Jeremiah 33
Jeremiah given a second message from the LORD verse 1- 5
Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time
while he was yet shut up in the court of the PRISON – saying
Thus says the LORD the Maker thereof – the LORD that formed it
to establish it – the LORD is HIS name
Call unto ME – and I will answer you
and show thee great and mighty things which you know not
For thus says the LORD – the God of Israel
concerning the houses of this city
concerning the houses of the kings of Judah
which are thrown down by the mounts
and by the sword
They come to fight with the Chaldeans
BUT it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men
whom I have slain in MINE anger and in MY fury
and for all whose wickedness I have hid
MY face from this city
LORD promises future healing of Israel verse 6- 9
BEHOLD – I will bring it health and cure – and I will cure them
and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth
And I will cause the captivity of Judah
and the captivity of Israel to return
and will build them – as at the first
And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity
whereby they have sinned against ME
And I will pardon all their iniquities – whereby they have sinned
whereby they have transgressed against ME
And it shall be to ME a name of joy – praise – honor
before all the nations of the earth
which shall hear all the GOOD that I do unto them
and they shall fear and tremble for all the
GOODNESS and for all the PROSPERITY
that I procure unto it
LORD promises prosperity verse 10- 11
Thus says the LORD
Again there shall be heard in this place
which you say shall be desolate without man and without beast
even in the cities of Judah – and in the streets of Jerusalem
that are desolate – without man
and without inhabitant – without beast
The voice of joy – gladness – bridegroom bride – them that shall say
Praise the LORD of hosts – for the LORD is GOOD
for HIS mercy endures for ever
and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of
PRAISE into the house of the LORD
For I will cause to return the captivity of the land as at first
says the LORD
LORD promises sheep in the fields again verse 12- 13
Thus says the LORD of hosts
Again in this place which is desolate without man and without beast
and in all the cities thereof shall be a habitation of shepherd
causing their flocks to lie down
In the cities of the mountains – cities of the vale – cities of the south
and in the land of Benjamin – places about Jerusalem
and in the cities of Judah shall the flocks pass again under
the hands of him that tells them –says the LORD
LORD states the day is coming verse 14
BEHOLD the days come – says the LORD
that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto
the house of Israel and the house of Judah
Renaming of Jerusalem verse 15- 16
In those days and at that time will I cause the
BRANCH of RIGHTEOUSNESS to grow up unto David
And HE shall execute judgment and righteousness
in the land
In those days shall Judah be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely
and this is the name wherewith she shall be called
The LORD our RIGHTEOUSNESS
Reestablishing of sacrificial system verse 17- 18
For thus says the LORD
David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel
neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before ME
to offer burnt offerings – to kindle meat offerings
to do sacrifice continually
LORD states no way to break HIS covenant verse 19- 22
And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah – saying
Thus says the LORD
If you can break MY covenant of the day
and MY covenant of the night
and that there should not be day and night
in their season
THEN may also MY covenant be broken with David MY servant
that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne
and with the Levities the priests – MY ministers
As the host of heaven cannot be numbered
neither the sand of the sea measured
SO will I multiply the seed of David MY servant
and the Levities that minister unto ME
LORD promises to never completely reject HIS people verse 23- 26
Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah – saying
Consider you not what this people have spoken – saying
The two families which the LORD has chosen
HE has even cast them off?
thus they have despised MY people
that they should be no more a
nation before them
Thus says the LORD
If MY covenant be not with day and night
and if I have not appointed the ordinances of
heaven and earth
THEN will I cast away the seed of Jacob – and David MY servant
so that I will not take any of his seed
to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
for I will cause their captivity to return
and have mercy on them
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 3 Call unto me, and I will answer you, and shew you great and mighty things, which you know not. (7121 “call” [qara] means to summons, cry, invite, mention, preach, proclaim, pronounce, utter a loud sound, be named or say.)
DEVOTION: This is a chapter of promise. The only way that the promise could be broken is if they could stop the day and night from happening.
When God promises HE is going to keep HIS word. The people of Israel were going to return and the cities were going to be restored. They were presently going to be destroyed but in the future Jerusalem was going to be rebuilt.
