Hosea 1

Hosea 1:2

When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, "Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the LORD."

So, how would it feel, if you suddenly realize you're to be a prophet of God, and the first thing He tells you to do is go marry a prostitute.  Wouldn't a man who speaks for God have to be an upright and moral person?  The kind of person who would probably not even talk to a prostitute on the street, much less openly associate with one.

So, what would be expected of a prophet wife?  Obviously, she would be expected not to prostitute herself anymore, but what beyond that?  What would the people think of such a so-called prophet, that this would be his first "official" act?  Why should anyone believe he speaks for God, if God calls him to what they see as a sin?

Daniel 12

Daniel 12:4

But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."

I'm not quite certain which book is being talked about here.  Is it the book of life, which was referenced earlier in the chapter and in Revelation?  If so, why would that book need to be sealed?  Or is it this book, the book of Daniel, which apparently isn't sealed since we can read it?

My best guess is that this is referring to another book with further details on what was/is to come.  This book must contain more prophecies, or perhaps interpret them so they make sense to everyone.  But if this book is sealed, why will knowledge increase?  Is it because we're trying to figure out the meaning, and therefore pick apart possible explanations to try and understand?

Daniel 11

Daniel 11:4

But as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four points of the compass, though not to his own descendants, nor according to his authority which he wielded, for his sovereignty will be uprooted and given to others besides them.

I can almost understand the revisionists who believe this had to be written long after Daniel's time, when it describes what happens to Alexander the Great and his empire with so much precision.  Almost, but not quite.  This shows how powerful God is, and that He truly is outside of time and knows all.

Alexander was a young man, younger than me, but conquered most of the known world before suddenly dying.  However, he left no clear succession, and the empire was fractured.  His own wishes, whatever they may have been, were ignored, and four of his generals effectively grabbed off their own chunks and started fighting to defeat the others.

Daniel 10

Daniel 10:7

Now I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves.

This reminds me of Saul's conversion, where he heard Jesus voice, but no others did.  However, Saul's companions saw the light that Saul did, but did not see the person.  Did something similar happen here, where they saw something indistinct, but only Daniel was able to see everything?

I wonder if this was simply the design of how God caused the vision, or if it's something more abstract?  Perhaps one has to be of a certain purity, or devotion, to see this sort of thing?  Otherwise, it is simply incomprehensible, and we react with fear?

Daniel 9

Daniel 9:2

in the first year of his reig, I Daniel, observed in the books the number of years which was revealed as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.

Interesting that here Daniel talks about it being seventy years for Jerusalem's desolation.  I thought that in the prophecy it talks about weeks, not years.  Later in this chapter, I know it talks about weeks in reference to weeks of decades.

So, if I'm remembering correctly, how did Daniel determine that it was years instead?  Was he given special understanding by God?  Or was this a normal metaphor that everyone understood (and if so, when did we lose that understanding)?

Daniel 8

Daniel 8:19

He said, "Behold, I am going to let you know what will occur at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end.

There are many prophecies in the Bible.  Some are given moments before they are fulfilled.  Others are centuries or millennia in the waiting.

However, one thing I've always wondered is why Daniel was given this prophecy?  I understand the part about what would become of Greece, but why go beyond that?  Why was Daniel given the prophecy of the Tribulation?  What was the reason behind this extra information, which we still are looking for the fulfillment of today?

Daniel 7

Daniel 7:25

He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.

This is pretty obviously a prophecy in line with Revelations, and the things the Antichrist will do.  He will come and defame God, claim His glory, and the people will follow him.  But his time will run out, and he will be downcast.

The interesting thing here is that it says he will make alterations to time and law.  Law makes sense, he's trying to stack the deck.  But what changes will he make to time?  Will he change the definition of how we count time, make hours and minutes different?

Daniel 6

Daniel 6:4

Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him.

This is the standard to which we should hold ourselves, in all things.  We are to work and serve, such that there is no cause for us to be accused of being bad workers.  It's a standard I don't claim to achieve, but it is often niggling at the back of my mind.

This covers not only corruption, but also negligence.  He was diligent to attend to everything he was supposed to be attending to.  Nothing slipped his mind, or got put off until a more convenient time; he got everything done, when and how it needed to be done.

Daniel 5

Daniel 5:22

Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this,

This shows yet again that faith is not inherited.  One generation doesn't naturally absorb the beliefs of their parents.  Each generation must be taught, but still makes its own choice about who and what they believe.

Belshazzar may or may not have been young enough to have been taught about God as a child.  Maybe he was older, and away when the key events of this book occurred.  However, whether that's true or not, Nebuchadnezzar had a responsibility to teach and persuade, and apparently failed that charge like so many others.

Daniel 4

Daniel 4:8

But finally Daniel came in before me, whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god, and in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and I related the dream to him, saying,

Some think that Nebuchadnezzar converted to Judaism after this experience.  However, I think this verse proves that's not correct.  While he may have recognized God as part of the pantheon, even as the highest member of it, he was still polytheistic.

The key here is how he talks about his god, and uses the plural.  He's not saying there is only one God; he still thinks there are many.  God may be very powerful, but He has competition for Nebuchadnezzar's loyalties.

Daniel 3

Daniel 3:18

But even if He does not, let if be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

You often hear people talk about where the line is, that point that cannot be crossed, the compromise that cannot be made without sin.  Where people draw that line is all over the map, and they tend to look with derision upon those who draw it elsewhere.

However, this is a point that most agree cannot be crossed, to worship false gods.  However, we probably do so a lot more than we like to admit, just by calling it something other than an idol or god.  However, our directive is clear:  even if it costs us our lives, we are not to cross that line and still call ourselves believers.

Daniel 2

Daniel 2:28

However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days.  This was your dream and the visions in your mind while on your bed.

Two things in this always caught my attention.  First, "a God?"  I wonder if that article is in the original Hebrew?  Isn't that demeaning God, saying He's one among many?  I realize he's talking to a polytheistic culture, but wouldn't the impact be more significant if it was at least implied that He was the only God?

Second, it's interesting to note that it never actually says that Nebuchadnezzar forgot his dream.  It only says he required the counselors to tell it to him, and its interpretation.  Was it actually forgotten, as we're told as kids?  Or was he simply testing them, to make sure they were actually able to deliver what was promised?  Daniel fulfills that requirement, thanks to God.

Daniel 1

Daniel 1:8

But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself.

First, Daniel decided he would not be defiled.  I've always wondered how the story would go if God hadn't had the chief official give him favor.  Would Daniel have submitted and eaten the unclean food, deciding that it was proof God had totally abandoned them?  Or would he have simply not eaten and accepted the consequences, or even starved himself?

Also, it's important to see that he sought permission.  He didn't simply decide he was right and the boss was wrong and do things his way regardless.  He went with is concerns, and tried to work things out.

Ezekiel 48

Ezekiel 48:15

"The remainder, 5,000 cubits in width and 25,000 in length, shall be for common use for the city, for dwellings and for open spaces; and the city shall be in its midst.

Now this arrangement suddenly makes sense.  I'd been trying to figure out where this place was supposed to be, with the Sanctuary in the middle of it and the surrounding area specifically reserved for the priests.  I thought the Sanctuary was in the Temple, which had a fixed location.  But then, where was Jerusalem supposed to go? Was the Temple being moved?

Then I get to this verse, and realize that there is a place for Jerusalem in this special district.  It's suddenly clear, the remainder of the area is there to support the priests as they minister at the Temple, but the Temple itself will remain where it is.

Ezekiel 47

Ezekiel 47:22

You shall divide it by lot for an inheritance among yourselves and among the aliens who stay in your midst, who bring forth sons in your midst.  And they shall be to you as the native-born among the sons of Israel; they shall be allotted an inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.

This seems to be quite a change from the last time the Jews were given this land.  First, He is telling them to re-divide it, ignoring the previous allocations.  Second, and more significant, this time He is not telling them to expel the foreigners from the land, but to accept them as part of the people.

This seems in contrast with the end of Ezra, when the people were told they had to cast out their foreign wives.  I'd have to look to be sure, but that may have just been the priests, in which case it doesn't conflict with this, since the priests don't get a land inheritance.  But still, is this the first step towards broader entrance into God's people through Jesus?  And what happened to turn the Samaritans into such pariahs a few centuries later, if they've been commanded to welcome outsiders?

Ezekiel 46

Ezekiel 46:20

He said to he, "This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering and where they shall bake the grain offering, in order that they may not bring them out into the outer court to transmit holiness to the people."

