God, listen to me shout, bend an ear to my prayer. . . You've always given me breathing room, a place to get away from it all...... And I'll be the poet who sings Your glory! Psalm 61:1, 3, 8 The Message
Thursday, January 20, 2022
God Goes Before!
Thursday, January 13, 2022
The Story Our Living Tells
Put the word into action. If you think hearing is what matters most, you are going to find you have been deceived. James 1:22 The Voice
Spiritual growth is more than asking questions, searching for answers, or finding holy guidance. Integrity exceeds head knowledge by calling for a heart response, and the standards of Christian character should reflect a lifestyle pleasing to God. Visible, outward behaviors disclose the inner character of a person, describe their true relationship with God, and distinguish authenticity of the heart. Our inner character writes the story our living tells others.
Being in fellowship with God positions the Christian to breakdown barriers and construct communities that together share the Gospel of Christ. Called to Community, The Life Jesus Wants for His People, is comprised of a myriad of Christian educators, writers, theologians, philosophers, pastors, and martyrs, some living long ago and some living now. In one chapter, German New Testament professor, Gerhard Lohfink, writes, "Where faith is really faith it cannot be shoved to the margins of life." I wonder, when does my busyness, my agenda begin to dictate my response to God? How am I keeping my faith shoved to the margins of life?
An individual faith-story must be more than the words to the Apostles Creed, the Newsboys song We Believe or Psalm 23. Faith cannot be shoved to the margins and still reflect a true, growing relationship with God, not the margins of society, not the margins of our families, not the margins of our calendars. True faith must be more than scribbled notes on the margins of our Bibles, the good intentions that skip across the margins of our thoughts, the generosity that walks passed the margins of opportunities.
Let us take inventory of our outward behavior. What story do my actions tell others about my fellowship with God? How do I give voice to those who cannot speak for themselves? Where could my hands hold another's pain? Am I too busy to notice? Is my humility missing? The heart's most sincere desire must be to have an intimate relationship with God, and only then can we walk and act and speak with pure expressions of grace. Ethical integrity is spiritual faithfulness in a faithful God lived out loud! What does the inventory of your outward behavior reveal about your inner character? ~dho
Thursday, January 06, 2022
Shielded and Sheltered
He will shield you with His wings. He will shelter you with His feathers. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Psalm 91:4 NLT
Thursday, December 30, 2021
Final Chapter
Week 52 – Book of Jeremiah
Read:
Jeremiah Chapter 52
Background
Think
about the book of Jeremiah as a “notebook or scrapbook of things” written by
the prophet and about his ministry. Including “news clippings” that “piece
together the story of his life” along with addressing the “spiritual needs of
his generation” and expressing “the emotions of his suffering soul,”[1]
these historical recordings tell the story of Jerusalem during one of its most
chaotic times. The book of Jeremiah is more than a historical account of those
current times, more importantly God’s messages give testimony to the future,
both of Israel and all peoples. This is the message of hope, holy and divine in
purpose.
Written
in the form of narratives, poetry, laments, and prayers, these ancient words
declare the power and plans of God. Expectations that come with a covenant can
fail, fall apart, fold under the pressures of the carnal world. Like shiny and
bright trinkets, the idols lure the people away from God, false prophets
reinforce the myths. Faithful to God, Jeremiah delivers God’s truth, despite
the rejection of the people. Still, hope remains. The Messianic message of the
new covenant emerges in the turmoil. God’s purpose will never be defeated.
The
writings of Jeremiah comprise 52 chapters, 1,364 verses, and nearly 50 years of
history. Many call Jeremiah the prophet of doom, but he writes about the
spiritual and cultural decline of a people who centuries before pledged to
follow God and promised to keep His commandments. These holy laws, the Mosaic
law, is written to protect the people and provide spiritual reconciliation with
God. Agreeing to this promise (covenant), their lives are preserved and through
faith and obedience comes blessings. The thread of God’s never-ending
faithfulness weaves a tapestry of provision and protection, as well as
righteous judgment.
Our
exploring of Jeremiah includes a year of study, over 67,000 written words, and
nearly 400 references. While not an exhaustive study by any means, in these
chapters God’s character repeatedly reveals His continued faithfulness, love, compassion,
and healing. Today, we stand far on the other side looking backward, with the
New Testament written some 600 years after Jeremiah and in the 21st
century, some 2,500 years later. Trying to understand these ancient times and
seeking to find lessons for current times, the realization that humanity rarely
changes can be disappointing. Still falling short in our faith, still seeking
more in places of less, still exposing our frailties, the world remains very
much the same.
