Afterwards, however

Afterwards, however, it will be inhabited as in the days of old," declares the LORD. Jer 46.26

Thats comforting. This whole chapter was about the downfall and destruction of Egypt. One soldier tripping over another, and mercenaries fleeing. Strong men running like cowards, and cities burned to the ground. And then this one little sentence.

How wonderful to know that God will restore. This is something I needed to hear now. I haven't done my devotional reading for over a month, and haven't really prayed in longer than that. But I know that God will restore me too.

Quite often I don't feel worthy of returning to God after spending time away from Him like this. But Watchman Nee pointed out that I need to analyze this feeling a little more deeply. Worthy? I am not worthy to come before God in the first place. By stating that I feel unworthy now, it implies I was worthy before. I come to God now on the same basis I did before: grace by the Blood shed for me.

I can pray today, not because I prayed yesterday, but because Jesus is worthy. I can read my bible and expect to hear God's Voice because Jesus is worthy, not because I have been faithful in coming into His presence each day.

Like the armies and cities of Egypt, my life may appear to be in ruins. Afterwards, however, it will be as of old. Praise God.

Booty

Jer 45:1 {T{his} {is} the message which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written down these words in a book at Jeremiah's dictation, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying:
Jer 45:2 "Thus says the LORD the God of Israel to you, O Baruch:
Jer 45:3 'You said, "Ah, woe is me! For the LORD has added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my groaning and have found no rest.'"
Jer 45:4 "Thus you are to say to him, 'Thus says the LORD, "Behold, what I have built I am about to tear down, and what I have planted I am about to uproot, that is, the whole land."
Jer 45:5 'But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek {them;} for behold, I am going to bring disaster on all flesh,' declares the LORD, 'but I will give your life to you as booty in all the places where you may go.' "

Oh my. Thats an eye openner isn't it. In a culture where "the one with the most toys wins," God speaks of tearing down and uprooting. But He does it with authority. He's tearing down what He built, which just happens to be everything. God is uprooting what He planted, which also happens to be everything.

Everything? Yup. Everything. Even America. Now, I'm not a doomsayer, prophesying that the end is near. I have no idea whats coming down for us. But America was built by God. For that matter, so was Iraq, Iran, China and Sudan. All authority comes from God, even those who deny God, like North Korea. Our greatness is not our own. It comes from God's hand.

Its that last verse that really got my attention: "I will give your life to you as booty." Whoa! What about all my toys? They were on loan from God in the first place. Okay, I know that. Everything in the earth is the Lords. Sure, my 'things' come from God. But my life? Yup. That comes from God also. My life is not my own. If God so chooses, my life is over. The life in me came from Him in the first place. My breath is on loan. This is a shocking thing to learn, again.

Stupid Vows

Jer 44:25 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, as follows: 'As for you and your wives, you have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled {it} with your hands, saying, "We will certainly perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her." Go ahead and confirm your vows, and certainly perform your vows!'

Wow. This chapter is kind of spooky. "We will do want we have always done, because it has always worked for us," said the people. "Go ahead," said God. "But I will still bring my curses upon you."
Sounds like America to me. "We will do as we have done in the past. Look where it has gotten us." Most people seem to forget it was God who got us here, not our own efforts. Well, I guess its only fair. If we fufil our vows, so should God. But His vows consist mostly of curses for those who turn away from God. For the most part, people worship themselves now, instead of other gods. Well, its still not true worship of the only God. And there are still curses to come. Read the Book.
Fulfil your vows, but expect God to do the same.

A Sad Story

Jer 43:5 But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces took the entire remnant of Judah who had returned from all the nations to which they had been driven away, in order to reside in the land of Judah--
Jer 43:6 the men, the women, the children, the king's daughters and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, together with Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the son of Neriah--
Jer 43:7 and they entered the land of Egypt (for they did not obey the voice of the LORD) and went in as far as Tahpanhes.

