TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jeremiah 1:1-19
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. - Jeremiah 1:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
The story of Queen Esther is one of the most loved in the Bible. Set during the Exile, the book of Esther tells how a beautiful young Israelite woman eventually saved her people. Trusting in God and demonstrating great courage, Esther pleaded her people’s case before the Persian king. Earlier, her cousin Mordecai had urged her, “Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Est. 4:14).

This month we’ll look at another person, Jeremiah, whom God raised up at “such a time as this.” This study, in keeping with this year’s focus on Jesus, will look at how Jeremiah’s heart was broken due to his people’s sin and how his suffering foreshadowed what our Lord underwent.

Jeremiah’s ministry began in the thirteenth year of King Josiah’s reign (640–609 B.C.), about 627 B.C. This prophetic ministry spanned the reigns of the last five kings of Judah. After the fall of Jerusalem in 587 B.C., Jeremiah was forced into exile in Egypt, where he died.

King Josiah was a bright spot toward the end of Judah’s history. His grandfather, Manasseh, had encouraged many pagan cults in Judah, but under Josiah, the nation enjoyed religious and political reform.

It was during this time that God called Jeremiah. The Lord revealed to Jeremiah that he had been set apart for ministry from the very beginning (v. 5). Moses wondered whether he was qualified for God’s call (Ex. 4:10), and Jeremiah also had his doubts (v. 6). The Lord assured Jeremiah that He was with him and would protect him. Later, when people tried to kill him, this promise must have encouraged Jeremiah.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Jeremiah’s life is a study in faithfulness. Despite discouragement, rejection, and death threats, he remained obedient. He exemplifies what Paul describes: “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2).

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Read: Jeremiah 2:1-30
Go now and leave your life of sin. - John 8:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
One of America’s greatest preachers, Jonathan Edwards, was active in New England during the eighteenth century and helped spark a major revival known as the Great Awakening. Edwards was unafraid to preach about sin and repentance. In fact, one of his most famous sermons is “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”

Jeremiah and Jonathan Edwards have much in common. Jeremiah was unafraid to preach against sin and to call a nation to repent. Today’s passage is only part of one of Jeremiah’s powerful sermons, which began by recalling Israel’s early relationship with the Lord God (vv. 1–3). The image of a bride occurs frequently in the Old Testament, especially in Hosea, and the New Testament uses this image to describe the church as Christ’s bride (2 Cor. 11:2). This picture highlights the tenderness and devotion between the Lord God and His people. Moreover, Israel was holy (v. 3), set apart from the surrounding pagan nations and dedicated to the Lord.

Israel’s early history was the story of God’s faithfulness (vv. 6–7). Yet despite this, the nation deserted God. Four classes of leaders were singled out for rejecting God, but formal charges were brought against the whole nation, with the heavens as a witness (vv. 8–12). Israel’s behavior was truly appalling–no other nation had ever forsaken its own gods, even though their “gods” were impotent idols.

The formal charge was twofold: they had rejected the true, living God, and they had dug their own cisterns, which were broken (v. 13). This second image is quite powerful. Water cisterns were essential for survival during long, hot summers. If cracked, they were completely worthless. Thus the nation’s own efforts to find spiritual life were as useless as broken cisterns.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Israel needed a powerful preacher like Jeremiah to call sin what it truly is–a rejection of God. And so do we.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jeremiah 4:5-31
Sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. - James 1:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
Doctors are increasingly aware that prolonged exposure to psychological strain, such as fear or anxiety, can lead to a host of psychosomatic illnesses. This “discovery” would have been nothing new for Jere-miah. Living under the shadow of impending invasion, the pit of Jeremiah’s stomach ached. Yesterday we looked at the warning to repent. Today we’ll see the serious consequences when such warnings are ignored.

Today’s passage opens with the cry to flee to fortified cities. The coming invasion was inevitable. Like a devouring lion, the Babylonians would destroy everything in sight. Lions were

a serious threat in this area during Jeremiah’s time, so this imagery would have put real fear in people’s hearts. Given the severity of this attack, the only possible response was to wail and lament (v. .

