JEREMIAH 32:1-44
(please note: I changed the range of verses because this makes more sense. Chap 32-33 are actually verse 2 of the Song in chap 30-31.)
IS ANYTHING TOO DIFFICULT FOR GOD? This song refers first to Jeremiah himself and to the 70th-year generation. BUT . . . you will notice verses here that could ONLY refer to Jesus and the Kingdom of God. This song telescopes to the Church. It refers to God's unrelenting purpose to have a people who express His heart, who manifest His glory in the earth. That has never changed. The "return" is the OT word for "repent". When we "come out of Babylon" (repent of our idolatry - substitutes and counterfeits for God), we are being redeemed from being a prisoner of war, in the war between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of darkness. What took us captive and made us slaves is sinning (Rom 6:16). Jesus instituted a New Covenant in His Blood (Mat 26:27) that brought forgiveness of sins. They were not just COVERED, but they were REMOVED.
"We have been delivered, we are being delivered, and we shall be delivered" (2Cor 1:10). Yes, we go thru dire circumstances. Yes, our hair is going to get messed up. But thru it all, God is faithful, and God is sufficient. God toughens our faith (Luke 22:32), Jesus prays for our faith, the Holy Spirit gives us might in the inner man - and we are changed. God has offered proof of His Word to Jeremiah. Jeremiah was locked up below-ground in the palace prison-hole. When his cousin came to see him, he offered to let Jeremiah redeem one of his fields. God told Jer to buy it, and right in front of everyone, hand the title deed to his trusty secretary Baruch, and have him seal it up in an earthen vessel so it wouldn't get destroyed. When the Jews returned to Jerusalem 70 years later, one of his descendants would get that title deed and claim the field! I'm sure his cousin thought he was taking advantage of Jeremiah. This was a chance to get money for this field before the enemy took over and occupied it. But Jeremiah committed himself to what God promised (32:1-15). This was no "shot in the dark" - this was FAITH that what God said was absolutely reliable, despite appearances to the contrary. They would be back in 70 years.
AH! LORD GOD: (32:16-20) Jeremiah set his mind on things above (Col 3:2) and NOT on things on the earth. He reassures his heart that it is safe to believe and obey God. The "siege mounds” are already built against the city walls and the Chaldeans are about to pounce. But "There is nothing too hard for Thee." We don't know how God will do this thing, but He said He would. Sometimes I feel like I've made such a mess of my life that I don't know how God will ever clean it up! (32:27) The "God of all flesh" specializes in difficult people.
THE EVERLASTING COVENANT: (32:37-42) "Everlasting" means without end, to be in effect forever. These covenants express God's will and God's purpose for man. A true marriage covenant is an earthly illustration of what covenant means. The "everlasting covenant" was made in eternity with the Godhead. It is the all-inclusive covenant, of which all other covenants are fragments. The New Covenant pertains to God's redemptive purposes in Christ Jesus to restore man to God's original purpose. The Everlasting Covenant was originated by the Father, the Son was its sacrifice, and the Holy Spirit is the seal and the token. This covenant is the fulfillment of the "everlasting" portions of all the other 8 covenants in the Bible. The external, temporal parts of those other covenants are fulfilled and abolished on the Cross, and the everlasting elements flow into the New Covenant.
PROMISES: Everlasting life, confirmed in the New Covenant. Immortality, the Everlasting Kingdom, Eternal inheritance (Heb 9:15), everlasting love, everlasting mercy, everlasting righteousness, everlasting joy....etc, etc. etc. TERMS: Faith, love, and obedience.
RESPONSE: Is there any situation that is too hard for God? Lifestyle changes are difficult, that I know. God planned to take a city that had been burned to the ground, left for wild animals to inhabit, and then build it back up better than before. That pretty much says it all. My job is to trust Him, believe Him, and do what He says. When my flesh tells me I can't do it, I can fast to bring it under control. Or I can "watch and pray" (Mark 14:38) as I cling to God. I take my mind captive to the Word (2Cor 10:4-6) and punish it when it strays to wrong thinking (by putting more Word into it). Run to Jesus! Don't delay. I can instruct my own heart to believe God or die.
1 TIMOTHY 3:1-16
"PURSUE GODLINESS & FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH": And we do this by living to please God in everything we say and do. The best monitor we have for our faith-walk is our "conscience", which tells us when we are acting or thinking OUTSIDE of faith (Rom 14:23).
CHAPTER 1: The law is for law-breakers, not for salvation or deliverance. Salvation of even the "chief of sinners” - that old "blasphemer" himself - is by grace alone.
