OCTOBER 14
Jeremiah
23:21-25:38
Jeremiah 23: 21-40
Vs. 21-32 God isn't finished with the false prophets. It is
interesting to be reading this and then in 2 Thessalonians, to see 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 (vs.23 and 29) that help show the
structure of this rebuke to the prophets.
Vs. 21-22 The goal of true prophecy was that the people
should have turned from their ways to the Lord.
V. 25 During these days of threat, this must have been like
a circus of entertainment, seeing false prophets run into the market place
yelling, "I have dreamed, I have
dreamed." These guys only prophesied good news.
V. 29 God's Word does bring comfort, but in this world at
this time, it is more often like this.
Vs. 33-40 Now
God is going after those who were ridiculing Jeremiah for bringing bad news,
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 that it
was really God speaking. Poor Jeremiah. And it was unfortunate for the people
that God pays such close attention to the words people use. I tell you, on the day of judgment
people will give account for every
careless word they speak. (Matt. 12:36)
Jeremiah 24
Vs. 1-3 This chapter is one vision. When Nebuchadnezzar took
these people, he also took Ezekiel. The two baskets of figs represent the
people taken into exile and the people left in Jerusalem.
Vs. 4-7 The good figs.
Although this was judgment for some people like the guy who beat up Jeremiah
and for Jehoiachin, going into exile was actually a blessing for some people.
They would be saved. And there was more blessing awaiting these people that God
had prepared before Jeremiah had said these words. Daniel, chapters 1-3, had already
taken place before this deportation. Four godly young Jewish men, Daniel,
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, had already become 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 but Yahweh. God is pretty cool.
V. 7 This still hasn't happened, but it probably will during
the Tribulation and especially in the Millennium.
Vs. 8-10 The people who were unfortunate enough to remain
with Zedekiah were the bad figs. Now,
since Jeremiah and some other godly people were there, there were some people
who would be saved, but very, very few. In v. 8 it mentions those dwelling in the land of Egypt. Some people had
already gone to Egypt for refuge; and still to come, the survivors of Jerusalem
would disobey the Lord and head down to Egypt, only to have Nebuchadnezzar's
army nipping at their heels.
Jeremiah 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 that his god 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
(Dan. 1:6).
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 reigned only four years, but was
already known to be an evil king and a donkey of a man. Jeremiah was a veteran
prophet and God had shown great kindness through Josiah. Now in these few short
years, the people had not remembered Josiah or listened to Jeremiah. The people
had fully embraced the sexuality of Baal worship and everything else they could
get their hands on, to worship.
The reason for the seventy
years is stated in 2 Chronicles 36:21, because they had never trusted God
enough to give the land its Sabbaths. In seventy
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 6 that the people get sent back and that they are saved in the Persian
Empire from having to worship the Persian gods. What Daniel was praying in
chapter 6 is actually found in Daniel 9.
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 serving it to the
nations.
Vs. 30-33 This is God's wrath against the nations. There is
a certain end-times feel to this as well.
Vs. 34-38 Again, God is declaring the shepherds (kings, priests, leaders) responsible and they will be
punished.
Remember in all of this negativity, that God is using Israel
to show mankind, us included, how desperate the sin within us is. Given the
opportunity, we would all spit in His face and irrationally hate Him.
Reading this about the shepherds reminded me of the song “He
Leadeth Me.” 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,
and strengthening others to follow Christ. The real training for this is not a
seminar or a seminary, but that we ourselves are led by Christ and His Spirit,
reading His Word and working in the harvest.
2
Thessalonians 2
Some of the teaching we get here, thanks to this conflict,
we find nowhere else in the Bible. That is very interesting and profound if you
think about it. 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 already begun. The Thessalonians were
shaken, because apparently what Paul had taught them hadn't happened to them.
They were expecting something that didn't happen. Apparently too, they had bad
preaching going on, possibly false prophecy, and a false letter from Paul.
As has happened in all centuries since this was written,
people see their circumstances as being the fulfillment 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 to these new believers? So, according to Paul, what has to have
happened so that they would have known it was really, really the day of the
Lord?
It seems to me that because of the persecution the
Thessalonians were experiencing, Paul needed to give them hope and to show them
God's plan.
V. 3 The rebellion
is "apostasy," a departure from the faith. You can also find this in
Matthew 24:10, 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 3:1 and 2 Timothy 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. If you read Matthew 24:9 you will see that this rebellion will happen
shortly after the Tribulation begins.
Vs. 6-7 The
restrainer is removed. Obviously it is not the Holy Spirit Himself. People will
be saved during the Tribulation, though perhaps very few compared to the 7
billion plus population. 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 had been taught this and knew
"who" or "what" the restrainer was. If you go back to 1
Thessalonians 1:10 and realize that the wrath to come is the day of the Lord,
all seven years of it, then you see that the church is to be excluded from 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. I think Israel will
see this and be struck to the heart with "jealousy" and realize the
truth of Christ. To see the interrelationship of the church and Israel and
belief, read Romans 11, and particularly vs. 30-31, Just
as you were at one time disobedient to
God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have
now been disobedient in order that by the
mercy shown to you they also may
now receive mercy.
V. 8 The revealing of the lawless one (man of sin). The antichrist will become known in
making a peace agreement with Israel, but particularly in breaking that
agreement after three and a half years, standing in the temple and declaring
himself to be god.
Vs. 9-12 These will be incredible, lying signs and wonders,
perhaps visible to the entire world via CNN.
Vs. 13-17 Based on what Paul had just said, it was
impossible that the day of the Lord had come. They were chosen to give glory to
Christ. They were to be established and comforted by this teaching and to keep
witnessing for Christ, extending love and mercy 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. Paul's/the Spirit's warnings
about people falling away, holding a form of religion, but denying the power of
it, wasn't hype. The only way to prove we are followers is to follow in the
harvest, bearing our cross each day, willing to die for Christ. I wonder if it
is possible that we have a brand of Christianity and church that would not
endure if we were really subjected to helplessness, pain and persecution.
Psalm
84
If you could find that one place where there is perfect
peace and comfort, where you could be accepted and at rest, wouldn't you want
to visit it regularly? It isn't really a place, He's a person. But really,
someday that person will be in a place we can get to Him, and I'll be happy to
be there. For now, we seek Him in secret.
Vs. 1-4 This is the blessing of those whose desire is for
the presence of the Lord.
Vs. 5-7 This is the blessing of those whose strength is in
the Lord.
Vs. 8-12 This is the blessing of those whose trust and hope
are in the Lord
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 http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/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
complete description of this model of being and making disciples you can find
it in my book: Simply Disciples*Making Disciples.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
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 comments or feedback to dgkachikis@gmail.com.
If you would like
documents containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download these to use on your computer or to
print.
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