Friday July 31, 2015

Read Jeremiah 49:1-6

  

Yesterday we said that there are many names and places in the Bible that, though we are familiar with the names, we know very little about them. Take the Ammonites for example. How much do you know about the Ammonites?

The Ammonites began their existence when Lot had a son to his daughter. This son, Ammon, was born in a cave near Zoar (Gn. 19:30, 38) and was the younger cousin to Moab, who we discussed yesterday. They were thus regarded as relatives of the Israelites. The Israelites for their part were commanded to treat them kindly because of this relational link. (Deut 2:19).

At the time of the Exodus, Israel did not conquer Ammon (Deut 2:19, 37; Jdg 11:15). However, the Ammonites were condemned for joining the Moabites in hiring Balaam and were forbidden to enter the congregation of Israel to the 10th generation (Dt. 23:3–6).

Their major town was Rabbath Ammon where the iron bed or sarcophagus of Og, the King of Bashan, rested (Deut. 3:11). In the days of the Judges, the Ammonites assisted Eglon of Moab to subdue the Israelites and to gain their territory (Jdg. 3:13).

At the time of Jephthah they encroached on Israelite lands east of the Jordan (Jdg 11) and were driven out. Their religion influenced some of the Israelites (Jdg 10:6), and this caused the Ammonite oppression in Gilead which led to Jephthah’s campaign (Jdg. 10).

Later Nahash, King of the Ammonites, besieged Jabesh-Gilead just before Saul became king. Saul rallied Israel and drove out Nahash (1 Sam 11:1–11; 12:12; 14:47). A few years later Nahash became a friend of David (2 Sam 10:1–2), but his son Hanun rejected a kindly visit of David’s ambassadors and insulted them. He hired Syrian mercenaries and went to war but David’s generals, Joab and Abishai, defeated them (2 Sam 10, 1 Chron. 19).

A year later the Israelites captured Rabbah, the Ammonite capital (2 Sam 12:26–31, 1 Chron 20:1–3) and forced the people to work. Some Ammonites befriended David; Eg. Shobi son of Nahash, who cared for him when he fled from Absalom (2 Sam 17:27, 29) and Zelek, who was one of his 30 mighty men (2 Sam 23:37; 1 Chron 11:39).

Solomon included Ammonite women in his harem, and worshipped Molech, their god (1 Ki. 11:1, 5, 7, 33). An Ammonitess, Naamah, was the mother of Rehoboam, King of the divided kingdom (1 Ki. 14:21, 31; 2 Ch. 12:13).

(See J. A. Thompson, “Ammon, Ammonites,” ed. D. R. W. Wood et al., New Bible Dictionary (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 29–30).

Jeremiah 49 contains a small clue as the reason for the judgement of the Ammonites. The god Molech, mentioned in 49:1, was worshipped by sacrificing or burning children in his fire. In Jeremiah 32:25 we read that Judah willingly, even joyfully, partook of this ceremony.

Jeremiah 32:35

“They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molech, though I never commanded, nor did it enter my mind, that they should do such a detestable thing and so make Judah sin.”

The Ammonites had led God’s people astray and had caused them to worship false gods and to commit detestable acts of violence against the innocent. For this, she too would be judged. But again we see in vs 6 the grace and compassion of the Lord Almighty.

Jeremiah 49:6

“Yet afterward, I will restore the fortunes of the Ammonites, declares the LORD.”

Prayer:

Using today’s Bible passage and notes write down points for

Adoration:

Confession

Thanks

Supplication:

· Pray that God’s salvation would visit the people of the many nations of Asia .

· Pray that God would raise up messengers to take the messengers of salvation to them.

 Discussion Questions

1.  Brain storm everything you know about Ammon and the Ammonites.

2. Why do you think we know so little about the people’s and lands around the Promised Land?

Thursday July 30, 2015

Read Jeremiah 48

  

There are many names and places in the Bible that we read about yet know very little about. Moab is one such place and people group. The Moabites began their existence when Lot had union with his eldest daughter. Genesis 19:37 shows what happened in that situation without emotion or comment as the people seek to continue their family line.

