Read chapter in full: https://biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Jeremiah+047
Jeremiah 47 (ESV)
1The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines, before Pharaoh struck down Gaza.
2 “Thus says the Lord:
Behold, waters are rising out of the north,
and shall become an overflowing torrent;
they shall overflow the land and all that fills it,
the city and those who dwell in it.
Men shall cry out,
and every inhabitant of the land shall wail. 3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his stallions,
at the rushing of his chariots, at the rumbling of their wheels,
the fathers look not back to their children,
so feeble are their hands, 4 because of the day that is coming to destroy
all the Philistines,
to cut off from Tyre and Sidon
every helper that remains.
For the Lord is destroying the Philistines,
the remnant of the coastland of Caphtor. 5 Baldness has come upon Gaza;
Ashkelon has perished.
O remnant of their valley,
how long will you gash yourselves? 6 Ah, sword of the Lord!
How long till you are quiet?
Put yourself into your scabbard;
rest and be still! 7 How can it be quiet
when the Lord has given it a charge?
Against Ashkelon and against the seashore
he has appointed it.”
REFLECTION:
Philistia was located in the plains along the coast of Judah. It had always been a strong enemy of Israel, and there were constant wars between the two countries. The Philistines were an idolatry nation, did not know the true God, and were cruel and fornicating. They had always harboured hatred against God’s people, and would not be satisfied until Israel was destroyed. The Philistines were so strong that the Israelites were frightened and felt powerless against them. However, it is not possible with humans, but everything is possible with God. This passage foretold that God would remove the Philistines, protect His people, and give them peace. Those who try to destroy the people of God will eventually be destroyed by God. Today, we live in an environment where there is no war and live a rich and comfortable life, but we also face powerful enemies. A wide variety of worldly values permeates our society. As the people of God, we are experiencing a difficult spiritual battle. The power of darkness is the “Philistines” we face today. Sometimes its powerful forces often make us feel powerless and even fearful. However, let us not forget that God will protect us. The devil’s defeat is set, and its ultimate end is to be wiped out by the Lord like the Philistines at that time, and fall into the bottomless pit forever. Therefore, we should be brave and fearless, victorious by the Lord, and strive to live a holy life in the filth and darkness.
PRAYER:
Pray for the Lord to strengthen your heart, give you courage and strength, so that you can stand firm in the turbid currents of the world; pray for the Lord to walk with you, so that you can always look to Him in your daily life, gain strength from God to overcome sin, and live a holy life that bear a beautiful witness for the Lord.
HYMN:
Christ the Sure and Steady Anchor – https://youtu.be/WDsh4sqRXOA
Read chapter in full: https://biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Jeremiah+046
Jeremiah 46 (ESV)
27 “But fear not, O Jacob my servant,
nor be dismayed, O Israel,
for behold, I will save you from far away,
and your offspring from the land of their captivity.
Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease,
and none shall make him afraid. 28 Fear not, O Jacob my servant,
declares the Lord,
for I am with you.
I will make a full end of all the nations
to which I have driven you,
but of you I will not make a full end.
I will discipline you in just measure,
and I will by no means leave you unpunished.”
REFLECTION:
The six chapters after Chapter 46 are Jeremiah’s prophecies to the nations, from which we can see that God has a beautiful plan for the world. We can learn more about God’s divine nature from this passage. Although God specifically chooses the Israelites to fulfill His will, He loves all people and wants people all over the world to return to Him. At the same time, we also see that God is holy and will not tolerate any sin. God’s judgment is not based on prejudice and revenge, but on the principles of justice and equality. We also see that God does not like to judge people. He is more willing to show grace and mercy, and use His love to save all those who are willing to return to Him. Whether in ancient times or in the present, God will discipline His people out of love, in order to guide them back to Him. When we are faced with God’s discipline, we should not be afraid, but should receive the lessons humbly. We should understand that God disciplines us to love us, to purify us, and to make our lives more holy and abundant.
PRAYER:
Pray for God to give you a humble and repentant heart, sincerely confess your transgressions to Him, and be willing to live a holy life from now on; pray that God will give you the confidence and courage to be free from fear and disobedience to God’s discipline, and humbly receive His teachings in His discipline, through which we will be purified, and our lives will grow more.