I wonder how the phrasing on this works in the original Hebrew.  Here, it makes it sound like holiness is a disease, something the people should be afraid of.  Why should they fear holiness so; isn't it what everyone should want to have?

I think the problem is that holiness can't coexist with sin.  So, if someone who is sinful contacts something that is holy, one of the two has to change.  Either the holy thing is corrupted, or the sinful one is affected.  Since holiness isn't able to improve by mere contact, the only other option is for the sinful one to be destroyed, as light destroys darkness.  In this way, maybe the analogy to a disease wasn't so wrong after all.

Ezekiel 45

Ezekiel 45:7

"The prince shall have land on either side of the holy allotment and the property of the city, adjacent to the holy allotment and the property of the city, on the west side towards the west and on the east side toward the east, and in length comparable to one of the portions, from the west border to the east border.

Where does this prince come from?  Normally where there's a prince, there's a king, who should have this authority instead of his son.  So, who is this prince, that he seems to be the one in charge?

Is this title because, while the Israelites will apparently get their land back, they will lose their autonomy to another ruler, and therefore be subservient?  Or is it some kind of punishment by God, to help them remember their place?  Whichever it is, it seems that the then-future Israel would have a new leader, but that he would be subservient to some other.

Ezekiel 44

Ezekiel 44:22

And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman but shall take virgins from the offspring of the house if Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.

Interesting that the priests should have this restriction.  They cannot marry someone who's been married before, unless it was to a fellow priest.  In the New Testament, there would be teachings that some feel forbid marrying a divorcee, but nothing I can recall speaks to a widow being off-limits.

Even among widows, there is an exception for the widow of a fellow priest.  Is there something about the priestly line needing to be maintained, that this exception exists?  Or is it more practical, that they know the family of fellow priests would have remained faithful where others are suspect?

Ezekiel 43

Ezekiel 43:11

If they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the house, its structure, its exits, its entrances, all its designs, all its statues, and all its laws.  And write it in their sight, so that they may observe its whole design and all its statues and do them.

Now we finally come to the purpose of the previous couple chapters.  This was all a prelude to...shaming the people?  Showing them what could be if they saw the possible future and were sorry they had sinned, and through that sin lost the original Temple?

Normally, God asks us to be sorry for our sin, and once we are He shows us what can be in the future.  This time, it almost seems like near-bribery:  if you're sorry, then you can get this.  I may be misreading this verse, but somehow it feels backwards to me, or at the least potentially insincere.

Ezekiel 42

Ezekiel 42:14

When the priests enter, then they shall not go out into the outer court from the sanctuary without laying there their garments in which they minister, for they are holy.  They shall put on other garments; then they shall approach that which is for the people."

The priestly clothes were holy, like everything else in the inner areas of the Temple.  I don't know whether the clothes were specifically made holy, or consecrated, but if not they were effectively made holy by their presence in those places.  Taking them into the common areas would have been risking them becoming tainted, and then desecrating the sacrifices they were to officiate over.

However, this worked both ways.  The people never got the chance to be around the holy in their daily lives.  Unlike today, the special things of God had to be separated from normal life, creating an artificial duality.  Thanks to Christ, we no longer have that concern, but we still sometimes separate those two worlds from each other artificially, and therefore invite sin into the everyday.

Ezekiel 41

Ezekiel 41:4

He measured its length, twenty cubits, and the width, twenty cubits, before the nave; and he said to me, "This is the most holy place."

I wonder what the significance of the size of the most holy place was?  Is there some special reason it needed to have those dimensions?  Was that the size needed to contain the object that would be stored in it, or something?

Also, I wonder why he felt the need to specify what the area was for?  I would think it would be obvious, given how the rest of the temple was laid out.  Was this somehow different from how the previous Temple operated, that Ezekiel wouldn't have naturally known the significance of the location?

Ezekiel 40

Ezekiel 40:2

In the visions of God He brought me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain, and on it to the south there was a structure like a city.

This appears to be the new temple, perhaps the one that would be rebuilt Ezra?  It would be the central place for worship of God, and therefore important to the Jews.  Knowing that it would one day exist would give them hope.

However, I wonder why the rest of the chapter, and I think the next, are given to such precise detail of its dimensions?  Is this to be used as a blueprint for when it is built?  Or is it meant to be prophetic, and prove that when it is built it will "turn out" to match the vision?

Ezekiel 39

Ezekiel 39:12

For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land.

What sort of slaughter would be necessary for it to take seven month to bury all the victims?  How large an army would have to be defeated?  How daunting a task would this be?

I did a quick search, and the Battle of Gettysburgh had about 7,000 casualties between the two sides.  It took the forces there almost two weeks after the battle to bury everyone, and most of them were either mass graves or buried very shallow.  So, stretch that out to seven months, and I'd guess the casualties would be no less than 100,000 dead, probably a lot more since the entire nation would have some part in the process.

Ezekiel 38

Ezekiel 38:23

I will magnify Myself, sanctify Myself, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations; and they will know that I am the LORD."'

As a general rule, when God makes Himself known to a large group, it's usually a bad thing for those He's making Himself known to.  He often reveals some part of Himself to individuals, and that often is good.  But when He is revealing Himself on a large scale, people tend not to survive the experience.

I am a bit confused about the first part of the verse, though.  How can got magnify or sanctify Himself?  He's already perfect, so there's nothing to further sanctify.  Similarly, He's infinite, so there's no way to be magnified further.  I guess maybe He's speaking of these nations' perception of Him?

Ezekiel 37

Ezekiel 37:3

He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"  And I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know."

Some take this as a statement of faith in God's power.  Ezekiel knew He could do whatever He wants, and that included bringing the bones to life.  If God wants the otherwise-impossible to happen, it will; that's the definition of a miracle.

However, to me it always sounded like Ezekiel was dodging here.  If he said yes, he'd be denying nature.  But if he said no, he'd be denying God's power.  So instead, he gave a non-answer, so that God could do whatever He wanted, without being wrong.

Ezekiel 36

Ezekiel 36:22

"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus sayd the Lord GOD, "It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went.

God doesn't jump when man says to.  He doesn't act just because we ask.  Instead, He acts to further His plan, and to glorify Himself, the only one worthy of glory.

When we think God is doing something for us, we delude ourselves.  We set ourselves on a pedestal that is both undeserved and nonexistent.  We have to remember that God is in control, for His purpose, and that we are only players on His stage, to be used as He wills.

Ezekiel 35

Ezekiel 35:10

"Because you have said, 'These two nations and these two lands will be mine, and we will possess them,' although the LORD was there,

Apparently the people of Seir, wherever that is, had ambitions on Israel and Judah.  They figured the land was ripe for the taking, after Assyria and Babylon finished ransacking it.  While I don't know where Seir is off the top of my head, I assume it was close by, and therefore a good choice for them to expand into.

However, the land was not empty.  God still controlled it, and He wasn't going to just let someone waltz in and take what He'd given to others.  It's not clear whether the people of Seir knew God, or thought He'd abandoned the place.  But it sounds like they're going to learn soon, and the hard way.

Ezekiel 34

Ezekiel 34:4

Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with the force and with severity you have dominated them.

While God was referring to the people of Ezekiel's time who had shirked their responsibilities, it's also a good analogy for the church today. We are called to help those who are hurting, and find those who are lost.  But too often you see churches ruling over their people instead, preaching fire and brimstone for the slightest offense, rather than love.

However, I look at my life, and I have to wonder, am I doing enough?  Am I helping the hurt, or finding the lost?  What should I do different, to ensure I don't turn to force?

Ezekiel 33

Ezekiel 33:31

They come to you as people come, and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain.

This, I fear, is the state today of many "Christians," either self-professed or true.  They sit in the pews on Sunday, and hear the sermon.  But once they're outside those church doors, it doesn't affect how they live their lives.

At times, I fear this for myself as well.  I know I have given into the lusts of my mind, if not my mouth, at times.  Do I belong among these condemned people, the ultimate hypocrites who have the truth but practice something less uncomfortable?

Ezekiel 32

Ezekiel 32:31

"These Pharaoh will see, and he will be comforted for all his hordes slain by the sword, even Pharaoh and all his army, declares the Lord GOD.

What about all this is comforting?  God's just predicted the death of Pharaoh, his people, the Edomites, and the northern kings.  They all are going to be destroyed, and all are going to go to the same place, presumably Hell.

So what about this would comfort Pharaoh?  Is it truly a form of "misery loves company?"  Or is there something else I'm not seeing here, which would lead Pharaoh to a different conclusion from what I'm reaching?