Moab thus existed before the Hebrew Exodus from Egypt but in the journey to Mt Sinai they met the people of Israel. When Israel sought permission to travel along ‘the King’s Highway’ which crossed the plateau, Moab blatantly and heartlessly refused (Jdg. 11:17). Moses was forbidden to attack Moab despite their unfriendliness because of the link to and promises to Lot (Deut. 2:9). The Moabites, in return, were to be excluded from Israel (Deut. 23:3–6; Neh 13:1).

Later the Moabite king, King Balak called the prophet Balaam to curse Israel because he was afraid of their growth and potential power.

In the days of the Judges, Eglon, King of Moab, invaded Israelite lands as far as Jericho and oppressed Israel for 18 years. Ehud the Benjaminite assassinated him (Jdg. 3:12–30). Elimelech of Bethlehem migrated to Moab and his sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Ruth later married Boaz and became the ancestress of the great King David (Ru. 4:18–22; Mt. 1:5–16).

Saul warred with the Moabites (1 Sa. 14:47) and David lodged his parents there while he was a fugitive (1 Sa. 22:3–4). Later David subdued Moab and set apart many Moabites for death (2 Sa. 8:2, 12; 1 Ch. 18:2, 11).

(see J. A. Thompson, “Moab, Moabites,” ed. D. R. W. Wood et al., New Bible Dictionary (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 776).

In Jeremiah 48 God pronounces judgement upon this once great nation. Even more so, we are given reasons for the judgment.

Vs 7 – she trusted in her deeds and riches.

Vs 13 – she was proud of her god Chemosh.

Vs 26-27, 42   – she has defied the Lord by ridiculing Israel

Vs 29 – she was proud, arrogant and haughty.

Vs 35 – she made offerings and burned incense to false gods

But our God is a gracious and loving God. He is a God of mercy and compassion. Even though the judgement is fierce and unrelenting

we read another note of hope at the end of the chapter. In 48:47 God declares

        “Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab

         in days to come,

         declares the LORD.”

Somehow God will reverse the judgment and bring blessing. We’ll see how that happens on Sonday.

Prayer:

Using today’s Bible passage and notes write down points for

Adoration:

Confession

Thanks

Supplication:

· There are many people that don’t know the love and grace of the Lord God Almighty. They are currently living in condemnation. Pray that God would send His messengers of grace to these people and that they would repent and believe in Jesus for salvation.

· Pray particularly for the people of Nepal, India, Iran and Iraq and all of Africa .

· Pray for the nations of the Americas, both north and south.  

   

 Discussion Questions

1. Why do you think the note of judgement against Moab ends with a note of hope?

2. What does that note of hope mean for the church, this side of the cross of Christ Jesus?

3. As you read this Judgement of the Nations in Jeremiah 46-49 which nations have a note of hope and which don’t? Can you see any reason for this?

One on One

In 1955, Brother Andrew made it his mission to distribute Bibles to Christians without easy access to God's Word. Now in his 80s, Brother Andrew continues to serve the Persecuted Church, along with a large team, referred to as 'Open Doors.'

In 1955, a young Dutch missionary went on a group tour to Poland, at that time a part of the Soviet block. There he discovered  a remnant of the Body of Christ desperately in need of Bibles, support and prayer. Brother Andrew (as he would later be known) distributed a suitcase full of Bibles and Christian literature, making the humble beginnings of Open Doors.

Over the years he endured dangerous border crossings and KGB (Soviet Secret Service) pursuits, and other life threatening challenges.

Through the work of the Holy Spirit, Brother Andrew's small Dutch mission became an international ministry with offices in 27 countries, working in more than 60 countries to strengthen the Persecuted Church.

