A remnant goes to Egypt, including the king’s two daughters. Even though scripture says that the words of Jeremiah end with Jer. 51:64 there are other writings that tell of Jeremiah and Baruch leaving Egypt with the king’s daughters. The significance of this will be discussed later.

Jeremiah 41 records men who came to offer grain offerings and burn incense in the house of the Lord.  This must have been the equivalent of the synagogue.  They weren't offering burnt offerings in the way of animal sacrifices because they had no temple and no priests.  Remember, they were no longer able to celebrate and rejoice during the feast days.  

As we were reading of the slaughter by Ishmael, we thought about the slaughter of the people in Egypt at the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood of not so many years ago as well as the slaughter of the Christians in Iraq and Syria today.  This is just evidence of the generational and territorial demons.

Jeremiah warns the Hebrews living in Egypt that God will bring disaster on them if they continue in their evil ways. The response of the people goes far beyond impudent! They were mocking God. They suffered the consequences.

Gal 6:7
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 

Reaping can also have many positive aspects. Especially if we sow in righteousness. (Hos 10:12) Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap according to kindness; break up your fallow ground; for it is time to  seek Jehovah, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

The following words of Jeremiah are echoed later in the words of Paul.

Lam 3:40
Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.
2 Cor 13:5
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-- unless, of course, you fail the test?

Earlier God had told the people that there would come a time that He would not listen to them.

Lam 3:44
You have covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through.

Have we as Believers in Jesus “covered ourselves with a cloud”? If so how have we done that?

Lam 4:10
With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children who became their food...
This very thing was foretold in Ezekiel 5.

We are told that God's wrath was poured out on the people because of the sins of the prophets and the iniquities of the priests. It is very clear throughout Scripture that God holds spiritual leaders to account.

Even though much of Jeremiah’s lamentations are indeed expressions of grief, he includes this most wonderful of Scriptures.

Lam 3:22-23
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

What a great verse for us to ponder. 

Over the next several chapters in Lamentations, Jeremiah lives up to his reputation as a “weeping prophet”. He is weeping over the fall of Jerusalem. 

The phrase "appointed feasts" is listed several times in today's reading in Lamentations 1-2 always followed by a message about destruction.  In Lamentations we read, "The Lord has made Zion forget her appointed feasts and her Sabbaths;"   While these words may not resonate with us, they surely did with the people then.  These appointed feasts and Sabbaths were commanded by God to be observed.  This was not a suggestion.  When the people no longer were able to go to the temple to worship, they also were unable to participate in the rejoicing in the feast days.  There would no longer be priests in place to make atonement for their sins through the animal sacrifices and there was no longer any rest for them on the weekly  Sabbath. They now had to spend all their time and energy searching for food, or growing their food.  Because of their continual disobedience, God handed over to their enemy the sanctuary and the palaces in Jerusalem.  Now the joyful noise at the temple area was not for their God appointed joyous feast days but for the worship of the pagan gods. 

The book of Lamentations is a perfect example of prophetic foreshadowing. In the last days, and even beginning now, the apostate and false church can be substituted for Jerusalem. Read today’s reading again and see how it sounds with that substitution placed. 

Lam 2:14
The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity. The oracles they gave you were false and misleading.

The people of Jeremiah’s day listened to the false prophets who did not expose their sins. As a result the people went into captivity. If we are listening to prophets, pastors, and teachers who do not expose sin, what happens to us?  Many people in churches today are not being taught about sin and the consequences of sin.  Many are only told what they want to hear in a country club atmosphere they call a house of worship.  

Lamentations 1:17
Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them.

This verse is just another foreshadowing of the apostate and false church.

We as Believers in Jesus have a responsibility to listen to God’s Word and the teaching of the Holy Spirit and not words of false prophets or false teachers. How do we know if we are hearing words from false prophets and false teachers? Easy...be very familiar with God's Word, the Monument of Truth!

Earlier Ezekiel related this prophecy concerning King Zedekiah. He said that Zedekiah would not “see” captivity.

Ezek 12:13
I will spread my net for him, and he will be caught in my snare; I will bring him to Babylonia, the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it, and there he will die.

Jer 39:7
Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.
Zedekiah did not “see” captivity. 

As we read of the death of the many people in the city and the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, we couldn't help but think back on the description of the magnificent temple on the day of dedication by King Solomon.  No wonder people mourned the burning of the city.  In the listing of the treasures in the temple in Jerusalem that were taken by the Babylonians, notice the ark is not listed. But something as insignificant as wick trimmers are listed. Hmmm...

Cherubim were angels who guarded the holiness of God. Cherubim were fashioned on top of the ark. Ezekiel’s earlier vision the four creatures were cherubim. When God’s glory left from the mountain east of Jerusalem (the Mount of Olives) cherubim were beneath His glory. Did the ark leave when God’s glory left?

“…The land enjoyed its Sabbath rests…”
They had violated the Sabbath and God is collecting. Just a reminder that sin has consequences.

Jeremiah stays in Judah and does not go into Babylonian captivity. However, his work for the Lord doesn't stop there.  More later on Jeremiah's future from historical documentation. 

It appears that King Zedekiah wants to redeem himself and sends word to Jeremiah to pray. But, of course, Jeremiah sent back some words that the king didn't want to hear.  The results?  Jeremiah is thrown into a cell in a dungeon.  The Hebrew word for vaulted cell gives the impression that this place was something like a bank vault, with no windows.

Jeremiah certainly is given reason to be called “the weeping prophet” considering all the things that happened to him. One man (Ebed-Melech, a Cushite, an official in the royal palace) was filled with compassion for Jeremiah and was brave enough to go to the king on Jeremiah’s behalf.

Jer 38:9-10
"My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a cistern, where he will starve to death when there is no longer any bread in the city." Then the king commanded Ebed-Melech the Cushite, "Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies."

Ebed-Melech was later rewarded for his trust in the Lord.

Jer 39:16-18
"Go and tell Ebed-Melech the Cushite, 'This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city through disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. But I will rescue you on that day, declares the LORD; you will not be handed over to those you fear. I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the LORD.'"

When we trust in the Lord, He rewards us too! How awesome is that!

God pronounces judgment against the king of Tyre because of pride and arrogance.  Ezekiel was looking at the king of Tyre but speaking to Satan. Satan entered the king of Tyre as he entered into Judas.

Ezek 28:12-17
"Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "'You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

This scripture tells us that Lucifer was perfect, even anointed as a guardian angel. He lived in Eden, a garden paradise. Imagine all the precious stones surrounding him with the glory of God shining through those rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and other stones. Because of all of this splendor and his elevated status, pride got hold of him and corrupted him. Widespread trade means he solicits followers and entices them to follow him. He merchandized in bribes, enticing one third of the angels to follow him by promising them untold things.