Ezekiel 31

Ezekiel 31:18

"To which among the trees of Eden are you thus equal in glory and greatness?  Yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth beneath; you will lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, and with those who were slain by the sword.  So is Pharaoh and all his hordes!"' declares the Lord GOD."

Egypt thought it was among the greatest, and for a long time it was one of them.  However, they made the mistake of thinking that just because they were the best at the time, they would always be the best.  Further, they thought that nothing could ever topple them.

However, like every tree, they eventually fell, either from force outside or rot within.  What we need to remember is that circumstances don't last, and our personal power is fleeting.  Sooner or later we too will fall, and at that point all that will be left is our faith for God to catch us.

Ezekiel 30

Ezekiel 30:21

"Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and behold, it has not been bound up for healing or wrapped with a bandage, that it may be strong to hold the sword.

This seems to be a continuation of the previous chapter's prophecy.  However, here God uses the past tense.  Does that mean that it has happened, and therefore the previous chapter's prophecy has in fact happened already?

I also wonder if this is literal or physical?  Did the Pharaoh actually break his arm, and leave it untreated?  Or was it a metaphor for the bad state of the country's defenses, and how easy they would be for Babylon to defeat?

Ezekiel 29

Ezekiel 29:16

And it will never again be the confidence of the house of Israel, bringing to mind the iniquity of their having turned to Egypt.  Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD."'"

At least a couple times through their history, Israel and/or Judah turned to Egypt for military alliances against their enemies.  These never worked out well, for Egypt either wasn't strong enough to help them win, or didn't come.  Plus, whenever it happened, God condemned them move as a failing of their faith.

Apparently, that was going to come to and end, as God vowed to punish Egypt.  I'm not sure if this punishment has been carried out, or it is a prophecy yet to be fulfilled.  Whichever it is, at the completion it will be obvious that Egypt is no good as anyone's ally, and no one would turn to them for help again.

Ezekiel 28

Ezekiel 28:15

"You were blameless in your ways
From the day you were created
Until unrighteousness was found in you.

Some think that the second half of the chapter isn't actually talking about the king of Tyre, but about Satan instead.  I can understand their arguments, but am not completely convinced.  However, this is one of the verses that suggests they may be at least partially correct.

According to other passages, we are never blameless, not even before birth.  But by definition, when unrighteousness is found, one ceases to be blameless.  So while this doesn't quite fit for a human, it could fit an angelic-type being better.  But I'm not certain whether this is just poetic exaggeration, in which case it could simply mean the king fell because of hubris and arrogance.

Ezekiel 27

Ezekiel 27:35

'All the inhabitants of the coastlands
Are appalled at you,
And their kings are horribly afraid;
They are troubled in countenance.

Why are the coastlanders appalled?  Was it because of what was left of Tyre after its fall?  Or was it something about how that fall was carried out?

My guess is that it was perhaps both.  The kings of the area are afraid because of the power necessary to destroy Tyre, which had been considered impregnable.  They are troubled, because someone that powerful, and who destroyed it as utterly as they did, was a threat to the entire region.

Ezekiel 26

Ezekiel 26:6

Also her daughters who are on the mainland will be slain by the sword, and they will know that I am the LORD.'"

I wonder, who are the daughters spoken of here?  Are they actually the young women of Tyre, living on the mainland for some reason?  Or is it a metaphor, for the people who are subject to/former inhabitants of Tyre?

Whichever it is, they are to be killed as examples.  First, an example of Tyre's doom, their coming defeat as they are isolated from support.  Second, an example of what happens to those who oppose God and His people, and seek to take advantage of God's punishment.

Ezekiel 25

Ezekiel 25:2

"Son of man, set your face toward the sons of Ammon and prophesy against them,

Until now, Ezekiel's been speaking against the Jews.  However, just because that's where God has him focused, that doesn't mean the rest of the world gets off the hook.  They're about to get reminded that they have failed as well.

Towards that end, God used Ezekiel to pronounce judgment on several of Israel's and Judah's old enemies.  They are all at least as bad as the Jews had become, and oftentimes were the ones to lead them astray with their heinous practices.  Now they will be punished alongside the Jews, and all will be reminded that God's law is supreme.

Ezekiel 24

Ezekiel 24:23

Your turbans will be on your heads and your shoes on your feet.  You will not mourn and you will not weep, but you will rot away in your iniquities and you will groan to one another.

I'll admit I'm not quite sure how to interpret this.  One way I see it, it could mean that the people simply don't care that the temple is empty.  They've grown so apathetic about God that they consider His absence irrelevant.

In the other case, they're simply hiding their feelings well.  They go about business as usual, but are torn up inside, just as Ezekiel was over the death of his wife.  They either feel they can't express themselves openly, or that they shouldn't for some reason.  Whichever the answer is, it's a wrong choice.

Ezekiel 23

Ezekiel 23:48

Thus I will make a lewdness cease from the land, that all women may be admonished and not commit lewdness as you have done.

God has used this chapter to make a parallel between Israel and Judah as sisters, who have become whores to anyone powerful that interest them.  Israel has already received her punishment, and how it's Judah's turn since she did even worse.  But here God reveals His reasons.

He's doing this to clear the decks, and purge the land of sin.  Things are going to get so bad, that everyone will realize that God is punishing them.  It will be so obvious, that the people will never go back to their same sins.

Unfortunately, there are plenty of other sins for them to turn to down the line instead...

Ezekiel 22

Ezekiel 22:30

I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.

In the past, every time God was going to destroy a people, there was someone to plead for them.  First Noah was spared, then Abram's pleas saved his family in Sodom, and later Moses.  The people would get progressively worse, but there was always at least one good man to prevent their destruction.

This time, however, there is no one.  The gap lays empty, and the angel of death is coming through.  A single person could have changed the course of history, but there was no one left who knew what was right and stood for it.

Ezekiel 21

Ezekiel 21:4

Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go forth from its sheath against all flesh from south to north.

God is bringing His justice upon the people of Israel.  However, this judgment will not only affect the wicked.  Those who have been faithful will also be punished.

I wonder why He is afflicting the righteous, as well.  Was it because they weren't able to bring their fellows back in line?  Or was it merely to demonstrate beyond doubt that He was in control?

Ezekiel 20

Ezekiel 20:43

There you will remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for all the evil things that you have done.

The first part of repenting of sin is realizing that you've done it.  Sometimes this realization happens immediately, even as you're doing it, but you rationalize it away one way or the other.  Other times, you only realize after the fact that you did wrong, sometimes not until after some major life event like salvation or re-dedication.

Once you realize it, you should feel bad.  You know you did wrong, and are to the point where you regret it.  However you can't stay there; the next step is asking forgiveness, and accepting that Christ has forgiven you and His blood is sufficient to cover the sin, the eternal penalty paid.

Ezekiel 19

Ezekiel 19:13

'And now it is planted in the wilderness,
In a dry and thirsty land.

Israel is in the process of being destroyed.  It's people are about to be taken, with only a skeleton farming group left.  The rest are taken to Babylon, and their cities destroyed.

However, there is still hope.  God is leaving behind a remnant, even though they will be in a bad location.  But they will survive, and eventually be in a position to flourish again.

Ezekiel 18

Ezekiel 18:27

Again, when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life.

You hear story about people whose lives have turned around.  They were into drugs, or violence, or theft, and then something changed.  Now they're perfectly respectable members of society, and you wouldn't know about their pasts if they didn't tell you.

Then there are those, more like me, who look good on the outside, but have darkness lurking.  They know when they're doing wrong, and just find an excuse.  When they turn back, does it have the same impact on others?  Or is it more shocking when people find out what they were into without those around them ever having been aware?

Ezekiel 17

Ezekiel 17:19

Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, "As I live, surely My oath which he despised and My covenant which he broke, I will inflict on his head.

Long ago, God made a promise to the Jews.  As long as they obeyed His commands, He would protect and strengthen them.  It sounds like a pretty good deal, and one they knew could be honored by Him.

However, over time, the promise was forgotten by their descendants.  They turned to different paths, paths away from Him.  But He did not forget, and now the bill has come due.  They broke the rules, and there was a warning of what would happen when that day came.

Ezekiel 16

Ezekiel 16:54

in order that you may bear your humiliation and feel ashamed for all that you have done when you become a consolation to them.

There's an old saying, "having a testimony is great; getting a testimony is terrible."  The trials that pain that go along with a testimony are not desirable.  They are usually pretty bad situations that one goes through, before discovering/returning to Christ.

However, those trials can also serve a purpose.  They can inspire others, whose hearts are open to hear the miracles that God worked.  I'll admit that for a long time, I was (and occasionally still am) resentful of those with long strife-filled testimonies, because I never had that and it makes me feel lesser somehow.  But I've also seen what good can come from them, the lives saved through others' examples.

