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JEREMIAH 17A

Loss of inheritance                                                 verse 1- 4
 
The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron
            and with the point of a diamond
                        it is graven upon the table of their heart
                                 and upon the horns of your altars
While their children remember their altars and their groves by the
             green trees upon the high hills
O MY mountain in the field
            I will give your substance and all your treasure to be spoil
                        and your high places for sin – throughout all your borders
AND you – even yourself
            shall discontinue from your heritage that I gave you
                        and I will cause you to serve your enemies in the land
                                    which you know not
                                                for you have kindled a fire in MINE anger
                                                            which shall burn forever
           
Loss of confidence in mankind necessary           verse 5- 6
 
Thus says the LORD
            Cursed be the man that trusts in man – and makes flesh his arm
                       and whose heart departs from the LORD
             For he shall be like the heath in the desert
                        and  shall not see when good comes
              BUT he shall inherit the parched places in the wilderness
                          in a salt land and not inhabited
 
Fruitful people trust in the LORD                           verse 7- 8
 
            Blessed is the man that TRUSTS in the LORD
                       and whose HOPE is in the LORD
             For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters
                       and that spreads out her roots by the river
                                   and shall not see when heat comes
                                            BUT her leaf shall be green
                        and shall not be careful in the year of drought
                                   neither shall cease from yielding fruit
 
LORD searches hearts                                             verse 9- 11
 
The heart is deceitful above all things – and desperately wicked
              Who can know it?
I the LORD search the heart – I try the reins
              even to give every man according to his ways
                         and according to the fruit of his doings
 As the partridge sits on eggs – and hatches them not
             so he that that gets riches – and not by right
                        shall leave them in the midst of his days
                                   and at his end shall be a FOOL
     
LORD fountain of LIVING WATER                           verse 12- 13
 
A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary
             O LORD – the hope of Israel
                         all that forsake YOU shall be ashamed
                                 and they that depart from me shall be written in
                                             the earth
BECAUSE they have forsaken the LORD
            the FOUNTAIN of LIVING WATER
 
Jeremiah states complete trust in LORD                verse 14- 15
 
Heal me – O LORD – and I shall be healed
            save me and I shall be saved – for YOU are my PRAISE
BEHOLD – they say unto me
            Where is the word of the LORD? – let it come now
 
Jeremiah prays for grace                                          verse 16- 18
 
As for me – I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow YOU
               neither have I desired the woeful day – YOU know
                            that which came out of my lips was right before YOU
Be not a terror unto me – YOU are my HOPE in the
              DAY of EVIL
Let them be confounded that persecute me
               BUT let me not be confounded
                            let them be dismayed – BUT let me not be dismayed
                                         bring upon them the DAY of EVIL
                                                  and destroy them with DOUBLE destruction          
 
Jeremiah warns against work on Sabbath              verse 19- 23
 
Thus said the LORD unto me
            Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people
                        WHEREBY the kings of Judah come in
                                    and BY THE WHICH they go out
                                                and in all the gates of Jerusalem
             And say unto them
                        Hear you the word of the LORD – ye kings of Judah
                                     and all Judah – and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem
                                               that enter in by these gates
            Thus says the LORD
                        Take heed to yourselves
                                    and bear no burden on the Sabbath day
                                                nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem
                        Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses
                                    on the Sabbath day – neither do you any work
                                                BUT hallow ye the Sabbath day
                                                            as I commanded your fathers
                        BUT they obeyed not – neither inclined their ear
                                    BUT made their neck stiff that they might not hear
                                                nor receive instruction
 
LORD promises restoration with repentance          verse 24- 26
 
            And it shall come to pass
                        If you diligently hearken unto ME  – says the LORD
                                    to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the
                                              Sabbath day – but hallow the Sabbath day
                                                           to do no work therein
          THEN shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes
                        sitting upon the throne of David
                                     riding in chariots and on horses – they  – their princes
                                                     the men of Judah – and the inhabitants of Jerusalem
                                                                 and this city shall remain for ever
           And they shall come from the cities of Judah – places about Jerusalem
                       and from the land of Benjamin – plain – mountains – south
                                      bringing burnt offerings – and incense
                                                     and bringing SACRIFICES of PRAISE
                                                                unto the HOUSE of the LORD
 
LORD states if no repentance no blessing             verse 27
 
          BUT if you will not hearken unto ME to HALLOW the Sabbath day
                        and not to bear a burden – even entering in at the
                                   gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day
          THEN I will kindle a fire in the gates thereof
                       and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem
                                   and it shall not be quenched
 


COMMENTARY:

  DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

 
: 7       “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
1288 בָּרַךְ, בָּרַךְ [barak /baw·rak/] translates as “bless” 302 times, “salute” five times, ) to be blessed, be adored.
Devotion: A person and church that knows and trusts Jesus are truly blessed. Unlike the person in the previous verses (5-6), a blessed person will flourish like a tree beside the water (Ps.1:3) Despite the difficulties like a drought or heat, a tree will remain green and bear fruit. It will spread its roots by the water and continue to grow. A blessed man is like that as well and this abundant life is what Jesus spoke of in John 10:10 when he stated, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Regardless of what difficulties come against a believer when they are next to Jesus they can continue to experience blessings even when uncertain conditions exist. Trust and hope in the Lord!
Application:  As believers, each of us have gone through periods where it is scorching hot with adversity or a drought where no rain of revival pours down. Be thankful that the Lord knows how to provide rivers of waters to the roots of our spiritual lives as we stand. Go deep into God’s water sources (The word of God and the Holy Spirit) and be refreshed today. (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)

 


DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

 
: 10      I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruitof his doings. (6529 “fruit” [pariy] means results, offspring, motives, reward, attitudes, or harvest.
DEVOTION:  The New Testament informs us that “what we sow we will also reap.” If we sow wild oats we will reap the consequences of our actions. There is a relationship between our walking away from the LORD and our walking toward HIM. It is a good relationship if we are walking in HIS ways. It is a poor relationship if we are walking away from HIM in disobedience.
The LORD is the one who determines what happens to us each day. It is HIS determination that makes eternity special to us. HE is recorded throughout the Old Testament as one who searches the hearts of the people of the world. HE knows that outward appearance can fool people walking beside us but our heart or inner life is what HE examines to see if our motives are right or wrong.
It is from HIS observation of our inner motives that HE establishes what HE will do next with us. If we have a heart that is willing to serve HIM, HE will give us further instruction as to how we can please HIM. We know that faith pleases HIM. HE wants us to trust HIM explicitly.
The verse above this one informs us that our hearts are naturally wicked. We are a deceitful people. It may not show on the outside but without the LORD helping us it is there on the inside daily. HE knows our frame. HE knows that we are selfish and lazy all of our life. HE is the only one who can give us strength to honor HIM and others with our actions. HE is the only one who can give us energy to face each day.
Our hope has to be in HIM alone. Our prayers have to be daily praying for his strength to be unselfish and the strength to serve HIM with our actions.
CHALLENGE: The LORD is the one who throws all our actions into a fire and checks out the ones that don’t get burned. How many of our actions today will be burned on the day of our appearance at the Judgment Seat of Christ?)

 


DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

 
: 14     Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for YOUare my praise. (8416 "praise" [tehillah] means adoration, thanksgiving, laudation or hymn.
DEVOTION:  The sins of the children of Israel are recorded with a pen of iron. They are on the hearts of the people. Jeremiah warns that the anger of the LORD is real. The message sent to the children of Israel is that they need not trust in man but they need to trust in the LORD. The only ones who are blessed are those who trust in the LORD. The rest of the people are cursed. The ones who are blessed with be like a tree planted by the waters and it will prosper. [Psalm 1] We also find in Psalm one that there is healing in the leaves of the trees. What do we need healing from? Is it just physical healing? Or is it spiritual healing that the children of Judah need at this time. If we look at the context of the passage we find that they need healing from sin in their lives.
Not only do they need healing from sin but they need deliverance from their enemies. The first enemy we face each day is the enemy of our flesh. We want what we want when we want it.
The second enemy we face each day is the world system or worldview of the nation we are living in. Our nation presently has a worldview that we don’t need Jesus. They don’t want our military or police chaplains to pray in Jesus name. They want to be politically correct instead of Biblically correct. They will answer to the LORD for their decision.
The third enemy we face each day is the devil and his other fallen angels that tempt us to sin. We have to resist the devil daily. We have to put on the armor of God daily to fight off his fiery darts.
The LORD wants the people to know that their hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked if left to itself. The LORD tests the heart of each individual to see what is going on.
The children of Judah are under HIS examination. HE wants to see what direction they are headed. HE knows which way they are headed. Those who have forsaken HIM are forsaking the fountain of LIVING WATER. They are heading the wrong way.
Jeremiah realizes that he is part of the children of Judah and needs to act. So he asks the LORD to heal him. He wants his life to honor the LORD. Remember he has called the LORD a liar. He needs to confess his sin and ask the LORD to forgive him. Once he is forgiven he can be delivered from the judgment of God.
At this point Jeremiah prays a praise prayer. He knows what the LORD is capable of in his life. He wants healing and deliverance in the time of trouble that is on its way to Jerusalem.
The LORD gives Jeremiah a message to give at the gates of Jerusalem. They are to honor HIS Sabbath. If they honor HIS Sabbath, HE will spare them. However, they are not listening to Jeremiah or the LORD’S message.
Jeremiah in the midst of all his problems realized that God was the answer. He realizes that even through others are not following the LORD, He can. We need to realize the same truth.
We need to be praying for revival in the hearts of God’s people. The LORD is longsuffering. Judgment must come to those who are not willing to confess their sins and follow the LORD. People were giving him a hard time because of his prophecy of judgment but God was giving him courage.
We are to sing hymns to HIM at all times. We need to offer our SACRIFICES of PRAISE. Remember one of the signs of the filling of the Holy Spirit is SINGING. Are we singing daily? Are we praising HIM? When people meet us do they consider us, people that have a THANKFUL heart or one that is grumbling most of the time? HE is the fountain of LIVING WATER!!!
CHALLENGE:  Once we know we are forgiven of the LORD is our first reaction singing? If we are not singing we need to be praying for a singing spirit within us.)