It is estimated Brother Andrew has visited 125 countries in his travels to preach and befriend those in need. During his trips, he said he never had a Bible confiscated and was arrested only three times.

Brother Andrew feels passionately that the rapid spread of Islam could be, by far, the greatest challenge the Christian Church worldwide has faced yet. His friendships and the love of God have taken Brother Andrew into private meetings with leaders of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah. He is among the few Western leaders to regularly travel to the Middle East as an ambassador for Christ to these groups.

Brother Andrew's work through Open Doors has led the organisation into places where most Christians are unwilling to go. His underground network of indigenous Christians has aided in the secret distribution of millions of Bibles each year.

see https://www.opendoors.org.au/aboutus/brandrewstory/

 God’s plan from Genesis 1 onwards has always been to fill the world with people who love Him and walk in covenant faithfulness with Himself. 

Even when humanity turned rebelliously against God, He still kept to His original plan. Abram was called and was given a great blessing. Through Him blessing would come to the entire world. 

The nation of Israel was formed from the offspring of Abraham. This nation was called to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. She was to be the light for the world that brought God’s blessing and salvation to the ends of the earth. But as we have seen throughout Jeremiah, God’s people have continued in stiff necked rebellion. Not only have they failed to reach the nations but they have turned from the one true living God to worship the false gods of the nations. 

When Jesus came onto the scene several hundred years later, He came with the same global focus that God originally had. He came to call Israel back to God but also to call sheep from another pen. The people of God would now consist of Jews and Gentiles dwelling together in the House of the Lord. 

The church today has been given the same global mantle from the Lord. If we fail to have a global vision and passion then we stand in direct contrast to the command of our Lord and Saviour and also to the mega plan of God which began way back in Genesis 1. 

Personal Questions

1. How’s your prayer life?

2. Describe your current thought life?

3. How’s your relationship with your spouse or your parents?

4. Discuss how and if you’ve struggled with sin/temptation this week.

5. How are you worshipping God through work, family and social networks?

 Read Matthew 28:18-20

 Pray

that God would give you a great sense of desire and passion to see entire nations converted to the Lord by faith.

that your church would be passionate about reaching the nations with the gospel and that they would be active in missions to the world.

 Reflection:

1. Why should a Christian concern him/herself with the evangelisation of the nations?

2. Not every Christian is called to be a missionary to the nations but every believer is called to be concerned for them. How can that concern be expressed outside of direct mission to the nations?

3. How are you and how is your church putting that into practice?

4. What can you do to grow a passion for the nations in your cell, your church, your denomination?

Wednesday July 29, 2015

Read Jeremiah 47

  

When we think of the Philistines we almost automatically think of David’s epic battle with the Philistine giant, Goliath. But the Philistines, like the Egyptians, had a long history with the Israelites. Philistia and the Philistines appear almost 300 times in the Old Testament, mostly in Judges and Samuel. In the book of Judges the Lord allowed the Philistines to concur with the Israelites and to subdue them, so that they would turn and come back to the Lord in repentance and faith.

The Medinet Habu reliefs (from the ruins of Ancient Egypt) show the Philistines armed with spears and long, straight swords, with large, round shields for protection. They had three-man chariots with six-spoked wheels and they transported people by means of solid two-wheel carts pulled by four oxen. Their ships were rigged with a square sail, like those of the Egyptians, and had a duck-shaped prow, which possibly was used for ramming enemy vessels.

(Taken from Walter A. Elwell and Philip Wesley Comfort, Tyndale Bible Dictionary (Tyndale reference library; Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001), 1035.)

It was the Philistines who defeated the Israelites (1 Sam 4) and captured the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark was quickly returned to Israel because the Lord sent plagues against the nation. 

