Overview
Jeremiah: In the first year of Zedekiah, the prophet Azzur told Jeremiah in the temple that God had released Judah from Nebuchadnezzar and would bring the vessels back to the temple within two years. He would also bring back Jeconiah and the exiles.
Jeremiah answered him and all the people, “Amen.” He said to let it happen, however, the prophets who preceded him all prophesied war, famine, and destruction. If a prophet declares peace, then we’ll see which one is a true prophet when it happens.
The prophet Hananiah took the yoke from Jeremiah and broke it. He said the Lord will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar from the nations in two years. The Lord later told Jeremiah to go to Hananiah and tell him that Nebuchadnezzar’s yoke would be strengthened. Jeremiah told Hananiah that the Lord would kill him within a year because he made the people believe a lie. Two months later, Hananiah died.
Jeremiah sent a letter to the elders in exile, the priests, prophets, and people. The letter told them that God sent them in exile and they should settle down and live normal lives. They should seek the welfare of the city and pray for it. Don’t listen to the lying prophets. After 70 years the Lord will come and bring them back to Jerusalem. He has plans for them for at that time they will pray to him and he will listen. He will restore their fortunes.
As for the people who remained in Jerusalem and think the Lord has prophet in Babylon, the king and the people, they will have war, famine, and pestilence. He will pursue them because they didn’t listen to his words. Ahab and Zedekiah who prophesy in Babylon are liars and adulterers. Nebuchadnezzar will roast them in a fire.
The letter has a message for Shemaiah who sent letters to Jerusalem claiming to be from the Lord. Shemaiah wanted Zephaniah to be priest instead of Jehoiada. He also asked why he hasn’t put Jeremiah in stock for being a madman prophet. Shemaiah is also to settle down in Babylon.
Zephaniah read Shemaiah’s letter to Jeremiah. The Lord spoke to Jeremiah telling him to send a letter to all the exiles that he did not send Shemaiah and he is a liar. The Lord said Shemaiah will not have any of his descendants survive because he spoke rebellion against the Lord.
Psalm: David asks the Lord to hear him because he is needy and to preserve his life because he is godly and trusts in God. He cries to the Lord all day and wants to have joy because the Lord is gracious, loving, and forgiving. He continues to extol God’s virtues, as he is the only God and does wondrous things. He asks God to teach him and help him fear God’s name. He gives thanks to God. He asks God to give him a sign of his favor so that those who oppose him will be ashamed and David will be comforted.
Proverbs: Don’t visit your neighbor so often that they will view you as a pest.
1 Timothy: Paul is writing as an apostle of Jesus to Timothy, who has been like his own son because he mentored him in his faith.
He reminds Timothy that he wanted Timothy to warn the Ephesians about false doctrines and speculations about faith instead of teaching faith accurately. Love from a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith is the goal. Those that wander away from these into worthless discussions want to be teachers. But they don’t’ have good understanding yet act like they do.
The Law is good when applied correctly to the lawless, disobedient, sinners. Paul lists a few of these sins that are in opposition to sound teaching and the gospel.
Paul thanks Jesus who gives him strength. Paul was such a bad sinner that the grace and mercy he received is an example. It shows that Jesus came to save sinners giving eternal life to those who believe. This brings glory to the King of ages who is immortal, invisible and the only wise God.
Paul charges Timothy to keep fighting the good fight of faith and not give up. Some have given up and their faith has become like a shipwreck. Paul has given them to Satan so they will learn not to be blasphemers.
What Stood Out
Jeremiah: “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jer 29:7).
Psalm: “Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me” (Ps 86:17).
Proverbs: “Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, lest he have his fill of you and hate you” (Prov 25:17).
1 Timothy: “Charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith” (1 Tim 1:3-4).
Insight
Jeremiah: When things get really bad and the world seems to be crashing down politically and otherwise, what do you do? That’s what it looked like to the exiles in Babylon. The Lord gave them advice that is appropriate for us, no matter where we live. Certainly, there are times when we are moved to new locations whether it is our choice or not. When we get there and we know this is God’s will, we should settle down and live as obedient citizens. Instead of plotting how to get vengeance or escaping, we should seek the welfare of the place. Since God is in control, then he is able to accomplish what he wants done. Tomorrow, well see Paul tell Timothy essentially the same thing (1 Tim 2:1-4).
Psalm: David asks that the Lord give him a sign of his favor. I wonder what kind of sign David was expecting. In other Psalms, he asked God to wipe out his enemies. That would be a great sign but it wouldn’t help them be put to shame because they would be dead. In this Psalm, David is looking at being comforted (Ps 86:17). This is a sign that can be very powerful to persecutors and people who generally disdain God. When people see someone who is undergoing trials and still maintains a peace about them, they wonder why. They may even be put to shame because they know they wouldn’t be able to face up to the same trials with a positive attitude.
When it happens, we need to be ready to tell people why we have hope, joy, and peace as it may very well shame them of their persecution or attitude toward Christians (1 Peter 3:15-16). Part of settling down, living quiet lives, and seeking the welfare of our leaders and community will provide opportunities to share the gospel.
Proverbs: It is a wonderful thing to have good neighbors. However, not everyone loves to have you visiting every minute of the day. We all have work to do and things that need to get done. Too much visiting can get on a person’s nerves when they don’t have time to take care of their own family. We need to be wise about visiting as the proverb suggests. Otherwise, we may become a bad neighbor.
1 Timothy: It isn’t a new problem, people have been doing it from the time of Jeremiah then Paul, and they still do it. Jeremiah’s prophet made up what they thought God was going to do. Some of the teachers during Paul’s time thought they knew a lot and taught different doctrines. They gathered their information from myths, speculation, and pouring over genealogies. Today, speculation is the biggest problem along with some myths.
Many of today’s false prophets or teachers look at Scripture and make up their own minds about what God meant. The don’t take a passage for face value but try to make it fit to condone what is going on in our sinful society. Others look back at Jesus and come up with myths about his purpose and his person. They seek the “historical” Jesus, not the Jesus of the Bible. All these things do is produce a gospel that contradicts what the Bible says about sin and salvation.
Paul made it really simple. He listed a few sins as an example. They range from murder to lying. It includes homosexuality and slavery. He used himself as an example to demonstrate that it doesn’t matter how badly we’ve sinned, Jesus Christ came to save us by his mercy and grace. Jesus didn’t come to let these things continue in a person’s life but to make a radical change in the same way Paul changed. Rejecting this only leads to a faith that can only be described as a shipwreck.
Application
I want to be a good example for others. If things are happening to me that others would perceive as a bad day, I want to be an example of God’s presence and peace. I also want to be a good example of a person saved by grace. When someone wants to know why I can have joy when the alligators are waist high, I want to tell them about Jesus.
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