It’s not clear in the original Hebrew whether verse 10 reflects Jeremiah’s thinking or the conventional wisdom of his time. If these are Jeremiah’s thoughts, they show us how deeply troubled he was–it seemed as if God Himself had deceived him! It’s likely, however, that false prophets had been crying, “Peace! Peace!” When disaster loomed, these false prophets then claimed that God had deceived them, when in reality they hadn’t been listening to Him to begin with. The truth was that the winds of destruction were beginning to blow on Jerusalem (v. 11). These hot winds would scorch, making normal activities, such as winnowing grain, impossible.

The impending calamity caused Jeremiah to writhe in pain. Other Hebrew prophets had also suffered because of impending judgment, but Jeremiah’s anguish gives us a look into his sensitive heart.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Like Jeremiah, Jesus also warned people to repent and trust in the Lord before it was too late. In the parable of the wedding banquet (Matt. 22:1–14), Jesus urged His listeners to respond to the gospel. In the warning that might remind us of Jeremiah 4, Jesus said that those who rejected this invitation would be thrown “outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 22:13). Have you accepted this invitation? If not, think about these terrible consequences and accept God’s offer of salvation through Jesus.

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Read: Jeremiah 7:1-29
My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers. - Matthew 21:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
A well-known church in California makes a clear distinction between the church as a building and the body of Christ. The sign out front simply reads: Peninsula Bible Church Meets Here. It’s a small distinction, but it makes an important point: buildings don’t matter; relationships do.

The temple was intended to be a place of worship. It was the Lord’s presence, not the building, that mattered. But the people had put their trust in the building. This “temple theology,” promoted by false prophets, went like this: God promised David an everlasting throne (2 Sam. 7:16) and had chosen to dwell in Zion (Ps. 132:13). They wrongly concluded that nothing could ever happen to Jerusalem because God couldn’t abandon His dwelling place. Depending on the building without a true relationship with the living God made the temple into some kind of lucky charm.

Despite Josiah’s earlier reforms, Jerusalem at this time was filled with pagan cults. The only thing that could help now was complete purification of the temple. Jesus also reacted similarly and cleansed the temple when He found people defiling it (see Matt. 21:12–17).

A relationship with God, not a building, was Jeremiah’s point in today’s passage. He began by appealing to peoples’ consciences, calling them back to the Lord. The beginning of this sermon strongly reflects Deuteronomy 7:12–15, a key passage about the Law. Since the people were prone to excuse their sin, Jeremiah listed ways that the nation had rejected God. Notice how many of the Ten Commandments are mentioned (v. 9)!

Next, Jeremiah took on the false confidence in the presence of the temple. The reference to Shiloh in verse 12 refers to a time in Israel’s history when the dwelling place of the ark of the covenant was not spared, despite the people’s false confidence (Ps. 78:56–62).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today’s passage reminds us that God wants obedience before sacrifice. God even told the people not to waste good meat on empty offerings to Him--they were better off just eating it themselves (v. 21).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jeremiah 8:18-9:2
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, . . . how often I have longed to gather your children together, . . . but you were not willing. - Matthew 23:37
TODAY IN THE WORD
“Oh for a lodge in some vast wilderness, / Some boundless contiguity of shade, / Where rumour of oppression and deceit, / Of unsuccessful or successful war, / Might never reach me more!” When William Cowper wrote these lines in his poem, “The Time-Piece,” he specifically had today’s passage from Jeremiah in mind. He captured Jeremiah’s lament that total isolation was actually preferable to the turmoil and deceit of sinful people.

As we have noted before, other prophets experienced the grief and agony of a sinful nation, but no one recorded depths of emotion like Jeremiah. It’s clear that he was torn between a profound love for his nation and his people and his complete commitment to the Lord and His laws.