Rev. 12;7
And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.
Michael was an archangel – a warrior angel. The dragon is Satan.

Rev 20:2
He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

Isa 14:12
How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

Luke 10:18
He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

God, the Father and God the Son saw Lucifer fall out of heaven like a lightning bolt flashes out of the sky. The reason for the fall of Lucifer was pride. How careful we as Believers in Jesus, must be of pride (the wrong kind). 

There are many descriptions in today's reading concerning Tyre and the widespread trade with other nations. These descriptions are very close to the descriptions of the false church during the last days.  In Ezekiel's lament concerning Tyre he makes many dire predictions.  These were literally fulfilled.  Spiritually speaking, Satan has led many to follow him by enticing them away from God.  Those people who are led by Satan will suffer the second death.  They may be living in the lap of luxury with material possessions as their gods but it will all come to nothing in the end. 

In the judgment against Ammon, we find these words:  "Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel..."

How do these words play out in our headline news today?  Suppose it has anything to do with leaders of nations who are not supportive of Israel?

We have noticed some more repetitions in the last few weeks' reading. This phrase keeps appearing:

"Then they will know that I am the Lord". 

This phrase always follows some judgment against a nation or people because they turn away from God.  Why couldn't they see all the miracles that God had done and know that He is the Lord, without the judgment, destruction, and condemnation?

In the judgment against Pharaoh, God says, "I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries."

The Egyptians are now known as gypsies and no longer live exclusively in Egypt.  The people there now are Arabs.

In the descriptions of Assyria in Ezekiel 31 are listed many luxurious and opulent items.  God warns that they will be brought down. Any connections to the established church today?  

In the judgments against Judah’s many oppressors, there is a very specific judgment against Egypt. God's people had repeatedly turned to Egypt for help.

Ezek 29:9-11
Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the LORD. "'Because you said, "The Nile is mine; I made it," therefore I am against you and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt a ruin and a desolate waste from Migdol to Aswan, as far as the border of Cush. No foot of man or animal will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years.

At a place called Aswan in southern Egypt there are two large dams on the Nile River. During the last days the Aswan dams will be broken down whether by bunker busting bombs that may be released by the Antichrist in his war against Egypt or by earthquake, etc. Whatever the method may be, the Bible indicates that these dams will be destroyed. The people living in the floodplain will be killed by the rushing water and the silt currently being held back by the two dams. The floodplain area will be buried under a sea of mud. Egypt will be left a desolate land that will extend 40 years into the millennium. The desolate Egypt will stand as a monument (just as we have Sodom and Gomorrah today) to show how God will deal with sin. 

We have these two cities to remind us of our sin, but how often do we really contemplate how dead we are in our sins? Or better still how often do we really contemplate how alive we are with Jesus as our Savior?

It seems as if Scripture is absolutely FULL of the promises of God. The following one is a promise of restoration of the remnant in the millennium.

Jer 23:4
I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the LORD.
In the millennium, there will be no “hired hands”, only “good shepherds” to tend the “flock”.

Jer 33:20-21
"This is what the LORD says: 'If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time, then my covenant with David my servant-- and my covenant with the Levites who are priests ministering before me-- can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne.

God is saying, He keeps His promises of a descendant of David to be on the throne. There will come a time however when day and night no longer come at their appointed time (at least as we know it now). In the millennium there will be a unique day.

Zech 14:7
It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime-- a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light.

In eternity, there will be no need for the night and day to come at their appointed times.
Rev 21:23
The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

Another glimpse into the millennium…
Jer 31:34
No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I   will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Hebrews 8:11
No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.

Habakkuk 2:14
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Just imagine….ALL people will know the Lord in the millennium and the earth will be filled with the knowledge of His glory.

Rev 22:20b
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Jeremiah 31: 9b

I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble,

What a great promise!  Makes us think of Psalm 23, "he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul." 
This verse in Jeremiah is so powerful.  Ponder the literal meaning and then really ponder the spiritual meaning. 

Jeremiah 31:25

I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”  

In John 4, Jesus states that He is the Living Water.  He refreshes and satisfies us.  And then He gives us this assignment in John 7. 
John 7:38

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”

Jer 33:11b
" For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the LORD.

The restoration promises are multi-layered. This little sentence speaks volumes concerning God’s promises! He promises to restore the fortunes of the land “as they were before…” Which “before”? Could it be that He is promising to restore things as they were in the Garden of Eden? Is this a promise for the millennium? Read on and it will be obvious!

Jer 30:3
The days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their forefathers to possess,' says the LORD."

If we go all the way back to the original “forefathers”, it takes us back to the Garden of Eden.

While these Scriptures certainly speak of a literal fulfillment during the days of the Biblical writing, it also is a layered prophecy that speaks of a fulfillment yet in our future. That’s what makes this His “living” Word!

Jer 30:21
I will bring him near and he will come close to me, for who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?' declares the LORD.
The Lord draws us near to Him - in numerous ways.  It is up to us to snuggle in a little closer.  Our prayer is that all of us will devote ourselves to be close to HIM!

Isn’t it audacious that King Zedekiah asks the following of Jeremiah?
Jer 21:2
"Inquire now of the LORD for us because Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps the LORD will perform wonders for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us."
This Lord “who performs wonders” is the same Lord to whom the kings and the people were continually disobedient, defiant, and rebellious. 

God gave the people an option. Whoever surrenders - lives. Whoever does not surrender - dies.
Jer 21:8
"Furthermore, tell the people, 'This is what the LORD says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.
He gives us this same option today. Surrender to Him, accept Jesus as Savior and live eternally. Or reject Him and die an eternal death.

God is very clear how He feels about sacrificing children in the fire. Does that apply to us today? How might we “sacrifice children in the fire”? Have anything to do with abortion???

Jer 22:9  

Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God, and have worshiped and served other gods.
This seems to be a recurrent theme woven throughout the books of the prophets.  The people had forsaken the Lord and worshiped and served other gods. God continuously warned them of the consequences of that disobedience. 

Jer 32:29  

And the Chaldeans who fight against this city shall come up and set this city on fire, and burn it with the houses on whose roofs they have offered incense to Baal, and poured out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke Me to anger. 
Offering incense to Baal is the equivalent to praying to other gods. Pouring out a drink offering was symbolic of gratitude and devotion.  So the people were giving their gratitude and devotion to something other than the one true God.  This is the same as blaspheming God.

What a great promise of restoration found in Jeremiah 32 and a great secondary promise in Jeremiah 33. Our ever faithful and loving God continuously promises! Fits right in with the hymn Standing on the Promises.

At the time of the writing of Ezekiel, three major prophets were at work; Daniel in Babylon, Ezekiel in Babylonia near the Kebar River, and Jeremiah in Jerusalem.