The LORD invites the children of Israel to summons HIM and HE will answer them. HE will not only answer them but HE will show them many important things. HE will not only show them important things but inaccessible things. Things that incomprehensible will be understood. Things that are unsearchable even with a computer will be found. Secret things will be revealed. The LORD wants to share with those who genuinely seek HIM. HE wants to share with those who invite HIM into their lives. HE continues to knock at the door of our hearts.
We can’t understand that captivity can be good for us or for the children of Israel. We still have problems with suffering in our lives. We think that God should just fix everything now. HE should just forgive us and move on and not allow suffering in our lives. The whole teaching of the word of God says that we only grow through suffering. Suffering makes us more like Jesus.
This chapter is informing the children of Israel that there is a BRANCH of Righteousness coming that will bring in a time of prosperity for HIS people. We know that this BRANCH is Christ. The LORD puts a command in front of the children of Israel. The command is for them to cry to HIM for help. HE is not going to cause the help to come for seventy years but it is going to come. This is not the full fulfillment of HIS promise.
Should we pray to the LORD with the knowledge that HE might not answer in our lifetime? Should we bother to pray for our children’s salvation when we know that they will be old and gray before they accept Christ? Should a wife of fifty years still pray for the salvation of her husband?
We want instant results. God’s promise is that the future is sure. God’s command is for us to pray now for future blessings. Are we obeying HIS command to pray? Are we ready for GREAT and MIGHTY THINGS? Are our churches ready for GREAT and MIGHTY THINGS? Are we crying out to God for GREAT and MIGHTY THINGS?
If we received them would we be full of JOY? Remember to watch what we pray for because we could get it!!!
This is a promise to the children of Israel for a revelation into their future. It is also repeated other places, so that, they might realize that the LORD wants to communicate with them. HE also wants to communicate with us today. HE wants us to invite HIM into a conversation with us.
CHALLENGE: Invite the LORD to have a conversation with you. HE speaks through HIS Word and the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. (1540 “reveal” [galah] means uncover, discover, to go into exile, uncover, disclose, lay bare, or to make something known to someone else, through not necessarily public)
DEVOTION: The LORD wants Israel to know that HIS judgment was only going to last for a time period but it would end and then a time of blessing was going to come.
The children of Israel had to be taught a lesson regarding the consequences of their sins. They had to learn that God wanted obedience from those who were HIS people. Once they had learned that if they were not obedient there would be chastening it would help them understand that there are consequences to sin.
This is the same lesson that we have to learn even today. There are people who claim to be believers who still sin and some have not confessed their sins and asked forgiveness. The LORD wants HIS people to understand that there are consequences to sin even for those who are HIS people. It happened in the Old Testament times and it does happen even today.
Those who are believers have to keep short accounts with the LORD. We need to confess our sins daily. We are to seek to be individual who honor the LORD regularly. Yes, we are going to sin but we are also supposed to confess the sin and ask the LORD’S forgiveness and with HIS help not commit the sin again.
There seems to be sins that affect some people more than others. Our responsibility is to pray for those who we know as they struggle with certain sins. Part of our responsibility is to help our fellow believers in their fight against sin.
The LORD is the only ONE who can bring health and cure to our lives and we need to trust HIM to help us each day with our struggles.
CHALLENGE: There is coming a time period when we will have our sins gone. It is when we are with HIM in heaven. Until then we will struggle with sin and HE will forgive us through confession that is real.
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: 10-11 “Thus says the LORD: ‘Again there shall be heard in this place—of which you say, “It is desolate, without man and without beast”—in the cities of Judah, in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say: “Praise the LORD of hosts, For the LORD is good, For His mercy endures forever”— and of those who will bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause the captives of the land to return as at the first,’ says the LORD. The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
DEVOTION: The contrast between the present and the future with God is sometimes stark. Jeremiah here presents the difference of the captured city and the redeemed city. One is desolate and uninhabited and the other rings with joy, laughter and worship. While one was a present reality with the city under siege and the fall of it imminent, the other is what God reveals to Jeremiah as the future. He is presenting the picture to Jeremiah to encourage and assist the conquered people to maintain hope. By the time the New Testament occurs and Jesus is walking the streets of Jerusalem the city is alive and bustling as Jeremiah predicted. It is even more predictive of the future city where the streets will be paved with gold and the sun will never set (Rev. 22:5).
