II. Confession Pause now and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you your sins and ask for forgiveness.

Transcription

1 Year 4 Week 39 Day September 24-30, 2015

2 Week 39 Day September 24-30, 2015 I. Invocation and Adoration: Father I know now, if I never knew it before, that only in Thee can my restless human heart find any peace. For I began life without knowledge, but full of needs. And turmoil of my mind, the dissatisfaction of my life all stem from trying to meet those needs with the wrong things and in the wrong place. Help me to live that my conscience shall not have to accuse, so that I may be saved the necessity of trying to mend that which need never be broken that only then will the civil war within me cease. Amen. (Peter Marshall) Reading of Proverbs 8:22-36 (Optional) We have finished reading the Book of Psalms as a part of our preparation for worship, and now we shall use the Book of Proverbs as an optional reading to transition us from worship to confession: Read this passage a few times each day, not for the sake of Bible study, but to grasp a major thought each day and translate that thought into either adoration or confession. II. Confession Pause now and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you your sins and ask for forgiveness. III. Thanksgiving List, one by one, things for which you should give thanks.

3 IV. Scriptural Reflection: This week, we shall continue the study of the book of Jeremiah in the Old Testament. Read slowly and reflectively the assigned passage twice at least and consider the questions below each day: Day 267 Jeremiah 16:1-21 Following the use of belt and wineskins to foretell the punishment of Judah and Jerusalem, the Lord now asks the prophet to use himself as an object lesson to the people. Prophet as Object Lesson 16:1-9 (1) What did the Lord ask Jeremiah not to do in v.2? a. What horrible fate awaits the entire families in Judah (i.e. children, mothers and fathers)? (vv. 3-4) b. Will you get married at a time like this? c. What will his action do to the people? (2) What did the Lord ask Jeremiah not to do in v.5? a. How widespread will death occur? (v.6) b. What kind of disaster is being depicted with no funeral or funeral meal for the dead because people die without being buried? c. What is the cause of such a tragedy? (v.5b) d. What will his action do to the people who expect him to come and comfort them? (3) What did the Lord ask Jeremiah not to do in v.8? a. What will his action do to the people who invite him to the feast? Amazing Responses by Both People and the Lord 16:10-18 (4) Should the people even ask why? (v.10) Why then would they ask? (5) In what ways have they behaved more wickedly than their ancestors? (v.12) (6) As much as they have behaved more wickedly than their ancestors, how will the Lord show mercy to them as He once did to their ancestors? (vv.14-15) (7) But now, i.e. before restoration, they will have to face God s punishment: what analogies does the Lord use to depict His relentless pursuit of destruction? (vv ) A Song of Praise 16:19-21 (8) The praise by the Prophet (vv ) a. After a series of complaints by the prophet, how does the prophet respond to these messages of solemn condemnation and future restoration? (v.19) b. Where does he find his strength from? (vv )

4 (9) The assurance by the Lord (v.21) a. What is meant by this time? b. How will even the nations know that His name is the Lord? What does it mean to know that His name is the Lord? (10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life? Day 268 Jeremiah 17: 1-18 After his song of praise is again an account of the prophet s continued struggled under immense persecution, beginning with Judah s Deep-rooted Sinfulness and Unavoidable Fate 17: 1-8 (1) How does the Lord describe the deep-rootedness of Judah s sin? (v.1) (2) How does it speak to your own sinfulness? (3) To talk about its deep-rootedness in the hearts is expected, but what does it mean to be engraved or inscribed on the horns of their altars? How detestable is their sin? (v.2) (4) Their punishment has been foretold over and over again, what might be the emphases here (vv. 3-4)with words like a. My mountain and inheritance I gave you? b. Your wealth and all your treasures plus high places? c. All these will be plundered? d. They will be enslaved in a foreign land? (5) Trust in man and trust in God are being contrasted (vv. 5-8) a. Is trusting in man or self necessarily a turning away from the Lord? (v.5) Why or why not? b. What does the Lord use to describe the futility of trusting man? c. In contrast. What does the Lord use to describe the fruitfulness of trusting in Him? d. What does the Lord expect Judah to do at this point with this message? e. What does the Lord expect you to do with this message? The Heart of Man 17:9-11 (6) How true is the statement in v.9? (7) How may you apply it to your own heart? (8) What in particular does the Lord warn Judah against in following the desire of their wicked heart? (v.11) The Continued Struggle of Jeremiah 17:12-18 (9) Given the stubbornness of Judah s sin already described above (vv. 1-4):