The assigned reading for today is rather brief.  However, there are some profound points to ponder. 

God asks His prophets to do many unpleasant things in order to get the attention of His people. But Ezekiel is asked to refrain from mourning the death of his wife in order for God to make a point. What obedience from Ezekiel! He did exactly as the Lord directed. Obeying God can carry a high cost.  Look what it cost Jesus!

Earlier the prophet Hosea was told to take an adulterous wife. We asked the question, would any of us be as willingly obedient. We ask a similar question now; would we be as willingly obedient as r any of the prophets?

Just as God asked His prophets to do many unpleasant things, He may be asking each of us to leave some of our comforts behind in order to do His work.  Let's just ask the Lord today if He has something in mind for us and ponder His response!

If ever there was any doubt of the spiritual marriage relationship between God and His people, Ezekiel’s words in Chapter 23 put that doubt to rest! In this allegory the two nations of Israel and Judah (Oholah and Oholibah) have taken all aspects of a marriage relationship and abused it in every conceivable way including adultery and prostitution.

These words to our tender ears may appear offensive but it illustrates the extent of the damage to this spiritual marriage relationship. This is God speaking to make His point. 

In reading these passages again, some more thoughts come to mind.  The description of "warriors in full dress, mounted horsemen, young men", etc. seem descriptive of sexual power and prowess, something that the people then and now revere. It seems to be a lusting after what they perceive as human sexual perfection.  

Ezek. 23:35

"Since you have forgotten me and thrust me behind your back, you must bear the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution."

What powerful words.  The people had thrust God behind them.  How about us as believers today? How about the church (the bride of Christ) today?  Have we thrust God behind us?  Have we devalued the Word of the Lord?  Do we depend on opinions of others?  It seems that the actions of the apostate church fall into these two categories of lewdness and prostitution.

1. lewdness - sexual perversion, adultery, homosexuality, abortions

2. prostitution - selling out to the ways of the world, compromising the truth, and practicing pagan traditions - all for the sake of feeling good
Instead of giving themselves wholly to the Lord, they were giving themselves to false gods and benefitting materially.  They participated in every manner of sexual perversion led by worship of false gods.

God warns Judah (Oholibah) saying, "You will drink your sister's cup, a cup large and deep; it will bring scorn and derision, for it holds so much."
God's cup of wrath can be large or small and filled to capacity or only partially filled depending on the sins of the people.

God does indeed feel the shame and disgrace from His people, then and now.  Concerning the people of Israel, the spiritual marriage relationship with God was damaged.  Today, the spiritual marriage relationship has been damaged.  But it can be repaired.  God has done His part.  It's up to us, those of us who are called by His Name, to do our part.

Ezekiel 20 mentions bringing the entire house of Israel back into the land from the nations. Couldn't  help but think of the Messianic Jews again.

Several times in Ezekiel he mentions that the people have "desecrated the Sabbaths" (among many other detestable things, of course).  The purpose of the Sabbath was to rest, refocus, and remember Him.  Sabbaths were not only the weekly Sabbath but the Holy Day (Feast and Festival) Sabbaths as well.  God says that these Sabbaths are "a sign between us".  A sign is a distinguishing mark. Keeping His Sabbath days holy are a mark that distinguishes us as belonging to HIM!

An attitude of false teaching and false prophecy was a condition that existed in the days of the prophets of the Old Testament and is written to give us warning for what will happen as time draws closer to the last days.

Ezek 22:25-30
There is a conspiracy of her princes (government officials, politicians?) within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour people, take treasures and precious things and make many widows within her. Her priests (ministers, pastors, preachers?) do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. Her officials (church staff and leaders?)within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people to make unjust gain. Her prophets (teachers?) whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations. They say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says'-- when the LORD has not spoken. The people of the land (people in church congregations?) practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the alien, denying them justice. "I looked for a man (an individual – you, me???) among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. (very sad words - I found none.)

The previous verses in Ezekiel show us that the princes, priests, officials, and prophets were leading the people astray by their ungodly leadership. The people were looking to their leaders for the example. The leaders were not teaching them in a God-directed way. The leaders accepted as normal some practices that were strictly abhorred by God, telling the people that it was okay. That same attitude can be found today in many church congregations. New Christians expect church leaders to be theologically sound in doctrine and well versed in God’s Word. If these church leaders are not teaching them Biblically based doctrine the new Christians will be led astray. (Matt 24) But praise God there are some godly teachers and pastors who are speaking, preaching, and teaching Biblically based doctrine. They CAN be found! 

Matt 7:7
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Today's reading ends with a profound message to the church today.  We have noticed a theme that runs throughout the last few months' readings.  Research and find out everything pagan that is done in the name of the Lord and get rid of it!!!  Cut ties with anything that even resembles the pagan.  

In Ezekiel 16 God compares His relationship to His people as a marriage. God takes care of the woman in the analogy from the time she is an infant providing everything for her until she becomes His bride, yet she commits adultery then turns to prostitution. It applies to Judah and most specifically to Jerusalem and was fulfilled in Ezekiel’s time. It compares the infant in the analogy to the first century church and the falling away of the church today, ultimately leading to comparing the prostitute in the analogy to the false church of the last days.

Ezekiel 16:15-19
"'But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his. You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. Such things should not happen, nor should they ever occur. You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them. And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense before them. Also the food I provided for you-- the fine flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat-- you offered as fragrant incense before them. That is what happened, declares the Sovereign LORD.

The woman has taken all the things that have been lovingly provided for her and turns them into something corrupt.

Ezekiel 16:20 "'And you took your sons and daughters whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols. Was your prostitution not enough?

The question is answered in the following. No, her prostitution was not enough.

Ezekiel 16:33
Every prostitute receives a fee, but you give gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favors.

She was worse than a prostitute receiving a fee. She was bribing her lovers to come to her. This prophetic analogy will be applied later to the apostate and false church actively working against the basic foundations of the Christian faith.  Even today, many churches entice people to come luring them in with everything but the gospel.   This begins the falling away that precedes the Day of the Lord and God's wrath.

However, as always, God gives us this promise.

Ezek 16:63
Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign LORD.'" Praise God, He made atonement for us through Jesus!

But prior to that promise, God declares, "I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth..."
The covenant made "in the days of your youth" reminds us of the early church and the Followers of the Way.  Oh, how far we have strayed from the ways of The Way!

The last verses today contain an admonition to repent, turn away from our offenses, and get a new heart and a new spirit.  And maybe go back to the ways of The Way?

Ezekiel was told that he lived among a rebellious people.  The word rebellious is tied to disobedience.  To be rebellious is intentional defiance, intentional disobedience.  A person can't "accidentally" rebel.

Interesting little twist in the following verse…was Ezekiel speaking of Zedekiah when he says the prince will not see the land of the Chaldeans?

