Good day, Good People! This will be the last lesson for a couple of weeks. We start our Christmas break next week; therefore, we will resume our lessons on January 8, 2024, God willing. Enjoy your holidays and celebrations!
In this chapter, the Lord uses a prop to demonstrate the destruction He has planned for His unloyal people. Here’s the chapter in its entirety: “The Lord said to me, “Go and buy a clay jar. Then ask some of the leaders of the people and of the priests to follow you. Go out into the valley of the son of Hinnom by the entrance to the Potsherd Gate, and repeat to them the words that I give you. Say to them, ‘Listen to this message from the Lord, you kings of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem! This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will bring such a terrible disaster on this place that the ears of those who hear about it will ring!”
“‘For Israel has forsaken me and turned this valley into a place of wickedness. The people burn incense to foreign gods – idols never before worshiped by this generation, by their ancestors, or by the kings of Judah. And they have filled this place with the blood of innocent children. They have built pagan shrines to Baal, and there they burn their sons as sacrifices to Baal. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing! So beware, for the time is coming, says the Lord, when this place will no longer be called Topheth or the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter. For I will upset the battle plans of Judah and Jerusalem and let invading armies slaughter them. The enemy will leave the dead bodies as food for the vultures and wild animals. I will wipe Jerusalem from the face of the earth, making it a monument to their stupidity. All who pass by will be appalled and will gasp at the destruction they see there. I will see to it that your enemies lay siege to the city until all the food is gone. Then those trapped inside will have to eat their own sons and daughters and friends. They will be driven to utter despair.’” (Wow! All of this fury from the Lord because they would rather worship man-made idols!)
“As these men watch, Jeremiah, smash the jar you brought with you. Then say to them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: As this jar lies shattered, so I will shatter the people of Judah and Jerusalem beyond all hope of repair. They will bury the bodies in Topheth until there is no more room. This is what I will do to this place and its people, says the Lord. I will cause this city to become defiled like Topheth. Yes, all the houses in Jerusalem, including the palace of Judah’s kings, will become like Topheth – all the houses where you burned incense on the rooftops to your star gods, and where drink offerings were poured out to your idols.’”
Then Jeremiah returned from Topheth where he had delivered this message, and he stopped in front of the Temple of the Lord. He said to the people there, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will bring disaster upon this city and its surrounding towns just as I promised, because you have stubbornly refused to listen to me.” (Jeremiah 19) (Wow! Outside looking in, it is so clear. We can easily say that these people are crazy for not listening to the Lord because we know the end of the story. But what about our lives today…are we not listening to God, as well? Are we as stubborn and stupid as our ancestors, or worse??? The end of the story hasn’t been written for us, so what are we going to do? The answer lies in whether you believe in God or you don’t. Like Joshua said, “...But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord!” (Joshua 24:15))
Lord, thank you for your Word today! Help us choose you! Help us recognize that you are the same God of old, the same God of our ancestors, the same God of signs and wonders! Help us believe in you and trust in you, even though we cannot see you. Lord, you are amazing and we love you!
May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
….AND MAY WE ALL PRACTICE THIS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
Comments