Jeremiah 22
COMMENTARY:
: 2 and say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David, you and your servants and your people who enter these gates! The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982). 8085 שָׁמַע, שֶׁמַע [shamaʿ /shaw·mah/] – to hear with attention or interest, listen to, to understand.)
DEVOTION: God instructed Jeremiah to go down from the temple to the king’s palace. His message to the king and to the officials and people who were there was for them to do what is just and right.
[The Bible Knowledge Commentary, 1156.] We are now in a time in our country (USA) of beginning to select the next president. As primaries and debates begin to take place people are listening and being attentive to the words that the different candidates are saying. We are living in a culture right now where the public is very skeptical of our leadership, not only in the White House but also, in almost every elected position. The unwillingness by elected officials to do the message of what Jeremiah instructed the king of Israel is also impacting our elected officials. When the principles of truth and integrity become optional and lies and deceptive practices become normal it also becomes normal for the public to doubt and no longer believe leadership. For Israel, God spoke clearly that a conqueror would come and gave his name. We may not have that information but God’s ways do not change! If leadership executes proper judgment and righteousness then the people will respond with submission and respect. When the oppressor and wrong doer is punished then government will be stable. May our leadership listen and learn from Jeremiah’s words to the king of Israel.
CHALLENGE: We need to intercede for all forms of leadership today. From the lowest level to the elected officials in Government all need to examine and execute what Jeremiah outlines. Pray for your church, community, state and federal leadership. Pray for the police, school, employers and other leaders that you are familiar with as well. Also pray for the attitudes and emotions of those that threaten to overstep their authority.
(Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
: 13 Woe unto him that build his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that uses his neighbor’s service without wages, and gives him not for his work; (2600 “without wages” [chinnam] means without cause, for nothing, careless, without cost, freely, gratis, or without compensation.)
DEVOTION: The kings of Judah could force people into labor for free. They built fancy homes at the expense of the people they were supposed to be protecting from evil doers. The problem was that they were the ones doing the evil.
The LORD warned these kings through HIS prophets. They were building their houses on sand. They would not stand up in the times of trials. They were not obeying the LORD. They were not protecting HIS people. They were only thinking of themselves.
The LORD told them to execute proper judgment which protected the poor and needy. HE also told them to act righteously. They only wanted to do what was pleasing in their eyes.
The warning was issued again and again. The kings established the worship of false gods. They had forsaken God’s covenant. They only wanted big houses and a lot of money.
It is sad that a parent can raise a son and he dishonors his father by worshiping a false god. The chapter covers four sons who became king but didn’t honor the LORD.
Now we find that good parents can have bad children. We are raising a generation of children that have been given very little if any discipline in their life. Their teachers tell them they don’t have to obey their parents. The system is teaching the opposite of God’s Word. They want to cause the children to believe that the Bible is an ancient book that doesn’t apply today. We have matured beyond the Bible.
It is a lie that will bring judgment on each nation that teaches these lies. The problem is that the majority of people are blinded by the fact that they are dead in trespasses and sins and can’t see truth when it is presented to them. Jeremiah was presenting truth to the kings but they would not listen. God pronounced judgment and it will happen.
CHALLENGE: Obey the LORD’S commandments regarding our treatment of others. Our ministry is to be encouragers of others.
: 29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD. (776 “earth” [’erets] means to be firm, country, field, ground, land, or world.)
DEVOTION: This chapter challenges four of the kings of Judah. Jeremiah is warning the sons and grandson of the righteous king Josiah. Each one has to answer to the LORD for his actions. Each one didn’t lead his people to follow the LORD. Instead they followed the example of the ten tribes that went into captivity.
The LORD said their captivity was coming. HE advised them to change their ways. They made the choice to not follow HIM. They oppressed their neighbors. They oppressed the fatherless and widows. They did the opposite of what the LORD wanted.
In reading this chapter, we find that the LORD is longsuffering toward HIS people. This verse uses the word “land” three times for emphasis. Some think this is in regard to the three kings that were before Zedekiah. Some think that the LORD is warning the people regarding their leadership. Others think that the LORD is emphasizing HIS reason for judgment on the land. They would not hear HIS words through Jeremiah but nevertheless; they were going to come true.
This is still true today. HE wants us obey HIS word. HE wants us to listen to what has happened because of disobedience in the past. HE wants us to see that if we repent and turn from our wicked ways as a nation, HE can bless us. Our country needs to listen to the LORD. Are our ears open to the LORD? Are we hearing HIS warnings???
The land was promised to the children of Israel since the days of Abraham. It was a land that flowed with milk and honey. The children of Israel had to wait until the iniquity of the Amorites was full before they could take over the land. God judged the land through the nation of Israel. Now HE was judging the land through the king of Babylon because the iniquity of Israel was full. However, there is a promise of a future return of the land to Israel during the Millennial reign of Christ.
CHALLENGE: As we read through the historical books of the Old Testament we are to learn how God works and why HE does what HE does to HIS people when they sin. If we learn, we can avoid judgment. Be a learner.
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