CHALLENGE: The difficulty of the present needs to be contrasted with the reality of the future. As we gaze at what God has promised we can be assured the difficulties of the moment will soon be over. Take heart and be courageous! (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 15 In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and HE shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. (6780 “Branch” [tsemach] means sprout, growth, shoot, bud, bring forth or head of a stalk.)
DEVOTION: We read in Jeremiah 23: 5 about the King that was coming in the future. HE was also called a righteous Branch.
It was the introduction of the Messiah who would come in the future to reign in Jerusalem. During HIS reign there would only be righteousness. HE would execute judgment in only a righteous manner.
This is in contrast to what was presently happening in Jerusalem. The leadership in Jerusalem was all looking out for themselves and not those who needed to be given true judgment. The LORD was judging them because of their treatment of the poor in their nation.
This is a time in the future when the Messiah was going to reign. It is describing the Millennial reign of Christ when HE returns. HE promised the disciples on the Mount of Olives that HE was coming back. The angels stated that HE was coming back.
However, we have waited 2,000 years and HE still has not returned. This has caused some confusion in the church. Some believers have decided to just sit back and wait. Others think it will never happen. There are pastors who are not teaching on end times because it has taken so long for the LORD to return.
All of these individuals are wrong. HE is coming and we were given an assignment to “occupy until HE comes.” This is not happening in many churches that claim to be followers of the LORD.
The people in the pews are sitting, soaking and souring instead of spreading the GOOD NEWS of the GOSPEL. We are all ministers. Christ is going to return when the last person who is recorded in the book of life is reached. Our responsibility is to reach those in our Jerusalem.
HE could call us home at any time and then we will stand before HIM and give a report of what we have done since the day of our salvation. We are not earning our salvation but rewards. It should be the desire of our heart to please HIM in this type of service.
CHALLENGE: The future reign of Christ is assured. Our rewards are still in process. Work for the day is coming when we will meet HIM face to face.
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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)
Call unto LORD and HE will answer verse 3
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
House of the LORD verse 11
Voice of joy verse 11
Voice of gladness verse 11
Praise the LORD of hosts verse 11
Sacrifice of praise to the house of the LORD verse 11
Priests the Levites (God’s ministers) verse 18, 21, 22
Offer burnt offering verse 18
Kindle meat offerings verse 18
Sacrifices continually verse 18
Evites the priests, MY ministers verse 21
Levites minister to ME verse 22
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word of the LORD verse 1, 19, 23
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1, 2, 4, 10- 14, 16, 19, 20, 23- 25
LORD the maker verse 2
Creator: formed it and establish it verse 2
Call to ME verse 3
I will answer verse 3
Show great and mighty things verse 3
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign, Plural name) verse 4
God of Israel verse 4
Anger of God verse 5
I have slain in MINE anger and in MY fury verse 5
I have hid MY face from this city verse 5
I will bring it health and cure verse 6
I will cure them verse 6
I will reveal to them the abundance of peace
and truth verse 6
I will cause the captivity of Judah and Israel
to return verse 7
I will build them as at the first verse 7
I will cleanse them form all their iniquity verse 8
I will pardon verse 8
I have procured good ness and prosperity verse 9
LORD of hosts verse 11, 12
LORD is good verse 11
Merciful verse 11
House of the LORD verse 11
LORD our righteousness verse 16
MY covenant of the day and night verse 20
Covenant with David MY servant verse 21
David MY servant verse 22
Appointed ordinances of heaven and earth verse 25
I will cause their captivity to return verse 26
I have mercy on them verse 26
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Branch of Righteousness verse 15
Execute judgment and righteousness verse 15
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)
Host of heaven verse 22
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Chaldeans verse 5
Nations of the earth verse 9
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Wickedness verse 5
Iniquity verse 8
Sinned verse 8
Transgressed verse 8