Ezek 12:13
I will spread my net for him, and he will be caught in my snare; I will bring him to Babylonia, the land of the Chaldeans, but he will not see it, and there he will die.

Jer 52:11
Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon, where he put him in prison till the day of his death.

If it was indeed Zedekiah, he certainly didn’t “see” it.  But there is also a literal understanding of what happened to the whole house of Israel.  When the ten tribes were taken into captivity by the Assyrians, they were forced to watch as their homes and properties were being burned.  The enemy did this so that while in captivity the vision remained in their minds that there was nothing for them to return to.  Most of Judah on the other hand did not see the destruction. While they were in captivity in Babylonia, they could remember how the land was before they left and have dreams of returning to the land they knew and loved. 

God reminds His people that prophecies and visions will be fulfilled.  Too often we are complacent in our attitude concerning the last days and fulfillment of those prophecies that are woven throughout the Old Testament.  And yet, "I will fulfill whatever I say, declares the Sovereign Lord."

There is a very potent sentence in the commentary on page 1050. "One of the primary reasons that people have so little confidence in God's proclamations is that many false messages are being preached by those pretending to be men of God."  This is so true today!  People have no confidence in the truth of God's Word today because so many spiritual leaders are preaching only what people want to hear, what makes them feel good.

Ezekiel speaks these words to the people of the land. 

Ezek 13: 5

You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord  

Apply the phrase "breaks in the wall" to today.  If we don't understand the whole scope of God's Word (Old and New Testaments) we will not have a complete understanding of Scripture. We may misunderstand the truth or refuse to learn the truth - especially if it's something we don't want to hear.  This is like having "breaks in the wall".  When we have "breaks in the wall" during a spiritual battle, we may be unable to stand firm.  Ezekiel is telling the people that the false prophets are building flimsy walls to fill in the breaks and covering them with whitewash, making the wall of faith look good but having no real substance. The false prophets are telling the people lies, telling them things they want to hear.  The people wanted to hear that the nation would be at peace and so that is what the false prophets told them.  God says that these prophets will be exposed just as the flimsy walls covered with whitewash will be exposed when the torrents of rain come down.   The reference to “whitewash” has connections in the New Testament as well as today.

Ezek 13:10
"'Because they lead my people astray, saying, "Peace," when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash,

Matt 23:27
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.

God is pretty specific and descriptive in how He feels about whitewash! 

Ezekiel 14 mentions the phrase "sets up idols in his heart".   Not all of our idol worship is visible.

A line in the commentary is this. How many righteous people does it take to save a nation?  Hmmm...this has been a question on our  hearts and minds for several months now.  We have referred many times to the "power of one".  Noah was one.  Daniel was one.  Job was one.  Ultimately it always comes down to the individual.  And as much as we would like for it to happen, just because we WANT our friends, neighbors, family members to be saved, doesn't mean they WILL be.  Today's reading is a great admonition for an evangelistic urgency for each one of us.  So, how many righteous people does it take to save a nation?  Maybe only one - if that one reaches out to others and shares the gospel message.

Ezekiel is given another very significant vision.  This time he is allowed to see the idolatry in the temple.  He was truly incensed. There were many disgraceful and detestable things being done there. Notice God says it gets more and more detestable to Him the closer it gets to the Holy of Holies. The detestable practices were being done by the seventy elders - high ranking religious leaders of the temple. The son of Shaphan was there among them.  Remember Shaphan?  He was the one who read the law to Josiah which started the great spiritual reforms in the nation.

The priests were worshiping the sun.  Tammuz was worshiped as a Phoenician sun god, the husband of Ishtar (from which the name Easter originated)– one of the goddess of fertility and sex. The weeping for Tammuz was for an annual lamentation over his death and later a celebration of his “resurrection”. His death was to typify the long dry summer and his return to life is symbolized in the new life of spring. 

“They put the branch to their nose” is supposed to mean some branch or branches, which they carried in succession in honor of the idol, and with which they covered their faces, or from which they inhaled a pleasant smell, the branches having a strong odor.  This pagan practice came from ancient Babylon, and was devoted to worshiping Baal. To honor Nimrod, a great-grandson of Noah "reborn" as the infant Tammuz, Semiramis (Nimrod’s widow) claimed that a beautiful evergreen tree sprang overnight from a dead tree stump! The ancient Babylonians then began to utilize the evergreen tree during the winter-solstice to celebrate Nimrod reborn as the sun-god! This tradition lived through the centuries, manifesting in ancient Egyptian winter solstice festivals.That the heathens carried branches of trees in their sacred ceremonies is well known  and it is probable that the heathen borrowed those from the use of such branches in the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. (The time of the year when Jesus was actually born!) One commentator said concerning putting "the branch to their nose" that he was reluctant to even soil the paper with writing about the detestable things the people were doing behind the branches.   There are many connections we can make to today from Ezekiel chapters 8-11.

It was because of all of the detestable practices being done in the temple in Jerusalem that the glory of the Lord left the temple.
 

When judgment came upon those who were participating in the pagan practices, some people were spared.  God told the "man clothed in linen" to put a mark "on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things..."  These people were not touched by God's wrath.  How can we apply that to today?  Are there people now who are grieved about all the detestable practices going on in supposedly Christian circles?  

Again God reminds them about conforming to the standards of the nations around them.

Ezek 11:12
And you will know that I am the LORD, for you have not followed my decrees or kept my laws but have conformed to the standards of the nations around you."
The people were building on pagan foundations.  In Ezekiel 11 God promises that He "will give the people an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them".  This promise of blessings from God transcends time and is just as applicable to today if we would destroy the pagan infiltrations, high places and idols, even in our Christian organizations.

God calls us as Believers to be different from the standards of the world. He calls us to be transformed.

Rom 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Ezek 11:23
The glory of the LORD went up from within the city and stopped above the mountain east of it.

The mountain east of Jerusalem is the Mount of Olives. It is here that the glory of the Lord departed and it is at this same place that Jesus will return.
AMEN!  Come Lord Jesus! (Rev 22:20)

Ezekiel…what a prophet! What a vision! Why was he given such a vision?  Why did God reveal in this way?

We found some interesting connections with some of the images Ezekiel saw. It seems that others have seen similar images, namely Moses and John.

Ezek 1:26, 28
26 Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man.

28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Exod 24:9-10
Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself.

Rev 4:2-3
At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.

Ezekiel is given some timely advice, something that is relevant today as well.
Ezek 2:5-7
And whether they listen or fail to listen-- for they are a rebellious house-- they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.

We live in a world figuratively full of briers, thorns, and scorpions. As Believers in Jesus we are as lambs among wolves. Many times we may be called to witness or speak out for Him.  He may call any of us to be His watchmen.  It really shouldn’t matter to us whether or not people listen. The important lesson to learn is obedience to Him. He’ll take care of the rest. 

