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?