In the lament recorded today, it helps to realize that three voices are intertwined: Jeremiah (vv. 18–19a, 21), God (vv. 19b, 22), and the people (v. 20). It’s likely, however, that the lament of Jeremiah and the Lord overlap at points. Yet whereas the Lord and Jeremiah reflected deep, aching sadness, the people seemed more concerned about the prospects of a long winter given a poor summer harvest! Clearly, they wished things were different, but it’s not clear they felt remorse for their sin. They were sorry they got caught, but not sorry they sinned.

Verse 22 captures the poignancy of this lament. Genesis 37:25 tells us that spices and medicinal balms passed through Gilead, which was on a major trade route. This balm was used to soothe and cure sores. Thus the rhetorical question points out that even though all the ingredients for healing were present, the people refused to be healed because of the hardness of their hearts.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Jeremiah is often portrayed as a depressive, introspective type. After today’s passage, we might be prone to agree, if it weren’t for the fact that our Lord also expressed such sentiments. Matthew 23 records a lengthy list of woes uttered by Jesus. Far from being overly emotional, such expressions are the right response to sin. We need to feel sadness when things aren’t the way they were meant to be. As you read today’s passage, make it your own prayer of lament for the sin in your own neighborhood, city, or nation.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jeremiah 10:1-25
Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you–majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? - Exodus 15:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
A surprising percentage of Americans looks to the stars for daily guidance. The number of people who read their horoscope has dramatically increased. This growing interest in astrology may feel new, but the practice is quite ancient. The Babylonians loved astrology; they saw meteors, comets, and movement of the planets as omens of good or bad (v. 2). But such practices are not appropriate for the people of God! The answers to life can’t be found in the sky, but in the One who made the sky and everything in it!

Humans have a tendency to worship what can be seen. Perhaps that’s why idolatry often occurs together with astrology. There’s a bit of humor in today’s passage, describing how ridiculous idol worship is. For one thing, a piece of wood is randomly selected and then carved and covered with silver and gold. But if the idol weren’t held together with nails, it would fall over! For another thing, idols have to be carried everywhere. There are some accounts of worshippers taking one idol to the temple of another god or goddess for a “visit.” These idols were completely powerless . . . they couldn’t speak, walk, or even instruct (v. . They had no power to hurt (as people feared), or to help (as people hoped).

No wonder Jeremiah broke forth in praise of the Lord God (v. 7)! With all power over every nation, the King is worthy of all praise! He is mighty and wise, great and beyond compare, living and eternal! One reminder of the true God reveals the absurdity of idol worship.

Now it was pathetic that pagan nations clung to their idols, but there was absolutely no excuse for His chosen people to tolerate anything to do with idolatry, let alone embrace it.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In our fallen humanity, we all have a bent toward worshiping the seen instead of the unseen. We may not worship wooden carvings, but we can trust more in our cars and houses than in our faithful heavenly Father who has promised to take care of us. The best way to counter these sinful tendencies is to engage in thoughtful worship of the true God. Take some time to reflect on Jeremiah’s praise in today’s passage. You could also make a list of God’s characteristics and then praise Him accordingly.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jeremiah 11:1-17
The king renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord–to follow the Lord and keep his commands. - 2 Chronicles 34:31
TODAY IN THE WORD
When the workman brought the book to the king, it didn’t look like anything special. But when the king read it, he grew deeply distressed. It spoke of great disaster that was coming upon his kingdom and his people. What could he do? No military or financial solution would help. So he gathered all the people together, and did the only thing he could. He recommitted himself to the Lord and renewed His holy covenant that had been badly broken.

The account of King Josiah finding the book of the Law (a portion of Deuteronomy) is one of the most dramatic stories in the Bible (2 Chron. 34:14–33). But it’s a story with a sad ending. Despite Josiah’s reforms, he couldn’t change the nation’s heart and thereby prevent the coming disaster. He died before the onslaught and was spared seeing his nation destroyed.

