117 - The Weeping Prophet

Jeremiah 1-5

We have looked at bits and pieces of the Book of Isaiah and now we will have a look at the Book of Jeremiah, which is the second of the major prophets. 

The following dates are approximations only.

• Isaiah's time of ministry was 735-709 BCE
• Jeremiah's time of ministry was 605-535 BCE
• Ezekiel's time of ministry was 593-545 BCE
• Daniel's time of ministry was 605-536 BCE

We are told exactly when Jeremiah started and when he finished preaching in Judah. From the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, king of Judah, (chronologically this fits into 2 Kings 22), until the exiling of Jerusalem to Babylon.  Jeremiah 1:2-3; see also 2 Kings 25.

Destruction Is Coming

Jeremiah was a priest, a native of Anathoth, in the tribe of Benjamin. He was called to the prophetic office when very young, about seventy years after the death of Isaiah, and exercised it for about forty years with great faithfulness, till the sins of the Jewish nation came to their full measure and destruction followed.  At the time of his calling, Jeremiah said, Alas, Lord Jehovah! Behold, I do not know to speak; for I am a boy. Jeremiah 1:6.

Jehovah asked: Jeremiah, what do you see? And I said, I see a rod, a dry stick, of an almond tree. 1:11.  Matthew Henry suggests that this stick represents chastisement.   In place of that phrase the Targum has, and I said, a king hastening to do evil I see.  That is, to say the least, an interesting variation.

The second time, The Lord asked, What do you see? And I said, I see a boiling pot; and its face is from the face of the north. And Jehovah said to me, Out of the north, Babylon, an evil will be set loose on all the inhabitants of the land of Judah. 1:13-14.  The cauldron was seething and it was about to boil over into Jerusalem; it did in 606 BCE when Babylon captured Judah.

Again the Lord spoke, Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, So says Jehovah, I remember you, the kindness of your youth, the love of your betrothals, when you went after Me in the wilderness. 2:2.  What injustice have your fathers found in Me, that they have gone far from Me. 2:5

Now, look at my people, the North Americans, they have forsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters, to hew out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.  

This statement can be seen from several viewpoints: 

1. They have forsaken the path of righteousness and are living for pleasure and moral depravity, 

2. They are still living the religious life but their religion is dead.  Examples of this are: 

• the Pharisees with whom Christ had to deal; 
• The Roman Catholic church without any living waters; simply dead routine.
• most of the long-established religions which grew out of the Reformation, they have no vitality;  Even though they will make a show of being religious, their religion won't be real. 2 Ti 3:5 Contemporary English Version. 
• or the newly developed churches which have a lot of artificial hype but very little down to earth love for Jehovah.    

Some say that there are two Gods in the Bible; the God of the Old Testament, who is mean and judgmental, and the God of the New Testament, who is forgiving.  

Those who believe that, are admitting that they have ignored the books of prophecy in the Old Testament.  For example, in Jeremiah chapter 3 alone, five times Jehovah uses words such as, But you play the harlot (in the spiritual realm) with many lovers; yet come back to Me. 3:1,  after she had done all these things, I said, Turn to Me! 3:7,  Return, O backsliding Israel, ... and I will not cause My anger to fall on you; for I am merciful, says Jehovah, and I will not keep anger forever. 3:12.

Jehovah Yearns For Restitution

Jehovah's heart is bleeding for those nations which were His, but have turned their back on Him.  He wants them to repent, but they refuse.  He says, Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have sinned against Jehovah your God. 3:13,  Then Turn, O backsliding sons, ... for I am married to you; Jehovah loves his people as a good husband loves his wife. 3:22.   Return, O backsliding sons, and I will heal your backslidings. 3:14.

When an issue arises, in our courthouses, we are quick to say, "all we want is justice".  We demand that from our judges.  Why then would we expect less than that from Jehovah, who is a just God?  If nations do not call on Him for forgiveness and change their lifestyle, justice demands punishment.  