Why do you think the scroll tasted sweet to Ezekiel? It was full of words of lament, mourning, and woe. Could it be that the scroll is sweet because it's God's Word?  

What strange things God asked Ezekiel to do! But all these things were symbolic of what God was going to do - if they didn't listen.

Whenever there is mention of the sanctuary or the temple, try substituting the church for those words and see if there are connections or similarities.

Again in today's reading is a warning about high places, incense altars, and idols being demolished and destroyed.   God is telling the people that He is grieved by their adulterous hearts.

This phrase comes up again and again and always follows a warning of condemnation, "Then they will know that I am the Lord."
Why not know that He is the Lord BEFORE the consequences and/or condemnation?

In the midst of all the prophecies of God's judgments against Israel and Judah, Jeremiah now turns to prophecies against the enemies of Israel and Judah.  It is obvious that God will not forsake Israel and will "stir up the spirit of a destroyer" against her enemies.  The exiles must have taken great comfort in that even though many of them will never live to see it themselves.

There are references in today's reading concerning gold cups that are prophetic of the banquet recorded in Daniel 5 in which a hand appears and writes on the wall. Also in the reading for today are several references to Babylon being a heap of ruins, sinking to rise no more, and being desolate forever.  This prophecy has in fact come true.  The physical Babylon located just south of Baghdad was destroyed and will be inhabited no more. The word destroyer comes up again and again as well in reference to Babylon. However, the spirit of Babylon will live on until the Lord destroys it forever. (see Rev 14,16,17, and 18)

Jeremiah gives us a glimpse of God's creative powers in chapter 51.
Jeremiah 51:15-16
“He made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding. When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses. 

These verses remind us of a couple of others that are similar concerning God's creativity.  
Proverbs 30:4
Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!
 (Did you get that last line - what is the name of his son????)  Guess the writer of Proverbs knew about the Son of God who came down from heaven!

Isaiah 40:12
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?
The amazing thing is this - the Lord who holds the waters in the hollow of his hand, holds the dust of the earth and weighs the mountains and hills - lives within us.  AMAZING!

Jeremiah 51:51
“We are disgraced, for we have been insulted and shame covers our faces,because foreigners have entered the holy places of the Lord’s house.” 
Application for today:  "Foreigners" are those who are not in the Kingdom of God and who enter and influence churches, Christian organizations, book publishers, etc.

Concerning Babylon, Jeremiah 51 mentions "he will silence her noisy din."
This made us think of the writing, Too BUSY.  Because of all the noise in our world today, we miss the still, small voice of God.  Email if you would like a copy of this writing.

Jer 50:2 mentions the names Bel and Marduk.  These were Babylonian deities, false gods.  Nebuchadnezzar appears to be especially drawn to Marduk because he named his son Evil-Marduk.

Jer 50:5
They will come and bind themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.
This verse made us think how we as Believers have the Holy Spirit to bind us to the Lord in a salvation covenant that is eternal and never-ending.

Jeremiah warns of "an alliance of great nations from the land of the north".  This is a confederation of Medes and Persians who did indeed come against the Babylonians, just as Jeremiah had said.  Babylon is now a large tell.  Gates were found during an excavation that were four stories high and more than 20 feet thick.  They are now in a British museum.  Excavations are no longer allowed.

When Jeremiah tells the future of the captives in Babylon, he mentions that a "search will be made for Israel's guilt, but there will be none."    Isn't that consistent with God's character?  He is so willing to forgive!  Good news for us as Believers in Jesus.  When we stand before the throne on Judgment Day, we have the assurance that all our sins have been atoned for by Jesus.

Jer 50:24
I set a trap for you, O Babylon, and you were caught before you knew it; you were found and captured because you opposed the LORD.

Daniel (in Daniel 5) deciphered the mysterious handwriting on the wall that was foretold by this passage in Jeremiah. King Belshazzar was killed while he and his nobles were having a drunken banquet. They were caught before they knew it, just as Jeremiah had prophesied.

Jeremiah also tells Judah and Israel that the Redeemer will defend their cause.

Jer 50:34
Yet their Redeemer is strong; the LORD Almighty is his name. He will vigorously defend their cause so that he may bring rest (salvation) to their land, but unrest (damnation) to those who live in Babylon.

Indeed, Jesus is strong.  He does vigorously defend our cause.  He most assuredly brings salvation to those of us who believe.   Ponder this today.

Jeremiah 23:14
"And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible:  They commit adultery and live a lie.  They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his wickedness.  They are all like Sodom to me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah."
This verse reminds us of those spiritual leaders who embrace the homosexual agenda.

Jeremiah 23:16-18
This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. They keep saying to those who despise me, ‘The LORD says: You will have peace.’
And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, ‘No harm will come to you.’ But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD to see or to hear his word? Who has listened and heard his word?
Is this happening now? Are pastors preaching prosperity and peace?  Are they giving people the impression that God is nothing more than an "ATM machine"?  Are they filling people with false hope telling the people that they will escape trials and tribulations?

God is saying through the prophet Jeremiah that these false prophets have not taken council from Him. They prophesied in their own power telling the people what they wanted to hear. The book of Jude is filled with words concerning false prophets in his time and on into the future.

Jeremiah 23:28b
...but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully.
This is another confirming verse for Truth Tellers. If we know a truth, we must be faithful in speaking that truth, whether or not anyone listens.

A great lesson to learn from all this is:
Don't take one person's opinion solely. Listen to good council but also read God's Word and let the Holy Spirit teach.

Jeremiah 24 contains this great verse. "I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord."What a great promise. Just as God promised the exiles of Judah, whom He compared to good figs, He wants to give us a heart to know Him. 

We hear verse 11 in Jeremiah 9 quoted often. The only problem is people don’t want to read the verses prior to verse 11 or after verse 11. While God certainly does have plans to prosper us, plans to give us hope and a future, He tells the people of Judah that they will go into captivity (70 years to be exact). Sometimes God sends us places that are uncomfortable and unpleasant. But ultimately they are plans that will prosper us and give us hope and a future, even though we may not see it at the time. I heard someone say once that trouble is a blessing when it makes us stronger. Prosperity is a curse when it takes us away from God. Verse 13 says we need to seek Him. How exactly are we supposed to do that? What does it look like to seek Him?  As we examine the Hebrew word for "seek" we understand that "to seek" Him means that we crave being in His presence.

Jer 29:11-13
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Hananiah (a false prophet) foretells a portion of the truth. He soft pedals and tells Judah that they will only be in captivity for two years, something that the people really wanted to hear! He was trying to soften the blow. God calls this a rebellion against Him. That should tell us something about how God feels about false prophecy and false teaching. Often there is an element of truth. False teachers tell enough of the truth to make it believable and enough lie to make it wrong.

