Overview
Jeremiah: The Lord continues to speak to Israel and Judah. The day will come when the Lord will prosper the two nations and build them up. The children will not suffer for the sins of the fathers but for their own. He will make a new covenant with them, not like the one they broke. His law will be in their hearts (not external) and he will be their God and they will be his people. All will know the Lord and won’t have to tell others how to know him. He will forgive their iniquity and not remember their sins.
The Lord made the sun, moon, stars, and the seas. If these disappear or can be measured, only then will Israel cease. Jerusalem will be rebuilt and even the burial grounds will be holy. It will never be overthrown again.
In the tenth year of Zedekiah, Babylon had Jerusalem under siege. Jeremiah was imprisoned in the palace guard’s court because he prophesied against Zedekiah. The Lord told him that his cousin, Hanamel would come and ask him to redeem a field in Anathoth. When he came, Jeremiah bought the field and signed the deed in front of witnesses. He gave the sealed deed and the open deed to Baruch and had him seal them in a vessel so they would last a long time. He told everyone the Lord was showing them that houses and land would again be bought and sold in the land.
Jeremiah then prays to the Lord exalting him for his power and creation. He recounts God taking Israel out of Egypt and giving them the land as well as their waywardness. The Lord’s prophecy of sword and famine coming on the land has occurred. So, why did God ask him to buy a field when the city is about to be given to the Babylonians?
The Lord answers and affirms nothing is impossible for him. He is giving the city into the hands of the Babylonians. It is because of all their sins and provoking him to anger. He lists their idolatry. He didn’t command them to do these things and it never even entered his mind that they do this. But he will bring them back from all the countries where he is sending them. They will be his people and he will be their God. He will give them a heart to fear him forever. The new covenant will be everlasting. He will rejoice in prospering them. Just as he has brought disaster, he will bring good and fields will be bought in this land Jeremiah is calling a desolation. He will restore their fortunes.
Psalm: This is a Psalm of the sons of Korah. The Psalmist cries to the Lord day and night because his soul is in turmoil and he appears to be near death. He feels as if he is already in the grave. He considers his condition to be a result of God’s wrath. He believes God has caused his friends to desert him even though he constantly prays to God. He asks if anyone can praise God from the grave. He has suffered all his life. He again asks why God has hidden his face from him, caused his destruction, and his family and friends to shun him.
Proverbs: Telling someone to put on a happy face when they have deep sorrow is like taking a person’s coat on a cold day and agitating them like mixing vinegar and soda. Help your enemy with food and water when he is hungry or thirsty. It will make him think about it and the Lord will reward you.
1 Timothy: Paul offers another trustworthy saying that it is noble to desire to be a church’s leader. Elders should meet the criteria Paul provides. They should only have one wife and show godly living and able to manage his own house. If he can’t manage his house, how can he manage a church? He must not be young in the faith or he may become proud, trapped by Satan. People outside the church should respect him or the devil may use that to bring disgrace on him and the church.
Deacons should also meet similar requirements one wife, managing children and their households, and godly living. Their lives should be examined and serve when shown to be blameless. Their wives must meet similar standards of godliness. Serving as a deacon gains respect and increased confidence in their faith.
Paul wants to visit Timothy soon, but if he doesn’t, what he is writing will let him know how to behave in God’s family, the church of the living God that supports truth.
The godly Christian life is a mystery founded on Jesus who came in the flesh; proved right by the Spirit; seen by angels; proclaimed to all people; believed everywhere; taken to glory.
What Stood Out
Jeremiah: “And they shall be my people, and I will be their God” (Jer 32:38).
Psalm: “Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless” (Ps 88:15).
Proverbs: “Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, and like vinegar on soda” (Prov 25:20).
1 Timothy: “For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?” (1 Tim 3:5).
Insight
Jeremiah: Just as Babylon is about to conquer Jerusalem; the Lord gives Jeremiah a picture of the future. This future is not just the returned exiles from various countries, for that will happen in 70 years. Buying and selling land will start again at that time and some exiles will return. The future fulfilment of this is yet to happen and has started. It started when Jesus came and the new covenant was established, one that will last forever. While the promise is given to Israel, it is first fulfilled more in Gentiles than in Jews. Both Jews and Gentiles can receive a new heart, one that will fear the Lord when we submit to Jesus’ rule in our lives. We will get his law on our hearts, a willing spirit that will desire to obey the Lord. However, this is still not the complete fulfilment of the prophecy.
Only when all Israel embraces Jesus as their Messiah will this prophecy be completed. At that time Israel will truly become God’s people and he will be their God (Jer 32:38). Those of us who belong to Jesus have this fulfilled in our lives as individuals and in the church, but it isn’t a physical reality on the earth in any nation at this time. There is no nation that can claim to be God’s people in the sense of Jeremiah 32:38 until Jesus rules supreme on the earth. Since this is an everlasting covenant, it will continue for eternity even though Satan will make one last attempt to reverse it (Rev 20:7-10).
Psalm: This could well be the cries of anyone that we term mentally and physically ill. The Psalmist’s affliction has been with him all of his life. There doesn’t seem to be anything positive in this Psalm. He has lost hope in God and friends. However, he continues to pray every day. This one thing alone may be sustaining him in his darkness.
When we see people in long-term illnesses, we can’t always empathize with them unless we’ve been in the same situation. So, reading this Psalm and meditating on it should help us to have mercy on those who are undergoing afflictions. It is something that we should consider before we attempt to minister to them. Since they feel abandoned by both God and friends, simply spending time with them and not trying to fix them would be valuable for them.
Proverbs: After reading Psalm 88 then Proverbs 25:20, I could see how telling someone to simply put on a happy face when overcome with depression doesn’t help but only adds to the pain. It is the opposite therapy that Job’s three friends offered when he was facing his trial. While it is true that we need to learn to consider our difficulties as joy (James 1:2-4), this is a process that can’t be faked with a happy face, it takes time to develop the perseverance and steadfastness that results in an inner joy even while the difficulties remain. We should be sensitive to those who are in situations like the Psalmist and others with heavy hearts.
1 Timothy: For the most part, Christians should be able to minister in most positions in a church (ushers, greeters) without any special qualifications. However, church leadership requires proven godly lives. Those lives should show up especially in their own homes. It is totally wrong for a person who is having family conflicts to be become or allowed to remain as an elder, deacon, or pastor. I’ve heard stories about church leaders who appear to have it all together in their church only to discover they are abusive at home. I’ve also heard of leaders who have poured themselves into their ministry only to find out that their wives and or kids have gone astray.
A person who is undergoing these kinds of home problem should not be put in a position of leadership because that is what Paul says and that is God’s word. But it also makes sense that a person with a bad home life should be spending his time working on his own issues as well as learning how to deal with his family issues before spending his time on church work. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t do anything, but not the more responsible, time-consuming ministries.
Then the message for all of us simple. We should all work to have lives that are described for elders and deacons. We should all be eligible to serve in these capacities as we grow and become more Christ-like.
Application
I need to be a more sympathetic towards people who are having heartbreaking issues in their lives. Becoming more like an elder or deacon would help in this way also.
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