5 a. What has Judah really forsaken according to vv.12-13? b. How deserving is their punishment? (v.13) (10) While giving praise to the Lord (vv.12-13), what is the greatest challenge he is facing? (v.15) (11) How has he faced this challenge? (v.16) (12) What does he ask the Lord to do for him? (vv.14, 17) (13) What does he ask the Lord to do to his persecutors? (.v18) (14) Does the Lord give him any immediate reply? Why or why not? (15) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life? Day 269 Jeremiah 17: 19 18:12 Urging Them to Keep Sabbath as Holy 17:19-27 (1) How important is the command concerning Sabbath? (Exodus 20:8-11; 31:12-17) (2) What is the ultimate purpose of instituting Sabbath? (3) How did the people break this command concerning Sabbath? (17:21-22) (4) If they are not carrying a load for work or trade, why would they carry a load out of the house and especially through the gates of Jerusalem (See Nehemiah 13:19-22 for carrying a load ready for the day after Sabbath) (5) Even at this stage of their rebellion, what does the Lord promise if they keep their Sabbath as holy? (17: 24-26) Why? (6) Of all their sins, why is God so concerned about keeping Sabbath holy? (7) What does it represent if they choose to keep Sabbath as holy? The Lord is the Potter, We the Clay 18:1-12 (8) Another object lesson that the Lord wants the prophet to understand first-hand was how a potter shapes and reshapes clay as seemed best to him (v.4) a. Since God is the Potter and Israel is the clay in His hand (v.6), what does it mean to Israel? b. God is not just the Potter of Israel, but of all nations: what principles does the Lord make clear in His dealing with all nations? (vv. 7-8) c. How then would you define God s relenting and how it is different from man s relenting? (see 1 Samuel 15:29 as well) (9) What is the message that God wants Jeremiah to deliver to the people of Judah? (v.11) (10) Why would the people reply saying, It s no use? What do they mean? (v.12) (11) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

6 Day 270 Jeremiah 18:13-23 God s Response to Their It s no use 18:13-17: their stubbornness and determination not to return to the Lord causes Him to lament: (1) Why does the Lord call them Virgin Israel? (v.13) (2) What is the point of comparing them to the snow and water flowing from Lebanon? (v.14) (3) How have the people forgotten the Lord? (v.15) (4) Has idol worship ushered them into a better life s journey? (v.15b) (5) What will their judgment be? (v.v.16-17) (6) Will God help them in their disaster? Why or why not? (v.17b) The People s Response to the Message 18:18: remember that Jeremiah was preaching these messages at all the gates of Jerusalem for all to hear. (7) Is Jeremiah the only priest and prophet at the time? (8) Why do the people think that they would not suffer spiritually without Jeremiah? (9) What do they plan to do? Jeremiah s Prayer for Vindication 18:19-23 (10) Given how he interceded on their behalf before, for what would you expect the prophet to pray? (11) It was exactly because of his previous intercession that now causes the prophet to pray for judgment: a. What kind of judgment did he pray for? (18:21-22) b. What else did Jeremiah ask to the Lord to do that was far more serious than famine, sword and death? (18:23) c. Should He? Why or why not? (12) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life? Day 271 Jeremiah 19:1-15 Now the message of destruction is delivered in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and with the breaking of a clay jar: (1) As much as Jeremiah was hated and people plotted to kill him, what does the fact that the elders and the priests were willing to follow him to the Valley of Ben Hinnom mean, knowing that his message would yet be another condemnation of the people, including themselves? (19:1-2)

7 (2) What might be the significance of delivering the message at the Valley of Ben Hinnom given a. What previous kings of Judah had done at this valley? (2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6) b. What Josiah did to this place during his reformation? (2 Kings 23:10) and c. What they have now resumed doing? (Jeremiah 19:5) (3) What is the implication of changing the name of the Valley of Topheth (the meaning of its name is not certain) to the Valley of Slaughter? (19:7) (4) How similar will this devastation be to the time of Elisha in Samaria? (Jeremiah 19: 9; 2 Kings 6:26ff) (5) How detestable is their apostasy that deserves such a severe punishment? (19:4-5) (6) The elders and the priests have heard similar messages of destruction before: how might the standing in this valley and the watching of the breaking of the jar to pieces affect their hearing of this message? (7) Josiah had previously defiled this valley as part of his reformation, how fitting then is the filling of it with dead bodies too many for burial as the punishment of their sins, especially in reviving the sacrifice of children in this place to Baal? (19:11-13) (8) Why should this message be repeated also in the court of the Lord s temple? (vv ) (9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life? Day 272 Jeremiah 20:1-18 Jeremiah and Pashhur (20:1-6) (1) Where did the Lord ask Jeremiah to repeat his prophecy spoken at the Valley of Ben Hinnom through the breaking of a clay jar? (19:14) (2) What was the result of his faithful preaching? (20:2) (3) Who was Pashhur? Why did he beat Jeremiah up and put him in prison? (see end of 20:6) (4) Did he have the right or authority to do this to Jeremiah? (5) Why did he release Jeremiah only after one day? (v.3) (6) Did it work? (7) The message to Pashhur (vv. 3b-6) a. To what did the Lord change his name? (see note below) b. What will Pashhur s destiny be? (vv.4-6) c. What is the reason for his punishment? (v.6b)

