Jeremiah 38-40; Psalm 74, 79 It finally happened: Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians, just as Jeremiah said.  What thanks did he get for proclaiming the truth?  He was lowered down into a cistern, squashed in the mud.  Then he was again put in prison for daring to speak out against King Zephaniah.  But he never gave up, and he lived to see his prophesies come true. A close examination of this story of the Babylonian takeover of Jerusalem shows that God provided a way out for his people if they would only listen to him.  All they had to do … Continue reading A way out

Jeremiah 35-37 The written word is powerful.  This truth is revealed through these chapters of Jeremiah in a story that I confess is new to me! After the people of Israel continued to ignore the Lord’s messages and kept going their own, idolatrous ways, the Lord told Jeremiah to write all his prophesies down on a scroll.  Somehow seeing something in print and hearing something that has been written is powerful.  How much more powerful it is when it comes from the author of words Himself! Jeremiah enlisted the help of Baruch.  As Jeremiah dictated, Baruch wrote on the scroll … Continue reading Finding a way through

Jeremiah 32-34 In my mind’s eye I can see and feel the terror of the people of Judah as the king of Babylon kept them under siege.  Land outside the walls was being captured and burned.  Destruction of property was everywhere to be seen. And yet the Lord used that time of chaos to show his people that this hard road would one day end.  There was a light at the end of that tunnel, he promised them. I’ve noticed that the Lord often had Jeremiah do object lessons for the people in order to help them understand a concept. … Continue reading Object Lessons

Jeremiah 30-31 Hope for the future is set out in these chapters.  The message the Lord gave Jeremiah went from one of woe and destruction to one of hope for those who turn back to the Lord. Jeremiah dreamed some of the message, and he wrote that his sleep was sweet.  No wonder!  His sleep until this time was filled with destruction!  How refreshing it must have been to hear of a brand new covenant promised from the Lord…a covenant that we know was fulfilled in Christ: “33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people … Continue reading A new covenant