This previous public reading of God’s covenant during Josiah’s reign may have been in Jeremiah’s mind in today’s prophecy. This covenant, also called the Sinaitic covenant, used the language of international treaties current at that time. These treaties, or covenants, clearly spelled out the blessings for those who kept the required stipulations and the curses for treaty violators.

Like previous prophets, Jeremiah called the nation back to its covenantal responsibilities. Had they remained faithful, they would have enjoyed prosperity in the land. But the coming destruction only confirmed that they had broken the covenant (vv. 10–11).

In their great distress, the faithless people would cry out to their false gods, but these “gods” could do nothing. Only the living God had power to help. But because the people had refused to turn to Him, and had rejoiced in their wickedness, He would eventually become deaf to them.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The failure to keep the old covenant eventually led to the new covenant, sealed by the blood of Jesus Christ. As believers, we live by grace and not by works.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jeremiah 11:18-12:17
Do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. - Psalm 37:7
TODAY IN THE WORD
The question that has plagued humans for eons also troubled Jeremiah: “Why do the wicked prosper?” (12:1). How often have you asked this when you hear about some con artist making thousands of dollars off of other’s misfortune? Or wonder why people who openly reject the Lord seem to have everything go their way?

Jeremiah’s interest here wasn’t just theoretical–people were trying to kill him! He cried for the Lord’s vengeance, which might seem surprising from a godly individual like Jeremiah. But more shocking, however, is the Lord’s reply. He seemed to go along with Jeremiah’s plan!

It helps to keep a few things in mind here. First, Jeremiah’s cry was unfiltered. He was profoundly disturbed! These were no strangers; they were from his own town (v. 21). Second, in his pain, Jeremiah turned to the Lord. He wasn’t savoring his own “sweet revenge,” but he looked instead to the righteous Judge (v. 20). Third, Jeremiah’s enemies were also the Lord’s enemies–these people had repeatedly rejected God. It’s likely they sought to kill Jeremiah because he rightly prophesied that surrender to Babylon was God’s will. So the Lord’s promise to “bring disaster” (v. 23) was consistent with judgment for sin.

Jeremiah’s questioning actually went one step further: he pointed out that God Himself planted these people and allowed them to take root, even as they rejected God and thought they were getting away with it.

Instead of answering Jeremiah, God challenged his attitude and “encouraged” him that the worst was yet to come! The “men on foot” (v. 5) refers to Jeremiah’s hometown; the “horses” and “thickets by the Jordan” refer to Jerusalem. What Jeremiah had gone through at home was only preparing him for what lay ahead in Jerusalem. This pictures Jesus’ own piercing rejection by his family and in Jerusalem.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Jeremiah’s example encourages us to ask God the hard questions. But we must recognize that Jeremiah also kept God’s righteous character in sight. Sometimes people use hard questions to justify their rejection of God. Others are afraid even to admit they wrestle with such questions. We need balance. Life confronts us with very challenging situations. Often we won’t have answers, but we can begin by focusing on God’s goodness and mercy, and by praying to glimpse the bigger picture of where we’re headed.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jeremiah 13:1-14
This people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. - Matthew 13:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
Studies show that the more senses are involved in learning, the more likely students are to retain what’s being taught. For example, students who memorize the states’ capitals by means of songs and hand motions are better able to recite them later than students who simply use a written list.

Maybe that’s why God commanded Jeremiah to “act out” some parables. The first acted parable used a linen belt, or waist cloth, which was meant to cling to the body and probably covered the entire lower body. This imagery should have reminded onlookers how they were supposed to cling to the Lord their God.

There’s some debate about the location of Perath (v. 4). It could have been along the Euphrates River in Babylon, but that would have involved a 500- to 700-mile trip each way for Jeremiah. More likely it was a town near Anathoth that the Lord chose because its name would remind people of Babylon. Its close location would also enable many to observe Jeremiah.

In any event, when the linen rotted, it was ruined and completely useless. This indicated how the nation had ruined itself and its relationship with God and had become useless because of its spiritual adultery.

