Jeremiah 23:21-25:38
Jer. 23: 21-40
Vs. 21-32 God isn't finished with the false prophets. It is interesting to be reading this and then to see in 2 Thess., that there will be lying signs and wonders.
Notice in this section how often you find, "declares the Lord."
As you read this, what is God really upset about? Along with that thought, there are two questions that help show the structure of this rebuke to the prophets.
Vs. 33-40 Now God is going after those who were ridiculing Jeremiah, not realizing that they were really ridiculing God. I guess they would go up to Jeremiah and say, "What is the BURDEN of the Lord?" I'm sure once this hit the street it was great fun and there were hundreds of variations. And let's face it, every time Jeremiah opened his mouth there was some clump of bad news that fell out. But, of course, the problem was it was really God speaking. Poor Jeremiah. And, can you imagine that God pays such close attention to the words people use?
Jer. 24
This chapter is one vision.
Vs. 4-7 This was already being fulfilled before God said it through Jeremiah. Daniel chapters 1-3 had already taken place before this deportation. Those 4 men, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, were upper echelon leaders in Nebuchadnezzar's government and Daniel was his chief advisor. Neb had already been hit with the fear of God, literally, and the Jews were a protected people in his empire, exempt from worshipping anything by Yahweh. God is pretty cool.
V. 7 That still hasn't happened, but it probably will during the tribulation and especially in the Millennium.
Jer. 25
Vs. 1-2 Notice that this is going back in time. Chapter 24 was after the death of Jehoiakim and this chapter is in the 4th year of Jehoiakim (who reigned about 11 years). Four years after Jehoiakim was made king by Pharaoh Neco, Nebuchadnezzar showed up. Neb took some of the stuff from the temple to show he was bigger than God, and then took about 1-3000 people, including many of the younger men, to be trained in his service. Among these people were four teens: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.
I'm thinking that Jeremiah spoke these words before Nebuchadnezzar showed up, because the 70 years wouldn't begin until Daniel and the others were taken to Babylon.
Vs. 3-14 Jehoiakim had only reigned 4 years but was said to be an evil king. Jeremiah was a veteran prophet and God had shown great kindness through Josiah. Now in these few short years, the people had not listened and the country fully embraced Baal and everything else.
The reason for the 70 years is in 2 Ch. 36:21, because they had never trusted God enough to give the land its Sabbaths. In 70 years, Daniel would be reading these chapters and praying for the return of the people in spite of the lions roaring in the background. It is because of Daniel chapter 6 that the people get sent back.
Vs. 15-29 This is the vision of Jeremiah feeding the nations the wine of God's wrath. There is an "end times" feel to this. Figuratively speaking, Jeremiah's eyes had "seen the glory of the coming of the Lord who was tramping out the vintage where the grapes of wrath were stored." Now God put it in a glass and Jeremiah was feeding it to the nations.
Vs. 30-33 This is God's wrath against the nations.
Vs. 34-38 Again, God is declaring the shepherds (kings, priests, leaders) responsible and they will be punished.
Reading this about the shepherds reminded me of the following song. I used to sing this all the time and I still love it. We are all meant to lead others as makers of disciples, guiding, encouraging, entrusting, strengthening others to follow Christ. But the real training for this is not a seminar or a seminary, but that we ourselves are led by Christ and His Spirit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAcgX3Aqo9g
2 Thessalonians 2
Some of the teaching we get here, thanks to this conflict, we find nowhere else in the Bible. Poor Paul had to lose some sleep and have some agitation, but we get a treat. Funny how God keeps working like that.
Vs. 1-2 This was sort of like the old joke (for those who believe in the pre-trib rapture) that the rapture came and you got left behind. But here, no one was laughing. It was being said that the Day of the Lord had begun and they were shaken because what Paul apparently had taught them didn't happen.
As has happened in all centuries since this was written, people see their circumstances as being the fulfilling of the Day of the Lord. The present Roman persecution was being explained as being that day.
Vs. 3-12 Paul apparently gave them some very thorough teaching about the last days. Why do you think he taught this to new believers, particularly these new believers? So, according to Paul, what has to happen to know it is really, really the day of the Lord?
It seems to me that because of the persecution, Paul needed to give them hope and show them God's plan.
V. 3 The rebellion is "apostasy," a departure from the faith. You see this mentioned also in 1 Tim. 4:1, 2 Tim. 3:1 and 2 Tim. 4:4. Apparently it will be a world event coming up to the Day. Times of stress will come and people will depart or adopt a "Christianity" that is nothing like Jesus.
V. 6 The restrainer is removed. Obviously it is not the Holy Spirit Himself. People will be saved during the tribulation. My opinion is that the restrainer is the influence of the Holy Spirit through the church. The church is taken at the beginning of the Day of the Lord. Apparently the Thessalonians were taught this and knew "who" or "what" the restrainer was. If you go back to 1 Thes. 1:10 and realize that the wrath to come is the Day of the Lord, you understand that the church is to be excluded from (taken out of) that wrath. It is the time of Jacob's trouble, where Israel, not the church, will be tested and proven. With the church gone, the physical influence of the Holy Spirit will be removed from millions of towns, cities, offices, and places of decision.
Vs. 7-8 The revealing of the man of sin.
Vs. 9-12 Incredible, visible, lying signs and wonders, visible to the entire world.
Vs. 13-17 Based on what Paul has just said, it is impossible that the Day of the Lord has come. They were chosen to give glory to Christ. They were to be established and comforted by this teaching and keep extending love and testimony in the harvest.
Looking at the teaching Paul gave these new Christians, they expected to be persecuted and their hope in this dying world was Christ's return for them at some point in this harvest. You wonder if Paul's/the Spirit's warnings about people falling away, holding a form of religion but denying the power of it, was just a bunch of baloney. The only way to prove we are followers is to follow in the harvest. I wonder if it is possible that we have a brand of discipleship and church that would endure if we were really subjected to pain.
Psalm 84
If you could find that one place where there is perfect peace and comfort, where you can be accepted and at rest, wouldn't you want to visit it regularly? It isn't really a place, it's a person. But really, someday that person will be in a place we can get to, and I'll be happy to be there. For now, we seek Him in secret.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8CdpR159eE
Proverbs 25:15
So what does this say to the disciple in the harvest, bearing fruit with patience?
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link Every Day in the Word. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is, the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.
I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it. Send comment or feedback to dgkachikis@gmail.com.
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