8 Jeremiah s Complaint (20: 7-18): in understanding this complaint in the form of a poem, we need to regard them as spiritual struggles, separated by an interval of time, through which the prophet must successively pass (K&D, 198) (8) His sufferings (vv.7-10) a. Why did he blame God for deceiving (or persuading) and overpowering him? (v.7) b. How did he describe the results of his obedience in speaking the word of God? (vv. 7-8) c. Did he ever think of stopping preaching or prophesying? (v.9) d. Could he? Why or why not? e. What were the threats he had heard? (v.10) f. From whom? (9) Song of confidence, praise and curse (vv ) a. What did Jeremiah think of that has caused him to have confidence in God? (vv ) b. With this confidence, what did he resolve to do and ask for? (v.12) c. With this confidence, he also burst into a song of praise, but quickly followed by a most lengthy and bitter curse of his birth (vv ) i. Is it psychologically inconceivable? ii. Why or why not? iii. What does it tell you about the potentially devastating power of suffering, especially suffering that appears to be unending? (10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life? Note: There are no sufficient grounds for assuming that Jeremiah turned the original name upside down (i.e. opposite) in an etymological or philological reference. The new name given by Jeremiah to Pashur is meant to intimate the man s destiny (K&D, 194) Day 273 Jeremiah 21:1-14 The messages in this large section (from chapters 21-33) differ from the previous section in that most of the predictions bear the dates of the particular utterances and description of the occasions. Roughly, they can be divided into two groups, with ch concerning the judgment executed by Nebuchadnezzar and ch concern the restoration of Israel and Judah.

9 Jerusalem Under Siege 21:1-2 (1) Read 2 Kings 25:1-2 and 2 Chronicles 36:11-12 regarding the historical background of this incident. (2) Should Zedekiah and the people be surprised by the attack of Nebuchadnezzar from the north? Why or why not? (You may want to refresh your memory with some of the prophecies foretold by Jeremiah from the time of Josiah till then e.g. 1:13-15; 4:6; 6:1, 22; 10:22; 13:20; 15:12) (3) Given these numerous prophecies, why would the king even bother to inquire of the Lord? a. What answer did he expect from the Lord? b. What answer do you think he will get from the Lord? The Lord s Answer (Part I) 21:3-7 (4) What will happen to their defensive force which seeks to break the siege? (v.4) (5) Why? Who is their real enemy? (v.5) (6) What will happen to both men and beast inside the city? (v.6) (7) What will happen to those who survive the plague, sword and famine? (v.7) (8) How was this prophecy fulfilled? (see 2 Kings 25: 3-7) The Lord s Answer (Part II) 21:8-14 (9) Although the first part of the Lord s answer is total hopelessness, the Lord gives them a way out: a. What is it? b. Why should Zedekiah take the option to stay alive? Why not? (10) Is the destruction of Jerusalem a foregone conclusion at this stage? Why? (v.10) (11) What if they heed the command of v.12? a. Why is the sin of injustice being highlighted? b. If they genuinely repent, is it too late? Why or why not? (12) Why might they still be confident of a victory? (v.13) (13) What will their fate be? (v.14) (14) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?

