Saturday May 16, 2015

Read Jeremiah 13

Imagine someone in your local city or town were to wear an old or worn out belt for the day. Even more so, imagine this person waving that old and worn out belt around proclaiming judgement. I suspect that this person would hardly get noticed and if he did, it would be by people calling him a ‘weirdo’.  Perhaps the mental health people would take him away to a more suitable location!

By and large our western culture doesn’t live by or like living parables. In the Old Testament they were common place and used powerfully by God to proclaim a message to His people. 

In this living parable Jeremiah is told to purchase a linen belt and to wear it for some time without letting it touch water. Then after some time he is told to take that belt and to bury it down by the river, perhaps the Euphrates River. After many days, he’s told to get the belt which was obviously ruined and totally useless.

Jeremiah 13:8-12 explains the purpose and importance of this living parable

8 Then the word of the Lord came to me:

9 “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10 These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them, will be like this belt—completely useless!

11 For as a belt is bound around a man’s waist, so I bound the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to me,’ declares the Lord, ‘to be my people for my renown and praise and honour. But they have not listened.’

The entire chapter finishes on a negative note with the nation being threatened with exile. As the book of Jeremiah progresses we see that the nation did in deed fail to repent and to follow God and was exiled to Babylon as prophesied. The word of Jeremiah proved true and the words of the other prophets in Jerusalem proved false.

The exile is really the anti-climax of the entire Bible where God sends His people away from the Promised Land. As with Adam and Eve so with Israel. They were both in the blessed land of God and both chose to reject God and God’s ways. Both were exiled from God’s presence.

When Jesus came into our world He left His heavenly throne in the presence of God to be among us. He lived in perfect obedience to the will of the Father - something that neither Adam or Eve or the nation of Israel could achieve. Hence He is called the Second Adam and the true Israel. Though He was completely obedient He still willingly suffered the agony of the cross. Jesus died bearing our sins - yours, mine and the entire world’s - so that we can come back to God.

In fact, we read that everyone who has faith in Jesus re-enters the presence of God. This re-entering is a two fold process. First each believer is filled with God’s presence through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Secondly, when Jesus returns He will usher all believers into the new paradise where God and mankind will again dwell face to face.

Prayer Points:

Using today’s Bible passage and reading notes spend time in adoration, confession, thanks and supplication.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

· Pray that your church service tomorrow will be glorifying to the Lord and a blessing to the saints. Pray that God works powerfully among your congregation and deeply in the believers. Pray that any non believers present would be convicted and brought to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

· Pray that God would bring blessing and healing to the people in your congregation that need it. Pray for those who need healing by name.

 Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. What role does the exile play in the span of the entire Bible?

2. What is the theological significance of the exile?

3. What role does the exile have in the lives of New Testament believers?