During the reign of King Saul the Philistines increased their military activity and greatly oppressed the Lord’s people. It was during this time that young David, soon to be king, defeated and conquered the great Philistine warrior Goliath. David had earlier been chosen as the Lord’s anointed (ie the messiah) and as a sign of that anointing defeated the Philistine warrior Goliath. Israel for her part, cowered in the background, refusing to engage with the superior might of the Philistine army. David would go on to defeat and subdue the Philistines from Geber to Geza (2 Sam 5).

In chapter 47 of Jeremiah’s prophesy the Lord reveals that the Philistines will be totally destroyed by the wrath of the Lord. While it is not explicitly spelt out, the assumption is that Nebuchadnezzar would be the agent of destruction just as he was with Egypt. After the destruction, those left in Philistia were assimilated into Canaanite culture and the land of Philistia ceased to exist. The only remnant we have is the name of Palestine, derived from them. God’s Word had proven again to be true.

Prayer:

Using today’s Bible passage and notes write down points for

Adoration:

Confession

Thanks

Supplication:

· There are many people that don’t know the love and grace of the Lord God Almighty. They are currently living in condemnation. Pray that God would send His messengers of grace to these people and that they would repent and believe in Jesus for salvation.

· Pray particularly for the people of Tibet, China, Arabia, and the Middle East.

 

   

 Discussion Questions

1. Why should the church of today be concerned for the nations of the world?

2. What should the church be preaching to the nations today?

3. How can we practically preach to the nations today?

Tuesday July 28,2015

Read Jeremiah 46:13-28

 It saddens me when we see in so many movies Christians being presented as inept and incompetent bozos that can’t run or organise anything. It’s often left  to non-believers to sort out the mess that the Christians make. In all of the Sister Act movies, for example, it’s up to a worldly and street wise singer from LA to sort out the dying church and to bring growth and vitality.

Here in Jerusalem in Jeremiah’s day, God is using a worldly person to bring about His plans. God uses the non believer Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to bring judgement upon the world. But Nebuchadnezzar is not sorting out God’s people, he’s doing God’s will of bringing judgement and destruction!

In Jeremiah 27:5-6 God had already declared His will and His ability.

“With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please. 6 Now I will hand all your countries over to my servant Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.”

Interestingly, the people left behind after the exile chose to go disobediently to Egypt for safety and relief from the attacks and threats of the war. God shows them that even in Egypt they would not be safe.

When God judges the world we have to remember that His justice and judgements are always fair, deserved and totally right. God never judges unfairly.

The reason for God’s judgement is further revealed to us in Jeremiah 46:25-26.

“25 The LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to bring punishment on Amon god of Thebes, on Pharaoh, on Egypt and her gods and her kings, and on those who rely on Pharaoh. 26 I will hand them over to those who seek their lives, to Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon and his officers. Later, however, Egypt will be inhabited as in times past,” declares the LORD.”

God is judging Egypt for her idolatry, her unwillingness to worship the one true living God and her incessant desire to worship gods of wood and stone.

But notice that the word of judgement ends with hope for Egypt and for the people of God. Egypt will be inhabited again as in days gone by and God’s people, affectionately called Jacob in vs 27-28 need not be afraid.

This hope that glimmers ever so slightly in vs 27-28 is a major theme of the New Testament. You and I have a key role in playing out that hope. You’ll see how and why on Sonday.

Prayer:

Using today’s Bible passage and notes write down points for

Adoration:

Confession

Thanks

Supplication:

· Pray that God would allow you to take the message of grace and hope to the 3 other people you mentioned yesterday. Pray that God would open the door for effective communication with these people.

· Pray that the chaplains in Glenvale and Harristown Public Schools would be able to share their faith, speak of Jesus and make disciples in Jesus’ name. Pray that funding and all other needs would be met by the grace of God.

 Discussion Questions

1. What role do you think you and your church play in bringing hope to the nations?

2. If someone in your church quipped that they see no interest in other people, believers or groups beyond the four walls of your church, how would you respond?

3. Someone else adds that they were judged because they deserved it. What would you say in reply?