Despised God’s people that they should
no more be a nation before them verse 24
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Call verse 3
Answered prayer verse 3
Shown great and mighty things verse 3
Health verse 6
Cure verse 6
Abundance of peace and truth verse 6
Build up nation verse 7
Cleanse verse 8
Pardon verse 8
Joy verse 9, 11
Fear of the LORD verse 9
Goodness verse 9
Prosperity verse 9
Gladness verse 11
Praise verse 11
Mercy verse 11, 26
Promise verse 14
Saved verse 16
Safely verse 16
Covenant verse 20, 21, 25
Servant verse 21, 22, 26
Ministers verse 21, 22
Chosen verse 24
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jeremiah (in prison) verse 1, 19, 23
Word of the LORD came to him
Israel verse 4, 7, 14, 17
Jerusalem verse 4, 10, 13, 16
Judah verse 4, 7, 10, 13, 14, 16
Kings of Judah verse 4
Return to Promised Land verse 11, 26
Benjamin verse 13
House of Israel verse 14, 17
House of Judah verse 14
David verse 15, 17, 21, 22, 26
Deliverance of Judah verse 16
Throne of the house of Israel verse 17
Seed of David verse 22
Seed of Abraham verse 26
Seed of Isaac verse 26
Seed of Jacob verse 26
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
In those days verse 15, 16
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QUOTES regarding passage
In addition, the Qal and Hiphil forms are used metaphorically in connection with other objects: a posterity springing up (Isa 44:4), trouble (Job 5:6), the future (Isa 42:9), the restoration (Isa 58:8), and righteousness and praise (Isa 61:11).
Especially significant are the passages related to the coming up of a shoot from the root or seed of David, i.e. the future messianic person (II Sam 23:5; Jer 33:15; Ezk 29:21; Ps 132:17; Zech 6:12). (Kaiser, W. C. (1999). 1928 צָמַח. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (769). Chicago: Moody Press.)
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The first writer to take up the thought of II Sam 23:5 and use the root ṣmḥ as a noun to designate the Messiah is Isaiah (4:2). Many deny that Isaiah is referring to the Messiah when he speaks of “the Branch or Shoot of Yahweh” because it is paralleled by the expression “the fruit of the earth.” Therefore, 4:2 is simply a reference to the agricultural prosperity of the land. But this view fails to notice that both of these expressions are elsewhere messianic. It also neglects to account for the unusual limitation of this fruitfulness “in that day”; the fruitfulness is for the survivors of Israel. Furthermore, they overlook the progressive nature of revelation, for certainly II Sam 23:5 and perhaps Ps 132:17 are controlling ideas when we come to the eighth century b.c. Thus the “Sprout of Yahweh” (or as clarified by the cognate studies, “the son of Yahweh”) is an obvious reference to the divine nature of the ṣemaḥ. Yet his human nature is also in view, for he is “the Offspring or Fruit of the Earth.”
In Jer 23:5–6 and 33:15–16, he is “the Righteous Branch [or Sprout)” raised up for David to reign as King. While focusing on his human, but regal nature, this passage also stresses his deity by calling him “the Lord our Righteousness.” Note that the context of both passages is the promise that Israel will return to the land. Even more pointedly, Jer 33:19–26 sets the ṣemaḥ promise in line with God’s previous promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Levite priests, and David!
Zechariah (3:8) pictures the Branch (ṣemaḥ) as the Lord’s Servant. No doubt the allusion is to Isaiah’s archetypal statements concerning Yah-weh’s Servant, Jesus Christ. In Zech 6:12 the prophet proclaims, “Behold the Man” who is “a priest on his throne,” a ruler, a counselor of peace, whose name is Branch. Zechariah sees the high priest Joshua as a type of the promise, but only a pledge of God’s future fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
The DSS use the phrase ṣemaḥ dāwîd as a Messianic term in explanation of the Davidic covenant of II Sam 7:14 (JBL 77:353).
The nt makes at least two references to this messianic title “Branch” using the LXX translation of the root ṣmḥ: anatolē and anatellō. Hebrews 7:14 is to be translated “our Lord sprang forth (or sprouted) from Judah.” But in Luke 1:78 with its anatolē exhypsous the equation of ṣemaḥ YHWH is complete. Therefore we translate the verse, “Because of the tender mercy of our God by which the Branch from on High shall visit us.” The only change needed is to convert the term “height” into the divine name and the ot expression appears again. Additional evidence for this messianic concept may be found in nēṣer “branch” and ḥōṭer “shoot” (Isa 11:1) and yônēq “young plant” and šōresh “root” (Isa 53:2). (Kaiser, W. C. (1999). 1928 צָמַח. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (770). Chicago: Moody Press.)
