November 6, 2006 - Jeremiah 37-39 and Hebrews 3
In chapters 37- 39 Jeremiah was having a terrible time. King Zedekiah and his servants would not listen to God's Word spoken through Jeremiah. (37:2) Jeremiah was put into prison. (37:15) He was given only one piece of bread a day. (37:21) Then, he was put in the mire of the dungeon.(38:6) He would have died there, but Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian interceded for him and had him pulled out. Then, he was still in prison until the Babylonians took Jerusalem and set him free. (39:12) I believe all of us feel sorry for Jeremiah after reading these chapters. He was treated so unjustly. He had done nothing wrong. He had only spoken God's word.
Why did all of this happen to Jeremiah? The king and his advisers did not want to listen to God, because they wanted to defeat Babylon not surrender as God was telling them to do. Zedekiah would send for Jeremiah and inquire privately, but he would not listen to God, because he was not trusting God. Finally, Jerusalem was burned, just like Jeremiah said it would be. How different things would have been, if the king was willing to listen to God's messenger. It is the same way today. People do not want to hear from God, and they want to take out their frustration on the messenger. I pray that all of us will open our hearts to receive God's Word, even if it is not what we want to hear.
Hebrews 3 says much the same thing. The Jews wanted to follow Moses, but Jesus was greater than Moses by far. They were missing Jesus, because of an evil heart of unbelief, just like their forefathers had missed God's will about going into the promised land. They failed to trust God, even though they had seen the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea. How could that happen? They did not want to hear what He was saying. They wanted things to stay the same, but God was showing them that there was a new covenant, and Jesus was the only way to Him. They missed God's will because of unbelief. I pray that we will not make the same mistake. Let's believe God's Word and not argue with God.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 40-42 and Hebrews 4.
Why did all of this happen to Jeremiah? The king and his advisers did not want to listen to God, because they wanted to defeat Babylon not surrender as God was telling them to do. Zedekiah would send for Jeremiah and inquire privately, but he would not listen to God, because he was not trusting God. Finally, Jerusalem was burned, just like Jeremiah said it would be. How different things would have been, if the king was willing to listen to God's messenger. It is the same way today. People do not want to hear from God, and they want to take out their frustration on the messenger. I pray that all of us will open our hearts to receive God's Word, even if it is not what we want to hear.
Hebrews 3 says much the same thing. The Jews wanted to follow Moses, but Jesus was greater than Moses by far. They were missing Jesus, because of an evil heart of unbelief, just like their forefathers had missed God's will about going into the promised land. They failed to trust God, even though they had seen the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea. How could that happen? They did not want to hear what He was saying. They wanted things to stay the same, but God was showing them that there was a new covenant, and Jesus was the only way to Him. They missed God's will because of unbelief. I pray that we will not make the same mistake. Let's believe God's Word and not argue with God.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 40-42 and Hebrews 4.