Jeremiah 21
COMMENTARY:
: 2 Inquire, I pray you, of the LORD for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon makes war against us; if so be that the LORD will deal with us according to all HIS wondrous works, that he may go up from us. (1875 “inquire“(darash) means to seek with care, care for, to enquire about, investigate, to address a question to and expect an answer from, or resort to.)
DEVOTION: The nation of Judah was going further and further from the LORD but here is one of her kings asking the prophet to find out from the LORD if the Babylonians were going to win the battle against them.
So, they didn’t want to change their habits but they wanted to have safety from the Babylonians from the LORD. The only way they could find out is from someone who was faithful to the LORD.
The habit of many people who say they are following the LORD when they are not is to ask for help when things are not going their way. They want help from the LORD but don’t want to serve HIM on a daily basis.
The LORD wants HIS people to follow HIM every moment of every day, so that, HE can give them all the blessings HE has for those who are faithful. One of those blessing is peace when there seems to be war all around them.
Our responsibility is to stay faithful and when we are not to confess our sins and turn back to the way we should be going. The children of Israel wanted HIS blessings but didn’t want to change their behavior to please HIM.
CHALLENGE: The choice is found throughout the Word of God that if we repent of our sins genuinely, HE is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
: 5 I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger and fury and great wrath. The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
DEVOTION: People who are followers of God, when it is convenient, are always shocked when God does what He must to maintain his standard of holiness and righteousness! They are shocked that the God they say they have served would suddenly and with strong resolve judge them. How could the Lord they serve distribute and even engage in the overthrow of their world? It is almost like a child asking their parents, “how could you punish us if you loved me?” God, like a parent, knows that the only alternative to utter destruction is the discipline and severe intercession for the people of Judah. What appears to be a destructive and cold-hearted was the only option for the people of God.
I have been involved in just a few interventions in my ministry. Where a family or group of friends did an intervention in order to save an individual’s life. The tears, accusations, and venting of raw emotions was difficult to face but the group knew it was necessary. After treatment and recovery the individual rejoiced that someone cared enough to do the difficult. God here is doing the difficult and intervening during the crisis of Israel’s existence.
CHALLENGE: Perhaps there is someone that is drifting far from the truths of God’s teachings and you are concerned for their spiritual well-being. Rest assured that God takes very seriously the life of his own children. He will work patiently to draw them back and He will also discipline them to awaken them to their wrongs (1 John 5). Remember, “… the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son He receives.’ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons…” (Hebrews 12:5-7). (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
: 8 And unto this people you shall say, Thus says the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death. (1870 “way” [derek] means a path, route, highway, road, course of life or mode of action, conversation, custom, journey, manner, or passenger.)
DEVOTION: Zedekiah is looking for a way to escape the king of Babylon. He sends his priests to Jeremiah to ask the LORD for help. Jeremiah gives the LORD’S answer – no help.
Jeremiah informs the people to go out of the city of Jerusalem to the Babylonians for a possibility of living. Those who stay in the city are going to die both man and beast. Judgment is coming.
The children of Israel had a choice to make. The LORD told them through Jeremiah that they were going to be defeated. The ones who wanted to live had to leave the city and go to the enemy’s camp and surrender to them. The ones who didn’t were going to die.
The choice was simple if they believed Jeremiah was a true prophet of God they would go out of the city and make the journey toward life. If they don’t listen they will have the journey of death. Many chose the journey toward death and died.
We are on a journey in this life. John Bunyan in his book “Pilgrim’s Progress” tells us a little about the Christian life with all the trials we will face before reaching heaven. [I think ALL Christians should read this book when they become a follower of Christ. Then reread it regularly.].
We have daily choices to make. There is a road set before us each day. We can walk the road of the LORD or the road away from the LORD. Each day we make a choice. There is no neutral in our life in Christ. There is no status quo.
There is either growth or lack of growth. We are to meditate on the Word of God each day. We are to pray without ceasing each day. We are to put on the armor of God each day to fight against our enemies: the world, the flesh and the devil. Let’s listen to the LORD.
CHALLENGE: Our daily path should include a time with the LORD to examine our life to see if we are obedient to HIS Word. Our time is well spent in HIS Word and listening to the Holy Spirit. Direction is available.
: 14 But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, says the LORD: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it. (6485 “punish” [paqad] means attend to, visit, commit, to strike upon, count, inventory, or reckon.)
