March 31-April 2, 2010

In the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, he took Jehoiachin prisoner. As the Lord had said beforehand, Nebuchadnezzar carried away all the treasures from the Lord’s Temple and the royal palace. He stripped away all the gold objects that King Solomon of Israel had placed in the Temple. King Nebuchadnezzar took all of Jerusalem captive, including all the commanders and the best of the soldiers, craftsmen, and artisans - 10,000 in all. Only the poorest people were left in the land. II Kings 24:12c-14

Just like the people of Jerusalem, our time is short this week. For Jehoiachin and many of the leading citizens of the city, their time has run out! One would think that the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s words would open the people’s eyes and hearts, but unfortunately, they live up to God’s description of them - hardhearted and stubborn! After Jehoiachin is taken to Babylon, his brother Zedekiah swears an oath of allegiance to King Nebuchadnezzar and takes the throne. We quickly discover how double-minded King Zedekiah is. He refuses to believe the prophetic words spoken by Jeremiah, even though he has seen them come to pass. And yet when he rebels against King Nebuchadnezzar after he had taken an oath in the name of YHWH that he would be faithful to Babylon, he calls Jeremiah in give him God‘s words concerning Egypt‘s plans for attack. As much as we would like to think it strange, don’t we see the same heart in people today? How often do friends or family members who have lived their lives in rebellion to God’s Word and His ways call us when they are in dire circumstances? And like Zedekiah, rarely are they ready to embrace God’s ways and change. They just want relief from the pressure and misery that engulfs them. Jeremiah continues. Kings may come and go, but Jeremiah’s message stays the same - “Your time has run out and the end is in sight!”

Jeremiah’s imprisonment resulting from the false accusation that he was defecting to Babylon is a truly intriguing story. Just when it would seem that things couldn’t get much worse, those who would like to see him dead are give free license by the king to carry out their plan. It is interesting to see who comes to Jeremiah’s rescue. It’s easy to just read this part and not consider the man Ebed-Melech. You may want to slow your pace and familiarize yourselves with this unsung hero.

Zedekiah’s secret meeting with Jeremiah reveals much about a hardened heart. Zedekiah wants to know what God is saying, but when he hears it, his fears of his own imagination are greater than the words of Jeremiah. No matter how many times Jeremiah tells him that it will go well with him if he obeys God’s words, Zedekiah can’t bring himself to trust God. The change demanded of him is more than he is willing to pay, and so he will hold on to what is! And in doing so, he will lose everything!!!

While Jeremiah is busy prophesying to the king in Jerusalem, Ezekiel is hearing God’s call in the land of captivity. When you are in dire circumstances, it calls for drastic measures, and God makes certain that Ezekiel has a good grasp on Who it is that is calling him into service. Moses may have encountered the Burning Bush in the wilderness, but Ezekiel meets the All-Consuming Fire by the River Kebar. Through Ezekiel’s vision, we are given a glimpse of the Throne Room of God. Beings that existed long before man stand ready to do his bidding. Cherubim with four faces, four wings, and an untold number of eyes are described in detail. But even the words used are mind boggling. So often people want to understand “heaven,” and yet struggle to comprehend Ezekiel’s description of the presence of God in the heavenlies. Ezekiel struggles to even find the words to paint the picture of what his eyes have beheld. Continually he uses the phrase “was like.” He grasps for the closest thing he can to describe his heavenly encounter.

We quickly learn that Ezekiel is instructed in the same speaking methods of Jeremiah - the illustrated message! When you read what these men must do to bring God’s message, you can only marvel at their obedience. Their lives were COMPLETELY given to bring forth God’s word! What powerful examples for us today as we continue to walk in a world that refuses to hear God’s voice. May our eyes and ears and hearts be open to be obedient to display God’s word through our everyday lives!!!

March Reading Schedule

Hi folks,

I've been told that some of you do not have the schedule for most of March. I have most of the schedule with me, but not the first few days. I'm sure you can break down the reading for the one week I don't have. Just start from where you left off February and read to page 1044 ending at the title heading "Jeremiah's Shattered Jar.