10 V. Meditative Reflection Day 267 The Lord is My Strength LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in time of distress, to you the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, (Jeremiah 16:19) Being a prophet of the Lord really is not easy. Imagine how people would look upon Jeremiah as he obeyed the Lord s command not to get married, not to attend weddings and not to attend funerals. Jeremiah obviously has reached the age of marriage, or has likely gone passed the normal age of marriage. The most upset of all people had to be his parents. When asked why he would not get married, he gave the answer that the Lord told him not to, because of the horrible disasters that would befall Judah and Jerusalem to the point that all sons and daughters, mothers and fathers would either die of deadly diseases or by sword and famine, and their dead bodies would not even be buried, but serve as food for the birds and wild animals (16:2-4). Such a message would have sent chills down the spines of all his hearers! However, whether to get married or not is ultimately his own business, but not to attend the weddings of his relatives is such an insult to etiquette, and not to attend funerals is such an act of lack of compassion that he would only invite more misunderstanding and draw more hatred from those in his hometown, Anathoth. However, in spite of more complaints from Jeremiah, we find him bursting into a song of praise, saying, LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in time of distress (16:19) and he gives the reason: to you the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, Our ancestors possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good. Do people make their own gods? Yes, but they are not gods! (16:20). Yes, he sees the ultimate victory of the Lord in bringing not just the people of Israel back to Him, but the nations of the world as well. In other words, as he adopts a kingdom perspective, he is able to overlook his present hardship of ministry and find strength in the Lord. Day 268 To Whom Shall We Go? A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary. LORD, you are the hope of Israel; all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn

11 away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the LORD, the spring of living water. (Jeremiah 17:12-13) As the Lord reveals the deep-rootedness of the sin of Judah, likening it to being engraved by an iron tool and inscribed by a flint point in their hearts, the prophet ends this section of his message not so much as a lament, but as a praise (17:12-13). However, through his words of praise to the Lord, he exposes the foolishness of Judah in forsaking the Lord in that - The seat of God enthroned between the cherubim is a glorious throne from the beginning, i.e. from the time of Moses: for God to establish His throne among men is unthinkable, and a tremendous privilege of Israel; - He is their sanctuary: a place where they can come to meet with the Holy One who has made Himself their God; - The hope of Israel: this echoes the rebuke of their futility of trusting man and their own strength (17:5-6) since God has proven over and over again that He is their only hope; - The spring of living water: as we learn later from the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, God is not just the spring of the water of this life, but of eternal life (John 4:14). If Israel should cherish these privileges, how much more should we who has God enthroned in our very hearts, who has direct communion with the indwelling Hoy Spirit, who has eternal hope and eternal life! No wonder Peter said, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life (John 6:68). Day 269 Our Unchanging God! If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. (Jeremiah 18:7-8) At times, we come across incidents in the Bible in which God seems to regret what He has done to the point that He relents from what He has planned or decreed. A typical example is His regret for making man and His decision to wipe them out with the flood in the days of Noah. Genesis 6:6 says, The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

12 In dealing with the sin of Saul, on the other hand, Samuel insists that God will not relent or change His mind, and says, He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change His mind; for He is not a human being, that He should change His mind (1 Samuel 15:29). With these words of Samuel, we wonder whether God will ever change His mind or not, and if He does, it would shed doubt on His claim of Omniscience and Omnipotence. In his special message to be delivered to the people of Judah, the Lord asked Jeremiah to go to a potter s house, and with what he saw with his own eyes, he was to tell them that He is a God who is willing to relent, but not like a human being in that He has laid down in advance the principle on which He would change His mind so that: - His warning of judgment can always be changed when we repent, and - His promise of blessings can always be rescinded should His people turn evil. And this is His unchanging principle that we can always count on. This speaks volume about the un-changeability of God, not His changeability! And this speaks even louder of His unchanging love and compassion! Day 270 God Will Take Care of You Remember that I stood before you and spoke in their behalf to turn your wrath away from them. (Jeremiah 18:20) Although God previously told Jeremiah that Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people (15:1), he never stopped interceding for his people. However, as they again plotted to kill him (18:18), he appeared to have caved and asked the Lord not to forgive the crimes and the sins of the people quite contrary to the intercession of Moses (Exodus 32:32). Of course, we are in no position to judge Jeremiah, because at least the people did not plot to kill Moses. However, one thing is still the same, the life of His servant is firmly in His hand; no one can touch him if not with God s permission. This reminds me of the lyrics of an old hymn which was always sung at the pier in those days when a brother or sister would leave from Hong Kong to study overseas. The words have been a great help to me in times of trouble and loneliness. Be not dismayed what er betide, God will take care of you; Beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of you.