Ezekiel 15

Ezekiel 15:5

Behold, while it is intact, it is not made into anything.  How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it still be made into anything!

Waste is always waste.  Something that's no good for anything is still no good for anything once it's destroyed.  But before it's destroyed, all it's doing is taking up space and getting in the way.

This is how God had come to feel about the people of Jerusalem.  They weren't even neutral anymore; they were in the way of what He was doing.  Therefore, the only solution, if they're not willing to be changed, is to destroy them to make way for the useful to fill the gap.

Ezekiel 14

Ezekiel 14:4

Therefore speak to them and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Any man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will be brought to give him an answer of the matter in view of the multitude of his idols,

We have a bad habit of setting up idols in our own hearts.  We're not so big on the physical thing we bow to in the modern day, but idols of the heart, or the mind, are still alive and well.  Sometimes it's a person; sometime it's a thing, or an idea, or just a faulty notion of God.  But those idols do exist.

So, what do we do about them?  First, we have to identify them.  In a video my class watched today, the question was put to us, "What keeps you from growing closer to God?"  It's a question that I think would help very much in identifying these idols of the mind, for they are in effect the same question.

Ezekiel 13

Ezekiel 13:7

Did you not see a false vision and speak a lying divination when you said, 'The LORD declares,' but it is not I who have spoken?"'"

This scares me, in two ways.  First, I worry about heeding the false word, without realizing it.  It can be difficult to discern who speaks truth and who doesn't, especially if they're not citing sources.  It's one of the reasons I tend towards skepticism, I think (or maybe that's the other way around).

Second, I worry I might make this mistake.  As a teacher/leader, I worry about leading my class attendees down the wrong path.  Any such path would be unintentional, but I don't feel that would absolve me of blame.

Ezekiel 12

Ezekiel 12:27

"Son of man, behold the house of Israel is saying, 'The vision that he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies of times far off.'

This reminds me of King Hezekiah, after he was told that his kingdom would be given over to Babylon, but after he died.  He was content with that, because in his own lifetime things would be good.  What happened to future generations didn't concern him.

Why is that OK, that we don't worry about our descendant's problems?  Some would apply that lesson to the environment; I think of the national debt.  But why is it that once we know our lives will be OK, we don't worry as much about the future impact of our decisions?

Ezekiel 11

Ezekiel 11:8

You have feared a sword; so I will bring a sword upon you" the Lord GOD declares.

In my life, I usually make my biggest mistakes when I'm afraid of something happening.  I try to figure out how to avoid it, and usually make the wrong choice.  That leads me either to the very thing I was afraid of, or something worse in the long run.

It appears the Jews were making the same mistake.  They were afraid of being conquered and killed, and therefore turned to other nations for help, or to gods that they thought could aid them.  They were wrong, and therefore God brought upon them the thing they'd sinned trying to avoid.

Ezekiel 10

Ezekiel 10:4

Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub to the threshold of the temple, and the temple was filled with the cloud and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the LORD.

This would be an amazing sight.  God's glory has been seen by only a relative handful of people, and few to none of them alive at the time.  For the glory to come out from behind the curtain and fill the temple court, it would be an amazing sight to see, and one that none who witnessed it would ever forget.  Though it appears this is a foresight of what would happen later, Ezekiel obviously understood what he was forseeing.

However, this would also be a terrifying sight.  This glory is so amazing that few who have seen it have lived.  For those who did, they were sometimes kept away from others, because the aftereffects were hard to deal with for others.  Some who saw it were struck dead.  For it to suddenly come out to be seen would be shocking, and one might fear for his life.

Ezekiel 9

Ezekiel 9:9

Then He said to me, "The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is filled with blood and the city is full of perversion; for they say, "The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see!

Here God gives His reason for what has happened and is about to occur in Jerusalem.  The people have turned away from God, and instead trusted in idols.  They feel that God has abandoned them, so why shouldn't they look for alternatives?

However are they seeing the cause, or the effect?  They say God abandoned them, but they abandoned God first.  They decided that He wasn't worth worshiping, so He is letting them feel the consequences of their decision.

Ezekiel 8

Ezekiel 8:16

Then He brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house.  And behold, at the entrance to the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east; the they were prostrating themselves eastward toward the sun.

This is about as bad it it can get in blasphemy.  Here these men are, literally outside the door to the temple, God's house.  And not only have they put their backs to it, they are worshiping something God has made right there in front of him.

These people have decided that God is such an inconsequential thing that they're going to use His place to worship a physics demonstration.  It has no awareness, no ability to control itself, much less anything else.  It simply burns, and only avoids burning them by God's design.  Yet they bow to it, thanking it for its warmth instead of the one who put it there, whose contact point is right behind them.

Ezekiel 7

Ezekiel y:27

The king will mourn, the prince will be clothed with horror, and the hands of the people of the land will tremble.  According to their conduct, I will deal with them, and by their judgments I will judge them.  And they will know that I am the LORD.'"

The leaders had failed the people, guiding them into false practices.  They will pay the price for their evil, because more is required of a leader than of those who follow him.  When that thought enters my mind, it always makes me worry about being a class leader at church.

In addition, the people will also be held responsible for what they have done.  Just because they were given bad guidance, it doesn't absolve them of their wrongs.  God sets the standard and judges everyone according to it, no matter their circumstances, and we must acknowledge Him for that.

Ezekiel 6

Ezekiel 6:10

Then they will know that I am the LORD; I have not said in vain that I would inflict this disaster on them."'

God is predicting ruin for all of Judah, due to their sins.  He's been warning them of this for a long time, and they either think it's from a false god or that it's been so long it just isn't coming.  However, the time is near, and they will know that He was telling the truth.

That is, those who survive will know.  Most will simply die, because they didn't pay attention when it could have counted.  Instead, they learn through their deaths, but their chance is spent.  However, those who survive will know why this has happened, and hopefully they will finally turn their ways back towards God.

Ezekiel 5

Ezekiel 5:16

When I send against them the deadly arrows of famine which were for the destruction of those whom I will send to destroy you, then I will also intensify the famine upon you and break the staff of bread.

Just because God uses someone, doesn't mean they're His friend.  He can use anyone, in almost any way, and usually we'll never know it.  But just because He uses someone doesn't mean that He agrees with what that person does.

In this case, God is condemning Jerusalem because of the wickedness of the people, and is using a foreign army to do it.  However, He shows here that that army will also be destroyed in turn, for their evil.  As a result, the Jews would be hurt some more, but that is God's will.

Ezekiel 4

Ezekiel 4:15

Then H said to me, "See, I will give you cow's dung in place of human dung over which you will prepare your bread."

I have heard of this, using excrement as a cooking fuel.  It seems very unhygienic, but it wasn't my idea to use it.  It would be a renewable resource, but rather inefficient.

So, why did God relent, and allow cow dung instead of human?  He obviously knew it would be considered unclean, and how that would taint Ezekiel.  So why go through the motions, when He would change things so quickly?  What did Ezekiel gain by raising objections?

Ezekiel 3

Ezekiel 3:18

When I say to the wicked, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but but his blood I will require at your hand.

I've heard many writer say they write because they can't not write; the words just come out, and they have to channel them somehow.  Similarly, I've heard evangelists say roughly the same thing, that they can't not preach, because they know they have the message of life and have to tell people about it.

Here, Ezekiel is given another reason to preach when he is told.  If he does not, he will be responsible for the sinner's death.  His preaching might have saved that person.  Even if it doesn't, he would still have had the truth to consider, which is all Ezekiel can do.

Ezekiel 2

Ezekiel 2:5

As for them, whether they listen or not--for they are a rebellious house--they will know that a prophet has been among them.

There's an old expression I've heard about soldiers before in adventure novels.  It goes along the lines of "I don't have to win, I just have to fight."  I've always liked that idea, that it's more about the journey than the destination.

In this context, I think that expression is very appropriate.  You can't control what others do.  They may ignore you, may intentionally go directly against you, or may actually listen.  But all you can do is what's right, what you're told to.  The rest is up to them, but you still have to do your duty.

Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel 1:27

Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him.

I have to admit, I'm having trouble piecing together what this is supposed to mean.  I can read the words, but not sure how to turn them into a picture.  I understand glowing metal, but what's it mean by fire all around within it?  Is it semi-translucent, where the fire within is visible through?  Or does he mean it's so hot it looks like it's on fire, or being heated by fire within?