Like
those false prophets, we live our untruths and then believe our own rhetoric.
Dressed in our finest greed and arrogance, we ignore the weak and the weary.
Wrapped with our best bows, we offer token gestures of benevolence, offerings that
do not require sacrifice. Tucked into our comfort and warmth, we pray that someone
will help change the world for better. Perhaps there is just too much brokenness,
too much injustice, too much pain in the world.
Some
of my favorite words in Jeremiah come in his prayer, words that give us hope,
that lead us to the answers we cannot find on our own. “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold
You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your
outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You.” (32:17) With God,
nothing is impossible! This message occurs throughout Scripture, from God
to Abraham, the angel to Mary, Jesus to the disciples, the epistles to all. Too
much brokenness, too much injustice, too much pain – this is true for you and
me, but not for God. God’s grace covers all the sin and comes as “an
indescribable gift” to all. And what about us who Believe? Our lives
demonstrate obedience when we share the Good News, love with His compassion,
walk among the weary with hope.
Jeremiah tells us there is a future
for all people seeking God with their whole heart. Being a faithful servant matters most
to God. Like Jeremiah, our faithfulness
cannot be limited to religious activities or righteous deeds but must secure
its foundation in the faithful promises of God. In Christ, we can love without
perfection, have certainty without understanding, experience peace within
grief. When God dwells in the hearts of His people, we have new awareness, new
insight, and new hope. The Holy Spirit empowers us to see those living on the
margins, to offer Bread of Life to a starving world, and to retell the stories
of God’s faithfulness.
Study
Chapter
52 gives an account of the fall of Judah, also described in 2 Kings 24:18-20
and 2 Chronicles 36:11-14. Zedekiah, the official final king of Judah, reigns as
a complicated leader. His father, Josiah, brings spiritual revival, but
Zedekiah wickedness rebels against Babylon despite having vowed to be be
faithful to Babylon. Various historians suggest the final siege of Jerusalem by
Nebuchadnezzar lasted around two and a half years. Although Zedekiah flees
Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar’s men find him and Nebuchadnezzar pokes our
Zedekiah’s eyes, but only after he is forced to watch his sons executed. (v11) Taken
to Babylon in bronze chains, Zedekiah remains in prison until his death.
Jerusalem
is plundered, all the best is taken to Babylon, the best people, the best
wares, the temple treasures, and all the bronze, gold, and silver works.
Nebuchadnezzar burns the Temple of Yahweh, along with the royal palace, and any
houses of important people. In verses 24-26, many important leaders of
Jerusalem and the temple are rounded up. The number of Jews Nebuchadnezzar
sends into exile (v 28-30) say, “4,600 persons in all” from Judah. This number
likely only counts the men, not women and children. Recording of this event in
2 Kings 25 gives different numbers, and the true consensus is not officially
known.
The
final verses describe the kindness to Jehoiachin. His prison release and invitation
to eat with the son and successor to king Nebuchadnezzar suggest, “God
continued to show kindness to the descendants of King David, even in exile.”[2]
Reflection
“Back and forth they talked. “Didn’t
we feel on fire as He conversed with us on the road, as He opened up the
Scriptures for us?” Luke 24:32 MSG
Scripture tells us about two friends,
followers of Jesus, who are leaving Jerusalem on the morning of the
Resurrection. Jesus begins to walk along side them, talking and teaching them.
They do not recognize Jesus until after He blesses the bread, breaks it, and
gives it to them. His presence kindles a fire within their hearts.
Life happens in the hurried and the
slow, the random and the sure, the desperate and the joyful moments that fill
our days. A pattern begins to form as we gather our experiences and passions,
our talents and knowledge in trying to see the big picture. Sometimes we want a
solution or need direction; sometimes we just need to rest.
Timothy Keller writes, “Build an
identity that gets its significance from God.” Too often we try to connect our
life-dots through accomplishments or talent or relationships. We attempt to
build our own identities through culture or philosophy. We even claim the
behaviors of religion, like confession, forgiveness, baptism, communion,
worship, giving, prayer, but do we recognize Jesus as God-within-us?
Does the presence of Jesus ignite a spiritual flame within my heart?
Blessed Assurance, even before
time began, Your beauty danced across the heavens. From the highest peaks to
the deepest canyons, from the widest deserts to the strongest rivers. Your
glory shines. From forever to forever, Your are Jehovah-Elohim, the Eternal
Creator.
Even before I took my first breath, Your plans for me were known. From the sweetest celebrations to the gravest sorrows, from the abundant blessings to the fiercest challenges, Your love abides. From before to after, forever be my dwelling place. Amen.
