May 17


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Jeremiah 8-10

We are in the Prophetic Stream today spendings some time with Jeremiah, the Weeping Prophet. We are using the Common English Bible this week.

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Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

God of Heaven, hear us when we pray. We see the mess that comes from disobedience. Let us be tender toward you, and listen.  May we be clay that can be molded in your hands. We do not want to be like those we have read about today. Make us like you.     Amen.

ch. 8 – begins midstream [continuing the thought that began in ch. 7]  One version called it “…The Valley of Slaughter”. This is the description of how bad things were in Jerusalem as it was approaching 600 B.C. Human sacrifice had been going on, the priests were agents of darkness and not taking people to God. They had been doing astrology full on; consulting moon and stars like pagans gone amok. So God would see to it that the bones of these false priests would be laid out before the heavens – it was much more like Hindu “theology” for this to happen v.s. Judaic theology wherein the followers are buried at their death v.s. eaten by birds or burned on pyres. Judeans had been playing with false religion so they were going to end up as such.  It’s a horror show, folks.  God has been trying to talk to His people, but one may as well try to have a calm conversation with a scared cat!  They run away, listen to lies, they’re impenitent, oblivious to the Lord, they lie to themselves, lie about God and reject God outright.  Judah will be stripped bare for what they are doing. The harvest will not come in… but the enemy will come.  They’ve poisoned what God gave them and now they are poisoned. Healing? not happening. Jeremiah is very pained by all this.

9 – The first verses here is why Jeremiah is nicknamed the Weeping Prophet. What ‘once was’ compared to ‘what is now’ has decayed to such a sorry state of rottenness both spiritually and culturally. Deception is everywhere. The desolation they are seeing will soon completely overtake them.  This once beautiful city will soon be worse off than a dog pen. Jeremiah saw distinctly what was coming for these people. He walked among them (for well over a generation of time) and pleaded, practically begged- trying to persuade them – imploring them to turn from wickedness.  Btw, no one “converted” in his 60 years of ministering and prophesying. Jeremiah certainly had a discouraging assignment. The rebellious and callous ungodliness of these people -who had “firstborn” status with God- virtually broke Jeremiah’s heart.  There will be so many dead bodies when the Babylonians stomp through Judah! My God, My God, won’t these people hear the warnings?!
10 – is a glaring rendition of the pure worthlessness and empty stupidity of idols: either making them, using them, or worshiping them in any manner.  God is true, and living, and powerful, and renders justice, and applies his wrath properly.  He controls all nature – these idol makers are fools; buffoons.  Will you come home to Almighty God?        Since you won’t, you may as well get to packing up your things for you are going to be run out of here.  Your injuries, your destroyed belongings, your decimated families … what did you think would happen for ignoring the Lord’s instruction?!

Then Jeremiah ends the reading today with a humble prayer that is ‘one for the ages.’   “Correct me Lord, but with justice, and not in your anger, or else you will reduce me to nothing.”  Jeremiah knew the times he was living in for certain.

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