And for the lower half, having legs like fire is just odd.  Normally, you'd think of metal below and the fire above it, where the metal is used for a base to work on.  But here it seems to be the opposite, the metal is being worked on fire without foundation.  Is that representative of God and how He control the laws of nature?

Lamentations 5

Lamentations 5:22

Unless You have utterly rejected us
And are exceedingly angry with us.

In this last verse of the book, Jeremiah raises the fear that no one likes to talk about:  that we've gone too far.  We screwed up so bad, that God has decided we've run out of second chances.  He's had it with us, and now will leave us to our fates, alone.

Fortunately, to the Christian this is an empty fear.  I won't claim I don't still experience it, or think it's what should happen because I deserve it.  However, I have to keep reminding myself that it won't happen, because we have the promise of eternal life, even when things here look impossible.

Lamentation 4

Lamentation 4:6

For the iniquity of the daughter of my people
Is greater than the sin of Sodom,
Which was overthrown as in a moment,
And no hands were turned toward her.

Sodom is generally considered the most sinful city of all time.  There's never been anywhere else that God specifically decided had to be destroyed, to prevent contaminating the rest of the world.  But He did decide that there, and obliterated it with no survivors except Lot and his daughters.

Now, we're told that Jerusalem was worse?  That's quite the charge to level, but He is qualified to make that decision.  So if it was that bad, is the only reason He didn't obliterate it as well the protection he had promised the Jews as part of the covenant?

Lamentations 3

Lamentations 3:8

Even when I cry out and call for help,
He shuts out my prayer.

I have to admit, I feel like this a lot of the time.  There's a song on the radio a lot that talks about feeling like your prayers are bouncing off the sky.  That's how I feel often, like I'm talking to empty air, or I'm on God's block list.

However, I have to keep in mind that it's not true.  God has no block list, and doesn't mute people either.  It's just a matter of whether they're asking for what is in His will, which makes me wonder where I stand on that.

Lamentations 2

Lamentations 2:14

Your prophets have seen for you
False and foolish visions;
And they have not exposed your iniquity
So as to restore you from captivity,
But they have seen for you false and misleading oracles.

The Jews had many prophets they relied upon.  Those prophets gave them instruction, and interpreted the signs for them.  They told them what God wanted of them.

However, they were a lie.  They were seeking their own benefit, not listening to God.  They told the people whatever would get them to keep listening, not what God would have spoke to them had they been worthy of the message.

Lamentations 1

Lamentations 1:18

"The LORD is righteous;
For I have rebelled against His command;
Hear now, all peoples,
And behold my pain;
My virgins and my young men
Have gone into captivity

Jerusalem has fallen, and Babylon has taken away anyone of worth.  The people know why this has happened, even if they don't all admit it to themselves.  They were given many chances to change their ways, but decided not to.

Now, they must bear the consequences of their actions.  But never let it be said that God is cruel.  He told them what they must do, and even after they disobeyed how to make things right.  Yet they refused, and it came to the point where God would no longer tolerate their sin.

Jeremiah 52

Jeremiah 52:30

In the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried into exile 745 Jewish people; there were 4,600 persons in all.

We think of Jerusalem as a huge city, and Judah as a fairly impressive nation for the time.  Yet when only those necessary to work the fields were left, they'd only removed 4,600 people.  We tend to think in terms of tens of thousand, but less than 5,000 decimated the nation.

If I'm remembering correctly, when the Jews came out of Egypt there were over 2 million of them.  How badly had they fallen to be to the point where under 5,000 people left them as a mere remnant of themselves?  They had clearly been on the decline for a very long time, and Babylon merely finished off the poor scraps.  Yet in their exile they would rebuild, and I believe tens of thousands returned a few decades later.

Jeremiah 51

Jeremiah 51:54

The sound of an outcry from Babylon,
And of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!

God used Babylon to punish the Jews for their sins.  They had ignored God's commands and turned away to worship other gods.  He therefore brought destruction upon them, via Babylon.

However, that doesn't mean that Babylon got a free pass.  God can use any tool He wishes; in fact, unless He decides to intervene directly, His only option is to used flawed tools.  But Babylon was no better than Judea (in fact, much worse), so they had to be punished in turn, as well.

Jeremiah 50

Jeremiah 50:20

In those days and at that time,' declares the LORD, 'search will be made for the iniquity of Israel, but there will be none; and for the sins of Judah, but they will not be found; for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.'

God had compassion upon those who survived the exile by Assyria and Babylon.  They had definitely sinned against Him in many ways, but after the time of the exile was complete, God chose to forgive them.  He could/should have left them to die away from Him, but instead forgave them.

Why did He do this?  In part, to keep the promises He'd made, but also because it was necessary.  Without Israel, there could have been no Christ, because there would have been no one left to know God or teach His word.  But also, because He wants that closeness to us, and that means He has to forgive some (but not all), or we as a species would be wiped out in short order from our own failures.

Jeremiah 49

Jeremiah 49:1

Concerning the sons of Ammon.  Thus says the LORD:

"Does Israel have you sons?
Or has he no heirs?
Why then has Malcam taken possession of Gad
And his people settled in its cities?

God is about to punish the Ammonites because they've made a mistake.  God gave the land of Israel to Jacob's descendants, and no others.  But this Malcam, whom I presume was the king or other official in Ammon, has decided to move into their territory.

On the surface, it makes sense.  The Israelites have been conquered, most of them removed from the land.  So why not move into some nice prepared areas that no one else is using?  But God still has control, and is saving the land for when the Israelites return in a few decades  Until then, the land will lie unused, to make up for the years it was not left fallow by the Israelites.  Any who try to break that rest will be punished.

Jeremiah 48

Jeremiah 48:42

"Moab will be destroyed from being a people
Because he has become arrogant toward the LORD.

God is patient, but His patience does sometimes reach a limit.  At the time of Jeremiah, His patience had largely run out.  He's pronouncing judgment on many people, including Israel.

However, He seems to have saved something special for Moab.  I know their parting of ways with God's commands goes way back to pre-Israel days, but don't recall what the original break was.  Whatever it was, God's decided enough is enough, and now will pay them back for their flouting of His law.

Jeremiah 47

Jeremiah 47:5

"Baldness has come upon Gaza;
Ashkelon has been ruined.
O remnant of their valley,
How long will you gash yourself?

So, it appears that whatever will happen to the Philistines, it won't just affect them.  Their ruin will be so complete, it will lay waste to their territory, and make the land almost uninhabitable.  The land will be laid bare, and their city destroyed.

This devastation will take a major toll upon the people who survive, as well.  They will be so grief-stricken or traumatized, they will cut themselves.  Today that would be classified as a mental illness, or PTSD.  This is how God will deal with a long-standing enemy; I'd rather not be on His bad side.

Jeremiah 46

Jeremiah 46:15

"Why have your mighty ones become prostrate?
They do not stand because the LORD has thrust them down.

So, the greatest soldiers of Egypt could not stand against Babylon.  They have been cast low, perhaps even killed.  From the beginning of the chapter, it sounds like they fought a major battle, and lost.

But Jeremiah is saying that it's not because Babylon is great.  Instead, he's saying that God was against Egypt for whatever reason.  Regardless, He made a decision to favor Babylon over Egypt, and therefore, caused Egypt's army to be laid low.

Jeremiah 45

Jeremiah 45:4

Thus you are to say to him, 'Thus says the LORD, "Behold, what I have built I am about to tear down, and what I have planted I am about to uproot, that is, the whole land."

I don't know who Baruch was.  I guess maybe a leader of some kind, either a priest or military commander?  Whatever he was, he felt the disaster of the people upon himself.

However, God has not abandoned him completely.  He is given a notice by God of what is coming, even though it's not good.  Apparently, this gave him a chance to prepare himself, even though he could do nothing to chance the future.

Jeremiah 44

Jeremiah 44:17

But rather, we will certainly carry out every word that has proceeded from our moths, by burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, just as we ourselves, our forefathers, our kings and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had plenty of food and were well of and saw no misfortune.

Now we understand why the people have turned away, even after seeing their homeland captured.  They know God said not to do things, and it seems for a time they listened.  But it was too little too late, and they later lost everything.

So now, they may still recognize that God exists and has at least some power, but they think their false gods have more, because while they were worshiped things were good.  Why mess with something that was working before?  Since calamity came after changing, we should go back and try to appease those we think we offended.

Jeremiah 43

Jeremiah 43:8

Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying,

Tahpanhes was where the Jews went to in Egypt to flee the predicted wrath of Babylon.  Jeremiah had told them to not go, or they would be destroyed there.  But they didn't listen, and went anyway.