I've talked with the girls in the office and we are going to post the schedule for the rest of the year in the very near future. We are sorry for all the mix-up and inconvenience. Thank you for your persistence. May God bless you richly for doing so.

MARCH

DAY DATE PAGE #'s UP TO BUT NOT INCLUDING

Mon 1

Tues 2

Wed 3

Thur 4

Fri 5 Jeremiah’s Shattered Jar

Sat 6

Sun 7

Mon 8 1044 - 1048 Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

Tues 9 1044 - 1052 Jeremiah Speaks at the Temple

Wed 10 1052 - 1056 Judgment for Disobedience

Thur 11 1059 - 1059 The Coming Destruction

Fri 12 1059 - 1062 Read to the end of page

Sat 13

Sun 14

Mon 15 1063 - 1066 A Prayer for Healing

Tues 16 1066 - 1069 Read to the end of page

Wed 17 1070 - 1074 A Message About Ammon

Thur 18 1074 - 1077 Read to the end of page

Fri 19 1078 - 1081 False Prophecies and False Prophets

Sat 20

Sun 21

Mon 22 1081 - 1084 Promise of Deliverance

Tue 23 1084 - 1087 Rachel’s Sadness Turns to Joy

Wed 24 1087 - 1090 Babylon’s Sure Fall

Thur 25 1090 - 1095 A Hymn of Praise to the Lord

Fri 26 1095 - 1098 Babylon’s Complete Destruction

Sat 27

Sun 28

Mon 29 No Reading

Tue 30 No Reading

Wed 31 1098 - 1102 Zedekiah Questions Jeremiah

2nd Quarter Reading Schedule 2010

APRIL

DAY DATE PAGE #'s READ UP TO BUT NOT INCLUDING

Thur 1 1102 - 1106 A Sign of the Coming Siege

Fri 2 1106 - 1109 A Sign of the Coming Judgment

Sat 3

Sun 4

Mon 5 1109 - 1113 Idolatry in the Temple

Tue 6 1113 - 1116 Hope for Exiled Israel

Wed 7 1116 - 1119 The Certainty of the Lord’s Judgment

Thur 8 1119 - 1123 A Story of Two Eagles

Fri 9 1123 - 1126 A Funeral Song for Israel’s Kings

Sat 10

Sun 11

Mon 12 1126 - 1129 Judgment against the Negev

Tue 13 1129 - 1132 Read to the end of page

Wed 14 1133 - 1136 The Sign of the Cooking Pot

Thur 15 1136 - 1139 Freedom for Hebrew Slaves

Fri 16 1139 - 1143 Jeremiah’s Land Purchase

Sat 17

Sun 18

Mon 19 1143 - 1147 Ezekiel’s Message for Tyre

Tue 20 1147 - 1150 A Message for Tyre’s King

Wed 21 1150 - 1153 Read to end of page

Thur 22 1154 - 1156 Sorrow in Jerusalem

Fri 23 1156 - 1159 God’s Anger at Sin

Sat 24

Sun 25

Mon 26 1159 - 1162 Hope in the Lord’s Faithfulness

Tue 27 1162 - 1165 God’s Anger Satisfied

Wed 28 1165 - 1169 Edom’s Judgment Announced

Thur 29 1169 - 1172 The Murder of Gedaliah

Fri 30 1172 - 1176 Ezekiel’s Record of Jerusalem’s Fall

MAY

DAY DATE PAGE #'s READ UP TO BUT NOT INCLUDING

Sat 1

Sun 2

Mon 3 1176 - 1179 Restoration for Israel

Tue 4 1179 - 1183 The Slaughter of Gog’s Armies

Wed 5 1183 - 1188 Ezekiel as Israel’s Watchman

Thur 6 1188 - 1192 Aaron’s Descendants

Fri 7 1192 - 1195 The Family of Saul

Sat 8

Sun 9

Mon 10 1195 - 1198 The East Gateway

Tue 11 1198 - 1202 Rooms for the Priest

Wed 12 1202 - 1206 Division of the Land

Thur 13 1206 - 1210 Boundaries for the Land

Fri 14 1210 - 1212 A Sad Day for Egypt

Sat 15

Sun 16

Mon 17 1212 - 1215 Read to the end of page

Tue 18 1216 - 1219 Daniel in the Lion’s Den

Wed 19 1219 - 1222 Read to the end of page

Thur 20 1223 - 1226 The Altar is Rebuilt

Fri 21 1226 - 1228 Read to the end of page

Sat 22

Sun 23

Mon 24 1229 - 1232 The New Temple’s Splendor

Tue 25 1232 - 1235 Cleansing for the High Priest