Application
Food
for Thought ~
It
isn’t enough for a nation to put “In God We Trust” on its currency, to mention
God in its pledge to the flag, or to “tip the hat to God” by quoting the Bible
in political campaign speeches. It’s righteousness, not religion, that
exalts a nation. What pleases the Lord is that we “do justly… love mercy… and
walk humbly with [our] God.” (Micah 6:8) – Warren Wiersbe[3]
Donna Oswalt
[1] ESV
Study Bible Intro to Jeremiah
[2] Life
Application Study Bible notes Jeremiah 52
[3] Be
Decisive, Wiersbe, Warren, p 186-187
Thursday, December 23, 2021
Doom of Babylon
Week 51 – Book of Jeremiah
Read:
Jeremiah Chapter 51
Background
Sometimes
called the prophet of the new covenant, Jeremiah’s text bears great significance
in the New Testament, strategically linking the Old and New Testaments. As
Jesus uses the Last Supper to commission the New Covenant with, “This cup which
is poured our for you is the new covenant in My blood.” (Luke 22:20) In reading
Hebrews 8, Scripture concerning the new covenant quotes Jeremiah 31:31-34.
“Clearly, the New Testament writers conclude that Jeremiah 31:31-34 looks
forward to Christ’s work on the cross and to the creation of a faithful people
of God.”[1]
Regarding
the covenant between God and Israel, Jeremiah recognizes “the covenant bound
Israel to God in a special relationship of love, faithfulness, and hope. But
the covenant had two sides.”[2]
Disobedience brings punishment and exile, while obedience brings blessing is
found in various places in the OT. The new covenant would be different, would
be everlasting forgiveness. In Jeremiah, the Messiah is referred to as “the
coming Shepherd, righteous Branch, and a King that “shall reign and prosper, and
execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. The God who fulfills His
promises (covenants) with Abraham and Moses, and His people will make a new
covenant.”[3]
This new covenant would remain a constant hope for the centuries after Jeremiah.
Christ fulfills this promise, and that hope continues to be the hope of
humanity until the end of time. The old covenant never promised final
forgiveness, as a series of sacrifices continued to be required, each year on
the Day of Atonement the High Priest would make a blood sacrifice on the altar
of the Holy of Holies. Christ, the Lamb of God, becomes the last and permanent blood
sacrifice, rending the veil of the Holy of Holies ushering in the New Covenant.
This
new covenant, a new way to be in relationship with God, comes with an internal
power when the law is written on the heart, not stone tablets. The individual
is transformed by God Himself. In Christianity, Christ becomes this New
Covenant, this new way to have a relationship with God. What is the difference?
Placing our faith in Christ is all about Grace, recognizing none will ever be
able to be sin-free but anyone can be eternally forgiven. The Grace side of the
covenant can never change. As for humanity, we can choose this or reject it,
choose to ask Christ to come into our hearts or ignore God. This restoration
truly becomes a matter of the heart, as the Holy Spirit dwells in each
Believer. Grace is penned on the heart of every Believer. Foretold by Isaiah
and Jeremiah, the New Covenant, initiated with Christ’s death and resurrection,
becomes the Good News!!
Study
Babylon,
land of idols, is refers to in chapter 51:1 as “Leb-kamai” which cryptically
translates to “the heart of those rising up against Me.”[4]
The agricultural process of winnowing (v2) suggests Babylon will be blown away
as the worthless chaff from wheat is discarded. “Despite all the judgements
that God has sent on Judah and Israel, He has not… forsaken them and will
invite them to the new covenant. (31:31-34)[5]
In another image, a golden cup, Babylon
is compared to a “vessel in the hand of God.”[6]
The
Lord’s vengeance will stand. There will be no healing in Babylon. Wiersbe says
“They had been weaving the luxurious tapestry of their power and wealth on the
loom,”[7]
and now God says the end is coming. Babylon will now be God’s weapon of
destruction. (v 20) Again, in these verses the imagery predicts retribution for
the crimes of arrogance and cruelty. Bel, Babylon’s chief idol, will be
punished. Remember the dimensions of the wall surrounding Babylon? So wide
several chariots side by side could race around it, prophecy says, “Even the
wall of Babylon has fallen down.” (v 44) The wall is breached by Cyrus from
underneath and literally falls when Alexander the Great captures the city.