Why did Jeremiah go with them?  Was he taken prisoner, and unable to chose whether to go?  Did God tell him to go with the people, even if they were making a bad choice?  Or had he decided that if the people were to die, that he should die with them?

Jeremiah 42

Jeremiah 42:16

then the sword, which you are afraid of, will overtake you there in the land of Egypt; and the family about which you are anxious, will follow closely after you there in Egypt, and you will die there.

We now get a clearer picture of what I was speculating on in the previous chapter.  The people believe that Babylon will consider them to be in revolt, and will come and destroy them in retaliation for the murder of the governor.  They therefore think the only chance they have is to flee to Egypt, which Babylon doesn't yet control.

However, God's giving them a way out.  He does not want them to leave the land He promised their descendants.  Therefore, He will move Babylon to not destroy them if they stay, but will bring wrath upon them if they go.  They are not to abandon their people's land, even under the fear of death.  And when God gives a command, we who fear Him are to obey, even if it seems suicidal.

Jeremiah 41

Jeremiah 41:18

because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, since Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.

 I'm fuzzy on some of the names here, but as best as I can figure it out, Ishmael had killed the appointed regional governor for Israel, and the people now expected a harsh response.  They think that the Babylonians will take revenge on the whole people for the acts of a few.  Since they think they're going to be killed by the Babylonians, they've decided to flee to Egypt, which is beyond Babylon's control at this point.

Why are they abandoning the land?  Is it because they think that even though they've been spared, this act of defiance will cost them what little they have left?  Or is it that they see their chance to escape and maybe be their own people again?  The nation survived centuries under the Egyptians before, so maybe this was supposed to be Round 2.

Jeremiah 40

Jeremiah 40:12

Then all the Jews returned from all the places to which they had been driven away and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered in wine and summer fruit in great abundance.

The land had been conquered, and only the poorest were left in it.  However, since they were left, and not put into some kind of enslavement, word did get out.  All those who had fled ahead of the invasion could now return.

This gives hope to the people, and for the nation.  The poorest of the poor were probably not enough to properly cultivate or tend the land, and certainly couldn't keep the economy going.  But when word got out that it was safe again, the self-exiled came back.  The remnant of the nation pulled together, and kept things from collapsing further.

Jeremiah 39

Jeremiah 39:18

For I will certainly rescue you, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have your own life as booty, because you have trusted in Me," declares the LORD.'"

This one man had maintained his faith in God, and now he's rewarded.  To us, it seems like a rather puny reward doesn't it?  He's been faithful through who-knows-what-but-it-couldn't-have-been-good, and therefore...he isn't killed, but still loses everything else.

God never promises the road will be easy.  Believers can lose everything just like unbelievers can.  A tornado doesn't skip over the house of the Christian while leveling all the neighbors.  But being alive is quite the blessing, too; it means that God isn't done using you yet, He still has something left for you to do.  It might just be praising Him for being alive, but there is always something more.

Jeremiah 38

Jeremiah 38:27

Then all the officials came to Jeremiah and questioned him.  So he reported to them in accordance with all these words which the king had commanded; and they ceased speaking with him, since the conversation had not been overheard.

So, Jeremiah was ordered to lie by the king, and he did it?  He had the truth in his possession, the key to survival.  He could have told more people how to survive, but instead saved his own skin.

Why did he do this?  Was it because he feared for his life if he told the truth?  Wouldn't God protect him, as He had done before?  Or was it simply because they already knew what he had said in other situations, and he knew they would not listen?

Jeremiah 37

Jeremiah 37:20

But now, please listen, O my lord the king; please let my petition come before you and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, that I may not die there."

Jeremiah has just delivered another prophecy of doom to the king, telling him that the city will be destroyed and he will be taken captive.  However, after delivering such bad news, he still has a request to make.  He asks that his life be spared, despite the bad news.

This is a reminder that even if we're doing God's work, that doesn't mean the outcome will be personally good for us.  However, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't do things to work toward our safety.  Unless God has specifically commanded something that would put one in personal danger, there's no problem with trying to be safe.

Jeremiah 36

Jeremiah 36:32

Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the son of Neriah, the scribe, and he wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and many similar words were added to them.

You can't hide from the truth, or from God's pronouncement of it.  If God decides that something is going to be known, there is no force that can prevent that from happening.  Here, the king tried to suppress God's message by burning it, but he could not burn the source.

Instead, God had Jeremiah repeat the process, and dictate another scroll with the same information.  Not only that, but he did one better, and added even more to it.  Whether it was simply the additional message that he had received since the first scroll was created, or more specifically added to further condemn the burning of the first scroll, we don't know, but it couldn't have been good news for the offenders.

Jeremiah 35

Jeremiah 35:16

Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have observed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.'"'

This family had been faithful.  For some reason, their ancestor had commanded them not to drink wine or build houses or grow crops, and they had followed that command ever since.  No reason for the command was given, but they still obeyed.

That family obeyed their forefather, but the people would not obey God.  A man gave his kids instruction and they listened, but the people wouldn't listen to the one who had saved them from captivity.  God told them all the things He would do if they obeyed, and still they would not.  Why is it so much easier to listen to a person we know, than the God we know only dimly?

Jeremiah 34

Jeremiah 34:9

that each man should set free his male servant and each man his female servant, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman; so that no one should keep them, a Jew his brother, in bondage.

The Jews had been commanded that indentured servitude was permitted, but only for a limited time.  They could sell themselves to a fellow Jew for 7 years go repay a debt.  However, after that 7 years, the master had to release them.

It appears the Jews had not been following this time limit, so God is forcing the issue.  The Jews have let greed or apathy cloud their judgment, and ignored His instructions on dealing with debt.  As a result of this (among other things), they are being besieged by the Babylonians, and are about to lose everything.  God is giving them a chance to get at least some things right, before their punishment.

Jeremiah 33

Jeremiah 33:21

then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant so that he will not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levitical priests, My ministers.

As we often do today, the Israelites had thought of God as a permanent fixture in their culture.  He was always there, and always would bless them, because He had made a covenant with David.  Since He's locked into the deal, why not do whatever we want?

However, they had forgotten that a covenant is two-sided.  Both parties have responsibilities and obligations, which must be fulfilled for the covenant to be honored.  They had broken their part of the deal, and therefore God is telling them that His promise is void.

Jeremiah 32

Jeremiah 32:39

and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them.

Here we see why God wants people to obey Him:  it's for their own good.  God is the only source of authority in this universe, but we tend to forget that.  What He wants is always the best for us, even when we don't realize it.

Therefore, to obey Him is to do good for us.  It's in our best interests, long-term, to do whatever He commands.  However, we tend to get lost in our limited, short-sighted thinking and don't look to God's perspective to see what is best for us or our families.

Jeremiah 31

Jeremiah 31:26

At this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me.

How many times has some trouble or situation beyond my control kept me awake at night, or woken me up in the middle of the night?  How often have I laid awake, turning a situation over in my head, trying to figure out the right thing to do?  Wouldn't it be nice to get direction, and know that everything would be all right, and be able to relax?

While we are given that reassurance indirectly, Jeremiah got word straight from the source.  That would probably let me sleep easier, too.  But what was it he looked at when he woke up?  I wish I knew...

Jeremiah 30

Jeremiah 30:22

'You shall be My people,
And I will be your God.'"

We see variants of this expression all through the Bible.  Why is it so significant?  I think it's because it denotes a two-way connection.

A lot of cultures, both then and now, give their fealty to something.  But that fealty isn't returned, often because there's nothing real to return it.  On the other hand, God can give His blessing to a people, but if they reject or are indifferent to Him, He will eventually anger and destroy them.  By making it a two-way connection, it becomes self-sustaining.  Both parties keep their promises, and are better for it.

Jeremiah 29

Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.'

You hear this verse used to talk about modern Christians a lot, being in a hostile world.  I've never been quite sure if it applies, given I try to be cautious about taking verses to the ancient Israelites and using them as commands today.  However, whether it specifically applies or not, there is value in remembering it.

We only prosper if those around us do.  If we prosper while our neighbors suffer, we are being cruel and exploitative.  If our benefit doesn't also lead to the benefit of others, either directly or indirectly, something has come unbalanced.  Either we are being too miserly, or we have exploited a loophole in the system somewhere.  If all are poor, it is understandable, but we should be working to make things better, both for others and ourselves.

Jeremiah 28

Jeremiah 28:6

and the prophet Jeremiah said, "Amen!  May the LORD do so; may the LORD confirm your words which you have prophesied to bring back the vessels of the LORD's house and all the exiles, from Babylon to this place.