13 Thru days of toil when heart doth fail, God will take care of you; When dangers fierce your path assail, God will take care of you. All you may need He will provide, God will take care of you; Nothing you ask will be denied, God will take care of you. No matter what may be the test, God will take care of you; Lean, weary one, upon His breast, God will take care of you. Chorus: God will take care of you, Thru ev'ry day, O'er all the way; He will take care of you, God will take care of you. (Civilla Martin, ) Day 271 Love and Respect Go and buy a clay jar from a potter. Take along some of the elders of the people and of the priests and go out to the Valley of Ben Hinnom, near the entrance of the Potsherd Gate. There proclaim the words I tell you. (Jeremiah 19:1-2) It is just natural that we want to be liked by everyone. Jeremiah, God s prophet, is no exception. Behind many of his complaints as to how he was treated by his people, especially by his peers, the priests from Anathoth, one can get a sense that he was deeply hurt because he genuinely loved them and had been praying for them, as he puts it, for God to turn (His) wrath away from them (18:20). However, as much as the people did not like him and were definitely leery every time Jeremiah opened his mouth, they knew he was God s prophet and they respected him. This is why, in spite of their hatred against him, some of the elders of the people and of the priests were willing to follow Jeremiah all the way to the Valley of Ben Hinnom to hear yet another message of rebuke and judgment (19:1-2).

14 This is a lesson we, servants of the Lord should learn. As much as we want to be loved or at least liked by the people of God, it is far more important that we are respected as the servants of the Lord and that comes only with our preaching faithfully the word of God and genuinely loving the congregation as their shepherds. Day 272 Letting off One s Steam Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow and to end my days in shame? (Jeremiah 20:18) Some commentators could not conceive that Jeremiah could struggle with his sufferings to the point that his emotion could flip-flop so quickly, changing from being filled with confidence and praise to cursing his own birth (20:11-18). Some even seek to reverse the order of this song of struggle. Keil and Delitzsch are right to point out that Copyists did not go to work with the biblical text in such an arbitrary and clumsy fashion (K&D, 198). The truth of the matter is we are all human, and even as faithful and steadfast a prophet Jeremiah was, he can still succumb to suffering, and especially prolonged suffering that appears to be unending, such that confidence through prayers can be wiped out by negative emotions in an instance. To be able to come to strength in the Lord through prayers can be a long process with ups and downs. However, ultimately God is faithful, He will provide a way out so that you can stand up under it (1 Corinthians 10:13). While we are not told how God provided a way out in this particular instant for Jeremiah, we do know that he persevered till the end. Perhaps, even this letting out of his bitter emotion by cursing his own birth has enabled him to let off steam after which he was able to calm down and press on. Day 273 God of Wrath Inquire now of the LORD for us because Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps the LORD will perform wonders for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us. (Jeremiah 21:2) For twenty chapters, we have read rebuke after rebuke that the Lord laid against kings and the people of Judah, with numerous specific predictions of devastating invasion from the north (see Jeremiah 1:13-15; 4:6; 6:1, 22; 10:22; 13:20; 15:12) as the punishment of

15 their sins. Now, the invaders from the north, led by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon are outside the wall besieging Jerusalem (21:4). The king should know that since he too did what was wicked in the eyes of the Lord (2 Chronicles 36:12), the end has finally come for Judah. Why then would he ask Jeremiah to inquire of the Lord? What did he expect the Lord to say? While the Bible has not given us a definitive answer in this respect, what Zedekiah said to Jeremiah gives us insight into what he might be hoping, Perhaps the LORD will perform wonders for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us (21:2). In other words, he did not refute that the present siege by Nebuchadnezzar was the fulfillment of Jeremiah s words, nor did he deny that it was a result of their sins, but he did not think that a complete repentance was necessary, and perhaps by showing a bit of humility by inquiring of the Lord through Jeremiah, the Lord would change His mind. His attitude is typical of the attitude of some Christians who only emphasize on the love of God to the point that they take the wrath of God lightly. As a result, the Lord affirms in no uncertain terms that His wrath is real and says, I will punish you as your deeds deserve I will kindle a fire in your forests that will consume everything around you. (21:14).

16 VI. A Time for Silence You have meditated much with your intellectual faculty today. Now have a moment of silence (the length is up to you, 5 or even 30 minutes), and ask God quietly, Lord, is there any important message from you today that I might have missed? Show me, your servant is listening? VII. Supplication Use the following chart to cover people and ministries that you want to remember before the Lord, apart from praying for yourself: Your family Other people Church Ministries Other Ministries City & World Others Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday VII. Benediction No profit canst thou gain by self-consuming care; to Him commend thy cause; His ear attends the softest prayer. Amen. (Hymn IV, by Gerhardt, translated by John Wesley)