These
two chapters (50-51) are “copied in a separate [scroll] and sent to Babylon in
a deputation headed by King Zedekiah, seven years before Nebuchadnezzar burned
Jerusalem. (51:59-64) The [scroll] was to be read publicly and then, in solemn
ceremony, sunk in the Euphrates, with the words, ‘so will Babylon sink to rise
not more’.”[8] In
the last verses we meet Seraiah the son of Neriah the scribe who is to take the
scroll and read it. A royal quartermaster means that likely Seraiah accompanied
the king on official duties. “A seal acquired on the antiquities market reads Belonging
to Seraiah (son of) Neriah. His lineage is given as son of Neriah, the
son of Mahseiah (Jer 51:59). This is the same lineage as that of Baruch,
Jeremiah’s secretary (32:12), indicating that Seraiah was Baruch’s brother.”[9]
The ending of Babylon is specifically defined and will be fulfilled.
Reflection
~ Christmas is here!
When
I discovered Your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart's
delight, for I bear Your name. Jeremiah 15:16
The expectant waiting in Advent leads
us to celebrate Christ as the Messiah, to seek Christ more every day, to know
Jesus as our source of joy. In Philippians 4:4, Paul reminds, Rejoice in
The Lord always, again, I will say rejoice! The world continually
bombards us with crisis and chaos, disappointment and doubt, fear and fatigue.
The contrast between Paul's words and our realities appear to clash. How can we
rejoice when difficult circumstances prevail, when constant hardship lingers?
God's word provides His wisdom, reveals His promises, offers His hope. Reading
and studying the Bible teach us how to love, when to pray, and where to serve.
We can only find real joy in Jesus.
In the Nativity, hope comes quietly,
love comes small, joy comes easily, but with the Crucifixion, hope faints, love
chooses, and joy weeps. These two events cannot be separated, the sweet and the
bittersweet. The emotions born with Jesus crash into the harsh realities of the
cross; the Messiah comes because the world needs Grace. With His
Resurrection, Hope shouts, Love lives, and Joy reigns! Through Grace, Christ
brings us abundant life. God's word instructs us, "Let the word of Christ
richly dwell within you." [Colossians 3:16] Discover and devour
God's word. Then, and only then, can we celebrate God all day, every day.
Celebrate the Season of
Giving...
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15
As Christ is reborn in you and in me,
let us ask ourselves who else needs this Grace? Will you share the Gospel
message of Jesus with others here or throughout the world? What can you give to
honor the Prince of Peace?
Application
At
the time this prophecy comes, no one could even begin to imagine that this
could happen to the Babylonian Empire, that its reign as a Supreme Power could
end.
Thinking
about our own country, the United States of America, we hold a similar view.
Certainly, we think, nothing could end the reign of our country as a Superpower,
for our political, military, economic, humanitarian, and environmental
strategies exceed most any standard in the world. What do you think? Could we
fall? And if so, what would likely be our downfall? How can we stay focused and
not fall prey to arrogance and idolatry? Or are we closer than we know?
Donna
Oswalt
[1] Shepherd’s
Notes: Jeremiah and Lamentations Introduction
[2] NKJV
Study Bible Jeremiah notes
[3]
Ibid
[4] Walking.
The Ancient Paths, Kaiser, Walter C, p 565
[5] ESV
Global Study Bible Jeremiah chapter 51
[6] Jamieson,
Fausset, and Brown Commentary Jeremiah chapter 51
[7] Be
Decisive, Wiersbe Warren, p179
[8] Halleys
Bible Handbook
[9] Archeological
Study Bible, Seraiah son of Neriah,
Thursday, December 16, 2021
Fall of Babylon
Week 50 – Book of Jeremiah
Read:
Jeremiah Chapter 50; Revelation Chapters 17-18
Background
In
539 BC when Cyrus of Persia arrives, the Babylonian Empire falls, and 70 years
of captivity comes to an end for the people of Judah. Remembering Jeremiah’s
prophecy for the coming captives in chapter 29, the people had settled in and tried
to establish themselves as God said, “Seek the welfare of the city where I have
sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you
will have welfare.”(29:7) Prophets in Babylon, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, attempt
to bring God’s messages and discredit the false prophets. Now, Cyrus comes as a
liberator, allowing them to return to Jerusalem, but Babylon will suffer its
own destruction in time.
After
Nebuchadnezzar dies in 562 BC, there are several leaders that are assassinated,
but eventually Nabonidus “assumes power appointing his son Belshazzar as
co-ruler”[1]
who is responsible for the “ungodly feast” that included gold and silver
vessels taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. (Daniel 5) Belshazzar perishes
during the Mede-Persian takeover!