Wed 26 1235 - 1239 Darius Approves the Rebuilding

Thur 27 1239 - 1243 Zion’s Coming King

Fri 28 1243 - 1246 Future Deliverance for Jerusalem

Sat 29

Sun 30

Mon 31 No Reading

June

DAY DATE PAGE #'s READ UP TO BUT NOT INCLUDING

Tue 1 1146 - 1249 Queen Vashti Deposed

Wed 2 1249 - 1253 Esther’s Request to the King

Thur 3 1253 - 1257 The Victory of the Jews

Fri 4 1257 - 1261 Ezra Praises the Lord

Sat 5

Sun 6

Mon 7 1261 - 1265 Those Guilty of Intermarriage

Tue 8 1265 - 1268 Rebuilding the Wall of Jerusalem

Wed 9 1268 - 1271 Continued Opposition to Rebuilding

Thur 10 1271 - 1275 Ezra Reads the Law

Fri 11 1275 - 1279 The People Agree to Obey

Sat 12

Sun 13

Mon 14 1279 - 1281 A History of the Priests and Levites

Tue 15 1281 - 1284 Dedication of Jerusalem’s Wall

Wed 16 1284 - 1288 The Prophecy of Malachi

Thur 17 1288 - 1291 The Coming Day of Judgment

Fri 18 1291 - 1295 The Lord’s Promise of Restoration

Sat 19

Sun 20

Mon 21 1295 - 1298 The Beginning of the Good News

Tue 22 1298 - 1302 The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

Wed 23 1302 - 1305 The Birth of Jesus the Messiah

Thur 24 1305 - 1308 The Escape to Egypt

Fri 25 1308 - 1311 The Temptation of Jesus

Sat 26

Sun 27

Mon 28 1311 - 1314 Read to the end of page

Tue 29 1315 - 1318 Many Samaritans Believe

Wed 30 1318 - 1322 Jesus Teaches by the Sea

March 22-26, 2010

“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Write down for the record everything I have said to you, Jeremiah. For the time is coming when I will restore the fortunes of my people of Israel and Judah. I will bring them home to this land that I gave to their ancestors, and they will possess it again. I, the Lord have spoken!” Jeremiah 30:2-3

In this day of blogs and journals, to hear God tell Jeremiah to write His words down for the record is quite encouraging. God’s journal is far more meaningful than our normal entries of thoughts and emotions. His journal was to be an official record. God told Jeremiah to write His words in a “book” (Hebrew - “sefer") The root of the Hebrew word is “safar” which means to “count” or “recount.” To recount something is to transfer the information you’ve already been given and pass it on. The Israelites were quite familiar with God’s command to instruct their children by reciting His words. God’s instruction to Jeremiah to write the words for a record so that they could be accurately recounted to the next generation spoke of the surety of His word. His word would come to pass - they could count on it!!! They were not just words of want; they were positive statements of fact, filled with anticipation and promise of their fulfillment!

Our journey this week continues to take us through the familiar territory of God’s promises to deal with the nations He uses to punish Judah and Jerusalem. God says that Babylon is the “ax and sword” in His hand, but the day of their reckoning will come. Although the heavenly Wielder of the these implements of destruction uses them with a heart to correct His children, the ax and the sword have no thought or regard for those on which they inflict the pain. They feel no more remorse than the weapon of a warrior feels for its target. In calling Babylon the ax and the sword God defines them as heartless and cruel.