Words of wisdom from Gay Farley again:
When in doubt about a prophet or teacher, whether he is teaching or speaking lies or not, go to the Lord and ask Him?  What a great idea!

In the great deportation, Nebuchadnezzar took the skilled, educated and fighting men leaving only the poor of the land. These who were left worked the land and kept the buildings repaired. 

Words of wisdom from Gay Farley:

The poor who were left in the land had always been told what to do and were followers, not leaders.  They were there only to take care of the land, they weren't making major decisions, they had no one to lead them. 

Under Zedekiah’s reign, the leaders and the priests became more and more unfaithful following the detestable practices of the nations and defiling the temple of the Lord. And yet, our ever faithful God sends them messengers because He has pity on them and on His dwelling place.

2 Tim 2:13
if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

God continues to give us chance, after chance, after chance.

At the end of today's reading is an accurate summary of much of the Old Testament.  God's messengers were despised by God's people, mostly their message was despised.  And in the end, after giving chance, after chance, after chance, God thrust His people from His presence.   How is it with all of us as Believers today.  Are we listening to the message from God's prophets?  His warnings are applicable today.  God continues to give us chance after chance after chance to repent.  As was stated yesterday, restoration follows repentance.

In all the judgments against the enemies of Judah we have this verse.

Jer 48:10
"A curse on him who is lax in doing the LORD's work! A curse on him who keeps his sword from bloodshed!

A curse, you say? Oops. Makes us want to not be lax in doing the Lord’s work, whatever that may be. How are we lax in doing the Lord's work?  Does it have anything to do with not recognizing and using our spiritual gifts?  Or being obedient to God's call - whatever that may be?

However, since this verse in in reference to the judgments against the enemies of Judah, it could mean that God is pronouncing a curse on any Babylonian who does not execute God's wrath against Judah.

Many times in Scripture, the sword is used figuratively for the Word of God. When we use the sword (the Word of God) properly, sins are amputated (ouch), often causing trauma, which can only be relieved by submitting to...the Word of God and His authority.

Heb 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

In chapter 8, Jeremiah relates that the people of Moab have shaved their heads, cut off beards, covered with sackcloth...all the customary signs of repentance. But were they truly repentant or were they just in mourning and depressed about their situation?  Can we make connections to us as believers in Jesus today?  God will not hear us, forgive us, and restore us unless we are humble in our prayers to Him and repentant of our sins.  We must seek His presence with us...then and only then will He heal our land.  With our repentance comes our restoration.

As God pronounces judgment on Moab and Ammon, He ends with saying He will restore their fortunes. What's this about? Didn't they deserve all the judgments? Uh, oh...I sound a bit like Jonah. However, on Edom, He didn't say He would restore their fortunes. Bozrah is mentioned. It was the capital of Edom, homeland of Jacob's twin brother Esau.

Interestingly, Moab, Edom, and Ammon will be places of safety during the wrath of God in the last days.

In the reading today, Jeremiah relates that God weeps over a pagan nation.  If God will weep over a pagan nation, does He not weep also for a Christian nation that doesn't repent?

Did you catch the qualifications for the young men chosen to enter the king’s service in the first part of the book of Daniel? Daniel and his friends had some pretty impressive credentials, young men without physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of leaning, well informed, quick to serve, and qualified to serve in the king's palace (most likely this referred to castration - most of the time those who served the king were castrated to protect the harem). And as if these weren’t enough, God gave them some additional abilities, knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and all kinds of learning.

Concerning the royal food - Daniel didn't just refuse to eat the rich food, he said, let me prove to you that the vegetables and water will be much better for us. Notice that the test of the food lasted for 10 days and God blessed Daniel and his friends by making them 10 times better than all the others who were in the king's service.

Daniel found himself in a very precarious position.  The king ordered the execution of all the wise men in the kingdom.  Daniel sought out his friends and urged them to plead for mercy from God.  When these prayers were answered, Daniel praised God for the answered prayers. There are times when we forget to give Him the praise for our answered prayers.

When Daniel was taken to the king to interpret the dream, he goes with a very humble attitude and is quick to give God the glory for the interpretation.  Love the verse that God is a "revealer of mysteries".

This dream has such profound and significant meaning. The destruction of the statue in the dream is representative of the destruction of the earth when Jesus (the rock) returns. This dream is a perfect example of what will happen in the last days and into the Millennium.

Dan 2:35b
The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.
This verse ties in beautifully with the following.

Isa 11:9
They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
After the destruction will be the Millennial Kingdom. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord just as the rock became a huge mountain.

Dan 2:44
"In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.

Once the Millennium starts, it will continue on into the eternal kingdom.  While the earth may not be filled with the knowledge of the Lord in our lifetime, our lives can be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.  After all, God is a "revealer of mysteries".

God directed Jeremiah to write down all the words of warning He had spoken to the nation of Judah.  Then God said, "Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, each of them will turn from his wicked way; then I will forgive their wickedness and their sin."
This is a very clear directive that it is a matter for each individual to repent.  Only when individuals repent will there be forgiveness for the nation.

When the scribe Baruch read the scroll that he had dictated from Jeremiah, the people responded with repentance and fasting. The officials however were afraid of what the king might say and reported the reading of the scroll to him.

Of course what followed was the burning of the scroll because there were words there that the king  didn't want to know about. Ever feel that way sometimes? Some words of Scripture that we just don't want to be reminded of? Seems as if some words of Scripture are so convicting that we want to delete them or simply not read them.

The burning of the scrolls is symbolic of destroying the truth of God's Word.  How often is that done today?  Destruction can be done with a match or a tongue.

As we looked holistically at the writing for today, it seemed that the burning of the scroll was the "last straw" for God. The people had consistently disobeyed Him and refused to listen to the prophet Jeremiah and then the king ordered the burning of the scroll. It made us think about what our "last straw" as a nation, as a church, as individuals will be. Think about all the things we tolerate. Just which of these will be the "last straw"?

Then poor Baruch, he had to redo the tedious writing of the scroll. Ever think about service to the Lord as being tedious?

What if Baruch hadn't rewritten the scroll? Look what we would have missed!

Jeremiah 25 contains this verse, "Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them; do not provoke me to anger with what your hands have made." Then, concerning what your hands have made, he says this, "...you have brought harm to yourselves."
These verses started us thinking...what do our hands make now that provoke God to anger and bring harm to ourselves? Our list got quite lengthy. How about you? Can you come up with some examples?