This is kind of sad, if you ask me. There was a Remnant, just as God had promised. After the Babylonians left, there was a vacuum in Israel, and these people came Home. Driven out by circumstances, now was their chance. Maybe it was the Babylonians, or the Assyrians, who forced them to leave in the first place. Maybe it was debt, or famine, or family problems of some sort, and they went elsewhere seeking relief from the pressures. But now was their chance. Home, Israel.
But when they show up, the governor is murdered, and things start to go downhill. Jeremiah has prophesied our blessings. Stay here and God will bless us. Living in the shadow of fear, I said. But its still home. But these arrogant men, as Jeremiah labels them, have their own ideas. They don't want to live in the shadow. They want to get away, just as the Remnant had done. Find peace somewhere. So they disobeyed God. His people should be living in His land, but they fled, believing that they know best.
I was going to say it wasn't deliberate disobedience. They thought they were doing best, despite what Jeremiah said. They just didn't believe Jeremiah spoke for God. But afte everything that had happened, how could they not believe in the Divine Authority of his words. God was speaking through him. But they wanted to hear something other than what Jeremiah had to say.
They didn't want to stay here. This land was a mess. Everything taken. Lets go somewhere with better prospects. A land of peace. A place strong enough to defy the Babylonians and ensure peace and prosperity.
Only it didn't work. And everyone who had finally gone home, come back to Israel, these people were forced to leave. To flee to Egypt to suffer even more under the Babylonians. This is what I find sad.

Living in Fear

Jer 42:10 'If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will build you up and not tear you down, and I will plant you and not uproot you; for I will relent concerning the calamity that I have inflicted on you.
Jer 42:11 'Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you are {now} fearing; do not be afraid of him,' declares the LORD, 'for I am with you to save you and deliver you from his hand.
Jer 42:12 'I will also show you compassion, so that he will have compassion on you and restore you to your own soil.

This is a hard thing to hear. God promises blessings, if we stay in the land of promise. But if we flee to 'Egypt' to get away from our problems, our problems will overtake us. So, the blessings will come only when we continue to live in the shadow of fear, in the shadow of the king of Babylon.

He won't touch us though. God's compassion will be poured out through him instead. Its a hard thing to hear. Even harder to follow and live.

It makes sense, I guess. It is the weak things of the earth that God uses. So, living on the edge of disaster, or what I think of as failure, may be where God wants me, because it is here that His greatness can be seen. Sure, put me in a class room, and my greatness will shine. Out here on the edges of everything, there is only God. This is where He can show Himself to be great.

I guess I'm in the right place after all.

Life, the Universe, and Everything

And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters Have you ever felt like this? I sure have. The first part of the verse, I mean. I feel like that all the time. Like my life is a waste, an empty void. Without meaning or purpose.
I went to college with a goal in mind. That was 15 years ago, and I still haven't attained that goal. (I've pretty much given up on it, to tell the truth. I know God can still pull it off if He wants. But I'm not sure anymore that it was His plan in the first place.)
I used my training in different churches, up until here. This church is too big to need me. Besides, I have two children, and my time seems to disappear into a black hole. (Although that may be my addiction to the computer, and not them.)
Ten years working in libraries, and its the same story. The libraries here just aren't hiring, and don't really need anybody else.
Whats a guy to do? Everything I have done or planned up to this point just doesn't seem to apply to my future. Darkness, void and waste. The state of things at the Beginning.
Hmmm, the Beginning. Not "The End." Its at this point when the Spirit moves upon the face of the earth and the act of creation begins. True beauty emerges. So, maybe my best days are ahead of me. The Spirit of God has moved in my life in the past. I need to wait upon the Lord in patience, and see what else he has in store for me. At the end, God should be able to look down at my life and say, "Good, its very good."

Coming Home

Jeremiah 40.11 Also when all the Jews in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan;
12 even all the Jews returned out of all places where they were driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, to Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits in abundance.
What a sweet relief it was to read these words. In the previous chapters Jeremiah had been imprisoned, the king captured, his sons slain, and Jerusalem burned. Very depressing. Everyone was killed, except for the very poorest of people.
They were given vineyards and other rewards. I guess for just being poor. But a remnant was left, and the land could rest for the next 70 years.
And then these verses. All the Jews returned from all the places they had been driven. It feels like a gentle rain. Sweet relief. A cool glass of water.
Coming home. A place of safety, security, and rest. No more fear. No more worry. No more hatred.
I guess it will be like this when we enter the Lord's presence. No more worrying what the surrounding culture thinks. No more worrying about whether I can do this or that on the job. Or what this new law is going to mean for my children. Relief from the stress we daily live under.
Kinda makes you homesick, doesn't it.

