Category: Devotions

4,600 TAKEN!

Jeremiah 52:

4,600 who had seen their homes and city broken and their worship centre vandalised.
It need not have happened but it did.
V17-23 is the inventory of what was stolen. Everything that summarised their past blessings from God, taken.
Make a list: what has satan stolen from you?
They were taken from a land that they had possessed for nearly 860 years.
There is no weeping, that remains for the next book in the Bible. It is just the detail.
A gathered people became a scattered one.
They took the land by faith.
They lost it by idolatry.
They wanted to be like other nations.
They wanted to be anyone other than who God had created.
So they lost it all.
He gives and takes away.

The words of Jeremiah end here.

We made it bar one chapter which is a summary of the fall of Jerusalem added not by Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 51.
So looking back what is Jeremiah’s prophecy? What is the main message? Does it have anything to say to us today?
The last few chapters of the messages to the nations tells us simply:
The enemy is no match for God.
God is victor and will crush the enemy of our life, whether that be satan, the world or our flesh.
Everyday the spirit of Babylon and the other nations permeate our cultures. But Gods man and woman can walk through those influences without being influenced. We can stand in faith holding on to God who sustains us in all things.
Tomorrow is our day of victory. Today we live in the light of that victory.

How the mighty fall!

Jeremiah 50

Babylon had proven friendly to Jeremiah but even to our friends we need to bring Gods word. Babylon will be captured.
That last sentence seemed impossible. Babylon ruled the world at that time.
When an enemy rules your world it’s impossible to think things will ever change. But shame and terror will come to Babylon is the prophecy. A prophecy that was fulfilled.
No matter what it looks like. You may be trapped, held captive by an ‘enemy’, but you will see that stronghold taken away.
Even if the reason the enemy has a hold on you is because you sinned in some way, it matters not, God loves you, He will judge those who trap His people.

Jeremiah 49

Valley of fruitfulness, of rich and productive land, v4
Safety from the clefts of the rock, of the heights of achievement, v16
Walls of safety, of impenetrable strength, v27
Herds of camels and numerous flocks, of material wealth, v29
The strength of bow and arrow, of physical and gifted ability, v35
Why do we pursue such?
Why do we hold such with high regard?
We roll out the red carpet, we invite to our world stages, we cheer, we admire and we copy.
Why?
When concerning all these God says it is just not worth it!

Jeremiah 48

The nation as you know it, gone. V2
Valleys, plateaus, towns, gone. V8-9
The young and valiant, gone. V14-15
The mighty and the glorious, gone. V17
The strength, gone. V25
Pride, arrogance, haughtiness, boasts, insolence, gone. V29-30
Joy and gladness, gone. V33
Worship of false gods, gone. V35
Wealth, gone. V36
Can you imagine it?
Now imagine also the ridicule of God’s people, gone. V27
The treatment of God’s people as thieves, gone.
The scorning of God’s people, gone.
But do not feel content.
Instead imitate God and learn how to cry for such nations. V31-32.

Jeremiah 47

Continuing the message from the last chapter.
Can you see what God sees?
V2 “See”
Prophets of doom are never popular and the Church likes to be popular.
“Turn or Burn” street preachers destroy the Church’s powerful and effective alternative street evangelism, so we don’t want them either!
Passing judgment is wrong and warning of such is not politically correct so we have a gospel with no judgment,
Good news (the gospel) in an environment of no bad news is just news.
The truth is:
A nation can be destroyed by another nation.
Its people can enter the state of national mourning.
Fathers can be disabled from helping and protecting their children.
It can go wrong.
It has happened. It happens. It could happen to your nation.
To see this is not attractive Christianity.
But if it is to be seen, can you see it?
If you can see it, what will you do?

Jeremiah 46

So begins a few chapters of pronounced judgment on the nations and though it doesn’t look fun reading it does reveal truth about God and what are the important principles we should hold to as we live in similar God-forsaken nations:-
Nations can look powerful, v3-4
They can rise with confidence and boasts, v7-9
They can have a myriad of back-up plans, v11
But it is not what man sees that is important ..
“What do I see?” says God
The day always belongs to the Lord, v10
It is a day of vengeance and a day of sacrifice.
Defiance surrounded the cross of Christ. Arrogance was even hanging next to Him and all Hell flexed its powerful muscles.
But the day belonged to the Lord. It was a day of vengeance, a day of sacrifice.
And so … today, this day wherever you may be, surrounded by rising arrogance and self-confidence, remember the day belongs to the Lord who says:
“What do I see?”

Jeremiah 45

To the Baruchs of this life.
To those who serve God.
To those who’s frontline is sacrificial.
To those who cry in secret.
To those in sorrow and pain.
To those tired from life’s journey.
Resist the temptation of self-improvement.
Do not seek what others seek.
But hold on to your Saviour who will forever continuously, unconditionally save you.

Jeremiah 44

Being a people of God but worshipping other gods is bad enough, v5.
Worse still was their defiance that to do so carried greater benefits, a message which said to turn your back on God brings a happier life, v17.
But the final straw was the fact that all the people went to Egypt. No one was left behind (43:4).
The remnant of Judah was a sign to other nations that God had not finished with them. Though it looked impossible, they could become somebody again. But now Judah is deserted because the people told God He would not do what He was more than capable of doing.
Never close the door on what God can do because He may well do it without you.
And so God ended their choices and told them it was over, He passed judgment on them, v11.
Except (and beautifully so) for the touches of His grace, which can easily be missed.
V14 None will return … except a few fugitives
V28 Those who escape … will be very few.
And with the fugitive and the escapee He would begin again. And with us who have made so many wrong turns in life, beaten, bruised and needing a Saviour … He will begin again.

Jeremiah 43

Long-suffering and patient. This is Jeremiah.
Do you know someone who easily flies off the handle?
It may not be going the way they want it to and so they tip up the board game, they storm off, slamming the door etc.
We all know people like that.
But this is not the description that can be given to Jeremiah.
In an incredible picture of commitment we see Jeremiah refusing to give up on these people.
V7-8 Having rejected God’s word to stay, all the people enter Egypt against God’s will as far as Tahpanhes .. “In Tahpanhes the word of the Lord came to … Jeremiah.”
The sign of long-suffering is:
1. Love for the people
2. Willingness to go where you would not go by choice in order to be with the people and be a spokesperson for God
3. The availability to keep on seeking God for people.