Also some very thought-provoking reading concerning the Recabites. These people were also known as Kenites, descendants of Jethro, father-in-law of Moses. They faithfully obeyed the commands of their forefathers. They did not drink wine, build houses, or plant crops. In other words, they were nomads. God used them as an example to Judah. These people obeyed the words of an ancestor, a human being. The people of Judah wouldn't obey God. This lesson is all about obedience.  Obedience is rewarded. Additional lessons we learned:
1. Don't put too much value on pleasurable things (wine)
2. Don't put too much value on earthly possessions (houses)
3. Don't put too much value on what to eat or drink (planting crops)

Jeremiah 25 lists the punishment for spiritual leaders.  Not a pretty picture!

Jeremiah 25 CUP OF GOD'S WRATH
The wrath of God is not a very popular topic. We hear a lot about His love but not His hate, His grace, but not His wrath. To fully understand His love and grace we must understand His hate and wrath. God hates the sin with as much intensity as He loves the sinner. Because the wrath of God is seldom taught, this phrase may sound strange to many.

In Jeremiah 25 listed under the heading JUDGMENT AGAINST NATIONS we are told of the severity of God's punishment.  This is a multi-layered prophecy, locally and literally fulfilled for the people then.  It will be fulfilled in our future during the Day of the Lord.  Also is listed punishment for the spiritual leaders.
"The peaceful meadows will be laid waste because of the fierce anger of the Lord."
Spiritually speaking, many spiritual leaders today are at peace with the world but not at peace with the Lord.

During the last days the believers will be protected from the wrath of God. Paul explained this to the church in Thessalonica.

II Thessalonians 1:9b-10
They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead-- Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

The believers will have no reason to fear the wrath of God because they are saved. We hear that word a lot…saved. What does it mean exactly? We are saved from what? We are saved from the wrath of God. Jesus saved us from the wrath of God. That is why we as believers have no fear of the CUP OF GOD'S WRATH.

Habakkuk 1:4

The wicked hem in the righteous so that justice is perverted. 

These words seem so current. 

Habakkuk 1:13a

Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. 

This verse has often been quoted to explain that God turned His back on Jesus at the cross, that God could not look at evil.  But that word "look", " (Hebrew word, "raah") means "to have respect for or approve".  Of course God does not approve of evil, but we cannot use this verse to say that God abandoned Jesus at the cross.

Several verses in the first chapter of Habakkuk mentions sacrificing to the net, burning incense to the dragnet.  These are words that refer to a person who loves his job and all the things he can buy so much that he has made his job his god.  This is an example of an idol that we can worship. An idol, for us today, does not take the form of a carved image as the prophets wrote about.

I had written a side note in the reading for today beside the verse, "Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by crime!". I wrote these words - "Las Vegas - we were here on August 5, 2000". And who says God doesn't have a sense of humor?

Habakkuk 3 contains this verse, "God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran."We were intrigued with these two places and did some research. Teman is a place were the Edomites were found. Mount Paran is also listed in Deu. 33:2, so we went there. Quite interesting what we found.

And he said: Jehovah came from Sinai and rose up from Seir to them. He shone forth from Mount Paran, and He came with ten thousands of saints. From His right went a fiery law for them.

Of course we've read that before, but obviously it didn't sink in. When God delivered the commandments to Moses, He was accompanied by ten thousand angels. There is also a reference to this in Acts 7:53. You are the people who received Moses' Teachings, which were put into effect by angels. But you haven't obeyed those teachings." Hmmm...

A line from the Chronological Bible commentary is … “evil, wherever it is found, always bears within it the seeds of its own destruction.”

In reading the book of Habakkuk one thing comes through loud and clear. God allows some terrible things to happen to fulfill his purposes. But He continually gives humanity a choice. How are we to choose if there is only good and no evil from which to choose?

The process of winemaking illustrates the point. A vintner will pour the juice of crushed grapes into a clean container. According to his recipe he will add a certain amount of sugar to the grape juice. If nothing else is added to the recipe there will be no wine. It will eventually be only vinegar. In order for the grape juice to make wine, another element must be added to the recipe and that element is yeast. Yeast is an agitating force in the making of wine just as evil is an agitating force in the human  condition. The vintner separates the dregs from the good wine at the end of the winemaking process. Our struggles between good and evil on the earth are nothing more than the fermentation of the plan of redemption. Whether we live in a condition of eternal death or eternal life depends on how we react to the yeast that God puts into our lives.

God gives us the choice. What will we choose? Kind of takes us back to the reference in Acts7:53  about obeying God's teaching.

Habakkuk ends with a note of warning but also of hope.
Habakkuk 3:17-18
Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
Literally, a fulfillment for the nation of Judah and what people will experience in the Day of the Lord.  Spiritually speaking, no matter how impoverished we may be physically, our hope is in the spiritual.  We can take joy in the God of our salvation!

Jeremiah warned about a physical battle specifically against the army of Egypt at that time. But his words also apply to the spiritual battle for us. How can we apply the following Scripture to our lives today?

Jer 46:3-5
"Prepare your shields, both large and small, and march out for battle! Harness the horses, mount the steeds! Take your positions with helmets on! Polish your spears, put on your armor! What do I see? They are terrified, they are retreating, their warriors are defeated. They flee in haste without looking back, and there is terror on every side," declares the LORD.

Paul tells us about this spiritual battle in Ephesians 6. (Eph 6:11-17) Paul calls the shield a shield of faith. According to Jeremiah 46 we prepare our shield of faith.

Jeremiah tells us to put our helmets on. Paul calls it the helmet of salvation. Without salvation through Jesus people are defenseless in the spiritual battles.

Jeremiah tells us to polish (that word means sharpen) our spears. Our spears according to Paul are our swords, the Word of God. If we polish our spears, we hone our knowledge of God’s Word.  We do that through study of His Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Jeremiah and Paul tell us to put on our armor and take up our positions and stand firm. Look what happens. Our enemy will flee. He is, after all, already defeated.

The people in Jeremiah’s day were told to be physically prepared and armed. Many times they didn’t even have to fight. Our struggle, as stated by Paul, is not against the physical flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Put on the full armor of God and maintain a firm stand.

We asked this question in the notes last year. Why on earth did Josiah march out to meet the king of Egypt in battle? Was it because he didn't believe what Neco, king of Egypt said about God's plans? Neco told Josiah that God was with him, Neco, and that God would destroy Josiah, which is exactly what happened.  Now, we know the answer.
2 Chronicles 34:28b
"Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here."

God cut Josiah's days short so that he wouldn't witness the disaster that followed.

Interestingly, it was the priests and prophets who wanted to kill Jeremiah.  The officials and people wanted to save him. Jeremiah stood his ground and was protected.  Contrast Jeremiah's actions and the actions of another prophet, Uriah (Jeremiah 26:20-23) who fled to Egypt when the king sought to put him to death.  The king's officials brought him back from Egypt and had him killed.  Lesson to learn?  Truth-tellers should not run away from God's plans.