On Monday we find that an age-old problem that existed in the time of Jeremiah continues to be a difficulty in the church world today. “Thus saith the LORD,” was attached to prophecies to lend credibility to the words of prophets. But unfortunately, the words of the prophets were often spoken from their own desires and dreams. Is it any wonder that Paul the apostle warns us that prophecies are to be carefully judged? Unfortunately, in Jeremiah’s time it was difficult to find someone who would not give sanction to the false prophecies that were spoken. The people wanted to hear the things that tickled their ears. Jeremiah’s prophecies spoke of God’s wrath and His discipline. These are not messages that are readily received by people who want life to go their own way without consequences!

God used every method possible to deliver His word to Jeremiah. He spoke to his heart in a still small voice, He spoke in dreams, He spoke in visions. God spoke with pictures of the heart and mind, as well as visual images that would indelibly fix God’s word in his heart and mind. And God had Jeremiah deliver His message through many mediums. Today we have radio, television, newspapers, and public speeches. Although Jeremiah didn’t have today’s means of electronic communication, nonetheless, he spoke through many of the same methods. Jeremiah was familiar with all facets of communication; drama, the spoken word, and the written page. He was commanded to write public statements to those in captivity, political forecasts and reprimands for those who remained in the land. He placed priests’ names in the obituary column who hadn’t even died yet. His world news section accurately declared the events to come. His words were not relegated to a religious page. Kings and leaders alike subscribed to his front-page stories. Jeremiah often found that there were those who opposed his freedom of speech, even if his words were a direct quotes from God Himself!!! But in spite of the opposition, God protected Jeremiah’s and told him to keep on writing.

On Wednesday we read a very interesting comment:

A cry is heard in Ramah - deep anguish and bitter weeping. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted - for her children are gone. Jeremiah 31:15

We read this quote hundreds of years later when King Herod is informed of the newborn king Jesus and determines to kill Him before He can reach the throne. Through this amazing statement, we discover that prophecy can be interpreted on several levels. As much as the word was for the people in the time of Jeremiah, it was also a prophetic word for the future. The prophetic word clearly speaks of Judah’s coming pain and exile. As true as those words were for the people of Jeremiah’s time, how great was the pain of Jewish mothers whose infants were taken from their arms and executed for not reason, and the 2,000 year exile of the Jews after their rejection of the Messiah.

But let’s consider those words a bit more carefully. Notice that it is Rachel who weeps for her children, not Leah. And look where Rachel weeps - she weeps in Ramah! I could just tell you why I find this so intriguing, but I think it may be good exercise for you to ponder it for a while. Where is Ramah? Why do we hear Rachel weeping there? Who were Rachel’s children? What is so significant about this interesting weaving of circumstances? I am sure if you meditate on these facts, you will find that God is quite creative and clever and His statement quite profound. Hopefully, some of you will take time to post your ponderings on our blog site or Facebook page.

Another statement that is easily read without fully grasping the significance of it is found in Jeremiah 31:21b-22:

Return, O virgin of Israel, return to these your cities. How long will you go here and there, O faithless daughter?

What do you find perplexing about this statement? Who is Jeremiah talking to and what did God say their sin was? Hopefully you have been paying attention to all that we’ve been reading! And what is “her” condition when “she” returns? I trust we will not miss the promised miracle that is shown in these words.

On Friday we hear God’s word to the captives. As God’s discipline is at work in their lives, He directs them to keep their focus on home - Jerusalem! No matter what is happening around them, whether it is prosperity in their captivity or destruction, they are to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.” They were not to focus on the land as a whole, but on Jerusalem - the place of God’s government!!! May we take time to consider God’s words and seek to understand their significance. What an amazing journey we are on. May you be blessed as we continue to walk this path together.