Rant

“In what way have I sinned against you, or against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?"

Oops. Jeremiah's 'problem' was that his words came true while the other prophets' words didn't. “Where then are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you or against this land’?" The kings of Judah listened to the good words, the easy-listening prophets. 'The Chaldeans will go away.' 'There will be peace.' But none of it happened.

Jeremiah spoke the words of God, though. Not his own. And when they came true, the people all got mad at Jeremiah, instead of God. Well, what good would it have to done to blame God. He had already told them why these things were happening. The people refused to turn to Him, and repent. Acknowledging God at this point would have been an admission of guilt.
So, instead, they went after God's messenger. As if he could have made these things happen. It didn't change anything. God was still angry. The Chaldean's were still coming. But now they had to feed Jeremiah, on top of everyone else in the Palace.
I think people in the world do the same thing. They get angry, and blame Christians. When we live the "Normal Christian Life," (not like the average Christian, but the way God described a Normal Christian,) people are offended. Why is that? Because our lifestyle, our message, condemns them. Our soberness condemns their drunkeness. Our chastity condemns their 'dating' practices. Our faithfulness condemns their lack of commitment. And on and on and on.
This is the essence of Lifestyle Evangelism as I understand it. My lifestyle will show them what they are missing. Yeah, but until I open my mouth like Jeremiah, the people won't know that God made that difference they see. They will believe the difference is due to upbringing, social status, personality. Anything but God in my life.

And why would they do that? Acknowledging God would require a change on their part. Either accept or reject. As it is, most people I know just ignore Him. Its easier for them that way. Ignore God and blame the Christians.

Sorry, I'm done ranting now.

Grass Roots

When they had heard all the words, they turned in fear one to another and said to Baruch, “We will surely report all these words to the king.

The people got it right. Well, the officials did, at any rate. The Lord commanded Jeremiah to write down everything he had prophesied so far, and have it read to the people. Maybe, just maybe, hearing all the curses at once might shock them into obedience.
It had a limited effect. I don't know what the people thought, but the officials were scared. They took it on up to their king, to try and change his mind. But they already had a good idea of his reaction: go and hide.
Sure enough, the king ignored the words of warning, and ordered Jeremiah and Baruch arrested. (But the Lord hid them, so they were safe.)

Now, here is a new-ish thought. What if the people had fasted and repented? What if the officials had led their own little groups, families, offices, whatever they had, in a time of repentence? How would things have turned out? Personally, I believe the king would have been deposed by God is some fashion, but Judah and Jerusalem would have been saved. At least for a while.
Some things have to start at a grass-roots level and grow up rather than starting at the top in a trickle down effect. We all know holiness cannot be legislated. Its been tried and failed. Holiness has to start in the individual, not the legislature.
We may have a Christian president right now, but that does not make us a Christian nation. We, the people, each need to respond to the word of the Lord.

Obedience of the Rechabites

The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have observed the command of their father which he commanded them.

Rechab commanded his sons to not drink wine, live in houses, or plant vineyards. I wonder why. I wonder what circumstances brought this about. Oh well, the answer is bound to be somewhere.

There are a couple of other things I notice here. One is their faithfulness to the word of their father. "He's just this guy, you know." Yet down through the ages, they obeyed. I don't regret not having a vineyard, or wine, but I think I would miss my house. Sleeping in a tent would get old fast, I think. Yet it sounds like they all obeyed.

Two, the father gave a command. So many fathers are absent from their families this day. Here we see one of the reasons we need them. Sure, mothers can give commands to the families, but when there are two parents they can support each other. And many parents today are very lax. I'm pretty relaxed, but I don't think I'll give my kids as much 'freedom' as I see others doing. They need to know there are boundaries, and where those boundaries are located. Then they will grow up confident and obedient, hard-working ethical people. People who know there are rules in this world that need to be followed rather than bent. Not all rules are meant to be broken. I'm not sure any of them are.

Third, this command brought a blessing on the family. They were immortalized in the Bible for their obedience. They were used as an object lesson to the nation of Judah. Thats pretty high praise in my opinion. And the last verse in the chapter gives God's blessing. This family line will never die out. Wow.

Obedience only comes in response to a command. We cannot obey where there are no rules.