HYMN:
Lord Prepare Me To Be A Sanctuary – https://youtu.be/LVKHqq6uoMM
Read chapter in full: https://biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Jeremiah+045
Jeremiah 45 (ESV)
1 The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he wrote these words in a book at the dictation of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: 2 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: 3 You said, ‘Woe is me! For the Lord has added sorrow to my pain. I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest.’ 4 Thus shall you say to him, Thus says the Lord: Behold, what I have built I am breaking down, and what I have planted I am plucking up—that is, the whole land. 5 And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the Lord. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go.”
REFLECTION:
This chapter was written between 605-604 BC. Baruch was the scribe who was responsible for recording Jeremiah’s information on the scroll. Baruch had long served Jeremiah, the unpopular prophet, and wrote down the Book of Jeremiah, a book full of struggles and judgments. At this time, the scribe seemed to have reached the end of his way, extremely discouraged and depressed. However, God used Jeremiah to tell him not to worry about personal honor and benefits, and said that if Baruch would follow God’s guidance, he would be protected by God. It is inevitable that we will experience disappointment or even pain and despair in our life and ministry. This passage tells us that the secret to getting out of the predicament is to focus on God’s promise. Once our attention leaves God, it is easy to lose the joy of serving God, because the less we see God, the more discouraged we will be. When we serve God, we should be careful not to focus solely on what we sacrificed, or to plot conspiracy without seeking God’s will. If we fall into this situation, we should ask God for forgiveness, and then return our attention to God.
PRAYER:
Pray for God to attract your attention and make your mind and heart linger on God’s grace, love, and beauty; pray for God to make you forget all the pain and sacrifice in your life and service, so that you can understand that what you do is for God, not to please people but to please God; ask God to make you long for Him more, as a deer pants for flowing streams, living in God’s truth all day long.
HYMN:
Great Is Your Faithfulness – https://youtu.be/ZYBBAF4SfV4
Read chapter in full: https://biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Jeremiah+044
Jeremiah 44 (ESV)
1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Judeans who lived in the land of Egypt, at Migdol, at Tahpanhes, at Memphis, and in the land of Pathros, 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: You have seen all the disaster that I brought upon Jerusalem and upon all the cities of Judah. Behold, this day they are a desolation, and no one dwells in them, 3 because of the evil that they committed, provoking me to anger, in that they went to make offerings and serve other gods that they knew not, neither they, nor you, nor your fathers. 4 Yet I persistently sent to you all my servants the prophets, saying, ‘Oh, do not do this abomination that I hate!’ 5 But they did not listen or incline their ear, to turn from their evil and make no offerings to other gods. 6 Therefore my wrath and my anger were poured out and kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, and they became a waste and a desolation, as at this day. 7 And now thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel: Why do you commit this great evil against yourselves, to cut off from you man and woman, infant and child, from the midst of Judah, leaving you no remnant? 8 Why do you provoke me to anger with the works of your hands, making offerings to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have come to live, so that you may be cut off and become a curse and a taunt among all the nations of the earth? 9 Have you forgotten the evil of your fathers, the evil of the kings of Judah, the evil of their wives, your own evil, and the evil of your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 10 They have not humbled themselves even to this day, nor have they feared, nor walked in my law and my statutes that I set before you and before your fathers.
REFLECTION:
These messages were announced by Jeremiah in 580 BC, and this was the last time Jeremiah prophesied. At this moment, the great mistake of the people of Judah has been made, and the country has fallen. Jeremiah was forcibly taken to Egypt, but he kept reminding the people that worshiping other gods would lead to the ruin of the country. Jeremiah pointed out that because they fled to Egypt against the will of God, they would never be able to return to their home country of Judah. However, the rebellious and hard-hearted people did not learn from the disasters caused by their own sins, and still went their own way. Even though Jeremiah warned them with the evil deeds of the ancestors of Judah, they still had no regrets and no fear. This past episode reminds us what attitude we should have to face the mistakes we made in the past. If we fail to learn from the past failures, we will repeat the same mistakes. We should understand that our lives are growing in constant failures, and our relationship with God is deepened in constant falls. Past failures are not only our pain, but also our medicine in God’s grace and love. May we gain humility and wisdom from the experience of failure, and guide us on the path of walking with God.
PRAYER:
Ask God to comfort us so that you can come out of the depression and pain of past failures; ask God to enlighten you and give you wisdom so that you can learn valuable experience and lessons from failures and see your weaknesses and shortcomings more thoroughly. In order to obey God’s guidance with a more humble attitude, avoid repeating the same mistakes, regain strength from God, and continue to move forward bravely.