We’ve been thinking quite a bit lately about the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah. Their prophecies were fulfilled many years after they were made. Why? Why were the prophecies not fulfilled sooner? Could it be because some of the people really did listen and heed the warnings of the prophets? Did God delay the captivity? Did He withhold His hand of discipline because some of the people listened and obeyed? Jeremiah 22 tells us that righteous acts are the results of having a close relationship with the Lord.

We’ve also been thinking about the power of one person in bringing about a change in attitude. What if one powerful spiritual leader were to take to heart the words in Psalm 18 or the words in 2 Chronicles 7 or the words of the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah?

Another thought, could an ordinary person also bring about a change in attitude in an entire nation or in the world? You know God has a way of taking the ordinary and turning it into the extraordinary. How about joining with us to pray for our powerful spiritual leaders that they would truly take to heart the words of Scripture and take a stand for Him? Let’s also pray for each other, that we each may take to heart the words of Scripture…who knows what might happen! We may just change the world!

Ps 81:10-14
I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. "But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices. "If my people would but listen to me, if Israelwould follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!

When the Hebrew people came out of Egypt, they were told to go in and take the land. All they had to do was figuratively “open wide” their mouth and God would “fill it”.

But the people didn’t listen so what happened? God “gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices”. But if only they would listen, God promised to “subdue their enemies”.

2 Chr 7:14
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

This is a verse that has been quoted often lately. Keep in mind that it is the people who are “called by my name” that need to humble themselves, seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways. It doesn’t say that we are supposed to pray that the other guys must turn from their wicked ways.  Also, when we look at the Hebrew meanings of these words: name, humble, pray, seek, and turn of this verse, substituting the Hebrew meanings for each of these words, here is what we get:

2Ch 7:14 

If we, who bear the family name and characteristics of God, take responsibility for the family reputation, will allow ourselves to be subdued, brought into subjection to God’s will and character, will allow ourselves to feel humiliated and ashamed of our sins in the presence of Almighty God; if we offer devout, anguished and earnest petition to God; if we crave being in His entire presence, basking in His glory; and if we will turn our backs on our sins and completely destroy our sinful way of life;

Only then are we ready to receive what God has promised us He will do. 

Takes on a whole new meaning doesn’t it???

If you would like a copy of the entire writing entitled "If My People...Humble, Pray, Seek, and Turn", email and we will send you a copy.

Jeremiah’s preaching must have had some effect. Six years earlier Josiah had purged the land of the idols and altars surrounding Jerusalem. In today’s reading we read about him beginning to purge the temple. 

What a refreshing concept is recorded in the following verse concerning the workers at the temple.
II Ki 22:7
But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are acting faithfully."

Mention is made of the "entire remnant of Israel". At this time, most of the people in Israel (not Judah) have either been killed by the Assyrians or taken into captivity.  Only the remnant remains, but it is a godly remnant. 

Can’t you hear the excitement in the voice of Hilkiah when he found the Book of the Law!
II Ki 22:8
Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the LORD." He gave it to Shaphan, who read it.

Apparently the words spoke volumes to Josiah because look what happened next. He had the law read to the people, and then the covenant was renewed. Sounds like a modern day re-dedication of lives to Jesus, a spiritual revival.

Notice the Asherah worship was inside the temple. Josiah also got rid of the mediums and spiritists. Does this tell us how God feels about those things?  Another thing Josiah did was to tear down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes which were inside the temple.  Were these male prostitutes there for the priests?

Mention is made numerously in Scripture of "burning incense" to other gods. Contrast this to the prayers of the faithful going up to God as sweet-smelling incense. 

Psalm 141:2
May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

 Revelation 5:8
And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

We are also told in today's reading that the Ark was in Josiah's possession.

There is great confirmation in today's reading of the "power of one" that we have spoken of so many times. Josiah heard the Book of the Law, humbled himself, and repented, then God withheld His hand of judgment.  The king was not only a political leader but a spiritual leader as well.  Today we look to pastors and other spiritual leaders to set the standard. 

When Josiah renewed the covenant between God and the people, he had the people pledge themselves to the covenant of living within the laws of God.  What might happen today if pastors and spiritual leaders encouraged the people to study the Bible?

What a great Passover celebration ordered by Josiah! He did things the way God said to do things. Unlike all the other kings before him who obviously did NOT do things the way God said to do them, not even David or Solomon. Isn't it much easier to do things God's way, the first time?

Even though Jeremiah at times feels betrayed by God, he still offers us these words:
Jeremiah 20:9
But if I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.The younger (and wiser) of Job's friends thinks in a similar way.
Job 32:18-20
For I am full of words,and the spirit within me compels me; inside I am like bottled-up wine, like new wineskins ready to burst. I must speak and find relief;I must open my lips and reply.  
Paul also had similar thoughts.
1 Timothy 4:6
If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. 
Which takes us right back to this:
Jeremiah 5:1
“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city. 

Just another reminder of the "power of one".

The commentary in today's reading includes this.  "The Sabbath has been honored mostly in the breach for many years and God now wants it to be observed".  They acknowledged that the Sabbath was there but they did nothing about it.  They didn't follow the requirement of the law.  Observing the Sabbath includes the Feast and Festival Days as well as the seventh day of the week.  One way of honoring and observing the Sabbath day today is to take time to stop, slow down, and remember what Jesus has done for us.  For one thing, “The sorrows for the appointed feasts I will remove from you; they are a burden and a reproach to you.  Zephaniah 3:18.  We no longer have the need for sacrifices.  Jesus took care of that.  This is what we need to remember and observe during the God-ordained Holy Days (feast and festivals).

Jer 18:2-4
"Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message." So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

Jeremiah’s message from the potter was a bit different from Phil’s message. The message Phil received was; No matter how marred you are, how useless and inadequate you may feel- or even how blind you are – God shapes what you are into a shape that is pleasing to Him.

As we read Jeremiah 18 - Lesson of the Potter - we thought how the lesson applied to us today in the U.S. There are consequences for our actions as a country. There are consequences for our actions as a church, the body of Christ. But there are also consequences for us as individuals within that country and church. "So turn from your evil ways, each ONE of you, and reform your ways and your actions."

This goes right along with 2 Chronicles 7:14 and the many lessons we have learned from that verse.  God continually reminds the people if they will repent, then He will listen and not inflict the disaster He had planned. If the people then and now would only do what God asked them to do they would be blessed and not cursed.

Jer 20:9
But if I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name," his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.
If God’s Word is in our heart like a fire, we should not be able to hold it in. 

Jeremiah again in today’s reading feels self pity and betrayal, even curses the day he was born, and yet he praises God. The people of Jeremiah's day conspired against him saying, "...let's attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says."

Jeremiah obeyed God no matter what the people were doing to him or saying about him. He continued to warn the people of what was about to happen. Good example for us wouldn’t you say?