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33:15–16 These verses are a prose parallel to the poetic messianic statement of 23:5–6 but with a slight difference in emphasis. The verses promise the restoration of the Davidic dynasty. “A righteous Branch” (see 23:5 for explanation of “Branch”) of David’s family would do what is just and right, as contrasted with the many wicked kings who occupied the throne since David’s death. Under the leadership of this new ruler, Judah would be saved and the people would live in safety. The city would be given a new name: “The Lord our righteousness.” In 23:6 the name was promised to the coming ruler, but here the name is given to the city. The meaning of the new name is that Jerusalem would finally become what God intended for it to be all along—a city noted for its righteousness. See also Isa 1:26; 62:2–4; Jer 3:17; Ezek 48:35; Zech 8:3; Rev 11:8 for other descriptive names of Jerusalem. (Huey, F. B. (1993). Jeremiah, Lamentations (Vol. 16, p. 301). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
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15 The good word the prophets announced is found in many other passages (cf. 16:15; 23:3; 29:10; 32:37; Hos 1:10; 2:15; 6:11; Amos 9:14; Mic 7:9; Zeph 3:10). It comprises the entire panorama of glorious promises made to both parts of the nation. “Those days” are the messianic times (cf. 23:5–6). The passage undeniably parallels the great prophecy of Messiah in 23:1–8. The wording is not identical, but the parity of ideas is unmistakable. It is through the Lord Messiah, the righteous One, that the restoration and attendant blessings will be realized. Jeremiah’s picture of the coming Messiah, though not so replete as Isaiah’s, is nonetheless varied and unique. Jeremiah pictures the coming Messiah as (1) the spring of living waters (2:13); (2) the good Shepherd (23:4; 31:10); (3) the righteous Branch (here and 23:5); (4) the Redeemer (50:34); (5) The Lord Our Righteousness (23:6); (6) David the king (30:9); and (7) the Agent of the new covenant (31:31–34) (so Harrison). (Feinberg, C. L. (1986). Jeremiah. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, p. 591). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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33:14–16. The second section of this chapter is introduced with the phrase the days are coming (hinnēh yāmîm bā’îm). Jeremiah used this phrase 16 times in his book. In a negative sense it referred to the coming destruction of Judah and the surrounding nations (cf. 7:32; 9:25; 19:6; 48:12; 49:2; 51:47, 52). However, in its remaining 9 occurrences it pointed to a future period of blessing for Israel when (a) the nation will be restored from captivity (16:14–15; 23:7–8; 30:3), (b) the righteous Branch of David will be ruling over a united monarchy (23:5–6; 33:14–15), (c) the nation will be experiencing peace and prosperity in the land (31:27–28; 33:14, 16), (d) the New Covenant with its cleansing from sin will be in effect (“The time is coming,” 31:31–34), and (e) the city of Jerusalem will be rebuilt as a Holy City that will never again be destroyed (31:38–40). These promises transcend anything that Israel has experienced throughout her long history. They will find their ultimate fulfillment only in the Millennial Age when the kingdom of the Messiah is established. This will be when God will fulfill the gracious promise He made to … Israel and Judah.
The first aspect of this fulfillment will be the restoration of the monarchy (cf. 23:5). The righteous Branch that will sprout from David’s line will rule as King over the nation. This was a prophecy about Jesus Christ who descended from the line of David and was promised David’s throne (cf. Luke 1:31–33).
The second aspect of this fulfillment will be the restoration of Jerusalem as God’s dwelling place. The city that was about to be destroyed by Babylon (Jer. 33:4–5) will someday live in safety. Though this verse is also found in 23:6, Jeremiah made a significant change in this passage to give it a new meaning. In 23:6 Jeremiah pictured the safety of Israel and Judah through the ministry of the Messiah who was called “The Lord Our Righteousness.” However, by changing “Israel” to “Jerusalem” and by changing the preposition “he” to “it” (lāh, lit., “to her”) Jeremiah made the title, The Lord Our Righteousness apply to the city of Jerusalem instead of to the Messiah. The city will take on the same characteristics as the Lord who will dwell within her (cf. Ezek. 48:35).