Following this acted parable, Jeremiah was directed to perform another one. There may have been a popular saying that went something like, “Everyone knows that wine jars are supposed to be filled with wine . . . silly!” Instead, the Lord declared that the people would be filled with wine . . . not the sweet, new wine they might have imagined, but rather the powerful wine of God’s wrath. The nation would become “drunk,” impaired in their reasoning because of the coming destruction. In their “intoxication” they would end up killing family members, as they were smashed against one another.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We don’t have to frequent pagan shrines to have our spiritual discernment impaired. Even seemingly harmless things can eventually weaken our spiritual ability to “see” clearly.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jeremiah 15:1-21
I am with you to rescue and save you. - Jeremiah 15:20
TODAY IN THE WORD
As we study Jeremiah, it’s hard sometimes to understand how one generation could be judged for previous generations’ sin. A little background might help.

Although Josiah and his reforms were very good, Manasseh, Josiah’s father, was one of Judah’s most wicked kings . . . and there were some pretty bad ones! Manasseh not only tolerated Canaanite cults, he welcomed them. As if occult and sexually perverse rites weren’t enough, there was human sacrifice–including royal family members. We read in 2 Kings 21:16 that “Manasseh shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end” and led many others into sin. And apparently they weren’t inclined to change their ways.

Today’s passage refers to a time after Josiah’s short-lived reforms. This tells us that the people had a chance to repent, but they refused. So as we read about the judgment that came upon Judah, we must remember that there had been ample time for repentance and forgiveness.

Finally, however, there comes a time for justice and judgment. But the Lord takes no delight in this judgment. In verse 5, the Lord lamented His people’s destruction, even though they brought it on themselves. The picture of a widow grieving her sons is surely gripping (vv. 8–9). Although this may refer to an actual widow, Jerusalem was sometimes called the “mother-city” of Judah, and her “sons” were the inhabitants.

It’s no wonder Jeremiah rued the day of his birth (v. 10). It would have been better to have remained unborn. Yet notice how quickly the Lord assured Jeremiah (v. 11).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Sometimes the pain of life can be almost overwhelming. Maybe you have also “lamented” the day you were born.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jeremiah 16:1-21
The ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. - Isaiah 51:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
In recent surveys conducted among young professionals about what they wanted most in life, near the top of the list was always the desire for a fulfilling relationship or a long, happy marriage. Assuming that Jeremiah was like the people in these polls, we can imagine how difficult God’s word was for Jeremiah to hear (v. 2).

In Jeremiah’s day, staying unmarried was nearly unheard of. His celibacy indicated symbolically the cessation of normal life and served as an object lesson for the nation. Additionally, being single increased Jeremiah’s understanding of the desolation that would soon characterize the nation.

Not being married, however, was also God’s grace to Jeremiah, because it lessened his personal grief in the coming destruction. The horrifying specter of corpses left unburied (v. 4) is exactly what was outlined in Deuteronomy 28:26 for those who rejected God’s covenant and refused to repent.

Still, being single wasn’t easy. To add to this, the Lord also commanded Jeremiah not to seek normal gatherings, such as those after a funeral (v. 5). Why would the Lord do this? Because He had chosen His servant Jeremiah to portray what was in store for the nation. During the coming invasion, individuals couldn’t be mourned, because the entire nation would be the object of lament. There wouldn’t be anyone to perform funerals or to bury the dead. Note that cutting oneself or shaving one’s head were pagan mourning practices that were forbidden, though they were still widely practiced in Jeremiah’s time (v. 6; cf. Lev. 19:28; Deut. 14:1). Even weddings and celebratory feasts would be no more. Normal life would cease.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
With so much emphasis on judgment, today’s passage also includes great encouragement! Drawing upon the Exodus from slavery in Egypt, the Lord promised those in Jeremiah’s day that there would be an even greater exodus from exile in Babylon (vv. 14–15). For the Israelites, there was no greater assurance of God’s faithfulness than the Exodus. And for believers today, there is no greater assurance of God’s faithfulness than our own exodus from the bondage of sin that has been accomplished by Jesus’ blood on the cross!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jeremiah 18:1-23
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. - Psalm 139:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 1464, a massive block of marble over 16 feet long was quarried in Italy. For nearly forty years this prize find was left untouched, even though it had been offered to several master sculptors. It was considered too daunting. Finally, in 1501, a young man came along who believed that sculptures were already present in stones and simply needed to be discovered by the artist. Three years later, from this immense slab emerged Michelangelo’s incomparable sculpture, David.