Babylon,
recognized as a formidable city mostly because of Nebuchadnezzar, is secured by
“2 sets of walls, inner and outer, 350 feet high, 87 feet thick” with “150
gates of solid brass” at entrances with “250 watch towers, 100 feet higher than
the wall itself.”[2] Essentially,
there is little vulnerability. In Ezekiel 17:12-24, “Ezekiel echoes the
prophecies of Jeremiah relating to Babylonian captivity. It’s obvious from
these many passages in the prophets that Babylon occupies a large place in the prophetical
program of the Old Testament for the nations surrounding Israel.”[3]
The
Medes, one of the many nations, will be punished by God (Jeremiah 25:25), and in
chapter 51:11, 28, the Medes will be used to destroy Babylon. Remember, Babylon
steals all the Temple treasures, and God’s righteous anger rests on Babylon.
“Long before Babylon fell, it was predicted that the Medes would be God’s
avenging instrument.”[4]
Old Testament prophets Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi give their prophecies
during the reign of the Mede-Persian Empire. In this era, the Jewish exiles are
allowed to return to Jerusalem and restore the city and the Temple. Cyrus
promotes religious freedom. With the fall of the Babylonian Empire, a symbol of
moral and religious depravity, these Gentiles and their culture with its pagan
ideas continue to pass through the centuries to come.
The
expansive new power of the Medes and Persians has been underestimated. The rise
of the Medes comes after the Assyrian Empire falls. Persia is also a rising
power, and together, Media and Persia form a common government which lasts
until Alexander the Great conquers them in 331 BC, some two hundred years
later.
Babylon,
referenced in Revelation 17-18, may or may not be referring to the Babylonian
Empire of the Old Testament. Certainly, it represents “an influence for evil
politically and religiously” and will “not be terminated until Jesus Christ
comes in power and glory to reign.”[5]
Study
With
many parallels between Jeremiah 50-51 and Revelation 17-18, we read about God’s
judgment on Babylon and its destruction. Together chapters 50-51 reveal this prophecy
by Jeremiah. “Babylon is taken” (v 2). “God declares war on both Babylon and
the gods of Babylon.”[6]
Again, the conquer comes from the north. Referring to the people of Judah as
lost sheep, Wiersbe says, “While the immediate application is to the return of
the exiles from Babylon, the ultimate reference includes the gathering of the
Jews in the latter days.”[7]
Babylon
will be captured, and the Chaldeans will become their conqueror’s “plunder”.
(v10) Why would God destroy Babylon after he gave them the ability to conquer
Judah? They “rejoiced” far too much, taking advantage of the circumstances.
(v11-13) God’s vengeance on Babylon comes with Cyrus (Medes-Persians), and
later Alexander the Great with his Greek army. God’s plan is specific and final.
Clearly, God intends to put an end to Babylon.
The
Divine Plan comes in three parts: God declaring war with Babylon (50:1-28), God
gathering armies against Babylon (50:29-51:26, and God arranging the victory
over Babylon (51:27-28). In verse 29 the order is given, “Call together the
archers against Babylon” and let no one escape. God reminds the children of
Israel, their “Redeemer is strong.” (v34) We read of disruptions of war,
distress and disaster follow. “For it is the land of carved images, and they
are insane with their idols.” (v38b) These armies will be “cruel and shall not
show mercy.” (v42)
Historically,
records show Cyrus and later Alexander the Great will invade and conquer
Babylon. God will “make their dwelling place desolate.” (v45) In His
sovereignty, God’s will prevails. “At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth
trembles, and the cry is heard among the nations.” (v46) There is no earthly
power, no matter how great, can last forever.
Today,
the nations of the world all stand in defiance, ignoring God, committing sins
agains His laws and against each other. Along with terrorism, genocide,
injustice, abuse, sex trafficking, and a myriad of crimes and wars, the list must
also include our new, improved, 21st century idols – wealth, power,
social status, technology, beauty, and on it goes. Israel (Northern Kingdom), Judah
(Southern Kingdom), other nations, Babylon discover God’s righteous judgment. At
some point, after all is recorded on history’s ledger, God’s most sovereign act
will end this earthly confusion. For now, “Do not seal up the words of the
prophecy of this book, for the time is near… I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Revelation 22:10-13)
Reflection
– Fourth Sunday of Advent ~ Anticipation
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD my God, You are very great;
You are clothed with splendor and
majesty.
Psalm 104:1 NASB
In ancient Roman times, emblems of evergreens mean peace and joy
and victory, while early Christians use these symbols to reflect that
"Christ had entered the home." Now days, decorations of evergreen
branches trim porches, mantles, and banisters; evergreen wreaths hang on
windows, over fireplaces, outside doors. While these symbols reflect the
celebration of the Advent season, this time of longing for the Messiah, the
evergreens give continuous, unspoken reminders of God's endless mercy,
everlasting life, eternal Hope. Since the first sin of mankind, throughout
thousands of years, century after century, darkness waits for redemption, waits
for the light that only Christ can reveal. Jesus' birth, rich with prophecy and
promise, only unfolds part of God's Grace story. There is more, much more! This
forgiven heart eagerly anticipates the conclusion of His story, the Second
Advent of Christ, when Faithful and True returns for
me.