CHAPTER 2: The lifestyle that pleases God: "a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and integrity." (2:2-3). This requires that we know and believe that, if we are saved, we are accepted by God as His elect, and therefore can come to Him without "wrath or doubting" - God receives us and we can know it. BUT, some proof or evidence of the pursuit of "godliness and integrity" are required before you can instruct others in the faith.
CHAPTER 3: The Church is the "pillar and foundation of the Truth". (3:15) There are requirements of leadership that protect that truth. While we are looking at this, please note that the word "man" is actually the Greek: ei tis and means "anyone" or "whosoever" - male OR female. We know from other passages that there were men and women who were called as "overseers" (bishops, elders). There are no Biblical gender-based restrictions on ministry in the church. There is no place in the Bible where women are denied the right to teach, preach, speak in Church (other than the inappropriate use of her "feminine wiles" to convince). Just the same, women rightfully held church offices.
Church offices: There are only two: elders and deacons. The pastor is really the "chief elder". At first glance, it appears that elders must be married AND have children to qualify. (HOW COULD THAT BE! Paul himself wasn't married!) What it actually means is that elders must not be adulterers and to be one who disciplines his children appropriately (if he has them). The Bible lists elders and deacons who were women. The most well-known deacon would be PHOEBE , who was trusted to deliver the letter to the Romans, after having ministered TO and WITH Paul for a time. Priscilla, Paul's "fellow-worker" would have been recognized as leadership, probably an elder with authority. Junia was an apostle, thereby also an elder. There was the "elect lady" of 2 John 1, a pastoral title. There were a large number of "house churches", pastored by women. ELDERS, the overseers, give direction to the church ("rule") and take responsibility for its welfare. DEACONS, do the "manual labor" - organizing, planning, serving where needed, taking care of physical needs. (3:11) The word "likewise the wives", is better translated "likewise the women" and links it back to verse 10. The women had the same qualifications as the men.
"GREAT IS THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS": (3:16) THE "great mystery" is that the indwelt Church carries on the life and ministry of Jesus. Eph 5:32 states it like this: "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church ." 1 Tim 3:16 actually summarizes the "mysterious" aspect of the purpose and witness and mission of the Church!!! This verse is not just tacked onto the discussion of church life. It is the KEY of church life. Jesus said in John 20:21, "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." And in John 17:18, "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world." The Church has been sent into the world the same way that Christ Jesus was sent into the world. The Gospel isn't a mystery, but the indwelt Church is!
The life of Jesus is manifested through His Body, the Church ("manifest in the flesh"). The Holy Spirit seals and baptizes His church in vindicating and validating us. As for the "angels seeing us", Eph 3:10 says, "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God." It is clearly the mission of the Church to preach the Gospel to the nations and to see men believe on Jesus. And Col 3:4 states, "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."
RESPONSE: I don't know about you, but verse 16 is probably one of the most thrilling verses in the whole letter! "without controversy" means "beyond all question" - "everyone agrees that..." when we submit to the Truth of God's Word, in the fear of God, this is our life and mission too!
PSALM 88:1-18
WHEN GOD DOESN'T ANSWER: This is a common experience to anyone who is intimate with God, but this chapter is still one of the saddest chapters in the book of Psalms. This is about a person whose circumstances contradict the promises of God. He is groaning, but not complaining or bitter, because even in the bottom of the pit, life is still all about God. Our greatest fear in times of "darkness" would be that God has cast us off. Even is this, the Psalm does not speculate about God's silence. Everything in life that we go through should drive us to God, not drive us away.
PROVERBS 25:20-22
"Heaping coals of fire on his head" is to bless. How could it be anything else? It is defined as feeding your enemy if he is hunger, or giving him water if he is thirsty. When we do that, "the Lord will reward you." "Burning coals on the head" is a figure of self-accusing repentance. It makes the "enemy" stop and think about his relationship to you, who have just blessed him. On the other hand, trying to cheer up a person who is heavy-hearted, just makes things worse. Give comfort first. (I am speaking of someone who is actually sad or hurt, not someone in self-pity.) Rom 12:15 tells us to "weep with those who weep."
RESPONSE: How we treat our "enemies" tells a lot about our character. There are two reasons given for performing acts of kindness and aid to someone who hates us: he might repent because of our kindness, and God will be pleased that we have done the deed.
RESPONSE: How we treat our "enemies" tells a lot about our character. There are two reasons given for performing acts of kindness and aid to someone who hates us: he might repent because of our kindness, and God will be pleased that we have done the deed.
No comments:
Post a Comment