July 20, 2020
Jeremiah 3
And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. (verse 15)
LET IT GLOW
Is there a situation that you don't understand what is going on? Do you wonder what is happening, why it is happening? There are answers available to us. We need to seek the right source, though.
Second Message:
It is sad to read about the apostasy of Israel and then Judah. First, it was backsliding Israel who worshiped idols on the high places like the pagans. God sent them prophets with a message of repentance, showing His grace and love was available, but they refused to turn back to worshiping only God. Then Judah followed in her sister's steps, only pretending to repent, which was not with her whole heart. They only complied outwardly, not with a change of the whole heart. Only one northern king, Jehoahaz, sought the Lord, but only under Syrian oppression. On the other hand, Judah became lukewarm spiritually as they wanted both God and Baal on their side. This is one of the greatest sins against Christ, found in Revelation 3. Judah was more guilty of sin because they had greater privileges, such as divinely ordained kings, priests, the Temple of captive Israel.
Israel became captive in Assyria.
[Resource: Liberty Bible Commentary]
In verses 14-15, there is a promise of regathering to the Lord and to the land. It will be only a small remnant, one from a city and two of a family, but they will come back to Jerusalem again. This happened after 70 years of captivity in Babylon. Israel became united as one nation again, obeying the Lord. The Lord gave them pastors (shepherds) after God's own heart. They would guide the people with knowledge and understanding.
Ann Voskamp wrote these beautiful words:
Morning encounter with my King who is my everything, who understands everything & is carrying everything. And, in the middle of everything, like Jonathan Edwards said: God is a communicative being. There is nothing like knowing that the Communicative God wants to communicate with you. The One who spoke you into being is a Communicative Being who longs to keep speaking to you. How is God inviting you from your holy experience in His Word, in presenting prayer-to participate with Him in His holy work in the world? God communicates to us that we might participate with Him.
You know, we can listen to years of messages under a pastor, show up for Sunday School, sing praises to the Lord, and yet have a heart that is as hard as a rock. How we need to protect our heart. How are our hearts doing with listening to our God? Do we have knowledge of God and understanding? Are we praying for our pastor to have the knowledge of God and understanding?
Do we pray for God-honoring leaders in our nations, communities, and churches-those who will be good examples and bring us God's wisdom?
We are asking that you be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:9-10)
LET IT GROW
What are some things Jeremiah writes about Judah and we can apply to our life today?
* God longs to welcome back His wayward people. (verse 19)
* He repeats His invitation to repentance. (verse 22)
* The weeping and begging for mercy in Israel is pictured. (verse 21) However, this would not
happen in the days of Jeremiah.
* The salvation of Israel is only in the LORD our God. (verse 23)
[The Tony Evans Bible Commentary]
Acts 4:12 tells us, Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Peter was referring to Jesus Christ.
Dear friend, do you know Jesus as your Savior? When we believe in our heart that Jesus died to provide salvation and forgiveness of our sins, then ask Him to forgive us of our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness.
LET IT GO
There is nothing our God can't do.
If we need wisdom, just ask Him.
When we need to understand our situation, ask God to show us from His perspective.
When we sin, simply ask forgiveness for that sin.
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