Last Thursday, we launched a nine-week blog title “Jeremiah and America” to correspond with our reading each week through Thursday. In the first six chapters, the Lord has called Jeremiah to show Israel it’s departure from the covenant that the Lord had made. Departure through idolatry, which to God is adultery in the marriage covenant. Idolatry can be casual and the work of our hands. This would be anything we create to worship, seek help, or turn to in our time of need. The Lord’s call was simple and is repeated, I guess more than twenty times in the book of Jeremiah.
You have forsaken Me. Here are the consequences of your actions. Return to Me, and I will reverse the consequences into blessing. Jeremiah is the Lord’s Job, where He is appealing to His people who will not listen to His call. It is big, filled with love, forbearance, and hope.
If you missed the first one, please click here.
This week, we finish John and enter into Acts. We read the first seven chapter of Hebrews, Leviticus five through twelve, Psalms thirty-two through thirty-seven, and Jeremiah nine through fourteen.
Gospels/Acts
John 17 – 21
We listen to Jesus bring His ministry to the Father and pray for us to be sanctified in the truth and to behold His glory and love that He has with the Father before the world was. Powerful prayer to pray in agreement with our Lord. Chapter eighteen is the arrest, and dialog Pilate has with Jesus that completely undoes Pilate’s arrogance into seeking to release Jesus. Then comes the cross, Joseph and Nicodemus prepare Jesus for burial in Joseph’s tomb. Three days later, RESURRECTION! Mary is the first to see the Lord and Peter returns to the Lord calling to follow Him.
Acts 1 – 2
Forty days of encounters with Jesus in the kingdom of God, ten days of prayer, and PENTECOST!
Epistles
Hebrews 1 – 7
God is speaking Jesus. Jesus is the great salvation, the captain of our salvation who through death has destroyed the devil who had held the power of death, and freed us from slavery, through the fear of death. He is our Apostle and High Priest of our confession, and we exhorted in chapters three and four to soften our hearts to hear the Lord and obey. There is a rest for the people of God to enter through the word of God in our High Priest Jesus. Chapter five Jesus has been made perfect and has become the author of eternal salvation now as Melchizedek, King of Righteousness. There is much to be shared but is hard to explain because of the laziness of those who should be teachers by now. Chapter six shares the elementary’s of Christ and the maturity in Christ, with a call to faith and perseverance. Jesus, our High Priest, is our forerunner who has entered into the Presence behind the veil. Chapter seven is a comparison of priesthood, promises, covenant and the better hope. Therefore, Jesus is able to save us to the uttermost in His life of intercession over us. I love this chapter.
History
Leviticus 5 – 12
We finish the laws of offerings in chapter seven. It can feel a bit overwhelming with all the details and specifics. Thank God, today we bring the sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to Jesus’ name. This is much better. In chapters eight and nine, we see Aaron and his sons consecrated into their priestly ministry. This was a practice run with Moses leading, then Aaron and his sons leading Israel. Chapter ten tragedy hits. Two of Aaron’s sons take it upon themselves to offer profane fire to the Lord, meaning presumptuous, that was not called for by God. They die by fire that went out from the Lord. Read chapter ten slowly. Next week, the Lord addresses what happened with instructions for the Day of Atonement in chapter sixteen. Chapter eleven is foods clean and unclean. Chapter twelve is purification after childbirth.
Poetry
Psalms 32 – 37
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven. Ps 32:1 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! Ps 33:1 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Ps 33:1 Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me. Ps 35:1 An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked. Ps 36:1 Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. Ps 37:1
Prophets
Jeremiah 9 – 14
The Lord continues to call the severity of Israel’s actions while also calling for repentance and humility. “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight, says the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23, 24 –Idols, broken covenant, Jeremiah asking questions of the Lord. The Lord sends Jeremiah on a prophetic journey with props. In chapter fourteen, Jeremiah pleads for the Lord to save, the Lord addresses His people’s wandering. He tells Jeremiah not to pray for the people, and Jeremiah’s eyes flow with tears night and day. Jeremiah is an intercessor who does not identify with the judgements but, like Jesus, is numbered with the transgressors. Like Moses waiting for the Lord to take Israel as His inheritance even though they were a stiff-necked people.