It almost sounds like Jeremiah is confirming that this is a true prophecy, but he's not.  He is saying that he wants it to be true, and asks that God would make it true.  He wants the nation restored just as much as anyone else.

However, he includes a caveat here, asking that God confirm its truthfulness.  But that isn't the same thing as saying it is confirmed.  He doesn't know; God has spoken nothing on this to him yet, for or against.  So Jeremiah hopes it might be true, but if so it needs to be confirmed by Him.  We can ask what we want to happen, but we can't make God do what we want.

Jeremiah 27

Jeremiah 27:14

So do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, 'You will not serve the king of Babylon,' for they prophesy a lie to you;

Why would a prophet lie to the king?  If they know the truth, but decide to tell the king something else, they are risking their own lives against God's wrath.  So why do it?

I see two possibilities.  First, they don't think there will be consequences from God, so they fear consequences from the king.  Second, they aren't real prophets, merely liars who have managed to be right or vague enough to avoid discovery.  Either way, they're now being called out.

Jeremiah 26

Jeremiah 26:19

Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death?  Did he not fear the LORD and entreat the favor of the LORD, and the LORD changed His mind about the misfortune which He had pronounced against them?  But we are committing a great evil against ourselves.

It appears there was still some sanity left in Judah during Jeremiah's time.  One of Jerusalem's leaders is saying this to the people.  They know perfectly well what happened before, and how God spared them when they turned back to Him.  So why didn't they put two and two together, and do it again?

Maybe the people decided that the former prophet had been lying, since the destruction he foretold never came.  Or maybe they didn't think they were that far gone, and figured they had room to maneuver still before it got that bad?  Or maybe they just didn't care, or didn't believe God would ever do that at all.

Jeremiah 25

Jeremiah 25:28

And it will be, if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, then you will say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts:  "You shall surely drink!

What's God doing here?  It sounds like He is planning to revoke people's free will, to force them to do something they don't want to.  But it may make sense they don't do it, if they're aware that the result will be devastation.

Is God truly going to override their free will?  Or is Jeremiah's command going to be persuasive enough that they do it anyhow?  In the next verse, He talks about how they should share in the suffering of their people, but royalty aren't known for that.

Jeremiah 24

Jeremiah 24:7

I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the LORD; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.

Persecution is often very unpleasant, but I'm reminded of what one Samuel Johnson said:  when one knows he is about to be hanged, it focuses the mind.  That's what just happened to the Judeans, in effect.  They've been ransacked, and anyone of worth taken away to Babylon.

However, their utter destruction and exile will make them truly think about why this has happened, and they will come to the correct conclusions.  God told them that if they strayed from obeying Him, they would suffer the consequences, and now they have.  They realize that if they will repent and obey Him again, He will ultimately forgive and restore them, even if it takes time.

Jeremiah 23

Jeremiah 23:8

but, 'As the LORD lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.'  Then they will live on their own soil."

The importance of something is always a tricky thing among people.  What's important to one may not be important to another. One of the primary ways that an individual measures importance is often the impact of the event on oneself.  Someone who lost a loved one on 9/11 considers the event more important than I do, I'm sure.

Another way that importance is often measured is how recent the event was.  9/11 hurt for me a lot more 15 years ago than it does today.  In the same way, the Israelites had been rescued from Egypt roughly a millennia ago.  Comparing that to a regathering that would take place much more recently, and it's understandable why the more recent event would become the thing they link God to.

Jeremiah 22

Jeremiah 22:3

Thus says the LORD, "Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor.  Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.

These are the instructions God gives Jerusalem, that if they do them He will not destroy them.  Do you notice anything missing?  These are good things to do, but there's no mention of Him or their worshiping Him, or following any of the Law.

Is this because they were so far gone, that He knew to ask them to obey the Law would be too large a jump?  He offers them baby steps to return to Him, but they still can't even get that right?  If so, that offers us hope, too, because we often drift far away, and sometimes need to take baby steps back to Him as well.

Jeremiah 21

Jeremiah 21:9

He who dwells in this city will die by the sword and by family and by pestilence; but he who goes out and falls away to the Chaldeans who are besieging you will live, and he will have his own life as booty.

On the surface, this seem like a very odd command from God.  They're to go out from Jerusalem, God's holy city, and surrender themselves to the Babylonians?  And if they don't, God will see to it that they die?  Why isn't He protecting them instead?

The answer, however, is simple.  The Judeans had fallen away from God, and only were asking of Him now to avoid their own destruction.  God won't be used as a "break glass in case of emergency" device.  They had thrown their faith in Him away, and now had to suffer the consequences.

Jeremiah 20

Jeremiah 20:9

But if I say, "I will not remember Him
Or speak anymore in His name,"
Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire
Shut up in my bones;
And I am weary of holding it in,
And I cannot endure it.

I've heard writers say that they became writers because they couldn't not write.  Some tried not writing, and it would just burst out anyways.  They write because they have no choice.

I guess this is the same thing for a prophet.  They can't help but speak what God has put on their hearts to say.  I know I definitely don't have that gift, and can't say I'm sorry, but in some ways I do envy them the clarity of their path, even if it's not an easy one.

Jeremiah 19

Jeremiah 19:4

Because they have forsaken Me and have made this an alien place and have burned sacrifices in it to other gods, that neither they nor their forefathers nor the kings of Judah had ever know, and because they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent

That's quite the indictment.  Not only have they turned to other gods, it sounds like they either started finding ones that were from far away, or were making them up on their own.  Either way, they seem to have turned the Temple into a pagan polytheistic site.

On top of that, they were killing the innocent, and it doesn't sound like they're talking about animals.  So what kind of crazy gods did they follow, that required human sacrifice?  How could anyone think that was a good idea, or even merely necessary?  How did they get to this point, after everything God had done for them?

Jeremiah 18

Jeremiah 18:10

if it does evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will think better of the good with which I had promised to bless it.

I wonder, does this apply to Christians too?  Are we at the same risk of having our special status, our grafting into the Jews, broken due to sin?  Or is this a less severe revocation, where only our blessings here can be removed, but our eternal security stands.

I have to believe it's the latter, from everything I've ever been taught.  However, we can still mess up to the point where our lives can become very unpleasant.  I sometimes feel that I'm sliding down that path, and would like to find a way to arrest the descent.

Jeremiah 17

Jeremiah 17:8

"For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.

This is the description of someone who trusts in God.  I'll admit, the first thing I feel is shame, that this doesn't really describe me.  I certainly don't feel that I have that confidence in God to the extent described here.  I worry, and I fail to do what I should, and I know I'm not as productive as I could be.

The second thing I feel is awe at someone for whom this would fit.  To have that complete confidence, and that unabating source to pull upon, would be so nice.  I wonder if I fail to have it because I look to much as the short-term, without an appreciation for the larger picture where God is working for the best?

Jeremiah 16

Jeremiah 16:16

"Behold, I am going to send for many fisherman," declared the LORD, "and they will fish for them; and afterwards I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them from every mountain and every hill and from the clefts of the rocks.

At the first reading of this it kind of sounds ominous.  It seems that God is going to be sending people to hunt and fish for the remnants of His people, and that usually doesn't turn out well for the fish or animal.  It sounds like God is going to wipe them out, so that all that are left are those who survive in /are driven back to Israel.

However, this is why context matters.  He's not going to send people to kill them.  Instead, He's going to use people to bring them back home.  Rather than hunting or fishing, it's closer to a catch-and-release program, to repopulate their homeland.

Jeremiah 15

Jeremiah 15:2

And it shall be that when they say to you, 'Where should we go?' then you are to tell them, 'Thus says the LORD:
"Those destined for death, to death;
And those destined for the sword, to the sword;
And those destined for famine, to famine;
And those destined for captivity, to captivity." '

Too often, I ask God for a sign, for an obvious direction of what I should be doing.  I do this because I really don't have any clue what He wants me to do.  So I stumble and plod along, looking for a sign.

But God does know my path, even when I don't.  Even if he answers me, it doesn't mean I'll like that answer.  So should I just try to carry on, continuing to do what I do as best I can, or do I need to make changes to avoid the path of these Jews?

Jeremiah 14

Jeremiah 14:14

Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name.  I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds.

Why did the false prophets lie?  Were they just trying for attention, and told the people what they wanted to hear in order to get it?  Were they deceived by Satan, and thought they were hearing and preaching the words of God?

Whatever the reason, it gives added motivation for us to be certain what we are saying is truth, rather than our own ideas.  We need to know, before we speak or act upon a "word from God," that we are certain of the source and message.  To fail to do so, and profane God in the process, can lead to our ruin.