At Jesus' birth, Mary wraps Him in cloths
and lays Him in an animal’s trough. After Jesus' death, with
permission from Pilate, a man called Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the
Jewish Sanhedrin, takes the body of Jesus from the cross and wraps it
in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had
ever lain. Coming from a virgin womb and wrapped in cloths, Immanuel
becomes grace to harsh world, and when calloused people crucify Him, the Lamb
of God, wrapped in linen cloths, lay in a virgin tomb. Politics and power,
greed and guilt, denial and death will never define the immutable life of
Jesus; instead, the Messiah's victory over death and promise to return for His
people enlarge God's never-ending story of Grace. The promise of Christ's
Second Advent fills the mind seeking wonder and hope, stills the heart living
grief and fear, and thrills the soul knowing grace and peace. Earthly wrappings
can never tell the whole story of Advent!
and He who sat on it is called
Faithful and True, ...
He is clothed with robe dipped in
blood,
and His names is called The Word of
God...
And on His robe and on His thigh He
has a name written,
"KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF
LORDS."
Revelation
19:11-16 NASB
Clothed with splendor and majesty, Christ will come again.
Surrounded by angels, His glory will illumine space; there will be no more darkness. LORD
OF LORDS, the title declaring Him Lord over all, reigns forever.
Jesus Christ - the Light of the World, the Messiah, KING OF KINGS -
now waits in Heaven until the holy appointed time. Jesus waits
for us to call on His name, waits for us to cry out in
need, waits for us to share His Love, waits for us to speak
His name. Listen! Every day the Word of God quills the story of
everlasting love and unfailing grace. Believe! Every day, find
Immanuel, God with us. Wait! Anticipate Advent every moment of
your everyday. THIS is the Christmas Story!
Application
There
is so much to contemplate regarding Babylon’s destruction, and in the last days
when Christ returns, there will be stark contrast between evil and good,
between darkness and light. Prophecies fulfilled and still to come.
What
influences your faith – for bad and good? Where does your faith rest?
Do
you anticipate the Christmas story’s final chapter?
Donna
Oswalt
[1] Bible.org/RiseandFallofBabylon
[2]
Ibid
[3]
Ibid
[4]
Ibid
[5] Ibid
[6] Wiersbe
Study Bible notes Jeremiah chapter 50
[7]
Ibid
Thursday, December 09, 2021
Despair, Disaster, and Destruction
Week 49 – Book of Jeremiah
Read:
Jeremiah Chapter 49
Background
Because
for decades the people of Judah deliberately choose to disobey god and worship false
gods and make sacrifices to foreign deities, God’s righteous judgment comes in
the form of exile to Babylon. When Nebuchadnezzar captures Judah and destroys
Jerusalem, for seventy years the Hebrew people will be exiled to Babylon. Times
of disaster and grief can draw a person or a nation to seek a new way of living,
can be a time of religious growth. “The influence of this exile upon the religion
of Israel was enormous.”[1]
Often circumstances become vessels to help enrich, deepen, and clarify
perspective. Remembering there has been at least two deportations, although
some references say three, various estimates of between 25,000 to 50,000 people
are exiled. Numbers are inconclusive as women and children are usually not
counted. Among these people are high officials, priests, and the more wealthy
people of Judah, along with their families. Recall the poorer people remain in
Jerusalem and live among the ruins.
Jeremiah’s
message always refers to worship as a matter of the heart. These messages from
Yahweh sound very familiar, like Isaiah’s messages a hundred years prior. The
covenant God makes is not an outward covenant, not about stones and rituals,
but a covenant of the heart. In the years of exile, far away in a distant land,
without a temple or a tangible sacred altar, “it was this faith that religion
was a matter of inward attitude rather than outward institution that kept
Hebrew faith alive.”[2]
Jewish theology of monotheism, believing in on God, comes full circle in this
Gentile land, full of its pagan deities and rituals. Perhaps they remember Jeremiah’s
prophecy that God willingly welcomes penitent Gentiles. The idea of individual
morality and individual responsibility to God evolves, along with echoes of
Jeremiah denouncing the idols as false gods.