A master knows exactly how to work with materials to produce the desired product. This was what Jeremiah discovered when the Lord sent him to a potter’s house. During the process of molding clay into pottery some potential pots are ruined on the potter’s wheel. Recognizing this, the potter starts over and reshapes the clay into a suitable pot.

In a similar way, the Lord will reshape His people if the original “lump of clay” has become ruined. In other words, because the nation had failed to live according to its intended purpose–to reflect God’s glory to other nations–the Lord had the right to reshape it through judgment and exile. Because of sin, Judah and Jerusalem forfeited the good plans that God had for them, requiring them to be “remolded.”

Unlike a potter, however, the Lord offers the clay a chance to respond! Judgment comes when people refuse to repent. If, however, there’s repentance, the Lord is willing to relent (v. . Some people think this means that God changes His mind or that He can be manipulated. But notice that there are only two options: either the people repent and avoid judgment, or they persist in their sin and receive judgment. God is not changing His mind, He is simply allowing human choice. What doesn’t change is God’s justice!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Are you a willing lump of clay? Or do you resist the remolding process? God is continually molding and shaping us into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. If we have sinned, He can use the consequences of that sin to break us and form us. Even apart from sin, God often uses difficulties to sculpt us according to His intended purposes. A real lump of clay has no choice, but in the dignity that God has given to humans, we do have a choice to either cooperate or resist His Master’s touch.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jeremiah 20:1-18; 23:9-32
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? - Matthew 27:46
TODAY IN THE WORD
Jesus’ prayer on the cross, today’s verse, is perhaps the most poignant outcry in all Scripture. From the depths of His soul, Jesus cried out in anguish, faithful to the Father in His suffering. What a picture of sacrificial love! What an honest glimpse of Jesus’ true humanity!

Such honesty characterizes the Lord’s servants, particularly those called to suffer deeply for God’s sake. Jeremiah never wavered in obeying God’s call, but he also learned how to lay bare his soul before the Lord in the process.

The outcries recorded in today’s passages are sometimes called Jeremiah’s “confessions.” These powerful prayers are like lament psalms, where the psalmist begins by “complaining” to God and ends up praising His mercy and love. We may be shocked by Jeremiah’s honesty, but these cries reflect trust and intimacy before the Lord.

Not everyone appreciated Jeremiah’s courage! His honesty about Jerusalem’s sin landed him in big trouble. Pashur was not a real prophet, though that didn’t stop him from “prophesying lies” (v. 6)–most likely that nothing bad could happen to Judah. He was probably a temple “law enforcement officer” who reported to the High Priest. But however important he may have felt, he was really a “terror” who had not fooled God.

Despite ridicule and torture, Jeremiah remained faithful to his calling. Part of Jeremiah’s “complaint” may have concerned the long delay between his prophecies and God’s actions. To many people, Jeremiah was an annoying “squeak.” But Jeremiah knew that he couldn’t hold back God’s word, which was like fire within him (v. 9). And as he complained, numerous reminders of the Lord’s goodness began to interrupt (vv. 12, 13), even in the midst of despair (v. 14).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Jeremiah was called to a painful life and ministry, suffering for others’ injustice. At times, he despaired of life.

At some point, nearly every Christian feels forsaken by God. Rather than denying this, we can follow Jeremiah’s example of honesty before God. This could mean writing your own “confession” using lament psalms, such as Psalm 3, 5, 6, or 7, as a model. Begin by honestly describing your pain, then write a plea for deliverance, and finish with an assurance of God’s unfailing nature, maybe even based on a past experience.