When Jehovah punishes, He does not play games; He says, lest My fury come forth like fire, and burn so that none can put it out; because of the evil of your doings. 4:4.   In Judah's case, in 606 BCE, that fire came from Babylon.  Will North America's destruction also come from the same part of the world?

This topic can be summed up in the words from the Book of Jeremiah: And it will be, when you shall say, Why does Jehovah our God do all these things to us? Then You shall answer them, Just as you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve strangers in a land that is not yours. 5:19.

116. The Proper Way to Fast

Isaiah 55-58

Come To Christ and Live

In chapters 52+53 we studied the idea that Christ is the redeemer who died for the sinful human race. Isaiah continues that thought by inviting sinners to accept Jehovah's gift of redemption: Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat. 55:1.

Jehovah keeps calling the prodigal people to repent of their sins, to change their wicked lifestyle, and if they do, He is always willing to forgive the past.   Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Jehovah, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. Seek Jehovah while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. 55:7+6. 

Christ said, But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14

Very importantly, this salvation, procured by Christ, is not only for the Jews.  So says Jehovah to those who take hold of My covenant; even to them will I give within My house and within My walls a hand and a name better than of sons and of daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off; 

It is also for all other ethnic groups - the sons of the stranger, who join themselves to Jehovah to serve Him, and to love the name of Jehovah, to be His servants. 56:5-6.

Your Life Is A Sham

In this context, the context of a new life in Christ, the first instruction given is, Keep judgment and do justice. 56:1.

Isaiah also lashes out against those who are guilty of idolatry.  

The Europeans and the Americans (North and South) are so very, very guilty of this sin. This idolatry includes crucifixes hanging on the walls of homes and church buildings; or the cross hanging from the neck; this so-called Christians do in spite of the fact that the second commandment very clearly says, You shall not make to yourselves any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow yourself down to them. Exodus 20:4-5.

When we visited Japan we saw idols in every home we entered; it is part of their religious background. Perhaps "their God" did not forbid it. But how did that practice ever get so prevalent among Christians?  This is another area in which the church, over the centuries, has gone contrary to biblical teaching.

Far too many parents are so busy worshipping the "almighty dollar" and the pleasures it can buy that they could honestly be accused of killing the little sons. 57:5.  Certainly, they do not murder them physically, but they kill them psychologically; the children are deprived of the chance of growing up knowing what a loving home is.  That is idolatry to the god of pleasure on the part of the parents.

In the next scene Isaiah comes down really hard on his listeners; 

Mockingly he speaks of them as being very religious. 

• You seek Me daily, and delight to know My ways, in your superfluous daily devotions.
• You pretend that you are a nation that did righteousness, and one who did not forget the ordinance of their God.  You speak as though you follow what the Bible teaches.
• They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in drawing near to God, on Sunday mornings in church they pretend they want to hear what the Bible teaches.
• You say, Why have we fasted, and You, Lord, do not see?
• Why have we afflicted our soul, and You take no knowledge?  Lord, You don't even notice when we "pretend" to be in deep emotional prayer.
  

Jehovah answers:

• Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and crush all your laborers. So, you fast and pray, but still, you crush your workers psychologically.
• Behold, you fast for strife and debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness. You fast to boost your superego so that you feel more holy, and then you think it is alright to argue with or even physically fight others or maybe even abuse women.
• You shall not fast as you do today, to make your voice to be heard on high, it is all a sham and I detest it.

Jehovah continues,  Is it such a fast that I have chosen?
  
Is not this the fast that I have chosen?  This is how to fast:

• To loose the bands of wickedness, help young people take the right path before they get into drugs or join wicked gangs.
• to undo the heavy burdens, help some neighbour, or even a stranger carry a heavy load.
• to let the oppressed ones go free, and that you break every yoke? Help set those free who are bound by unhealthy and dangerous habits; help them break their yoke.
• break your bread to the hungry, share what you have with the needy.
• you should bring home the wandering poor?  Could you maybe share your home with some homeless person?  Maybe help sponsor an immigrant?
• When will you see, the naked and cover him; will it ever happen, that you will share your clothing with the destitute?
• and when will you ... not hide yourself from your own flesh? Your children and grandchildren need financial help to finish their education and you act like you don't even know them.
  
