Jeremiah 7-9
Jeremiah 7
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
God's gonna have Jeremiah lay the smack down on the people of Judah!
2 Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD.
God had Jeremiah stand at the entry to the temple. That's an awful odd place to go to tell people that they are doing wrong, you'd think.
What does that REALLY mean?
It means the people were still going to the temple. All of them. They did their bad things Sunday to Friday, then on Sabbath, they still went to the temple. They left, and they went home and prayed to their other Gods. All of them. The did go to "church" but they did it because they had to. Not because they wanted to. God does love being worshiped, however, He doesn't like having to share that love. He wants it all.
4 Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.
The people figured God would forgive them. They figured as long as they went to the temple, they'd be ok.
How many "modern christians" are the same? Are you a Jeremiah 7 christian? Do you do your bad things, and then think God will forgive you just because you went to church on Sunday? If you are a whore Monday through Saturday; you are still a whore on Sunday, you are probably just in nicer clothes. God knows a whore when he sees one. God doesn't just want Sunday christians, God wants Sunday to Sunday, 24/7, 7 Days a week, 365 Days a year (+1 on leap years). Can you give 24/7/365?
7 Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.
If you can give 24/7/365, God will reward you.
9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;
Honestly, it's not like he's asking for a lot. Just don't steal, murder, commit adultery, and definitely don't worship other gods!!!
11 Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.
God doesn't want his house filled with whores. Are you a whore in church?
12 But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.
Remember, in Joshua 18:1, the temple was set up in Shiloh. Shiloh was basically the Jerusalem of the northern kingdom. God allowed that place to be destroyed, he'll allow Jerusalem to be destroyed too.
15 And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim.
God was making a point, that he destroyed Israel (north) and wasn't afraid to wipe the rest of his people out too.
30 For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it.
King Ahaz allowed other altars into the Temple (he started his reign in 735; Jeremiah was prophesying in 627) God was still angry about Ahaz.
31 And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.
Ahaz also sacrificed his children (2 Chronicles 28). God was mighty pissed about that.
34 Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.
God is willing to let the place be destroyed. Not just willing, he's a doing kind of god.
Jeremiah 8
1 At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:
After the living are taken away, the enemy will go through and upset all the dead. They might be after treasure, or they might just be doing that to add insult to injury.
3 And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.
The few remnants will prefer death to how crappy their lives will be after they are conquered.
7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.
Animals know, and love the LORD; why don't God's people?
10 Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
Having your wife taken is an insult to you, and theft of your property. That vagina is yours; and nobody else. When someone steals it from you, you know that God hates you.
12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
All homosexuals who commit abominations should be ashamed. But they aren't! They like it!
22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
Genesis 37:25 mentions a balm from Gilead. It's probably very healing.
The speaker in Poe's "The Raven" also wondered if there was Balm in Gilead. He didn't get any either.
Jeremiah 9
1 Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
For the next couple of verses, our all-knowing, can see into the future, knows what we're thinking, makes everything happen; God, wishes that He had picked someone other than Israel.
7 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?
Remember, Isaiah 48:10, God said he would refine the people with the furnace of affliction. Here, he's offering to melt them like they are silver.
9 Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
God will be avenged. He has no choice. He has been wronged.
11 And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.
Judah will be just like the northern kingdom.
13 And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;
They brought it on themselves.
16 I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them.
They deserve it.
23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
Nobody will be able to enjoy that which they are. The only thing people will be able to enjoy is God's glory.
24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
Lovingkindness.
Judgment.
Righteousness.
LOVINGKINDNESS!
25 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised;
The next verse... after we learn about God's lovingkindness, is that he is going to punish all!
So what have we learned today?
1. God's lovingkindness consists of burning you in a furnace.
2. Are you a Jeremiah 7 christian? Is God for you whenever you feel like putting on your church clothes?
3. God really hated Ahaz.
YIC
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