March 15-19, 2010

But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Jeremiah 18:4

Once again this week, much of our journey is guided by Jeremiah, the weeping prophet. What a colorful spokesman he was. God’s message through Jeremiah was not only through spoken word, but with vivid dramatization. On Monday we find Jeremiah buying a new loincloth and wearing it for days on end without washing it. What interests me about these illustrative lessons is that they were often played out for an audience of one. Who was there at the Euphrates when Jeremiah hid it in the crevice of the rock? Who was there when he dug it up again and God gave him the message to take to the people? The graphic illustration was to indelibly etch God’s concepts in the heart and the mind of His prophet. The pictures God painted for Jeremiah were worth far more than a thousand words! Like a photo album of the heart, God was filling Jeremiah’s pages with unforgettable images that would make his words more potent.

As we continue our week with Jeremiah, we begin to discover that this is not an aged prophet, but a young man with hopes and dreams like any other young man. On Tuesday we hear God tell him that he is not to marry or have children because of what is about to happen to the nation. If you’ve ever had to die to the dreams of your heart, you can imagine the pain this instruction brought to Jeremiah. But God knew the pain he would endure if he had a wife and children would be far greater.

In the midst of Jeremiah’s anguish over the rejection of his people and the unfair treatment he has received, he cries out for God to be with him and take note of all he has gone through. No matter how difficult God’s word was, he ate them and they became the delight of his heart. In this discourse between God and Jeremiah, we hear the heart of a man who is worn and weary from the pain of rejection and abuse from those who should be able to hear and understand. He struggles with the desire to be free from it all.

Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me as a man of strife and a man of contention to all the land? (Jeremiah 15:10)

But take note that God does not allow Jeremiah to wallow in his self-pity. In one beautiful statement, God reminds Jeremiah where he can find the strength to continue.

Therefore, thus says the Lord, “If you return, then I will restore you - Before Me you will stand; and if you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman. They for their part may turn to you, but as for your, you must not turn to them. (Jeremiah 15:19)

When the pain inflicted by others seems too great to bear, God tells Jeremiah that he must always turn to God if he wants to continue to be His spokesman. Only there will he find the healing and strength to carry on. The comfort Jeremiah sought would not be found in the remorse of those who had wounded him. He may never hear the words, “We are sorry Jeremiah. Please forgive our stupidity and insensitivity,” but God would save and deliver him. How many times did Jeremiah have to go to God for His healing power to restore him enough to carry on? I am sure there were far more instances than are recorded in the pages of the Book! But one thing we know for certain is that God was faithful to him. Listen to Jeremiah’s declaration.

O Lord, my strength and my stronghold, and my refuge in the day of distress, to You the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, “Our fathers have inherited nothing but falsehood, futility and things of no profit.” (Jeremiah 16:19)

In Jeremiah’s distress, he found the same place of refuge that David found when he was fleeing Saul. The Lord is my strength and my stronghold, and my refuge in the day of distress!!! When you are certain that you truly have God’s approval, then you have the strength to endure people’s rejection! But Jeremiah was also well aware that it is easy for us to deceive ourselves and justify our thoughts and actions. We are reminded that he was constantly confronted with the priests and prophets who were convinced that they were right and Jeremiah was wrong. Therefore he reminds himself that the heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick, and God reminds him that He will search the heart and test the mind. If I truly want to see my heart and motives, God is ready to test and try me for the sake of my own revelation. Obviously He already knows them!

On Wednesday we take a trip down to the potter’s house for another illustrated sermon. What a graphic message of the sovereignty of God! It is the voice of stupidity that questions God’s right to do the things He does. All that is in existence is His creation and He alone has rightful ownership. He has the right to change His mind, to scrap all that He had been previously doing and start again if He chooses.

We also are introduced to the Rechabites who serve as a beautiful example of a people who are true to the commands of their father. Who were the Rechabites? The Rechabites were descendants of the Kenites. A part of the Kenites had joined themselves to the Israelites when they were delivered from Egypt. I’d encourage you to find out who their famous ancestor was during that time. It is quite an eye-opener and worth the search. There is also a famous woman mentioned in the time of the judges who was also from the Kenites. The information you glean will shed more light on why God used the Kenites in this powerful illustration.

On Thursday we hear God speak to the surrounding nations. The axe is about to fall and they will not escape God’s judgment. To some, God says He will tear them down, but then will restore them to their land again. To others, God says that their destruction will be total and eternal.