In
his prophecies, “Jeremiah pictures a time when all nations shall… come with
confession to Yahweh and shall be welcomed by him.” (16:19-21) Israel long
believes that because God has chosen them, they are set above all others. The
Jews discover God’s plan includes their knowledge of Him and through suffering
others will know Him. This great insight is birthed from the devastating pain
of exile.
Ezekiel,
the young boy exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem, becomes a priest then prophet
while encouraging the same principles, the same attitudes that Jeremiah had
given in Jerusalem. Known as both counselor and comforter to the exile, Ezekiel
draws up “a new plan for the reconstruction of the political and religious life
of Israel” for whenever their return would come. (Ez 40-48) Details about the
temple and the sacred rituals emphasize the religious ceremonies that Ezekiel,
as a priest, would understand. Some of Ezekiel’s guidelines pave the way for
priestly example. Other older priests from Judah now exiled, become “guardians
of ancient traditions and rituals.”[3]
As the old traditions find new life and a new spirit emerges, the sensual and
pagan practices are eliminated.
As
Ezra and Nehemiah return to Jerusalem, rebuilding efforts involve the wall
around Jerusalem and the temple. Encouraged to “bind themselves to keep the
law”, their “ideal of religion as a thing of the heart had been abandoned.”[4]
While some continue to embrace the individuality of souls, religious practices
become more about external rule, about Mosaic law. Observing the law, reading
the law, and meditating on the law continues. Over time, the new Judah is
reorganized and its social life renovated. “The exile profoundly affected
theology, ritual, morals – the theory of religion, the practice of worship, and
the application of religion to life.”[5]
Life centers less on the bitterness of exile and mostly on the goodness and provision
that Yahweh has given.
Influences
in exile for Israel comes in other ways over many centuries. Successful
businesses, arts and literature, and great teachers of the law leave their
marks. Some influential, prosperous Jews stay in Babylonian, remaining faithful
to their ancestral roots and religion, even developing schools of law that
influence the entire Jewish people. The exodus from Egypt becomes foundational
for the Hebrew people, and the covenant God makes with His people is
fundamental. But as for spiritual growth, “Perhaps no single event in Hebrew history
influenced her religion more deeply than the Babylonian Exile.”[6]
Study
In chapter 49, six more countries are given severe warnings: Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, Elam. Beginning with the Ammonites (vs 1-6), long associated with the Moabites, their ancestry in Scripture also connects them to Abraham’s nephew, Lot (Gen 19:37-38). “When the Assyrian Empire fell to the Babylonians in 612 BC, the Ammonites move into territory once held by Judah.”[7] At one point, Ammon joins Judah in a conspiracy against Babylon. “When it failed, as Jeremiah warned that it would, many survivors fled to Ammon as Nebuchadnezzar crushed Jerusalem.”[8]
Rabbah (v 2) is known in the New Testament as Philadelphia and is the capital of Ammon. The “remains form part of the impressive citadel at the heart of modern Amman, Jordan.”[9] In the verses about Ammon, Malcam, their chief god, is also known as Molech and is the “god to who child sacrifices were tragically offered in Judah (Jer 32:35, 2Kg 23:10).”[10] The reference in verse 4 to “unfaithful daughter” or “backsliding daughter” is a “personification of the Ammonites.”[11] These Ammonites, dispersed and defeated by Nebuchadnezzar in 582 BC, never regain autonomy again, but in verse 6 God promises “to restore the fortunes of the sons of Ammon”.
Located south of the Dead Sea, Edom is a mountainous region with some pastureland. “Many Edomite dwellings were cut into the faces of the high, craggy mountains.”[12] Descendants of Esau, Jacob’s twin brother, the Edomites can be found throughout the Old Testament, and come under Assyrian control after the Northern Kingdom (Israel) falls. The prophet Obadiah “indicates that the Edomites participated in the 586 BC destruction of Jerusalem.”[13] In verses 7-22, the prophecy against Edom reveals disaster and punishment. Known for its wisdom, even this “wisdom in Teman” cannot save Edom. The two towns listed, Teman and Dedan, are at “opposite ends of the country, so this shows the completeness of God’s destruction of Edom.[14] Edom’s greatest sin is “arrogance” or pride (v 16). Today, this rocky land is called Petra, in southern Jordan.
Assyria defeats Damascus (v 23-27), then Babylon conquers it in 605 BC. Once the capital city of Syria, Damascus finds itself in conflict with Israel. Located along the “fertile Barada River at the crossroads of major trade route,”[15] this gives the city great prosperity. Damascus is also “a major cosmopolitan center during the New Testament era, when it was home to a large Jewish community.”[16] Distress and pain “like a woman in childbirth” (v 24) will come to the city. Destruction of the city wall by fire is coming.
