Archive for October 2020

Jeremiah 35-38,  Ecclesiastes 11,  John 4:43-54,  1 Peter 1:10-16   Jeremiah 35-38:   Jeremiah receives word from God to ask the Rechabites to come to God’s house and there offer them wine to drink (35:2). They refuse to drink wine because their forefather had commanded them not to do so and given them other rules by which…

Jeremiah 32-34,  Ecclesiastes 10,  John 4:27-42,  1 Peter 1:1-9   Jeremiah 32-34:   Jeremiah, like many a faithful preacher since (cf. Paul and John Bunyan), was in prison for faithfully proclaiming God’s word (32:2-3). His message has been that Jerusalem will fall to the Babylonians. But now, surprise, surprise, God tells Jeremiah to buy a field (32:6-8).…

Jeremiah 30-31,  Ecclesiastes 9,  John 4:15-26,  James 5:13-20  Jeremiah 30-31:   Jeremiah is now told that God will restore Israel (30:3). So certain is this restoration to come that he is to make sure that he writes the words of his prophecy “in a book” (30:2). The words of God’s prophets were meant to be recorded…

Jeremiah 26-29,  Ecclesiastes 8,  John 4:1-14,  James 5:7-12   Jeremiah 26-29:   Speaking truth in love—tough words, however gently delivered—is no easy task. But it is one to which Jeremiah is called. But he must stand in the court of the LORD’s house (26:2), in a public place, right in the holy realm, and declare God’s judgment…

Jeremiah 23-25,  Ecclesiastes 7:15-29,  John 3:22-36,  James 5:1-6   Jeremiah 23-25:   Jeremiah begins this section by exposing the immorality, hypocrisy, and downright laziness of the false shepherds and false prophets at the time. “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! (23:1). Instead, he will, in the future, set over them…

Jeremiah 19-22,  Ecclesiastes 7:1-14,  John 3:16-21,  James 4:11-17   Jeremiah 19-22:   Jeremiah has a sermon with a visual aid—a “potter’s earthenware flask” (19:1). As he preaches against the idolatry of God’s people, including human sacrifice of their children (19:5), he is commanded to “break the flask” (19:10). The point is that in the same way the…

Jeremiah 16-18,  Ecclesiastes 6,  John 3:1-15,  James 4:1-10   Jeremiah 16-18:   Jeremiah, this weeping prophet, speaking judgment against God’s people, is at the same time being protected by God. Don’t have children here, Jeremiah (16:2); don’t settle down and make a home here, Jeremiah. Disaster is coming. Such is the story of the first part of…

Jeremiah 14-15, Ecclesiastes 5, John 2:12-25, James 3:13-18   Jeremiah 14-15:   The section begins with a problem. There is an economic downturn, a serious recession, brought on this agrarian society by that terror of the ancient world: “drought” (14:1). What is the cause of it? Because the Israelites know that God is the cause, ultimately, of all, they turn…

Jeremiah 12-13,  Ecclesiastes 4,  John 2:1-11,  James 3:1-12   Jeremiah 12-13:   Jeremiah has a question for God, a question that many of us have asked on occasion too. This question (12:1) is essentially, “Why do the wicked prosper?” In particular, he has in mind those who are “treacherous.” Why is it that people who betray you,…