It is significant that Jeremiah singled out the royal (Jer. 33:15) and religious (v. 16) aspects of God’s restoration. Both were vital to Israel’s existence as God’s covenant community. (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. 1176). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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Ver. 15. In those days, and at that time, &c.] In those very self-same days before spoken of; in those days to come, and which were hastening on; in the fulness of time, agreed on between Jehovah and his Son; the appointed, fixed, determined time: will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; not Zorobabel, but the Messiah; who is not only a branch of David’s family, and therefore said to grow up unto him, being of his seed, his son, and offspring; but a Branch of righteousness, or a righteous Branch; perfectly righteous in himself, and the author of righteousness unto others; which can’t be said of Zorobabel, or of any other branch springing from David but the Messiah; and of him the Targum interprets it, paraphrasing it thus, “the Messiah of righteousness;” and Kimchi’s note is, “this is the King Messiah;” and so it is by other Jewish writers interpreted of him: and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land; judgment upon the blind Pharisees given up to judicial blindness and hardness of heart; and upon the world, and the prince of it, who was cast out by him; and though he came not at first to judge the world and all the individuals of it, as he will do at his second coming; yet all judgment, rule, and government of his church, is committed to him by his father; and he is on the throne to order and establish it with judgment, and to overrule all things for the good of it, and his own and his father’s glory: and he has wrought out an everlasting righteousness, agreeably to law and justice, for the justification of his people; for which reason he and they have the name in the verse following. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 5, p. 594). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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The movie “Unplanned,” a Pureflix biopic about former Planned Parenthood director-of-the-year Abby Johnson, had more than a few “unplanned” obstacles to overcome for its opening weekend.
First, the Motion Picture Association of America gave the film an R-rating because of its depiction of abortion. As I mentioned on The Point last month, how tragically ironic that in many states a teenage girl doesn’t need parental permission to get an abortion but needs it to see a movie about abortion.
Then, by some weird “coincidence” (yes, I’m using scare quotes there), the movie’s Twitter account was suspended on the day of the movie’s release. And of course, CNN, the Hallmark Channel, and almost every other major network refused to accept advertising dollars for the movie. Even a major Christian music network refused to promote the film.
Even so, “Unplanned” brought in $6.1 million over the weekend, and Forbes magazine predicts it will gross $16 million, which would be “a solid win” for a limitedly-distributed film.
I took my daughter to see “Unplanned,” and I was moved. Even more, I left convinced that it teaches an incredibly important lesson: Silence about abortion is unacceptable and the reasons Christians give to justify their silence—like abortion being too “political” or too “negative”—are tragically bogus.
Abby Johnson was the youngest Planned Parenthood director in the country. Over her eight years with the organization, she grew increasingly uncomfortable. As she says at her website, she realized “abortion was a product Planned Parenthood was selling, not an unfortunate necessity they were fighting to decrease.” Then, she was asked to assist with an abortion, and watched the abortionist kill a 13-week old baby.
That was the final straw, and the rest, as they say is history. A history now on film for all to see.
Of course, it’s no surprise that Planned Parenthood and its allies don’t want you to see behind the curtain of this national evil. As long as abortion remains hidden, they can continue to peddle their talking points, half-truths and lies: that abortion is not really the taking of a human life; that abortion is a compassionate choice for women; that Planned Parenthood isn’t in this for the money; and that this is about helping women, and on and on.
What is surprising and what “Unplanned” exposes in a powerful way, is how misguided, and even cowardly, it is for Christians to remain silent. We have our reasons, of course: “It’s not Christian to protest abortion clinics,” we are told. Abortion is a “political issue,” and we don’t want to make those who have had an abortion feel bad.
“Unplanned” unmasks just how misguided each of those talking points is. First, it contrasts harmful protesting with the incredible power of prayer and consistent presence. When Abby escaped Planned Parenthood, she ran directly to the Human Coalition, people she met day after day after day outside of her clinic.
Second, the film earned its R rating because it showed the realities of both surgical and medical abortions. See it for yourself if you still think this is about “politics,” and not about the ending of innocent human life.