Things I Don't Know

‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

I'm tired. I'm tired of reading the Bible and seeing the same thing over and over. I'm tired of reading and only knowing what I've been taught before. Where is the life? That dynamic element I used to know?

I don't need great and mighty things. I just want to hear from God again. I feel like I'm in a dry and barren place in my life. Maybe God is testing me for some greater work to come in my life. Maybe its my fault, that I don't spend enough time with Him.

I know life is hard, and it is busy. But I want it to be sweet again. What does this verse say? "Call to Me, and I will answer you." God, I'm calling. I want to hear Your voice again.

The Fear of God

38 “They shall be My people, and I will be their God;
39 and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them.
40 “I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me.
~Jeremiah 32~

Wow. I like that last line. "I will put the fear of Me in their hearts." Of course, I've heard people say that before, putting the fear of God in them. Parents to children, police to criminials, political leaders to enemies. I also knew that we were to fear God.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction." We all know that. And we know that the heart is wicked and deceitful. So, how do we get around this problem? God gives us a new heart. One of flesh, and not of stone.

The Law was perfect in every way, except one. It relied upon us, ahem, me, to follow it. And I cannot. I have a sinful nature that desires to do things I don't want to do. How do I stop? I ask God for deliverance. Forgiveness from sins, and deliverance from sin. This is how I am changed. And how the blessings of God flow into my life.

Jesus Christ saved me from my body of sin. I am a child of the covenant because of God's efforts on my behalf. He made the covenant, He offers the blessings, He gives me the strength to follow in His steps, and He gives me a heart that desires to follow. He put the fear of Himself in me so that I would want to be like Him.

God is good, all the time.

Directing my mind

“Set up for yourself roadmarks,
Place for yourself guideposts;
Direct your mind to the highway,
The way by which you went.
Return, O virgin of Israel,
Return to these your cities.
~Jeremiah 31.21~

I have a lot of problems doing devotions every day. Thats partly why I blog. Its an easy way for my to interact with what I have read for the day.
This whole chapter is rich, thats why I've spent several days in it so far, and hope to spend even more time here. This particular verse made me think of spending time with God. He has promised to bring them home, back to Israel and to Jerusalem. In preparation for such a journey, He tells them to mark out their path. Roadmarks, guideposts. I think more along the lines of Highway Signs and Landmarks. "You are here." "You are on this road, going there."
This is the particular line that caught my mind though, "Direct your mind to the highway." Direct my mind, hmmm.
I need to choose the things I think about. I know that certain thoughts come unbidden, and I just need to dismiss them. But that is only half the problem. Knowing where not to go.
I also need to 'direct' my thoughts to the place they should go. Think about God. Think about heaven. Think about the Passion. Think about my family. These are the truly important things in life, and as I think about these things, I will be transformed.
"Transformed by the renewing of my mind," and "Taking captive every thought." This is the highway that will return me to the City of God.

The Heart of a Father

18 “I have surely heard Ephraim grieving,
‘You have chastised me, and I was chastised,
Like an untrained calf;
Bring me back that I may be restored,
For You are the Lord my God.
19 ‘For after I turned back, I repented;
And after I was instructed, I smote on my thigh;
I was ashamed and also humiliated
Because I bore the reproach of my youth.’
20 “Is Ephraim My dear son?
Is he a delightful child?
Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him,
I certainly still remember him;
Therefore My heart yearns for him;
I will surely have mercy on him,” declares the Lord.

I have a son named Ryan. He is a real deight. I love him so much, even when I yell at him. The other night, he didn't eat supper. He didn't out and out refuse, he just goofed off and didn't eat. When I gave up and tried to send him to bed he cried, "I'm starving." So I yelled at him to start eating. He sat at the table for about 2 hours, and ate 6 green beans and one bite of pork chop. And he went to bed hungry and crying at 9:30.
I went in to pray with him, and I'm so glad I did. He wrapped his little arms around me, and cried. But there were no complaints of hunger or thirst. He just wanted a little comfort. We said our prayers together, and he was ready to go to sleep. I felt so much better.
The Father here speaks of the nation of Judah. "I remember him. My heart yearns for him. I will have mercy." Okay, now I'm beginning to understand the heart of God a little bit more. With that understanding comes a bit more trust. How can God forgive me the things I have done? Well, He is a father, and His heart yearns for me.