 

DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

 
BODY

  • Chastity (Purity in living)
  • Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
  • Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
  • Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
  • Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

  • Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
  • Frugality (wise use of resources)
  • Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
  • Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
  • Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

  • Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
  • Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
  • Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

 
                       Jeremiah’s prayer of hope      verse 12- 18
 

  • Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
  • Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

                       Sanctuary                            verse 12
                       Praise                                   verse 14
                       Burnt offerings                   verse 26
                       Sacrifices                            verse 26
                       Meat offerings                    verse 26
                       Incense                                verse 26
                       Sacrifices of Praise             verse 26
                       House of the LORD            verse 26

 


DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

 
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
 
         Word of the LORD                           verse 15, 20
         Commandment                                verse 22
 
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
 
        Anger of the LORD                           verse 4
        LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)   verse 5, 7, 10, 13- 15,
                                                                                                                   19- 21, 24, 26
        Hope of Israel                                    verse 13
        Fountain of Living Water                 verse 13
        Word of the LORD                            verse 15, 20
        House of the LORD                          verse 26
        Kindle a fire in Jerusalem              verse 27
 
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)    
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
 
       Enemies                                                 verse 4
 
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
 

       Sin                                                            verse 1, 3
       Graven on heart                                   verse 1
       Altars to false gods                             verse 1, 2
       Groves of false worship                     verse 2
       High places for false worship           verse 3
       Cursed of the LORD                            verse 5
       Trust in man                                          verse 5
       Trust in own strength                          verse 5
       Heart departs from the LORD           verse 5
       Heart is deceitful                                  verse 9
       Heart is desperately wicked             verse 9
       F
ool                                                          verse 11
       Forsaken the LORD                             verse 13
       Evil                                                           verse 17
       Persecute genuine believers            verse 18
       Not confounded                                    verse 18
       Not dismayed                                        verse 18
       Burden on Sabbath                              verse 21, 22, 24, 27
       Working on Sabbath                            verse 22, 24
       Disobeying the LORD                         verse 23
       Not listening to the LORD                  verse 23, 27
       Stiff neck                                                verse 23
       Not hallow the Sabbath day               verse 27

 
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
 

       Heritage                                                  verse 4
       Good                                                        verse 6
       Blessed                                                  verse 7
       Trust in the LORD                                verse 7
       Hope in the LORD                                verse 7, 17
       Fruitful                                                    verse 8, 10
       Heart searched by LORD                  verse 10
       Hope                                                        verse 13, 17
       Heal                                                         verse 14
      Save                                                         verse 14
      Pastor                                                      verse 16
      Follow the LORD                                   verse 16
      Speaking right                                       verse 16
      Keep Sabbath Day                               verse 21, 22, 24
      Diligently listen to LORD                    verse 24
      Promise of the LORD                          verse 25

Israel (Old Testament people of God)
 
      Judah                                                      verse 1, 20, 25, 26
      Israel                                                       verse 13
      Jerimiah to go to gate to preach      verse 19
      Kings of Judah                                      verse 19, 20
      Jerusalem                                              verse 19- 21, 25- 27
      Keep Sabbath Day                               verse 21, 24
      Throne of David                                    verse 25
      Men of Judah                                         verse 25
      Land of Benjamin                                 verse 26
 
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
 
      Woeful day                                             verse 16
      Day of evil                                              verse 17, 18
 