Jeremiah 13

Jeremiah 13:7

Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the waistband from the place where I had hidden it; and lo, the waistband was ruined, it was totally worthless.

Why was he to go to the Euphrates?  If he's still near Jerusalem, that's a journey of hundreds of miles, which he may have had to make twice.  Has his location changed for some reason?  Or did God just send him on a really long vacation?

Why use a waistband?  What was the point of using that piece of clothing/equipment?  The purpose of a waistband is to hold your cloak to the body.  If the waistband was missing, it'd be like a bathrobe's belt had gone.  At the least, the clothes would be more unwieldy when moving around.  At worst, you might expose yourself.

Jeremiah 12

Jeremiah 12:2

You have planted them, they have also taken root;
They grow, they have even produce fruit.
You are near to their lips
But far from their mind.

God has done everything for us.  It is only through Him that we even exist, must less thrive.  We have taken this world and shaped it more to our liking, and made ourselves prosperous.

However, many have forgotten God in their circumstance.  He is always here, waiting for us to ask for Him.  Yet we tend to ignore or forget about Him, rather than give Him the praise He deserves.  This applies in Christian circles almost as much as among the lost, it sometimes seems.

Jeremiah 11

Jeremiah 11:14

"Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not listen when they call to Me because of their disaster.

There is a movement in modern Christian circles among some, which believes that all will eventually be saved.  Sooner or later, either God will accept them, or they will be given infinite chances to accept Jesus, with each chance being a bit more obvious.  Some even believe this will continue after death, so that none will actually go to Hell, forever condemned.

This verse refutes that argument, in my opinion.  God is telling Jeremiah that there's no point in pleading, He's had it.  No more extra chances will be given.  These people will die and be condemned, and there's nothing that can be done to change that.  Their fates are sealed, and the outcome isn't good.

Jeremiah 10

Jeremiah 10:24

Correct me, O LORD, but with justice;
Not with Your anger, or You will bring me to nothing.

I wonder, sometimes, where the line between justice and anger is for God.  If we were looking at straight justice, we would never have existed, because God would have destroyed Adam and Eve.  But if we look at anger, God would have done the same, if not then, then some time since.

When we talk about God's anger, we're dealing with a righteous anger, not one of malice or spite.  We fall short of God's perfect standard, and therefore deserve His justice, which would mean our annihilation.  So is the only difference that we are protected from His anger by Jesus' blood, and that is what turns destruction into correction?

Jeremiah 9

Jeremiah 9:24

but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.

There are two things to boast about.  First is the nature of God.  He is one who can be kind, but also just and righteous.  If He has one without the other, the world would be very unbalanced, either everyone accepted (which would corrupt Him) or everyone condemned (which would leave Him without anyone left in creation).

The second thing is that we know Him.  Some would start here, but without first establishing the nature of the God in question, we would be submitting to an uncertain fate.  But since we know this is a God who is able accepting of those who accept Him, we can be thankful and, in a way, boast.

Jeremiah 8

Jeremiah 8:6

"I have listened and heard,
They have spoken what is not right;
No man repented of his wickedness,
Saying, 'What have I done?'
Everyone turned to his course
Like a horse charging into the battle.

I think this shows the key to the difference between one who is God's and one who is not.  The one who is not doesn't doubt, doesn't question, doesn't worry.  He simple continues on his path, never wondering if it's the right one.

As far back as I can remember, I've been plagued with doubts and guilt.  I've wondered if I'm truly saved, or just going through the motions.  I certainly know I'm a sinner, but I don't feel like I'm improving notably, not growing.  Is the question, the doubt, itself a reassurance?  Or is the answer still "no," even if I'm sincerely wondering?

Jeremiah 7

Jeremiah 7:14

therefore, I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to the place which I gave you and your fathers, as I did to Shiloh.

This would have been truly chilling to the Israelites.  I don't know what happened to Shiloh, but from how it's described I'm guessing it was devastated, perhaps burned.  Now God is saying He's at least willing to do the same thing to the Temple?

This, above all, shows that God is not connected to physical objects.  We think of the Temple as the place where God "dwelled" or "lived," where He met man.  But it was merely a building that He chose to use, not something He needed to communicate or inhabit.  So are all things to Him; He can use any, but needs none.

Jeremiah 6

Jeremiah 6:14

"They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially,
Saying, 'Peace, peace,'
But there is no peace.

I have to admit, I worry if this verse also covers a portion of modern Christianity.  How many people today, who think of themselves as believers, go through these motions only superficially?  How many say the words, but don't have the meaning in their hearts?

Even more than others, I sometimes worry about this myself.  I know that I look at the world differently than most believers I know, much more cynical and suspicious.  Do I only have this superficially, not knowing what it truly means or is for?

Jeremiah 5

Jeremiah 5:18

"Yet even in those days," declares the LORD, "I will not make you a complete destruction.

I look upon verses like this as some of the most encouraging in the Bible.  People often will give up on someone.  I know there have been times in my life where I've decided that I've done all I reasonably can, and it's time to let the consequences of their actions take their natural course.

However, God will always give us another chance, until the moment of our deaths.  He is always willing to take us back, as long as we're willing to sincerely ask.  We can still decide not to go to Him, but that final decision is ours, not His.

Jeremiah 4

Jeremiah 4:4

"Circumcise yourselves to the LORD
And remove the foreskins of your heart,
Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
Or else My wrath will go forth like fire
And burn with none to quench it,
Because of the evil of your deeds."

The practice of circumcision was a controversial one even back then.  The idea was to give a physical indication that he was set aside to God, and would behave differently from anyone else.  It's hard to forget about something you see every time you use the bathroom.

What's much harder is to circumcise one's heart.  That involves not just a physical change you're constantly reminded of, but a mental change as well.  It's one that you constantly have to remind yourself of, until it becomes to deeply ingrained that the idea of going back upon it is absurd.  Unfortunately, I'm not there yet.

Jeremiah 3

Jeremiah 3:8

And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a writ of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and was a harlot also.

This is, sadly, a very common part of the fall of humanity.  We see all around us the examples of people who have messed up, and suffered the consequences.  Yet we then go and do the very same things, to the very same results.

Why is this a problem?  Why can't we learn from others' mistakes?  I think it's because in part we think it could never happen to us; and in part that we think that enough people have done it, the rewards must be worth it somehow.  If only we'd actually learn.

Jeremiah 2

Jeremiah 2:28

"But where are your gods
Which you made for yourself?
Let them arise, if they can save you
In the time of your trouble;
For according to the number of your cities
Are your gods, O Judah.

We still create gods for ourselves today, and trust in them.  We don't carve them from wood or stone with our own hands anymore, but they're no less gods.  Today, we get them from elsewhere, but still center our lives around them.

To some, that god may be a job that gives us financial security.  Or maybe it's a possession that we treasure above everything else.  For me, it's probably something I don't have:  a family to love and care for.  And since that has been "denied me," I hold it against God, and want something else to fill the void.

Jeremiah 1

Jeremiah 1:19

They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you," declared the LORD.

I'm not clear from the chapter whether this promise is being made to Jeremiah, or to all of Judah.  The previous verse is talking about a fortified city, which suggests Jerusalem.  However, the verse before that talks of an individual, which would suggest Jeremiah.

Today is Easter, which makes this verse seem especially significant.  Today is the anniversary of the day that Christ proved this could be true for any believer, not just Jeremiah or those of his time.  God will protect His own, when they are about His work.

Isaiah 66

Isaiah 66:18

"For I know their works and their thoughts; the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues.  And they shall come and see My glory.

To close the book, we have what could be considered a moment of hope.  There will come a time when God is shown to all.  He will not be deniable, or ignorable, but instead will be clear and unmistakable for people to understand.

It's fitting in some ways that this is in my reading for the day before Easter, remembering when God's salvation became available to all, not just the Jews.  Until that day, this verse may have meant condemnation for any but the Jews.  Now, any can be saved, though the choice is still theirs.

Isaiah 65

Isaiah 65:2

"I have spread out My hands all day long to a rebellious people,
Who walk in the way which is not good, following their own thoughts,

That sure sounds like human beings to me.  We have a bad habit of thinking that we're the ones in charge, the ones who control things.  Even those of us who acknowledge God's existence tend not to like very much what He tells us, do we?

I know there are many parts of my life like this.  I know what God's rules are, but because those rules and my life circumstances preclude things I want, I will ignore them after a time.  Even so, I do know what I should be doing, and am trying to find other ways to direct myself away from straying and back onto His path.