Militant Christianity versus militant Islam

IHT: Nicholas D. Kristof: Militant Christianity versus militant Islam
This was interesting to read. I thought it was about nominal Christians somewhere slaughtering Muslims because of racial differences. It was not. Did you knot that the conclusion to the Left Behind series, "Glorious Appearing," is actually a tract teaching religious intolerance?
Really! At least he said that we won't be crashing airplanes into buildings after reading this. Thats good to know.
Here's another question he brings up: "Could devout fundamentalists really enjoy paradise as their friends, relatives and neighbors were heaved into hell?" Well, yes. I think that the presence of God will eclipse the absence of others. Its also the reason we are 'evangelical.' We don't want them to go to hell. So we tell them about Jesus and salvation, and we pray for them, and invite them to church. We but them and make pests out of ourselves, all in the hope that they won't be 'heaved into hell' for all eternity.
Tracts on intolerance, or encouragement to evangelism? I guess it depends on your world-view to begin with.

Bible Study-Jeremiah 31

Jeremiah 31.14

“I will fill the soul of the priests with abundance,
And My people will be satisfied with My goodness,” declares the Lord.

That sounds wonderful. More so than a land flowing with milk and honey. When our priests, preachers, pastors and teachers are filled like this, it overflows into the hearts of the congregation, into the lives of the people.
These people need to lead from the front, and not herding from behind. Its true that you cannot lift another higher than you are yourself. So, I cannot lead my family to places I have not been myself.
There was a skit I watched once. Two girls came out with empty baskets in their hands and stood on the platform. One was too eager/too much in a hurry to wait on the Lord and rushed out to give the congregation imagianary donoughts. The other knelt down, put her basket aside, and prayed. "I have nothing to give these people until you fill my basket. Please bless me and be with me today so that I can minister to Your people. Amen." When she stood up, her basket was filled with donoughts, which she promptly gave away to those sitting on her side of the church. These were much happier people than those who got the imaginary donoughts. The skit effectively made its point.
Before the people can be satisfied with the Lord's goodness, the hearts of His leaders must be filled with His abundance.

Happy Thoughts

Thus says the Lord,
“The people who survived the sword
Found grace in the wilderness--
Israel, when it went to find its rest.”
3 The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying,
“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.
4 “Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt,
O virgin of Israel!
Again you will take up your tambourines,
And go forth to the dances of the merrymakers.
5 “Again you will plant vineyards
On the hills of Samaria;
The planters will plant
And will enjoy them.
Jerermiah 31.2-5
I have been struggling with my knowing my place in God's plan. Actually, does He still have a plan for my life? I went to Bible College to be a pastor, and it didn't seem to work out. Now I have four years of education in a field that doesn't help a whole lot in most job sectors. Although it does help in the rest of life. I've become a wonderful Sunday School/small group teacher.
Except, I'm not teaching anymore. I taught for five years in Wyoming, then did the Sunday evening sermons for several months in South Dakota, followed by Saturday morning devotionals for a men's group. Now I am in California, where there are so many people, I am not needed. And I feel useless. I'm not doing anything in the church. For a while, I did the lessons for my mom's class in Wyoming, and sent her my answers to help her with her class. Now, nothing.
And it affects the way I feel about myself. I want to teach. Woe! for I am a teacher with no class!
When I started the computer this morning, I asked God to talk to me from todays reading in Jeremiah 31. I hadn't read it, but figured since all scripture is inspired, He could use even this one to enoourage me, which is what I needed. And it really helped. I plan on staying in this chapter for a little while. It is full of little pieces of love that make me feel better. He still loves me. He will build me up again. Even after all I've been through, He still sees me as His virgin. I will dance again (even if my wife laughs when I do). And I will plant, again. That means to me, I will teach again.
Maybe even be a pastor someday.

Bible Study--Jer. 30

Jeremiah 30 "In the latter days you will understand this." I sure hope so. I've read this before, and been through college teaching me about what the Bible teaches. But still some things get me.
God says He has done these things to Israel & Judah, to restore them. The principle here must be that there is a difference between punishment for correction, and 'devouring'. Her enemies devoured her, so God devoured them in return. But God set everything in motion in the first place. He called foreign nations to Israel. Did they overstep their bounds? Did they show to much glee in the violence they brought?
In the latter days I will understand this. Maybe it will help me to be a better father to my own children, too.