  When you change your lifestyle Then shall your light break out as the dawn, and your health shall spring out quickly; and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of Jehovah shall gather you. Then you shall call, and Jehovah shall answer. 58:2-9.  

What a blessed promise that is!

115 - The Rejected Redeemer

Isaiah 53

Isaiah 53 very clearly shows us the place that Christ had in the redemption of humankind. Because Jehovah demands justice, the sins of humanity demanded restitution, and living a good life just does not cut it!  Without the shedding of blood there is no remission. Hebrews 9:22.

The sins that cause us grief are the sins that He carried to the cross in His own body; Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; In the sorrows that life flings at us, we may find the peace of God which passes all understanding ... through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

yet we esteemed (reckoned) Him stricken; We, the Jews who were standing on Mount Calvary that day, believed that Christ was smitten of God, and afflicted by God, because of the things He had said and done.  

We believed that God was merely handing out the punishment that Christ deserved for the sins He had committed.  But, we were so wrong; He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was on Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5.  It was for our sins that He was being punished!

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, each one to his own way; 53:6.  For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23.   There is none righteous, no not one. Romans 3:10. 

Where do some people get off believing that they are so good that they will stand on their own merits in the presence of Jehovah?  Do they not see the need for an arbitrator between themselves and Jehovah?  Jehovah has laid on Him, Christ, the iniquity of us all. 53:6.  We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 1 John 2:8.

For He was cut off out of the land of the living; He was murdered!  For the transgression of My people He was stricken. 53:8.  Every history book tells us that mankind is loaded down with transgressions.  Sins are found in tax reports; in business reports; in politicians promises; in preachers sermons; in the confessional; in the college of cardinals.  

Whether the Roman Catholics want to believe it, or not, even the pope is a sinner.  Where there are people - there are transgressions.  Where there are transgressions there is a need for a redeemer; someone who will pay the required price for freedom.  Jesus Christ is that someone!

Men appointed his grave with the wicked. Darby's Translation.  The Jews had two cemeteries; one for regular people and one for criminals.  Because Christ died as a criminal, between two other criminals, the leaders had designated a grave in the criminal's cemetery for Christ. 
  

with a rich one in His death; However, as it happened, When the evening had come, a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, came. Matthew 27:57.  This man went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down and wrapped it in linen. And he laid it in a tomb that had been cut in the stone. Luke 23:52-53.  And so, contrary to expectations, Christ was buried with the rich rather than with thieves.  He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth; Christ was not a troublemaker, and He was honest. 53:9  

Yet it pleased Jehovah to crush Him; to grieve Him; that He should put forth His soul as a guilt-offering.  His pleasure was not in seeing His son in agony.   However, Jehovah, looking past Calvary, could see that redemption for humanity would be possible because Christ put forth His soul as a guilt-offering. 

1. He shall see His seed - that refers to the Church of Christ, those who do believe that Jesus is their Saviour, and live accordingly.

2. He shall prolong His days, and the will of Jehovah shall prosper in His hand.  He is now seated at the right hand of Jehovah and He had earlier said: My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work. John 4:34.

3. He shall see the fruit of the travail of His soul. He shall be fully satisfied.  The agony on the cross was horrendous but He can look back at it now and be fully satisfied.

4. By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify ... many; and He shall bear their iniquities. Christ did not only redeem people while he was on the cross: that work is not finished yet, He is still in the process of justifying people.

5. Therefore I will divide to Him with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong;

To sum up this topic the author repeats, in condensed form, the things he has just written.  

• He has poured out His soul to death;
•  and He was counted among the transgressors; 
• and He bore the sin of many, 
• and made intercession for transgressors. Isa 53:10-12.