QUOTES

 
Do these lines meet the eye of a tried and distressed saint who has been tempted by Satan to believe that God has forgotten and cares not for him? Surely the words are as true of every Christian as of every Israelite, “Mine eyes are upon all their ways.” Oh, look up, dear doubting one, and faint not beneath the chastening of the Lord! for His eyes never lose sight of you for one moment, and His heart is ever concerned about you. He is taking careful note of all your circumstances, and “He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” Sweet it is to trust where all is dark, and to sing with childlike faith, “My times are in Thy hand!” (Ironside, H. A. (1906). Notes on the prophecy and Lamentations of Jeremiah (p. 82). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)


17:21–23The people were warned not to carry a load on the Sabbath, either through the city gates or out of their houses. Nor were they to do work of any kind. What appears to us to be an overemphasis on the Sabbath may have been an important indicator of one’s relationship with God, and whoever refused to keep the Sabbath thereby demonstrated his rebellion against God (Num 15:32–36). The person who kept the Sabbath revealed his willingness to obey God in every area of life. It also gave an opportunity for him to worship God. Sabbath laws, as well as all the Mosaic laws, if observed, were evidences of trust in God, whether or not the person understood the reasons for the commands. The true spirit of obedience does not ask God why but accepts his commands as good.
Judah’s response to the Sabbath regulations was indicative of the people’s attitude toward all God’s commands. They did not listen or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and would not respond to his discipline. (Huey, F. B. (1993). Jeremiah, Lamentations (Vol. 16, p. 178). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)


17:20–24. His message to those who passed through these gates was to keep the Sabbath Day holy. In contrast with their forefathers who disobeyed, they were to honor the day God had set aside by not doing any work on it. This was one visible test of their faithfulness to God’s covenant. (Dyer, C. H. (1985). Jeremiah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1152). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)


Profaning the Sabbath (vv. 19–27). God had given the Sabbath to the Israelites as a special token of their relationship with Him (see Ex. 16:29; 20:8–11; 31:13–17). It was to be a day of rest for the people, their farm animals, and the land. The people, however, repeatedly disregarded the Law and treated the Sabbath like any other day. Their sin was evidence that their hearts were devoted to material gain and not to the Lord.
A mechanical obedience to the Sabbath law wasn’t what God wanted, but obedience that came from their hearts because they loved and feared the Lord. If this were the case, then they would obey all His Law, and God could then bless the people, their kings, and their city. If they continued to disobey the Law and desecrate the Sabbath, however, God would have to punish them by destroying their city and their temple.
Jeremiah faithfully and courageously delivered his sermons to the people; he lifted his supplications to the Lord; he poured out his grief over the sins of the nation; and yet the people only hardened their hearts and stubbornly resisted God’s truth.
In an age of unconcern and indecision, Jeremiah was burdened and decisive, and God honored him. Humanly speaking, his ministry was a failure, but from the divine perspective, he was an outstanding success. We need men and women of Jeremiah’s caliber serving in the church and the nation today. There’s a price to pay, but there’s also a crown to win. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Decisive (pp. 80–81). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)


It may seem, at first sight, like a break in the chain of thought as we pass from what has just been claiming our attention to the paragraph relative to the Sabbath with which this portion of the prophecy is concluded. It should be remembered, however, that the Sabbath was the weekly memorial of Israel’s covenant relation with Jehovah. It was to be kept sacred as a perpetual reminder of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage (Deut. 5:15); and it pointed forward to the final rest, when, all man’s labor ended, the redeemed should enter into the undisturbed bliss of the new creation (Lev. 23:3). Therefore the state of the people was ever manifested by the estimation in which they held Jehovah’s holy day. If they “called the Sabbath a delight,” and rejoiced in its privileges, there was good evidence that their hearts were true to Himself. If on that day they did their own pleasure and neglected the ordinances of the law relative thereto, no further proof need be sought as to their wretched state.
In order to bring this out beyond controversy, Jeremiah is bidden to go and stand in the gate (the place of judgment) and cry in the hearing of the king and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as they passed in or out of the city, “Hear ye the Word of the Lord.… Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers” (vers. 19–22). This summons as to the Sabbath would be a reminder of God’s past deliverance and future promise. But man prefers his useless labor. “They obeyed not, neither inclined their ear,” but deliberately turned away from hearing the message and refused the instruction. (Ironside, H. A. (1906). Notes on the prophecy and Lamentations of Jeremiah (pp. 87–88). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
….
It is easy enough to censure them; but oh, reader, let us examine our own ways, and ask ourselves whether we too may not be refusing Him who now speaks to us both by their example and by His Word. Departure from God and coldness of heart are the order of the day. The last great apostasy is fast hastening on. The Scriptures of truth are being readily surrendered at the behests of a host of veneered infidels who, parading as Christian ministers, are decrying every fundamental truth of the Bible. (Ironside, H. A. (1906). Notes on the prophecy and Lamentations of Jeremiah (pp. 88–89). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)

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