Normal Christian Life

What is a normal Christian life? Certainly not what I see in America. Maybe by the time I die, I will be normal.

Street Justice

West Bank street justice leaves alleged informer dead
After reading this news article, I had one question. Which is worse? Being a paid informant, or molesting your own daughters. Mohammed Rafiq Abdel Razek was in the hospital after being stabbed by a relative for molesting his young daughters. I can understand that. I would be really upset with anyone I knew was molesting their kids. But the news article was centered on the informant side of things here. "He was a snitch for Israel! Oh yeah, he was also an incestuous rapist, feeding on the defenseless in his own family." It seems almost like an addendum.
So, which were the Palestinians really mad about? I know what the American press thought was the worse of two evils.

Jeremiah 24

Jeremiah 24

Hmmm. I wonder why God ... Let's go back a little farther. I know why God sent some of the people into captivity, but I'm not sure why He chose them to receive His blessings. "I will set my upon them for good ... and I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD." Why not work with those still in the land?

Maybe its because those in the land may have still have a little pride lurking in their hearts. But the ones who were taken were certainly broken. Feeling they had nothing left, they had to turn to God. They were more receptive now to the teachings of God. Like fallow ground that had been broken up, they were more broken than those still in the Promised Land.

Here's an interesting thought. What does that say about the growth of the Church in China, Africa, and South America. The Third World countries are seeing explosive growth. I think I heard that 10,000 people a day are getting saved. And some country in Africa has been broadcasting miracles on national news. What about American and Europe. After all, so many complain that Christianity is "white mans religion." Why aren't the white peoples of the world seeing mighty moves of God on the same level as other parts of the world. Maybe we are still too comfortable to realize our need for God.

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Jeremiah 7. Jeremiah was sent to stand at the gates of the temple and give this message. To the people going in and out of the Temple God was offering permanent lodging. They thought that attendance and the forms of worship were enough to get God on their side. Or maybe it was enough to be enlisted on His side. (I am giving them the benefit of the doubt.) "Wear the uniform and we'll be part of His army."

God is trying to correct their faulty outlook on life. True religion is more than form. There has to be substance.

They knew they were special. God had told them so many times. He performed mighty miracles to preserve them and establish them here in this particular spot. His Temple was here, after all. Surely we are safe by standing so close to it. "The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord."

But surely, as modern Christians, having been taught by the Holy Spirit, and having received new hearts, would never do this. Would we? Have you ever heard someone say, "but I am an American!"

Being American doesn't mean you are a Christian. Neither does going to church, tithing, reading your bible, or teaching Sunday School. Our actions do not define who we are. They never really have, although we have allowed them to. Our actions flow out of who we are. Attending church, praying, and reading the bible should happen because I can't really help myself. It is in my nature to do these things.

I believe that by offering to open up the Temple as a permanent residence, God was offering to change who they were, but they did not see it. God offers the same to us today.

God is still trying to change me a little bit more every day. And I think dwelling forever in His Temple sounds wonderful.

---

Jeremiah 6.29-30. "The lead is consumed by the fire; In vain the refining goes on, but the wicked are not separated. They call them rejected silver, because the Lord has rejected them." Amazing, isn't it. God is trying to refine the people, make them pure. The fire is hot enough, but instead of purifying, the fire destroys. "The wicked are not separated."

And, notice this too. "They call them rejected silver." Who is 'they'? I don't know, but what God calls lead they call silver. "Look at us, at our value. Our abilities and talents, and God won't use us. We have been rejected." God sees lead, and they see silver. Quite a difference in value. A difference in vision. People usually see themselves as having more value than they really do. And then get upset when God doesn't use them in the manner they feel they deserve.

Lead or silver. Do I recognize my value? I know God does, but I need to ask Him where I am needed. Maybe I am neither.

Jesus told us to take our seat lower down, and wait for the Host to exalt us. The Host knows who we are, and were we deserve to be seated. Being humble is a whole lot better than being humiliated. These people were about to be humiliated because they set up their own value system, and rated themsleves very high.