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Read: Jeremiah 21:11-22:17
Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever. - 2 Samuel 7:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
After Caesar Augustus, also called Octavian, finally defeated Mark Antony at Actium, one of his priorities was to track down a particular Egyptian teenager. The boy’s mother went to great lengths to protect her son, but more than maternal instincts were involved–she was Queen Cleopatra and the boy was the only male heir of Julius Caesar. As long as young Caesarion lived, Octavian’s rule was threatened. Despite his status as heir, Caesarion was killed.

Today’s passage reviews both legitimate and illegitimate rulers on Judah’s throne, but ultimately it points to God’s preservation of the royal line for its true Heir. But first, the royal line had to be purged of sin and brought back to its function of administering justice (Jer. 21:12).

The prophecy in Jeremiah 22 concerned Zedekiah, the last king of Judah before the Exile. This prophecy shows that the kingdom fell into destruction because it had forsaken justice, in addition to worshiping idols. Because Zedekiah and most of the kings before him persisted in sin, the kingdom became a desert (v. 6) and an object of scorn for other nations (v. .

The next prophecy concerned Shallum, also called Jehoahaz (vv. 10–12). He was Josiah’s son and ascended to the throne in 609 B.C. He only reigned for three months before Pharaoh Neco banished him to Egypt, where he died.

Finally, the Lord denounced King Jehoiakim, Shallum’s brother, who turned out to be a wicked king. Despite being forced to pay a heavy tribute to Neco, Jehoiakim further taxed the people to pay for a huge palace. Unlike his father Josiah, Jehoiakim allowed pagan cults to return and added new ones from Egypt. He foolishly thought being king meant surpassing previous kings in their extravagance and spending.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We can learn several things from today’s history lesson. First, the Lord is completely faithful to His Word. He promised David a throne forever, and He fulfilled this through Jesus Christ. Second, God fulfills His promises in accordance with His perfect character. Evil kings could not remain on a throne that represented a holy God. On the one hand, this encourages us that God is faithful, even after much time passes. On the other hand, this challenges us that He will remove sin and evil before He brings about His promises.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Jeremiah 23:1-11; Matthew 23:13-39
I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak . . . I will shepherd the flock with justice. - Ezekiel 34:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
A few years ago, the country watched with shocked disbelief as the huge corporation Enron seemed to crumble overnight. But as details emerged indicating how company executives had deceived their shareholders and employees, shock turned to anger. When people on the street were interviewed, there was widespread disgust that a handful of people could be so greedy and unfeeling to wipe out the financial security of so many faithful employees.

Leaders have obligations toward those whom they manage. This is true in the corporate world, and it’s no less true for spiritual leaders. Two days ago (see Oct. 13) we saw Jeremiah’s deep outrage against the false prophets who had misled God’s people. Recall how he cried out that his heart was broken within him (v. 9). We’re looking at part of this same prophecy again, but from a slightly different perspective today, focusing on the Lord’s promise concerning the One who would lead His people with perfect justice.

First, however, let’s look at similar outrage expressed by our Lord Jesus over Jerusalem’s leaders in His day. Matthew 23 lists seven “woes,” or denunciations, directed at leaders who failed to lead justly. Even a quick read over this list shows how angry Jesus was when teachers and spiritual leaders crushed the people under unnecessary burdens and deadly hypocrisy. We also see that wicked leaders change very little over time. Just as Jerusalem’s leaders sought to kill Jeremiah, whom God had sent to them, so too, the religious leaders of Jesus’ day crucified the One whom God had sent to them. In Matthew 23:37–39, we find a lament on the lips of Jesus that sounds much like something we could have heard from Jeremiah.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As Jeremiah and Jesus observed leadership that had gone bad, they both responded with outrage and sorrow–outrage for those who led unjustly and sorrow for those who had been deceived.