On Friday we see the end of Jehoiakim’s reign as he is taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar. And on Friday we meet his brother Jehoiachin. He is only eighteen years old when he takes the throne and his reign only lasts two months. It is easy to see why he would have no heirs as yet and his line would be totally cut off from the throne of David. Jeremiah’s prophetic word during his short reign seems to take on greater intensity. The time is short and Jeremiah staggers at the sight of the total destruction that looms on the horizon. God’s patience has run out and the time of His retribution is at hand!

This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel says: Even now, if you quit your evil ways, I will let you say in your own land. But don’t be fooled by those who promise you safety simply because the Lord’s Temple is here. They chant, The Lord’s Temple is here! The Lord’s Temple is here! Jeremiah 7:3-4

This week we continue our walk with Jeremiah. We continue to feel the heaviness of the message he carries. All his words and warnings fall on deaf ears. People don’t want to hear that judgment is coming. They would rather believe a lie and bask in false security than to accept that God is preparing to send judgment.

On Monday, we hear Jeremiah’s words of frustration. “God, you tricked me!” is his complaint. Jeremiah wrestles with the same thing Job faced. He has followed God as completely and wholeheartedly as he is able, and yet things have not gone well. Rejection and a difficulties have been his plight. How many Christians today are under the wrong assumption that total obedience to God assures a life of pleasure and success? But like Job, Jeremiah knows that, in the end, God will take care of him. He is well aware that he is safer following God with the difficulties he incurs, than to walk with the world and suffer the fate they will face.

This week we see the first siege of Nebuchadnezzar and although he is victorious over Jerusalem and takes many captives, he doesn’t totally abolish all Jewish rule. In this first defeat of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar strips Judah of those things it took pride it - Temple treasures, its wealth and its most prestigious and promising young people. For those who have previously walked with us in our Through the Bible Journey, we meet up once again with four of Judah’s finest specimens. Strong, healthy, good-looking and gifted! I’m sure if Babylonian women hung picture calendars on their walls, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah would be the feature models of the first four months! For them to be in the position they are in, they would have to have been of noble and royal descent. When we first meet up with them, they are spoken of as “young men.” Although this term usually denotes a very young boy, it can also refer to a male in his teens. Their good looks, attitude and wisdom would set them apart from the numbers of boys and teens that had been rounded up and taken to Babylon. But we quickly see that these boys had more than outward appeal. Their relationship with God is even more admirable than their physical attributes. They truly were the whole package and powerful examples to the youth and teens of today!

As they are standing firm in the face of adversity while in captivity, Jeremiah continues to face his adversities amongst the people who are left in Judah and Jerusalem. Obviously their defeat has not convinced them that Jeremiah’s prophecies of the total collapse of the nation are true. False prophets who believe God would never send such atrocities continue to preach false security. On Wednesday one of our section headings reads “Jeremiah Weeps for Sinful Judah,” but if we take a closer look, we will discover that the broken heart described in these verses is actually the heart of God.

My grief is beyond healing; my heart is broken. Listen to the weeping of My people; it can be heard all across the land.” Has the Lord abandoned Jerusalem?” the people ask. “Is her King no longer there?” “Why have they provoked My anger with their carved idols and their worthless foreign gods? Says the Lord. (Jeremiah 8:18-19)

It is difficult to imagine the pain with which Jeremiah penned those words. There is a song sung in the church world today that says, “Break my heart with what breaks Yours. Everything I have for Your kingdom’s cause.” I honestly wonder if many who vocalize those words have any idea what they are asking for! Jeremiah understood the reality of God’s heart beating within his. What pain!!! What agony!!! Like a parent who is about to see their child run over by a car, Jeremiah cries out to warn his people of their doom. You can hear the desperation in Jeremiah’s voice as he continues to plead with the people to hear the voice of God in the words he speaks. In spite of all the pain, Jeremiah stands firm in his convictions, knowing that God is righteous and fair and that there is nothing else to do, but follow Him! May we continue to be encouraged by the tenacity of these men and boys who lived their lives following God not matter what the price.