This is a mistake. Instead of silver, God saw lead. Useless lead because it could not be refined.

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I haven't read Jeremiah in a while. And now I am finding a lot of little nuggets of gold buried in here. I want to dig them all out, but they seem so small I wonder if it is worth the effort. But, then I remember, they are gold, after all.

6.16--"Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths,where the good way is, and walk in it." I like that phrase, "the ancient paths." It speaks to me of wisdom, the wisdom of age and experience. The paths of righteousness. The path of the upright man. Who can ascend to the mountain of the Lord? The upright, with clean hands and a pure heart. The voice of one crying in the desert, "Make your ways straight." Build up the highway of the Lord.
Stand. See. Ask. Stand by the ways means we have to seek out the right people. Psalm 1 tells us to avoid the wrong people. And Paul reminds us that people of bad character will corrupt us. And here, God tells us to seek the good, upright people and observe their ways. Find good role models for oursleves. So we stand by them, and we watch. We need to see and understand. The Proverbs repeatedly tell us to seek knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. As we watch someone elses life, we know what they do. Then we begin to understand why they do these things. From this understanding, we know how to apply this knowledge to our own lives, and this is wisdom. Wisdom is the ancient path established by the Lord.
Far from observing only, we also need to ask. Most understanding comes from asking. Standing and seeing gains much knowledge, and only sometimes understanding. So we ask, "Why?" And we begin to interact with those lives we are observing. (Thus the warning against bad company.) As our lives become intertwined, we follow them down the ancient paths.
Stand, see, ask, and now we walk. Don't forget the walking.

“At the time that I punish them, they will be cast down.” Jeremiah 6.15. Well, of course. If God punishes them, of course they will be destroyed. Isn’t this redundant? No. Look up to 6.14. “They have healed the broken-ness of my people superficially.” The prophets and priests of the time proclaimed peace when there was none, but at least it made the people feel better.
I think this is the point of this verse. When God judges the people, there will be no easy fixes. I have heard that God is judging our nation. Look at the forest fires and blizzards, the floods and the droughts. The disasters we have suffered in the financial realm were laid at His feet also.
These may be precursors, warnings as it were, but these events are not judgment. When the True Judgment of God falls, whether it be on a nation or an individual, that nation or individual will be cast down, and there will be no quick fixes.
It is better that we fall on the stone and are broken now, than to have the stone fall on us later and be crushed.

Notes on Jeremiah 6

v. 4,5-Prepare war against her; Arise, and let us attack at noon. Woe to us, for the day declines, for the shadows of the evening lengthen! Arise, and let us attack by night and destroy her palaces!" I know nobody wants to be attacked, certainly not when God ordains the attack. But something here caught my attention. Why these times? Noon and evening? Why do the inhabitants cry out woe in response to these times?
My impression is that the wrath of God was burning so hot that He didn't want to wait. Judgment was Now! Not tomorrow morning.
This is a terrible thought. It gives a better understanding of the grace and mercy given at the cross, and the terrors of The Day of the Wrath of Our Lord, the Great Tribulation.
Tribulation is coming upon this world. I don't know when, but I hope I'm not here. He has waited this long because of His mercy, and when the Day of the Lord comes it will be beyond believing. The Revelation speaks of 7 seals, 7 bowls, 7 trumpets, and 7 thunders. If I remember right, two-thirds of the world's population will die in about 3 1/2 years. Right now, that means about 4 billion people. Over 3 million every day. (And this is if Jesus returns now. If he waits another decade or two, and the population climbs to 10 billion, then how many will it be?)
But remember the Lawless One will be in charge at this time, and there will be no morality. Only his law, which will be one of instant self-gratification, a law of might makes right. Envy and jealousy will give way to murder and rape, theft and destruction, oppression and desecration. And when God's hand falls upon humanity, they will curse Him for making demands on them. Where they find His presence, they will destroy it: churches, saints, music and art. Anything telling the world of a Creator beyond them will be anathema.
And so His Wrath will fall. But what is holding Him back right now? It is the Cross. Jesus suffered the wrath of God so that those who come to him will not be afflicted in His anger. And now God is waiting, in His mercy, for all men to come to His salvation. Not everyone will come, but He will wait.
I am glad God waited for me, instead of attacking me at noon or evening.