS people for their sins. They were wrong.
They also thought that if HE did judge them that HIS name would be blasphemed by the people of other nations. They brought this up to HIM, so that, HE would end their judgment. God’s name will always be supreme. HE will always be sovereign. Even the heathen nations knew what HE expected of HIS people.
The next excuse they used for God not to judge them was the fact that the Temple was in Jerusalem. It was the place of HIS glory. However, the heavens declare the GLORY of GOD. One city, even Jerusalem, could not declare all the glory of God. HE chose it because HE wanted HIS people to worship HIM but HE didn’t NEED their worship. HE wanted their obedience and they didn’t give it.
Finally, they told HIM that HE was breaking HIS covenant with them. This was a lie too. The false prophets were lying to them and they started to believe their lies. Some people think that just because they made a commitment to HIM, HE would have to honor them no matter how they acted. That is a lie from our enemy the devil. The actions of Judah and our actions have consequences. Those consequences were given in the wilderness if they didn’t obey the commands of the LORD. There were blessings AND cursings mentioned to the children of Israel in the wilderness.
Today, we need to remember the lessons that we can learn from the children of Israel. We have the Old Testament to give us an example of how God works with HIS people.
If the church honors and obeys the LORD, HE can bless it. If the church is teaching lies to the people that are not found in the Word of God and the people believe the lies they will be judged. There are some things that are different that are taught in some churches but they deal with no essentials. The essential doctrines of the church cannot be changed or ignored. The basic doctrines are mentioned in the doctrinal section of this devotional. If you have any questions regarding basic doctrine – write me.
CHALLENGE: Don’t throw Scripture at the LORD to get what you want if you are sinning and not confessing – HE will send judgment. HE wants us to be pure through the blood of Jesus Christ. Confession keeps our fellowship sweet with the LORD.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Children of Israel confessed too lateverse 20
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Cry has gone upverse 2
Children of Judah pray to the LORDverse 9
Jeremiah commanded not to pray for the peopleverse 11
LORD won’t answer prayerverse 12
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Burnt offeringverse 12
Oblationverse 12
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word of the LORDverse 1
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 1, 7, 9-11, 14, 15, 20, 22
Word of the LORDverse 1
LORD’S name sakeverses 7, 21
Hope of Israelverse 8
Saviorverse 8
Like a stranger in the landverse 8
Like a wayfaring manverse 8
Like a man astoniedverse 9
Like a mighty man that cannot saveverse 9
In the midst of Israelverse 9
Says Israel loved to wanderverse 10
LORD does not accept Israelverse 10
HE will remember Israel’s iniquities & sinsverse 10
HE will not hear their cry when they fastverse 12
HE will not see when they offer burnt offering
and oblationsverse 12
HE will consume them by sword, famine and pestilenceverse 12
Lord – Adonai (Owner, Master)verse 13
GOD – Jehovahverse 13
Lord GODverse 13
LORD said “The prophets prophesy lies in MY name – I sent them notverses 14, 15
False prophet will be consumed by sword
and famineverse 15
I will pour their wickedness on themverse 16
Name’s sakeverse 21
Throne of YOUR gloryverse 21
Covenantverse 21
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign)verse 22
LORD our Godverse 22
Creatorverse 22
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Strangerverse 8
Wayfaring manverse 8
Gentiles: vanities ofverse 22
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Iniquitiesverses 7, 10, 20
Iniquity of our fathers
Backslidingsverse 7
Sinnedverses 7, 10, 20
Loved to wanderverse 10
Not refrained their feetverse 10
False prophetsverses 13-15
will be consumed by sword and famine
False peaceverse 13
Liesverse 14
False visions and divinationverse 14
Deceit of their heartverse 14
Wickednessverses 16, 20
Vanitiesverse 22
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Cry has gone upverse 2
Hopeverse 8
Saviorverses 8, 9
Fastverse 12
Peaceverse 19
Healingverse 19
Covenantverse 21
Wait upon the LORDverse 22
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jeremiahverse 1
concerning the dearth
asks LORD not to leave Israel
LORD told him not to pray for Israel
LORD said to him – the prophets
prophesy lies in MY name
To say to people: Let MINE EYES run down
will tears night and day, and let them
not cease: for the virgin daughter of
MY people is broken with a great
breach, with a very grievous blow
Asked: Has YOU utterly rejected Judah?
Has YOUR soul loathed Zion?
Why have YOU smitten us, and there is
no healing for us?
We looked for peace, and there is no good
and for the time of healing, and
Behold trouble!
We acknowledge our wickedness and
the iniquity of our fathers: for we
have sinned against YOU
Do not abhor us, for YOUR name sake,
Do not disgrace the throne of YOUR glory
remember – break not YOUR
covenant with us
Judahverses 2, 19
Mourns
Gates languish
Jerusalemverses 2, 16
Cry of is gone up
People cast out into streets
Noblesverses 3, 4
Sent little ones to the waters
and found none: ashamed and confounded
covered their heads
No rain in the earthverse 4
Plowmen were ashamed = covered their headsverse 4
Hind also calved in the field and forsook it
Because there was no grassverse 5
Wild asses did stand in the high places
they snuffed up the wind: no grassverse 6
Israelverse 8
We are called by YOUR nameverse 9
Prophetsverse 13
said they would not see sword, or famine but would have peaceverse 13
People cast out into streets of Jerusalem because of sword and famine verse 16
None to bury peopleverse 16
My peopleverse 17
Prophet and Priest shall go about into the land that they know notverse 18
Zionverse 19
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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