DEVOTION: The king of Judah wanted Jeremiah to pray for him and the nation. He wanted to know if the LORD was going to help them against the army of the Babylonians.
The response of the LORD was in the negative. HE has sent Jeremiah to warn them of the coming judgment. Jeremiah had brought the words of the LORD to the people and their only response was to try to kill the messenger. They stated that they couldn’t change their ways. They didn’t want to follow the LORD. They liked their lives just they were. It was just like the people of Sodom when Lot tried to warn them of the coming judgment of God and they laughed at him.
The LORD has stated that HE would bless those who are faithful to HIM. HE has also stated that HE would punish those who would not follow HIS commandments. The plan is simple but the children of Judah didn’t want to follow or listen to HIM.
What was HE going to do? HE was going to inventory their lives and find them wanting. HE was going to look at the fruit of their doings and then kindle a fire of judgment against them.
The same is true today. There are many who have heard the preaching of the Good News of salvation. The gospel is the presentation of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins. The Bible uses the word “born again” to describe something new in the life of a human that has made a commitment to the LORD.
Once someone becomes a follower of the LORD, he/she is expected to live according to the teachings of the New Testament. Obedience brings blessing. Disobedience brings chastening. Those the LORD loves HE chastens to bring them back into fellowship with HIM.
Remember that if someone thinks they are a follower of the LORD and they are living in sin and there is no chastening – they are just fooling themselves into believing that they are a believer. Many, think that, just because they are baptized or said a prayer or have given money to the church or read their Bible once in a while or attended church at Christmas and Easter that they are believers, they are wrong.
There are many people in our world who live decent lives and think that that is all that is necessary to go to heaven. The Bible says they are wrong. Heaven is only open to those who are “born again” by the Holy Spirit. These individuals have made a commitment to obey the LORD, even though there are times of sin in their life but they confess them to the LORD and HE forgives them and restores fellowship.
When the LORD visits us HE knows our hearts. HE sees our actions. HE judges accordingly.
CHALLENGE: When the LORD visits your life what will HE see? What are the fruits of your doings?
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)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
King wants Jeremiah to inquire of LORDverse 2
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priestverse 1
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word of the LORDverses 1, 11
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 10-14
Wondrous works to defeat enemiesverse 2
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign)verse 4
LORD God of Israelverse 4
LORD’s going to let Babylon into Jerusalemverse 4
LORD fights against Israelverses 5-10
With an outstretched hand
With a strong arm
Even in anger and in fury
and great wrath
HE is going to smite the inhabitants of
Jerusalem – both man and beast
HE will not spare or have pity or have mercy
on those who are leftverse 7
Thus says the LORD: I have set before you the way of life and the way of deathverse 8
I have set MY face against this city for evil
and not for goodverse 10
Judgment of Godverses 10-14
Hear the word of the LORD regarding house of the king of Judahverse 11
I am against you- O inhabitant of the valleyverse 13
LORD says:
I will punish you according to
the fruit of your doings.
I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof
and it shall devour all things
round about itverse 14
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)
Nebuchadrezzar – king of Babylonverses 2, 4, 7
Makes war against Judah and allow him regarding those who are left in city
to smiten and not spared but to not have pity or mercy
Chaldeansverses 4, 9
Enemiesverse 7
Nebuchadrezzar shall but Jerusalemverse 10
Oppressorverse 12
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Way of deathverse 8
Judgment of evilverses 10, 12
Evil of your doingsverse 12
Fruit of your doingsverse 14
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Prayerverse 2
Way of lifeverse 8
Goodverse 10
Listen to the words of the LORDverse 11
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jeremiah: Word of LORD came to himverses 1, 3
King Zedekiahverses 1, 3, 7, 11
Pashur the son of Melchiahverse 1
Zephahiah son of Maaseiah (priest)verse 1
Israelverse 4
Die in Jerusalem of a great pestilenceverse 6
LORD going to deliver those left into
the hands of those who seek their
life to smite with swordverse 7
Those that abide in Jerusalem shall die by
the sword and by the famine and by
the pestilenceverse 9
Those who fall to the Chaldeans shall liveverse 9
House of David – king of Judahverses 11, 12
Judah saying: Who shall come down
against us? or who shall enter
into our habitations?verse 13
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
DONATIONS:
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org. Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.
Visit our Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.