In verses 28-33, Kedar and Hazor are nomadic tribes. “The region of Kedar was the most important Arab tribal group in the biblical period”[17] and known for trade caravan and sheepherding. Hazor represents a group living in the desert that frequently causes problems with other groups. These people face “a scheme” (v 30) by Nebuchadnezzar and “a disaster from every side” (v 32). They are destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 599 BC.
The closing verses of chapter 49 (34-39) possibly mean that “Jeremiah simply meant that the Lord would judge the ends of the earth.”[18] Scholars are not sure exactly where Elam is located, no cities are mentioned. While sin invades the hearts of people, there is no “geographical location nor national heritage [that] insulates one from responsibility to the Creator.”[19] In verse 38, the phrase “I will set My throne in Elam” is an “expression [that] depicts the establishment of the kingdom of the God of Israel.”[20] Elam’s restoration promised “in the last days” (v 38) is “fulfilled at Pentecost; see Acts 2:9).”[21] This prophecy predicts “God will scatter the people of Elam (v 36) to the four winds… [with] a large number of persons of Persian descent taking up residency all over the world.”[22] Today, the ancient lands of Elam, modern Persia, is known as Iran.
The message to the nations is that no country is outside
of God’s judgment, to include the superpower Babylon, or as we know it now,
modern-day Iraq. God is Sovereign.
Reflection
– Third Sunday of Advent ~ Celebration
When I discovered Your words, I devoured them. They
are my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear Your name. Jeremiah 15:16
This
3rd Sunday in the Advent season sometimes is called "Gaudete Sunday"
from the Latin meaning rejoice. Others call this candle Joy,
which is sometimes pink. Joy-full celebrations in the Christmas story show
angels singing of great joy, shepherds telling with holy awe, wise men
worshiping in humble adoration. The expectant waiting in Advent leads us
to celebrate Christ as the Messiah, to seek Christ more every day, to know
Jesus as our source of joy.
In Philippians
4:4, Paul reminds, "Rejoice in The Lord always, again, I will say
rejoice!" The world continually bombards us with crisis and chaos,
disappointment and doubt, fear and fatigue. The contrast between Paul's words
and our realities appear to clash. How can we rejoice when difficult
circumstances prevail, when constant hardship lingers? God's word provides His
wisdom, reveals His promises, offers His hope. Reading and studying the Bible
teach us how to pray, who to love, and where to serve. We can only find real
joy in Jesus.
In
the Nativity, Hope comes quietly, Love comes small, Joy comes gently, but with
the Crucifixion, Hope faints, Love chooses, and Joy weeps. These two events
cannot be separated, the sweet and the bittersweet. The emotions born with
Jesus' coming crash into the harsh realities of the cross; the Messiah
comes because the world needs Grace. With His Resurrection,
Hope shouts, Love lives, and Joy reigns! Through Grace, Christ brings us
abundant joy. God's word instructs us, "Let the word of Christ richly
dwell within you." [Colossians 3:16] Discover and devour God's word. Then,
and only then, can we Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean,
revel in Him. (Philippians 4:4 MSG)
Application
Eugene
Peterson writes, “Jeremiah and people like him keep showing up in our lives,
going beyond the boundaries of what is safe, learning new languages,
discovering alien cultures, braving hostility, and telling the stories that
prove that the life of faith can be lived in every place and among all people.”[23]
Do
you have someone in your life who challenges you step outside your comfort
zone?
Have
you told your God-story to someone?
Donna
Oswalt
[1]
Barton,
G. A. (1911). Influence of the Babylonian Exile on the Religion of
Israel. The Biblical World, 37(6), 369–378.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3141403
[2] Ibid
[3]
Ibid
[4]
Ibid
[5]
Ibid
[6]
Ibid
[7] Archaeological
Study Bible Notes on Ammon
[8] Ibid
[9] Ibid,
notes on Jeremiah chapter 49
[10]
Ibid
[11]
Ibid
[12] Ibid
[13]
Ibid, Introduction to Obadiah
[14] Chronological
Study Bible notes Jeremiah chapter 49
[15]
Ibid
[16]
Ibid
[17] NKJV
Study Bible Jeremiah chapter 49
[18] Shepherd’s
Jeremiah and Lamentations notes on Chapter 49
[19]
Ibid
[20] NKJV
Study Bible Jeremiah chapter 49
[21] ESV
Literary Study Bible notes on Jeremiah chapter 49
[22] Walking
the Ancient Paths Kaiser, Walter C p 541
[23] The
Message Study Bible notes on Jeremiah Chapter 49