And finally, in a particularly poignant scene in the movie, Abby begins to realize the enormity of the evil she’s participated in—20,000 abortions, 20,000 lost lives. Her only recourse is forgiveness.
Churches that are silent about abortion—because it ruins the positive vibe they want to have, or whatever—aren’t dealing in reality. To ignore this issue because we don’t want people to feel badly is to literally leave them in their guilt and shame. Why would any Christian who’s been forgiven want to do that? Why wouldn’t we want to point others to the love and forgiveness of Jesus that we’ve found, so they can find the redemption and the help that they really need?
I’m thankful to see Abby Johnson’s “Unplanned” story finally make it to the big screen. I’m thankful that it’s exceeded so many expectations. And I pray that we will seize the opportunities we have, like the one this movie presents to us, to speak up loudly about abortion.
And today, on the BreakPoint Podcast, Warren Smith interviews Abby Johnson. You can hear her story directly in her own words—at BreakPoint.org or wherever you download podcasts.
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Mary and Mary Magdalene discover that Jesus has risen from the dead.
INSIGHT
It is a momentous morning as Mary and Mary Magdalene walk to the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, intent on anointing the body of Jesus but not knowing how they will get into the tomb. They say to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us?”
Miracle number one: The stone has been rolled away. Miracle number two: An angel is sitting in the tomb to explain to them what has happened. Miracle number three: Jesus is gone; He has risen.
They have two responses. They were amazed! And they report to the disciples all that they have seen.
They expect to deal with death. But they find themselves in the middle of more life than they can imagine. Such paradox is God’s way. He brings life from death.
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THE PURPOSE OF THE CROSS
The LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6
In the Old Testament the Israelites transferred their guilt to a lamb, and then the lamb was killed, and his blood was offered. Why did Jesus Christ, the Son of God, come? John the Baptist, who went around before Him, gave the answer. John the Baptist had only one sermon, and he kept repeating it, and this was it: “Behold,” he says in essence, “I am not He. I am unworthy to undo the laces of His shoes. Behold, behold, behold, ‘the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’”
All the others were types and shadows, indications and adumbrations [foreshadowings]. The Lamb of God has come. God has provided His own sacrifice; it is His own Son—the Lamb of God. This is what happened on Calvary’s tree. God took your sins and mine, and He put them on the head of His own Son, and then He smote Him, He punished Him, He struck Him, He killed Him. The wages of sin is death.
So what was happening on the cross was that God Himself was laying your sins and mine upon His own dearly beloved Son, and Christ paid the penalty of our guilt and our transgressions. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). “The LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). That is what the Father did. What did the Son do? He was passive as a lamb. He did not grumble; He did not complain. He took it all upon Himself. He allowed it to happen. He surrendered Himself deliberately and freely. As the apostle Paul puts it: “Who gave himself for [on behalf of] our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father” (Galatians 1:4).
A Thought to Ponder: On the cross God Himself was laying your sins and mine upon His own dearly beloved Son. (From The Cross, pp. 33-34, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Knowing and Trusting
“And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.” (Psalm 9:10)
When one really knows the name of the Lord, that one will surely come to trust Him. How could anyone fail to trust God and to believe His Word, when they know Him to be the Almighty Creator (Elohim), the self-existing One (Jehovah), and the gracious Master (Adonai)? When they further learn that He is none other than Jesus Christ (“Anointed Savior”), surely they ought to believe and bow in thankful love, calling Him “Lord” by the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 12:3).
The word for “trust” means “take refuge in.” We can trust our Lord for protection from harm, from want, from all the attacks of the wicked one, and finally, from hell itself. That trust is well placed because the Lord never forsakes those who truly trust Him. The Word confirms this truth over and over again. “(For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers” (Deuteronomy 4:31). “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Psalm 37:25). These are glorious promises, always fulfilled—that is, with one exception.
The only man who always fully trusted God, who was altogether righteous, and who perfectly manifested the Father’s name to His disciples and to the world—that One was forsaken! “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” He cried, as He died on the cross (Matthew 27:46).
And it was because He was willing to be forsaken and to suffer hell itself in our place—dying for our sins—that God can make and keep His promise never to forsake anyone who seeks Him and puts their trust in Him, through Jesus Christ. (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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